Chapter 44: Cold War

That night, Xiao Moyan did not return. Xia Lingying also did not sleep the entire night. She curled up on the edge of the bed, hugging her legs, staring blankly at the door. Even the slightest rustle from outside made her think Xiao Moyan had come back. However, her hope was shattered time and again. As the first rays of sunlight shone through the window into the room, Xia Lingying threw herself heavily onto the bed and pulled the blanket over her head. The faint scent of mint on the blanket was the same as on Xiao Moyan, the fragrance lingering at the tip of her nose. The friction of the blanket against her cheek felt just like Xiao Moyan's gentle caress, making it hard to part from. The tears falling onto the cotton quilt were quickly absorbed. A pain gathered in her chest with no way to release. Xia Lingying tried her best to stifle her sobs, but the soft sound of her weeping still echoed through the small room.

Xiao... where are you...

Early in the morning, Xia Lingying came downstairs with swollen eyes. Mrs. Xu, who was busy at the table, glanced at her. The faint dark circles and her pale complexion made Mrs. Xu sigh without saying a word. She turned around and served Xia Lingying a bowl of porridge.

Xia Lingying picked up the bowl and ate in small bites, but tears involuntarily slipped down her cheeks. She looked up at Mrs. Xu.

"Mrs. Xu, she..."

Mrs. Xu shook her head, guessing what she wanted to ask, and replied, "Not even a phone call."

Xia Lingying choked up, putting down the bowl and chopsticks. She could not eat another bite. She stood up, took her bag, and slowly walked out. The car, as usual, was parked in the middle of the courtyard, reflecting a faint light under the sun. The car was as spotless as it had been before she left. Feeling Xiao Moyan's attentiveness, Xia Lingying's heart started to ache again. She regretted her thoughtless words from the night before and blamed herself for her impulsiveness.

In fact, that was not what she truly thought. She never doubted Xiao Moyan's love for her. Every little detail was filled with Xiao Moyan's care for her. Yet, she still lacked confidence... After all, Xiao Moyan was too exceptional—an impressive background, extraordinary abilities, and perfect appearance. Xiao Moyan was like a queen standing at the top, naturally receiving others' admiration. Facing her, Xia Lingying could only look up...

The car drove all the way to Tianhuang. After closing the car door, Xia Lingying hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip and walked into the Vice President’s Office.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the tightly closed door. A low, somewhat hoarse voice came from inside.

"Come in—"

Just those two simple words made Xia Lingying’s heart race with nervousness. She gently pushed the door open and walked in.

Xiao Moyan was sitting in the boss's chair, holding a stack of documents, looking down at them, not noticing her. Her black suit and white shirt made her pale complexion stand out even more. Her collar was slightly open, revealing a slender platinum necklace on her sexy neck, which shimmered with a faint metallic glow. Her coffee-colored curls were loosely pinned back, and though her makeup was light, it couldn't hide the exhaustion that enveloped her. Xiao Moyan was pursing her lips, carefully reading the documents in her hand. After a long silence, she slowly raised her head and saw Xia Lingying standing there, staring blankly at her. Her expression changed slightly. She put down the documents and leaned back in her chair, looking at Xia Lingying blankly.

Xia Lingying snapped out of her daze, feeling awkward under Xiao Moyan’s gaze, embarrassed as she looked at her.

"Do you need something?" Xiao Moyan spoke calmly, her face still emotionless.

Xia Lingying was terrified. She would have preferred Xiao Moyan to shout at her like usual, rather than face this cold, icy demeanor. This version of Xiao Moyan felt too unfamiliar to her. Xia Lingying hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping, her eyes gradually welling up.

Xiao Moyan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and she lowered her head to hide it, waving her hand to dismiss her. 

“Get out, I'm busy."

Xia Lingying felt a sharp pain in her heart as she anxiously tried to explain. 

"Xiao... I'm sorry... Yesterday I—"

"Enough!"

Xiao Moyan impatiently interrupted her. She set down the documents again and looked up at Xia Lingying, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I don't want to see you right now."

