We Are Filthy, Born From Mud - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Yes, She is Also Loved. Time Always Flows in Unseen…

Time always flows in unseen places.

As Zong Yougu and Zong Liangu completed one shoot after another, as they bickered at home, time slipped away slowly and unnoticed. It was only when Zong Yougu suddenly looked back at a certain point that she realized with a start how much time had passed; it had already been over a year since she met Zong Liangu.

Because of Zong Liangu, Zong Yougu felt that her days finally had something to look forward to—they had become meaningful. She couldn’t imagine how dull life would be without her. She remained grateful, even if everything felt light and ethereal, like stepping on cotton, lacking a sense of reality.

Zong Yougu had no reason not to love Zong Liangu. Zong Liangu loved her just the same. This was their instinct. At least, that was what she believed.

Of course, she knew that in Zong Liangu’s heart, there was more or less a sense of injustice. But Zong Liangu still hadn’t left her. At least, not yet.

Life went on, and their collaboration continued. In the constant process of grinding and getting along, they uncontrollably mimicked each other’s habits and absorbed each other’s strengths. Sometimes, Zong Liangu could even act out a few scenes in Yougu’s place. When Yougu felt the urge, she would try her hand at action scenes. Naturally, they became more and more like one another. Almost no one saw through their scheme; sometimes, even they themselves were on the verge of losing track of who was who.

Although Zong Yougu’s fame had risen, her workload didn’t skyrocket along with it. This was because she was picky. If the production crew was too small, she wouldn’t take it. If the character didn’t suit her fancy, she wouldn’t take it. If the script was too crude, she wouldn’t take it. If she simply didn’t like the look of someone involved, she wouldn’t take it.

Qi Fang had no objections to this, believing that the filtered-out scripts were indeed not worth filming. For an actress like Zong Yougu, making her chase “quick money” was far too inefficient. Zong Yougu was destined to go higher; on this point, Qi Fang had no doubts whatsoever. In short, during this period, Zong Yougu wasn’t busy working around the clock; quite the opposite, her life could be described as leisurely.

Zong Yougu finally opened her eyes, lazily rubbed them, and dazed for a while before rolling out of bed. She looked at Zong Liangu, who was resting facedown on the table. Zong Yougu’s movements were very light, almost tiptoeing. Yet even so, the moment Yougu stepped out of the bedroom, Zong Liangu’s eyes snapped open.

Zong Yougu smiled and planted a kiss on Zong Liangu’s face. “I’ve told you many times, sleeping on the table isn’t good for you. See? Your sleep is so light; it must be because of this.”

Zong Liangu pushed her away and stretched. Resting her elbows on the table and tilting her head, she looked at Zong Yougu with half-squinted eyes. “Give it a rest. I sleep even worse in a bed. I’m not used to having someone next to me, and you keep staring at me—it makes it impossible to fall asleep at all.”

“Is that so? Do I really keep staring at you?” Zong Yougu poked her own cheek, her eyes scanning the ceiling, before giving an embarrassed laugh. She cupped Zong Liangu’s face and defended herself: “You’re so perfect, of course I can’t help but look at you. How can you be so perfect?”

“Don’t think I can’t tell you’re just being narcissistic.” Zong Liangu stood up, quickly threw on her clothes, and turned to wash up.

Zong Yougu watched her back, lost in thought. She knew exactly what Zong Liangu wanted. Because she was Zong Liangu, and Zong Liangu was her. Zong Liangu wanted to live openly, to be loved by everyone, and to be seen by everyone. This current life was definitely not what Liangu wanted. Even if Liangu hadn’t shown a hint of dissatisfaction recently, Yougu could sense the stagnation in her heart.

The bathroom door was pulled open; the track was old, so the frame and the rail clattered loudly. Water droplets slid down Liangu’s hair, and her eyelashes were still wet. Her already bright eyes looked even more transparent and clean at this moment. These eyes looked at Zong Yougu, and that gaze made Yougu’s heart thud heavily, making her reflect on whether she was truly being too selfish.

“Are you going to the banquet tonight?”

“What?” Disbelief was clear on Zong Liangu’s face.

“I said, you go to the banquet tonight.” Zong Yougu put on the coat that Zong Liangu usually wore, wrapping herself up tightly to mimic Liangu’s style. Her voice carried a smile: “Today, I’ll be your life assistant for once.”

Zong Liangu took a step back, arms folded across her chest, her gaze scanning Yougu from head to toe.

“Fine, I lied,” Zong Yougu said. “I’m not being your assistant.”

As soon as she said it, the suspicion on Liangu’s face vanished, as if she had already guessed Yougu would play a trick. Zong Yougu didn’t look away from Liangu’s eyes. She stepped closer until their toes touched. She gave Liangu a hug and whispered in her ear.

“No, I won’t be your assistant today, because…” Zong Yougu looked up, giving Liangu no chance to dodge her gaze. Only when their eyes locked did she continue: “Because today you’re going alone. I won’t be following. Today, do whatever you want. Even if it doesn’t fit the ‘Zong Yougu’ image, everything is up to you.”

