Chapter Thirty-Eight: Gossip and Apologies

“By the way, junior, let me ask you something.” Liu Yifei’s eyes spun mischievously, gossiping as she fixed her gaze on Chen Ling. “Have you ever dated Jing Tian?”

Chen Ling let out a bitter smile, thinking to himself, “Gossip truly is human nature, especially for women.”

“Come on, just tell me. I promise I won’t spread it around.” The more Chen Ling refused, the more curious Liu Yifei became.

“I have.” Seeing her so eager, Chen Ling decided to satisfy her curiosity. Besides, his relationship with Jing Tian wasn’t a secret; Liu Yifei was also a Beijing Film Academy graduate, and if she really wanted to know, she could easily find out.

“Was she your first love?”

When Chen Ling nodded, Liu Yifei grew even more excited—what a juicy scoop! The media reports weren’t unfounded after all.

“Then why did you break up?”

“Her family opposed it. They said we weren't suitable for each other.”

“Oh, that's a pity. You two actually made a good couple.”

“Was that album of yours really written for her?” Liu Yifei was clearly tipsy now, and she was determined to get to the bottom of this topic.

“Yes, it was for her.” Chen Ling didn’t deny it and nodded.

“But it wasn’t just the album, right? Can you honestly say ‘Breakup Buddies’ wasn’t made for her?” Staring into her sparkling eyes, Chen Ling didn’t dare say no, nor did he want to say yes; instead, he drained the last mouthful of wine from his glass.

“I knew it!” Seeing Chen Ling’s silence, Liu Yifei felt a thrill at uncovering the truth.

“Have you finished writing the ending song for the movie?” Tonight, Liu Yifei’s curiosity seemed insatiable; she clung to the topic relentlessly.

“No, I haven’t.” This time, Chen Ling didn’t lie—he really hadn’t decided which inspiration to draw upon.

“I find that hard to believe. With your talent, how could—” Liu Yifei’s words were cut off by the ringing of her phone.

She hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Hello, Mom, I’m out having dinner with Director Chen!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be home too late.”

“Yes, I brought a driver with me.”

“Alright, alright, I’m heading home soon.”

After hanging up, Liu Yifei tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and apologized, “Junior, my mom’s urging me to come home. How about we meet again another day?”

Chen Ling realized that Liu Yifei was actually a bit afraid of her mother. One phone call and she was ready to rush home.

“Yes, we’ve eaten and drunk enough, it’s time to go.” It was indeed getting late; it wouldn’t be appropriate for the two of them to stay out too long on their first dinner together.

“Don’t forget the puppy.” Chen Ling prepared to pay the bill. Although Liu Yifei had invited him, he felt he couldn’t let her cover it.

Seeing that Liu Yifei was still tipsy, he reminded her so she wouldn’t forget the dog.

“Stop calling him ‘puppy’ all the time. He has a name!”

“What’s his name?” Chen Ling realized he’d petted the dog for so long without knowing its name.

“His name is ‘Sorry.’”

“What? Why such a name?”

“He didn’t always have that name; I changed it specifically for the movie.” Liu Yifei lifted her head with pride.

Chen Ling noticed one benefit of being tall: when a girl stood close, she had to look up to meet his gaze, making it easier to see her features clearly. Jing Tian had been like this before, and Liu Yifei was the same. It seemed they were about the same height.

“All right, the director appreciates your dedication. If the next film has a role for you, I’ll call you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

In the end, Liu Yifei paid for dinner; Chen Ling couldn’t out-argue her. Well, at least he could boast that he was a man Liu Yifei had treated to dinner, he thought smugly.

As they left the private restaurant, Chen Ling keenly sensed someone watching him. That car parked at the corner seemed to have arrived after him, and he hadn’t seen anyone get out.

“Stop staring. It’s paparazzi,” Liu Yifei remarked after glancing at the car. Clearly, she recognized it.

