57. Clandestine secret exchange.

Last night’s whispers in her ear came back to Qin Zhaoyi’s mind, making her momentarily dazed.

She almost thought she was still in the dimly lit room, the two of them intimately close.

Luo Yue’s gentle yet husky voice whispered in her ear, “Zhaoyi, be good.”

“Zhaoyi is so good.”

“Zhaoyi, you’re not being good.”

Luo Yue said many things, and with each one, Qin Zhaoyi felt a rush of heat throughout her body.

But that heat would gradually dissipate.

There was no doubt that Luo Yue gave immense emotional value during their time together.

After realizing her feelings for Luo Yue, Qin Zhaoyi had even done some research online.

She would come across posts where people asked how to improve their experience when their girlfriends were rough and immediately fell asleep afterward, lacking any sense of intimacy.

Qin Zhaoyi had some concerns.

But after last night, she realized there was no need to worry.

Luo Yue was incredibly attentive to her emotions.

Except… for not getting a kiss before falling asleep.

That was a slight regret.

Qin Zhaoyi stood there, lost in thought, her eyes vacant, but her cheeks unconsciously flushed a deep red.

Redder than the sunrise after dawn.

Zhong Ling felt as though she had discovered a new world.

She hadn’t intended to break the somewhat tense atmosphere, wanting to see Luo Yue and Qin Zhaoyi face off.

Most importantly, she wanted to see how Qin Zhaoyi would handle the long-haired beauty.

Based on her understanding of Qin Zhaoyi, she expected her to look back coldly and say with a very BKing tone, “If you want to think that, go ahead. I never said I was good.”

But Qin Zhaoyi said nothing, gazing at Luo Yue with almost obsessive eyes.

Zhong Ling’s worldview was crumbling piece by piece.

When they had talked before, Zhong Ling had vaguely sensed that Qin Zhaoyi was more infatuated.

But the impact of seeing it with her own eyes was much greater.

Worried that Qin Zhaoyi might do something even more embarrassing, Zhong Ling took a deep breath and said, “I hugged her first.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Yue turned her head, looking at Zhong Ling with a composed and leisurely gaze.

As if waiting for her explanation.

The invisible sense of pressure came over again.

Zhong Ling, who had seen her share of big scenes, cleared her throat and provocatively said, “We hugged like this before she even met you.”

“Beautiful lady,” Zhong Ling said, suddenly laughing, “I don’t understand why being in a relationship means you can’t comfort a friend? If hugging counted as infidelity, I’d be unfaithful hundreds of times a day.”

“That’s your problem,” Luo Yue said.

Zhong Ling: “……”

She had hit a soft spot.

While Zhong Ling was contemplating how to respond, Luo Yue turned her attention back to Qin Zhaoyi: “My person, I don’t allow it.”

This possessive attitude towards Qin Zhaoyi made Zhong Ling very uncomfortable.

Zhong Ling stepped forward to grab Qin Zhaoyi’s wrist, preparing to slap the beautiful woman across from her. But before she could reach her, Qin Zhaoyi avoided her.

Zhong Ling: “?”

Qin Zhaoyi stood opposite her, her hands behind her back, her brows slightly furrowed, looking as if she were deep in thought.

After a moment, she spoke: “I’m not straight right now, and I have a girlfriend. It’s better if we don’t have any intimate physical contact.”

Zhong Ling: “?”

“From now on, keep your hands to yourself,” Qin Zhaoyi said.

Zhong Ling: “……”

You didn’t say that when you were about to cry earlier!

She had woken up early to see the sunrise, only to be pushed off the reef by a friend and covered in sand.

Trying to comfort a friend, she ended up being accused of infidelity just for a hug.

And her long-time friend had betrayed her for love, changing sides at a crucial moment.

Zhong Ling’s morning had been quite eventful.

She had been somewhat sleepy on her way to the seaside, but after all the commotion, she was wide awake.

Unable to help herself, she stared at Luo Yue, trying to figure out what kind of magic this woman had.

In the end, she concluded: Besides being beautiful, she was of no other consequence.

