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Saturday, 31 May 2025

A Hundred Years at a Glance, No Longer Hurried - Chapter 11

Self-Deception 

Lu Mingxin first rested in her room for a while, then went downstairs for lunch, and then she took an afternoon nap.

Ever since arriving in the West, because the daily expenses were very high, the filming intensity had always been great. Although her health had always been good, she still felt fatigued. Now, with a rare day off, she slept soundly, well into the afternoon.

When she opened her eyes, the evening glow was already spilling into the room. The sunset in the Northwest, like the other scenery in this region, exuded an inexplicable sense of magnificence and vastness.

The lingering sun could tarry long in the western sky, gradually transforming from fiery red clouds to a line of bluish-purple twilight.

When she turned over and got up, that was the sunset she saw. In summer, the sun sets late. She glanced back at the digital clock on her bedside table and only then realized it was already seven o'clock in the evening.

She looked around but didn't see Gu Qinglan. She was somewhat surprised: although he had said he was going to the hospital to visit Li Jin, seven o'clock was already past dinnertime. Gu Qinglan's stomach wasn't very good, and he usually paid the most attention to these things, having dinner at six o'clock sharp every day, without fail.

Even Wei Jingguo knew this. In a film crew where actors generally had to work until seven or eight o'clock before wrapping up, he would end Gu Qinglan's scenes early every day so that he could return to the hotel for dinner on time. Lu Mingxin even benefited from this, being able to return to the hotel with him before six o'clock.

Jumping out of bed, she searched the room but still couldn't find him. Had Gu Qinglan not returned? But where else could he have gone? After a moment's thought, she called his mobile phone. To her surprise, Gu Qinglan's phone was switched off.

She paused for a moment, then immediately called the driver who picked them up and dropped them off every day. That driver's surname was Wu; ever since they arrived in the Northwest, he had been their daily driver.

Even more unexpectedly, when Driver Wu answered the phone, he immediately stated that Gu Qinglan had notified him at noon to return to Jing City, and he was currently on his way back.

Fortunately, she didn't dwell on it for too long, because the doorbell rang. She hurried to open it and saw Mo Qi standing outside. He had clearly spent half a day at the hospital, and his expression was also somewhat weary.

Smiling at her, Mo Qi then said, "By the way, Mr. Gu called me this afternoon and asked me to tell you... He said he had some urgent family matters to attend to and has returned to his ancestral home first."

As he spoke, he sighed: "What kind of dog-shit luck did you, girl, stumble upon? Mr. Gu even specifically instructed me to tell you only after seven o'clock... He said you can't take afternoon naps, because if you do, you'll definitely sleep until sunset. If I came earlier, I would wake you."

Lu Mingxin was stunned for a moment, then said "Oh." She looked at Mo Qi's familiar handsome face before her and suddenly said, "Qi-ge, when we first met, did you feel... like we hit it off immediately? That kind of feeling, as if we knew each other in a past life, so meeting in this life felt particularly congenial?"

Mo Qi laughed. He used to like to pat her head, without a hint of romantic ambiguity, purely like an older brother's affection for a beloved younger sister.

After learning that she was engaged to Gu Qinglan, he had even given up this gesture to avoid any misunderstanding or jealousy from Gu Qinglan.

Now, he raised his hand again and stroked her hair, his tone gentle after having settled: "Of course, I feel like we must have been long-lost siblings in a previous life."

His palm was different from Gu Qinglan's, carrying a warm temperature. Lu Mingxin looked up at him and smiled: "I think so too!"

Mo Qi smiled again and patted her shoulder.

The flight from the West back to the East was not short. When the private jet landed in Rong City, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon. Besides Gu Qinglan and Ren Ran, the silent driver had also arrived with them on the plane.

Although this was already Gu family territory, the car that came to pick them up was still a Bentley that had never been registered under the Gu family's assets.

After getting into the car, Gu Qinglan leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes, coughing softly from time to time. Just as the driver had said, given his physical condition, he was not suited for such a medium-haul flight. Thus, his complexion was even paler than when he was in the West, his lips not only thin but also tinged with a faint bluish-purple.

Ren Ran had gone with the driver to pick him up. He was a doctor, and no matter how naturally indifferent he was, he couldn't help but frown: "Looking like this, are you planning to find the person who harmed you, then splatter your blood in front of them, fulfilling their wish?"

Gu Qinglan still kept his eyes slightly closed, a faint smile playing on his lips: "If my dying in front of her could make her1 a little happier, then I would have fulfilled my filial duty."

From his words, Ren Ran couldn't tell if he was referring to a "he" or a "she." He was momentarily stunned, then asked in surprise, "Could it be Old Master Gu who wants to harm you? Aren't you his only son? Why go to such lengths?"

Gu Qinglan didn’t bother to explain, merely turning his head to cough hoarsely. Seeing him not answer, Ren Ran also said no more, just slightly raised his long eyebrows and turned his face away.

The road from the airport to the Gu family's ancestral home was clear, with few vehicles. In just twenty minutes, they had arrived at the Gu residence. After the car entered the courtyard and stopped before the main entrance, the person who stepped forward to open the car door was Housekeeper Zhou, who had been waiting with some anxiety.

Seeing Gu Qinglan get out of the car, he quickly said, "Sir, your complexion is terrible. Has your illness flared up?"

Gu Qinglan smiled faintly at him, avoiding the question, and instead asked, "Is Mother at home today?"

In front of outsiders, he always referred to Yuan Yingjie as "Mother," a term lacking intimacy and instead carrying a subtle sense of distance.

Seeing that his first words upon disembarking were to inquire about Yuan Yingjie, Housekeeper Zhou's expression stiffened for a moment before he replied, "Madam is at home."

Although Gu Qinglan had taken over some of the Gu family's business operations after returning to the country, most affairs were still personally overseen by Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng was also a notorious workaholic. Today was not a weekend, and he usually wouldn't return home until eight or nine in the evening. At this time, he certainly wouldn't be at the ancestral home.

Gu Qinglan just smiled and then stepped into the entrance hall of his family home. The front hall of the Gu residence was actually not much larger than his own villa in Jing City, but the overall area was much larger. After several generations of expansion, the structure was complex, with many rooms.

From the guards at the front gate receiving news of his return to him walking into the front hall, Yuan Yingjie had only just rushed over from her own room.

Seeing his pale complexion at a glance, Yuan Yingjie was also stunned for a moment, then immediately asked in a worried tone, "Xiao Lan, are you ill again? Your face looks so pale."

Gu Qinglan smiled gently at her and then spoke: "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I'm fine."

Their mother-son conversation, if witnessed by outsiders, could definitely be considered a model of maternal affection and filial piety. But only they themselves could see the icy coldness in each other's eyes.

Gu Qinglan turned to Ren Ran and said, "Mr. Ren, please wait a moment with Guo Jia in the front. I have a few words to say to my mother."

The driver who had followed him back from the West to the Gu residence was named Guo Jia. Ren Ran had no objection to this, nodded, and followed the servant who was guiding them to the living room.

It was Guo Jia who, before leaving, took a deep look at Gu Qinglan before moving. Although Ren Ran and Guo Jia had left, there were still other servants in the living room. Yuan Yingjie's tone remained very amiable, even carrying a perfectly appropriate touch of reproach: "Xiao Lan, your health isn't good. Why didn't you rest instead of rushing home?"

Gu Qinglan glanced at her faintly. He had lived in this home for over twenty years, yet he still didn't understand how a woman could display completely different demeanors in public and in private.

Thinking this, he curled his lips into a faint smile: "Mother, let's go to the study to talk. It's quieter there."

The Gu family's study was the same one Lu Mingxin had caused trouble in during her childhood. It was far from the front hall, in the deepest part of the residence, and had always been the quietest place in the Gu estate.

Gu Sheng disliked going to this overly quiet study; conversely, Gu Qinglan, since childhood, had often read books there.

Yuan Yingjie's expression stiffened only slightly, then she maintained her loving smile and said, "Alright."

Gu Qinglan slightly lowered his head and said in a low voice to Housekeeper Zhou, who was following behind him, "Uncle Zhou, please come too."

The three of them walked towards the study. The atmosphere could hardly be described as harmonious and joyful. It was as if they all knew what they were about to face, so they were all exceptionally silent.

Gu Qinglan still politely allowed Yuan Yingjie to enter first, then followed her in. Housekeeper Zhou closed the door, and the conversation that was about to take place was sealed off by the heavy oak door.

Yuan Yingjie turned around in front of the desk, looked directly into Gu Qinglan's eyes, and was the first to tear off her harmonious mask: "What exactly do you want to say?"

Yuan Yingjie was twenty-two years older than him, and this year she was just over fifty. She had been beautiful in her youth, and later, living a life of luxury and paying attention to maintenance, like all pampered women, she looked fair-skinned and radiant. Looking at her appearance, one might even think she had just turned forty.

Gu Qinglan looked at her, smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly, and said softly, "Mother, you've been playing this game for twenty years. Don't you feel tired?"

Yuan Yingjie's expression had long since turned cold. This was her attitude towards Gu Qinglan when they were alone, and it was also Gu Qinglan's most profound impression of her since he could remember.

In his earliest, hazy memories, he was still very young. At that time, he didn't understand why his mother, who was gentle and kind to him in front of his father and others, would treat him that way.

It wasn't just indifference; she would find every possible way to make him suffer. Hitting him would leave scars and marks, so she would cover his mouth and nose with her hand, only letting go when he was on the verge of suffocation.

When it was just the two of them, she wouldn't give him food or water, and would punish him by making him stand in the corner for no reason. If he showed the slightest sign of being unable to hold on, she would sneer and scold him.

His stomach had been weak since his youth. Gu Sheng thought it was due to a congenital deficiency that he had developed a chronic illness so early. In reality, it was the result of years of abuse.

When Lu Mingxin was little, she thought he was old-fashioned and boring, always holding a book, like an uninteresting adult. But how could he not have wished to play freely in front of his parents like her?

But his right to act like a child and be spoiled had long been stripped away. Besides trying his best to remain silent, he didn't know any other way to avoid his mother's harsh treatment.

It was only when he grew a little older that he realized how simple it was for an adult to deliberately abuse a minor, especially when that adult was the minor's parent, and how easy it was to evade punishment.

Yuan Yingjie had been too covert. For so many years, Gu Sheng, including the servants and housekeeper at home, had hardly noticed anything.

Gu Sheng was busy with work and rather appreciated his silence and precociousness. After all, to him, whether his eldest son was happy or not wasn't important; as long as he could inherit the Gu family, he was the best child.

He had also once thought that his mother simply disliked children. But when his younger sister, Gu Qingyue, was born, he saw on his mother's face the same tenderness and affection that other mothers had.

So he knew that Yuan Yingjie's malice was directed solely at him. And all of this, in his sixteenth year, was answered by a DNA comparison he commissioned from a hospital.

He was Gu Sheng's son, but not Yuan Yingjie's... They had no blood relation at all, so how could there be any mother-son affection?

It was also in that year that he and Yuan Yingjie had a private confrontation, beginning their opposition. The following year, he applied to a university abroad and left for several years.

Gu Sheng, whether he had guessed something or not, tacitly allowed him not to return to the country for several years, and also agreed to him living long-term in Jing City after his return, under the pretext of school work.

Just staring at him so coldly, Yuan Yingjie's eyes held undisguised hatred and disgust. She sneered, "Why should I stop playing? The pleasure of watching you suffer is clearly stronger than any entertainment."

Curling his lip, Gu Qinglan said softly, "Mother, but this time your actions were a bit excessive... You can target me however you like, but please don't involve innocent people."

The accident that occurred at the film studio that morning, even the media hadn't gotten wind of it, yet Yuan Yingjie seemed to have known about it long ago. She sneered, "You truly have a charmed life, to actually have the Li family's young master shield you."

Gu Qinglan still smiled, his voice consistently mild: "And bribing Housekeeper Zhou by my side, instructing him to poison my medicine, that’s rather vicious, isn’t it... If it weren't for my private doctor, perhaps Mother wouldn't even see me today."

Even after tearing apart the facade of maternal affection and filial piety, Gu Qinglan had always given her enough face in public and private. Words as blunt as today's were also a first.

Yuan Yingjie clearly hadn't expected him to be so "bold" now. Her exquisitely made-up, snow-white face instantly flushed a little, and she blurted out a curse: "Dealing with someone like you, no means are too extreme!"

In contrast to her furious outburst, Gu Qinglan maintained a consistently calm and composed demeanor. He smiled faintly, his voice low yet carrying an irrefutable composure: "Mother, I am the eldest son of the Gu family, your son. If I am an unworthy person, where would your and Father's dignity lie?"

His words clearly touched Yuan Yingjie's sore spot. Her face turned from red to white, and she was so angry she spoke without thinking: "Who's your mother? You're the spawn of that lowly woman! Don't dare say it to disgust me!"

Gu Qinglan looked at her with a hint of pity and chuckled softly: "Mother, what are you saying? Anyone familiar with the Gu family knows that I am your biological son. Where's the 'lowly woman' you speak of?"

