Chapter 43

That night, at Zhongxing Media, the lights were bright. Wen Tang only returned home from the company around three or four in the morning.

Exhausted, Wen Tang didn’t care about being scared and went straight to sleep. She slept until noon the next day.

When she woke up, Ke Xin was in the living room.

The interview with the housekeeper was arranged by the company, with Liu Meifen coordinating the recording and editing. The video was released by marketing accounts during peak traffic hours. Wen Tang was still asleep at that time.

When Wen Tang got up, Ke Xin excitedly showed her the video on her phone.

“Tang Tang, the impact of the housekeeper’s video is enormous. The whole internet is speculating if Wen Haifeng was involved in…”

Ke Xin started excitedly, but as Wen Tang’s personal assistant, she quickly realized what the mention of “grandmother” meant to Wen Tang and abruptly stopped.

“Uh, ahem!”

Ke Xin choked and coughed uncomfortably.

“What?” Wen Tang didn’t hear clearly.

She had a slight headache. Although she had slept through the night, she hadn’t rested well, troubled by dreams about the past.

At this moment, she was unaware of the video. After returning to the company yesterday, she had completely ignored Liu Meifen and didn’t notice when she left or what she did afterward.

Ke Xin also suddenly realized the significance of the video for Wen Tang, losing her earlier cheerful demeanor. She carefully and hesitantly said, “Tang Tang, the company released a video today. Can you take a look?”

“The public reaction is quite good, but there’s a lot of unfounded speculation…” Ke Xin fidgeted with her hair, unsure of how to convey it, feeling that no matter what, seeing it would upset Wen Tang.

She suddenly understood why the company released the video while Wen Tang was asleep.

“Anyway, um, Tang Tang, don’t take it too seriously!”

Wen Tang took her phone, which she had only used to check the time after getting up.

Hearing this, she immediately went to Weibo.

She quickly found the video, as it was trending second, just below her announcement of severing ties with Wen Haifeng.

After watching it, Wen Tang’s face darkened.

The mood was somber.

Her mood had been heavy since yesterday. To completely cut ties with Wen Haifeng meant revisiting painful past events. Many of these were scars buried deep in her heart, never shared with anyone.

The death of her grandmother was the deepest pain in Wen Tang’s life.

Despite her efforts to return quickly, she had only managed to attend her grandmother’s funeral.

Her grandmother had actually been reluctant to come to Lingcheng. It was Wen Tang’s stubbornness that insisted on bringing her, fearing that the elderly woman would be left alone and uncared for in her hometown. Wen Tang insisted on bringing her to Lingcheng.

Unexpectedly, within less than a month after her arrival, her grandmother’s life was tragically cut short.

During that time, Wen Tang couldn’t even sleep, as she would be woken up by her own tears. In the middle of the night, she would dream of her grandmother, who was as patient and gentle as she had been when Wen Tang was a child. Her grandmother would fuss over her, worried that she might be cold or hungry, trying her best to comfort her, saying it was okay and none of it was her fault.

But how could Wen Tang forgive herself?

If it hadn’t been for her father, and if she hadn’t insisted on bringing her grandmother to Lingcheng…

There were no “ifs.”

Later, Wen Tang sat on the sofa, silently scrolling through Weibo.

Seeing that the atmosphere was off, both Yang Yang and Ke Xin fell silent, sitting far from Wen Tang on a small stool, not daring to say a word.

This oppressive silence lasted for a long time until Wen Tang received a message from Zhou Jingyu.

Since Wen Tang had sent a message to Zhou Jingyu yesterday afternoon to cancel their dinner date, she had been extremely busy. After finally polishing and sending out the statement last night, she suddenly felt a strong urge to contact him. She missed him, wanted to act spoiled, missed his embrace, and wanted to hear his voice.

While an embrace was not immediately available, her phone was right in front of her.

However, when she opened his WeChat, she suddenly lost the urgent desire to seek comfort from him.

She wondered how he would perceive her after seeing the statement she posted online.

Would he be surprised? Shocked?

Here was a top star with such a tragic background and a father who was a useless, bloodsucking leech.

She had not only a low educational background but had also been ridiculed for needing a ghostwriter for her article.

He was a wealthy young master, and she was from a family that could barely be considered ordinary; her situation was pathetic.

… What would he think after seeing it?

In a moment, a hundred thoughts flashed through Wen Tang’s mind. The confident and proud Wen Tang suddenly felt less self-assured that night.

But it was just a fleeting thought.

She had become a prominent star solely through her own efforts, without relying on anyone or taking shortcuts, standing tall and true to herself.

The only thing she cared about was whether he would… feel sympathy for her?

In the first few days of the public outcry, she could ignore all the criticism with ease and a smile. But last night, to no longer be blackmailed or controlled by Wen Haifeng, and to completely sever ties with him, she had revealed her deepest wounds to millions and bowed her proud back.

