The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 74

Chapter 74: She Actually Wore That Thing Out…

The location for the online video conference was moved from the study to the sofa in the bedroom.

Ming Jin’s hand rested by her side, her wrist connected to the cuff, which was attached to Song Xiangwan’s hand on the other side.

Song Xiangwan was already asleep on the sofa, her hand lightly resting on Ming Jin’s knee. Her slender arm was fair with a healthy blush, smooth like white porcelain.

Ming Jin slightly lowered the volume of the meeting on the laptop, reaching out to pull the light blanket over Song Xiangwan.

The cat stirred restlessly, curling up slightly. The hair near her temples fell, the ends resting in her neck, revealing a faint profile.

Ming Jin gently pushed the long hair aside, revealing a delicate and beautiful nose bridge, naturally pink lips, and the seductive small mole beside her long, thick eyelashes.

Ming Jin curled her fingers, gently tapping the mole with her knuckle. Her eyes held an inexpressible tenderness.

“CEO Ming…” A voice came from the laptop in the conference room.

“CEO Ming, what are your thoughts on our proposal just now?” the person repeated.

“Apologies, the connection was a bit choppy just now. Could you please repeat it?” Ming Jin withdrew her hand, rubbing the joint that had just touched Song Xiangwan.

It felt surprisingly warm.

Everyone talks about the seven-year itch, but their relationship was strangely different. Even now, after eight years of knowing each other, she would still… gaze at her distractedly.

When Song Xiangwan was woken up, it was already midnight. She groggily stayed curled on Ming Jin’s lap, listening to Sister Qiu directing people to move the sofa and look for the key.

Her wrist had been cuffed for too long, leaving a faint red mark. Ming Jin gently rubbed it in her palm: “Don’t be so reckless next time.”

“I didn’t know it would fall out…” Song Xiangwan yawned, her tone indifferent.

Ming Jin: “…” She didn’t believe a word of Song Xiangwan’s nonsense. Even if it hadn’t fallen out, the cat would have a thousand ways to prevent her from unlocking it.

After washing up and returning to bed, Song Xiangwan wasn’t sleepy, but the person next to her was already asleep. She moved quietly as she got into bed.

Yet, as she settled in, she felt the mattress beside her shift slightly, and an arm reached out to hug her waist.

“How did I still wake you up…” Song Xiangwan couldn’t help but whisper.

“It’s okay. Sleep,” Ming Jin said softly, giving her waist a light pat. “Be a good girl.”

Song Xiangwan didn’t speak, even resisting the impulse to kiss Ming Jin. She closed her eyes, remaining still, breathing steadily, trying not to disturb the person beside her.

Ming Jin had gotten too little rest these past few days, and she couldn’t help but worry.

She was still in her recovery period and should be resting well, but with the sudden changes in the family… Ming Jin, with her personality, naturally took the burden onto her own shoulders.

It seemed Ming Jin’s method of sending the card had worked. Lin Shan hadn’t sent any more photos tracking Song Xiangwan these past few days.

Ming Jin, naturally, hadn’t lowered her guard, but she learned from Vice Mayor Liu that Lin Shan had booked tickets and left Haicheng with Lin Rong.

Had this lunatic given up on targeting the Ming family?

Shencheng was bustling, with heavy traffic. In the wealthy lakeside villa area, the creamy white villa was bathed in sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains, softening the light.

In the study, Lin Rong was placing the books she brought back onto the shelves, one by one.

The floor-to-ceiling shelves were filled with various medical books. In the corner near the shelf stood a human skeleton specimen, clean and dust-free.

She was about to climb the ladder when Lin Shan stopped her: “It’s too high, it’s dangerous. Hand it to me. Where does it go? Mommy will help you.”

Lin Shan climbed the ladder, took the book from Lin Rong’s hand, and placed it on a high shelf. Looking up, she saw the stack of books placed high up.

That pile… university textbooks on economics, finance, and management…

“Rongrong, actually, according to Mommy’s plan, you could spend the next two years studying for an MBA.”

