The Film Empress's Secret Marriage and Child - Chapter 5

Sheng Yunshu did not answer; she only told her that she had not eaten lunch and felt a bit dizzy.

Shen Zhouxing could naturally tell she was lying. However, there are some things that, if the person involved does not want to talk about, there is no need to push.

Shen Zhouxing had her assistant order lunch for Sheng Yunshu. While they waited for the food, she pulled Sheng Yunshu aside to look through the recorded footage.

It was meant to be a kind gesture to help her shift her focus, but unexpectedly, it stabbed a few more holes in Sheng Yunshu’s heart.

After eating just a few bites, Sheng Yunshu opened her smart brain, looking at the string of missed calls and the unread messages in the chat boxes.

She steadied her breathing, said a word to Shen Zhouxing, and got up to head to a quiet spot outside the film set to return Sheng Qingshan’s call.

The person on the other end answered almost instantly: “Where did you run off to?”

“Why are you asking? I am an adult now; do I still need to ask for your opinion on where I go?” Sheng Yunshu’s eyes were red-rimmed, but she kept her tone as normal as possible. “I am at the film set. Zhouxing just sent me a message saying a couple of actors were having some issues, so I wanted to come and check.”

Sheng Qingshan did not believe she was so responsible. “Leave the set affairs to them. Come back immediately.”

So you can have another reason to argue with me?

Sheng Yunshu only dared to think this in her heart. She looked up at the gray, gloomy sky and adopted that familiar young mistress attitude again.

“I do not want to. This is the first film I am shooting; I am not at ease handing it over to others. Besides, I will be staying at the set or at my place for a while because it is close to the set. Do not use that commanding tone with me. I am not a child anymore; I do not need you managing every little thing in my life.”

As the words fell, silence descended on Sheng Qingshan’s side. If one listened carefully, they could hear her breathing grow heavier.

Sheng Yunshu crossed her arms, feeling anxious and uneasy.

She knew Sheng Qingshan wanted to protect her, but she really could not go back now.

Although she had only met Sheng Yanzhou once, the impression she left on Sheng Yunshu was too profound. Sheng Qingshan was entering the committee in a few days; she could not add to her troubles at a time like this.

If Sheng Yanzhou wants something, let her have it. After all… Sheng Yunshu wiped away the wetness at the corner of her eyes. Originally, those things belonged to her anyway.

“Have you eaten?”

After a long silence, Sheng Qingshan’s voice sounded again: “I will have someone deliver food to you. Work after you have eaten.”

Sheng Yunshu’s eyes grew sour, and she almost cried. “…I have eaten.”

Probably guessing that she was in a low mood, Sheng Qingshan did not force her to return. Instead, she instructed her to take good care of herself, not to hide anything from her, and to eat on time even if she was feeling down.

“Yunshu, there is nothing I can do about the household registration, but I can promise you that whatever Yanzhou has, you will have too.” Sheng Qingshan stood up and walked to the window. Her steady, calm voice held a kind of magic that could soothe the soul:

“In my heart, you and Yanzhou are equally important.”

Sheng Yunshu covered her mouth so she would not hear her crying. After composing herself, she quickly said she understood, hung up the communication, and went to find a place where no one could see her to secretly wipe away her tears.

…

For the next period of time, Sheng Qingshan would occasionally video call to see what she was doing and whether she was acting recklessly like last time.

Sheng Yunshu did not know what the situation at home was now, or where her registration had been moved. She did not dare ask or check.

Every time Sheng Qingshan called, she would pull herself together and banter with her just like before:

“You have such a huge bias against me! Last time I was just drunk, and I did not actually do anything! I just took off some clothes, I did not even have the chance to kiss anyone before you arrived. You were faster than the security officers!”

Listening to her complaints, the furrow in Sheng Qingshan’s brow relaxed: “You have the nerve to bring up what happened last time? Let alone the illicit substances, was it appropriate for you to be messing around with them in a place like that?”

Seeing that her expression had eased, Sheng Yunshu changed her position, lounging in the hanging chair, and retorted with a thin veneer of confidence: “What is there to be embarrassed about! How old am I? Having some physiological needs is perfectly normal! Although there were a lot of people there, I did not intend to do anything with them. It is your thoughts that are dirty!”

“Sophistry.”

Sheng Qingshan laughed and scolded, then brought up the idea of coming to see her that evening.

