As Fang Nianjing trembled while making her decision during the call with her manager, An Yaoyao could no longer hold back and dialed her number again.
She was terrified, afraid of Fang Nianjing getting caught up in the scandal, and had a vague sense of foreboding—an Omega's keen sixth sense. They had been in a long relationship, and Fang Nianjing had always taken care of her, but this time, things had escalated so much…
[The number you have dialed is unreachable.]
The automated female voice was cold and unfamiliar, not the usual "temporarily unreachable" or "currently on another call." This new message made An Yaoyao's heart sink. She had a very bad feeling and, with trembling hands, opened a search engine and typed in the message. The result that appeared on the screen was:
"'Unreachable' means you have been blocked by the user."
"Bang!"
An Yaoyao dropped her phone on her foot and sucked in a sharp breath. Before she could pick it up, she noticed the water pipe had overflowed without her realizing it, and the phone fell into the laundry basin, disappearing into the soapy water.
She was in the communal laundry room, washing clothes. The noise startled Aunt Zhao, who was waiting outside the bathroom, and she rushed in:
"Oh dear, what happened, Yaoyao? Did you hurt yourself?"
An Yaoyao, in a daze, stared at her now blacked-out phone and tried to turn it on, but no matter how many times she tried, it wouldn't work. The phone was an older model she had bought during a promotion for a few hundred yuan. Fang Nianjing had landed a phone endorsement deal and wanted to buy her the latest model, but An Yaoyao refused, unwilling to accept her money. Fang Nianjing had eventually given up.
"I'm fine," An Yaoyao forced a pale smile. "Maybe it's just my period."
"Washing clothes during your period? Don't come crying to me if you freeze and start hurting," Aunt Zhao, who had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, had lived here for many years and had watched An Yaoyao and the others grow up. She lightly patted her on the shoulder. "Go, go, go. Leave it here, and I'll wash it. You're all thumbs today."
An Yaoyao didn't argue with her. She thanked Aunt Zhao and stumbled back to her home.
Sitting on her familiar bed, An Yaoyao closed her eyes in despair. She was utterly exhausted. She tried several times to turn on her phone, but it was no use. It wasn't worth repairing, so An Yaoyao bought a new one, this time spending several thousand yuan on a waterproof and shockproof model.
She clenched her teeth, using the money she had saved for Fang Nianjing's anniversary gift. Fang Nianjing's fourth debut anniversary was coming up, and An Yaoyao knew how much more important the anniversary was to her than her birthday.
Pei Yujang went to the orphanage again, only to find that it was being relocated. The area was being cleared for new developments, and the orphanage had to be completely vacated within a few days.
With the orphanage's fence removed, the nearby water plant was now fully visible. Pei Yujang noticed that the area looked much cleaner, as if it had been temporarily tidied up, with messy footprints and sweeping marks left behind.
While helping the volunteers with the move, she spotted An Yaoyao again, who was talking to the old man who had previously given her directions. An Yaoyao's smile was strained, and she looked exhausted.
Seeing her, Pei Yujang couldn't ignore her and called out. At first, An Yaoyao didn't hear, but when Pei Yujang approached, she snapped out of her daze.
"Hello," An Yaoyao greeted her, though she usually wasn't shy or timid around Pei Yujang. Today, however, her behavior was strange. Pei Yujang noticed the dark circles under her eyes and politely asked if she hadn't been resting well. An Yaoyao nodded in agreement.
Looking at the volunteers busy packing and moving, Pei Yujang offered:
"How about I take care of the old man, and you go rest? Those dark circles are really heavy."
She genuinely wanted to help, especially since An Yaoyao had previously assisted her in meeting the mayor of Xiangcheng. Regardless of the outcome, Pei Yujang was grateful and wanted to do something within her power. She winked at An Yaoyao, trying to ease her discomfort:
"You helped me last time, so it's only fair that I help you this time—"
Just as she finished speaking, she received a call. The caller ID showed a city she had never visited before. She declined the first call but answered the second time they called.
"Hello."
The voice on the other end was familiar, but Pei Yujang couldn't immediately place it. However, beside her, An Yaoyao's face paled. Pei Yujang glanced at her curiously, then heard Fang Nianjing ask:
"Pei Yujang, it's Fang Nianjing. Can you help me get in touch with An Yaoyao?"