His attitude was too calm. The more exasperated Yuan Yingjie became, the more she fell into a disadvantageous position. She also realized this, and swallowed many more words that were on the tip of her tongue. After a long while, she finally let out a cold laugh: "Very good, truly my 'good son'."

Gu Qinglan still looked at her with a smile, softening his voice. His already light tone became even more like it was about to dissipate into the air: "Mother, if you know when to stop, then we can still be a good 'mother and son'. If not... I am no longer the helpless child you could slaughter at will back then."

He had always presented himself with a gentle and refined demeanor. Yuan Yingjie was even more accustomed to his "filial piety" in public, and his indifference in private.

It wasn't until today, hearing him say such threatening words with a smile, that she suddenly became alert: he had truly grown up a lot. He was no longer that silent, yet obedient and sensible child from back then, who tried hard to please her.

Not only that, but he had also become deeply scheming. His words and actions carried a sharpness and pressure that surpassed even his father's. She involuntarily took a step back, her waist bumping against the desk behind her before she stopped.

She remembered that autumn, when she was still a newcomer in the Gu family's business. In the heavy rain that night, she saw Gu Sheng sitting downstairs in the company building.

A newcomer of her status had only seen him at company-wide meetings. She remembered that handsome face, knew he was the master of the Gu clan, and also the person who could control her destiny in the future.

Now, this person was sitting on the ground beneath his own company building, his suit completely soaked, looking as if he had been abandoned by the whole world.

She mustered her courage, opened her umbrella, and walked over to hold it above his head. She understood that in her entire life, she might never have a second chance like this. So she smiled gently at him, pretending not to recognize who he was.

She said, "Sir, you'll catch a cold in the rain. You must take care of your health."

She thought this would be a romantic love story of a prince and Cinderella. But that day, he turned to look at her, his eyes vacant, as if he hadn't seen her at all, or perhaps he was looking through her, at someone else.

He only said three sentences to her: "Do you want to be my wife? Do you want to be my son's mother? Do you want to be the mistress of the Gu clan?"

After those three sentences, her dream shattered. Yet, in the end, she said: "Yes."

So from that day on, she became the girlfriend of the Gu clan's master. The following month, they held their wedding. She no longer had to work, spending her days confined within the Gu family's grand courtyard, "pregnant."

Seven months later, she held a baby boy, accepting congratulations as the mistress of the Gu family and the mother of the eldest son.

For so many years, she had no idea who this child's mother was. Gu Sheng had hidden her too well; even if she hired private detectives, she couldn't find any trace.

And for so many years, Gu Sheng had actually dared to believe that she would love this child, that she would accept the "son's" love in this awkward identity.

Seeing her no longer speaking, Gu Qinglan smiled, turned, and walked towards the door. Housekeeper Zhou had been standing behind him with his head bowed. At this moment, he quickly opened the door for him.

Gu Qinglan, however, didn't even glance at him, merely stepping out. Staring at his back, Yuan Yingjie's voice was hoarse and gloomy, entirely devoid of its usual gentle elegance: "If you were willing to die, to leave the Gu family to Qingyue... you would be my best son."

She thought Gu Qinglan would turn back to look at her, but he merely gave a cold smile, leaving her with a silent back.

Being "disobeyed" by him for the first time, she was so angry she lost her composure. Seeing him not turn back, she gritted her teeth and said, "You worthless scum, do you think you’re worthy of marrying Yanqiu's daughter? If you were willing to leave her, I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to have you die!"

Her mention of Lu Mingxin finally made Gu Qinglan stop at the door. He turned back to look at her, the perfunctory sneer on his lips gone: "Although I know you probably won't take my warning to heart... however, please be smart, don't touch Mingxin."

His gaze at this moment was too cold. Yuan Yingjie instinctively felt afraid. She immediately reacted, blurting out, "Do you think I'm a cold-blooded villain? Mingxin is Yanqiu's daughter, how could I harm her?"

Perhaps seeing her resolute attitude, and guessing that she had no intention of dealing with Lu Mingxin, Gu Qinglan finally withdrew his gaze.

He curled his lip slightly, no longer looking at her, and said faintly, "That's good then."

He left the study, Housekeeper Zhou still following closely behind him.

He was already old. In a short while, a layer of cold sweat had formed on his forehead, dampening his graying hair. He was no longer the elegant old housekeeper, but just an anxious old man.

In the empty corridor, Gu Qinglan walked silently in front of him. It wasn't until they were about to see a corner of the living room that he finally couldn't help but speak: "Sir, Madam paid for my wife's surgery fees..."

Gu Qinglan stopped his steps. He said softly, "Did you ask me?"

Housekeeper Zhou paused. He had, after all, been with him for many years. Without needing him to say more, he understood the meaning behind his words and stammered, "No..."

Gu Qinglan turned his head slightly to look at him, his gaze cold: "You didn't ask me, so how did you know I wouldn't be willing to help you out of your difficulties?"

Gu Qinglan smiled. His face was still as pale as snow, but the gaze with which he looked down at him was as if he were a piece of trash he wouldn't deign to look at again: "Someone like you, I will no longer use... Go home. I will have my lawyer sue you for poisoning. Remember to receive the arrest warrant."

Ever since learning that Gu Qinglan had left without saying goodbye, Lu Mingxin had felt that something was amiss. She was, of course, also angry. Even if he had urgent family matters, why didn't he tell her in person? Even if it was urgent, couldn't he have at least called her?

But she still didn't dare to directly call Gu Qinglan and yell: What family matter could you possibly have that you can't discuss with me? You should know I'm your wife, your legal wife!

So, after thinking about it for a long time that night, she finally adopted a compromise: She called Gu Qinglan's mother, who was also her own mother's best friend.

The call connected quickly. Yuan Yingjie's voice was as kind and amiable as she remembered, and also carried obvious surprise: "Mingxin? Is there something you need from me?"

See, it was still Auntie Yuan... no, future mother-in-law, who was kind. She didn't even start with pleasantries, clearly treating her as one of her own.

Thus, Lu Mingxin, being treated as "one of her own," didn't hesitate to complain to her future mother-in-law: "Auntie, Qinglan suddenly abandoned me and returned to the East. I've been left all alone at the Western Film City! Don't you think he's in the wrong?"

Yuan Yingjie was silent for a moment. Lu Mingxin guessed she might be organizing her words to comfort her, so she listened with satisfaction. After a while, Yuan Yingjie had probably composed herself, and when she spoke again, her tone was even more cordial and gentle: "Is that so? Xiao Lan, this child, is indeed in the wrong. I’ll talk to him about it."

Lu Mingxin's little heart, saddened by Gu Qinglan's heartless abandonment, received excellent comfort and instantly felt much better. She then pressed further: "Qinglan said he suddenly returned because of a family matter. Is something wrong with you and Uncle Gu?"

Yuan Yingjie was silent again for a while before continuing, "No, Xiao Lan's father and I are both fine."

Lu Mingxin then said "Aih": "Could it be he didn't return to the ancestral home? Did he go back to Jing City? I thought he went back to your and Uncle Gu's place."

Yuan Yingjie could only say again: "Not exactly, he did come back this afternoon for a bit..."

Lu Mingxin finally found out Gu Qinglan's whereabouts and instantly perked up: "Really? Was he unwell when he got home? When we were filming, there was a small accident, a colleague was injured. Qinglan was almost hit at the time. Afterwards, I noticed his complexion wasn't good. He refused to rest and insisted on rushing home."

Yuan Yingjie was clearly the most aware of whether Gu Qinglan was unwell, but she evidently didn't want to say much to Lu Mingxin, merely responding vaguely, "Xiao Lan is fine, he looked quite well to me."

Yuan Yingjie was Gu Qinglan's mother. Logically, if a mother said her son was fine, then he must be fine. After all, a biological mother is the most attentive to her child's condition.

But Lu Mingxin somehow felt a little skeptical. Because Yuan Yingjie was her mother's best friend, she had seen more of her when she was little. In her impression, Auntie Yuan had always been beautiful and kind, and very good to her.

But children are also the most sensitive. Even as a child, she felt there was something strange about the way Yuan Yingjie and Gu Qinglan interacted. Although Yuan Yingjie's attitude towards Gu Qinglan could also be described as gentle, it always seemed to carry a layer of formality.

If a mother's attitude towards her own son contained a hint of politeness, then it definitely couldn't be considered normal.

Moreover, ever since the accident, Gu Qinglan's complexion had indeed been somewhat poor. She had lived with him for several months and knew that his constitution, to put it bluntly, was like that of a glass doll. A little bump or bruise, a little too cold or too hot, and it would take him a long time to recover. Otherwise, she wouldn't always be so careful.

So, if his complexion was poor in the West, it made no sense for him to be perfectly fine after a long journey back to Rong City.

Because she doubted Yuan Yingjie's words, Lu Mingxin also fell silent. Lu Mingxin, in daily life, as long as she wasn't deliberately hiding her emotions, could basically have her thoughts guessed from a single sentence. She said, "Oh."

Yuan Yingjie clearly heard her suspicion. Feeling uneasy, she quickly explained, "Well, not really. Xiao Lan's face was a bit pale. So I asked him, and he said he was fine."

Unfortunately, Yuan Yingjie, who was usually clever, made a blunder this time. She forgot that in the eyes of a straightforward person like Lu Mingxin, Yuan Yingjie, as the mother, concealing Gu Qinglan's physical condition from her, Gu Qinglan's future wife, must be out of goodwill – that is, to prevent her from worrying.

Lu Mingxin also heard her attempt to cover things up, and her imagination immediately ran wild: Gu Qinglan's health must definitely be in trouble! Otherwise, why would he leave her and return to the East without a word? And even have his mother lie to her, saying he was fine!

Thinking this, she almost burst into tears. Qinglan-gege still didn't trust her enough. When he was suffering, he didn't want her by his side.

Agitated, she threw all caution to the wind: "Auntie, is Qinglan still at the ancestral home? I'll come back to see you all tomorrow!"

After saying that, she didn't wait for Yuan Yingjie's reaction and immediately hung up the phone: She had to quickly call Liu Fenfang to book the earliest flight to Rong City for tomorrow! There was no time for idle chatter.

Yuan Yingjie on the other end stared blankly at the disconnected call on her phone screen. For a moment, she almost suspected that Gu Qinglan had already told Lu Mingxin about their conflict, and that the two of them had already colluded.

Otherwise, why would Lu Mingxin call her and say such a string of inexplicable things?

Fortunately, she quickly calmed down. Based on her understanding of her best friend and her husband, and her observation of Lu Mingxin herself, it was more likely that this daughter was simply scatterbrained.

But... Lu Mingxin said she was coming to the ancestral home tomorrow? Yuan Yingjie stared at the darkened phone screen, thinking of Gu Qinglan, who was currently in the study, doors closed, chatting with Gu Sheng, and secretly gritted her teeth.

Gu Sheng returned home at his usual time. Upon arriving, he saw his son, who hadn't returned to the ancestral home for a long time and hadn't even brought his fiancée home for their engagement. His expression showed little surprise, merely a faint, "You're back?"

Gu Qinglan's calm disposition was somewhat inherited from Gu Sheng. He also smiled faintly and said, "Yes, Dad."

Seeing him, Gu Sheng was ultimately pleased. Noticing at a glance that his complexion wasn't good, he turned to the old family housekeeper and said, "Uncle Gu, have any light dishes been prepared tonight? If not, quickly add a couple for Xiao Lan."

The head steward of the Gu family's ancestral home was a member of the Gu clan. He was ten years older than Gu Sheng, and by generation, even Gu Sheng had to call him "Uncle."

Uncle Gu agreed: "When Young Master returned this afternoon, I already informed the kitchen. We were just waiting for you, Sir, to return for dinner."

Yuan Yingjie stood by with a smile, but her expression was slightly stiff. Ever since she married into the family more than twenty years ago, although she was the mistress of the Gu residence, Uncle Gu, relying on his status as a Gu family member and his seniority, often made arrangements without consulting her.

Especially when it came to matters concerning Gu Qinglan, Uncle Gu was even more inclined to act on his own, as if in his eyes, the master of this house could only be surnamed Gu.

Gu Qinglan also smiled at Uncle Gu: "Thank you, Granduncle."

This time, Gu Qinglan not only returned himself but also brought Ren Ran and Guo Jia. Uncle Gu had already arranged guest rooms for them early on and had someone tidy up Gu Qinglan's room again, fearing he wouldn't be comfortable.

With a few more guests, there were more people at the dinner table. Gu Sheng sat at the head of the table. Seeing Gu Qinglan's pale face and light cough, he couldn't help but show some concern: "Xiao Lan isn't feeling well, there's no need to wait for me for dinner. His stomach is already weak; he shouldn't have to wait hungry at home for me."

Uncle Gu stood behind him and naturally replied, "The family rule has always been to wait for the Master to return for dinner. I can arrange for extra dishes beforehand, but I cannot change the dinner time without Madam's instruction."