“Several schools in Shencheng offer such courses. I’ve looked into it. The coursework isn’t too heavy, and the main thing is that you can network with people.”

“Especially Shencheng University. The students admitted in recent years are primarily entrepreneurs pursuing further studies. By being their classmate, you can learn a lot.”

“You already signed me up?” Lin Rong’s voice was faint. She looked up at Lin Shan, her eyes calm beneath her arched eyebrows.

She didn’t think that, given Lin Shan’s nature, she would consult her opinion.

Shencheng University was already decided, and she even knew who the classmates would be. How could she merely be soliciting her opinion?

“Mommy is doing this for your own good. When we were in Haicheng, I couldn’t sleep all night thinking about this.”

“I didn’t agree when you first studied medicine.”

“Although being a doctor is a respectable profession, Mommy worked hard her whole life, not for you to continue to struggle.”

“How hard is it to be a doctor, especially a surgeon? Working overtime and performing surgeries all the time, and having to bear risks. Especially the orthopedics you studied, not to mention that.”

“At the time, you cried and pleaded with me that it was your dream. I regret not being persistent back then, allowing you to take this detour for so many years.”

“Didn’t those doctors in Haicheng also say that given your current condition, you can’t return to the operating table?”

“While you’re still young, it’s still possible to change careers…”

As Lin Shan spoke, the book in her hand was gone. She held her hand out in the air for a long time, but Lin Rong below didn’t hand her another book.

She frowned slightly, suppressing the emotion in her eyes, looking down at Lin Rong: “Do you have other ideas?”

“No,” Lin Rong’s expression was calm. She handed the books up one by one, her tone indifferent. “When does school start?”

“That’s right, that’s Mommy’s good child,” Lin Shan smiled. “It should be next month. I’ll send you the acceptance letter later.”

“Mhm,” Lin Rong nodded, her voice very flat. “Give me back my phone and computer. I need them for school.”

Lin Shan was an incredibly intelligent person and immediately realized that this was Lin Rong’s true purpose.

However, Lin Rong had compromised. She had returned with her and agreed to pursue an MBA. Under her watchful eye, what trouble could she possibly cause?

Lin Rong watched as the household staff moved the human skeleton specimen away, wanting to speak but holding back. She turned her eyes to the gently swaying sheer curtains and the sunlight outside.

She thought she could faintly hear birds chirping in the treetops, but couldn’t make it out clearly…

She actually wanted to say: I’ve returned. Please don’t make trouble for Xu Zhiyan anymore.

But she was afraid that phrase would hit one of Lin Shan’s sensitive points, so she didn’t dare to say it.

She didn’t know if her decision was correct. She still didn’t know where Xu Zhiyan was. At the age of thirty, still feeling such intense helplessness—what a failure of a life…

Her fingers couldn’t help but tremble slightly. She tightly clenched them, subtly picking up the cup in front of her and taking a sip of hot cocoa.

She knew there wasn’t a corner in this house that wasn’t covered by surveillance cameras, even the bathroom and bedroom… she felt like she was sinking into a deep swamp, struggling to breathe.

After a long period of deliberation, she finally took out her phone, copied down a number, and placed it on Lin Shan’s desk in front of her.

“This is my psychiatrist. I trust her very much, and I hope to continue receiving treatment from her.”

Lin Shan frowned, looking at the string of numbers with disapproval.

She had already found a more brilliant expert. This doctor…

When she learned that Lin Shan and Lin Rong had left Haicheng, Song Xiangwan was diligently… peeling a pomelo in Ming Jin’s study.

Ming Jin had simply said, “I want to eat the one you peel.” Song Xiangwan had been wrestling with this large pomelo for twenty minutes.

Then, she suddenly understood the true meaning…

No one in the Ming family liked to eat pomelos. Ming Jin had asked her assistant to buy this one earlier when they saw a truck selling pomelos by the side of the road on the way home.

Ming Jin wasn’t asking her to peel a pomelo; she was clearly giving her something to do so she couldn’t misbehave while Ming Jin was on her online meeting.

Song Xiangwan: “…” Bad woman.

