She Became The Black Lotus’s Pure, Untouchable Love - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The sun hung high in the sky, radiating a brilliant reddish-orange glow. With neither clouds to veil it nor trees to block it, the light poured straight down, warming the entire set. The crimson brilliance stained the golden-green glazed tiles and dark red brick walls of the palace set, reflecting a sense of imperial grandeur.

The hotel booked for the crew of Song of the Sea was located right within the Film City. Lin Junru struggled out of her blankets, pulled back the curtains, and squinted. In the distance, she could see another crew already at work.

Looking toward the Meridian Gate, she saw “nobles” in robes and “officials” in cranes-embroidered gowns sitting majestically in their palanquins, parading out in a line, while guards on either side stood as straight as spears.

Lin Junru stretched, then dove into the bathroom to get ready.

She had made a date with Sister Xiangxiang yesterday! Ning Xiangxiang was in a wheelchair and couldn’t move easily; she didn’t have an assistant with her, and Sister Luo was busy managing other artists. So, Lin Junru had offered to push her to the set this morning.

Lin Junru splashed toner and lotion onto her face haphazardly. Looking in the mirror, she massaged her cheeks and practiced a few expressions. Her round face puffed out like a soft white bun. One moment she was baring her teeth in “fury,” the next she was wrinkling her brow in “grievance.”

This was the “Mirror Reflection Method” mentioned by her favorite Best Actress, Deng Yanxin, in her autobiography. Supposedly, practicing various expressions in the mirror every morning was highly effective for improving one’s acting. Although Junru hadn’t seen any results yet, she firmly believed a star of Deng Yanxin’s stature wouldn’t lie.

Since the hotel and the set were so close, most of the cast walked. Her assistant had already gone ahead to prepare. Junru dried her face and tied her hair back in a messy bunch—styling didn’t matter yet; she’d spend hours in the makeup chair once she arrived.

Before leaving, she stuffed a large bag of snacks into her backpack, locked her door cheerfully, and headed toward the end of the corridor. Through the glass, she could see the various ancient vistas of the Film City.

Crossing over, she reached Room 1106. Before she could knock, she saw Ning Xiangxiang already waiting for her in the resting area.

From a distance, Xiangxiang’s waterfall of black hair draped over her shoulders, revealing a glimpse of her delicate, pale jawline. Her naturally slender frame looked less frail inside an oversized plaid shirt. Sitting there alone, bathed in the warm orange light of the window, her silhouette held a trace of loneliness.

A wave of inexplicable sadness washed over Lin Junru. She let out a soft sigh and walked over. Perhaps because she was young, everyone treated her like a child who couldn’t care for herself. She was always the one being looked after. Finally, she had a chance to take care of someone else.

She thought she could be of more help. Even though it was just a small favor—Xiangxiang couldn’t walk, and she was just pushing her along—Xiangxiang had gotten ready so early just to wait for her.

Recalling how Xiangxiang had cried yesterday in Huo Xingyu’s car while Huo Xingyu watched coldly with a look of dissatisfaction, Junru felt a surge of sympathy. Huo Xingyu had such a bad temper and seemed so difficult to get along with. Being friends with someone like that must be exhausting.

Lin Junru broke into a small run toward the resting area. “Sister, I’m here! I’m so sorry to keep you waiting, I woke up a bit late.”

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed the wheelchair handles and headed toward the elevators. She said with a smile, “If you haven’t had breakfast, I have tons of candy in my bag. I didn’t know what you like, so here, you take the bag and pick whatever you want.”

She stuffed her backpack into Xiangxiang’s lap. Once we get to the set, I can help her even more, Junru thought, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she picked up her pace.

…

“President Huo?”

Vaguely, Huo Xingyu seemed to hear someone calling her from a distance. She wanted to open her mouth to answer, but she couldn’t speak. The syllables seemed to vanish into the chaotic darkness the moment they vibrated.

Everything was pitch black. She was submerged in it, unable to move.

Then, she heard the faint sound of someone sobbing nearby. A voice choked out, “I don’t dare… I really don’t dare. I can’t do it…”

“Forget it, forget it…”

Are they talking to me? Is this a dream? Do what?

The voices in the dream were muffled. Huo Xingyu strained to listen, but only caught these fragmented sentences. It’s a dream, she thought. But even knowing it was a dream, she remained floating in the void, unable to wake no matter how she struggled.

