The Second Fall - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: You Belong to Me

Rong Yushu’s gaze carried a hint of coldness. It was as if a layer of ice had sealed the surface of a teal lake; the reflected light was sharp and frigid.

As her gaze swept over Lan Cixing’s face, however, it was like a blizzard suddenly hitting a mountain—it softened.

Lan Cixing froze in place, not daring to move an inch.

She had avoided Rong Yushu for four years. Was she running into her a bit too often lately? Could it be that because she had been using an anonymous handle online to chat about Rong Yushu so much, the universe had decided she was “lingering on the past” and sent the echo right to her doorstep?

She really didn’t want to see Rong Yushu. She didn’t dare to.

“You’re not taking the job?” Rong Yushu’s accent was heavier than last time.

Perhaps because this was a private setting rather than a public one, Rong Yushu felt no need to use standard Mandarin. The cadence of Cantonese inherently held a certain flirtatious quality; combined with the fact that Rong Yushu’s words weren’t exactly formal to begin with, it sounded somewhat ambiguous to Lan Cixing’s ears.

“…I am.” Lan Cixing felt an itch in her ear canal. She didn’t dare move, so she could only avert her eyes, her fingers gripping the hem of her shirt.

The scent of white tea was very strong. Lan Cixing wasn’t sure if this was a pheromone scent only she could smell; her eyes flickered around, feeling utterly uncomfortable. Rong Yushu stood before her, making no major movement, yet with one sentence and one look, she had circled Lan Cixing into her territory.

The atmosphere between them left no room for anyone else to intervene. It wasn’t intimate, but it was thick and heavy.

The agency owner, seeing them discussing the job as if the contract was already signed, grew anxious. Ignoring the subtle tension, he spoke up.

“Young Miss, would you like to reconsider? Her quality is a bit… problematic.”

Before the owner could finish, he was silenced by a single look from Rong Yushu. The Rong family was a century-old dynasty; even if Rong Yushu was just a “Young Miss,” the aura surrounding her was not to be underestimated. She effectively cut the owner’s words in half.

Yet, there were still those blind enough to try and ruin the deal.

“Yes, she and I still have a bit of a dispute…” Liao Yanning’s manager spoke up sheepishly from beside the owner. Her expression looked embarrassed, but her words didn’t sound shameful at all.

If the look Rong Yushu gave the owner was one of acknowledgement, the glance she spared for the manager was pure contempt. She didn’t even turn her head; her pupils merely shifted halfway, lingering for barely a second.

“I remember your artist. I was the one who walked her down the red carpet that day. If there are any issues, you can ask me.” This sentence was practically shouting Don’t bully a little bodyguard on Rong Yushu’s face.

What was Rong Yushu’s status and position in the film industry today? Among the younger generation, anyone who could compete with her had either been forced out of the industry by the Rong family or hadn’t been born yet. Among the older generation, while many were more skilled, they occupied entirely different niches; there was no need for conflict. In fact, they were happy to promote a junior and do the Rong family a favor. Not to mention, she had the backing of a wealthy clan openly funneling resources to her.

One could say Rong Yushu was the most radiant existence in the entertainment industry today. The most famous artist the manager handled was merely Liao Yanning. She had no standing to go up against Rong Yushu.

She hadn’t expected Rong Yushu to show up today, either. No one expected Rong Yushu to speak up for Lan Cixing. Given how badly they had clashed in the past—known throughout the industry as rivals—and the four years of silence between them, had their relationship actually improved?

The manager couldn’t investigate further; she could only quickly stop her targeting and begin flattering Rong Yushu. “How could that be? Since it was Teacher Rong who condescended to lead our Ningning, I can’t thank you enough…”

Rong Yushu remained silent. As cold sweat dripped from the manager’s forehead, Rong Yushu’s assistant, He Lanli, spoke up. This was the same assistant who had mocked Lan Cixing the other day.

“Oh, ‘thanking us’ now? You weren’t even there during the red carpet. Your artist was quite well-behaved, though; our Sister Rong was just helping a junior along. Instead of showing gratitude afterward, you thought our side was trying to ‘out-shine’ you. You should look in a mirror and see if you’re even worthy.”

