Chapter 13
The next day, a shocking picture is published!
Although the picture was obviously taken in secret and mildly blurry, but the two people caught kissing are unmistakable – media’s king and queen, Luo Xi and Shen Qiang! The buzz that this picture has created is unbelievable! Even greater than when Luo Xi backed out of Ou Hua Corporations’ series! Shen Qiang’s adoration for Luo Xi has always been public knowledge and while it was rumored that she was his girlfriend, Luo Xi never once came out in public to affirm this story. However, once he publicly declared his romance with Yin Xia Mo, Shen Qiang obviously faded into the background.
But now this picture…
Perhaps they have gotten back together now?
The reporters all desperately try to contact Luo Xi and Shen Qiang, but their cell phones are answered by their a.s.sistants. Yin Xia Mo is also nowhere to be found and she cannot be contacted at all!
*******
“I need you to prepare yourself. Xiao Cheng needs to immediately have surgery done otherwise… given his current condition, it’ll be hard for him to make it past three months.”
Xia Mo has lost all feeling in her body as she stares woodenly back at the doctor. When she brokenly asks the doctor when Xiao Cheng’s condition had started to worsen, she is even more shocked to hear that it had happened last September – Xiao Cheng had known about it all along.
Last September… that was when she had first entered the entertainment industry…
The doctor explains that they had tried multiple times to contact her, but she was rarely at home or unreachable at work. Xiao Cheng had promised them that he would inform her of his condition. However, when it became obvious that Xia Mo was still being kept in the dark about it, Xiao Cheng had begged the doctors to not say anything to her. Otherwise he would give up his treatment and run away from home.
“Okay. Please set the surgery for as soon as possible! And give Xiao Cheng the best possible treatment! Money is not an issue!”
“It’s not the issue of money. There is no suitable match right now. You know that Xiao Cheng has the very rare blood type of RH-B and it is extremely difficult to find such a blood type, let alone matching the right kidney.”
Xia Mo is numbed. It’s true; even five years ago when Xiao Cheng had been in that car accident, it had been next to impossible to find enough blood for him.
“But we’ve already searched the blood type records for the entire country for RH-B and we hope to find a suitable donor for Xiao Cheng. We’re going to receive some test results back this week, so please be patient; we may be able to find some donors…”
*******
When a frantic Zhen En later arrives at the hospital, she finds an ashen Xia Mo standing in the hallway, lost in a daze. Zhen En has never seen such an expression on Xia Mo’s face before. Seeing the worried look on Zhen En’s face though, Xia Mo makes up an excuse about probably coming down with some bug because of the humid weather and the two then enter Xiao Cheng’s room.
Xiao Cheng is lying on the bed when they come in, his face so pale that his eyes appear even bigger and blacker than usual. Xia Mo leans over to place a hand against his forehead and although Xiao Cheng instinctively moves away, she acts as if nothing has happened – his temperature is still the same as last night.
While handing a gla.s.s of hot water over for Xiao Cheng to drink, he accidentally spills the liquid onto his own hand and the girls rush to clean up the mess, getting an ice pack to hold over his reddened hand. Zhen En becomes preoccupied with fussing over Xiao Cheng, and Xia Mo notices the bag of fruit that Zhen En has brought with her. Seeing her purse tipping over precariously, Xia Mo moves to righten the bag and then notices the newspaper lying askew on the very top.
Thinking to reorganize the newspaper back into the purse, Xia Mo reaches for it – and freezes at the front picture.
Luo Xi and Shen Qiang are locked in a kiss at a bar, and although the lighting is dimmed, there is no mistaking the two faces so intimately close to each other.
“Don’t look!” Zhen En scrambles to pull the offensive newspaper from Xia Mo’s hands; what with Xiao Cheng’s illness and now Luo Xi’s gossip – Xia Mo cannot handle any more shock! “Don’t pay any attention to such gossip! They’re probably just drunk! Or the picture’s just… the picture’s just Photoshopped!”
“What else does the newspaper say?”
“Nothing!”
“Give it to me.”
Xia Mo’s face remains blank while scanning the headlines while Zhen En stands worriedly to the side. Xiao Cheng tries to interject on Luo Xi’s behalf but Xia Mo tells him that his health is the most important thing right now; nothing else matters.
For the next few hours, Xia Mo does not say anything at all and remains standing by the window, staring impa.s.sively outside. When Zhen En finally leaves, Xia Mo walks with her.
“Zhen En, please cancel my contract with Golden Dance.”
“What?! But… Golden Dance is a dream opportunity! And this series belongs to the Ou Hua Corporations, which you are a representative of! Do you know what could happen if you backed out now?! Your entire career could be ruined!”
