Chapter 63: Begging For A Kiss
These past few days, the entertainment sections of all newspapers and the front pages of entertainment magazines were filled with large headlines:
"Another unspoken rule in the entertainment industry exposed, Tianhuang's President Xia Lingying used her 'body' to rise to the top!"
In an instant, the media buzzed with excitement. Xia Lingying was portrayed as stepping on Xiao Moyan's shoulders to reach the highest peak of Tianhuang, and the "inside story" was vividly written. Some seasoned reporters even dug up all the photos of Xia Lingying attending events with Xiao Moyan since her debut, explaining every ambiguous little detail between the two. They analyzed their emotional growth history, completely portraying Xiao Moyan as a lovesick woman—someone who, to protect Xia Lingying, offended many famous figures, restrained herself, changed her previously indifferent demeanor, and focused solely on one person... Meanwhile, some of the famous stars in the industry, who had once received help from Xiao Moyan, began to make their moves. More and more people familiar with Xiao Moyan stepped forward to speak up for her, and people began to recall the sorrowful scene when she left Tianhuang, with sympathy flooding in.
On the other hand, Xia Lingying—seemed to have become someone who could never be forgiven.
Xia Lingying was dressed in a dark uniform, the white shirt under it illuminated like snow, her hair slightly hanging down, covering her bloodless pale face. She looked down at the documents in her hands, occasionally coughing softly.
The door was pushed open, and the secretary, opening her mouth, was about to say something, but Gu Yuan shook his head, stopping her with a glance. The secretary understood, smiled, and withdrew.
Gu Yuan stood in place, gazing at the woman in front of him with deep concern.
On the day Shenghuang was founded, he had watched helplessly as his fiancĆ©e was taken away by Xiao Moyan, shouting at her, and after a whole night of frantic searching, she emerged from Xiao Moyan's room disheveled and fainted in Xia Ran’s arms. Even at that moment, she was still worried about Xiao Moyan. When she woke up, she immediately started handling business matters without a word. The thousands of reporters outside were blocked by him, Gu Yuan. He was a man, a man with blood, flesh, and emotions—how could he not hate? How could he live in peace?
"Gu Yuan?"
Xia Lingying lifted her head, her voice thick with nasal congestion. These past few days, in order to escape reality, she had worked tirelessly, day and night, and her body had already been worn out. Yet Xia Lingying still gritted her teeth and persevered. She had to hold on, until she personally gave everything back to Xiao Moyan, then she would feel at peace.
Gu Yuan quietly gazed at Xia Lingying, saying nothing. Xia Lingying lifted her head, looking at him in confusion.
"What is it?"
"Xiaxia—"
"Hmm?"
"I'll ask you, what will it take for you to stop loving Xiao Moyan?"
The words in his heart slipped out, and Gu Yuan stared at Xia Lingying without blinking, no longer with his usual gentlemanly warmth, but with sharp and pressing eyes. He didn’t want to wait any longer, his patience completely worn out. He wanted the woman in front of him, even if it meant using any means necessary.
Gu Yuan’s words caused Xia Lingying’s body to stiffen. She put down the documents in her hands, leaned back in the chair, and looked at Gu Yuan with an emotionless expression.
Her marble-like cold yet exquisite face tightened, and the indifferent aura once again enveloped Xia Lingying. However, Gu Yuan didn’t retreat or compromise like before; he continued to gaze steadily at Xia Lingying.
"Xiaxia, you know, what happened last time damaged Tianhuang’s reputation. All four major investors withdrew their funds, and the issue with the new movie project kept getting delayed. Tianhuang’s stock price has fallen to its lowest point in history, and the board of directors is very dissatisfied with you. Yet you remain indifferent, not even offering an explanation. Xia—"
"What are you trying to say?"
Xia Lingying interrupted Gu Yuan, narrowing her eyes at him, showing a warning look in her eyes.
Gu Yuan sighed, turned his face away and didn’t look at Xia Lingying. He stayed silent for a long time and finally spoke what was in his heart.
