Chapter 18: No One Sleeps Tonight

I do not love you any less; I simply do not know how to face the version of myself that loves you.

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As night descended, the city’s myriad lights ignited its prosperity, shrouding everything in a haze of ambiguity. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, a man’s indifferent gaze lifted to the sky, where the vast river of stars drifted, distant and breathtakingly beautiful.

Suddenly, the sound of a vibrating phone came from the coffee table behind him. Faced with the string of numbers on the screen, Lu Huaining’s brows furrowed. “What is it?”

“Mr. Lu, the taxi company just replied. The vehicle sent to collect Miss Xue did not pick anyone up. I wanted to ask if perhaps the address was incorrect.”

No one was picked up? Lu Huaining’s brows knitted even tighter. He hung up and tried to dial her number, only to realize her handbag was right in front of him.

Just as he seized his car keys and prepared to change shoes and leave, the phone inside her bag rang with a clear, melodious tone. He hesitated for three seconds before answering.

“Lu Huaining, give me back my things!”

His tightly knit brows relaxed instantly at the girl’s furious voice, and a smile—fractured and faint—spread across his lips.

Faced with the silence on the other end, Xue Zuining glanced uncertainly at the screen of the landline phone—it was still in the middle of a call.

Suddenly, a beam of headlights swept swiftly across her. Turning around, Xue Zuining saw a white BMW, its taillights glowing, speeding away into the night.

“Hey—” Xue Zuining called out, anxious to stop him, but it was already too late. In desperation, she raised her voice and shouted toward the departing car, “Weirdo, thank you, you’re a good person—”

Her drawn-out voice rang clear in the night. In the driver’s seat, the man glanced at her bent figure through the rearview mirror, his gaze mocking. A good person? If he were a good person, then surely there would be no evil left in this world.

When Lu Huaining realized Xue Zuining was obviously expressing gratitude to someone else, his hawk-like brows arched. A hundred scenarios flashed through his mind, and before she could explain, he interrupted brusquely, “Xue Zuining, remember to go to the sanatorium before nine tomorrow morning to complete the paperwork. If your mother is expelled for missing documents, don’t blame anyone else!”

Xue Zuining listened with tightly furrowed brows as the call was abruptly cut off. Her lips curled upward in annoyance, and she muttered inwardly: As expected, perverts know no bounds!

Downstairs, the shopkeeper’s wife watched her silently clutching the receiver, her nose wrinkled in irritation. From behind the counter, she smiled, “Zuining, what are you thinking about?”

Xue Zuining gave an awkward smile, returning the receiver to its place. “Auntie, I forgot my bag today. I’ll bring down payment for the call in a bit.”

“No need! It’s dark, you’re a young girl—just stay safe at home. By the way, how’s your mother’s illness? When will she be back?” Having lived alongside the Xue family for nearly a decade, the shopkeeper’s wife didn’t know every detail, but she’d heard about Mrs. Xue’s health and, after not seeing her for over a month, wondered if she should find time to visit.

“Thank you for your concern, Auntie. She’ll be back soon.” Xue Zuining forced a smile. “I’m heading upstairs now. Good night.”

“Alright, take care.” The shopkeeper’s wife nodded, watching her leave, sighing softly, “Such a pretty girl—if only she came from a better family, she could really become a star.”

Hearing the faint sigh behind her, Xue Zuining thought: indeed, even outsiders understand the complexities of the entertainment world. She found the spare key under the flowerpot by her door, unlocked it, and entered the empty apartment. Since meeting that man, the warmth and sweetness she once knew seemed to have left her.

Tomorrow? That unknown tomorrow—how should I face you?

She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.

“The latest weather report indicates that Typhoon Haigos, the seventeenth of the year, will impact the city starting tonight, bringing significant rainfall and cooler temperatures…”

The car radio automatically broadcast the latest news, but Lu Huaining paid no heed. His eyes drifted from the financial news on his phone to the figure alighting from a taxi. The white backpack on the girl’s shoulders bobbed up and down as she ran, as if sprouting wings.

“To the office,” he ordered coolly, withdrawing his gaze as her figure vanished amidst the lush greenery of the sanatorium.

The driver glanced at the boss in the rearview mirror, curious why he’d rushed to the suburbs so early only to hurry back to the office. But duty prevailed, and the man’s quiet authority deterred any questions.

Soon, the car turned off the lane onto the main road. When Xue Zuining, clutching her bag from yesterday, chased after them, all she saw were the tire tracks left behind.

“Miss, done so quickly?” The taxi driver, still waiting, waved and called out, “Hop in, I’ll take you back to the city.”

Sitting in the taxi, Xue Zuining twisted her bag in frustration. What sort of person was he? There were no forms to complete—he’d lied to her for his own amusement.

A gentle female voice floated through the car, the song winding and delicate, as if drawing her into a world of moonlight.

“Miss, your phone is ringing.” The driver, hearing the persistent ringtone, reminded her.

Xue Zuining came back to herself, apologized, and answered, only to hear an unfamiliar voice, “Is this Miss Xue?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Hello, I’m Xiao Zhao, assistant to Miss Mu. I’m calling to inform you to pick up a sample script at Wisteria Teahouse at six this afternoon, so you can familiarize yourself ahead of next week’s lead actress selection.”

“Wisteria Teahouse?” Xue Zuining confirmed. After the other party affirmed, she replied calmly, “I’ll be there on time. Thank you.”

“Great, and best of luck with the selection.” With that, the call ended swiftly.

Xue Zuining gazed out the window at the receding scenery, eyes weary as she closed them and rested against the seat. The chill left by that man seemed to seep into her skin, settling deep in her heart.

By evening, the typhoon brought torrential rain to City A. The streets and sidewalks were awash as water streamed across the roads.

Lu Huaining received Mu Chenxi’s call just as he left a city government banquet. Slightly tipsy, he answered impatiently, his voice lazy and intoxicating.

Mu Chenxi listened, her blood stirring at the sound of his voice. Upon learning they were coincidentally in the same hotel, she hung up, excitement bubbling as she hurried toward the elevators, unable to contain her glee.

Meanwhile, in the top-floor suite, Lu Huaining tossed his phone aside with some heaviness and walked to the massive window. The glass, fogged with water vapor, blurred his view. He reached out to wipe away the droplets, but as his cool fingertips touched the glass, his hand moved almost involuntarily, tracing three characters.

He stared at them intently. Why, in this hazy moment, was he thinking of the one person he should never think about?

Annoyed, he meant to wipe them away, but his action instead became a clenched fist pounding the glass, shaking loose the mist.

Mu Chenxi, heart racing, pushed open the golden doors only to find the room empty. She dialed his number, and the ringtone sounded from the sofa. Stepping out, she saw his driver coming from the restroom.

“Where’s Mr. Lu?”

“Should be inside, right?” The driver was puzzled, but when she pushed the door open and glanced inside, the man from ten minutes prior was gone.

Mu Chenxi thought perhaps the slightly drunk man had found a quieter spot in the hotel to rest. She was about to ask at the front desk when the driver’s anxious voice called out, “Oh no—the young master took the car keys from the table!”