Fu Bing greeted Su Junling and told him to go back first.
She then walked towards the backstage.
Rong Shizhi saw her coming, tears in her eyes.
Lovingly, she took Fu Bing's hand and stroked it over and over again.
"It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay."
"I've made you worry."
"I believe my disciple would not do anything illegal, and I believe the truth will eventually come out."
Fu Bing smiled like a child. "How have you been? I know a renowned doctor; she might be able to cure your illness."
"You and Jinhai are just alike. He also found a renowned doctor to help me with my health. You two children..."
Rong Shizhi sighed.
They were both such well-matched, good children; how did things end up this way?
Fu Bing subtly shifted the conversation. "Speaking up for me tonight will bring you a lot of negative attention."
"I'm old now; it doesn't matter if it affects me. Why don't you come stay with me tonight?"
"I'll come keep you company once I finish my work. I'm currently filming with Director Su, and his set is quite strict."
"Then I'll wait for you at home. Focus on your filming; you'll have a bright future."
Rong Shizhi did not try to persuade her further.
This child surely knew the media were waiting outside to ambush her; she didn't want to cause me any trouble by suggesting we leave together.
Fu Bing didn't tell Rong Shizhi that she planned to quit acting after finishing Su Junling's film.
Her appearance tonight was also intended to ensure all media outlets reported her release from prison.
Three years ago, when she was at the peak of her fame, her family hadn't looked for her.
When she went to prison, despite the huge commotion, there had been no sign of them.
Now, her mother was gone.
She still wanted to fulfill her mother's last wish and take one last spin in this world of fame and fortune.
If there's still no news from her family this time, she'll stop being a public figure and completely accept the fact that she was, indeed, an unwanted orphan...
After seeing Rong Shizhi off, Fu Bing didn't leave immediately. She waited until all the media had departed, then changed into casual clothes and left through the restroom.
The streets were empty late at night. The throngs of luxury cars from earlier had vanished, leaving the street deserted.
The pink Wuling Hongguang Mini was exceptionally conspicuous under the streetlight.
Fu Bing saw the tall figure by the car, smiled, and ran towards him.
Wu Shi heard the footsteps, looked up, and waited for her to approach.
"Didn't I tell you to go back?"
Wu Shi typed two words on his phone: "Waiting for you."
In the cold, desolate night, those words seemed to radiate warmth. Fu Bing's agitation eased considerably. She smiled. "Your boss is treating you to a late-night snack. What do you want to eat?"
Wu Shi paused for a moment, then continued to type.
"I'm not hungry."
"I'm a little hungry."
After a moment's hesitation, Wu Shi typed, "I'll go with you."
"Thank you."
Wu Shi took Fu Bing to Jiangcheng No. 3 Middle School's night market street.
The food there was cheap and delicious.
Before getting out of the car, Fu Bing asked, "Do you mind if people stare? If you do, I can just grab some takeout, and we can eat in the car."
"I don't mind."
The two of them got out of the car together and walked into the bustling street.
The night market at midnight was still extraordinarily lively. This was Jiangcheng's most famous night market, bustling with activity until three or four in the morning before things quieted down.
Fu Bing entered a dessert shop and ordered sweet rice wine dumplings and taro sago.
The dessert shop's customers occasionally stared at them.
Fu Bing and Wu Shi calmly let them stare. Seeing how composed the pair was, the onlookers actually felt a bit embarrassed themselves and looked away.
Wu Shi's dark eyes seemed to hide many secrets.
Fu Bing assumed he was lost in thoughts about the past, so she didn't disturb him.
Midway through their meal, Wu Shi's phone rang. He didn't answer, simply rejecting the call and silencing his phone.
The phone screen lit up a few more times.
"If you have something to attend to, go take care of it. I can drive myself home later."
Wu Shi typed, "I'll take you home before I go."
Fu Bing quickly finished her sweet rice wine dumplings in a few large bites, her cheeks puffed out as she looked at Wu Shi. Her bright, delicate face held a playful expression she rarely showed.
Through his mask, Wu Shi's dark eyes seemed to crinkle with amusement. He also quickly finished his taro sago.
