The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Being Safely and Securely Cherished…

The person seated in the reception room was slowly sipping tea with her eyes lowered, gently blowing away the ripples on the surface. She wore an apricot lace blouse, and her light brown hair hung down. Her fingers, holding the porcelain cup, were slender and long, and she seemed enveloped in a soft, warm glow.

When she looked up, her gentle, smiling eyes created an immediate sense of closeness and affinity.

“Dr. Wu,” Song Xiangwan greeted her and sat down opposite her.

“Excuse me, Dr. Wu, I will step out,” Ming Jin said flatly, and Sister Qiu walked over to push the wheelchair.

“No need to step out,” Wu Qingyi said gently. “This is not a very serious matter; we are just chatting. If there is someone here who makes Miss Song feel relaxed, the effect might be even better.”

“Alright,” Ming Jin nodded slightly.

She was indeed very uneasy. What was the previous doctor’s assessment, and what was the treatment plan?

Clearly, they hadn’t seen Song Xiangwan’s underlying issue.

“Let’s talk about topics that interest Miss Song,” Wu Qingyi didn’t start abruptly, but spoke conversationally. “Tell me about your growth experience, your family, or things you’ve encountered recently. Anything is fine.”

“You can trust me completely. I will not disclose any information.”

However, no matter how gentle the person in front of her was, no one could instantly drop their guard.

Song Xiangwan talked about a few topics: her growing up, her family, and narratives about the entertainment industry, but… she avoided the most crucial information.

Wu Qingyi seemed to realize something and took the initiative to speak: “Then, how about talking about CEO Ming?”

“Your relationship seems very good.”

“It doesn’t look like close friendship, but it also doesn’t quite look like a lover’s relationship.”

“Of course, this is just my guess based on the interactions between the two of you just now.”

“You care about her deeply, and she constantly pays attention to you, yet there is no absolute intimacy between you.”

If they were lovers, they would most likely be holding hands and leaning on each other, but they weren’t.

“You are clearly avoiding this topic. I believe this is the core issue in your heart.”

As for the psychological trauma from the attempted assault that Ming Jin mentioned earlier… Wu Qingyi had already ruled that out from the conversation so far.

“She…” Song Xiangwan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she had made some kind of decision. “She is the person I love most.”

Ming Jin was right there, listening. Song Xiangwan could say everything.

Her confession wasn’t the first time, anyway.

Whether Ming Jin believed her or not was out of her control, but she wanted to say it now.

This relationship, which appeared illicit to outsiders and could not be disclosed, was being revealed for the first time in front of a psychologist.

“Ah-Jin and I met… probably eight years ago…”

Song Xiangwan seemed lost in memory, every word flowing out from a deep recollection.

“At that time, I was a poor student with nothing, and she was the most dazzling person standing in the crowd.”

“I don’t know how I, just a speck of dust, managed to move the heart of a deity…”

“Later, I thought it was probably just a transaction of money and sex. The unspoken rules of the entertainment industry are always like this—actresses are like rags, used and discarded.”

“I thought it would last three months at most, or maybe half a year, a year at the most, before she got bored and kicked me out.”

“I never thought this relationship would last five years.”

“Your relationship must be very complex,” Wu Qingyi said softly. “Take your time and say what you want to say.”

“I used to think I was just a caged canary. I was angry and resentful, constantly rattling the cage, wanting to escape.”

“I said I wanted freedom. I didn’t want my fans to know I was involved in a casting couch situation, that I was covered in dirty marks.”

“Using sex to exchange for resources is common in this circle, but it is also the most shameful thing.”

“It felt like everything about me was negated.”

“My ability, my professional skill… none of them were the reason for my success. I was just selling my body…”

Ming Jin’s face paled slightly, but she ultimately didn’t interrupt.

She always found a way to soothe all of Song Xiangwan’s previous little outbursts, either by throwing resources at her or by apologizing softly.

But even when she humbled herself, what she could never change was that in this relationship, she was the one in control, and Song Xiangwan was the helpless prey.

It was wrong. It was truly wrong. It was wrong from the very beginning.

Now, it was irreversible.

The chaotic thoughts caused her heart to pound fiercely. She lowered her head, trying to suppress her slightly trembling body, but only felt a tightness in her chest.

