The Security Guard Who Won the Heart of the Unattainable Actress - Chapter 41.2

Chapter 41.2

“We’ve never seen a staff member get this much buzz before,” Wang Rou pulled up the data for Li Guang to see. “Right after your mask fell off, your online popularity surged. It hasn’t reached the top trending search level yet, but it’s close to making the Apple Channel’s top ten!”

Li Guang said, “I didn’t show my face, did I? I put it back on quickly, it was an accident…”

“Don’t worry, I’m not criticizing you, I’m just remarking,” Wang Rou said. “I wondered then why you didn’t come to our show. Turns out you were a Xiguang artist.”

“!” Li Guang was surprised. “Director, how did you know…”

“Your manager, Xie Yunfei, saw the live broadcast, recognized you, and was looking for you. He even called me,” Wang Rou said. “He said your phone has been unreachable.”

“Oh.” Li Guang remembered that her phone was with Ran Mingyue, and she hadn’t picked it up all day.

Why was Brother Xie looking for her? It had been a long time since she terminated her contract. She hadn’t contacted anyone from Xiguang, except for the photo shoot with Ji Yuan.

Wang Rou said, “Would you like to be our program’s special guest?”

“…Why?” Li Guang was surprised to hear this from Wang Rou. This was a currently booming variety show! Was it reasonable to invite a staff member? Li Guang had never considered this possibility.

Moreover, Li Guang didn’t want to deliberately appear in the public eye again.

“I won’t come,” Li Guang declined Wang Rou’s kind offer. “I terminated my contract with Xiguang. I’m just a security guard now, and I feel quite good about it.”

“With your talent, if you don’t become a security guard and join our show now, you’ll definitely become famous. Why not give it a try?” Wang Rou said. “Of course, I’m just suggesting this to you. The actual decision is up to you.”

“It’s not just me who wants you to be a special guest. The audience is saying the same thing,” Wang Rou continued. “Today, with you gone, the guests struggled to complete their tasks. The audience laughed, saying they can’t manage without you.”

Li Guang gently shook her head.

“Your popularity is truly high right now. Don’t waste it. Just one episode as a flying guest who shows their face, and you could become famous.”

Li Guang understood Wang Rou’s underlying meaning: she wanted her to seize the opportunity.

“Thank you, Director Wang, but I’m not considering it,” Li Guang said.

She was someone who didn’t seize opportunities, preferring to do things that others thought were unpromising. She was adapting well and didn’t plan to change her profession.

Wang Rou had been in the entertainment industry long enough to notice even a momentary shift in Li Guang’s expression and understood. “What is it? Do you have a conflict with people at Xiguang?”

Otherwise, why would she be so reluctant to appear on camera?

Li Guang shook her head. “No conflict… Thank you for your suggestion, Director Wang.”

Wang Rou sighed, knowing Li Guang didn’t want to elaborate. “Alright, I said the decision is all yours. You can clock out now. You did a great job this episode, too.”

Li Guang came out, intending to find Ran Mingyue, and Ran Mingyue happened to be looking for her with the suitcase.

“Nothing else?” Ran Mingyue looked at Li Guang’s slightly solemn expression.

“No,” Li Guang said.

Even though it was just an empty suitcase, Li Guang walked over and pulled it toward herself.

All the guests and photographers had already left. Ran Mingyue was the last because she was waiting for Li Guang. Li Guang walked with her toward Area A.

“Then why are you unhappy?” Ran Mingyue followed Li Guang, carefully scanning her face. Li Guang insisted stubbornly, “I’m not unhappy.”

“Aren’t you sad? The little sun is raining,” Ran Mingyue chuckled. She had a very accurate read on Li Guang’s reactions and state, knowing Li Guang was just being stubborn. “Tell me about it.”

The two were walking toward Ran Mingyue’s home. Li Guang was already familiar with the route.

Ran Mingyue placed her hand on the back of Li Guang’s head and gently squeezed. “There are no outsiders now. Is there anything you can’t tell me, hmm?”

“Why does everyone ask me why I don’t continue being an artist?” Li Guang complained. “Sister Mingyue, is being a security guard really so bad? No one supported me at first.”

Ran Mingyue turned her head. “Who said no one?”

She gave Li Guang’s cheek a light, punishing pinch. “I’ve never told you to continue being an artist.”

Li Guang froze.

It’s true! Li Guang just realized this. How could she have forgotten Sister Mingyue? Every time others mentioned her job, Ran Mingyue always told them it was something Li Guang wanted to do.

Ran Mingyue defended her every time someone questioned her.

“That’s…” The gloom in Li Guang’s heart instantly vanished by more than half. “That’s really true.”

“That’s a good thing, Li Guang. You don’t live for other people’s opinions. I believe you don’t care about that. Otherwise, you would have changed jobs long ago when your mother said those things to you, instead of persevering until now.”