He didn't like the overly sweet, glutinous taste, but he didn't mind eating it with her.
The pink Wuling Hongguang Mini looked surprisingly endearing as it sped along the empty roads late at night.
After dropping Fu Bing off at her apartment building and waiting until the light in her room came on, Wu Shi sprinted out of the residential complex and climbed into the black Maybach parked in the shadows on the side of the road.
Mu Lin looked at his boss, disguised as an "ugly freak," and truly wanted to ask if he wasn't tired of all this. On one hand, he was furious with Fu Bing; on the other, he played mute and stuck by her side like a shadow. One moment it was all angsty, profound love, and the next, he was on the 'sweet pampering' track. Was there something seriously wrong with a boss in love? Wasn't he afraid of developing schizophrenia?
Qin Jinhai peeled off the fake scars and changed into the suit he had worn earlier that day.
Fake scars, if stuck to the skin for too long, could cause allergies and itching.
He didn't care at all.
"Back to the main residence."
Qin Jinhai's tone was frigid. Clearly, he was also very annoyed.
Mu Lin pushed the car to its maximum speed, and the afterimage of the black Maybach vanished like a phantom into the darkness.
*
「Qin Family Mansion.」
The atmosphere had chilled to a freezing point. In the vast living room, only the faint ticking of the antique clock could be heard, until the sound of car wheels crunching over fallen leaves came from the courtyard.
Everyone's taut nerves inexplicably relaxed slightly.
The moment Qin Jinhai stepped through the front gate, a teacup came flying at his head.
Qin Jinhai could have easily dodged it. But he merely tilted his head slightly, allowing the teacup to strike his temple.
Blood instantly gushed from the gash, dyeing half his face red and splattering onto his pristine white shirt. It was a strikingly conspicuous sight.
Qin Jinhai raised an eyebrow. "If you haven't vented enough, you can put a knife to my throat. The skin there is thin; one slash, and I'd be dead in less than fifteen minutes."
Qin Sheng threw a diamond cufflink onto the carpet.
Qin Jinhai glanced at the cufflinks on his shirt.
One of his cufflinks was missing. Perhaps some little vixen had accidentally torn it off when she kicked him.
At the thought of Fu Bing, Qin Jinhai's irritation subsided somewhat.
Qin Sheng said angrily, "So the Qin Family has produced quite the Casanova, eh? Manipulating the Golden Cauldron Award with one hand and letting a disgraced actress appear in mainstream media. Qin Jinhai, you're quite something!"
"I just wanted to save you some embarrassment," Qin Jinhai said mildly. "You wanted to make that piece of trash you picked the Best Actress? Did you even stop to think if Li Qing, with her atrocious acting that only her fans could possibly appreciate, even deserved such a prestigious award? Aren't you ashamed of promoting such a worthless individual?"
His elder brother, Qin Jinmo, rebuked, "Jinhai! Mom is still here. Watch your words."
Qin Jinhai's cold gaze swept over the pale-faced, beautiful woman. "Your niece is practically throwing herself at your husband, yet you show no reaction. Your self-control is truly admirable. You should have slapped her across the face the first time she tried to seduce your man, disfigured her, and then she wouldn't have dared to try again, no matter how audacious she might be."
"Enough!" Li Yuan trembled. "You rarely come home. Must you always say such hurtful things to aggravate me?"
"If I'm miserable, then none of you get to be happy either!"
"Li Qing is just young. If we give her more chances, she'll definitely do well. It was my idea for your father to support Li Qing. Rather than promoting an outsider, it's better to support a child from my own maiden family."
"Support whoever you want; it's none of my concern. My agreement with you was solely concerning Fu Bing. Now that Fu Bing is out of prison, our agreement is automatically void. Otherwise, don't blame me for going berserk and sparing no one."
Qin Jinhai wiped the blood from his temple with a tissue. The crimson blood on the tissue, which appeared exceptionally white under the light, created an unsettlingly stark image.
Qin Sheng didn't even glance at Li Yuan. "You think your wings have hardened enough to protect Fu Bing? You dare to challenge me now?"