“No.” Sheng Yunshu buried half her face in the pillow, her hair obscuring her flushed eyes. There was a hint of coquetry in her voice: “Do not come looking for me. I have an appointment! I do not have time to accompany you, and then you will just get angry again.”

Sheng Qingshan watched the omega in the light screen who was so shy she wanted to bury her face in the pillow, and her gaze flickered. “Do you have a partner? Who is it? What is their name? What does their family do?”

She was afraid that Sheng Yunshu was just casually accepting someone else’s pursuit because she was upset about the recent events.

Being asked this, Sheng Yunshu seemed even more embarrassed. She buried her face completely, her voice muffled: “What are you saying? Do not spout nonsense! They are just a friend! I am not talking to you anymore; I am going to take a nap. Goodbye!”

After saying that, she did not give Sheng Qingshan a chance to refuse and hung up directly.

Sheng Qingshan could not do anything about her either, so she could only have people investigate those who had been in close contact with her recently.

If there were no problems, she would naturally support Yunshu in her relationship. But if it were someone with ulterior motives, Sheng Qingshan would not let them off easily.

While she was arranging for people to handle this, Sheng Yunshu was curled up in the hanging chair, looking over their past photos and videos again and again. Her beautiful eyes became bloodshot, and tears slid down the bridge of her nose, soaking the pillowcase.

There was no potential partner; Sheng Yunshu just did not want Sheng Qingshan to come and find her.

If she stood right in front of her, Sheng Yunshu would surely be unable to stop herself from crying, and then she would be burdened by her own affairs again.

She was already so tired.

In the video, Sheng Yunshu could clearly feel the long-accumulated exhaustion on Sheng Qingshan. The dark circles under her eyes were the best proof.

Looking at the photo in the light screen of Sheng Qingshan crouching in a flower field, carefully pruning the branches and leaves, Sheng Yunshu’s fingertips gently traced her silhouette in the void.

That was taken the spring before last.

Sheng Qingshan was taking a rare break and had gone to the flower fields as usual to check on the growth of the Yanmu.

The sunlight hit the side of her face, stretching the shadows of her eyelashes long. She was always very serious when doing these things, terrified that a single wrong step might ruin the flowers she had nurtured with such care.

Sheng Yunshu remembered standing next to her then, holding her camera and taking several shots. Sheng Qingshan did not even lift her head, only saying one thing: “Have you taken enough?”

“No.” She giggled and pressed the shutter again. “You look good; I want to take more.”

Sheng Qingshan ignored her, her gaze remaining fixed on the Yanmu in front of her.

Sheng Yunshu stared at this photo for a long time. That sour, bitter feeling welled up in her heart once more, leaving her unable to find its source.

…

In order not to continue being decadent, Sheng Yunshu truly pulled herself together. Almost like Shen Zhouxing, she left early and returned late, busy filming all day long.

Once she was busy, that inexplicable feeling vanished. Sheng Yunshu did not want to think too deeply about it and threw herself even more into her work.

One afternoon, while she and Shen Zhouxing were arguing about whether a certain take was acceptable, her assistant told her that someone was looking for her.

“Sister Yunshu, Little President Ji of Taiying is here. She is waiting for you in the lounge.”

Hearing this, the two stopped their argument. Shen Zhouxing pushed up her glasses with the back of her hand. “Jingxing? Why is she here?”

Sheng Yunshu blinked and started playing dumb. “I do not know. Maybe she was in the neighborhood? I will go check.”

Watching Sheng Yunshu slip away quickly, a hint of interest flashed in the depths of Shen Zhouxing’s eyes.

The variety show the year before last had made them a fortune. At the time, the eight guests had formed their own teams, and the sister-puppy CP of Sheng Yunshu and Ji Jingxing had attracted quite a few viewers. It was a pity that they ended up as work buddies, ending with regret.

Was something happening now?

In the lounge.

As soon as Sheng Yunshu pushed the door open and entered, she saw Ji Jingxing sitting on the sofa.

It had been a while since they last met. The youth in her memories had already shed her callowness; her brows and eyes had grown more mature. She wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on a high-bridged nose, her gaze calm and gentle, lacking the reckless heat of her youth.

She was wearing a casual beige suit, her hair shorter than before, tied up casually, revealing a small silver ear stud on her left ear. She sat upright, hands clasped on her lap, her posture composed and calm, like a newly sprouted pine.