As expected, after learning about her father, everyone sympathized with her. However, their sympathy felt like needles piercing Wen Tang, overwhelming and relentless, though not fatal, it left her exposed.

She just wanted to hide away.

Wen Tang had ventured into the entertainment industry with nothing, relying only on her own pride and self-respect, and had never wavered despite numerous temptations.

She didn’t need sympathy or pity from anyone.

Yet, she found herself in a situation where she was selling her misery, and it made her heartache.

Everyone sympathized with her.

So, would he…?

….

【Y: Have you had lunch?】

Zhou Jingyu sent this message to Wen Tang.

Wen Tang had not eaten. She hadn’t had breakfast either.

Seeing Zhou Jingyu’s message, Wen Tang suddenly felt very wronged.

She hadn’t actively contacted him last night, but he hadn’t contacted her either. What had he been doing?

The feeling of grievance made Wen Tang reluctant to reply to Zhou Jingyu’s message, but her hand was out of control.

She typed heavily on the screen.

【Candy: No, I just woke up.】

【Candy: Did you have lunch?】

Her tone was stiff.

Her words were no longer soft and coaxing as they used to be with Zhou Jingyu.

After a short while, Zhou Jingyu replied.

【Y: Not yet, I’m just about to go eat.】

He continued to express concern about Wen Tang’s meals, advising her: 【Three meals a day, at regular times and amounts, will keep your body healthy. Have a bit more for lunch; you’re already thin enough.】

Sometimes he was as pedantic as an old scholar.

While Wen Tang felt sweet from his concern, the sweetness couldn’t suppress the grievance in her heart.

For some reason, Wen Tang felt like being angry with him.

She wanted to throw a tantrum.

She deliberately replied: 【But I’m alone at home, and I don’t have any food, nor can I cook.】

【I won’t eat until you come home in the afternoon.】

……

After sending the message, within half a minute.

【Y: Wait for me at home.】

…..

Wen Tang immediately smiled, holding her phone.

Zhou Jingyu’s company was very close to her home; it only took about ten to twenty minutes by car. If he was coming, there couldn’t be any other idle people around at home to interfere with their private time.

So, despite Ke Xin and Yang Yang’s strong desire to stay and witness, Wen Tang ruthlessly drove them out of the house.

She told them: “Go out to eat anywhere, I’ll pay. Don’t come back before two in the afternoon.”

Zhou Jingyu didn’t take as long as Wen Tang had imagined. About half an hour later, the doorbell rang at Wen Tang’s home.

When Wen Tang opened the door, she was about to ask why he took so long when she noticed Zhou Jingyu holding a disposable plastic bag.

Zhou Jingyu lifted the bag for her to see clearly.

“I didn’t have time to cook for you during lunch break. The food in the company cafeteria is quite good, so I packed two portions for you. You can make do with this and I’ll cook for you tonight.”

He reached out and ruffled her hair. Wen Tang felt that sometimes, Zhou Jingyu treated her like a little sister—concerned about her meals and sleep, and always enjoying ruffling her hair.

And she quite liked it.

Wen Tang, however, still felt wronged when she saw him.

She didn’t like keeping her grievances to herself and never allowed herself to be wronged. Directly, she asked him, “Why didn’t you message me last night?”

After everything she had been through yesterday, with the online outrage still overwhelming, her boyfriend hadn’t shown any concern.

Zhou Jingyu lowered his head and noticed Wen Tang’s bright, enchanting eyes were a bit puffy. She might have cried last night.

He actually regretted rejecting her request to record his fingerprint. If he had agreed, he could have waited for her at home, seen her whenever she returned, and embraced her immediately. Instead, he spent the night worrying about her, scrolling through Weibo, and watching old videos of her, like a stranger trying to understand her.

Thinking this, Zhou Jingyu reached out, pulling Wen Tang into a tight embrace.

She naturally nestled her head into his chest.

“I’m sorry.”

He apologized to her.

He hadn’t messaged her because he knew she was busy and didn’t want to disturb her. He had come to her door but found it empty until late into the night.

He wasn’t usually hesitant or uncertain, but when it came to Wen Tang, he was filled with doubt and worry.

Perhaps love was like this—hesitant, conflicted, anxious, and full of anticipation and apprehension.

He thought if she had some free time, she would definitely have messaged him.

But he waited all night and never received a message.

What surprised him was that while he was waiting for her message, she was also waiting for him.

“I won’t do this again,” Zhou Jingyu promised, holding Wen Tang close. “I’ll message you morning, noon, and night.”

Wen Tang looked up into his eyes, seeing no sympathy, only appreciation and joy.

She reached out, hugging him back.

“Mm,” she nodded in his wide embrace. “You’d better keep your word.”

Zhou Jingyu promised, “Okay.”