“I’ve always believed you are an independent person, so you can do well no matter what you do. As long as you like it and it doesn’t affect your life, you’re good to do anything.”

Ran Mingyue’s hand moved to Li Guang’s neck and gently massaged it. “Others can only support or not support you, but so what if they don’t support you? What does it have to do with them?”

Hmm! Exactly! What does it have to do with them? This sentence struck a chord with Li Guang.

Happiness in life only requires a couple of phrases.

What does it have to do with me? What does it have to do with you?

With just a little affirmation, she cheered up and felt her choice was absolutely correct.

“By the way,” Ran Mingyue said, “your mother seems to have come over. I took your phone when I came out, and it vibrated. I accidentally saw the message, sorry.”

Li Guang’s phone had no lock screen password, so the message displayed directly on the screen. Ran Mingyue couldn’t help but see it.

She handed the phone back to Li Guang.

Li Guang’s mood had just improved, but now, thinking about her mother coming to pick up the photos this afternoon, her lips drooped a little again.

Ran Mingyue said, “Don’t be unhappy. Check what your mother said first.”

Li Guang opened her phone as told. Ms. Ye’s message said she would be in the city at 2:30 PM to pick up Li Yang’s report and could drop off two pairs of wool socks for Li Guang, the kind her mother had knitted by hand for her since childhood.

Then she mentioned the autographs.

The message read: [It’s okay if you don’t have them. If you don’t want to see me, she’ll leave the socks at the security office and have someone pass them on.]

“No need to be so conflicted. Isn’t it just about 2:30 PM now?” Ran Mingyue stroked Li Guang’s head. “Do you remember what I told you last night?”

“I remember.” Li Guang took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s go. I’ll give the autographed photos to my mom, and then I’ll come back to you, okay?”

Ran Mingyue originally wanted to go with Li Guang, but Li Guang’s phrasing suggested she wanted to face the situation on her own, so Ran Mingyue chose to respect Li Guang.

However, she wouldn’t go far. When Li Guang needed her, Ran Mingyue would be there immediately.

“Okay,” Ran Mingyue took the suitcase, removed her shoulder bag, and pulled out a stack of photos about a finger-joint thick. “I had them sign these photos. Take them. Is that enough? If not, I’ll have them sign more. You don’t need to show your face.”

Ran Mingyue had even considered this for Li Guang. She knew the girl naturally disliked doing such things, especially since she was thin-skinned. It was more convenient for her, as the one who was familiar with them, to go.

Li Guang said, “It’s enough! It’s enough! There are so many photos, enough to scatter them like flowers from the sky…”

She wasn’t exaggerating.

Li Guang looked through them one by one, then thought better of it and pulled out a few photos of Ran Mingyue to put in her other pocket, holding all the other photos in her main hand.

“Why did you single mine out?” Ran Mingyue watched her movements.

“I want to keep yours. The most precious photos should be treasured,” even a different attitude toward a photo could make Ran Mingyue very happy.

“Silly girl,” Ran Mingyue said. “If you want them, I’ll make sure you have as many as you want.”

“It’s different, it’s different,” Li Guang waved the photos. She separated from Ran Mingyue on the path, handing the suitcase over for Ran Mingyue to push herself. She had to go there.

Li Guang was actually off duty this afternoon, on a break, but Ye Cailan apparently didn’t know.

After waiting in the security office for a short while, Li Guang saw Ms. Ye.

Ye Cailan was carrying a small bag. She hadn’t seen Li Guang yet. Li Guang waved to her. When Ms. Ye’s eyes met Li Guang’s, she visibly paused, perhaps not expecting Li Guang to come herself.

After arguing with Li Guang last night, and knowing that Li Guang was a bit stubborn, she had expected to be completely shut out this time.

When she saw Li Guang waving to her as usual, Ye Cailan’s eyes welled up. She felt like she was seeing Li Guang when she was a child. Ye Cailan knew she had failed this daughter.

“Are you cold?” Upon meeting, Ms. Ye didn’t bring up the argument from yesterday, naturally handing the bag containing the wool socks to Li Guang. “Here you go. There’s also a roasted sweet potato inside. Your brother insisted I bring it to you, but the one from home would definitely get cold right away, so I bought this one nearby. He said you like roasted sweet potatoes in winter.”

“That kid finally showed some conscience. Take these.” Li Guang touched her nose, feeling a little awkward with her mother, unsure what to say.

She only managed that one sentence, stammering for a long time. Seeing Ms. Ye still standing outside, she said, “Come in. It’s too cold outside.”

“Oh, I’ll just stay for a moment. I’m not cold. I’m going to pick up the report with Yang Yang soon…”

“You’re not coming in?”

Ye Cailan said she wouldn’t go in, so Li Guang had to run out. She clutched the bag, feeling a little nervous. Even now, she didn’t know what to say to Ms. Ye. She just rubbed her face, not knowing whether to apologize.