But Zhong Ling, having been in the entertainment industry for years, had seen thousands of actresses, and often became jaded with new roles during casting calls. It was the unattractive ones that started to catch her attention.

So, Luo Yue’s beauty didn’t particularly captivate her.

Yet, it was making Qin Zhaoyi completely infatuated.

And in this awkward situation, the three of them ended up watching the sunrise together.

Although they were still in confrontation during the sunrise, they managed to catch the tail end of it.

As the sun rose above the horizon, it bathed the azure sea in a vivid yet gentle red.

The waves became gentle.

The natural beauty of the scene was awe-inspiring.

Zhong Ling had been on this island for almost a week and finally saw the much-anticipated sunrise over the sea.

She took several Polaroids, but none of them turned out well.

However, a shot of Qin Zhaoyi and Luo Yue watching the sunrise together from a distance came out beautifully, producing a few stunning photos.

Landscape photography still required a professional camera.

By the time Zhong Ling finished her work, the sunrise had already passed its peak.

With the salty sea breeze blowing against her face, she adjusted the camera’s focus and angle, finally taking a short video.

The temperature was rising.

Zhong Ling stopped taking pictures, draped her coat over her arm, and still felt a lingering concern for Qin Zhaoyi.

Since Luo Yue’s arrival, Qin Zhaoyi had become more reserved, her brows furrowed as she watched the sunrise, lost in thought.

The end of the sunrise meant it was time to part ways.

But Zhong Ling still asked, “Zhaoyi, do you want to grab a coffee together?”

Qin Zhaoyi glanced at Luo Yue.

Zhong Ling: “……”

A lovesick, henpecked partner.

“Why are you looking at her?” Zhong Ling said, “You should invite her along. I’m not short on cash.”

“No need,” Luo Yue said calmly, though her tone still carried an air of pressure, “I need to go back to take care of my dog and then head to school.”

“You’re still in school?” Zhong Ling’s eyes widened in surprise, looking at Qin Zhaoyi as if to say—how could you be involved with someone so much younger?

Qin Zhaoyi shot her a sidelong glance: “She’s a teacher.”

Zhong Ling breathed a sigh of relief: “Hello, Teacher Luo~”

Her greeting was as mechanical as an AI, with a stiff smile on her face.

Luo Yue only nodded slightly in response.

Qin Zhaoyi stood in the middle, with Luo Yue ready to head home on one side and Zhong Ling preparing to go to the café on the other.

After weighing her options, Qin Zhaoyi first pulled Luo Yue aside and whispered, “The friend I was looking for in Jiayi is her. We’ve known each other for many years, so I have no ulterior motives. That hug was just a coincidence; we haven’t hugged like that in years. I promise I’ll keep her at a distance from now on, so don’t worry. But right now, I need to discuss some things with her. Can we have lunch together after your classes end at noon?”

Qin Zhaoyi knew that her words might come off as a bit insensitive.

But she was being sincere.

She couldn’t cut off her friends just because she was in a relationship.

Especially not her only friend.

She was still working with her lawyer on legal documents and other matters related to the lawsuit.

Zhong Ling needed to know about these things too.

She needed to see how many people were paying the price for her recklessness.

Luo Yue stared at her without speaking.

This made Qin Zhaoyi even more uneasy, and she couldn’t keep up the facade: “Forget it, I won’t go.”

“It’s fine,” Luo Yue said, “I know her, Zhong Ling. She was all over the internet recently.”

“Yes,” Qin Zhaoyi said, “She might also be here to unwind. I just want to have a chat with her.”

“Alright,” Luo Yue agreed, but she was still pulled back by Qin Zhaoyi.

“Is there something else?” Luo Yue raised an eyebrow.

Qin Zhaoyi’s mood was a bit low. The dream from last night had left her feeling out of sorts, and her thoughts were scattered. Still, she tried her best to be patient while talking to Luo Yue.

“You’re not happy,” Qin Zhaoyi said, “Don’t be unhappy.”

