That night, Zhou Yining slept peacefully. When she woke up, Ji Dongyang was already gone. Mm… he had stuffed a pillow into her arms for her to hug. Looking at the pillow in her arms, Zhou Yining felt like smiling. Her mood would be good today.

As she was leaving, Wan Wei called, saying there was a spring event for the brand. “I’ve negotiated with the manufacturer. The event time is postponed until after you wrap filming.”

Zhou Yining asked, “Mm, will Shen Qing be going too?”

“She’s the other spokesperson; she’ll definitely go.”

“Okay, I got it.”

Wan Wei smiled. “I’ll go over in a few days and come back with you two.”

By “you two,” Wan Wei meant her and Lu Ling. Both were managed by Wan Wei. Lu Ling had debuted several years earlier than her and was a popular starlet with many fans, but she hadn’t had a chance to explode in popularity. This time, playing the second female lead under Zhou Yining, whenever there was news, her fans would come out saying the agent was biased. Poor Lu Ling has no backing; otherwise, she could have played the lead with Ji Dongyang and exploded in popularity.

Zhou Yining didn’t feel much about exploding in popularity. Fame and fortune were already very faint in her eyes. Alice had even teased her, saying she was clearly only in her early twenties but acted like a woman in her thirties.

While waiting for the elevator, Zhou Yining ran into Lu Ling and other colleagues. Lu Ling greeted her, and Zhou Yining nodded back.

They had nothing to say to each other, but Lu Ling wasn’t as confrontational as before; she seemed to have suddenly calmed down.

Yesterday, Lu Ling had even asked her assistant to bring Zhou Yining a box of small cakes. Remembering the cakes were still in the rest room, Zhou Yining stopped her as she stepped out of the elevator. “Lu Ling, wait.”

Lu Ling looked back at her. “Something wrong?”

Zhou Yining looked at her. Lu Ling let her assistant leave first.

The two stood in the corridor. Zhou Yining said directly, “You’ve suddenly been nice to me recently. I’m not used to it.”

Lu Ling smiled. “It’s nothing. Being on the crew for a long time, I feel you are indeed more suitable for the role of Pei Yuan than I am. You act very well. Director Wei praises you, Dong-ge likes you, it shows you really act well. I also admit I can’t compare to you in this role, so I just admitted defeat. We share the same agent. Sister Wei called and scolded me before. She’s right; I need to broaden my horizons.”

“Zhou Yining, I’m quite curious. Have you never been jealous of anyone?”

Zhou Yining said indifferently, “Nothing to be jealous of.”

When she was little, she envied her classmates who had parents accompanying them, but that was many years ago. She had forgotten what it felt like.

Lu Ling stared out the window. “That’s why Sister Wei said your horizons are higher than mine.”

She looked at Zhou Yining and said, “Counting it up, I think I’m much luckier than you. At least my parents love me very much.”

Zhou Yining froze, frowning at her. Lu Ling smiled. “Don’t worry. I haven’t told anyone about your matters.”

…

The Zhou family was in chaos at this moment. Zhou JiaHui had made a fuss all night yesterday. When Xia Yun woke up early this morning, she found Zhou JiaHui gone and couldn’t get through to her phone. She hurriedly went downstairs to stop Zhou Lihui, who was about to leave for the company. “Lihui, Huihui is missing!”

Zhou Lihui frowned. “Where could she go? She’s just throwing a tantrum and went out to play. She’ll be back in a few days.”

Xia Yun looked upset. “Right, now you don’t even care about our daughter. You only know how to worry about Zhou Yining. You scolded her so fiercely last night; how could Huihui bear it?”

Zhou Lihui’s face darkened. “If I don’t scold her, who knows what else she’ll do? Why does she always run over to trouble Ningning for no reason? The two of them haven’t gotten along since childhood. I used to hope they could get along as sisters, but since they can’t, don’t force it. Ningning has things she likes to do now, and Huihui works at the company. They usually don’t even see each other, so there shouldn’t be conflict. But Huihui just won’t listen.”

Xia Yun was furious but kept her tone calm. “So Zhou Yining pointing a knife at Huihui was right? What if she really hurt Huihui? They’re both your daughters; do you only blame Huihui?”

Zhou Lihui choked, then said, “That’s different.”

Xia Yun laughed. “How is it different? Because Zhou Yining is mentally abnormal?”

Zhou Lihui was shocked, glaring at her. “Don’t talk nonsense. Ningning is very normal now; she won’t hurt anyone.”

“It’s not like she hasn’t killed someone before.”

“Shut up!”

Zhou Lihui roared in anger. “I’ll have someone find Huihui. From now on, these matters are not allowed to be mentioned again.”

Xia Yun watched Zhou Lihui walk quickly away from home, stunned. It took her a while to recover. She had known Zhou Lihui since she was 18. They dated secretly. Later, Zhou Lihui obeyed his parents and married Qin Yuan in a political union. She was forced to separate from Zhou Lihui. Deep down, she hated it, but eventually, she married him.