He Lanli’s words were harsh, bordering on an indiscriminate attack. “And now you have the nerve to say this nameless little bodyguard tampered with your artist’s schedule? Look at her—does she even have the standing for that?”

The manager looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.

Lan Cixing finally realized that Rong Yushu was truly here to back her up. Although she didn’t understand the reason, she spoke up softly. “I shouldn’t have the power to boss you around, right? Ah-je (Older Sister).”

She used the honorific they had used long ago when they were rehearsing a scene together. It made even Rong Yushu daze for a split second. She recovered quickly, but Lan Cixing was the only one who noticed that second of distraction.

Perhaps… Rong Yushu still cherished their old bond.

When she spoke again, the look in Rong Yushu’s eyes was shimmering with color. She usually controlled her micro-expressions perfectly, but now she slightly raised an eyebrow, which counted as a smile.

“What kind of bodyguard our Sister Rong wants isn’t up to an owner like you. If she finds someone pleasing to the eye, that’s the bodyguard’s good fortune. As for professional ability, our Sister Rong isn’t blind; she can judge for herself,” He Lanli continued, firing full at the owner.

“Go try out,” Rong Yushu said, gesturing with her chin toward the training room.

Inside the training room, the group of bodyguards whom Rong Yushu hadn’t picked were still gathered. Lan Cixing stretched slightly and entered.

“Sister Lan, that’s not very fair of you.” “Ah-xing, when did you make up with her? Or were you two just putting on a show before?” “Let me have this one, I’ll take you along on the next job.”

Her colleagues gossiped incessantly. Lan Cixing threw a punch at a nearby sandbag. The fifty-pound bag shuddered, and the support rope showed signs of fraying.

“Less talk,” Lan Cixing said, raising her hand to tie back the curls falling behind her head.

She needed this job. Both for the money and for the future of her career. With a single turn, Lan Cixing took down the two people attempting to approach her. She followed up by swatting away an incoming punch, knocking it aside.

She took down three people in a single move. Lan Cixing was quite ruthless today, showing no mercy; the person she swatted away was already clutching a bloody nose. The remaining ten or so didn’t dare rush in; they backed away, trying to form a formation.

Lan Cixing didn’t give them the chance to group up. With a sharp exhale, she charged into a cluster of three, breaking them apart with elbow strikes. She then pulled the arms of the strongest person behind her back, completely restricting her movement, and used a torn piece of cloth as a rope to tie her up before kicking her to the ground. She then raised her hands to intercept the two people rushing at her.

From the moment she entered the training room until she was the only one standing, only three minutes had passed.

The entire sequence was fluid. Had it not been for the fact that there was no rehearsal and no director nearby, Rong Yushu’s entourage would have truly thought Lan Cixing was filming an action scene. It was visually impressive and highly professional. No wonder Director Ming had picked Lan Cixing out of a sea of extras back then, giving the role of the “Little Thief”—a role with light dialogue but heavy action—to her. No wonder Lan Cixing’s first official role was so brilliant that it remained a point of regret for many fans to this day.

Lan Cixing was clearly meant for this profession.

The owner was shocked by Lan Cixing’s strength. He felt resentful but was unable to stop her, his fists clenched tight. This Lan Cixing had been hiding her true strength from him. The manager was already frightened; she lowered her head, deeply regretting coming here to pick a fight today.

Rong Yushu stood silently. No one knew what thoughts were buried beneath those emerald eyes. Since she didn’t speak, the entire hall fell into a heavy silence.

It wasn’t until Lan Cixing finished wiping her sweat with a towel, let her ponytail back down, and walked out of the training room that the air finally “unfroze.”

“Go sign the contract,” Rong Yushu said. She didn’t even look at Lan Cixing again as she turned to walk out of the building. No one knew if she was satisfied or not.

But this job could only belong to Lan Cixing. Lan Cixing tossed the towel back, glanced at the owner, and followed Rong Yushu into the car.