Gu Sheng glanced at Yuan Yingjie without a trace, and when he spoke again, his tone was even fainter: "Xiao Lan rarely comes back. As his mother, you should also show him more concern."

Yuan Yingjie's smile became even more forced. She could only hand the soup bowl to Gu Qinglan, feigning concern: "It’s my fault for being careless. Xiao Lan, your stomach is weak. Drink some soup to warm it up before eating."

Gu Qinglan took it and smiled, his tone also gentle: "It's alright, thank you, Mother."

Ren Ran was a clever man. This meal seemed like a harmonious family gathering, but in just a few short sentences, it was not difficult to see the undercurrents.

Furthermore, Gu Qinglan had a long talk with Yuan Yingjie in the closed-door study in the afternoon, and after coming out, he dismissed his own housekeeper. Yuan Yingjie also didn't emerge from the study for a long time. If he still couldn't see that there was a problem between this mother and son, he would be blind.

No matter how cold Gu Sheng's temperament was, he was, after all, an aging father. Seeing Gu Qinglan, his mood improved considerably. After dinner, he asked Gu Qinglan to accompany him to the study to talk.

Yuan Yingjie and Ren Ran exchanged a few casual words before going upstairs to their rooms. It was at this time that Lu Mingxin's call came through. After a confusing conversation, she announced she was coming over tomorrow.

Hanging up the phone, Yuan Yingjie thought for a moment, feeling she had found an excuse, and went downstairs to knock on the study door.

Hearing Gu Sheng's raised voice say, "Come in."

She pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing Gu Sheng and Gu Qinglan both looking at her with normal expressions, she knew Gu Qinglan probably hadn't told Gu Sheng about her bribing Housekeeper Zhou to poison him.

She first smiled gently, then spoke: "Xiao Lan, why didn't you bring Mingxin when you came back? She's worried about your health. She just called me and said she's coming back tomorrow too."

Gu Qinglan curled his lips: "I returned in a bit of a hurry and didn't have time to bring her. But it's good if she comes tomorrow."

His words clearly had a hidden meaning, but he didn't intend to state it plainly. Yuan Yingjie deliberately stood there for a while longer. Seeing that neither Gu Sheng nor Gu Qinglan had any intention of speaking further, clearly waiting for her to leave, she could only act "understanding" again and indicate that she would leave first.

After she left and closed the door, and waited until her footsteps slowly faded away, Gu Qinglan finally spoke again. This time, the corners of his raised lips already carried a hint of sarcasm: "Father, things have come to this point, do you still intend to protect her?"

Gu Sheng remained silent for a long time. He had been a handsome man in his youth, and now, even in his fifties, he was still refined and handsome, with hardly any wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

If cosmetics were a woman's best anti-aging maintenance product, then a career was undoubtedly a man's. He had managed the Gu family's business for many years. Although his achievements couldn't be called magnificent, compared to the previous generation, he had already made considerable contributions.

Tonight, he lowered his head. His usually energetic face slowly showed some fatigue.

He finally sighed lightly: "Xiao Lan, she is, after all, your mother, and also Xiao Yue's mother."

Time is such a ruthless thing. In its hurried passage, it changes many things. For Gu Sheng, Yuan Yingjie, in the beginning, might have just been an obedient, sensible, and easily manageable young woman. She was very well-behaved and knew how to assess situations, so she could be married into the family to be Gu Qinglan's nominal mother.

But as time went on, day after day of living together, she truly became his wife. She was very gentle to him, inquiring about his well-being daily, helping him manage all household affairs, and most importantly, she bore him his youngest daughter.

Now, nearly thirty years had passed. He could feel that his life had already passed its halfway mark, and the person who had accompanied him the longest was neither his son nor his daughter, but her.

Even if in his youth, he had thought the woman he loved most in his life would forever be Gu Qinglan's biological mother, but what did that matter now?

He could hardly remember her face now. On one side was the wife who had accompanied him for nearly thirty years, and on the other was the son in whom he had placed the highest hopes. In the end, he could only sigh and say, "She is, after all, your mother."

Gu Qinglan looked at his father. He suddenly found the scene before him somewhat ironic, so he curled his lips and smiled: "So, Father disagrees with me reporting Mother to the police and having her arrested."

Gu Sheng fell silent again: "Didn't your housekeeper already take the blame?"

Gu Qinglan didn't pursue the matter further. He just shook his head, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips: "I should have known long ago. Back then, you wouldn't have blamed her for my sake, and naturally, you wouldn't now either."

Family and kinship are sometimes such strange things. He knew that Gu Sheng didn't necessarily love him, nor did he not value him.

But there were always other people and other things, like Yuan Yingjie, like Gu Qingyue, who were equally loved and valued by him.

So when conflicts arose, Gu Sheng wouldn't necessarily disregard him, but he would also weigh things among these family members he loved, and ultimately make a decision.

And this time, Gu Sheng's decision was the same as when he was sixteen: He still wanted him to yield. Looking at his son's pale face, Gu Sheng finally said, "I’ll have a good talk with her this time."

Gu Qinglan curled his lips into a smile, his tone as light as thin ice: "Thank you, Father."

Gu Sheng looked at him, wanting to say more, but in the end, could only add: "I'll send her to the countryside to live for a while."

This "a while," how long would it be? A few years, or a few days? He, again, offered no guarantee. Gu Qinglan smiled. He said nothing more, and in a rare display of impoliteness, turned and walked away from his father without bidding farewell.

The Gu residence at midnight was even quieter than his own villa in Jing City. The housekeepers and servants, who had served for many years, were well-trained. As soon as night fell, they would retire to the separate servants' quarters in the backyard and would not linger in the main building.

Gu Sheng disliked bright lights, so even the lights in the corridor were deliberately dimmed, casting a yellowish glow.

From the age of five to sixteen, Gu Qinglan lived in a room on the other side of the first-floor corridor. It was very quiet and also far from the rooms of his parents and sister on the second floor.

Yuan Yingjie told Gu Sheng this was to make it convenient for him to go to the study to read, and also because he himself had requested a quieter room.

When he was five, he didn't know how to argue, to say that he also wanted to be closer to his father and mother. As he grew older, he gradually became accustomed to such silence.

Now, he walked back to his room. Opening the door, he saw that the furnishings inside were as they had been when he moved out that year. A wooden bed, a wooden desk; besides the basic furnishings, there were only books and pens placed on the desk.

He pulled out the chair in front of the desk, sat down, and turned on his phone. His phone had been off for a long time. After turning it on, he saw several missed calls from her, as well as a few text messages asking where he was and when he would call her back.

He looked at them and smiled, then dialed her number.

Lu Mingxin had clearly been waiting for a long time. The moment his call came through, she answered it. She opened with a playful scolding: "Qinglan-gege, you don't know how worried I was about you!"

He couldn't help but smile: "Didn't I ask Mr. Mo to tell you? I came back for some urgent matters."

Lu Mingxin was still dissatisfied and continued, "What urgent matter could you have at home that you couldn't bring me along for? Aren't your family matters my matters too? Besides, your complexion has been poor. What if you feel unwell? How can I not be by your side?"

This long day had left him extremely tired, yet hearing her voice, he somehow couldn't bring himself to rest.

Resting his arm on the desk to support his body, he adjusted his position, lightly pressing his chest which had been dully aching, and smiled, his words still carrying their usual gentleness: "I'm fine... Aren't you coming back tomorrow anyway?"

He hadn't needed to mention it. If he had, Lu Mingxin would have snorted lightly: "I've already told Auntie, tomorrow I'm storming back to demand an explanation! See if you dare to abandon me and run off again in the future!"

Gu Qinglan smiled. He covered the mouthpiece of the phone, turned his head to cough lightly a few times, then came back to continue: "Is that so? Then I beg Miss to be merciful."

His voice hadn't changed much, and it still carried its usual hint of a smile. Lu Mingxin, however, seemed to have heard something. She fell silent for a moment, then said with some hesitation, "Qinglan, are you unwell somewhere?"

Gu Qinglan didn't answer. He closed his eyes lightly and only said after a long while, "Mingxin, don't blame me."

He often spoke in such an abrupt and unfinished manner. Lu Mingxin had long since grown accustomed to it and snorted lightly again: "That depends on your behavior tomorrow."

Gu Qinglan laughed deeply. He finally said, "We'll talk when you get back tomorrow."

She had already packed her luggage and climbed into bed to sleep, but when the phone rang, Lu Mingxin still quickly flipped over to answer it. Then, hearing his familiar voice, the heart that had been hanging in suspense all day finally settled down.

The voice coming from the phone sounded somewhat distant. And even though his voice was as gentle as ever, she instinctively felt that he was not happy right now. After hanging up, she was already eager to return. Lying in bed, she counted sheep for a long time before she could barely fall asleep.

Perhaps because she had been thinking about him constantly, and these past few months, she had grown accustomed to him sleeping beside her, so tonight in her dreams, she once again saw that long-absent white figure.

He was still wearing the white long robe he loved in his previous life, his long hair tied up high, standing at some distance from her. A breeze came, blowing his wide sleeves. He turned to look at her, smiled faintly, and extended his hand towards her.

She happily raised her hand and walked over. However, just as she was about to grasp that hand, he suddenly fell backward. The cold wind howled, lifting his sleeves high, yet it could not support his body as it fell like a shooting star.

Only then did she see clearly that behind him was a bottomless abyss, exuding a black light, like a giant mouth devouring everything.

She screamed and rushed over, only to see that white figure disappear into the endless darkness.

✿——✦——✿

1. Gu Qinglan used “她” — referring to a woman, but Ren Ran couldn't tell, because in spoken Chinese, “ä»–” and “她” are homophones.

A Hundred Years at a Glance, No Longer Hurried - Chapter 10

Autumn Deepens 

In fact, the person originally cast to play the King of Western Xia was not Li Jin. His fame was too great, his seniority too high; his standing in the industry was not only far above Lu Mingxin's, but even a newly crowned Film Emperor like Mo Qi had to address him as "Brother Li" upon meeting.

Even a figure like the chief director, Old Man Chen Ru, whom everyone would give some face to, might not succeed if he tried to invite Li Jin to play a villain.

Therefore, the initial choice for the King of Western Xia was another older actor, skilled in acting but not a big star.

Normally, for a major villain meant to highlight the male and female leads, it would be better if a heavyweight actor participated. If not, a low-key, capable actor was also a good choice.

But shortly after the crew had finalized all the actors, he proactively approached the crew, proposing that he was willing to play the King of Western Xia.

With such a good thing happening, Du Li was naturally overjoyed. She immediately set aside her airs, went to personally appease the originally cast veteran actor, even compensating him with the advance payment, and then delightedly announced the good news of "Big Brother Li Jin" joining the crew.

At that time, Cao Yeyang was still in the detention center, and Gu Qinglan was far from confirming his role as Mu Yiqing. The crew was in a rather gloomy state.

This news came like a shot in the arm, lifting many spirits. After all, Li Jin joining any crew was one of the best forms of publicity for that production.

Before the decision was made, Gu Qinglan was, of course, also notified. But at that time, his health wasn’t very good, and he didn't inquire too much.

Even if he had long heard of Li Jin and had long remembered their connection from their previous life, this was still the first time they stood face to face.

After Li Jin spoke those words, Gu Qinglan's expression remained indifferent: "Mr. Li, you flatter me."

Originally, this was still a normal conversation, and Li Jin was merely acting a bit like an overly enthusiastic suitor. But then he made a move that made Lu Mingxin's eyes widen instantly, sensing an inexplicable crisis.

He simply took a step forward, grabbed Gu Qinglan's wrist, and said with a loud laugh, "Not at all, I've long heard of Mr. Gu's great name and have always admired you greatly."

If this were a normal, polite handshake, Lu Mingxin certainly wouldn't have made such a fuss. But what kind of polite handshake involved grabbing someone's wrist directly and holding on tightly without letting go?

And didn't they themselves find it strange? Li Jin was no taller than Gu Qinglan, but his physique was athletic. Leaning in so close like this, he exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Lu Mingxin, whose mind was prone to vivid imaginings, already pictured a scene: a villain molesting a good family's... handsome man.

Having his wrist grabbed, Gu Qinglan, no matter how composed, frowned slightly. His gaze shifted downwards, glancing at the spot where he was being held, and then he spoke: "Mr. Li..."

Only then did Li Jin seem to realize, as if suddenly enlightened, but he still refused to let go. He released Gu Qinglan's wrist, switched to holding his hand, and even shook it vigorously: "Seeing Mr. Gu, I was just too excited that I’ve lost my composure, lost my composure."

Lu Mingxin silently grumbled in her heart: You were indeed excited, but I didn't see any loss of composure, I saw a pervert, okay?

Gu Qinglan pulled his hand out of Li Jin's grasp and smiled slightly: "We'll be seeing each other every day from now on, Mr. Li, you're too kind."

As he said this, Lu Mingxin saw Li Jin's eyes suddenly brighten even more. His features were actually very handsome, and his eyes and nose had a somewhat mixed-race look, giving him a very masculine and exotic air.