“I know.”
*******
The newspaper of Luo Xi and Shen Qiang’s intimate picture lies open on a black business desk.
“What… was her reaction?” Ou Chen hesitatingly asks Xi Meng after staring blankly at the picture for a few seconds.
“Reporters have been unable to get ahold of Miss Yin, the company hasn’t been able to contact her either. She hasn’t appeared in any public venue the past two days, only Zhen En has appeared on her behalf, who’s stated that this has nothing to do with Miss Yin.”
“Has nothing to do with her…”
“Additionally, Zhen En has conveyed to the company that Miss Yin wishes to negate her contract for Golden Dance.”
“Reason.”
“It seems that Miss Yin’s younger brother is in the hospital and needs care. She hasn’t left his side once since he’s entered the hospital and has cancelled all her scheduled appearances that Ou Hua Corporations booked for her. RBS Studios and others have already expressed extreme displeasure, and Cai Ni and Zhen En are currently trying to take care of the situation. We could sue Miss Yin for backing out of her contract on Golden Dance though…”
“How bad is Yin Cheng’s illness?”
There is nothing more important to her than this little brother. Since she was little, she has always given the best of everything to Yin Cheng, acting like a mother hen over her hatchling. He was once very jealous of Yin Cheng because Yin Cheng was always the most important in her heart.
She must be very burdened at this time.
“Yin Cheng’s illness has considerably worsened and he will need to undergo kidney surgery immediately, otherwise he is not given more than three months to live.”
“Has a donor been found?”
“Yin Cheng has an extremely rare blood type of RH-B and so they haven’t been able to find a suitable donor yet.”
RH-B blood type…
*******
The filming set for Tian Xia Sheng Shi is completely surrounded by reporters, and they are quick to follow Luo Xi and Shen Qiang everywhere, hoping for an interview or a picture. Even their homes have been set upon by the frenzied mob of paparazzi.
Ever since the intimate photograph was taken, people had thought that Shen Qiang would purposely not appear in any public venues with Luo Xi but the two have continued on as before and still partic.i.p.ate in photo shoots together, laughing quietly at a private joke. Reporters speculate whether or not Luo Xi has already decided to publicly announce his romance with Shen Qiang and so has decided to be upfront about it.
When the reporters interview Shen Qiang, she simply says that Luo Xi has been her most admired friend. When they directly asked whether or not she and Luo Xi are currently dating, Shen Qiang laughs and says that it’s all up to fate. Additionally, reporters add that although Yin Xia Mo had visited Luo Xi on set the day before, he had treated her indifferently and had actually left her by herself in the dressing room after talking to her for less than half an hour! The headlines scream.
LUO XI OFFICIALLY SEPARATED FROM EX-GIRLFRIEND!
SHEN QIANG’S ONE-SIDED LOVE FINALLY SUCCESSFUL AFTER SO MANY YEARS!
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY’S MOST MATCHED COUPLE!
CINDERELLA’S FAIRY TALE SHATTERED – THE PRINCE’S OWN LOVE SONG!
*******
“No.”
Luo Xi sits alone at home, on the phone. His cell phone has been ringing continuously all night and he has been answering the exact same thing to the exact same question.
“… you two aren’t dating?
“No.”
“That kiss at the bar…”
“We were drunk and just messing around.”
“That’s it?!”
“Yes.”
“Then you and Yin Xia Mo have broken up?”
“… no.”
Originally he had thought that the instant she saw the picture, she would immediately call him, demanding an explanation. And so he had made sure to keep his phone by his side for when she called and yet has received nothing but incessant questioning from reporters. In anger, he had thrusted his phone at Jie Ni and told her that even if she calls him, he doesn’t want to talk to her!
But a day pa.s.ses – and another one – and he finally breaks down and asks Jie Ni if she’s received a call from her yet. When Jie Ni only embarra.s.sedly shakes her head, he feels his heart sinking into a black hole.
Is she that confident that he won’t like someone else? Is this her supposed trust? No matter what the newspapers write, she’ll still remain unmoving?
Or is it… that she no longer cares about him…
And so he has allowed the reporters to write whatever headlines they want about him and Shen Qiang. Knowing that she is unaffected and coolly calm but even if there is a real possibility that he has someone else, that he would possibly leave her…
Can she still remain unaffected and calm?
But perhaps it is like what Zhen En said on her behalf – that it is none of her business.
None of her business…
No matter if it is five years ago or five years later. No matter how hard he works to make her like him, no matter how close he is to happiness, she can still so casually and easily leave him. He was wrong from the start. He shouldn’t have fallen in love with her, shouldn’t have allowed her to take the most important place in his life. If he hadn’t had fallen in love with her, then perhaps he could just turn away and leave, date Shen Qiang or whomever else he wished.
