Spring Night of Misty Rain - Chapter 26

It took five minutes for the two of them to finally calm down. After a chaotic morning, Xu Luosu was hungry, so she led Shen Zeyu out of the dim bedroom into the bright living room.

As she served a bowl of lotus seed and Job’s tears congee, Xu Luosu whispered, “Eat some breakfast first. After that, take your medicine and have a good sleep. You’ll be fine.”

Shen Zeyu held the spoon with one hand, stirring the congee aimlessly. Her energy had been completely drained by the emotional storm; she was in a low-mood state, unable to find interest in anything.

“Do you not like it?” Xu Luosu asked, noticing her lack of appetite.

“It’s not that… I just… don’t have an appetite.”

This was a classic symptom. Contrary to the public perception of Bipolar Disorder, patients aren’t always “geniuses” with high energy. Their “highs” (mania) come at the cost of burning through their blood and mental stamina to achieve a state of hyper-focus. Once that state crosses a certain threshold, it becomes uncontrollable—thoughts scatter, speech becomes fragmented, and the world spins.

But the most terrifying part isn’t the mania; it’s the crash into the depressive phase. Whenever this happened, Shen Zeyu felt like a monster hiding in a dark corner. A “Black Dog” would grow out of her spine, covering her from head to toe, dripping pitch-black tar that paralyzed her.

Inside, her emotions would turn into a fire. Her veins felt filled with lava—stinging, itching, and painful. The only way to find release was to cut the skin and let the “pressure” out.

Shen Zeyu had been controlled by that internal rage earlier. If Xu Luosu hadn’t broken in, she might have repeated her first suicide attempt and severed her tendons. Now, with her wound stinging under the medicinal powder, her sanity had returned from the edge of the cliff, leaving her filled with a lingering fear.

She knew she couldn’t stay alone in the hotel.

“Junior Sister Xu…” Shen Zeyu said, watching Xu Luosu eat. “Are you… filming today?”

“I am. Why?”

Shen Zeyu forced a pale smile. “I’ll go to the set with you.”

Xu Luosu looked at the bandages on her arm. “But what about your injury? People will talk.”

Shen Zeyu leaned her cheek against her hand, her expression surprisingly nonchalant. “Do you care?”

“I don’t. I’m just worried about the gossip.”

“If you don’t care,” Shen Zeyu chuckled softly, “then I don’t care either.”

She had long accepted that people called her “crazy” or “mentally ill.” As long as she didn’t hurt those who truly cared for her, the opinions of the rest of the world were irrelevant.

The “Pet” in the Van

Xu Luosu fed her a few more bites of congee and watched her take her medication before helping her into the nanny van.

The heavy dose of medicine kicked in quickly. Before they even reached the set, Shen Zeyu was curled up on the back seat, drifting into a deep sleep. To prevent her from rolling onto her injured arm, Xu Luosu pulled her close, letting the older woman rest her head on her shoulder.

At the set, Xu Luosu flattened the back seat into a bed and instructed her assistant, Cai Yi: “Watch Teacher Shen. Don’t let her roll over and hurt her arm.”

“Yes, Boss!” Cai Yi sat up straight, taking the task seriously.

Throughout the day, Xu Luosu ran back to the van during every break. This caught the attention of Qin Zhiyue, who teased, “What’s wrong with the little boss today? Running back to her car every ten minutes.”

Tang Qingyue, sipping her tea, mused, “Maybe she brought a pet. I’ve seen actors bring their cats to the set before and check on them constantly.”

“A pet?” Qin Zhiyue rubbed her chin. “I want to see what kind of treasure she’s hiding.”

During the lunch break, Qin Zhiyue finally cornered her. “So, what ‘treasure’ are you keeping in there?”

Xu Luosu looked at her, confused. “Treasure? Oh… you mean Teacher Shen?”

Qin Zhiyue blinked. “It’s not a cat? It’s Aze?”

“Yes,” Xu Luosu admitted earnestly.

Qin Zhiyue rolled her eyes. “Man, I thought it was a precious kitten! It’s just Aze. She’s a grown adult, she won’t get lost. Why do you have to spend every spare second with her? Are you two so close that sleeping together isn’t enough?”

Xu Luosu stopped walking. She turned to face the director, her gaze sharp. “Director Qin, I don’t mind you joking with me. But regarding Teacher Shen, please watch your words. You’ve been her friend for years; you should know how seriously she takes her personal boundaries and the sanctity of relationships.”

Qin Zhiyue immediately raised her hands in a “peace” sign. “Okay, okay! My bad. I was talking nonsense. I apologize.”

The Burden of Care

Xu Luosu led Qin Zhiyue into the van. There, she saw Shen Zeyu lying on the makeshift bed. She was dressed in black, her face pale, her lips an unnaturally bright red, and her left arm wrapped in layers of white gauze.

Qin Zhiyue’s brow furrowed. “What happened? She was fine this morning. Her arm…”

Xu Luosu sat by the bed, looking down at the sleeping face. “She had an episode. She almost killed herself.”

Qin Zhiyue’s expression darkened. She immediately thought of the morning’s encounter. “Was it Lin Pei? This is about her, isn’t it?”

“That’s Teacher Shen’s private business,” Xu Luosu replied calmly. “I shouldn’t say more. You should wait for her to tell you herself.”

Qin Zhiyue sighed, looking at Shen Zeyu’s messy curls. “Forget it. I don’t need to know the messy details. If Aze is willing to let you get this close, then please… take good care of her.” She lowered her head slightly. “I’m counting on you.”

“It’s no trouble,” Xu Luosu replied softly.

To others, Shen Zeyu was a labyrinth of secrets. Even her childhood friend Chen Ci couldn’t see every corner of her heart. But to Xu Luosu, Shen Zeyu was the most sincere person in the world.

She was like a mirror: give her trust, and you receive trust; give her appreciation, and she gives you her talent; give her love, and you get love in return.

Xu Luosu reached out, her fingertips brushing the dark hair. “She’s actually very easy to get along with. Haven’t you known that for a long time, Director Qin?