Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Ever since the last Weibo incident, Lu Li and Shen Sui’s fans had been tearing into each other relentlessly.

I figured Lu Li wanted to mend things with Shen Sui, because she’d chased him all the way to his company more than once.

She hadn’t joined a production for a long time, which sparked a huge wave of dissatisfaction among her fans. Her fan club was in complete turmoil.

I didn’t pay them any mind; I only heard about all this from Sister Zhou.

With those two no longer getting in my way, I could finally throw myself fully into my career.

I picked up plenty of awards, and I had both a strong reputation and high traffic.

It wasn’t some earth-shattering, explode-on-impact kind of fame, but at the very least, the road ahead had widened countless times over.

Sister Zhou sighed, which was rare for her.

“Back then, when the gossip accounts put you and Lu Li together, everyone thought you weren’t worthy. Now? No one will lump you in with her anymore. Congratulations-you’ve become a publicly recognized actress with real strength.”

I smiled and flipped another page of the script, telling her, “Because you told me acting is an actor’s lifeblood. I’ve never forgotten it.

“And I have to thank you, too-for never giving up on me.”

The current me would never again join a set blindly just because I had no roles. I finally had the right to choose good scripts.

Sister Zhou tilted her head and glanced at the script in my hands, her expression turning serious.

“Thank yourself. The one who never gave up on you was you.

“This project you’re holding has a pretty solid lineup. The director is…”

I smiled. She was right.

Thank you, Jiang Zhi-for always working hard, for always being brave.

Sister Zhou still didn’t know Shen Sui and I had been together.

She knew even less that he had waited downstairs at my apartment, night after night.

I never went to see him. Not once.

I said to him, “If you know you’re sorry to me, then don’t come and bother me.

“That’s the best compensation you can give me.”

Love that arrives late is better off not arriving at all.

It only made my throat tighten even more-like something stuck there-because it proved he could have done it. He knew exactly what I wanted.

But back then, he was so sure of himself. He believed I couldn’t leave him. He saw me as too small, too unimportant, and that was why he did so many things that broke my heart.

No matter how much you like someone, you can’t abase yourself into the dust.

When you place yourself too low, you stop loving yourself.

And when you don’t love yourself, it’s hard for anyone else to love you.

The last time I saw him was at the hospital.

Aunt Shen begged me to go take a look.

I glanced in through the window. Shen Sui’s lips were ghost-pale, and he lay on the bed looking frail and sick.

“I’ve seen him. I’m leaving.”

The hopeful light in Aunt Shen’s eyes dimmed. She held onto my hand and asked softly, “I know it’s selfish of me. But I still want to ask-can you really not start over?

“You two have feelings. Shen Sui is the type who talks tough. After you left him, the family said he was always coming home dead drunk. This time he drank until his stomach bled. I couldn’t bear it, so I called you here.”

I pulled my hand free.

“Auntie, no matter how you look at it, you shouldn’t be saying that.

“I didn’t do anything to wrong Shen Sui. And I have the right to choose to end this relationship.

“Please don’t contact me again. If it causes misunderstandings, that wouldn’t be good.”

Aunt Shen went blank for a moment, then murmured, “I understand.”

When I was almost out of the hospital, I hesitated, then ran back and hugged Aunt Shen.

“Thank you for acknowledging me back then.

“Thank you-truly.”

At the very beginning, no one had faith in me. Everyone thought I wasn’t good enough for Shen Sui.

There were plenty of cutting remarks. I’d taken more than my share of eye-rolls.

But my sincerity toward Shen Sui-she saw it before anyone else.

After that, Aunt Shen defended me at every turn. She let me feel secure for a long, long time.

I could feel how good she was to me.

It was just a shame that she was Shen Sui’s mother, and my connection with her existed because of Shen Sui.

My engagement to Shen Sui had been brought about by Aunt Shen herself.

After this, we’d probably never meet again.

I saw something glittering in her eyes. In the end, she ruffled my hair and said, “You’re a good girl.

“It’s our Shen Sui who doesn’t have the luck to keep you. He deserves it.”

I let go and smiled. “I know.”

I turned and waved goodbye.

Of course I know I’m good.

I’m hardworking and determined. I’m independent and strong. I have my own mind. I’m a really, really good person.

So if I’m not loved, that’s fine. That’s not my fault.

The road ahead is open and bright. I can’t let a man slow down the speed of my rise.

I’m not meant to be with Shen Sui. I’m meant to be his opponent.

Once I climb to the next level, my goal is to become capital myself.

My earliest idea was to build an entertainment company of my own. If that happens, then unfortunately, I’ll have no choice but to compete with Shen Sui for market share.

But that’s fine.

I like my ambition.

From Shen Sui, I learned a lot.

And I look forward to the day my ambition becomes real.