**55**
Ruan Yinmeng led Chi Sheng upstairs. Chi Sheng had already wiped away her tears and followed obediently behind her, like a little animal picked up from the roadside.
Chi Sheng dared not make a sound. Her heart was uneasy, not knowing how much Ruan Yinmeng had heard.
She had clearly planned to keep it from her, not letting her find out, but plans always lag behind changes. In less than an hour, signs of the matter being exposed had already appeared.
She was led by Ruan Yinmeng.
Just this simple action, Chi Sheng deeply felt that she was loved by her.
Ruan Yinmeng’s hand was soft, but unlike the delicate softness from before, her palm was a bit rougher.
Chi Sheng recalled their first meeting: Ruan Yinmeng wore a dark green qipao, with bright and heavy makeup, full of charm and unabashed beauty. She looked up at her under the orange-yellow glow of the streetlamp and smiled.
In less than half a year, Ruan Yinmeng had been weathered by hardships. She worked a low-paying job, her hands had become rough, but she never complained, willingly becoming just an ordinary person among the crowd.
For her, the mere word “ordinary” had already consumed half of her life’s effort.
Why do those who don’t understand her have the right to criticize her with such a condescending attitude?
“About to cry again,” Ruan Yinmeng said helplessly in front of her.
It would have been fine if she hadn’t spoken, but once she did, Chi Sheng’s eyes really welled up with tears. Ruan Yinmeng cupped her face and wiped the tears from her eyes: “How come I never noticed you were so prone to crying before?”
Chi Sheng wiped her eyes hard with the back of her hand, lowered her head, and remained silent.
Ruan Yinmeng looked at the top of her head, her lips moving slightly, her gentle gaze mixed with pain and helplessness. Finally, she spoke: “Your spot…”
Chi Sheng suddenly looked up, and Ruan Yinmeng heard what Su Miaomiao said!
The ceiling of the house was very low, pressing down heavily. Even with the lights on, it always seemed dim. Chi Sheng raised her head too quickly, feeling dizzy as the scene before her eyes swayed.
Before she could recover, she hurriedly said, “I don’t want the spot!”
She grabbed Ruan Yinmeng’s hand, revealing her feelings without a hint of hesitation: “That doesn’t matter. If they don’t give it, then they don’t. I don’t care.”
She was afraid that speaking even a second slower would make Ruan Yinmeng waver, so she held on tightly, squeezing Ruan Yinmeng’s hand until it hurt.
Ruan Yinmeng knew how much Chi Sheng valued this competition and how much effort he had put in.
But what could she say, what could she do? It was the predicament she had brought upon Chi Sheng.
It’s just one competition. If you don’t want to participate, then don’t. I’ll have other opportunities.” Chi Sheng spoke earnestly, trying to reassure Ruan Yinmeng. She wanted her to know that only she mattered most, and everything else could be sacrificed. “Really, trust me, I won’t be threatened by them. Let’s not care about what others say; they aren’t important. Just ignore them.
The dishes were all on the table, bowls turned upside down to keep warm. Ruan Yinmeng had spent a long time preparing them carefully, all of Chi Sheng’s favorite dishes.
But now, no one was paying attention to them anymore.
Ruan Yinmeng looked at Chi Sheng, who was so nervous she was almost incoherent, and her heart suddenly ached so deeply she couldn’t find the words to speak.
She was a stain on Chi Sheng.
She had long thought about it, ever since she developed feelings for Chi Sheng. If they were together, she would become her stain, the reason others would make things difficult for her and look down on her.
But Chi Sheng was so good, so good that she couldn’t bring herself to be ruthless, so good that she selfishly wanted to make this little sun hers.
So she held onto hope, thinking that as long as they weren’t discovered, it would be fine. That’s why she came here with her, to this city they had never been to before.
But their affair was still discovered.
“Ruan Yinmeng.” Chi Sheng was anxious after receiving no response from her for a long time.
Ruan Yinmeng looked at her.