“Xiaxia, I just want you to tell me one truth.”
He waited for a long time, but Xia Lingying didn’t answer. Gu Yuan felt even more hurt. Xia Lingying, is your heart made of stone? Why can’t you see all the good things I’ve done for you? Why does your heart only care about Xiao Moyan, the one who keeps hurting you? Thinking about this, Gu Yuan paused, like he had made a big decision, then he stared into Xia Lingying’s eyes and slowly spoke.
“Do you want to give Tianhuang back to Xiao Moyan? Do you want her to take revenge as she wants?”
Xia Lingying looked at Gu Yuan without changing her expression, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his words.
Gu Yuan looked at her for a long time, seeing her frown and her impatient face. His heart grew colder. He clenched his fist tightly, took a deep breath, and coldly said,
“Xiaxia, do you know how happy Xiao Moyan is right now because of what you did?”
****
On a leisurely afternoon tea time, Xiao Moyan lazily leaned against the chaise longue, her hand resting on her face, blocking the faint sunlight. Under the silk thin blanket, half a page of a newspaper was visible.
Su Lianxue stood with her hands behind her back, her legs slightly apart, expressionless as usual, staring straight ahead. After a while, her expression changed, and her gaze fixed on the person who hurriedly walked in through the door.
Fang Ruolin wore a light yellow long dress, with brown curly hair flowing behind her. Holding a leather envelope in her hand, she walked towards Xiao Moyan.
“Xiao, the plan was very successful.”
Slowly lowering her right hand, Xiao Moyan looked at Fang Ruolin expressionlessly, saying nothing. She, of course, knew everything had been successful, but what was the price of this success?
Fang Ruolin anxiously looked at Xiao Moyan, hesitating before opening the envelope in her hand. Xiao Moyan squinted her eyes, staring at the envelope in Fang Ruolin's hand. Only a corner of the photo was exposed, and her expression immediately changed. She threw the blanket aside, anxiously stood up, and reached out to violently push the envelope away.
“Take it away!”
Fang Ruolin did not expect Xiao Moyan to react this way. Her hand unsteady, the envelope fell to the ground, and the photos scattered everywhere.
Swollen red lips, dark red kiss marks, a restrained smile, a pale face, a frail body, and the tearful light in Xia Lingying's eyes, each one pierced Xiao Moyan's heart. She looked down, feeling a chill in her body.
Each photo recorded how she had personally hurt the woman she loved the most. She had taken revenge, had humiliated, but she had also completely lost Xia Lingying...
Xiao Moyan turned around, her back to Fang Ruolin and Su Lianxue, her shoulders slightly trembling as she covered her mouth with her hand.
“Xiao…”
Fang Ruolin looked at Xiao Moyan with sympathy, softly calling her name.
The harsh ringtone of a phone sounded. Xiao Moyan furrowed her brows, controlling her emotions. She lowered her head and checked the text message.
Xiao Moyan's face changed. She casually grabbed her coat and almost rushed out the door. She ran through several red and green lights on the way, her brow furrowed tightly, her hand gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter. She quickly arrived at the bar downstairs of Nanyang Building, opened the car door, and hurriedly got out.
The sound of high heels clicking on the marble floor echoed, and her hurried steps revealed the unease in Xiao Moyan’s heart. She pushed open the door, and immediately saw Hu Feifei, who was hiding in the corner, drinking continuously. Xiao Moyan stepped forward, snatched the glass from her hand.
“Feifei, what is going on?!”
The wine glass was snatched away. Slightly drunk, Hu Feifei turned around in a daze and saw Xiao Moyan's anxious eyes, just like the first time they met, captivating and soul-stirring. Her heart ached, and she hugged Xiao Moyan's waist, crying out loud.
"Xiao... Xia Ran found my dad—he exposed everything about me using the company's funds, manipulating subordinates in his name... Dad, Dad went into a rage, hit me, and said—said he would send me abroad to study, never to return..."
