Chapter 1137: I Want to Make You Stay (15)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“What do you want me to do, then?”
“I just want you to say that you love me, even if you don’t mean it. I really want to hear it.”
Fang Erlan did not expect that he would make such a request and was extremely bewildered. She said softly, “I love you.”
Xiao Chenyang hugged her. No one would be able to understand how he was feeling at that moment.
He did not force her anymore and said in an electrifying voice, “Let me tell you the story about me and Nan Chuang.”
She expressed a.s.sent and said, “Go ahead, I’m all ears.”
“Nan Chuang married me when she was 16 years old. Her parents had sold her to me. I’ve never seen here before we got married, and my mother was the one who arranged the marriage for me because she thought that Nan Chuang was rather pretty. She was my concubine,” said Xiao Chenyang, who began recalling the events from centuries ago.
“I didn’t fancy her, and we were married only in name. Although I didn’t have an actual wife, she was still just my concubine. However, she had been through lots of suffering when she was married to me. She was a clever and bright girl, and in her mind, she believed she belonged to me since I had married her. Hence, she would do whatever she could and continuously look for opportunities to approach me. I rarely went home, but whenever I did, I would see her and she would call me ‘Lord’ with overflowing excitement, every single time. She looked really beautiful when she smiled. She would often smile at me sweetly. I’ll never be able to forget that smile of hers,” said Xiao Chenyang, who began tearing up.
Fang Erlan remained still and listened to him quietly.
“I was touched by her devotion and finally fell in love with her in the end. When we were in love with each other, we enjoyed a blissful honeymoon period. She said that it was love at first sight for her and that she only had eyes for me. She said that I was her everything. However, our happiness was short-lived. She had a miscarriage, after which her health began to deteriorate. To make matters worse, it was wintertime then and she coughed incessantly. Initially, I thought that she had just caught a bad cold. However, I began to smell a rat after realizing that none of the many physicians whom we had sought help from could treat her condition. I only found out later that my mother had poisoned her. My mother said that I was a capable person and I can’t have an Achilles’ heel that’ll get in the way of my life, especially not a woman. She didn’t want me to have any emotional baggage. However, all I wanted at the time was for Nan Chuang to recover. Yet, she still pa.s.sed on in the end.”
Tears welled up in Fang Erlan’s eyes and soon rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.
She crinkled her nose in discomfort.
“What happened afterward?” she asked.
“Afterward, a lot happened to me.”
“Could we not return to Mount Wanyan… please?” she asked.
“That’ll depend on your behavior.”
Fang Erlan felt as if a huge boulder had been lifted off her chest and she exclaimed while smiling, “Yes!”
She dozed off unknowingly again, and the next thing she knew, she was waking up to a bright sky.
He was no longer inside the room.
Fang Erlan got out of bed and peeked out of the window to see that it was pouring outside, just like she had expected.
She headed to the washroom and looked into the mirror, only to discover that she seemed to look a little haggard today.
However, it was fortunately not too serious.
When Xiao Yue came knocking on the door, Fang Erlan had already packed her things and was getting ready to go downstairs.
Xiao Chenyang was also standing by the door, dressed in a suit that accentuated his suaveness.
As soon as she realized that she had dodged instinctively, Fang Erlan looked at him and said, “Let’s have breakfast first.”
Fang Erlan was slightly peeved when she was scooping herself some food during breakfast at the buffet restaurant, because Xiao Chenyang kept hindering her from choosing the food that she wanted. He even insisted that she adhere to his diet plan.
“Don’t eat that, it’s too oily. Don’t eat that, it’s too spicy. It’s going to give you pimples. Just have some milk, eggs, and a sandwich.”
“I don’t want to drink milk today.”
“What would you like to drink instead, then?”
“Fruit juice.”
“You have my permission.”
“…”
Yan Ge immediately caught sight of Xiao Chenyang when he came down to the restaurant for breakfast together with his manager, a.s.sistant, and bodyguard.
He looked away and scooped himself some food before taking a seat at the table beside Fang Erlan’s. He began digging in and did not communicate with her at all.
….
They arrived at the film set.
One of the scenes to be filmed today involved the male and female lead. Hence, Fang Erlan and Yan Ge sat together because they had to rehea.r.s.e their lines and practice the hand gestures, as well as nurture their emotions to get into the right mood.
Due to Xiao Chenyang’s presence, Yan Ge did not have the chance to speak to Fang Erlan much outside of filming.
Xiao Chenyang was standing by the side and monitoring them like a high-definition surveillance camera.
When it was time for the two of them to act out the scene, Yan Ge finally had the chance to speak to her. He asked softly, “When did he come back?”
“Last night, I think. He already knows about us,” said Fang Erlan.
“How did he react, then?” asked Yan Ge, who had vaguely guessed it.
“He was rather calm when I came clean with him.”
Yan Ge nodded, and the two of them began acting.
The smitten and man-crazy Xiao Yue asked, “Cousin, do you know about the incident that Sis Erlan was involved in?”
“I do.”
“If only you were around at the time.”
“Why? Weren’t those two bodyguards around?”
Pouting her lips, Xiao Yue answered, “How could they hold a candle to you? I think you’d have definitely stepped in to do something had you been around at the time.”
Xiao Chenyang looked at her and said, “Maybe.”
“Cousin, you left without saying goodbye that night. Sis Erlan and I were wondering where you had gone. She even tried to call you but you didn’t pick up.”
“Yes.”
Xiao Yue said, “Cousin, I know you’re a great cook. Make us breakfast tomorrow, will you?”
“Are you trying to order me around? Are you out of your mind?” he chided, giving her the side-eye.
“Hehe, no, of course not. Senior Yan Ge made breakfast for everyone in the production unit. I was just thinking that Sis Erlan should follow suit, as a token of appreciation for her colleagues and the crew members. Although it’s not a valuable gift, it’s the thought that counts. Sis Erlan initially agreed with my suggestion. However, she hasn’t had the time to do so because of the arduous hours of filming. Since you’ve got lots of time on your hands, why don’t you cook breakfast?”
“Did Yan Ge make you breakfast, then?”
“No, how could I have possibly been given a share too? I think he only made breakfast for the cast and the directors. I’m not too sure about that.”
Placing his hands behind his back, he said smugly, “Go buy the ingredients later this evening. I’ll make Erlan breakfast tomorrow morning.”
“Sure… umm… you’re making breakfast for Sis Erlan… Aren’t you going to make some for the other actors and directors?”
“Although a set of breakfast doesn’t cost much, the value becomes different when I’m the one making it. They’re not fit enough to deserve breakfast made by me.”
“Cousin, you’re so das.h.i.+ng. I want to give birth to your children!” Xiao Yue exclaimed, gazing at him in awe.
“You’re in no place… to give birth to my children.”
“I was just kidding, hehe.”
Xiao Yue had long gotten used to his aloofness and thus wasn’t bothered by his cold reply.
She was also well aware that a man like Xiao Chenyang was high and mighty and would never fall for an insignificant a.s.sistant like her. However, she was contented enough to be in close proximity with such an outstanding man.