“Sharp eyes, huh!” Chen Ling glanced at her, thinking, “She’s perceptive and clear-minded. Is she really tipsy?”

“If it’s paparazzi, let’s say hello.”

“What for?” Liu Yifei replied somewhat blankly. She didn’t really mind paparazzi—they were just doing their jobs—but she had no desire to go over and greet them. Then she saw Chen Ling flash a peace sign toward the suspected paparazzi’s car.

Liu Yifei covered her mouth with her hand, amused, and imitated him, flashing a peace sign in the same direction.

They weren’t mistaken—the car did contain paparazzi. At first, the two inside were nervous to have been discovered, as their profession wasn’t exactly well-liked.

But seeing the pair didn’t approach, and instead flashed peace signs, the paparazzi were a bit bewildered. Still, they reacted in time, and the gesture was captured clearly by the camera, likely to appear in news reports the next day.

……

Liu Yifei’s family was well-off; in the capital, where land was so precious, they owned a villa, worth a considerable sum at current market prices.

Upon returning home, Liu Yifei immediately spotted her mother waiting on the living room sofa. Her mother had approved tonight’s dinner with Chen Ling, but seeing her daughter out late alone with a man, she couldn’t help but call to remind her.

“Did you drink?” Liu Xiaoli asked, watching her daughter flop onto the sofa without even changing her shoes.

“I had a couple of glasses with Director Chen, not much.” Her long hair fell over her face, hiding her expression from her mother.

Concerned, Liu Xiaoli got up to pour a glass of warm water and placed it on the coffee table.

“Your film ‘Love Announcement’ will likely finish its run in the next few days. The director wants to host a celebration after it’s done.”

“Mm, I know.” Liu Yifei rolled over on the sofa to get more comfortable. “The total box office will probably settle just above fifty million.”

“That’s pretty good, considering it’s a low-budget film.”

Her mother’s reassurance only made Liu Yifei feel worse. Just two years ago, she’d starred in a film that grossed over a hundred million dollars worldwide; now, she had to celebrate a film breaking fifty million at the box office. These past two years, she’d only received one halfway decent offer—the downgrade in opportunities was obvious.

“Mom, I’ve made up my mind. Turn down the Hong Kong Island film offer for me. I’m going to focus on filming ‘Breakup Buddies.’”

Liu Yifei sat up, took a sip of water, and spoke calmly, having made her decision.

“That ‘A Chinese Ghost Story’ remake and Director Chen’s film really clash schedule-wise. If you turn it down, so be it.” Her mother agreed; she too felt the Hong Kong Island film wasn’t reliable. If there were no better options, exposure was exposure, and the filmmakers needed traffic. As for quality, who cares about a reheated remake?

With a better opportunity now, rejecting it was the right call.

“Mom, reject both films.”

“What?” Her mother was so shocked she nearly stood up. “Are you crazy? One of those films is a major production; it’s not comparable to that remake!”

Liu Yifei had mentioned wanting to decline both films a few days ago in the car, but under her mother’s insistence, she’d agreed to reconsider. Now, her resolve was unchanged.

“I’m not crazy, Mom. Directors and writers in Hong Kong and Taiwan can’t handle historical themes well.”

Her tone was calm now, the effects of the wine having faded.

“Director Chen’s script is excellent. It’s not just a comedy—if I perform well, maybe I won’t return to my former glory, but at least future offers won’t be so unreliable.”

“I’ve read the script too; it’s very good. But are you sure he can film it as well as it’s written?” Liu Yifei understood her mother’s concern: Chen Ling was young, with only one prior work. No matter how good the script, it meant nothing if the director couldn’t deliver.

“I trust him.” With those words, Liu Yifei stood and went upstairs to her room.

Watching her daughter ascend, Liu Xiaoli called out, “That Director Chen got entangled with girls from other departments when he was just a freshman; be careful in the crew.”

“Mm, I know.” Liu Yifei paused briefly on the stairs, then replied.