Li Yang had used Ms. Ye’s phone to send her messages, and Ms. Ye must have seen and heard what Li Yang sent her.

Ye Cailan probably didn’t know what to say to her daughter either, so she flipped through the photos, seeing that they were all there for every celebrity. “So many…”

“Yes,” Li Guang said. “Didn’t you want a lot?”

Ms. Ye felt embarrassed. “Yang Yang wanted a lot.”

“It’s all the same.”

Li Guang paused before saying, “I’ve been working all day. I… Are you going to pick up the report now? Should I go back then?”

“Okay, you go rest. I won’t disturb you,” Ye Cailan started walking away. Li Guang stood watching, stubbornly not moving a step.

It wasn’t raining anymore, but it was still windy. Watching Ye Cailan’s back head toward the bus stop, Li Guang quickly hurried after her. “I’ll call you a taxi.”

Ye Cailan: “No need! No need. I know how to take the bus. It’s also easier to get to the hospital entrance…”

Li Guang silently prepared to flag down a taxi by the roadside. “I’ve earned money.”

Ye Cailan felt guilty, but the word “sorry” wouldn’t come out. She mumbled, “Don’t waste the money!”

Li Guang said, “I’m not wasting it.”

Li Guang hadn’t spoken yet when a familiar voice came from behind. “Li Guang.”

Li Guang turned back in surprise and saw Ran Mingyue pushing the suitcase.

Why hadn’t she gone back?

The suitcase was right there, meaning she had been watching from the side and hadn’t gone back.

Was Sister Mingyue following her the whole time?

Ran Mingyue walked directly to Li Guang’s side. She wasn’t wearing sunglasses. This was the first time Ye Cailan had seen the big celebrity in real life, and she was momentarily speechless.

“Ran… Ran… It’s Ran…”

Li Guang said, “It’s Teacher Ran.”

“Hello,” Ran Mingyue greeted concisely. “Since I know Li Guang, I saw you both here and came over to say hello.”

“Hello, hello, Teacher Ran, you look so much more beautiful than on TV…” Ran Mingyue’s radiance was dazzling. Ye Cailan spoke to Ran Mingyue with a feeling of admiration. “I’m sorry, it’s my first time meeting a celebrity, I’m flustered.”

Ran Mingyue said, “Not at all. I just came to tell you a little about Li Guang’s situation.”

Li Guang’s situation? What situation?

Ms. Ye became more nervous. “Tell me, tell me.”

“Li Guang is a staff member that all our guests truly like,” Ran Mingyue said. “Although she is my personal accompanying security guard, she also protects everyone else when completing tasks. She does it alone.”

Ye Cailan was stunned. “Is that, that amazing? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Li Guang remained silent. Ye Cailan also seemed unsure what to say to Li Guang. Silence fell.

Ran Mingyue added, “Li Guang works incredibly hard. She didn’t sleep last night. She is the backbone of the security team during filming, and she still performed excellently even after not sleeping last night. It wasn’t easy for her to get the autographs, because she generally dislikes bothering others.”

Ye Cailan stared speechlessly at Ran Mingyue, then at Li Guang for a long time, stammering, “Didn’t, didn’t sleep last night? Why didn’t you say anything… Why? Why didn’t you sleep?”

Li Guang said, “The thunder woke me up last night.”

“Auntie, she cares about you all,” Ran Mingyue said. “But caring can be a weapon for family to hurt their children. I saw she was upset, which is why I’m overstepping my bounds to tell you one thing: Please don’t treat her this way in the future.”

A taxi hadn’t arrived, but Ran Mingyue’s car did. The driver was a middle-aged man.

Ran Mingyue said, “My driver will take you to your destination. Please get in.”

This was the first time Li Guang had seen Ran Mingyue act so decisively.

Before getting in, Ye Cailan seemed to have a sudden realization. She went up to Li Guang. “Xiao Guang, I’m sorry. I didn’t understand the situation at all before and just…”

Li Guang said, “It’s fine, Mom. Let’s just leave it at that for now.”

As soon as Ms. Ye voluntarily apologized, the matter was resolved in Li Guang’s heart.

Ms. Ye took Ran Mingyue’s hand and said to her, “You go get some sleep first. Haven’t you eaten yet? How about this, you eat this sweet potato to tide you over. I’ll get you…”

Ran Mingyue said, “Auntie, you should go pick up the report.”

She opened the car door for Ye Cailan.

After opening the door, Ran Mingyue turned and walked away with Li Guang without hesitation, not stopping for a moment. The suitcase wheels spun quickly.

When Li Guang couldn’t help but look back, Ran Mingyue whispered:

“Why are you looking back? Look at me.” She reached out and pressed down on Li Guang’s shoulder. “You heartless little thing.”