Hu Feifei sobbed uncontrollably, shrinking in Xiao Moyan's arms, speaking in broken sentences, becoming more and more distressed, her tears unstoppable.
"When did this happen?"
Xiao Moyan patted Hu Feifei's back and asked in a soft voice. But in her heart, she was somewhat puzzled. Old Hu had already known about Hu Feifei and her affair. Although this time it was a big move, with his deep scheming, how could he not see through it? If it weren't for the future cooperation between Tianhuang and Nanyang, he definitely wouldn't have turned a blind eye to their antics. But now, what was this new play about?
"This morning."
Hu Feifei cried so much she was nearly convulsing. Just the thought of leaving Xiao Moyan made her heart ache. She tightened her arms around Xiao Moyan's waist, burying her head in her neck and inhaling her scent.
"Xiao, I don’t want to leave, I can’t bear to leave you..."
"You won't, you won't leave. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to Mr. Hu."
"It’s useless."
HuFeifei raised her head through her tears, her face soaked in them.
"The flight tomorrow morning. I heard with my own ears, he and his secretary said they’re going to have the bodyguards escort me abroad—"
"What?"
Xiao Moyan was startled, her eyes widened as she looked at Hu Feifei.
Hu Feifei nodded with tears in her eyes, glanced at Xiao Moyan, and then shrank into her embrace.
"Xiao, once I leave, no one will cause you trouble anymore. But... but you must remember, I, Hu Feifei, truly love you..."
Xiao Moyan furrowed her brows tightly and held Hu Feifei close. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. She definitely didn’t feel any love for Hu Feifei, but that didn’t mean there were no feelings at all. After all, the heart is made of flesh. Hu Feifei had done so much and given up so much for her. Though Xiao Moyan never spoke of it, she kept it in her heart, always treating her like a sister and giving her more affection than others. Even though Hu Feifei could be reckless and childish at times, Xiao Moyan had never thought about sending her abroad to never see her again.
"Xiao..."
Hu Feifei cried pitifully, clutching Xiao Moyan’s clothes tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably. Xiao Moyan softly comforted her, furrowing her brows as she thought for a moment, picking up her phone to call Mr. Hu, but Hu Feifei pressed her hand down.
Hu Feifei tilted her tear-streaked face up. In the blink of an eye, fresh tears fell, and she softly said,
"Xiao, don’t call him. The more you call, the angrier he’ll get. He might, in his fury, send me away by private jet tonight."
Xiao Moyan froze for a moment and then put the phone down.
Hu Feifei leaned slightly forward, looking at Xiao Moyan with a pitiful expression, her hands tightly gripping her hands.
"Xiao, I beg you, please, let me kiss you before I leave. Please?"
Xiao Moyan stiffened, looking at Hu Feifei in surprise.
"What did you say?"
Hu Feifei, with swollen eyes, stared intently at Xiao Moyan, softly repeating,
"I want... I want to kiss you, Xiao. After I leave, I don’t know when I’ll be back. I know you’ve never liked me, but... just pity me, okay? Let me kiss you, please."
Xiao Moyan forcefully withdrew her hands, crossed her arms, and looked at Hu Feifei, her eyes filled with confusion, but she didn’t reject her.
Hu Feifei gazed at Xiao Moyan, her hands slowly reaching up to her neck, carefully watching her expression. Seeing no opposition, she closed her eyes and gently kissed her.
The soft, cool lips, still carrying that faint minty fragrance, Hu Feifei kissed them as though she were a child savoring candy, eagerly sucking on this long-desired soft lip. Although Xiao Moyan did not respond at all, her stiff body and furrowed brow clearly showed her disgust, yet Hu Feifei still did not release her hands. She continued her gentle kiss, and as the kiss deepened, the corners of her mouth subtly lifted.
Author's Note:
Yezi’s big aunt* came, and there's been heavy bleeding recently. Urgently in need of some chicken legs. /(ćoć)/~~
*period
P.S: This should be the last bit of torture~