Luo Yue looked at her, her eyes reflecting Qin Zhaoyi’s image in the light, dull and lifeless.

“Then tell me, why am I unhappy?” Luo Yue countered.

Qin Zhaoyi bit her lip: “I hugged Zhong Ling.”

“No,” Luo Yue shook her head, not wanting to make Qin Zhaoyi feel worse. She said concisely, “Zhaoyi, you’re in a bad mood today, but you haven’t told me.”

Luo Yue looked at her, “I thought after last night, I could be the person you confide in, but you haven’t.”

Qin Zhaoyi looked at her seriously, trying to imprint every word she said in her mind.

“I…” Qin Zhaoyi wanted to argue but was interrupted by Luo Yue: “But you can easily talk to your friend and let her comfort you when you’re upset.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “……”

When she was awakened by the nightmare, Luo Yue was still fast asleep.

She couldn’t wake Luo Yue up to listen to her nonsensical dream.

And Luo Yue didn’t know about the troubles in her dream.

That person had been gone for many years. Zhong Ling knew about him because she had seen him when they were young.

They both shared the memories of that person, which allowed them to accurately perceive each other’s emotions.

Aside from Zhong Ling, many people only knew that person by name.

In this world, only Zhong Ling could discuss those secret feelings with her.

But how could she explain this to Luo Yue?

Due to the missing past, Luo Yue hadn’t yet become the most unique person. She would feel sad about that.

Qin Zhaoyi said quietly, “I’ll tell you in the future.”

But not right now.

She couldn’t speak, fearing that if she did, tears would flow uncontrollably, haunted by nightmares every night.

Luo Yue was silent.

Qin Zhaoyi suddenly remembered Luo Yue’s previous words and responded, “Luo Yue, everyone has secrets.”

And her secret was the person who could not be mentioned.

She didn’t even dare to think about it.

Luo Yue was momentarily taken aback, then she smiled lightly, “Alright, I won’t pry into your secrets.”

“When the time is right,” Qin Zhaoyi said, “I’ll tell you. For now, please allow me to keep this matter to myself.”

Luo Yue’s watery eyes remained fixed on her.

Qin Zhaoyi turned her face away, unable to meet her gaze, “I’m sorry.”

Luo Yue shrugged, pretending to be casual, “It’s alright. When the time is right, we can exchange secrets for secrets.”

Qin Zhaoyi reassured her again, “I really haven’t been unfaithful.”

Luo Yue smiled and left.

Zhong Ling, standing aside, pretended to be absorbed in the beautiful scenery of the island but had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

Unfortunately, the sea breeze was noisy and their voices too soft, so she could only catch bits and pieces.

From their expressions, it was clear that the conversation wasn’t very pleasant.

Overall, Qin Zhaoyi seemed more humble.

When the word “humble” popped into Zhong Ling’s mind, her first reaction was to wonder—can such a term be used to insult Qin Bking^[1]King of acting cool · Cold-faced Iceberg · Zhaoyi?

Upon further reflection, she found that it was possible.

Zhong Ling had known Qin Zhaoyi for so many years and had never seen her display such a range of expressions.

So vivid that Zhong Ling wanted to record it and make it into a Vlog. Every time Qin Zhaoyi threw a tantrum, she could just post the Vlog and show her this weak and vulnerable side.

But considering her own safety, Zhong Ling abandoned that idea.

Moon Island lived up to its name.

Standing on the island, one could not distinguish it clearly, but the shape of the island on the map resembled a crescent moon.

Even the curve of the coastline was quite beautiful.

Having spent a few days here, Zhong Ling had mostly stayed at the hotel.

She felt as if she was destined to spend eternity in bed with Cheng Shiyu, utterly exhausted.

This state finally allowed her to escape from the heavy pressures she had been under.

Before coming to Moon Island, she had been weighed down with a heavy heart, wanting to escape from that dreadful environment.

But those issues still weighed heavily on her mind.

Backstabbed by admired actresses, her ex-girlfriend’s videos leaked by marketing accounts, and major media outlets labeling her as morally corrupt—she had likely entered the blacklist of public figures.

