Chapter 49

Chang Shi Gui was unfamiliar with these privileged men. He had been put under elite training from young, and seldom socialized with them.

After reluctantly patronizing these people, Chang Shi Gui wound up his window. As he was about to leave, he heard someone knocking on his window.

“Mr. Chang”.

Ning Xi’s smiling face appeared in front of him.

Chang Shi Gui alighted from the car and asked, “What brings you here?”

Ning Xi glanced at the men nearby and smiled, “I saw your car when I was on the way out, so I came over to say hi”.

Surprised that Ning Xi would take the initiative to approach him, a smile appeared on Chang Shi Gui’s face. “What a coincidence”.

“Yes, it’s such a coincidence,” Ning Xi turned and faced the young men. “Are these people your friends? I saw them having a meal in a private room nearby just now. I didn’t expect you to be acquainted with them too, this must be fate.”

Hearing Ning Xi’s words, these men immediately looked uncomfortable, as they recalled that they seemed to have left the door slightly ajar when they gossiped about Chang Shi Gui.

They studied Ning Xi’s expressions restlessly, but her expression was calm, so they couldn’t guess if Ning Xi had actually overheard their conversation.

However, from the contrast in his attitude, it was clear that their words would not hold as much weight as Ning Xi’s. After all, Chang Shi Gui had alighted from the car when she appeared, while he appeared indifferent when they were trying to fawn over him.

“Isn’t that the President of Chang Enterprises?” The actor who played Zhang Qian in Yunyue of the Han Dynasty was surprised. He had initially thought that Jiuji was trying to play up Ning Xi’s popularity, but it turned out that Ning Xi truly had a good relationship with the President of Chang Enterprises.

He intended to approach Chang Shi Gui to get acquainted with him, but was stopped by Director Xu.

“Come, the car’s that way, let’s go”. Director Xu knew his intentions. However, it was not the right time to approach Chang Shi Gui.

“Director Xu?” The actor was confused, but allowed himself to be led away by Director Xu.

The other actors in the team who also witnessed this scene tactfully turned away, but deep inside, they had a newfound recognition for Ning Xi’s connections.  

Chang Shi Gui could sense the strange air between Ning Xi and the few men. He frowned and turned to open the door for Ning Xi. “It’s late, I’ll send you home”.

“Thanks.” Ning Xi had no reason to reject Chang Shi Gui’s goodwill in front of these young men. Before boarding the car, she even gracefully bade goodbye to them.

It was only when Chang Shi Gui and Ning Xi left that these privileged men finally heaved a sigh of relief. They exchanged glances at one another, making no mention of what had happened earlier. After a short while, one of them scoffed, “Whoever said that Chang Shi Gui had not successfully pursued this actress? They seem to be doing well together!”

“Can you ever trust the words of entertainment reporters?” Another one said grouchily, “No wonder he’s so calm, it turns out that he’d already captured the beauty’s heart”.

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“Did something happen just now?” Chang Shi Gui could smell the mild scent of alcohol on Ning Xi and guessed that she had just attended a gathering. “Did they make things difficult for you?”

“You mean those privileged kids?” Ning Xi asked, shaking her head as she smiled. “No, but I happened to overhear them gossiping”.

Chang Shi Gui nodded, but did not probe further.

The silence in the car resumed. Ning Xi tilted her head and looked at Chang Shi Gui. She couldn’t help but notice how good looking his side profile was. “Aren’t you curious about who they were badmouthing?”

“Me?” Chang Shi Gui raised his brows, and knew from Ning Xi’s expression that he was right.

“You are so boring, can’t you just pretend to be curious?” Ning Xi shrugged her shoulders and sighed, “I can’t even continue this conversation now”.

Chang Shi Gui paused for a moment. When he saw Ning Xi’s slouched shoulders, he asked unnaturally, “I’m curious about what they said, please tell me”.

“Haha!” Ning Xi could not contain her laughter at his perplexed look, “Thank goodness you are a President, not an actor!”

Chang Shi Gui was confused.

“Your acting skills are so bad that you wouldn’t be cast anywhere even with your looks”. Ning Xi giggled. “What else can they say? They can only badmouth you, but can’t even lift their heads up high when they meet you”.