Xia Lingying lifted her face, staring at Xiao Moyan with a wounded expression, her eyes fixed on her. But the tenderness and affection that once filled those eyes were gone, replaced only by exhaustion and disappointment. Xia Lingying stood frozen, shaking her head before quickly walking out.

The moment the door closed, Xiao Moyan’s body slowly slumped down from the chair. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she placed her hand over her chest.

Xia Lingying...

****

After a long day of filming, *Inseparable* finally wrapped up, leaving only the post-production and promotional work. The actors, who had been exhausted from the continuous unexpected events, finally had smiles back on their faces. To celebrate this, Tianhuang organized a wrap party to reward these stars who had been run ragged and were now barely hanging on.

Lan Chen was quite happy. After resting in the lounge for a bit, she went to change her outfit. As always, she stuck to her own unique style: ruffled shoulder straps, a blue floral chest piece, and a sequined chiffon camisole adorned with tassels. She paired it with chic crocodile leather shoes. Even the makeup artist, who was helping someone else at the time, couldn't help but give her a thumbs-up. Satisfied, Lan Chen smiled at herself in the mirror, then pranced over to Xia Lingying's side. But when she saw her, she froze.

Unlike her usual style, today Xia Lingying exuded a more mature and sensual vibe. The white lace jacket gave off an elegant charm, the orange shirt added a vibrant touch, and the black H-line skirt gave her a more composed and mature look, radiating both sensuality and grace. Yet despite her stunning appearance, she sat there just as she had when Lan Chen last saw her—completely zoned out.

In fact, just from Lan Chen's awestruck gaze, Xia Lingying knew she looked beautiful. But she only sighed.

What was the point? The compliment she most wanted to hear would never come again, and she didn’t know when that person would ever forgive her.

The wrap party was a grand event, with many media outlets attending to liven things up.

Director Lin, dressed in a black suit and sporting his beer belly, mingled among the reporters. Jiang Feng was also in a suit, though his figure was much more upright and fit than Director Lin’s. Upon seeing the two leading ladies arrive, he quickly ran over with a smile.

As he approached, the flashing cameras immediately turned toward Xia Lingying and Lan Chen. The blinding lights made Xia Lingying feel a little uncomfortable, but she still faced them with a smile. Meanwhile, Lan Chen wore her usual expression of disdain. Sensing Xia Lingying’s nervousness, Lan Chen reached out and tightly clasped her right hand.

The sly reporters quickly captured this moment, and one jokingly asked, “Issac, there’s been a rumor going around that you and Xia Lingying are at odds with each other. So what’s this—”

Before the reporter could finish, Lan Chen raised both of their tightly clasped hands high, her face showing a “don’t mess with me” expression.

The reporter, who had been hoping to dig up some gossip, was momentarily rebuffed by Lan Chen’s gesture but still wouldn’t give up. Turning his attention towards Xia Lingying, he asked, “Xiaxia, it’s been said that you’re quite close with Vice President Xiao and that it was through her connections that you landed the lead role in this drama. Is that true?”

The mention of Vice President Xiao caused a flash of pain to appear in Xia Lingying’s eyes, but she still smiled and shook her head. “We’re just friends.”

“And—”

As they were speaking, a cheer erupted from the crowd. They turned to look and saw Xiao Moyan dressed in an extravagant outfit, walking out slowly with her head held high, like a queen. Xiao Moyan exuded a cold, aloof aura. Her gown, tightly cinched with satin at the chest, waist, and elbows, was adorned with countless small fabric pieces. The highlight was her exposed back, where black silk ribbons created a classic elegance. The intricate lace patterns added an extraordinary charm, making her appear even more noble and sensual. Her makeup was subtle, merely enhancing her facial features without excessive decoration, but even so, people couldn't take their eyes off her.

Wearing ten-centimeter high heels, Xiao Moyan looked down arrogantly at everyone present. The dazzling camera flashes captured every detail of her beautiful face. Xiao Moyan smiled gracefully, her gaze sweeping across the room. When her eyes landed on Xia Lingying, she paused for two minutes longer, her eyes brightening momentarily before quickly looking away.