By accident, she ended up sitting in the same row as Rong Yushu. Lan Cixing felt awkward, her limbs unsure of where to go. She could only keep her head down, wanting to reach for her phone.

Rong Yushu’s gaze remained fixed on her back. Lan Cixing didn’t even dare look at her phone anymore; she felt as if there were needles in her back. She heard a light scoff.

“Perfect. Accompany me to the set to report this afternoon,” Rong Yushu said casually. She leaned back in the soft seat, lacking any formal posture—half-slumped, half-reclining, looking as if her bones were soft.

Lan Cixing shuddered and turned her head. “Today?”

“Otherwise?” Rong Yushu didn’t look at her, staring intently at her own nails. She had a manicure—a forest green with the bright, crystalline reflection of cat-eye polish. It was adorned with some rhinestones and a very unique pattern. Rong Yushu focused on picking at the rhinestones on her nails, a lollipop dangling from her mouth.

She looked like a fox.

Lan Cixing felt the side of her body closest to Rong Yushu burning, and even her ear on that side felt unnaturally hot. Rong Yushu didn’t even bother to keep up appearances in front of her…

Perhaps she hated her. It had been four years since they last met. All memories of each other were sealed within the memory of that accidental “marking.” That humid, sultry summer had made Lan Cixing forget their entanglements—the rivalry over resources, the invisible tension on set.

However, even four years ago, Lan Cixing had never truly seen through Rong Yushu. She was too mysterious, too absurd, yet too clear-headed. Sometimes she was so ethereal she didn’t seem to belong to the mortal world, standing aloof and independent from the smoke and fire of the entertainment industry. Four years later, Lan Cixing understood Rong Yushu even less.

For instance, why speak up for her, and then hire her as a bodyguard?

Maybe the others were just too poor in quality, Lan Cixing comforted herself, unwilling to think too much.

“Is this a temporary bodyguard position?” The car drove smoothly. Lan Cixing turned her head to look out the window. She still had the right to ask about the nature of the work before signing the contract, even in front of Rong Yushu.

“Mmh… yeah,” Rong Yushu said, biting her lollipop. With her accent, her words were slurred and sticky. They clung to Lan Cixing’s ears.

“Do you need me present on Thursday night? I have a prior engagement that day.” Even though she had signed the contract, Lan Cixing didn’t dare stand up the modeling agency. It was all money. “And I might have a long-term job after that… as a personal bodyguard.” After saying it, Lan Cixing felt she was talking too much.

Rong Yushu wouldn’t possibly hire her for long. It would likely only be for a day or two, to fill in for her regular permanent bodyguard. Come to think of it, Lan Cixing hadn’t seen that bodyguard during the red carpet last time.

“In other words, you’ll belong to her after that?” Rong Yushu pinched the lollipop stick and exhaled. A faint, flinty burnt scent mixed with the chill of cedar blew into the car cabin.

Lan Cixing was drawn to turn her head. She thought her pheromones were leaking because she was seeing the Omega she had marked and her emotions were unstable. But her gland was clearly quiet. Upon sniffing again, that cedar scent—so similar to her own pheromones—disappeared.

Lan Cixing could only stare blankly at Rong Yushu, as if she hadn’t understood the words.

“Dumb,” Rong Yushu said, tapping the chewed-up lollipop stick against the center of Lan Cixing’s brow.

“…Ah.” Lan Cixing responded dumbly, confirming her words.

“You are to be my temporary bodyguard for three days.” Rong Yushu tossed the stick aside. Her long, sharp nails cut through Lan Cixing’s line of sight, drawing her gaze.

“For these three days, you belong to me.” Rong Yushu lowered her eyes to wipe her fingertips, the deep green shimmering in the sunlight. She used Cantonese, the way people from Hong Kong would say it.

“You don’t understand, do you…?” Seeing that Lan Cixing didn’t react, Rong Yushu glanced at her, let out a sneer, and rapped her knuckles against Lan Cixing’s head.

Lan Cixing shrank back like a quail. Actually, after they parted, Lan Cixing had taught herself Cantonese for a period of time.

Her phone suddenly rang.

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