Zong Liangu stared at her blankly, then tilted her head back. Zong Yougu could only see her pale, slender neck, unable to tell what Liangu was thinking.

The well-tailored suit made Zong Liangu’s already balanced and athletic body look even more tall and straight. The crisp suit pants draped perfectly, and the charcoal-grey long coat was left open, revealing a deep blue silk shirt underneath. A thin silver chain hung around her neck, adorned with a sparkling ruby.

Zong Yougu had made her pick this necklace from a drawer. Liangu had been attracted by the gemstone and pointed it out immediately. However, Yougu had burst out laughing because Liangu had once again picked a fake gem. Zong Liangu didn’t follow Yougu’s suggestion to change it; instead, she stubbornly gripped the fake piece in her palm. So what if it was fake? When worn on her, no one would suspect it was anything but real. As long as it was on Zong Liangu, a fake gem became real.

Blinding flashes and bright crystal chandeliers enveloped her, while the constant sound of shutters filled her ears. Zong Liangu smiled; she loved this feeling. Being surrounded, being watched, living under the flashes, and leaving her own mark in various places. Her eyes swept across the cameras, waving to every lens and every person. Taking a glass of wine from a tray, she began walking toward the northwest corner of the ballroom.

The bright chandeliers made the light flow constantly. Zong Liangu felt as if she were bathing in this warm yellow glow; everything was wonderful. She found an empty seat in the corner and sat down. It was a good spot; she could observe the entire venue. People were coming and going, talking and laughing. They dressed decently and behaved appropriately.

But Zong Liangu just couldn’t see their faces clearly. The more she looked, the more she felt she didn’t belong with them. In her previous life, she had killed, burned, used coarse language, and had a foul temper. By any logic or reason, she didn’t deserve to live a good life. In this life, she should just follow behind Zong Yougu. She shouldn’t overthink; she shouldn’t be greedy. Perhaps when she went back this time, she should tell Yougu everything on her mind, confess, and give up all unrealistic fantasies.

The wine glass swayed constantly; the red wine inside was a tiny sea, meeting its own tides.

“Teacher Zong Yougu!”

A cheerful voice rang out in her ear. Zong Liangu looked toward the sound; the person had eyes curved with smiles. Liangu felt the person looked familiar at first sight. After searching her memory for a moment, she remembered. They had indeed met at the Rumors fan meeting. This girl had been the first to ask Zong Yougu a question and the first to express her love for her.

“Yougu, Yougu! I don’t know if you still remember me, but we’ve met at the Rumors meeting. But it’s okay if you don’t remember. I was too nervous last time—just thinking about it is embarrassing, so it’s best if you’ve forgotten.” The girl’s voice grew softer; she was clearly very nervous now.

Zong Liangu gave a kind smile and gestured for her to sit down. “I’m very grateful for your support. It gave me a lot of encouragement.” Zong Liangu acted as Zong Yougu’s messenger, conveying gratitude on Yougu’s behalf from the bottom of her heart.

“Yougu, I have high hopes for you. You’re definitely going to do great. There isn’t much we fans can do for you, but we will definitely support you forever.” Saying this, the girl took a small box from her bag.

The small square box opened before Zong Liangu. Inside was a necklace. Diamonds refracted multicolored light under the lamps, and the fragmented, sparkling glow rushed into Liangu’s eyes. Even someone like Zong Liangu, who knew next to nothing about jewelry, knew this necklace was incredibly valuable.

“The style was voted on by the fans, and the funds were primarily provided by several of us ‘big fans.’ So, this necklace is a gift from all of us. Yougu, please take it. It wasn’t that expensive—you actually deserve better.”

Zong Liangu’s breathing became slightly unstable. She envied the way Zong Yougu could enjoy such pure love. She reached out to take it and asked solemnly, “Thank you. How should I call you?”

The girl smiled and said, “Let me think how to introduce myself… Rather than my name, I’d prefer you know my ID. Just call me EmptyValleyValley.”

The girl suddenly remembered something and took her phone from her bag. After scrolling for a while, her brow finally relaxed. “Look, Yougu, I took this photo. Do you remember?”

Zong Liangu’s eyes widened slightly. She certainly remembered that photo. A high wall, clear sky, a leap. The person in the photo was her.

“No matter how many times I think about it now, I feel so lucky. I’m lucky I had the fortune to capture this shot. Actually, I wasn’t your fan before; I hadn’t even heard your name. I just happened to hear a film crew was shooting nearby while I was traveling, so I brought my camera to join the fun. When I took this photo, I was instantly captivated by your performance. You were so dazzling I couldn’t look away, so I immediately aimed the camera at you.”

Zong Liangu’s eyes grew even wider. She couldn’t describe the feeling. She could only feel her heartbeat growing louder and louder, pumping hot blood into her limbs and brain until they were both boiling.

“You’re going to be even better. Bye-bye!”

Arriving along with the excitement and joy was a resurgence of resentment that had been thought dead.

Zong Yougu shouldn’t have let her come today.