Over there, after Li Jin finished his "greetings," which were in reality flirtations, he began to propose: "Mr. Gu, it's getting late now, and it's not safe for you to walk on a road without streetlights. Why don't you take my car back to the hotel with me?"

Putting aside other concerns, although vehicles were scarce on this road, no one could guarantee that another madman driving like him wouldn't suddenly appear.

Gu Qinglan didn't refuse, just smiled and nodded: "Alright."

Li Jin immediately and eagerly opened the front passenger door for him: "My luggage in the back seat is a bit messy, Mr. Gu, you should sit in the front. We can chat more when we get to the hotel."

Gu Qinglan glanced at Lu Mingxin standing beside him, the meaning clear: if there was a good seat, it should, of course, be offered to the lady first.

How could Lu Mingxin bear to let Gu Qinglan suffer? She was about to refuse, but before she could speak, Li Jin actually turned his head and shot her a glare.

Lu Mingxin couldn't describe the feeling. They were in the same profession, and she had, of course, met Li Jin before. But each meeting was merely a bland exchange of greetings.

At that time, Lu Mingxin hadn't remembered the events of her past life, and her impression of him was merely that he had a big ego and a somewhat arrogant attitude.

But she hadn't expected that one day, this guy would actually glare at her, and for a man... well, that man was her husband.

After Li Jin glared at her, he said: "Mr. Gu, don't be polite, isn't your health poor? Miss Lu is also slender, she can squeeze in with the luggage, it's fine."

This person was really good at making decisions for others. In just a few short sentences, Lu Mingxin felt as if she had been beaten back to her original form: she was still that plain-looking high school girl with big black-rimmed glasses. Otherwise, how could any man treat her with such a dismissive attitude!

Otherwise, ever since her debut, even the gayest of gay men would kneel and worship at the sight of her face, okay?

What was even more infuriating was that Gu Qinglan kept looking at her expression. Perhaps he saw what she was thinking. Not only did he not speak up to rescue her, but he even curled his lips... He looked like he was about to laugh, okay?

Lu Mingxin instantly felt her whole being unwell. To prevent herself from collapsing further, she simply ran to the back seat, pulled open the car door, and got in.

Seeing her get into the car, Gu Qinglan finally smiled faintly and got in on his side.

Li Jin immediately beamed with joy. Not only did he diligently close the car door for him, but after getting in, he also proactively leaned over to fasten Gu Qinglan's seatbelt, saying as he did so, "Aiya, Mr. Gu is truly slender, you must find a way to nourish yourself properly. Someone previously gifted my old man some old Changbai Mountain ginseng, all genuine hundred-year-old wild ginseng. Anyway, he can't use it all, I'll have my family bring some over for Mr. Gu."

The back seat, just as he had said, was stuffed with a large suitcase and a travel bag. Lu Mingxin could only silently complain about him, a man, bringing so many things, with the trunk unable to hold them all, having to put them in the back seat.

The journey was short to begin with, and Li Jin drove very fast. By then, they had already arrived. The car stopped in front of the hotel's revolving door, and the hotel concierge quickly opened the car door.

Gu Qinglan got out of the car, nodded at Li Jin who had also gotten out, and said lightly, "Thank you, Mr. Li. We'll head up first."

The crew naturally knew that Li Jin was arriving, and by this time, people responsible for his reception were already waiting at the hotel entrance. They now came over, diligently helping Li Jin with his luggage.

Li Jin paid no attention to those few people, still staring at Gu Qinglan, and even spoke: "Then I'll disturb Mr. Gu in your room later, I wonder if it's convenient for Mr. Gu?"

Lu Mingxin was furious. It was one thing for him not to come, but now that he was here, he was sticking to them like a dog-skin plaster, impossible to shake off. She didn't care about the rumors that offending Li Jin meant you couldn't survive in the entertainment industry, and flung out a sentence while holding Gu Qinglan's arm: "Qinglan needs to rest early tonight."

After saying that, fearing it wasn't forceful enough, she added: "His health isn't good, if he sleeps too late, he'll have a headache the next day!"

Only then did Li Jin give up, but he still stared intently at Gu Qinglan, refusing to let go. His demeanor was such that if someone said he had been secretly in love with Gu Qinglan for years, others would believe it.

Pulling Gu Qinglan, she quickly took the elevator back to their room. Lu Mingxin also swiftly locked the door and turned on the "Do Not Disturb" light.

She was driven to exasperation by Li Jin's series of attacks and said resentfully after closing the door: "I think this scoundrel definitely has ulterior motives towards you!"

Gu Qinglan, hearing her words, curled his lips into a smile: "This scoundrel?"

Lu Mingxin was already so angry that she had long since disregarded maintaining a ladylike image, and snorted again: "It's simply inexplicable, okay? Who meets someone and fawns over them to this extent? It's as if he's been coveting you for a long time. Since he's been coveting you for a long time, he definitely has ulterior motives!"

Gu Qinglan still smiled faintly, gave a light "Mm," and walked over to sit on the sofa.

Seeing his complete lack of crisis awareness, Lu Mingxin grew even more anxious. She quickly went over and sat close to him, even putting her arm around his waist: "How did I not know before that Li Jin also likes men? Doesn't he quite enjoy chasing young models? Or... did he only develop these thoughts after seeing you? It must be so, because Qinglan-gege is too beautiful, and as a result, he's being targeted by bad people!"

Gu Qinglan, seeing her words becoming increasingly outrageous, had no choice but to pat her head and say with a smile, "Your brain... your thoughts are truly quite scattered."

Lu Mingxin snorted: "Otherwise? Besides him being interested in you, what else could it be?"

Gu Qinglan had intended to explain the reason to her, but explaining this matter was rather troublesome and would involve some things he had been hiding from his parents in China. So, he simply smiled and said nothing more.

Lu Mingxin's thoughts, however, once scattered, couldn't be reined in. She imagined Li Jin pursuing Gu Qinglan in a hundred and eight ways, and then imagined Gu Qinglan being taken advantage of in a hundred and eight scenes. For example: holding his little hand, hugging his little waist...

She suddenly thought of a shocking possibility, and her whole body immediately tensed up like a bow, ready to spring out and annihilate Li Jin in the next second. She raised her head and looked at Gu Qinglan with wide eyes: "Qinglan-gege... could it be... could it be... in our previous life, the King of Western Xia, he defiled you..."

Gu Qinglan was clearly stunned for a moment, then he couldn't help but laugh and shake his head: "Mingxin... you're thinking too much."

Although Gu Qinglan denied it, Lu Mingxin still stared intently at his face for a good while, making sure he wasn't enduring humiliation for her sake, before finally giving up.

But she still had quite a few complaints about Li Jin: "To offer courtesy without reason is either treacherous or thieving. He's definitely not a good person."

As she spoke, she also took Gu Qinglan's hand and used her other free hand to stroke his cheek, sighing: "Qinglan is indeed too beautiful, being targeted by so many ill-intentioned people. I really need to continue working hard."

Regarding her way of putting things, Gu Qinglan had long since given up correcting her, and just smiled, saying: "Why do I feel like you're one of the ill-intentioned ones?"

Lu Mingxin, unashamed, instead became even more smug. She simply leaned over and lightly kissed his thin lips, even proudly licking her own: "Indeed an exquisite human treasure, the taste is too beautiful, only I get to savor it!"

She was truly too smug. Gu Qinglan smiled faintly: "Oh? Are you sure it's you savoring me?"

Lu Mingxin smiled, about to reply, but his body had already pressed down, and then her lips were sealed.

Gu Qinglan rarely took the initiative, but once he did, he displayed an unexpectedly distinct possessiveness and dominance. This strange sense of plunder, intertwined with his inherent gentleness and doting, needed only a little to drown a person.

The moment Lu Mingxin was kissed by him, she involuntarily held her breath. It wasn't until she realized she was starting to lack oxygen and slightly parted her lips to gasp for air that his lips and teeth quickly filled all the gaps again.

Only when her hands and feet went limp, and she was almost hanging on him as if about to collapse, did he finally show some mercy and let her go, his lips still lightly pecking at her already somewhat swollen ones.

Even at such moments, his lips and teeth remained slightly cool, like the light snow of early spring. They should have carried warmth, yet they were still cool.

Lu Mingxin, panting, did her best to wrap her arms around his neck, resting against his shoulder to regain her strength.

Having been kissed with such punitive force that her whole body went weak, she no longer dared to tease him so recklessly. However, with the great beauty right before her, and coincidentally seeing the delicate collarbone exposed beneath his neck, she immediately swallowed hard again.

Gu Qinglan, as if unaware of her covetous gaze, simply held her and sat on the sofa.

Lu Mingxin didn't dare to speak again, but she also couldn't bear to let go of him. So she just held him, silently drooling at the beautiful sight before her.

After a long while, Lu Mingxin's breathing had long since evened out, but her heartbeat, due to being close to him, was getting faster and faster. Only then did he chuckle softly: "Mingxin, if we don't... tonight... will you be unable to sleep?"

Lu Mingxin had just swallowed a large gulp of saliva. Hearing him say this, she admitted without a second thought, almost without thinking, with utter spinelessness: "Mm..."

And he didn't torment her further, just laughed: "Mingxin... being good has many benefits."

Isn't the biggest benefit being able to savor the beauty? Lu Mingxin nodded desperately, and then finally couldn't resist, leaned over, and licked his collarbone.

Since that day, when they both experienced their first time, this was only their second attempt.

With experience, it was naturally much more harmonious this time. Lu Mingxin, blushing, went to kiss his thin lips, which had turned a faint pink after being aroused. Once again, she shamelessly felt that he, in this state, was breathtakingly beautiful.

The next morning when they woke up, they had breakfast delivered to their room. Just as they finished tidying up and were about to leave, they saw Li Jin in the corridor outside their door.

He was holding a lit cigar, and by the looks of it, he had been pacing in the corridor for who knows how long. As soon as he heard the door open, he immediately turned around and looked at Gu Qinglan with delight: "Mr. Gu, good morning."

Gu Qinglan and Lu Mingxin were staying in a suite on the top floor of the hotel. There weren't many rooms on this floor, and only a few crew members lived there. Besides them, there were only Wei Jingguo and Mo Qi.

After Li Jin arrived, he was also arranged to stay on this floor. For him to be pacing in the corridor outside with a cigar wouldn't encounter other crew members, but his appearance was still too...

Sensing the crisis of her beauty being snatched away, Lu Mingxin no longer planned to be polite with Li Jin. If she couldn't make it in the entertainment industry, so be it. At worst, she would go back to graduate school and live off her parents. But this hatred of having her love stolen was absolutely intolerable!

She decided to strike first. Before Gu Qinglan could reply, she went up and gave a cold laugh: "Mr. Li, you truly have a fine interest, strolling here so early in the morning."

Who strolls in a hotel corridor? Li Jin knew she was being sarcastic and immediately shot her a sideways glance. The gloom and warning in that look were undeniably intense.

Lu Mingxin, unafraid of death, crossed her arms, tilted her chin up at him, and even let out a provocative "hehe."

The hostility between them was no longer a mere undercurrent. If Lu Mingxin were a man, they might have already started fighting.

Gu Qinglan had to step forward, stand between them, and say with a smile, "Mr. Li, you're up early."

Turning his face to Gu Qinglan, Li Jin's expression changed as quickly as flipping a book. He was all smiles, as warm as a spring breeze: "Not at all. I couldn't chat more with Mr. Gu yesterday, so I couldn't sleep this morning."

To Lu Mingxin, his words sounded like blatant flirting. She couldn't help but interject: "So Mr. Li is so old, yet you still need someone to tell you bedtime stories at night? If no one tells you stories, you can't sleep well?"

Li Jin's sharp gaze instantly turned back to her. However, perhaps out of consideration for Gu Qinglan, he didn't argue with her directly. Instead, he ignored her and continued to speak to Gu Qinglan with a smile: "Is Mr. Gu going to the set? Shall we go together, as it's on the way?"

Lu Mingxin quickly interrupted: "Your car is rather cramped, we'd better take our own."

Li Jin had only managed to say three sentences to Gu Qinglan, and each time Lu Mingxin had snatched the reply. For someone like him, who was used to having his way, even if Gu Qinglan's face was a big factor, he had reached his limit of tolerance.

Seeing the veins on his forehead almost bulging, it was Gu Qinglan who smiled and said, "Certainly, I also have a few things I'd like to discuss with Mr. Li."

He then turned to Lu Mingxin and smiled: "Mingxin, you go ahead first. I'll go with Mr. Li."

How could Lu Mingxin feel at ease letting him be alone in a car with such a big wolf, just the two of them? The worry in her eyes was all too obvious. She even tugged at his arm, shaking it slightly, and called him softly: "Qinglan-gege..."

Gu Qinglan smiled at her: "Mr. Li wanted to discuss something with me before, but I never had the chance to meet him, so that's why he's like this."

Lu Mingxin was still worried and even turned to glance at Li Jin once more. Li Jin gave her a very reluctant nod.