For so many years, Zhou Lihui had always been good to her, rarely speaking loudly to her. A few days ago, they had a fight, and Zhou Lihui said, “If we can’t go on, let’s separate.” Then he suddenly became so attentive to Zhou Yining. Xia Yun held a grudge.

Zhou JiaHui disappeared for a day and a night without returning. When she finally came back, she was drunk, holding onto the door as she walked in, laughing happily.

Zhou Lihui and Xia Yun, who had worried for a day and a night, hurried over. Xia Yun supported her, scolding, “Huihui, you’re going to worry us to death. Your phone was off, and you didn’t even call Mom. Do you know I didn’t sleep a wink all night?”

Zhou JiaHui looked at Zhou Lihui on the side and pushed him. “You’re not my dad. You don’t like me; you only like Zhou Yining!”

Turning to hug Xia Yun, she laughed again. “Mom, you’re still the best.”

Xia Yun glanced at Zhou Lihui and patted her back. “Okay, okay, it’s good you’re back. Don’t do this next time…”

Zhou JiaHui hiccuped, stumbling a few steps. Zhou Lihui frowned. “Look at what you’ve drunk yourself into. Wouldn’t people laugh if they saw?”

Zhou JiaHui turned back, grinning. “Laugh? Dad, soon there will be an even bigger joke that everyone can see…”

Zhou Lihui frowned deeper. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Xia Yun patted Zhou JiaHui. “Alright, alright, the child is drunk and talking nonsense. Auntie Zhang, draw a bath for the young miss and brew some hangover tea.”

…

Zhou Yining returned home at exactly 9 PM. Qin Yuan called. She said, “I’m coming back today.”

Zhou Yining’s tone was calm. “I told you, you don’t need to come back.”

Qin Yuan smiled. Zhou Yining only came to live with her at 17, but her temperament was very much like hers, stubborn about certain things, not easily changed. Zhou Yining was even more stubborn than her. “I’m going back to see you. If the situation isn’t good, I’ll take you back to the UK.”

Not giving her a chance to say more, Qin Yuan hung up.

Qin Yuan regretted it. She regretted leaving without taking her daughter, but she hadn’t expected Zhou Lihui to let her daughter call Xia Yun “Mom.” When her daughter was 7, she thought about taking her away, but Zhou Lihui disagreed. They were deadlocked for a while. Her 7-year-old daughter told her coldly, “I won’t go with you. You are not my mother.”

That sentence hurt her too.

No matter what she said, her daughter refused to leave with her, refused to call her Mom, preferring to stay with Zhou Lihui.

Helpless, Qin Yuan returned to the UK. She went back to see her once or twice a year. It wasn’t until she was 17 that she realized she was abnormal, irritable, hitting people, smashing things, even showing tendencies of world-weariness.

Only then did Qin Yuan realize.

If she didn’t take her away, she would be ruined.

Her daughter returned to the UK with her. She tried to get her to accept psychological treatment. Every time she mentioned it, she got angry and smashed things.

During that time, the relationship between mother and daughter was more distant than strangers.

Qin Yuan was exhausted. She couldn’t control her. For a period, she had let her be. Then, the incident happened.

Ultimately, it was she and Zhou Lihui who harmed their daughter.

…

Zhou Yining stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, looking up at the sky. It was raining again tonight; not a single star, inexplicably oppressive.

She took a bottle of red wine from the cabinet, leaning against the window to drink slowly, recalling when she was forcibly sent to the hospital.

Qin Yuan said, “Ningning, you’re sick. Listen to Mom; let’s get inpatient treatment.”

Zhou Lihui stood aside, sighing. Qin Yuan looked at him coldly. “Ningning became like this all because of you. So what if she didn’t want to go back? You stopped her cards and provoked her so much. If something really happened, what would you do?”

Zhou Lihui stood aside, silent, letting Qin Yuan vent her anger.

Zhou Yining listened numbly, finally saying one word: “Okay.”

At that time, she was truly in despair, feeling the whole world was dim and lightless, always someone stepping on her, dragging her into the abyss.

Whenever her despair reached its limit, the image of that night when she was cornered by robbers always floated in her mind, the way that man lit the lighter. That tiny flame could bring a beam of light to her dim heart. As long as she saw that light, she could live.

Now, that man was hers.

She couldn’t leave him.

Putting down the wine glass, Zhou Yining went to take a shower.

When she came out, her phone was ringing madly. Zhou Yining walked over and saw it was Wan Wei.

“Sister Wei, what…”

Wan Wei interrupted her. “Yining, tell me the truth.”

Zhou Yining heard the wrong tone in her voice and pursed her lips. “Did something happen?”