However, he can’t stand to see the words “break up,” afraid that this will be their curse.
The phone rings again.
“… no. Xi Mo and I have not broken up.”
*******
“Sister, are you and Brother Luo Xi… still okay?”
“I told you, I just want you to take care of yourself right now. Don’t worry about other stuff.”
Xiao Cheng is worried about Xia Mo though. These past few days, she has become like a stranger to him, talking to him politely and without emotion. Although she is here at his side, it is as if she is far, far away from him.
“Sister… do you know… I’m really scared…”
“Don’t be scared; you’ll get better.”
“… scared that you’ll stay mad at me… Sister, I know you’re mad at me. Because I kept it a secret from you… so you’re mad… so you won’t talk to me… and won’t share anything with me…”
“You didn’t want me to worry, so didn’t tell me. Then if I don’t want you to worry, shouldn’t I not tell you anything either?”
“Sister!”
“Don’t you realize… how cruel that is? I’ve always thought that you were getting better, and then suddenly I realized that it wasn’t true… what should I do… what do you… want me to do…”
“I’m sorry! I thought I would get better, I thought I would get better without you knowing first…”
“Xiao Cheng, don’t you know? I get scared too. I’m scared, that it’s just going to be me in this world. Mom’s gone now; it’s just you and me. I only have you as my relative. Compared to my life, compared to everything I have – you are the most important. If I could exchange anything for your health, no matter what I have to give up, even if I have to go to h.e.l.l for it, I would be willing to do so…”
“Sister, I’m sorry…”
“You are my life, don’t you know? If you were to live me one day and I wasn’t even able to take care of you… what do you think will happen to me? That I would think you are the world’s best little brother because I didn’t have to worry about you…? Or, do you wish for me to go with you…?”
Ever since childhood, Xiao Cheng has never seen Xia Mo so forlorn. She is like a st.u.r.dy tree; no matter how strong the winds are, she will never bow down.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! It’s all my fault… I was scared that you would worry… scared that you would be sad… Everything you’ve ever done has been for me… But yet I burden you… Sister… I want you to live happily just like other girls, laughing and crying as you please… Sometimes, I really envy Sister Zhen En… why can she laugh so happily when my own sister cannot…”
“Silly. All I need is you and I’ll be very happy…”
“I want Sister to be the world’s happiest woman, not just someone who has a little brother but also a love and an enjoyable career… That way… If I leave one day… Sister will still continue to live happily afterward…”
After a shared bonding session between Xia Mo and Xiao Cheng in which the two each try to take the blame, Xia Mo tells him to remain optimistic; they will find a suitable donor for him.
“Sister, what’s going on with you and Brother Luo Xi?”
“I… don’t know…”
She hasn’t seen the newspapers in a few days and so doesn’t even know what is going on right now, and whether or not Luo Xi’s rumored romance with Shen Qiang is true or false. However, she doesn’t know whether Xiao Cheng’s illness has made her unable to worry about anything else or if she herself really doesn’t mind so much.
“You haven’t seen Brother Luo Xi?”
“No.”
“Have you talked on the phone?”
“No.”
“Sister… Call Luo Xi, okay? At least let him personally explain to you what’s going on…”
Yes… she should call Luo Xi…
However, as she reaches to press the power b.u.t.ton of her cell phone, she suddenly feels conflicted…
*******
Sprawled on the couch of his home, Luo Xi stares mindlessly at his cell phone, as if willing it to ring on its own. He’s already been waiting a really, really long time, such a long time that he feels as if he is becoming a statue…
What if she really misunderstood… So that’s why she’s waiting so long to call him… perhaps as he is waiting for her to call him, she is waiting for him to call her…
Even though her personality isn’t really one to suspect or wait for others…
But yet… there is that tiny possibility. Perhaps she does not really not care about him.
Making up his mind, Luo Xi punches in Xia Mo’s number…
*******
Xiao Cheng’s IV drip is getting low! Right before Xia Mo can press the power b.u.t.ton on her phone -
“I’m calling the nurse.”
“Sister, call Brother Luo Xi…”
“I’ll call when I get back.”
Perhaps… she really doesn’t want to make that call…
She just wants to find a suitable donor for Xiao Cheng so he’ll be healthy again… For this, she is even willing to sell her soul to the Devil…
*******
Three days later.
“We’ve found a suitable donor but that person hasn’t decided on whether or not to donate a kidney to Xiao Cheng yet…”
“I’ll go find him, I’ll beg him!” Xia Mo can’t breathe – no matter what, she cannot let go of this opportunity! ”What is his contact information?”
“His name is Ou Chen.”