In broad daylight, in this society governed by law, and it was only a short distance from the hotel to the set.

Seeing Li Jin's attitude, Lu Mingxin didn't think he would be impolite to Gu Qinglan, so she reluctantly and aggrievedly agreed.

Gu Qinglan asked her to go downstairs first. She took one step and looked back three times. Before entering the elevator, she even turned back and said, "Qinglan-gege, call me anytime, okay?"

Gu Qinglan smiled at her: "Okay, don't worry."

After finally sending her off, even Li Jin breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help complaining: "Why is she so wary of me? I'm not a bad person!"

Gu Qinglan curled his lips into a smile: "Perhaps because you acted too eagerly, causing her to have some misunderstanding?"

Li Jin sighed heavily: "I'm wronged! I'm merely eager to find talent..."

Gu Qinglan glanced at him, smiled, and then directly refused his unspoken request: "Mr. Li, no matter how many times you ask, my answer will be the same: TIMES may be a small company, but I have no intention of selling it."

He paused here, then smiled again: "And we do not accept any conditional donations."

Li Jin had clearly anticipated this answer. After a moment of stunned silence, he sighed: "Indeed, even if I find a chance to talk to Mr. Gu face to face, it's still no use."

Gu Qinglan smiled, lowering his eyes slightly: "I apologize for not being able to cooperate in the way Mr. Li hopes."

Li Jin shook his head: "I haven't completely given up yet..." He said this with a somewhat carefree smile, "I've dealt with scholars like you before. I know that working with you requires more than just sincerity... one needs sufficient persuasiveness."

Since he had said so, Gu Qinglan couldn't say much more, and just smiled.

Although Gu Qinglan had refused him, Li Jin was still very attentive, pressing the elevator button for him and even holding the door open, inviting him in. His attitude could be described as meticulously caring. He even said, "Mr. Gu, your health has always been poor, hasn't it? You're so busy with work, you must take care. I worry just looking at you."

Gu Qinglan could only smile and say to him, "Thank you."

The first time he had contacted Li Jin via email was about a year and a half ago. At that time, he was still in the United States. One day, a long letter in Chinese suddenly appeared in his email inbox.

It had to be said, Li Jin might seem like a boorish person, but he was actually from a prestigious family with a profound scholarly background. That letter was written in elegant classical Chinese, and his attitude was extremely sincere.

In that letter, he didn't mention his identity as an actor at all, only saying that he hoped to cooperate with TIMES, the company under Gu Qinglan's name.

Gu Qinglan was indeed the owner of TIMES, and could also be considered one of its core researchers. This small-scale company, which was more like a private think tank, was perhaps more accurately described as a research institute than a commercial enterprise.

Most private think tanks actively maintain close ties with the government, and even rely to some extent on government funding and procurement. TIMES, however, was different.

From the very beginning of founding this company, Gu Qinglan had not accepted any donations from any institutions or individuals. Because it maintained absolute neutrality in its stance, TIMES was able to uphold his initial ideal: Time is the absolute truth that witnesses and verifies everything. All possibilities are nurtured in time, and also proven in time.

Five years ago, he was still a doctoral student. The few analyses and predictions on global current affairs published by TIMES via the internet had already attracted attention within the industry.

If Gu Qinglan were to give this company a Chinese name, he would definitely name it: "Shi Jian1."

Using time as a mirror, one can reflect all things, reflect everything.

Lu Mingxin, who had arrived at the set one step ahead, didn't even go into the makeup room. She stood by the roadside, gazing eagerly at the highway stretching across the vast yellow sand, waiting for Gu Qinglan and Li Jin to arrive.

Mo Qi, who had just gotten out of his car, was somewhat bewildered: "What are you standing here for?"

Lu Mingxin turned to look at him and said pitifully, "Qi-ge, a fierce beast has come to snatch Qinglan from me."

Mo Qi couldn't help but say, "Uh," wondering what kind of person could make Lu Mingxin, who was already quite formidable in some respects, call them a "fierce beast."

Just then, Li Jin's conspicuous black off-road vehicle finally appeared in their field of vision. Mo Qi knew Li Jin and had, of course, seen his car. Connecting this to Li Jin's arrival at the crew yesterday, he couldn't help but say "Uh" again, a few bad premonitions arising.

Sure enough, the domineering off-road vehicle, whose appearance perfectly matched its owner's temperament, made a turn and stopped in front of them. Li Jin, wearing sunglasses, jumped out of the driver's seat. Then, he strode around the front of the car, opened the passenger door, and his tone was surprisingly gentle: "Mr. Gu, my car is a bit high, watch your step."

Mo Qi, the Film Emperor Mo, who had been in the entertainment industry for many years, stated that this was the first time he had seen Big Brother Li Jin open a car door for someone else.

When he saw Li Jin even raise a hand to support Gu Qinglan's arm as he got out, he felt his eyes were about to pop out. This attitude wasn't just meticulously caring, it was practically overflowing with tenderness, wasn’t it?

Mr. Mo Qi, who considered himself relatively upright and pure, but whose worldview had actually been altered by the corrosion of BL-fangirls, stroked his chin and thought to himself: Could it be that Li-ge has really taken a fancy to Mr. Gu? Then Mingxin's pressure is really quite significant. It's said that no one Li-ge fancies ever escapes.

Lu Mingxin had already rushed over and hugged Gu Qinglan. She was even more blunt: "Qinglan-gege... he didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"

Li Jin, standing by, was so angry he was about to laugh: "Miss Lu, you don't need to guard against me as if I'm a thief, do you?"

Lu Mingxin turned to look at him. In her previous life, he was the King of Western Xia. They had met on the battlefield, and each encounter was fraught with tension. Her most profound memory of him was from that time she went to rescue Mo Qi.

She had finally met him face to face, but in the chaos of battle, there was no time for much thought. In a hurried glance, she only remembered his piercing eyes.

Later, in the melee, she escaped with Mo Qi, and then, beside that King of Western Xia, she saw Gu Qinglan's figure.

After that day, she had seen Gu Qinglan a few more times in the chaotic army, and each time he was standing beside the King of Western Xia, as if he were an immensely trusted advisor.

Until the very end, she learned the truth, but could never get him back.

Looking at Li Jin's face before her, although she knew he had no memory of their past life, Lu Mingxin still felt an inexplicable wariness.

Over there, Li Jin was also feeling a major headache, somewhat regretting not having placated this young lady properly when they first met last night.

In his impression, Lu Mingxin was just a particularly beautiful female star, not very talkative, and her personality wasn't particularly distinct. He preferred more mature and alluring women, wasn't interested in her, and hadn't paid her much special attention.

He was used to acting unscrupulously in the entertainment industry. Yesterday, without thinking, he had given her a look, telling her not to disturb his conversation with Gu Qinglan.

Unexpectedly, this young lady had actually bristled and confronted him. And unfortunately, she was Gu Qinglan's fiancée, and judging by Gu Qinglan's demeanor, he seemed to care about her a lot.

Now, trying to scare her again seemed like it would backfire, provoking an even greater rebound from her. If he really did something to her, then any cooperation with Gu Qinglan would be completely out of the question.

Li Jin was a man who cherished talent, as could be seen from his attitude towards Gu Qinglan. Not wanting to worsen his relationship with Gu Qinglan, he could only tolerate this young lady.

Li Jin sighed heavily, looking utterly helpless: "I'm clearly a good person, many people can vouch for that."

Lu Mingxin turned sideways, shielding Gu Qinglan from him. In short, as long as Gu Qinglan stood with Li Jin, she would recall those heart-wrenching memories from her past life, so she felt particularly averse.

Protecting Gu Qinglan with her entire body, she even turned back and snorted at him: "Only those who are good to Qinglan-gege are good people. You'd better not let me catch you being bad to Qinglan-gege, or I won't let you off!"

Li Jin, rubbing his temples in exasperation, took out a cigarette and lit it: "How would I dare..."

Film Emperor Mo stood by, continuing his internal monologue: Should I step in and say something? Otherwise, I seem a bit redundant. And isn't this supposed to be a love square? Aren't Mr. Gu and I the official couple? That's what the little props assistant in the crew said...

Li Jin had reported to the crew a week early, but since such a big shot had arrived, the crew wouldn't let him remain idle.

Wei Jingguo, upon hearing he was arriving early, had moved his filming schedule forward, adhering to the principle of making the most of everything and squeezing every last bit of value out of every big-name actor.

Li Jin's makeup had been finalized in Jing City before, so the stylist didn't spend much effort getting him into makeup and full costume.

When that spirited King of Western Xia, dressed in full armor, stood before them, Lu Mingxin once again had the illusion of time being displaced.

And Li Jin, seeing her already changed into her costume, curled his lips into a slight smile: "General Lu is also radiant today, I presume there's some joyous occasion?"

This was a line spoken by the King of Western Xia, played by Li Jin, in the drama. Meeting on the battlefield from afar, the King of Western Xia, to mock Lu Qingping for being a woman, had specifically said this.

Lu Mingxin, without thinking, retorted with her line: "Repelling the Western Xia bandits is my greatest joyous occasion today."

Li Jin laughed heartily and then delivered his next line: "Then I'm afraid I'll have to displease General Lu today. Don't cry then, and say I'm bullying a woman."

It had to be said, although Li Jin was arrogant and meddlesome, his professionalism and dedication were still there. He had arrived at the crew early, had already memorized his lines so well, and could even deliver them on cue.

Lu Mingxin had no lines after this. In the drama, Lu Qingping put on her helmet and charged into battle first, using silent action as the most forceful rebuttal to this disdain.

This was no longer the battlefield of a past life, but a film set. Lu Mingxin couldn't just pick up a stool and swing it at Li Jin—though she very much wanted to.

She glanced at Li Jin and finally chose to snort lightly to express her disdain.

Li Jin had already grown accustomed to her acting like a little wildcat, scratching everywhere, and didn't plan to argue with her further. He just stroked his chin and commented from a professional standpoint: "Your line delivery is quite good."

Lu Mingxin, fierce on the inside but cowardly in reality, added: "I won't give Qinglan-gege to you. Give up!"

Li Jin simply turned and walked away, not even bothering to look at her.

What they were filming today was precisely the turning point of the plot: General Du Yi led his troops through a canyon, only to be ambushed by the Western Xia forces, trapped from both front and rear, and finally captured alive.

The fierce battle was about to conclude. Mo Qi was covered in dust and blood, his long spear already stained with mottled blood, and even the blade of his saber at his back was bent and curled.

Yet, even so, he had not given up fighting, standing back-to-back with the few remaining soldiers, putting up a desperate resistance.

Seeing the enemy general right before them, countless Western Xia soldiers were eager to pounce on him, capture him alive, and claim the reward. Yet, they were intimidated by Mo Qi's awe-inspiring reputation as a god of war and hesitated to advance.

Suddenly, two feathered arrows pierced through the air. One struck the throat of the soldier behind Mo Qi. He barely made a sound before collapsing softly to the ground.

The other, however, pierced Mo Qi's shoulder. The immense force sent his entire body staggering back several steps, pressing him against the side of a mountain rock.

In the light at the mouth of the canyon, Li Jin, mounted on a pure black steed, holding a powerful bow, rode slowly forward. Whether it was the dozen or so surviving Great Qi soldiers or the bloodthirsty Western Xia men, all fell strangely silent at this moment.

This was the aura of a king. It was untraceable, yet undeniably present, as if Moses parting the Red Sea. Amidst the silent crowd, only Li Jin's figure, backlit against the light, appeared incomparably tall.

He looked down at Mo Qi, who was leaning against the mountain rock, panting heavily, and lightly tossed out a sentence: "General Du is a pillar of the state, treat him well."

When the Western Xia men advanced again, the Great Qi soldiers had already given up resisting. Their numbers were too disparate to begin with; their desperate struggle was merely to die a more satisfying death.

But Li Jin's appearance had shattered that last bit of desperate courage in their hearts. Even Mo Qi no longer resisted, or rather, the slaughter that had far exceeded his limits, and the weakness caused by excessive blood loss from his wounds, left him with no strength to fight back.

This famous general of the northwestern battlefield, like a majestic eagle with broken wings, was powerlessly bound hand and foot and thrown onto a prison cart.

As he was being put onto the prison cart, Li Jin dismounted, reached out, and pinched Mo Qi's limply hanging chin, chuckling softly: "Looking closely, General Du also possesses a fine appearance... Such delicate skin, tsk tsk."

This line was purely Li Jin's on-the-spot improvisation. Mo Qi leaned weakly against the prison cart, a million alpacas already stampeding through his mind: Li-ge, didn't you take a fancy to Mr. Gu? Why are you teasing me now? I'm straight, I sell my art, not my body!

Wei Jingguo over there hadn't called "cut," so he couldn't stop. Mo Qi could only force a reckless yet arrogant smile onto his face and chuckle: "This humble general won't be modest about his fine appearance, but delicate skin is unnecessary... You should know, compared to Your Majesty, King of Western Xia, anyone would appear fair and tender."

Fortunately, Li Jin was just improvising casually. He chuckled again, then, according to the original script, ordered the men to pull the prison cart away.