Pei Yujang's gaze shifted between her phone and An Yaoyao, suddenly recalling the gossip she had heard from Boss Ji.
Could An Yaoyao really be Fang Nianjing's secret girlfriend?
As she pondered, Pei Yujang blurted out that An Yaoyao was right beside her. Fang Nianjing paused, then politely asked if she could pass the phone to An Yaoyao. Pei Yujang handed it over.
An Yaoyao, trembling, took the phone and, as soon as Fang Nianjing started to speak, she hung up on her.
Fang Nianjing persistently called back, but An Yaoyao refused to answer. Pei Yujang remembered seeing Fang Nianjing's company's official statement today, announcing that they had sent a lawyer's letter accusing someone of defamation and clarifying that the person involved was an overzealous stalker. The scandal was gradually dying down.
The company hadn't even claimed it was a trick of the camera angles, simply denying that the person was Fang Nianjing. The photos were indeed blurry and unclear, so the accuser had been forced to back down.
Even though a lawyer's letter had been issued, whether it led to a lawsuit or not, by the time the case was resolved, the issue would likely have been forgotten. Fang Nianjing's fans were quick to rally behind her, controlling the narrative online.
Among a celebrity's fans, girlfriend fans were often the most fiercely loyal. Once the clarification was issued, the fans believed Fang Nianjing and refused to let anyone else "slander" her. Anyone who did was labeled a jealous rival fan, envious of Fang Nianjing's good resources.
Several rising stars in the industry were on par with Fang Nianjing, and their fans were known to clash. The celebrities themselves also engaged in subtle power struggles. In this industry, you couldn't go far without fan support. An Yaoyao had surely noticed Fang Nianjing's decisive move to clear her name.
The phone rang a third time, and Pei Yujang answered it, placing it by An Yaoyao's ear. She could tell An Yaoyao was conflicted, and thought it would be better to speak out rather than keep torturing herself.
"Fang Nianjing."
This time, An Yaoyao didn't avoid the call. Her eyes were red, tears welling up. When people are in pain, they don't look as "pitiful" as books often describe. The old man had already been taken away, and Pei Yujang stayed beside An Yaoyao, who didn't ask her to leave. She heard An Yaoyao call Fang Nianjing's name, her voice filled with anger, her expression almost grim.
"Am I such a shameful existence in your eyes?"
An Yaoyao's first words were sharp, and Pei Yujang clearly heard Fang Nianjing's breath catch, then become heavy. Her voice was hoarse, as if she had been crying, and she responded:
"How could you think that?"
"If I don't clarify, people might disrupt your life, digging into your past. You know how powerful the internet is. If they find out where you're from, others will be affected too…"
"Is it really that you don't want our lives disrupted, or are you just ashamed to let people know you came from a slum, not the 'wealthy heiress in the entertainment industry,' 'heiress who might have to inherit the family business if she doesn't work hard,' 'distant and noble flower' persona your fans fantasize about? Li Amei?"
An Yaoyao's sudden interjection cut off Fang Nianjing's explanation.
She looked up, her tears dried, her voice hoarse but clear and cutting. The gentle, loving partner from the past had turned her words into blades, stabbing at Fang Nianjing, leaving her defenseless.
"Li Amei" was likely Fang Nianjing's real name.
"You don't dare tell your fans the truth because you want to maintain your girlfriend persona. I get it, everyone needs to make money. And it doesn't hurt to play along with Miss Yao's public relations. She's a well-known beauty Omega from a scholarly family, with a clear background, unlike you. To this day, you're still evasive about your origins, putting on a show, flaunting luxury goods just a few years after your debut, making your fans speculate."
"You're afraid to let your fans know you came from a slum. You've even changed your name to start fresh. That day, when Uncle Yun recognized you on TV, I didn't dare tell him it was you.
You said you were going to study in another city, hoping to get into college. I sewed by hand to pay your tuition, knitting gloves at a 24-hour fried chicken shop miles away to save on utilities. I stayed there for days until they thought I was a homeless person and offered me help, so I switched to another shop. You said that when you had money, you'd bring everyone a better life. When Uncle Zhu was cremated, you were busy posting selfies from a fashion show. I didn't even dare call you!"