In the past, when she went to film, she would hear all sorts of flattering comments during reviews. Now, she felt like a rat in the gutter, despised by everyone.

Throwing away her phone didn’t mean she had completely moved on.

All those emotions had coalesced into a tight knot, making her feel tense all the time.

These days, she had finally truly let go.

So she decided to fully enjoy her vacation by starting with watching the sunrise by the sea.

She had seen sunrises by the sea before.

With numerous projects under her belt, there had always been some romantic shots of sunrises. She had filmed the sunrise by the sea three times, but each time was with a large crew setting up before dawn, dealing with sudden weather changes, and if the actors were off, they would have to reshoot multiple takes. The whole day could be wasted.

Under such high pressure, there was no time to appreciate the sunrise.

She wished she could just get the actors to quickly get into character and finish the final take.

Finally, she could enjoy her vacation in peace.

Zhong Ling felt a renewed appreciation for nature, and new ideas began to bubble up.

When Qin Zhaoyi returned after seeing off Luo Yue, she saw Zhong Ling with her eyes closed, enjoying the sea breeze.

So content.

But recalling the past, Qin Zhaoyi said coldly, “Is it very comfortable?”

Zhong Ling lazily opened her eyes and realized that the Qin Zhaoyi who had been so subdued and gentle while talking to Teacher Luo had disappeared. The person standing before her was the same Qin Zhaoyi who was as sharp-tongued as ever.

Even the way she drew out the final syllable was recognizable.

“What?” Zhong Ling crossed her arms, “Are you taking out your frustration on me because you’re unhappy about separating from your girlfriend?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “……”

“Be honest.” Zhong Ling, seeing Qin Zhaoyi’s arrogance being subdued, pressed on, “When did you two get together? How old is she? What’s her annual income? How many people are in her family? Do her parents approve?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “?”

Qin Zhaoyi gave her a sidelong glance, “Are you checking her background?”

Zhong Ling shrugged, “Just concerned about you.”

Qin Zhaoyi scoffed lightly, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Just as Zhong Ling was about to continue with her questioning, Qin Zhaoyi leisurely said, “You’ve been having quite a good time these days, haven’t you? Have you already forgotten about worldly matters with Cheng Shiyu? Enjoying your time on Moon Island while we are anxiously searching for you—does it feel great?”

Zhong Ling: “……?”

“What?!” Zhong Ling immediately denied, “I haven’t been that happy……”

Her words suddenly halted, and Zhong Ling looked at Qin Zhaoyi in shock, “You know Cheng Shiyu? When did you get to know Cheng Shiyu?! Damn.”

Qin Zhaoyi rolled her eyes, “Keep the curse words to yourself.”

“Okay.” Feeling that she had hit a soft spot, Zhong Ling became especially compliant, “I take it back. Now, tell me.”

Qin Zhaoyi, annoyed by Zhong Ling’s unchanging habit over the years, was frustrated but had more pressing matters to discuss, so she let the matter drop.

“I met her after coming to Moon Island,” Qin Zhaoyi countered, “So you admit you’ve been spending time with your ex-girlfriend recently?”

Zhong Ling: “……Yes.”

There were people passing by the seaside from time to time, and Zhong Ling felt it wasn’t safe to talk openly, so she suggested going to a more secure place. She mentioned seeing a café on the way that looked nice.

Knowing Qin Zhaoyi’s habit of relying on coffee to get through early mornings, there was no place more suitable than there.

Having stayed here for a while, Qin Zhaoyi smiled at her naivety.

“The owner over there knows both Cheng Shiyu and Luo Yue,” Qin Zhaoyi kindly reminded Zhong Ling, given their long-standing friendship. “Every morning, Cheng Shiyu’s brother goes there to buy a cup of coffee.”

Zhong Ling: “…”

“Cheng Shijing?” Zhong Ling asked.

Qin Zhaoyi was surprised, “You’ve met him?”

Zhong Ling nodded but didn’t mention the detail about the siblings nearly arguing in front of her.