It was like having a heavy stone pressing down on her, or being suspended on a cliff edge. The feeling of being out of control and weightless suddenly gripped her tightly.

“Ah-Jin…” Song Xiangwan noticed her deteriorating state and rushed over, gently patting her on the back.

She could feel her shoulders trembling slightly beneath the fabric, as if she were suppressing a raging storm. The surging emotions were heavily pushed down.

“I’m fine,” Ming Jin clenched her fingers, raised her head, and her eyes were composed. “I’ll step out.”

“No…” Song Xiangwan knelt down, holding Ming Jin’s arm, her voice almost pleading. “Please listen? I’m begging you.”

“You said before that I didn’t need to beg you, that we were in a relationship.”

“But right now, just let me beg you, Ah-Jin…” Her eyes were slightly red, like a child who had done something wrong.

Wu Qingyi curved her lips, her smile gentle and her tone like a spring breeze: “Facing it is a choice, and avoiding it is also a choice.”

“Following the most comfortable path for your heart and choosing the outcome you can accept is human nature.”

“I don’t think Miss Song has any issues. CEO Ming, your issue—do you choose to avoid it or face it?”

There was a long silence. Song Xiangwan didn’t rush her, just watched Ming Jin eagerly. Finally, she saw Ming Jin nod: “Alright, I’ll listen.”

Song Xiangwan didn’t dare to say much more. She was a little afraid that Ming Jin’s heart couldn’t take it.

“I used to argue with you all the time,” Unconsciously, the object of Song Xiangwan’s narration shifted from Wu Qingyi to Ming Jin.

“I felt that only by not acting like a canary could I somehow escape my fate.”

“But then, you disappeared, and I couldn’t find you at all.”

“At first, I thought I would live a great life: fame and fortune, with Ronxing still promoting me. I could finally crawl out of the sewer and breathe the air.”

“But… it didn’t turn out that way…”

“These past three years, I’ve lived like a walking dead person. Clubbing, drinking, staying out all night—I did everything you didn’t allow before.”

“I found that I gained nothing but a headache after a hangover and the emptiness of facing a hollow room.”

“I always felt like someone would be waiting for me when I opened the door, and we would hug, kiss, and make love.”

“Eating together, playing games together, taking walks hand-in-hand downstairs…”

“It seems those were the things I couldn’t grasp, the most precious things I lost.”

“I’m so scared…” Song Xiangwan couldn’t control her emotions, and tears finally streamed down her face to her chin.

Even through blurry tears, her gaze never left Ming Jin. Her eyes, red like amber, were stubbornly crystalline and deeply moving.

Ming Jin couldn’t help but raise her finger and lightly touch the tear stain, sighing softly.

She couldn’t quite articulate her feelings. Her heart ached. She had never seen Song Xiangwan so emotional before.

In this moment, she felt truly certain that Song Xiangwan was not acting; this was a genuine outpouring of emotion.

She had thought her cat loved her. She had dismissed it as a delusion before, but now she saw it wasn’t.

How incredibly lucky she was to have genuinely become the person Song Xiangwan loved deeply.

But… she didn’t know if it was too late…

Psychological counseling wouldn’t solve the problem in one session. After three hours, today’s progress was already very effective.

At the very least, Song Xiangwan had dropped all her defenses in front of Wu Qingyi.

Once in the car, Wu Qingyi made a phone call. When the other party answered, she curved her lips and said softly: “CEO Xu, I have successfully executed the mission.”

“Indeed, as you predicted, your sister’s condition may be more severe.”

“Treating Miss Song is secondary…”

“No need to thank me. I did what I should. We are good friends, after all.”

Song Xiangwan went to wash her face. Her eyes were red from crying. She truly couldn’t suppress her emotions toward the end.

Now… she stepped out of the bathroom and knelt down in front of Ming Jin, looking obedient: “Are you tired? Do you want to rest?”

Ming Jin’s light brown eyes looked at her, a slight ripple of emotion surfacing, then quickly subsiding. She lifted her fingers but put them back down.

“I’m a little overwhelmed. Give me some more time…” Ming Jin said softly, letting out a subtle sigh.

Her mind was indeed in chaos.

She had thought that once the cat was living a good life, she would naturally forget her.

Instead, Song Xiangwan kept telling her that the three years without her had been terrible, and she said that the person she loved most was her.