She casually popped the peeled pomelo flesh into her own mouth.

When Ming Jin finished her meeting and came over, she saw a table full of pomelo peels and an empty plate: “Where is the pomelo you peeled?”

“I ate it,” Song Xiangwan said, completely unapologetic, looking at her with a smile.

“You could eat a pomelo that size?” Ming Jin didn’t believe her nonsense. Female celebrities had very small appetites. If she could genuinely eat that much, Ming Jin wouldn’t worry.

“I ate a little, and gave the rest to Sister Qiu…” Song Xiangwan quickly patched up her story, speaking righteously. “I shared it with them. What? Is that not allowed?”

“You could have hidden the evidence better…” Ming Jin’s gaze fell behind her.

“Bad woman,” Song Xiangwan glared at Ming Jin angrily. “You did that on purpose, making me do manual labor for you without pay.”

“What compensation do you want?” Ming Jin said, coming over to take Song Xiangwan’s hand, flipping it over to check. Peeling the pomelo wasn’t too bad; her hand wasn’t hurt.

“A kiss,” Song Xiangwan offered her face, blinking at Ming Jin with an expectant look, waiting for her to act.

Ming Jin couldn’t help but chuckle softly. She leaned in and gave her a light kiss on her lips, soft and warm like jelly.

“No, that was too light,” Song Xiangwan protested.

Ming Jin kissed her again. Song Xiangwan still had her excuse: “That doesn’t count. I didn’t react in time. You ambushed me.”

“Then what counts?” Ming Jin put her arm around Song Xiangwan’s waist, gently pinching the soft flesh on her side, a hint of menace in her touch.

Song Xiangwan’s waist tensed slightly, tickled by the pinch, but she didn’t want to lose. She reached out to tickle Ming Jin: “You’re bullying me, bad woman.”

Ming Jin laughed, trying to lean back, but sitting in the wheelchair made it somewhat inconvenient. Coupled with Song Xiangwan’s aggressive moves, her movements became a bit large.

The smile on her face stiffened slightly, and her movements became a bit sluggish. Her brow furrowed slightly.

Song Xiangwan immediately noticed and was startled. She quickly stopped messing around: “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

“It’s nothing,” Ming Jin shook her head, her tone light. She reached out, pinched Song Xiangwan’s chin, and patted her cheek with her thumb. “Don’t be so cautious.”

Song Xiangwan’s eyes were full of guilt.

Unable to bear her self-reproach, Ming Jin looked at the sky outside: “It might be going to rain. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Does it hurt?” Song Xiangwan was instantly full of concern. She hadn’t known; she was still fooling around just now…

“It’s alright…” Before Ming Jin could finish, she felt her vision darken. Song Xiangwan squatted down and directly lifted her up.

“You…” Ming Jin started to speak, but Song Xiangwan interrupted her: “You’re not good. You didn’t tell me you weren’t feeling well. Now, you are not allowed to do anything. Go back and rest.”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t finished the documents. You can look at them after you rest.”

“Don’t tell me you have another meeting later. I checked your schedule; you’re free later.”

All her loopholes were blocked. Ming Jin’s eyes held a slight sense of helplessness, but she didn’t struggle.

She did feel unwell all over today. The location of her old injury ached with a dull, heavy pain. Even though it was late summer, her joints felt like they were filled with cold air, chilly and irritating. Sitting for too long, she felt her energy fading.

Song Xiangwan settled her on the bed, then went to fetch a hot salt pack. She hugged Ming Jin, gently placing the salt pack on the injury site on her lumbar spine.

Her movements were very light and slow, gentle and cautious. She whispered: “If you’re in pain, tell me. Don’t just endure it…”

Ming Jin’s slightly tired eyes gently closed in Song Xiangwan’s embrace. She didn’t cry out in pain but also didn’t try to be strong in front of Song Xiangwan.

“I still haven’t eaten the pomelo…” Ming Jin said softly.

“You really wanted to eat it?” Song Xiangwan felt horrible again.

Ming Jin’s old injury was acting up. She had worked hard all day, working the entire time, and all she wanted was a bite of the pomelo peeled by her wife, and she hadn’t given it to her. She was terrible.