Lu Mingxin and Gu Qinglan had no scenes in this part, so they stood to the side, already in makeup, watching the scene unfold.

When filming wrapped up, Lu Mingxin quickly ran over to Mo Qi to complain: "Qi-ge, you were teased so badly, it's too terrifying."

Mo Qi took the wet towel handed to him by his assistant, wiping the dust, blood, and sweat from his hands, feet, and face, while saying: "Perhaps because Li-ge failed to pursue Mr. Gu, so he vented his unfulfilled desires on me?"

Lu Mingxin agreed wholeheartedly. It was all because of her family's Qinglan-gege, that devastatingly handsome man. Originally, keeping him hidden at home wasn't safe enough; now, bringing him out was even more disastrous. He could be snatched away by a hungry wolf at any moment, couldn't he!

While the two of them were muttering, Li Jin, over there, had already found an opportunity and, still in costume, went to strike up a conversation with Gu Qinglan.

Their conversation was merely a continuation of their pleasantries. Li Jin, as usual, expressed concern for Gu Qinglan's health and strongly recommended his old man's private masseur.

Because the filming location was rather large, after this scene ended, there were still many staff members bustling about, moving props and cleaning the ground.

The scene was somewhat noisy, so no one noticed that not far from where Li Jin and Gu Qinglan were standing, a temporarily erected camera platform, after several impacts from passersby, was already teetering precariously.

The moment those wooden planks and metal pieces collapsed was very fast. Li Jin was facing the platform. The instant he saw the first piece of wood fall, he forcefully pulled Gu Qinglan to his side and then quickly retreated several steps.

Even so, some things still fell on them.

When the dust and loud noise settled, Li Jin blurted out a curse. Just now, he had tightly shielded Gu Qinglan beneath him, so his forehead was cut by the sharp edge of a steel piece. Blood flowed down his cheek, dripping onto Gu Qinglan's white robe.

Lu Mingxin and Mo Qi were standing closest. After the incident, they were the first to rush over. Lu Mingxin, still shaken, went to support Gu Qinglan: "Qinglan-gege, are you alright?"

Gu Qinglan shook his head: "Quickly help Mr. Li stop the bleeding. A head injury with heavy bleeding can be dangerous."

Even though he was bleeding continuously, Li Jin seemed to be in good spirits. He cursed again, then said: "I'm fine, I'm very sturdy."

Accidents were prone to happen when filming large scenes. An ambulance was on standby nearby, so medical personnel quickly arrived to stop Li Jin's bleeding.

The wound on his head was somewhat large and required stitches in an operating room. He was quickly taken to the hospital by ambulance. Fortunately, apart from his more serious injury, others only suffered twisted ankles or scrapes.

With an accident and someone sent to the hospital for stitches, filming naturally couldn't continue. Wei Jingguo quickly arranged for a few capable people to follow them to the hospital to assess the situation, while the others were to return to the hotel and await further instructions.

Li Jin was injured while protecting Gu Qinglan, so they certainly couldn't ignore it. When the ambulance left, Mo Qi went to get his car and drove Lu Mingxin and Gu Qinglan to the hospital together.

Knowing that Li Jin was likely not in life-threatening danger, Mo Qi, in an attempt to lighten the mood on the way, even told a stiff, unfunny joke: "Li-ge is a hero saving a beauty, seeking virtue and sure got it."

After he threw out this sentence, not only did Gu Qinglan not speak, but even Lu Mingxin, who usually loved to banter, didn't react... Film Emperor Mo instantly began to doubt life again.

After a while, Lu Mingxin suddenly spoke, her tone unexpectedly solemn: "Qinglan... was this aimed at you?"

Mo Qi was still driving. Gu Qinglan didn't seem to mind his presence and responded faintly with an "Mm": "Possibly."

Li Jin's wound bled a lot but was not critical. He was taken to the operating room for stitches, given a blood transfusion, and then transferred to a regular ward.

Lu Mingxin, Gu Qinglan, and Mo Qi waited together at the hospital while he was in surgery. After he was transferred to the ward, they went to see him together.

The hospital in this small western city didn't have those luxurious suite-style wards. Even with Li Jin's prominent status, he could only be arranged in a single room.

Because of the anesthesia, Li Jin hadn't woken up yet. No matter how strong his constitution, he was injured after all, and his face looked somewhat pale.

Mo Qi lowered his voice and said: "Mr. Gu, I'll watch over things here. You and Miss Lu should go back and rest first..." He cleared his throat, "Someone will come to relieve me later, and I'll have to go back too. After all, none of us have changed out of our costumes..."

Only when he said this did Lu Mingxin belatedly remember that because they were originally waiting to continue filming in the afternoon, all three of them were still in costume.

The people at the hospital truly had strong mental fortitude. Seeing such a group of people dressed in ancient attire running around a modern hospital, they actually didn't make a big fuss—perhaps because it was near a film studio, such occurrences weren't a first?

Putting aside the matter of costumes, having all three of them crowded in the hospital room would indeed affect the patient's rest. Gu Qinglan nodded lightly and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

After agreeing with Mo Qi to call if anything happened, he left with Lu Mingxin. Once out of the hospital building, Lu Mingxin, after all, felt grateful to Li Jin and said with some hesitation, "If we just leave like this, will Mr. Li feel disappointed when he wakes up?"

Gu Qinglan smiled and turned to look at her: "You don't see him as the King of Western Xia now?"

Lu Mingxin's face showed some unnaturalness: "That was all in previous life, and besides, he doesn't remember it at all. It's not good for me to keep dwelling on those things."

Gu Qinglan smiled faintly, then spoke softly: "Mingxin, have you counted how many people remember our past lives?"

Lu Mingxin was stunned. She really hadn't had time to delve into these details. Now that he suddenly asked, she only then thought to count: She remembered, Gu Qinglan of course also remembered, Ren Ran had said he was from the Great Qi Dynasty, so that's one... As for the remaining people connected to them from their past lives—their parents, Mo Qi, Li Jin—none of them remembered at all.

She hadn't gone to verify with Her Majesty and Prince Ning, not knowing if both of them remembered everything. But since they had told that story, it meant they remembered some things, so let's tentatively count them as two. Counting back and forth, there were only five people.

So she honestly held up one hand: "Just the five of us?"

Gu Qinglan smiled again. His face was somewhat pale at this moment, but his gaze was unusually deep: "Yes, the five of us..."

As Lu Mingxin spoke with him, both of them had stopped walking. She looked at his somewhat unusual expression and couldn't help but worry: "Qinglan-gege..."

Gu Qinglan, however, didn't continue, just patted her head and smiled: "Let's go, if we stay in the hospital any longer, we'll be surrounded by onlookers."

Lu Mingxin glanced sideways and indeed saw a few curious passersby staring at them. Clearing her throat, she quickly took his arm and walked briskly to the car.

After returning to the hotel, removing her makeup, and changing into normal modern clothes, Lu Mingxin came out of the shower and saw Gu Qinglan sitting on the sofa, talking on the phone.

Lu Mingxin didn't know who he was calling, only heard his calm and low voice: "I will ensure Mr. Li's safety, please rest assured."

As she approached, Gu Qinglan had already hung up. He looked up at her and smiled: "Are you all tidied up? I need to go to the hospital again to see Mr. Li. You should rest in the room."

Lu Mingxin nodded. Li Jin was injured trying to save Gu Qinglan. With him still in the hospital, it was indeed inappropriate for Gu Qinglan to stay far away.

That call just now should have been from Li Jin's family, or perhaps the rumored "old man." Thinking this, she quickly added, "Otherwise, I'll go with you too. I'm worried about you being alone."

Gu Qinglan smiled at her: "It's alright, the driver is here. You should stay and rest."

Although Gu Qinglan was gentle with her, on some matters, once he had spoken, he was unyielding and difficult to dissuade.

Lu Mingxin could only nod, trying her best to appear obedient: "Alright then, don't stay out too long... After all, your own health isn't good."

Gu Qinglan smiled at her again, then stood up and left.

What Lu Mingxin couldn't see was that when he took the elevator downstairs, a black Bentley was already parked in front of the hotel entrance. The person driving was no longer the driver of the RV Lu Mingxin was familiar with, but another person she had never seen before.

Getting into the car, Gu Qinglan frowned slightly after the car door closed, closed his eyes, and leaned back against the rear seat, saying in a low voice: "To the airport."

That person was clearly well-trained. He made no comment on Gu Qinglan's decision, just glanced at the rearview mirror, then drove the car out of the hotel and onto the airport expressway.

He remained exceptionally silent from beginning to end. In the ultra-quiet car, the air was almost solidified, with only the muffled coughs continuously coming from the back seat breaking the silence.

As the coughing from the back seat grew more intense, this silent driver finally spoke: "Mr. Gu, with your current physical condition, I'm afraid it's not suitable for air travel."

After a few more coughs, Gu Qinglan's back remained straight. He lowered his head, spat the blood in his mouth onto the tissue in his hand, closed his eyes again for a moment, and then said softly: "It's fine."

As he spoke, he curled his lips slightly. His pale, thin lips were still stained with a few unwiped traces of fresh blood. For a moment, it gave him a somewhat demonic charm. He smiled like this and then faintly uttered another sentence: "Since others are so determined to have me dead, how can I not go and see them?"

Because the urban area was small, they arrived at the airport quickly. This small airport only had a few flights a day, and there was only one flight to Jing City, scheduled for five o'clock in the afternoon.

Gu Qinglan, however, had no intention of taking that flight. The black Bentley drove him directly to the tarmac, where a small private business jet was already parked.

In the car, he had coughed up blood, but by the time he got out, he had already reverted to his usual demeanor. Apart from his slightly pale complexion, there was no other sign of abnormality.

✿——✦——✿

1. 时鉴 – Time Mirror

Thursday, 15 May 2025

A Hundred Years at a Glance, No Longer Hurried - Chapter 9

Chaotic Clouds Emerge from the Mountains 

It was a rare free afternoon. After returning to the hotel, Gu Qinglan didn't rest but opened his computer and started working.

Having lived with him for several months, Lu Mingxin already knew that when he used the computer to connect to the internet, he was definitely handling work. Occasionally browsing news websites was already extremely rare for him, let alone the various entertainment activities others would engage in on a computer, which were completely foreign to him.

For him, all leisure activities were offline, such as taking a walk or playing chess. Lu Mingxin also knew there was a separate music room on the third floor of the villa, which housed not a piano, but a guqin.

Not even a guzheng, but a nine-stringed qin. And Gu Qinglan truly knew how to play that qin. When she wasn't home, he would sometimes go upstairs and play for a while.

However, he never performed his music skills in front of others, saying that practicing the qin was for calming the mind and didn't require an audience. Even Lu Mingxin had only occasionally heard a few notes from downstairs, which were exceedingly clear, distant, ancient, and elegant. Just listening from afar made her feel at peace.

To survive in this modern era, especially having studied abroad, yet still maintaining such a traditional lifestyle, was truly uncommon.

These habits, it was said, had begun in his teenage years, not because he had suddenly regained memories of a past life in the last two years.

She didn't feel it was appropriate to ask about his work, so she went to make tea. The first brew was to wash the tea, the second was poured into the cup. The fragrance of the tea assailed her nostrils; it was because she had mastered both the water temperature and the amount of tea leaves that she achieved this effect.

She was quite satisfied with her work. Placing the celadon teacup in front of him, she had a hint of showing off: "Qinglan-gege, try it. How is my skill?"

Gu Qinglan was looking at the company's financial statements. While browsing the data, he lifted the teacup and brought it to his lips. He took a light sip, then smiled: "It's passable... no improvement after all these years."

Lu Mingxin smiled brightly: "Who says? It's clearly much better than when I was little."

Gu Qinglan said "Oh," placed the teacup he had drunk from back on the tray she had brought, his eyes still on the computer screen, and said lightly: "Is that so? Why don't I remember you ever learning to make tea when you were little?"

Lu Mingxin froze. She was bewildered for a moment, then a layer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead: she had indeed never learned to make tea. When she was little, her parents were so busy, there wasn't even a tea pot in the house, let alone teaching her the art of tea. Because her parents were engaged in scientific research and often worked late into the night, their home always had a coffee machine. She had actually been specifically taught the art of brewing coffee beans.

The person who had learned the art of tea as a child was not her at all, but the Lu Mingxin of the previous life.

She quickly raised her head and saw that Gu Qinglan's gaze, at some unknown point, had shifted to her face. Those deep black eyes were filled with complete understanding.

She panicked and still tried futilely to explain: "Huh? I didn't? Then I must have forgotten, perhaps I learned it after I grew up..."

Gu Qinglan looked at her already flustered state and sighed softly: "Mingxin, this is the first time you've made tea for me... I mean, in this life."

Lu Mingxin just looked at him, her eyes quietly turning red.

Gu Qinglan still couldn't bear to see her so distressed, and a gentle warmth gradually appeared in his eyes: "Mingxin, no matter how a person changes, there are always some things that cannot be concealed... You can't hide it from me for too long."

