Chapter 15: I Don't Trust Anyone

Endure.

Gotta keep enduring.

"I need to think about what could make me take advantage of you?" Xi Mo stood up and silently poured herself a glass of water. She casually said: "Your body? Sorry, your body is already in my hands. Weren't you just blushing and enjoying it up close in the video call?"

Ruan Yesheng: "..."

After a moment of silence, Ruan Yesheng spoke calmly and slowly analyzed: "For example, if you 'dive' into me, make me agree to your demands, and act on your behalf regarding your body's rights. If you ask me to go east, I can't go west. If you ask me to act better, I definitely won't let you down. If you ask me to smash the screenwriter's mind-blowing ideas, I won't go and smash the director. If it's about smashing the director, I definitely won't smash the producer."

"I'd rather smash your brain."

"Well, then you can lift a brick and give yourself a hard hit on the forehead twice."

After being tense for a while, Xi Mo's face finally showed some suppressed annoyance. She felt that Ruan Yesheng had been practicing Tai Chi* around her all along.

*waste time

However, without the permission of the original body's owner, she couldn't take matters into her own hands. While many people were eager to enter the industry, there were also some who, for various reasons, were temporarily inconvenienced or simply didn't want to. Currently, she and Ruan Yesheng were almost mutually constrained by their bodies. Under such limitations, she didn't want Ruan Yesheng to act on her body without her consent as a form of retaliation if she selfishly applied for roles on her own.

As a public figure, she placed great importance on her own image and didn't want any mishaps to occur under Ruan Yesheng's hands.

What's more, despite her self-confidence, she wasn't someone who acted recklessly. She had always adhered to the principle of mutual respect, and if others truly refused, there wasn't much she could do.

Xi Mo had no choice but to soften her tone slightly and said, "I'm well aware of the upcoming schedule. The crew will start filming soon, and there will be a wave of promotions. You will replace me on set. The set is far away, and your role is crucial. During this period, my work focus will primarily be on the set, so you'll be there most of the time. I must accompany you to the set for many things to be handled properly. I must join you in the set."

If not, she would have no chance to meet Ruan Yesheng at all.

Now Ruan Yesheng accepts everything she used to have, and is isolated like a key protection object. With her current status, it is impossible to get close.

At the same time, the image she had portrayed to the public in the past was that of a loner, living alone, not having deep friendships, and maintaining simple and uneventful relationships. It was precisely because of this that people in the industry found her peculiar. In the past, there were internet users on Tianya who would expose various celebrities' decadent private lives, but even though she had faced many criticisms, no one had ever criticized her in that regard.

Because she rarely interacted with others, it seemed as if she was cautious to the point of resisting the outside world. She never socialized privately or went out with others, and no friend had ever been truly invited to her home to hang out. Her private life was so detached and secluded that it couldn't be described as decadent. In fact, she couldn't even create a scandal if she wanted to. Likewise, entertainment journalists tried their hardest to dig up scandals about her, but they couldn't find anything. There wasn't even a tiny bit of material to dig into. So, what could they do?

Can they hype without a scandal?

Could she maintain the image of a top celebrity?

Look at Shen Qingbie. Every time she had a major project, she would create a round of hype about her love life. The more it was hyped, the hotter it became, and the hotter it became, the more it was hyped. But she had nothing. The company was extremely concerned about this and had almost begged her to create a scandal.

The result is still nothing.

But in the end, everything remained the same. She still maintained a very secluded image in her private life. However, because of this, her image as an unattainable beauty was further solidified. Her fans became even more obsessed with her, idolizing her like a goddess, and protecting her from any tarnish. If a scandal were to arise in the midst of this fervor, the target of the scandal would likely be cursed as a second-rate cripple by her fans. 

The company eventually realized that this image was not bad either and decided to go along with it.

When netizens were busy digging into the lives of others, they also analyzed Xi Mo's image. Some believed that it was a personality defect, commonly referred to as being pretentious. Others thought that she must have had some dark history in the past, which made her lose trust in others. Since they couldn't dig up any scandals, they started digging for black history.

Now this established image has brought distress to Xi Mo. Her life circle was so remote before, but now that she has transformed into Ruan Yesheng, it is really difficult for her to go smoothly without getting in touch with "herself" in a strange way. She doesn't know if this is not a sense like hitting her foot when she lifted a rock.

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Ruan Yesheng listened silently and did not speak.

Xi Mo emphasized, "Ruan Yesheng, I don't want to talk about anything else with you. I'm telling you now, I must see you and be by your side every day, engaging with you."