Song Xiangwan climbed out of bed, darted to the study, and brought out the thing she had hidden. She broke off a small piece and offered it to Ming Jin’s mouth.

“I was just kidding with you… I wouldn’t give the pomelo I peeled to anyone else… I saved it all for you…”

Ming Jin’s eyes softened. She opened her mouth and ate it, frowning slightly. It was shockingly sour, yet she said: “It’s very sweet.”

“This one isn’t sweet. I tasted it just now, and it almost killed me with sourness.” Song Xiangwan climbed back into bed, hugging Ming Jin. “If you like it, I’ll peel another one for you next time.”

“No need for next time,” Ming Jin shook her head. “Such beautiful hands are not suited for such rough work.”

She had only seen the pomelo and, on a whim, thought to give Song Xiangwan something to do.

When she saw Song Xiangwan peeling it, she regretted it. It was poorly thought out. Her hands were not suited for that kind of work.

Maybe she should learn from the online methods…

Next time, I’ll mix a pound of red beans and a pound of green beans and have her sort them instead.

Song Xiangwan was unaware of her little schemes and was still blaming herself: “If you want to eat it, of course I’m happy to peel it for you. I’ll pick a sweet one for you next time.”

“No need for next time, just tomorrow. I’ll personally go to the supermarket and buy one tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow might not work,” Ming Jin said softly. “There’s an issue with a project. I have to make an emergency trip to Longcheng tomorrow.”

“Ah? You have to travel for work?” Song Xiangwan’s tone was full of reluctance. She immediately checked the weather forecast on her phone.

Seeing that it would rain in Longcheng tomorrow, her reluctance was almost palpable.

“I’m going with you,” Song Xiangwan decided almost instantly.

“Isn’t tomorrow the script reading?” Ming Jin asked. “Did you forget?”

Wild Rose was about to start shooting. The director had organized a script reading for tomorrow and the day after, allowing all the actors to familiarize themselves with their roles before filming began.

Song Xiangwan pursed her lips and didn’t speak. Of course, she hadn’t forgotten. It was just that… compared to Ming Jin, the script reading seemed unimportant.

But she knew Ming Jin. Ming Jin didn’t want to drag others down because of her own affairs.

“Don’t worry, I have plenty of people with me. I’ll be back quickly,” Ming Jin said reassuringly. “Just focus on your work and don’t cause me trouble.”

“Although Lin Shan has left Haicheng, I still can’t relax, so I’ll be bringing bodyguards tomorrow.”

“Don’t make me worry…”

The last sentence was soft. Ming Jin was afraid that if her tone was too firm, Song Xiangwan would reject her, as she had done when Ming Jin tried to assign her an assistant before.

But Song Xiangwan just rubbed against her, muttering glumly: “Okay.”

She was so obedient that Ming Jin felt a pang of heartache.

“I’m sorry,” Ming Jin sighed softly. “If it weren’t for the Ming family’s issues, you wouldn’t have to…”

“Don’t say that,” Song Xiangwan interrupted her, lifting her head and biting Ming Jin’s lip. “Bad woman, you doubt me again.”

“Ah Yan is my family too. We are a family. Why do you always doubt me?”

Family… they were already this close. It had happened without her even realizing it.

Ming Jin’s heart softened. She said softly: “Okay, I know. You’re the best.”

Although she agreed to let her go, before she left, Song Xiangwan personally packed her luggage. Four suitcases were fully packed for a two-day trip.

She repeatedly instructed the assistant about where the medicine was, the hot salt pack, the lumbar pillow, and the blanket… everything was meticulously prepared.

Song Xiangwan had never packed her own luggage when she left to film.

She watched Ming Jin get on the plane with earnest eyes before heading off to attend the script reading.

Ming Jin knew she would insist on seeing her off, so she deliberately booked an early flight to avoid interfering with Song Xiangwan’s schedule.

At the Longmei Media building, the sight of dozens of bodyguards inside and out startled the other actors in the cast, especially those unfamiliar with Song Xiangwan. Their eyes held a mixture of timidity and respect.