This reality was both surprising and unsettling for Ming Jin.

Her mind was so chaotic that her head was buzzing with pain, but she didn’t show it, only saying faintly: “I am tired. I’ll go back and lie down for a bit.”

Lying in bed, she still couldn’t sleep, only a headache persisted.

The main reason for her return to China was to help Xu Zhiyan take over the company affairs, but a small part of it was her own selfish motivation…

Now, that selfish motivation was becoming increasingly uncontrollable.

Song Xiangwan didn’t press her. She knew Ming Jin needed time now. She reminded Sister Qiu to monitor Ming Jin’s health and then went to the home theater room herself.

Cao Xin had just messaged her to say that the behind-the-scenes footage filmed yesterday had been released at noon today.

The practice times for each group were different, and the upload times for the footage also varied, ensuring a continuous stream of material to maintain popularity during the seven-day break between live broadcasts.

The footage wasn’t long, only ten minutes.

It started with an empty shot of the Central Dance Academy gate and zoomed in on the four people rehearsing inside the dance studio.

“One, two, three, four…” Lu Peiling stood in the lead position, and the camera focused on her movements.

Professor Lu is so beautiful. National level is national level.

This group is so lucky. Professor Lu is teaching personally. Other groups have to hire dance teachers.

Fairy Mengyi is so pretty. She looks great.

She has the most detailed makeup. Of course, she looks good!

As a celebrity, you have to maintain your best state at all times. What’s there to criticize?

Where there were people, there were arguments.

Song Xiangwan turned off the comments and focused on the footage. It mainly focused on Lu Peiling. Song Xiangwan’s own shots were few, neither outstanding nor flawed.

The footage ended abruptly when Lu Peiling left for class, followed by an empty shot of the sky, marking the conclusion.

The separate practice of Song Xiangwan and Chen Mengyi in the latter half was not filmed or included.

It was an unremarkable piece of footage that quickly finished playing.

Song Xiangwan looked through her social media feed, which was filled with cheerful peace, all compliments and recommendation videos.

She lay listlessly on the sofa, staring at the starry dome ceiling, and let out a long sigh.

She didn’t want to read scripts, didn’t want to work, and had nothing else to do… So boring. She wanted to go hug Ah-Jin, but dismissed the thought. She needed some personal space right now…

Anyway, she would be able to hug her tonight.

Her mind wandered chaotically until she saw the game console connected to the cabinet in front of her. She immediately sprang up into a sitting position.

Playing some games would be nice. It had been a long time since she had played.

This console was the exact same model as the one in Clear Water Bay, even the controller colors were the same. The cartridge inside was Overcooked.

She turned it on, and after a moment of loading, the colorful start screen appeared.

Choosing single-player mode, she entered the game. The little food truck appeared on the level selection map, and she steered the controller along the route.

All the levels were passed.

All passed?

On the console at Clear Water Bay, she and Ming Jin played this game together, and both were terrible at it. They hadn’t even passed a third of the levels yet.

Who played this one? Xu Zhiyan? Does that little girl like playing games too?

Ming Jin definitely didn’t like it. Song Xiangwan always had to beg for a long time just to get a round of gaming as a reward.

She randomly selected an easy level near the beginning and loaded in.

Grabbing ingredients, chopping, assembling, serving… She rushed around by herself, flustered and messy, with chaos everywhere. Fires started, and mistakes were made.

The essence of this game was to play it chaotically.

She was a bit rusty since she hadn’t played in a while, and since she was terrible to begin with, it took three attempts to barely complete the level with two stars.

She didn’t beat the best score. The best score was three stars…

This little Xu Zhiyan is quite skilled.

Time flew by quickly while playing. Unknowingly, over an hour had passed. Sister Qiu came to call her for dinner, and she reluctantly put down the controller.

At the dinner table, she saw Lin Rong, but not Ming Jin.

“Where is Ah-Jin?” Song Xiangwan asked.

“I asked earlier. CEO Ming said she wasn’t hungry and didn’t want to eat,” Sister Qiu replied.

“A disobedient patient,” Lin Rong mumbled, cutting a piece of beef with her knife and putting it into her mouth.

She only dared to grumble behind Ming Jin’s back now. Since Ming Jin threatened to fire her, she had been much more careful around her.

How could she not eat?

