Stolen by the First Love - Chapter 80 (FINALE)

Wei Fei’s nerves were on edge all night. When Lin Youran woke up in the morning, Wei Fei hesitantly suggested, “I think it might be better if we slept separately?”

Lin Youran, still groggy, rubbed her eyes and asked, “Did I kick you again?”

Her voice was thick with lingering sleepiness, sounding muffled, and paired with her eye-rubbing, she looked utterly harmless.

Wei Fei shook her head. “No.”

Lin Youran turned her head, her large eyes, now watery from a yawn staring silently at Wei Fei. Her damp gaze looked both aggrieved and innocent. “Then why do we need to sleep separately?”

Wei Fei looked at her soft expression and suddenly found it hard to speak. After stammering for a while, she finally blurted out, “Never mind, I’m just not used to it.”

Lin Youran let out an “Oh” and said, “You’ll get used to it after a few more nights.”

Wei Fei felt something was off but couldn’t pinpoint what.

In the evening, Wei Fei was harassed by the male guest who had previously lost his temper with her.

The disparity in strength between men and women made it impossible for her to break free from his grip until Lin Youran suddenly appeared.

“If you dare cause trouble and bully my people on my set, I can make sure you never work in this industry again.”

After the male actor left, Wei Fei, still shaken, thanked Lin Youran.

“You’re welcome,” Lin Youran replied, her dimples showing. “You hold onto me, and I’ll protect you.”

Wei Fei laughed too, no longer feeling awkward about clinging to Lin Youran at night.

Later, when Lin Youran slipped under the covers, she naturally snuggled up to Wei Fei. A small, warm object slipped from Lin Youran’s encircling hand into Wei Fei’s palm.

It was a tiny hand warmer.

“For your wrist.”

Wei Fei froze. Wrapped in the warmth of Lin Youran’s embrace, she recalled her words, “my people” and felt heat rise from her sore wrist all the way to her heart.

After that, every day, Lin Youran would take special care of Wei Fei in broad daylight, all because of her “careless” sleeping habits at night. The gestures seemed normal, but given that both of them were queer, they carried a subtle, ambiguous weight.

Rumors about the two of them began circulating on set. At first, Wei Fei assumed Lin Youran would clarify things if she heard the gossip given her personality. But even when the rumors reached Wei Fei’s ears, Lin Youran acted as if she were oblivious, making no move to address them.

On the final day of filming, Lin Youran treated the crew to a feast at a nearby farmhouse. Everyone was in high spirits, and plenty of alcohol was consumed. Wei Fei, who wasn’t much of a drinker, ended up being practically carried back to the neighboring inn by Lin Youran that night.

Eventually, Lin Youran seemed to grow impatient with her unsteady walking and simply scooped her up in a princess carry.

It was the first time in Wei Fei’s life she’d been held like that, and her heart soared along with her body.

As she was lifted, Wei Fei caught sight of a few girls whispering behind them.

Back in the room, Lin Youran set her down on the inner bed. “Don’t shower after drinking. Wait till you wake up.”

Wei Fei hummed in agreement, then couldn’t resist asking, “Do you know what the crew’s been gossiping about lately?”

Lin Youran helped her out of her coat and tucked her in. “Gossiping about what?”

“That you and I… aren’t exactly innocent.” Wei Fei slumped into the bedding, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol, adding a tempting allure to her usual charm.

Lin Youran looked down at her and said softly, “Well, that’s not exactly gossip.”

Wei Fei frowned, slowly processing the words before her eyes widened slightly. She watched as Lin Youran crouched down, reaching out to brush aside the disheveled strands of her long hair. Lin Youran’s voice, like a plectrum plucking at her heartstrings, sent a shiver through her.

“I’m not exactly innocent when it comes to you.”

Wei Fei’s heart skipped a beat, pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest. Blinking rapidly, her face burned hotter, unsure whether it was the alcohol or Lin Youran’s words that set her aflame.

Unable to distinguish dream from reality, she pulled the blanket over her head. “I feel so dizzy.”

After several seconds of silence, Lin Youran’s soft voice came. “Sleep now.”

Before dawn broke, Wei Fei awoke, her head throbbing from the hangover as memories of the previous night flooded back.

What did ‘not innocent’ mean…?

She turned her head to see Lin Youran still fast asleep in the other bed.

Was this just drunken teasing from someone like her?

Someone like Lin Youran, a renowned director, a wealthy heiress would never lack for women, let alone someone as unremarkable as herself. Wei Fei’s emotions tangled into an indescribable mess.

Why toy with her like this?

She wanted to confront Lin Youran directly, but feared the answer would only humiliate her further. Yet pretending nothing happened wasn’t an option her acting skills weren’t good enough to hide the truth.

Once Lin Youran woke, the awkwardness would be unbearable.

Taking a deep breath, Wei Fei slipped out of bed, packed her things, and fled before dawn.

She didn’t see Lin Youran’s eyes open the moment she left, nor hear the soft click of her tongue.

Back home, Wei Fei threw herself into editing, burying herself in work. Lin Youran occasionally messaged her about projects, but neither mentioned that night again.

Wei Fei grew certain it had all been a joke.

With time, she let it go or so she thought. Just as she convinced herself to move on, trouble struck.

After Wild Survival aired, the hot-tempered male lead was exposed for throwing tantrums on set. Audiences began dissecting the show for clues. Initially, the backlash targeted him until he shifted blame to the editing team, claiming malicious cuts had misrepresented him.

Fans turned their fury on Wei Fei.

Used to such storms, Wei Fei stayed silent. Responding risked her job; she could only wait for the internet to forget.