However, the moment she saw Sheng Yunshu, ripples still stirred on the surface of the calm lake.

“Little President Ji, what an honor to have you visit; I am sorry I did not welcome you properly.” Sheng Yunshu closed the door, her tone tinged with familiar teasing. “Were you scolded by Sister Zhichiu, so you came to hide here for some peace?”

Ji Jingxing gave a light chuckle, took a cup of coffee from a paper bag, and pushed it over: “I brought you a cup of coffee. Less sugar, less milk, just how you like it.”

Sheng Yunshu’s brow twitched. She picked up the coffee and took a sip. “Not bad, not bad. It was not in vain that I doted on you so much when you were little.”

Ji Jingxing watched her quietly and did not respond to that statement. When she set the coffee down, Ji Jingxing said softly:

“Sheng Yanzhou’s welcome ceremony is being held tomorrow. Will you be going?”

The expression on Sheng Yunshu’s face stiffened, but she soon returned to normal. “Why would I go to something like that? To be an eyesore? Besides, I have so much work to do here; I do not have the time.”

Ji Jingxing did not expose her, and the lounge fell into silence.

Sheng Yunshu could not figure out what she was thinking. Just as she was about to ask her when Xu Zhichiu’s due date was, the other person suddenly leaned forward.

“Yunshu, you can contact me if you need anything. I will always stand by your side.”

When she reached out to hold her hand, Sheng Yunshu dodged it imperceptibly using the motion of picking up her coffee, simultaneously leaning back and curling her eyes:

“You really have grown up… But although I am not the Sheng family’s biological daughter, I grew up with your little aunt and the others. You should still call me Aunt.”

Curling her fingers, Ji Jingxing looked at those charming eyes, a look of inevitable ambition showing in her gaze:

“Aunt, please give me a chance.”

Watching the woman so close at hand, Sheng Yunshu’s heart skipped a beat.

So, playing dumb will not work anymore.

…

After dealing with Ji Jingxing, Sheng Yunshu was exhausted both mentally and physically.

She really could not have imagined that the Ji family actually supported Ji Jingxing!

Even though they were both omegas, even though she was fourteen years older than Jingxing, even though she was not a biological daughter of the Sheng family… as long as Jingxing liked her, they would support it.

She was definitely envious; she had always known the Ji family cherished their children. The way Ji Xi and Cheng Nuo had made such a scene back then—despite the drama, due to Ji Xi’s persistence, the family had still relented… But how could she and Jingxing be the same!?

Back when they were filming the variety show, she had sensed Jingxing’s feelings and had even tried to avoid physical contact as much as possible, just fearing that the kid was thinking in the wrong direction.

But she did not expect that two years later, she still had not given up?

Thinking of the smile Ji Jingxing had before she left, Sheng Yunshu felt an even worse headache coming on. She slapped Shen Zhouxing’s back!

Shen Zhouxing, who was explaining the scene to an actor, turned her head around, observed her complexion, and spoke cautiously: “Does Teacher Sheng have any high opinions?”

“No, it was just a reflex.”

“…”

Forget it, she provided the money, so Shen Zhouxing would endure it.

Work wrapped up at 10:00 PM. Sheng Yunshu refused her manager’s offer to see her off, planning to drive home alone. It was close, anyway.

The wind at night was very cold. Sheng Yunshu wrapped her coat tightly as she walked toward the parking lot. The cold wind poured in through her collar, causing her to shrink her neck from the chill.

The light box at the entrance of the film set was still lit, casting her shadow long and faint, imprinted lonely on the ground.

But after walking only a few steps, she suddenly stopped.

She looked at the familiar figure by the corner of the road and was stunned in place for a moment. Once she came to her senses, she instinctively wanted to keep her distance.

She did not want to bring her trouble.

Just as she stood there foolishly, not knowing what to do, Sheng Qingshan exhaled a puff of white mist and reached out a hand toward her:

“Come here.”

Longing overcame reason. Sheng Yunshu ran over and threw herself into her arms, hugging her tightly. She rubbed her cheek against her body, her voice turning hoarse:

“Sister…”

Sheng Qingshan was strangled a bit uncomfortably, but she still raised her hand to pat her head, saying softly:

“Have you eaten? I had Auntie Fang cook a few dishes you like…”

“Eat a little more; it is too cold.”