Ning Xi frowned as she recalled the conversation.

If Chang Shi Gui was badmouthed to these extent by those privileged kids, then wouldn’t he be chewed apart by the wealthy tai tais?

Gossip knew no bounds. These tai tais would also gossip about others, or even criticise them.

A privileged man like Chang Shi Gui would only be the envy of many, and there were certainly people who would latch onto any flaws of his.

“I’m sorry…” Ning Xi’s smile slowly disappeared, “I brought this upon you”.

Chang Shi Gui knew what she meant, and smiled gently, “It’s my own problem that I like you, and you were not wrong to reject me. What’s there to apologise when you owe me nothing?”

He kept three other words hidden deep in his heart, as he knew that saying these words now would make things difficult for Ning Xi and cause a rift in their relationship. Therefore, he chose not to say anything else, but simply grinned at her.

Looking at his gentle expression, Ning Xi smiled reluctantly, but even she felt that this smile was forced.

“Zhou Zhengchuan and you …”

“We’re just friends”, Ning Xi replied quickly, “The media was making groundless allegations”.

“That’s good,” a hint of a smile appeared on Chang Shi Gui’s face. “I still stand a chance then?”

Ning Xi was silent for a moment, then turned her head towards the window, “Mr. Chang, you don’t have to do this. I’ve said this a long time ago, I’m no longer that same young lady from the past.”

“Call me Shi Gui”, Chang Shi Gui stared into Ning Xi’s eyes, “We’ve known each other for so long, why are you still acting so distant?”

Ning Xi paused.

Seeing that she did not refute his words, Chang Shi Gui said satisfactorily, “I’ve said this too, it’s not about which you, I just like you for you”.

“And you think you understand me?” Ning Xi was slightly agitated. “You just think that you like me, no matter if it’s the innocent me from the past, or the current me that others call a goddess. But Chang Shi Gui, I’ve long changed! What goddess, what elegance? All these are but a facade, and the Ning Xi that you like, is only what you think you see!”

Ning Xi immediately regretted her words. After her parents’ deaths, she had never lost her temper at anyone. She should not have vented her frustrations on Chang Shi Gui, because he was not her emotional outlet.

“I’m sorry,” Ning Xi apologized to Chang Shi Gui. She massaged her temples, and reached into her handbag. However, she remembered that Chang Shi Gui was still beside her, and nonchalantly took her hand out. “Don’t take my words to heart, I was just too tired”.

“What are you looking for?” Chang Shi Gui’s expression faltered as his eyes moved to Ning Xi’s handbag.

“Nothing.” Ning Xi squeezed her bag, not looking at Chang Shi Gui.

This time, Chang Shi Gui ignored her words and asked again, “Ning Xi, tell me! What were you looking for?”

Ning Xi continued squeezing her bag quietly.

Chang Shi Gui pulled the bag away from her, and fished out a small brown bottle. His hands shook slightly. “Tranquilizers?”

Ning Xi took the bottle from his hand expressionlessly, and placed the bottle back into her bag. “I haven’t been sleeping well lately, so I got a doctor to prescribe some for me. Did Mr Chang think that I was on drugs?”

“Ning Xi”, Chang Shi Gui’s voice trembled, “Tell me, how long have you been taking these pills?”

He might not be a doctor, but he knew this medicine. Not only was it a sleeping pill, it was also an antidepressant. Even though they were effective, they were harmful to the body, and there was even a risk of addiction.

“Mr Chang, aren’t you interfering too much?” Ning Xi closed her eyes. When she reopened her eyes, they were void of emotion. “We are all adults here, do you understand?”

Her words were curt, but Chang Shi Gui did not argue with her anymore. He covered his eyes, and then said hoarsely, “Ning Xi, I’m sorry. I should have found you earlier.”

For someone who had lost her parents at the age of seventeen, and was alone in a foreign land, she was already trying her best to make ends meet, how could she feel stressed?

“Mr Chang, you don’t owe me anything,” Ning Xi looked at Chang Shi Gui’s pained look, and forced herself to look away. “There are many others who are indebted to me, but you are definitely not one of them”.

In fact, she was the one who was indebted to him.

He had given her his heart, but she could not repay his love.