If he had questioned her coldly, she was confident she could have held her ground and tried hard to explain that everything was for his health. Now, with him looking at her so gently, Lu Mingxin felt unable to resist.

She couldn't help but throw herself at him and hug him. Her movement was so large that she pushed away the table in front of the sofa, and the teacup on it was knocked over, spilling tea all over the tray.

She hugged him tightly, and before she could speak, she was already sobbing uncontrollably: "Qinglan... I just want to love you properly... to do for you all the things I didn't do before..."

As she cried, she kissed his cheeks and thin lips with a tear-streaked face, completely unconcerned about her appearance: "I'm afraid of losing you again..."

She was never a composed person to begin with. To have hidden it from him for so many days, to have acted in front of him so many times, was already a small miracle.

Once she could let her emotions out, she simply stopped trying to control her feelings. Gu Qinglan was almost pushed onto the sofa by her.

She kept kissing him, still trying to speak: "Qinglan... I'm sorry..."

Once she went into a frenzy, Gu Qinglan could only use both hands to hold her pressing body. He embraced her, his face covered in her tears. Clearly, unlike her, he couldn't speak with tears streaming down his face.

After a long time, until Lu Mingxin's crying softened a little, he finally spoke softly: "Mingxin... is being very good now."

Lu Mingxin buried her head in his chest, unwilling to answer, still crying her eyes out.

Gu Qinglan waited for a while. Seeing that her crying not only didn't subside but showed signs of intensifying, he could only helplessly comfort her again: "Such a good Mingxin, can you stop crying first?"

The "very good" Lu Mingxin, after a good cry, finally calmed down a bit. As Gu Qinglan requested, she placed her hands on her knees and sat obediently on the sofa.

Gu Qinglan looked at her still red and teary large peach-blossom eyes, feeling quite helpless: "Mingxin, your eyes will be swollen again tomorrow."

Lu Mingxin said "Oh": "It's okay, a cold compress and then a warm one will do."

Gu Qinglan was truly helpless with her nonchalant attitude and sighed lightly: "Mingxin, don't blame yourself too much."

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything. Once he did, Lu Mingxin lowered her eyes, looking like she was about to cry again. "But I treated you so badly, I didn't even get to see you one last time."

Gu Qinglan spoke softly, "Didn't you say it? For me not to look through you at someone else… The one who wasn't good to me wasn't you, or rather, not the current you."

Hearing him say this, Lu Mingxin looked up at him, her face still infinitely sad: "Qinglan-gege."

He still smiled gently at her: "Mingxin, you were never bad to me... At that time, you just didn't love me. For someone you don't love, that kind of care and trust was already enough."

Lu Mingxin instinctively wanted to refute, but for a moment she couldn't find anything wrong with what he said: in her previous life, she definitely didn't love him, right? Otherwise, how could she have neglected him to such an extent? But in her previous life, she should have still loved him, otherwise, she wouldn't have been so angry and disappointed after thinking he had colluded with the enemy.

Was it because she didn't love him enough? Or was her way of loving him wrong? To this day, having experienced life and death, she could step back and look at that heart-wrenching relationship as an outsider, with a clear head, but she still couldn't understand.

If only love and hate were as simple and clear as many people thought, or as portrayed in many movies and TV shows.

Thinking this, she pressed her lips tightly together. In her previous life, she had died for him, following him in death, but she didn't dare tell him. Given his personality, if he knew about those things, he would definitely feel guilty.

She struggled with how to express herself to him. After holding it in for a while, she finally said: "I love you, Qinglan, I love you very much."

Gu Qinglan smiled faintly at her, his expression full of doting affection: "I know, the current you loves me very much."

Enveloped by his gaze, as warm as spring sunshine, and hearing his gentle voice, Lu Mingxin suddenly felt that things weren't as complicated as she had imagined: So what if there were many things she couldn't tell him? So what if there was such a dark past?

As long as he loved her at this moment, and he also knew that she loved him just as much, then whose fault it was in the previous life, and who had let whom down, wasn't that important anymore.

She looked at him and still couldn't help but pounce on him and hug him. This time, she didn't shed tears but buried her head in the crook of his neck, tilting her head to lightly kiss the skin on his neck.

So much love for him in her chest, burgeoning and blocking her heart, agonizing because there was nowhere to vent it. She kissed him many more times, from his neck all the way to his cheek. Then she felt that if she endured it any longer, she would definitely become the first woman in history to suffocate herself.

Kissing the corner of his lips, she said dejectedly, "Qinglan-gege, I want to do some healthy and harmonious things with you..."

While letting her kiss him, he responded vaguely, and chuckled softly: "Oh? What healthy and harmonious things?"

Lu Mingxin had made up her mind early today. If she let him escape again, she would simply jump out and shout three times in front of the entire film crew: I am a pig, I haven't managed to get my own man in three months!

Lu Mingxin decided to throw caution to the wind and said righteously: "Just those things we couldn't do in our previous life."

Speaking of which, it was truly the failure of that career-minded tough woman from the previous life. From their marriage to their eventual separation by death, a full three years, there had not been a single instance of marital intimacy between husband and wife.

Gu Qinglan was either very indifferent in this aspect, or he knew there was someone else in her heart, so he never took the initiative. And Lu Mingxin herself, had also naively believed that being husband and wife simply meant living in the same room, sleeping in the same bed, and nothing more.

Originally, young ladies from good families would have specially assigned matrons to impart experience before marriage. But in her previous life, Lu Mingxin had foolishly run away from the marriage. Later, forced by an imperial edict, she hastily married Gu Qinglan, and many steps in between were omitted.

Later, when Madam Lu saw that they had been married for a long time but still showed no signs of having children, she had even insinuated to Lu Mingxin, reminding her if she wanted to find a few old maids to serve them.

Unfortunately, Lu Mingxin, with her thick nerves, didn't understand her mother's underlying meaning at all, only saying that she and Gu Qinglan didn't need old maids to serve them, so Madam Lu had to give up.

As soon as she thought about the events of her previous life, she immediately felt extremely indignant and resentful: guarding such a great beauty every day, yet only knowing how to sleep and eat, wasn't she simply a pig?

Gu Qinglan didn't intend to force her to actually say those two words, just raised an eyebrow slightly. "Today? Now?"

Lu Mingxin thought to herself, does this still require scheduling another time! She had already waited for three months, okay?

She was so angry that she hugged him even tighter, as if venting her frustration, "Or what!"

Gu Qinglan just chuckled lightly. "It's still daytime, and I'm still working..."

This was indeed a fact, and Lu Mingxin couldn't refute it. She hugged him like this, suddenly feeling a wave of despair in her heart: he hadn't been willing to touch her in their previous life, and he still wasn't willing now.

When all was said and done, either he had no feelings for her at all, or he still couldn't accept her frankly.

The more Lu Mingxin thought about it, the more desperate she became. For a moment, she simply wanted to run into the bedroom and bang her head against the headboard until she died. But then she felt that dying because her husband wouldn't touch her was too unsightly a way to die.

She became increasingly sad, an unstoppable sense of frustration and loss washing over her. Tears were about to fall again, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

It was Gu Qinglan who couldn't bear to tease her for too long. He held her body, gently patting her shoulder, his tone still carrying a soft warmth, "Mingxin... I'm willing, I was just joking."

Lu Mingxin didn't know what those men who had proposed to their beloved numerous times and finally succeeded felt when they heard the words "I'm willing."

Anyway, at this moment, she felt as if a hundred flowers had suddenly bloomed, spring had instantly driven away the severe cold, the world was filled with light and warmth, and hell had suddenly turned into heaven... If this were an Indian movie, she would immediately stand up and sing and dance with a group of people.

She looked up at him, not breaking into a smile through her tears, but quickly confirming the next course of action: "Then let's quickly pull down the blackout curtains and turn on the 'Do Not Disturb' light in the room?"

Gu Qinglan really hadn't expected... that she would actually be this anxious.

He couldn't help but quickly examine himself: it wasn't that he was unwilling, nor was it that he lacked impulse, but he always felt that even between lovers, it should be mutual affection, with both parties having the desire, so that it wouldn't be merely fulfilling an obligation and responsibility.

While he was silent, Lu Mingxin stared nervously at his face. Seeing him frown slightly, she immediately said again: "I'm sorry, am I being too hasty..."

Gu Qinglan shifted his gaze back to her face. He smiled at her, "Not at all, I've waited a long time too."

Perhaps it was because they were too close at this moment, or perhaps because his tone carried an ambiguity she had never heard before.

Lu Mingxin actually felt that this short sentence was so tender it was somewhat breathtaking.

A thick-skinned person like her, for some unknown reason, quietly blushed, and suddenly she didn't even dare to look at his smile, turning her head and looking away. Then she felt a little tickle in her nose.

Over there, Gu Qinglan was silent for a moment. He seemed to be shocked by something. Then he raised his hand to cup her face, saying with a hint of helplessness and heartache: "Mingxin, you’re having a nosebleed..."

Lu Mingxin really wanted to find a small dark room and lock herself in. She barely managed to maintain her final composure, preserving her dignity as an adult. "Oh, the weather in the northwest is just too dry..."

Afraid that a tissue wouldn't be soft enough, Gu Qinglan still took out the silk handkerchief from his pocket. He didn't mind that the handkerchief would have to be thrown away after being stained with blood. He carefully wiped the bloodstains under her nose and then lightly kissed her reddened cheek.

He was still helpless: "Mingxin, I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be so... towards me."

Lu Mingxin smoothly continued: "Didn't expect me to love you so much, to be so thirsty for it!"

Because of her "thirst," they really began to prepare.

After all, it was the first time. They couldn't rush into it just because they were anxious. Gu Qinglan first finished his work, then instructed his secretary not to call him before dinner, and then... pulled the curtains and turned on the "Do Not Disturb" light.

Then they went to the shower room together to take a shower. Lu Mingxin tragically discovered that because she was afraid of losing control at the sight of his body, she had never dared to enter the shower room with him before.

At this moment, in the warm water of the shower room, looking at his body in the steam, she couldn't take her eyes off him.

He was actually a bit thin. Due to his constitution, he also chose gentle forms of exercise, so he didn't have those solid, marble-like muscle lines.

But his body also didn't have a trace of excess fat. Because his skin tone was fair, it was even more like an oriental jade carving, full of smooth beauty.

She suddenly felt like she was going to have another nosebleed. This day... her dignity was truly not preserved.

Afterwards, they showered together again. Lu Mingxin remembered his appearance just now, and her cheeks quietly began to turn red again, while his skin tone was also still slightly flushed, still retaining the afterglow of passion.

Her fingers lightly slid across his skin in the stream of water, with infinite reluctance and longing. She still wanted to snuggle into his embrace—it was an illusion close to eternity.

Everyone, perhaps, will have such a moment, an illusion of the vastness of heaven and earth, and being alone.

But after experiencing that moment, she felt that she would never feel lonely again... Even if it was the end of the world, and the primordial chaos was annihilated, she had shared eternity with him.

She remembered a sentence she had read in some book, "With a lover, do happy things," it was probably like this.

Thinking this, she lowered her head again and placed a light kiss on his chest, with a hint of pilgrimage and piety. He also embraced her, his posture careful, as if what he held in his arms was a treasure worth more than the whole world.

Lowering his head, he placed a gentle kiss on her earlobe and said softly: "A'xin, thank you."

Warm water flowed over their bodies, continuously flowing down, as if at this moment, his tenderness was inexhaustible.

Lu Mingxin hugged him and said after a while: "Qinglan-gege, I want to have your child."

She had heard someone say before that if a woman, not out of a desire to raise offspring, but purely because she was willing to bear a child for a man, then she must love him very much.

That's how she felt now, too much love, she could do anything for him.

It was their first time, and Gu Qinglan was still on medication, so they had deliberately taken precautions. Hearing her say this now, he chuckled softly: "Okay, we will... when we're ready."

Lu Mingxin looked up at him again, seeming to consider it seriously: "Qinglan-gege is so beautiful and so smart, with such good genes, there will definitely be no problem."

Gu Qinglan smiled: "Thank you for the compliment... Basically, I'm also very satisfied with your genes."

Lu Mingxin's eyes immediately lit up: "Really? So happy."

The topic, unknowingly, had been led in a strange direction. Gu Qinglan smiled and planted another kiss on her smooth forehead.

Finally obtaining the beauty she had longed for day and night, coveted for two lifetimes, Lu Mingxin's sense of satisfaction was unusually strong.

Moreover, Gu Qinglan was very gentle. She basically didn't feel the so-called "pain," only feeling that her whole person was like a watered plant, soaked in happiness from the tips of her hair to her toes.

They simply had dinner delivered to their room. Afterwards, they didn't go out for a walk, but lay in bed together. Gu Qinglan was reading a professional book, and Lu Mingxin pestered him to explain it to her.

Gu Qinglan was indeed a teacher popular with students. He could explain a dry paper on the impact of canal transportation on ancient regional economies in a simple, easy-to-understand, and interesting way.