Then one night, Lin Youran posted:
“The editing team was personally invited by me. They never manipulate footage. In fact, they endured 14 days of wilderness filming to protect raw footage integrity. I admire their professionalism. New-gen actors should focus on growth, not scapegoating my people. Kittens don’t roar but I do.”

The backlash reversed instantly. The actor was lambasted into apologizing.

Wei Fei didn’t care about his apology. Her mind reeled from Lin Youran’s fierce defense and those two words: my people.

That night, Lin Youran offered her Fortunate to Meet You‘s editing role at an irresistible fee. After brief hesitation, Wei Fei accepted.

She couldn’t resist asking: [What did “my people” mean?]

Lin Youran replied with disarming boldness: [Exactly what it says.]

Asking was worse than not asking at all.

Wei Fei collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh, increasingly baffled by Lin Youran’s intentions.

She had no idea how this recording session would turn out.

Wei Fei never expected that while filming the variety show Fortunate to Meet You, the ambiguous pink bubbles between Ning Qingwan and Meng Xia would somehow spread to her and Lin Youran.

While monitoring the footage, Lin Youran snatched her chicken leg right out of her hand.

The intimacy felt borderline inappropriate.

When they couldn’t figure out why Ning Qingwan took Meng Xia to the restroom, Lin Youran suddenly kissed her and said, “For this.”

Surprisingly, Wei Fei didn’t feel repulsed.

Watching Ning Qingwan and Meng Xia kiss, Lin Youran asked, “Should we try it too?”

For a fleeting moment, Wei Fei almost said “yes,” but the stark contrast in their family backgrounds quickly extinguished that impulse. Wei Fei countered, “Why do you want to try with me?”

From a distance, they could faintly hear Ning Qingwan teaching Meng Xia to play the guitar. The sweet notes drifted over with the breeze, melting into the sunlight that enveloped Lin Youran, making her glow as if illuminated from within.

“Because you’re different.”

Standing in the shadows, Wei Fei gazed at her, suddenly feeling like an entire sun separated them, so abundant was the sunlight between them.

She sensed Lin Youran’s interest in her was just a passing whim.

“I don’t want to try with you,” Wei Fei refused outright.

Lin Youran pressed, “Give me a reason.”

“Because I’m different.” Wei Fei shrugged and walked away without looking back. “Producer Lin, you only think I’m different because you don’t know me. Once you do, I’ll just become boring.”

In the days that followed, to make Lin Youran fully realize she wasn’t special at all, Wei Fei became increasingly careless about her image around her and more blunt in her interactions.

She could wake up in the morning, skip brushing her hair or putting on makeup, and plop down right next to Lin Youran.

Whenever Lin Youran teased her, she’d retort with a sharp “Get lost.”

Strangely, the harsher Wei Fei was, the closer Lin Youran seemed to cling, as if she had some masochistic streak.

Wei Fei couldn’t understand it. “Honestly, I’m no different from anyone else. Producer Lin, what exactly do you like about me? Tell me, and I’ll change it.”

Lin Youran smiled sweetly and tossed the question back: “Then what exactly don’t you like about me? Tell me, and I’ll change it.”

Wei Fei couldn’t answer. Lin Youran was free-spirited, sometimes inconsiderate of others. Though Wei Fei kept pushing her away, she never actually felt bothered by her presence.

She just felt deeply insecure about Lin Youran’s fleeting interest in her.

“Do you want to date me?” Wei Fei asked.

This was far from the first time they’d popped the pink bubble between them, Lin Youran had repeatedly probed whether they should “try.” But it was the first time Wei Fei had phrased it so directly.

“Yes,” Lin Youran answered without hesitation.

After a long silence, Wei Fei asked, “Do you just want to have a fling with me, or do you want me to be your only fling?”

Lin Youran froze momentarily, unable to respond immediately. Wei Fei pressed her lips together but didn’t demand an answer on the spot. “Think it over. Tell me when you’ve figured it out.”

The conversation ended there.

After that, Lin Youran’s teasing dwindled.

Wei Fei thought there probably wouldn’t be an answer after all.

On the final day of the show’s recording, the last episode was filmed on a cruise ship.

Wei Fei thought that after this recording, she and Lin Youran probably wouldn’t work together again.

People come and go on life’s journey, and Wei Fei still wasn’t used to the melancholy that came with farewells.

On the afternoon of their return voyage, she went to the open-air balcony on the second deck to watch the sunset.

As the red sun began to sink in the west, Lin Youran walked up beside her. “About your question last time, I’ve thought of an answer. Do you want to hear it?”

Wei Fei was taken aback, unable to discern the tone in Lin Youran’s voice.

The orange-red sun slid slowly downward, and the wind carried the briny scent of the sea.

She said, “Yes.”

“Your question was really like a tongue twister. I admit, at first, I couldn’t even tell the difference between the two.” Lin Youran said.

One: just wanting to have a relationship with an expiration date once the novelty wore off, it would end.

Two: only wanting to have a relationship with her, with no expiration date, and no one else.

This kind of question and answer was actually meaningless, no one could guarantee the second option. But Wei Fei thought, at the very least, in the moment someone chose the second answer, she would be their one and only, their forever.

Wei Fei never lacked suitors, and she always asked them this question.

But no one had ever played along and given her the answer she hoped for.

“I only want to be with you. Just one relationship.”

And now, someone had.

“So, what’s your answer, Wei Fei?”

The red sun touched the horizon, staining the sky in warm crimson, while golden-orange light scattered across the sea, blending sky and water into one.

Wei Fei turned and kissed Lin Youran’s lips.

“This is my answer.”

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