Chi Sheng’s eyes were full of pleading, but she still tried to steady her tone, persuading Ruan Yinmeng like a mature adult: “That competition isn’t something we have to participate in. Even with painting… if one path doesn’t work, we can change. Art isn’t the only path I can take. They can’t threaten me. If we hold on, we will definitely overcome this.”
She kept her tone steady, but by the end, it still revealed her anxiety.
Ruan Yinmeng was instantly filled with guilt. It was clearly her who had caused trouble for Chi Sheng, and now she had to make such a flustered plea to her.
“Okay,” she said.
Chi Sheng let out a long breath. She didn’t want to continue this topic at all; she wished time could rewind so that she could have driven Su Miaomiao away the moment she saw her at the community gate.
She glanced at the table and awkwardly changed the subject: “You made so many dishes.”
After speaking, she smiled, deliberately making her tone light: “Let’s eat.”
Ruan Yinmeng tacitly understood and didn’t bring it up again. She said, “You sit first, I’ll go serve the rice.”
Saying that, she went to the kitchen.
Chi Sheng sat down at the table. She raised her hand to press her chest and realized her heart was beating very fast. She had really been afraid just now that Ruan Yinmeng would waver and give up.
The food was served.
Chi Sheng took it and was about to speak when her phone rang.
The ringtone sounded abrupt. Chi Sheng was startled and inexplicably had a bad feeling.
She put down the bowl and picked it up.
The moment the call connected, a voice thundered from the other end: “Chi Sheng, come home quickly, your grandmother suddenly fainted.”
The moment the director called for a stop, Ning Zhi almost collapsed.
She was still tightly clutching that old-fashioned phone in her hand. Meilan walked over, looked at the situation here, and then said to them, “No filming today, it’s a day off.”
The atmosphere on the entire set was very heavy; no one could relax.
Ning Zhi looked at Shen Yizhi. She opened her mouth but couldn’t bring herself to ask. Shen Yizhi understood her meaning and said, “I’ll go with you.”
The next scene was to be shot in Pingcheng. Since Shen Yi had no scenes there, she only needed to wait for them to return here, but Ning Zhi didn’t want to be separated from her.
Chi Sheng couldn’t be apart from Ruan Yinmeng.
She also couldn’t leave Shen Yizhi.
Having received Shen Yizhi’s promise, Ning Zhi nodded gratefully. She tried to smile, but couldn’t manage it at all.
They sat in Shen Yizhi’s nanny car, with two assistants also in the vehicle.
Ning Zhi was distracted, and Shen Yizhi was very worried. In fact, it wasn’t just Ning Zhi; even she was so immersed in the plot that she couldn’t pull herself out. However, with more experience, she knew how not to let it affect her usual words and actions.
“It will be better once filming wraps up,” she comforted Ning Zhi.
But Ning Zhi wasn’t comforted at all.
Filming wrapped up, so I won’t be able to see you often anymore. Thinking this, she suddenly felt even more down.
“I want to write a song for them,” she said softly.
The theme song definitely wouldn’t be for her to sing. Although Chi Shengyinmeng had more scenes, the female lead was clearly Ruan Yinmeng, and the story was told from Chi Sheng’s perspective, focusing on Ruan Yinmeng’s story.
Her voice and style just didn’t fit.
Ning Zhi unconsciously moved closer to Shen Yizhi. They were sitting very close, but she still felt it wasn’t enough. She imagined holding Shen Yizhi the way Chi Sheng held Ruan Yinmeng.
But she knew it was not possible. She used the little remaining reason she had to control herself.
“From Chi Sheng’s perspective?” Shen Yizhi asked.
Ning Zhi nodded, then looked at her again and asked, “Is it good?”
Okay.” Shen Yizhi said softly, then asked, “Have you thought of a song title?
Ning Zhi lowered her head, was silent for a moment, then looked up at Shen Yizhi, deeply reflecting her in her eyes and imprinting her in her heart.
“Only for a dream.” she said.
The song title is Only for a Dream.
Ruan Yinmeng is Chi Sheng’s dream.
Shen Yizhi is her dream.