Pei Yujang didn't listen any further. She walked away but could still hear An Yaoyao's voice, loud and emotional, cursing and questioning Fang Nianjing.
She had been holding back so much pain and finally let it all out. Fang Nianjing didn't seem to respond much, letting the Omega vent her emotions in silence.
After a while, Pei Yujang received her phone back from An Yaoyao. The Omega had finished crying and shouting and hoarsely thanked her.
"The help you received last time was from Fang Nianjing, not me. The same goes for the time with Mrs. Chen and the singing. Fang Nianjing made sure you knew. She's built up quite a network over the years, and she knows a lot more than I do. If you need anything in the future, just reach out to her."
Pei Yujang realized that An Yaoyao was distancing herself, but she didn't have the right to ask her to do anything.
"I only care about the people in this orphanage. Now that it's being relocated, it's no longer my concern." An Yaoyao blinked her tear-stained eyes, her voice hollow. "Thank you, Miss Pei. You're a good and just person, but I'm just an ordinary citizen. My breakup with Fang Nianjing has nothing to do with this. I simply don't want to be involved."
Pei Yujang looked at her for a moment before handing her a tissue.
After that, Pei Yujang hardly saw An Yaoyao again.
She didn't know how much of her conversation with the mayor had been heard, but at least the orphanage was relocated, and no one in that area would be harmed again. That was good news, and as an optimist, Pei Yujang thought it was worth celebrating. Coincidentally, Chen Lulu was hosting an offline birthday event in Xiangcheng and gave both Pei Yujang and Yu Zhiwan front-row tickets.
"It's my birthday. The venue isn't too big, and the fans were selected by lottery. I've reserved VIP seats for you two in the front row. It won't be crowded, and the service is great. You must come!"
Yu Zhiwan had been hot and cold with Pei Yujang lately, and knowing she had dined with Boss Ji twice, Pei Yujang was a bit annoyed and even more reluctant to deal with her. But she didn't want to push her away too much, fearing she might end up with Boss Ji. That would be digging her own grave.
Pei Yujang discreetly consulted a relationship expert. She didn't want to reveal her identity or say that Chen Lulu seemed to have a crush on her, which might sound egotistical, so she just asked if it was a good idea to take her crush to an event.
At the time, Yu Zhiwan was sipping tea in Boss Ji's office. Seeing Pei Yujang's message, she burst out laughing, grabbed Boss Ji's phone, and replied herself:
"Sure, whose birthday party?"
Pei Yujang replied, "Chen Lulu's."
The "relationship expert" asked, "Do you like Chen Lulu?"
Pei Yujang thought about it and felt it wouldn't be right to say she wasn't a fan. Besides, being a fan was harmless, and she wasn't a crazed stalker. So she typed:
"Yeah, I like her. All her songs are in my playlist." She had indeed added that OST to her playlist and had it on repeat.
Boss Ji watched as Yu Zhiwan tightly gripped her phone and slammed the table:
"Yu Zhiwan, my phone has a registered ID. It has 'rights.' No abusing it!"
In the end, Pei Yujang managed to invite Yu Zhiwan.
The birthday event was held outdoors, and Chen Lulu opened with a performance of a cute girl group song that was currently trending. She winked and blew kisses to the fans, even giving an extra one to Yu Zhiwan.
Fang Nianjing's scandal had made Chen Lulu acutely aware of the risks of dating during a rising career. She was more focused on solidifying her fan base and had lost some interest in Pei Yujang. However, she had prepared a flower presentation as part of the event and planned to publicly thank Pei Yujang during the chat segment, letting her fans know that Pei Yujang had saved her life.
After the performance, the Omega, dressed in a beautiful gauze dress, shyly handed the bouquet to Pei Yujang. Pei Yujang stepped forward, politely accepted the flowers with both hands, then turned to see Yu Zhiwan's red eyes. She quickly sat down and took out a tissue to wipe her tears:
"The wind in Xiangcheng is so strong lately. It's best to wear goggles."