The car stopped outside Ning Xi’s residence. Ning Xi glanced at Chang Shi Gui and said, “Thanks for sending me home”. She opened the door and prepared to alight.

“Ning Xi,” Chang Shi Gui looked at her with a hopeful gaze, “Will you let me take care of you?”

Ning Xi paused, then smiled gracefully, “Mr Chang, I’m already twenty four, I don’t need anyone else to care for me anymore”.

“I know that, but I just want to do it. Is that possible?”

“Mr Chang, there are many things that won’t always go your way”. Ning Xi pointed at the sky, “I want the stars and the moon, but is that even possible?”

“Mr Chang, don’t put yourself down for a snob like me”, Ning Xi alighted from the car, and looked back at Chang Shi Gui, “Isn’t it better if you just retain this good image of me in your heart?”

Chang Shi Gui stared quietly at Ning Xi.

“Goodbye”. Ning Xi waved, then walked away smiling.

Her smile vanished as soon as she walked into the lift. She stared blankly at the lift panel as it slowly went up.

Once she returned home, she poured a glass of water and took the bottle of pills from her bag. As her fingers touched the bottle cap, the pained look on Chang Shi Gui’s face surfaced in her mind.

In reality, she was no longer reliant on these medications, because she had already learned to control her emotions, and was able to sleep through the night.

She would only take them when she lost control of her emotions.

Deep down, she knew that if she was unable to overcome this obstacle, and even had to rely on medication to control her emotions, then all her plans would come to naught.

Ning Xi put down the bottle and sipped some water. After she came out of the shower, she turned on her computer and logged into her social media accounts.

[Avenger]: I hurt a very good person, and now I can’t sleep..

Many users soon replied to her post, and some even sent her some jokes. There were even others who asked if she had taken her revenge against those who had bullied her.

“All is going well … except for a beautiful accident”.

Ning Xi hesitated after typing this line, then deleted it.

Closing the page, Ning Xi cleared her browsing history, then logged into her Weibo account.

She received a prompt on the thousands of unread messages. She skimmed through them quickly, replied to some of her fans’ problems, then turned off her computer and prepared to go to bed.

At this moment, her phone rang.

Ning Xi looked at her phone and saw that the caller was Chang Shi Gui. After some hesitation, she picked up the call.

“Ning Xi”, Chang Shi Gui’s gentle voice was lined with masculinity.

“Mr Chang, not sleeping yet?” the corner of Ning Xi’s lips curled up..

“Can you look out of the window?”

Ning Xi walked to the window and pulled up her curtains.

The community garden was filled with an array of colourful lights, as well as many intricate lights in the shape of stars and moon, resembling the galaxy. It was beautiful beyond belief.

“Do you think these resemble the stars and the moon?”

Ning Xi had never expected that someone like Chang Shi Gui would do such a foolish thing. This was so unlike him.

She blinked and stifled a laugh, as her eyes slowly brimmed with tears, saying, “What a cliched move, it’s so old fashioned.”

“It’s fine if it’s old fashioned, so long as you like it”. Chang Shi Gui was holding on to his phone, as he looked up at Ning Xi’s window and spotted a silhouette there.

Some residents also saw the lights on the community garden and started taking pictures. There were even some who shouted, “Accept his proposal!”

Although they did not know whose proposal it was, they still wanted to witness this exciting event.

Most importantly, this was a very beautiful setup. It would take a lot of money to create this galaxy.

“I’m once again a believer of true love!” A young audience took a series of pictures and posted them on Weibo.

[Bouncing bear]: There’s a wealthy man making a confession in my neighbourhood! I’m once again a believer of true love!!”

As she didn’t have many followers, her post initially did not attract much attention, and only a couple of followers asked the user where the area was, and who the man was confessing to.

The young lady obviously did not dare to share her address, and hence did not answer the question. As for the question of who the man was confessing to …

She looked down using a pair of binoculars. There was a man with a dominating presence, and while she could not clearly see his face, she instinctively felt that it must be a handsome man.

Because only someone dashing could look so good even from afar.

“Silly man …” Ning Xi covered her smile, and felt some droplets on the back of her hand.

“How tacky!” Ning Xi wiped her eyes, “So cliched”.