Song Xiangwan frowned, got up directly, and walked to the door. Before she could knock, she seemed to hear a voice inside.

Her hand, suspended in mid-air, hesitated. Before she could knock, she heard the conversation inside.

“Yes, I know about this matter. Buy the exposé first to ensure it doesn’t get out.”

“As for Chen Mengyi…”

She seemed to hesitate, then said: “Arrange for her to withdraw from the competition unexpectedly. Find a suitable replacement to fill her spot.”

“She must withdraw voluntarily. There must be no rumors.”

“No need to tell her.”

“Yes, I trust Agent Cao can handle it.”

Then the sound stopped. Song Xiangwan, standing at the door, paused. Agent Cao? The show? Chen Mengyi?

It seemed a few things flashed through her mind.

No need to tell her. This ‘her’… who was it?

Song Xiangwan didn’t knock. She simply gripped the doorknob, twisted her wrist, and the door opened.

Only the bedside lamp was on in the room. A cold, frosty light seemed to envelop the space and the figure within.

Ming Jin was leaning against the headboard. When she heard the sound of the door opening, she looked up, and the displeasure in her frown slowly dissolved upon seeing Song Xiangwan.

“Go eat,” she said, seeming to know what Song Xiangwan had come for.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Song Xiangwan walked over and sat by the bed. She felt Ming Jin looked unwell and reached out to check the temperature of her forehead.

It felt warm, so she was probably fine, but her lips were colorless, which made Song Xiangwan worried.

“I’m not hungry. I’ll have a late-night snack when I get hungry later,” her words sounded like reassurance.

“Were you just on the phone?” Song Xiangwan’s gaze fell on the phone beside the pillow.

“It was Zhiyan’s call…” Ming Jin said flatly. “She went abroad to deal with her studies and called me about a few issues.”

Xu Zhiyan hadn’t graduated yet. She had taken a leave of absence a few years ago because of Ming Jin’s condition, and now the time was up, and she had to go back to deal with her academic matters.

This was one of the main reasons Ming Jin returned to China now.

Xu Zhiyan would likely be very busy this year, and Ming Jin still had to help monitor the company’s affairs.

She wasn’t telling the truth. The content of the phone call Song Xiangwan had just overheard was not with Xu Zhiyan.

“Will you keep me company and eat something?” Song Xiangwan didn’t expose her lie. She just gently held Ming Jin’s fingers, her voice cajoling, “Even a little bit is fine.”

Ming Jin said she would have a late-night snack, but Song Xiangwan knew that later, she would probably just dismiss the idea.

“The kitchen made lily porridge. It looks quite good. If you don’t want to come out, should I bring it in for you?” Song Xiangwan gave Ming Jin no opportunity to refuse.

“Alright, you wait for me outside,” Ming Jin conceded.

Song Xiangwan knew that Ming Jin’s personality, when her physical condition allowed, meant she disliked being carried around.

She walked out herself and sat down at the dining table, distracted. She kept looking at the bedroom door, only relaxing when she saw Ming Jin emerge.

It was lily and yam porridge, which was good for the stomach.

The food prepared in the kitchen these days was light and easy on the stomach.

Song Xiangwan served a bowl and placed it by Ming Jin. Ming Jin didn’t refuse, picking up the spoon and eating slowly.

Lin Rong raised an eyebrow. Although she had admired it many times, she was still impressed with the little canary. Something CEO Ming had firmly decided could truly be changed by her again and again.

After dinner, Song Xiangwan naturally followed her into the bedroom.

With the three-day agreement, she walked in feeling fully justified.

However, hearing the sound of Ming Jin showering inside, she was still anxious. She listened to the sounds for a while but didn’t dare to offer to help.

Ming Jin’s nature was that she disliked relying on others when she had the strength to do things herself.

Since the shower would take a while, Song Xiangwan picked up her phone and slipped out.

She opened the door to the courtyard. Seeing no one around, she dialed Cao Xin’s number. Cao Xin answered quickly.

Song Xiangwan’s first sentence was: “Agent Cao, how is the Chen Mengyi matter being handled?”

On the other end, Cao Xin was startled, then tentatively asked: “You found out?”

“Of course I found out. Ah-Jin told me everything,” Song Xiangwan said casually, her tone completely unashamed.

She was bluffing Cao Xin.