At first, Lu Mingxin just wanted to listen to his low and pleasant voice, but later she became truly engrossed and even exchanged her own understanding with him.

Just lying together and talking for a while, but the satisfaction it brought was no less than in the afternoon. The next morning, the two of them got up early again to go for a walk, and after breakfast, they went to the makeup room to report together.

Even the stylist could see that Lu Mingxin looked extremely well today. She remembered that Lu Mingxin and Gu Qinglan had gone to rest together yesterday afternoon, and she smiled teasingly: "Looks like you took some time to de-stress, huh?"

A thick-skinned person like Lu Mingxin shamelessly replied with two words: "Hehe."

Gu Qinglan was sitting in the chair next to her getting his makeup done. Towards her smug behavior, he only slightly curved his lips and smiled.

This scene, coincidentally, was seen by Mo Qi, who had rushed to film a scene of rolling in a sandpit yesterday afternoon and whose whole body ached as if run over by a truck.

No matter how good-tempered Film Emperor Mo was, he couldn't help but say: "I'm really blind... I want to go home and find my wife."

Mo Qi had never officially announced that he had a girlfriend or was married, but from Lu Mingxin's observation of him, she felt that he should have a steady girlfriend, and might even be married.

Because although he was a newly crowned Film Emperor with super high popularity and excellent reputation, Mo Qi was actually very low-key towards the media. Throughout the year, apart from serious news related to his works, there were almost no scandals.

Towards such a mysterious Film Emperor Mo, Lu Mingxin couldn't help but gossip. She leaned slightly to the side and asked, "Qi-ge, you've been here for so many days, do you miss sister-in-law?"

Mo Qi turned his head to look at her, his tone deliberately feigning indignation, "You and Mr. Gu show off your affection in front of me every day, how can I not miss her?"

Saying this meant he admitted it. Lu Mingxin also knew that he wasn't really angry, just teasing, so she smiled smugly again: "Who told you to hide sister-in-law so well and not bring her over? Serves you right."

Towards her deserving-a-beating behavior, Mo Qi could only indicate that he had already noted it down in his little black book in his heart. A gentleman's revenge is not too late even after ten years.

Today's scene happened to be for the three of them. Mo Qi agreed to Gu Qinglan to let Lu Mingxin go on the expedition with the army, but he said that life and death on the battlefield are unpredictable, and he could not guarantee Lu Mingxin's safety.

Lu Mingxin was still wearing a tight-fitting and capable red military uniform, standing in the main general's barracks, possessing a bright and compelling heroic bearing.

After hearing Mo Qi's words, she did not show cowardice or retreat, but laughed heartily: "General Du is merely afraid I'll become a burden to the army, right? Please rest assured, my, Lu Qingping's, life and death are my own responsibility."

After Mo Qi heard her words, instead of immediately feeling relieved, he looked at Gu Qinglan beside him.

This was ancient China. In this old-fashioned patriarchal society, women were often not seen as individuals with independent personalities, but more like the private property and appendages of men.

Mo Qi's glance was not meant to belittle Lu Mingxin, but merely to obtain the approval of her husband, Gu Qinglan.

Knowing his meaning, Gu Qinglan also smiled faintly at him and said a sentence that laid the foundation for Lu Mingxin to go on the expedition with the army: "This is also my intention, please be at ease, General Du."

Mo Qi raised his long eyebrows, nodded, and laughed heartily. "That's good then."

Originally, being able to go on an expedition with the army was a good thing. However, Lu Mingxin, because the person who could ultimately decide whether she could go to the battlefield was Gu Qinglan, not herself, nor the Mo Qi she had always admired, her originally incomparably bright eyes dimmed imperceptibly.

Mo Qi didn't notice her thoughts, but Gu Qinglan saw it. He couldn't say any other comforting words and could only smile at her.

This smile, however, was misunderstood by Lu Mingxin, who thought that his various "willfulnesses" towards her were merely an attitude of bestowing favor. So she stiffly turned her face away and never looked at him again.

After one scene, Wei Jingguo couldn't help but praise Gu Qinglan's excellent state once he got into character again. Mo Qi was a film emperor; his command of a role was, of course, top-notch.

As for Lu Mingxin, he could pick out flaws: "Mingxin, your gaze is still not sharp enough. You should be misunderstanding Mr. Gu, okay? Be fiercer, with more indignation in your expression! Why do you look like you're casting flirtatious glances at Mr. Gu… I know you and Mr. Gu rested and exercised well yesterday, but you can't be as giddy as a newlywed little wife, okay?"

What did "rested and exercised well" mean? Wei Jingguo's linguistic artistry was simply reaching new heights. So many people were listening, Lu Mingxin wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

So they had to do it again. This time, Gu Qinglan and Mo Qi performed the same as last time. Lu Mingxin's glance at the end, after she mustered all the arrogant pride of her life, finally showed a bit of chuunibyou flair, making Wei Jingguo exclaim with satisfaction.

After finally finishing the morning's filming, the time cost of going back to the hotel to remove makeup and eat lunch was too high, so they basically squatted on the set in their costumes and makeup to eat.

The filming conditions in the western film city were relatively harsh, and everyone ate and slept in the open. They couldn't be too special, so they usually shared weal and woe with everyone outside.

Lu Mingxin knew that Gu Qinglan had a bad stomach, so every day she tirelessly emphasized to the master who prepared the boxed lunches that the dishes should be vegetarian and light, and she always shared her soup with him.

Mo Qi liked to hang out with the two of them. The three of them, all dressed in the gorgeous costumes of generals and civil officials, carrying stools, hiding in the cool shade of a wall corner and gnawing on boxed lunches, was truly a huge contrast and somewhat comical.

However, Lu Mingxin couldn't be bothered with etiquette. While handing her bowl to Gu Qinglan, she said: "Qinglan-gege, the winter melon and green vegetables in this soup are quite refreshing, you should drink more."

She then casually said, "Actually, I think the script should be adjusted."

Also eating a boxed lunch, Gu Qinglan could perform such an action with flowing grace and incomparable elegance. If he didn't have to hold the boxed lunch with one hand, he could be used as an etiquette textbook at a high-end dinner party at any time.

He took the soup bowl handed over by Lu Mingxin, placed it on a stool beside him, smiled faintly and said: "Why do you suddenly say that?"

With Mo Qi present, Lu Mingxin couldn't just say, ‘Your script's story is incomplete, I have the complete version here!’ She could only say as rationally as possible, "I think Mu Yiqing's betrayal is very abrupt. He defected to the King of Western Xia, yet he clearly had no benefit. It's like being bad just for the sake of being bad. The plot isn't convincing."

As she spoke, she also emphasized: "The logic of the entire script is very smooth, it's just that Mu Yiqing's betrayal and the like, the reasons are too far-fetched. Don't you think so, Qi-ge?"

Mo Qi clearly had the same opinion, but considering that Gu Qinglan was the screenwriter of this drama, he spoke more cautiously: "Indeed, I admire the character of Mu Yiqing very much. I think he could be more outstanding, and the change in his stance could also have more foreshadowing."

Since Lu Mingxin had already remembered the events of her previous life, Gu Qinglan no longer needed to insist on not revealing the whole truth. Instead, he smiled gently: "Okay, I will consider both of your opinions."

Changing the script was not a small matter, especially since filming had already begun, and the script was so detailed that even the storyboards were done. If it were to be changed again, it would be a major undertaking involving many people.

But since Gu Qinglan had agreed, he began to prepare seriously. By the third day after their discussion, he told Lu Mingxin and Mo Qi that he had already coordinated with all parties, and Li Angyue would join the crew in a week to work on it with him.

Lu Mingxin wasn't worried about other things, nor was she afraid of having to re-memorize lines. Instead, she said, "With so much work, will Qinglan-gege's body be able to take it?"

Gu Qinglan smiled, "It's okay, Teacher Li has taken on most of the work."

Only then did Lu Mingxin feel relieved. Over there, Mo Qi was interested. "What changes will there be in the plot?"

Gu Qinglan smiled: "Actually, after I said I would change the script, Teacher Li immediately had some new ideas... He plans to discuss them in detail after he joins the crew."

Lu Mingxin just wanted to reveal all those secrets that were covered up in her previous life. In her previous life, he had borne an undeserved stigma and died unjustly. If even in film and television works in this life, his name could not be cleared, that would be too tragic.

After finishing the day's filming, when Lu Mingxin was walking with Gu Qinglan in the evening, she held his hand, hesitating to speak several times along the way.

Seeing that she really had something to say, Gu Qinglan smiled and asked: "Mingxin, what's wrong?"

Lu Mingxin gripped his hand tighter and said in a low voice, "Qinglan, do you want to know how I knew... that you didn't defect to the enemy?"

Since he had already died once, those were all things of a past life or an illusory past. Gu Qinglan didn't mind it much and smiled, "Her Majesty told you, right?"

His tone was very certain. Although the fact was indeed so, Lu Mingxin still felt her heart tighten: he hadn't even thought of other possibilities, for example, that she had discovered it herself.

She nodded, tightening her grip on his hand. She turned her head to look at him: "Qinglan-gege... If I could have told you back then, I would definitely have said, don't hide everything from me, don't make sacrifices unilaterally without giving me a chance to make amends."

She bit her lip and finally said the words that had been bottled up in her heart for a long time, "For you to be like this, to me, is actually another kind of unfairness."

Gu Qinglan hadn't expected her to suddenly talk about these things. He lowered his eyes slightly and only raised his head to look at her after a while: "Mingxin, I'm very sorry."

She was right... If possible, he also wanted to see her one last time. Regardless of whether the misunderstanding could be resolved, at least before his life faded away, he could see her again.

If that were the case, perhaps he wouldn't have left with so many regrets and unwillingness, and he wouldn't have carried the memories into this life.

But what she still didn't know was that at that time, he no longer had the chance to wait for her to return. Even without his father's pot of poisoned wine, he would only have endured a few more days in prison, while she was far away at the border, thousands of miles away.

Thinking about it now, his father's poisoned wine was actually a mercy to him. At least the pain he endured when ending his life was brief.

Lu Mingxin hugged him and shook her head: "I don't want you to apologize... I hate my own recklessness and ignorance even more. Qinglan, in my previous life, I thought, if there was any way to bring you back, I would try it."

She hugged him tightly, burying her head in his embrace. After a while, she said: "Qinglan, only when I lost you did I realize how much I loved you... It was too painful."

Gu Qinglan lightly put his arm around her shoulder. He admitted that in his previous life, and even in this life, he had never thought of this possibility.

He had never thought that in his previous life, he had already obtained her affection. He had always thought that to her, he was just a husband who would restrain her, and an dispensable old acquaintance.

After arriving in the west, he actually rarely had headaches, but today it started again. He tried his best to control his voice, not wanting Lu Mingxin to notice his discomfort, and said softly, "Mingxin, I'm sorry."

As they talked, they had unknowingly stopped walking and were standing on an open and boundless road.

Few vehicles usually passed this road, but at this moment, an off-road vehicle approached from a distance. The vehicle was extremely fast, but as it approached them, it suddenly turned on its headlights.

It was already dusk, and although the headlights were not as dazzling as at night, because the car was using high beams, when Lu Mingxin heard the sound of the engine and looked up in surprise, she saw a blinding light under which a car was heading straight for them.

She instinctively sensed danger and was about to pull Gu Qinglan to roll into the thorny bushes by the roadside, but the car had already started to slow down.

The harsh sound of braking indicated that the driver had obviously started to brake hard only after the car had reached a very high speed. Even though the car's performance was excellent, it still slid for several tens of meters before it barely stopped, its front end swinging to block their path.

Lu Mingxin could even feel the airflow brought by the vehicle. She frowned slightly and saw the car door open, and a nimble figure jumped out from the driver's seat.

Even in summer, this person was dressed entirely in black. But unlike Ren Ran, the same black, when he wore it, not only did it not look ascetic at all, but it gave people an overwhelming sense of oppression.

Taking off the sunglasses on his face, he looked at Gu Qinglan and laughed loudly. "I was wondering where this pair of wild mandarin ducks came from in this desolate place. So it's Mr. Gu."

This was the first time Lu Mingxin had been so thoroughly ignored by someone of the opposite sex, but she had no time to care about such details.

If she hadn't remembered the memories of her previous life, it would have been fine, but she had remembered, and so she recognized who this person was: Li Jin.

Now, his identity was that of a veteran movie star, and also a special figure in the entertainment industry whom no one dared to provoke – not just because he was too senior and had too much airs, but because he not only had his own film company but was also rumored to have deep connections in the political world.

And in her previous life, even though she had only seen him from a distance a few times, Lu Mingxin remembered this face deeply: he was the King of Western Xia, the overlord of Western Xia who, even after being defeated by them and fleeing into the great desert, was never captured.

Gu Qinglan smiled faintly at him: "I remember the contract stipulated reporting to the crew in a week. Mr. Li is still so dedicated, arriving so early."

Li Jin laughed loudly again. "Not at all. I just wanted to take the opportunity of work to get closer to Mr. Gu."