A natural beauty, indeed. Watching the staff members around her fall into a trance, Xia Lingying felt a pang of bitterness and lowered her head.

Lan Chen lifted her head and looked at Xiao Moyan, who was smiling brilliantly under the flashing lights. She remained silent but also lowered her head quietly.

Director Lin had previously arranged for only an hour of media interviews, hoping the celebration would proceed in a relaxed atmosphere. Sure enough, as soon as the reporters dispersed, everyone visibly relaxed. Without needing to maintain professional smiles, people laughed and chatted as they carried plates to the buffet. Xiao Moyan, too, let out a long breath, leaning back in her chair for a short rest.

So tired...

Since it was a celebration banquet, the top executives and main stars were seated together. Xia Lingying was directly across from Xiao Moyan. Seeing Xiao Moyan sit down, she held her breath, nervously watching her.

Xiao Moyan completely ignored her, briefly scanning her face before focusing on Director Lin across the table. There was a fleeting hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Next to her was another female supporting role from the drama, known by her stage name Jasmine. A mixed race of Vietnamese and Chinese descent, with dark skin, a striking figure, and long hair that reached her waist. Noticing Xiao Moyan’s exhaustion, she smiled and said, “Xiao, what would you like to eat? I’ll get it for you.”

Xiao Moyan glanced at her, and nodded.

“Same as usual?”

“Mm, thank you.”

Xiao Moyan answered wearily. The recent days of hectic work had worn her body down. All she wanted now was a big bed to collapse into and sleep without a care.

Jasmine saw her like this and was not concerned. She smiled gently, picked up the plate, and walked out. Meanwhile, Xia Lingying still stared at Xiao Moyan without blinking, watching her weary face with some concern.

On the long table covered with white fur padding, a variety of dishes were arranged, tempting one's appetite under the light. Jasmine, following Xiao Moyan's habit, skillfully served the dishes and quickly placed a full plate next to Xiao Moyan. Seeing this, Xiao Moyan nodded, picked up the chopsticks, and ate listlessly.

Jasmine chuckled affectionately and thoughtfully handed over the coffee. Xiao Moyan accepted it without looking up, and their level of tacit understanding was reminiscent of a couple in love for many years. After eating, Xiao Moyan felt much better and started discussing company matters with Jasmine, her face now smiling. When others came to offer drinks, she welcomed them all, chatting and laughing with everyone. However, she deliberately avoided looking at Xia Lingying, who had been staring at her all along.

Xia Lingying, who had been watching her from across the table, looked despondent at this scene. Director Lin, sitting beside her, smiled slightly but remained silent.

"Xiaxia, aren't you going to offer a drink to President Xiao?" 

Director Lin looked at Xia Lingying with a bright smile. Xia Lingying's body stiffened at the words as she glanced at Xiao Moyan, who had already put down her chopsticks and was staring at her with eyes still filled with chilling coldness.

Lan Chen, feeling a bit sorry for Xia Lingying, raised her glass and looked at Xiao Moyan.

"Vice President Xiao, I’ll offer this drink on behalf of Xiaxia."

Xiao Moyan seemed to have not heard, her gaze still fixed on Xia Lingying. Lan Chen awkwardly held up the glass as everyone at the table looked at Xiao Moyan in surprise. Xia Lingying, with her head lowered, felt embarrassed and uneasy, her pale cheeks flushing pink under Xiao Moyan’s gaze. After a long while, Xiao Moyan finally shifted her gaze away from Xia Lingying and looked at Lan Chen with indifference.

"On her behalf? Why should you?"

The atmosphere suddenly dropped to its lowest point. Lan Chen’s face twitched with anger, while Xia Lingying looked up, her eyes filled with sadness as she stared at Xiao Moyan.

Author's Note:

When did Yezi say she was going to be cruel... Everyone is so mean. 

Hehe, here is the second update. Please don’t be a tyrant.