Wan Wei was silent for a few seconds. “Top trending on Weibo. Someone exposed you: mental illness, cohabiting with lesbians, love triangle, killed someone.”

Zhou Yining’s mind went blank instantly. The phone slipped from her hand. She stood frozen as if struck by lightning.

Wan Wei’s voice came faintly from the receiver on the floor.

“Is this true? You never told me. You should have told me these things. Now Weibo trending is full of exposures about you. Every entertainment news push is about you. Major entertainment news outlets are revising tomorrow’s headlines…”

“What’s wrong? Zhou Yining? Can you hear me?”

“This matter is blown up quite big. I’ll find a way to solve it. You… don’t do anything rash…”

“I’ll catch the earliest flight tomorrow.”

“I’ll call Zhang Ran and A Ming.”

…

Zhou Yining couldn’t hear what Wan Wei was saying. Her mind was a blur, yet incredibly clear.

Weibo top trending. Major entertainment headlines.

Everyone knew she was sick. Everyone knew she had killed someone. Everyone was laughing at her for being a lesbian. Their cold faces turned towards her, mocking her, scolding her, calling her a lunatic, shameless…

Including Ji Dongyang. How could he like a lunatic?

Last night, he even coldly asked her, “Are you crazy?” He didn’t mean it, but he definitely didn’t know she had truly been crazy.

Wan Wei hung up at some point. Less than three seconds later, the ringtone blared suddenly. Zhou Yining didn’t look. Her thin body swayed as she walked to the window. Heavy rain poured outside the floor-to-ceiling window, accompanied by strong winds blowing the curtains high, flapping loudly.

Her body was snow-white, her black slip dress taken by the wind, looking like a dark angel.

Major entertainment headlines

“Zhou Yining rumored to have Dissociative Identity Disorder and Bipolar Disorder, playing herself in The Heart Knot. No wonder Wei Zhong picked her.”

“Zhou Yining once shot and killed someone in the UK, cohabited with lesbians, frequented gay bars, private life chaotic and promiscuous.”

“Shocking! Zhou Yining suffers from mental illness, once shot and killed someone.”

…

Photos of her with Zhang Hui and Alice were exposed. Her decadent, pale face was exposed to the public. Comments and reposts increased continuously. Everyone was shocked by this news.

“Killing? Mental illness? Lesbian? Oh my god…”

“Heavens, so chaotic. Never seen a female star with such a chaotic private life! Shooting and killing? That’s a crime, right? Oh wait, she’s mentally ill. Mentally ill people have a license to kill.”

“Real or fake? This news is too explosive, even more than my male god’s secret marriage. Zhou Yining’s old photos look so chaotic. The entertainment industry is indeed deep waters. Did she offend someone? Suddenly so much dirt exposed.”

“That cheating scandal of Lu Kun next door got buried just like that. Is Zhou Yining a savior?”

…

Ji Dongyang checked Weibo immediately after receiving A Ming’s call. Just one glance, and his face changed drastically. He stood up abruptly. “I have something to do; leaving first.”

Lu Xiao was surprised. “What is it? So urgent? Something happened with your parents?”

Ji Dongyang: “No.”

He didn’t have time to explain. Running downstairs, he rushed into his car in the rain, stepped on the gas, and drove off.

It was raining heavily. The windshield wipers scraped at his panicked heart. Zhou Yining not answering her phone made the panic in his heart grow.

The phone rang continuously. Its owner didn’t even glance at it.

She stood at the window for a long time. The night wind chilled her to the bone, from her body to her heart.

She didn’t know how much time passed. Suddenly, she turned around, pulled a bottle of wine from the cabinet, and smashed it hard. The bottle shattered, wine splashing. She felt a thrill. Smashing bottle after bottle, the more she smashed, the more thrilled she felt. The blood in her whole body came alive again. The sound of shattering bottles gave her a perverted, eerie peace of mind.

Someone rang the doorbell, followed by bang bang bang knocking.

She heard nothing, immersed in her own chaotic world.

Then came the sound of unlocking.

Zhou Yining grabbed the last bottle from the cabinet and smashed it down hard. Just then, the door opened.

Ji Dongyang, half-drenched, rushed in panic. What he saw was her smashing wine bottles like a madwoman. A floor full of shards and wine. She stood in the middle of that chaos, face pale, body pale. Shards flew, scratching her slender white ankles, seeping blood…

Zhou Yining whipped her head around to look at him, eyes bloodshot, freezing in place.

The next second, she covered her face and screamed, “Who let you in? Get out!”

She didn’t want him to see her like this. She didn’t want him to know she was a lunatic.

Then she curled up on the ground, wanting to find a place to hide herself.

Ji Dongyang turned his face away slightly. He knew she was sick, knew her mood wasn’t good sometimes, but he hadn’t expected to see such a scene. He closed his eyes, unable to bear watching, his heart aching like it was being pricked by needles.

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