Qin Zhaoyi commented appropriately, “He’s a decent guy, but he can be annoying at times.”

“Like you?” Zhong Ling asked.

Qin Zhaoyi: “…Get lost.”

After being scolded by her friend, Zhong Ling settled down a bit.

However, since the plan to go to the café was thwarted, Qin Zhaoyi came up with a more suitable idea and texted Yan Ci to deliver two cups of coffee to her place.

Then she directly took Zhong Ling back to her home.

Zhong Ling was surprised when she saw the small red building, “I was wondering who lived in such a beautiful building, turns out it’s you.”

Qin Zhaoyi entered the house by inputting the password, “My grandmother bought it.”

Zhong Ling: “…”

Thinking of the old lady’s decisive and efficient style, Zhong Ling could only sigh, “That’s so like her.”

Still passionate about buying properties everywhere.

Once inside, Zhong Ling immediately noticed something was off, “You didn’t stay here last night, did you?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

“What’s up?” Qin Zhaoyi handed her a cold drink from the fridge, but Zhong Ling waved her hand, “I’m about to start my period; I don’t dare drink it.”

Qin Zhaoyi simply opened it and took a sip herself.

The cold sensation slid down her throat, somewhat calming her restless mood.

Zhong Ling didn’t stray from the point and asked directly, “Will you go back for Brother Xi’s death anniversary?”

Qin Zhaoyi nodded, “Definitely.”

Every year on her brother’s death anniversary, she would sit by his grave for the entire day.

Even if she didn’t do anything, just being there was enough.

“Then I’ll go back too,” Zhong Ling said. “I’ve figured it out over the past couple of days; the more afraid I am, the more others will push me around. So I won’t be afraid anymore—time to fight back.”

“How do you plan to fight?” Qin Zhaoyi asked.

Zhong Ling looked at her, “I went to an internet café yesterday and saw that you sent a lawyer’s letter. Nicely done.”

“I can only address the news about myself,” Qin Zhaoyi said. “You have to handle your own matters.”

“I know.” Zhong Ling casually examined the house’s layout and decor while talking to Qin Zhaoyi, “I’m thinking of handling it after I’ve rested up.”

“Are you sure anyone will still care about it by then?”

“Whether they care or not, I have to do it.”

The prime window for public relations had already passed, and the matter had been settled in the public’s mind.

So no matter how much Zhong Ling explained later, what the public would likely remember were tags like #ZhongLingLesbian#, #ZhongLingWorkplaceBullying#, and #ZhongLingSexualHarassment#. These labels might follow Zhong Ling for the rest of her life.

Even if she left the industry to do something else, people would still associate her with these terms whenever her name came up.

Seeing that Qin Zhaoyi was still worried, Zhong Ling chuckled, “Don’t worry. I work in this industry—I know how things play out.”

Qin Zhaoyi shook her head, “I’m not worried about that.”

Zhong Ling: “?”

Qin Zhaoyi knew that Zhong Ling had always been fierce in these matters, and if she set her mind to it, she could turn the entire entertainment industry upside down.

So she hadn’t been concerned about that.

“I was wondering why you went to an internet café?” Qin Zhaoyi asked, “Where’s your phone?”

Zhong Ling: “…”

“Threw it in the sea,” Zhong Ling said.

Qin Zhaoyi was speechless and downed the rest of her cold drink, “Nicely done.”

Zhong Ling shared bits and pieces of her experiences from the past few days and talked about her future plans.

The transaction records were still there, as were the call logs and recordings with that number, including the in-person meeting.

The person who threatened her was clearly a novice, lacking experience, probably desperate for money.

Zhong Ling arranged to meet him, and when she paid the final installment of 800,000 in cash, he showed up.

It happened in a café that Zhong Ling had previously invested in, and the surveillance cameras had captured everything clearly.

Zhong Ling just didn’t bother to deal with it at the time. Plus, the filming for *Riding the Wind* was nearing its end, and the mental stress was too much. She figured she’d use the money to settle the matter for now, and after the filming was done, she’d sue him for extortion. That amount would be enough to keep him locked up for at least ten years.

