novelraw Chapter 29 Ignoring
Chapter 29 Ignoring
A week slipped by in a seemingly peaceful but actually exhausting rhythm.
Ling Xue's assistant contacted Lu Xiran privately: "Ms. Lu, I'm so sorry, the production schedule is tight, and Teacher Ling has to go back to the set at noon. I'll have to trouble you to bring lunch to the film and television base. I'll send you the address."
When Lu Xiran arrived at the film set after driving for more than two hours, Ling Xue specially asked her assistant to wait at the door. When she received the lunchbox, she smiled gently in front of several staff members and said, "Thank you for your hard work, coming all this way." After eating, Ling Xue took a picture to thank Lu Xiran. Lu Xiran found Ling Xue to be very easy to get along with.
The next day, the filming location was changed to a more remote suburban ancient-style scenic area. Ling Xue sent a message in advance, her voice tinged with fatigue and apology: "Ms. Lu, today's scenes are in the mountains, and the roads might be a bit difficult to find. Would it be too much trouble for you to deliver the food? If it's really inconvenient, I can have my assistant buy something..." The more she said this, the more Lu Xiran felt guilty, and quickly said it was no problem. She had studied the route in advance and it took twice as long as usual to deliver the food. After receiving it, Ling Xue specially took a picture of the food box against the rustic background and posted it in a status visible only to her followers, praising the delicious food and adding a "happiness of being fed" emoji.
On the third day, Ling Xue mentioned that she had several emotionally charged crying scenes in the afternoon and might not have much of an appetite. She asked if Lu Xiran could prepare some light and easy-to-eat soups and snacks to bring over during the evening break. Lu Xiran naturally prepared them carefully. When the soup was delivered, Ling Xue had just finished a scene, her eyes still red. As she took the warm soup, she gave Lu Xiran a fragile yet grateful smile: "Thank you, you came just in time. I feel a little better."
In the following days, Ling Xue's requests began to incorporate more "detailed care." For example, "My back is a little sore from being on wires these past few days. I heard you have a soup with eucommia bark, which is good for muscles and bones?" Or, "The director praised my appearance on camera. Was it thanks to your food? I just miss the taste of the sweet osmanthus wine I used to eat when I was a child..." These seemingly casual remarks became "thoughtful goals" that Lu Xiran had to achieve the next time she delivered food. She not only had to ensure that the food was safe and delicious, but also had to painstakingly search for or replicate those flavors that carried "specific memories."
Each time, Ling Xue's feedback was timely and full of "surprise": "Miss Lu, how did you know I wanted to eat this?" "Amazing, this is exactly the taste!"
In Lu Xiran's view, Ling Xue is dedicated, grateful, nostalgic, and considerate—almost perfect. She feels guilty for causing trouble for the other party due to her "mistakes," and is secretly happy to be able to "make up" for her idol and even gain her idol's approval. This drives her to constantly squeeze out her time and energy to satisfy those increasingly detailed "requests" that require more and more extra investment.
Gu Yanshen was in the most crucial stage of the merger and acquisition deal, dealing with the technical handover and legal clause negotiations. His days were filled with meetings, and his time difference was chaotic. When he returned home late at night, Lu Xiran had already closed the door.
Seeing her deliberately evasive gaze and her hurried departure, Gu Yanshen recalled her declaration about "contract" and "control," and his desire to inquire was suppressed by something mixed with pride, annoyance, and some other indescribable emotion. She, driven by exhaustion and a stubborn belief that she "couldn't cause him trouble," also remained silent about her ordeal.
Living under the same roof, they were like two planets, each orbiting at high speed along its predetermined path, occasionally brushing past each other but never intersecting.
She collected financial news about every successful merger and acquisition he made, and he heard her footsteps late at night, which she tried to make as quiet as possible but could still be faintly heard.
But this week, they probably didn't exchange more than ten sentences in direct conversation.
That day, Ling Xue was filming an endorsement shoot for a shopping mall under the Gu family, and as usual, she asked Lu Xiran to deliver food to the set.
The filming area was located in the atrium of the shopping mall. Because it was necessary to remove the large props from the previous set of shots, the staff used a cordon to separate half of the area, and some metal brackets and boards that had not been cleaned up in time were scattered on the ground.
Ling Xue's assistant was already waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing Lu Xiran, she immediately greeted her warmly and subtly led her towards the cordon: "Miss Lu, Sister Xue is in the temporary rest room over there. It's closer to go this way. Watch your step."
Lu Xiran thanked him, then picked up the insulated food container and carefully walked around the clutter on the ground in the direction her assistant pointed. She was focused on her feet and didn't notice that above her head, a decorative truss that had been partially dismantled and should have been secured with bolts but seemed to have been loosened by someone, was swaying slightly with the slight vibration of the machine not far away.
Just as she was about to cross that area—
"Back off—!"
A sharp, piercing shout pierced the air.
Startled, Lu Xiran instinctively looked up and backed away, but her foot happened to step on a slippery thin board. Her center of gravity shifted, and a clear, dull pain shot through her ankle. She staggered and fell to the side.
Almost at the same moment, the swaying truss emitted a teeth-grinding metallic scraping sound as it crashed straight down onto the spot where she had just been standing, with a loud "bang" and fragments flying everywhere!
"Stop all work!" Gu Yanshen's voice was sterner than ever before as he rushed down the second-floor corridor. Lin Chen immediately ordered all personnel to cease operations and seal off the area.
Gu Yanshen strode over the mess and rushed to Lu Xiran. He knelt down on one knee, his gaze quickly sweeping over her entire body. His voice was tense: "Where are you hurt?"
Lu Xiran winced in pain, her face pale, and pointed to her rapidly swollen right ankle: "Foot..."
Gu Yanshen's eyes darkened, and without saying a word, he put his arms under her knees and back and steadily lifted her up in his arms.
Lu Xiran gasped softly, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. Her nose was instantly filled with his familiar, cool scent, mixed with a rare hint of urgency.
He held her in his arms, turned around, and strode towards the emergency exit. His steps were steady and quick, oblivious to everything around him—including Ling Xue, who had rushed over at the sound of the commotion, her makeup exquisite but her face suddenly pale. All his attention was focused on the person in his arms, his jawline taut, his gaze fixed only on her pained face and her swollen ankle.
"Bear with it, we're going to the hospital right away," he whispered to her.
Ling Xue froze on the spot, her carefully maintained smile shattering completely. She watched Gu Yanshen carrying Lu Xiran away hastily, not once glancing in her direction, as if she were merely an insignificant background figure. Her nails dug deeply into her palms, the piercing pain pale in comparison to the surging jealousy and anger at her thwarted plans.
She had planned for the "accident," but she hadn't expected Gu Yanshen to suddenly appear, and she certainly hadn't expected that in his eyes, there was only that insignificant Lu Xiran!