“Don’t worry, the audio won’t leak, and the marketing accounts’ reports have all been suppressed.”

“The company put pressure on Chen Mengyi through the production team, and she has already agreed to withdraw. An announcement will be made tomorrow, stating the reason is an injury sustained during practice.”

“The replacement contestant is named Shen Yi, a young actress from the Black Swan Dance Troupe. There shouldn’t be any more trouble.”

“What audio?” Song Xiangwan asked.

“Ah…” Cao Xin realized she had been bluffed. “CEO Ming said I couldn’t tell you.”

“Then I’ll go complain right now and say I don’t want you as my agent anymore…” Song Xiangwan said slowly, “Agent Cao, do you think she listens to me or to you?”

Cao Xin: “…” Being overworked was already annoying, and now she was stuck between a couple.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let her know,” Song Xiangwan quickly reassured her. “I’m just curious about what happened.”

“Even if it gets exposed, it’s fine. I’ll just be cute and beg her. Don’t you believe in my ability?”

Cao Xin: “…” Believe, I believe very much.

From the first time she met Ming Jin, she felt that the CEO was like a monarch whose mind had been clouded by a vixen, and Song Xiangwan was that vixen whispering in her ear.

“Fine,” Cao Xin conceded. “I’m telling you, but don’t turn on me later.”

She still trusted Song Xiangwan’s promise.

“After the behind-the-scenes footage was released this noon, some marketing accounts received an audio clip—an audio recording of your rehearsal in the dance studio.”

“It’s clearly your voice, admitting that you have someone you love and that you are pursuing her.”

“Someone behind the scenes wanted the marketing accounts to break the news about your relationship scandal, making you suffer a bit during your rising period.”

“But the company has a good relationship with these marketing accounts. They didn’t release the audio but went directly to the company to set a price.”

“The company paid to buy all of it.”

“Initially, we all thought the person who got the audio from the dance studio must be Lu Peiling, the host.”

“Later, we found out it was Chen Mengyi…” Song Xiangwan finished the sentence, her voice somewhat heavy.

“Don’t be sad. That’s just how this circle is. You give your genuine heart, and the other person might be thinking about plotting against you,” Cao Xin quickly comforted her.

Cao Xin knew that Song Xiangwan had taught Chen Mengyi alone until ten that night and had felt compassion for the young girl.

Presumably, Ming Jin knew that, too.

“You…” Cao Xin said, “CEO Ming didn’t want you to be upset, so don’t throw too much of a tantrum.”

Song Xiangwan hung up the phone. The night wind blew, bringing a slight chill.

But Song Xiangwan wasn’t overly sad. It was merely a sincere heart given to a dog. Her ability to cope was fine now.

She figured it was probably because she was unwilling to introduce Chen Mengyi to connections, and the girl held a grudge, wanting to retaliate against her.

That day… she said she had a friend at the Central Dance Academy…

Song Xiangwan sighed, opened the door, and went back inside. Forget it. She had originally wanted to help Chen Mengyi find more opportunities, but now there was no need.

Ming Jin had already finished showering and was slowly drying her hair with a towel, her long, pale fingers running through the black strands.

The neckline was damp with moisture. After being steamed by the hot water, her usually cool-toned skin was faintly flushed, showing a little color and moisture.

“What did you go out for?” Ming Jin asked casually.

Song Xiangwan walked over, took the towel from her hand, and said softly, “I’ll help you.”

But after only two strokes, she stopped and lowered her head, gently hugging Ming Jin’s waist, pressing herself into the area shrouded in watery steam.

Her emotions seemed unsettled. Ming Jin didn’t push her away, just raised her hand and gently stroked Song Xiangwan’s head: “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you?”

“No one bullied me… I just wanted… to hug you…” Song Xiangwan’s voice was very soft.

Her heart was soft, too.

Whenever she was near Ming Jin, she was always well-protected.

It was like this three years ago, and it was still like this now.

Ming Jin truly cherished her, keeping her from physical or psychological harm, safely and securely holding her in her heart.

This made her feel even more like a terrible person, and it made her even more determined that she absolutely could not let go this time.

If it were Song Xiangwan from a few years ago, she would probably be making a scene, accusing Ming Jin of not giving her freedom, of taking over everything she did. But now… she only felt the weight of this love.