Ruan Yesheng chuckled, "Why does it sound like you've fallen in love with me and can't be without me?"

Xi Mo: "..."

Endure!

You have to endure!

Ruan Yesheng on the other end of the phone seemed to be knowingly asking, "Alright. I want to ask why you insist on being by my side like this?"

Xi Mo replied indifferently, "I simply don't believe that, you don't want to be by my side?"

Ruan Yesheng: "..."

Clearly, this rhetorical question was completely parallel to a different track, addressing a completely different issue, with no connection to the delicate blood pressure in her heart. Yet it carried such ambiguity that her heart, following a mistaken understanding, began to race with a pounding rhythm.

She knew this was a misunderstanding.

For a brief moment, she wished if such a misunderstanding could also, perhaps against all odds, become an elusive answer.

Unaware of the convoluted twists and turns her thoughts had taken, Xi Mo calmly continued: "I analyzed our situation at the hotel back then. We both fainted together, which means we were the closest to each other at that time. And based on my recollection, we were already in an embracing position."

Ruan Yesheng burst into laughter, "Yes, yes, 0 meters apart."

Upon hearing her laughter, Xi Mo's face tightened even more, and he solemnly continued: "Perhaps someone... or something entered at that time. These details are currently unknown. But I think this physical exchange might have requirements regarding proximity. If we are far apart and rarely have any contact or communication in the future, do you think there is a chance to revert back? You are far away on a film set in another province, and I am at home, thousands of miles apart. How do you think we can return to the way we were? Should we wait for a thunderbolt to strike from the sky? I don't believe you haven't considered this."

After a moment of silence, Ruan Yesheng laughed and admitted, "I confess, I have indeed considered it. I also hope to be by your side."

She added with a mix of emotions, "After all, it would be more beneficial for us to exchange back if we stay together."

Xi Mo responded, "So you agree with my analysis and agree to my request to audition for the same production?"

"I agree with your analysis," Ruan Yesheng spoke softly, her voice gentle, as she suggested with a smile, "You can be my personal assistant. Fetching water and serving food on set, always at my service."

Xi Mo sneered: "You're dreaming before it's even bedtime."

Ruan Yesheng laughed for a moment but then abruptly shifted the conversation, piercing through the thin veil, "You want to do this not only to find a chance to switch back quickly but also because you don't trust me."

Suddenly, the phone call fell into an awkward and boundless silence.

This silence even felt a bit chilling and piercing.

Ruan Yesheng said, "You don't trust me. You don't trust that I will take good care of your body. You have to see your own body every day, which means keeping me within your sight for you to feel at ease. Lately, you haven't had a good night's sleep, have you?"

After a long silence, Xi Mo admitted unabashedly: "I don't trust anyone."

After that statement, there was no further response from Xi Mo. After a moment, Ruan Yesheng felt the vibration of another phone. It was the phone she had with her at the hotel when the incident happened, the one Xi Mo returned to her, slightly damaged with a chipped corner, still in use.

She saw the light from the screen illuminate her face, her expression stiff. She opened the message from an unknown number, a contact she didn't have saved. To an outsider, it might seem like an unfamiliar number, but for her, who frequently contacted that number, it couldn't be more familiar.

Opening the message, it was brief: "20:21, XFH25081459, confirmed deceased."

Ruan Yesheng stared at the message, her eyes fixed. The hands on her watch were pointing just past 20:22.

Died one minute ago.

After a long silence, her fingers turned cold. Without replying, she quietly deleted the message. All the data on her phone, the used accounts, the browsing history, were erased with the same caution as this message, every trace carefully wiped away.

"Ruan Yesheng," Xi Mo's voice came through.

Ruan Yesheng forced a smile on her face and replied: "Mm, I'm here."

Her voice became incredibly gentle, with a subtle tremor that was hard to detect. "Alright, I promise you. You can use my identity and stay in the same production as me."

Xi Mo remained silent.

Ruan Yesheng continued, "It's already half past eight now. You said you haven't had dinner, so let's stop chatting. Go eat something to prevent your stomach from getting upset. As for Director Lin, I will arrange things according to your wishes. Just wait for the audition call."

Finally, this delicate conversation came to an end. Xi Mo put down her phone and looked at the vibrant night outside, suddenly feeling a sense of relief.

Ruan Yesheng stood up and quickly dialed a number on her original phone.

After waiting for a moment, someone answered the call.

Ruan Yesheng said: "I need to talk to you."

On the other end of the line, the person chuckled softly: "Alright."