But then everything fell apart internally with *Riding the Wind*, and it all went down in flames.

Zhong Ling was furious, and she couldn’t understand why Lu Xinyan had acted the way she did.

In the end, she just put on a whole act of “Screw you guys, I’m not playing anymore.”

But once she got back on her feet, she’d make sure those people paid the price.

After discussing her own situation, Zhong Ling remembered her overflowing need to express herself that morning and asked Qin Zhaoyi, “Have you been writing a new book lately?”

Qin Zhaoyi paused slightly, “Don’t bring up such depressing topics.”

Zhong Ling: “…Then what have you been busy with? Dating?”

Qin Zhaoyi remained silent.

This silence was deafening.

Zhong Ling gave a sarcastic thumbs-up, “Classic you! A hopeless romantic.”

Qin Zhaoyi shot her a sidelong glance, “And you’re any better?”

Zhong Ling provoked further, “What’s wrong with me?”

“Remember the year when Cheng Shiyu left Jiayi without a word and broke up with you? What did you say then?” Qin Zhaoyi reminded her of the bold declaration she made after getting drunk, “You said, even if in this life you had to be with a pig, date a dog, or have kids with a chicken, you’d never be like a donkey, obsessing over the past.”

Zhong Ling: “…”

Those forgotten memories were suddenly revived, hitting her like a punch.

She could only awkwardly take a sip of water in response.

Qin Zhaoyi, however, didn’t let her off the hook, “Then why did you come to Moon Island and find Cheng Shiyu first, instead of me?”

Zhong Ling: “…I went to seek revenge.”

This flimsy excuse failed to convince anyone.

Just as Qin Zhaoyi was about to continue, the doorbell rang.

Qin Zhaoyi mentioned that the coffee had arrived, nudged Zhong Ling, and told her to go get it.

Zhong Ling scolded her for being as lazy as ever, but the moment she opened the door, she was stunned. The person outside tried to close the door upon seeing her, but Zhong Ling held it firmly, almost gritting her teeth as she called out her name, “Zhong Yu! Did you run away from home just to deliver takeout here?”

Zhong Yu, timidly: “Jie…”

Qin Zhaoyi glanced over at the door.

Finally, she no longer felt guilty towards Zhong Ling.

The next second, Zhong Ling shouted from the door, “Qin Zhaoyi, are you even human? Hiding my sister here and not telling me?”

Qin Zhaoyi lazily lifted her gaze, speaking righteously, “You came here without telling me either.”

“Besides, I’m looking after your sister,” Qin Zhaoyi said, “No need to thank me.”

Zhong Ling yanked Zhong Yu back and angrily slammed the door shut.

And this whole scene was caught on camera.

Not long after, Luo Yue received a message from Cheng Shijing.

Cheng Shijing: [I have a strong suspicion that they’ve been planning this for a while.]

The video showed Zhong Yu delivering the coffee, capturing Qin Zhaoyi and Zhong Ling’s voices.

Luo Yue still remembered the minor spat between the two from yesterday, but seeing Cheng Shijing messaging her like old times again, she replied after watching the video: [What?]

Cheng Shijing nearly broke his screen with his typing: [The person who opened the door is Cheng Shiyu’s ex-girlfriend.]

Luo Yue was stunned: [Shiyu also…]

Cheng Shijing: [? You didn’t know?]

Luo Yue: [I do now.]

The next second, Luo Yue sent a message to Cheng Shiyu.

At that moment, Cheng Shiyu was frantically searching for the missing Zhong Ling.

Luo Yue: [Hey there, Officer. Could you catch the scoundrel who’s sabotaging others’ relationships?]

Cheng Shiyu: [???]

Luo Yue: [Zhong Ling is at Qin Zhaoyi’s place.]

Luo Yue: [They’re having a very, very pleasant chat.]

TN:

Oof from acting all distant and aloof to being obsessive bordering on Yandere! Oh how the turns have tabled on you Luo Jie.