After those weak cries, a woman suddenly leaned in close to her ear and let out a low, cold laugh. The warm breath was so close it brushed against the back of her ear. It was so real that the sensation caused a sensitive shiver to ripple down her spine.

A bizarre, creeping dread crawled from the back of her head to her face. She wanted to flinch away, but her limbs were leaden. She heard the voice again, mocking and soft.

“Put the knife down. She’s bleeding so much, how are we going to handle it?”

“Just like that. Yes, yes!”

“Press down hard. Don’t give her a gap to breathe. Yes, well done…”

What does she mean? Is she… committing a murder? Is this woman coaching someone to kill?

Just as the dream felt absurdly ridiculous, the trembling, cowardly voice responded with a pitiful sob:

“She’s stopped moving…”

“Is she dead? She’s not breathing anymore.”

They weren’t talking to me.

Huo Xingyu suddenly felt her body floating upward. She tried to fight her way out of the chaos but failed. She realized that in this dream, there were no images—only a hollow, silent blackness. It was cold. She could only hear the two people whispering.

It was as if she weren’t an accomplice in this dream, but an outsider in a dark room, eavesdropping through a wall. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and a thick sense of panic rose within her.

“President Huo?”

“President Huo!”

Amidst the confusion and panic, she heard the call again. Suddenly, the upward floating sensation stopped. She hung suspended for a heartbeat, then plummeted.

The world spun, and Huo Xingyu snapped her eyes open.

—She was met with the panicked face of Secretary Song.—

Seeing Huo Xingyu’s pale complexion and the rare look of confusion in her cold eyes, Secretary Song asked hesitantly, “President Huo, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Huo Xingyu lowered her head and rubbed the space between her brows. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat.

“You look terrible. Should I call a doctor?”

“No need.” She flipped open the file in front of her. “Is everyone here for the meeting?”

“Yes, Manager Yang and the others are waiting outside. Shall I let them in?”

Huo Xingyu nodded. Once Secretary Song closed the door, Huo Xingyu finally let her guard down, gasping for air. She took a sharp gulp of the porcelain cup beside her; the bitter, astringent taste of the strong tea finally cleared her head.

She didn’t consider herself a fearful person, yet a mere dream had triggered such primal terror. It was utterly nonsensical.

There were two knocks on the heavy wooden door, and Secretary Song led in several men in suits. The man at the head of the group had thick, slicked-back hair. Upon seeing Huo Xingyu, his squinty eyes crinkled into thin lines.

“Xingyu…” He grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. “Why do you look so pale? If you’re unwell, go home and rest. Your second uncle can look after things for you.”

Huo Xingyu didn’t even look up. She took a stack of documents from Secretary Song, flipped one open, and said, “Manager Yang, let’s hear your plan.”

Seeing her lack of reaction, Yang Pei’s forced smile vanished. He was sick of her “strictly business” act. Everyone in the company knew he was her uncle, yet she insisted on this cold formality, never even giving him a second glance. Her gaze was always full of disdain.

I am her elder. Who is she showing this arrogant face to?

Yang Pei lowered his head, speaking submissively. “It’s like this: for the second quarter Charity Gala, we plan to invite a celebrity as our Brand Ambassador as per tradition. On one hand, using a celebrity’s influence will attract more…”

“Do you have candidates?”

“Yes, yes…” Yang Pei pulled a photo from his folder and placed it on the wide mahogany desk. “Our top choice is Miss Huo Qiyun. From her appearance to…”

“Next one.” Huo Xingyu cut him off with a wave of her hand before he could finish.

“But the Third Miss is deeply tied to many of the company’s businesses, she has a great image, and she’s one of our own. President Huo, you—”

“I don’t want her earning this easy money.”

“Uh…” Seeing her act so “un-nepotistic” without a shred of guilt, Yang Pei fell silent for a moment. He continued, “Chen Yuan. He’s older, a host for the national station, and very well-known. His image for charity is stable and very suitable.”

“I want someone young. Someone with vitality.”

“Liu Xiaohong, a famous dancer and a national first-class gymnast. She has high energy and once danced for seven or eight hours straight.” Yang Pei flipped another page.

Huo Xingyu looked up at him. “Is there an artist who has… recently been injured?“