The director hadn’t arrived yet. A few young actors who came in greeted Song Xiangwan and chose seats farthest away from her.

Bringing so many bodyguards created an aura that screamed “do not approach,” fueling those rumors about Song Xiangwan’s combat power…

Song Xiangwan rested her chin on one hand, a silver bracelet inlaid with gemstones dangling on her fair wrist. With her other hand, she casually flipped through the movie script in front of her.

She had never cultivated an approachable persona and had no interest in initiating contact or making small talk with these people.

Her fair skin, indifferent expression, and casual posture exuded the aura of an ice-cold beauty.

“Less ice, less sugar. I remember,” Zhou Xintong said.

“Forget it…” Song Xiangwan’s gaze lingered on the milk tea for a long time before she reluctantly moved it away. “I won’t drink it today.”

“I’m about to join the cast. You should drink less too,” Song Xiangwan said with a hint of melancholy.

“Director Cheng said my role doesn’t need to lose weight. It’s better if I gain two pounds,” Zhou Xintong smiled brightly.

Her eyes fell on the bracelet on Song Xiangwan’s hand. She leaned closer: “Is this a new design from a brand? Why haven’t I seen it? This bracelet is really pretty.”

“You haven’t seen it, right?” Song Xiangwan raised her wrist and shook it, her phoenix eyes shining. “It’s custom-made. This is the only one.”

She wasn’t exaggerating. Song Xiangwan had long, slender arms and delicate wrists, perfect for dancing. The gemstones on the silver bracelet sparkled, making her wrist look especially beautiful.

“This bracelet…” Zhou Xintong’s eyes focused on a small circle on the inside of the bracelet. “Are there other parts to it? Did you lose them?”

“Secret…” Song Xiangwan smiled and winked.

Of course, she couldn’t bring the other parts out. That bracelet was connected to a whole set of chains. She had only taken one link out and wore it as a bracelet.

Song Xiangwan lifted her arm, took a photo of her wrist against the light, and sent it to Ming Jin.

“Everyone is here. Thank you for coming,” an elegant middle-aged woman walked in from outside, smiling as she greeted those present.

“Sit, sit,” she waved her hand. “Don’t be shy. We’re colleagues now. Have you all seen the script?”

“Let me introduce everyone. This is Zhang Yue, our producer for this film.”

“Screenwriter, Lu Jian.”

“This is the associate director…”

“Song Xiangwan, Teacher Song, our leading actress…”

After introducing everyone, she finally reached a child of eight or nine: “This is Lele, our little Fangfei.”

“Hello, teachers, hello, older brothers and sisters,” the little girl was not shy. She stood up to greet everyone, smiling. Her eyes and brows bore a slight resemblance to Song Xiangwan.

She arrived late, sitting in the closest seat to Song Xiangwan. She was staring at the script and also at the milk tea in front of Song Xiangwan.

“You can have it,” Song Xiangwan offered it to her, looking at Lele’s mother behind her. “Can she have it?”

“Yes, yes,” Lele’s mother quickly nodded, somewhat flattered. “Thank you, Teacher Song. Lele, quickly thank the teacher.”

“Why call me teacher? Call me older sister,” Song Xiangwan reached out and pinched her cheek. She was a tender, adorable little girl.

“Thank you, older sister.”

Looking at her eyes and brows, Song Xiangwan was briefly distracted. She really did look a bit like her when she was a child. She wondered where Director Cheng found her.

“Sister’s bracelet is so pretty,” Lele said sweetly.

“This?” Song Xiangwan’s eyes were filled with irrepressible amusement. “I think it’s very pretty too.”

Ming Jin caught up on sleep on the plane. When she woke up, she saw the photo Song Xiangwan sent her. She actually wore that thing out.

I like you locking me up so much. Punish me harshly, lock me up fiercely. Woo woo, make me cry and beg for your mercy.

Ming Jin’s throat tightened slightly. She truly was a siren. It was only text, yet Song Xiangwan’s seductive voice echoed in her mind.