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It was already dark when Su Ning left Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Autumn nights come early in Beijing; by six o'clock, all the streetlights are already on.

The traffic on the street continued to flow, the taillights forming a red river.

The shops along the roadside were lit up; some were already closed, while others were still open, and you could see busy figures inside through the glass.

He hailed a taxi at the hospital and went straight back to school.

The taxi was a red Xiali, a common model in those days.

The driver was an old man from Beijing, very talkative, constantly reciting today's news, gas prices, and which roads were congested.

Su Ning leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and was still thinking about what had just happened.

That evil spirit wasn't particularly powerful; it was just an ordinary wandering ghost that somehow became tainted by resentment and turned into a malevolent spirit.

It has clearly been attached to Aunt Qiong for some time now.

It absorbed Aunt Qiong's life force, slowly growing stronger until it completely lost control.

When I made my move, that thing tried to resist.

It burst out of Aunt Qiong's body, turning into a cloud of black mist, and lunged at Su Ning with bared teeth and claws.

A distorted face could be vaguely seen in the black mist, ferocious and terrifying, emitting a piercing scream.

With a casual wave of his hand, a golden light flashed, and the thing vanished into thin air.

The defeat was so easy that Suning barely even realized it.

But after wiping them out, Su Ning suddenly felt a little regretful.

It's not that I regret making the move, but that I regret making it too hastily.

Na-jie looked at her like she was looking at a monster.

The producer looked at him like he was a god.

The assistant looked at him as if he were a ghost.

My life will probably never be peaceful again.

Soon, the car stopped at the school gate.

Suning paid the fare and got out of the car.

The autumn nights in Beijing are a bit chilly; the wind blowing on your face carries a hint of cold.

After taking only two steps, Su Ning froze.

A person was standing under the streetlight at the school gate.

Yan Ruyu.

She was wearing a beige trench coat that reached her knees, with the belt casually tied around her waist.

With his hands in his pockets, he was looking around and occasionally stamping his feet, clearly having waited quite a while.

Upon seeing Suning, Yan Ruyu's eyes lit up, as if stars had been illuminated.

Then Yan Ruyu jogged over, the hem of her trench coat fluttering gently, her long hair dancing in the wind.

"Suning! You're back!"

Su Ning looked at Yan Ruyu, somewhat surprised, "You've been waiting here the whole time?"

“Yes!” Yan Ruyu said matter-of-factly, with a bright smile on her face. “Didn’t you say that Sister Na was looking for you? I was a little worried, so I came out to wait for you. Anyway, I didn’t have anything to do, and I was just staying in the dorm. Besides, you didn’t say when you would be back, and I was afraid that if you came back late, you wouldn’t be able to get in. The school gates close at eleven o’clock.”

Suning remained silent for a few seconds.

This girl seems to be serious?

Looking at the beautiful woman before him, with her gentle eyes and a smile on her lips.

That face looked especially captivating in the night.

A thought suddenly struck her: "Senior, are you free tonight?"

Yan Ruyu was taken aback for a moment, then blinked. "Yes! What's wrong?"

"Come with me somewhere."

Yan Ruyu looked at Su Ning, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes, "Where?"

"hotel."

When Suning uttered those two words, he himself felt a little surprised.

The words just came out without thinking.

"..." Yan Ruyu was stunned.

She stared blankly at Su Ning, a hint of surprise flashing across her face.

That surprise lasted only a second, then transformed into a complex expression...

Surprise, confusion, and something else I can't quite put my finger on.

But the surprise vanished in an instant. "Okay."

Suning was also stunned.

I never expected Yan Ruyu to agree so readily.

He had even prepared his response to Yan Ruyu's refusal, or considered how to explain himself if Yan Ruyu got angry.

But Yan Ruyu actually agreed immediately.

"Aren't you going to ask why?"

Yan Ruyu tilted her head to look at Su Ning, "Why? Didn't you say you'd go somewhere with me?"

She walked straight over and naturally took Su Ning's arm.

The movement was so natural, as if he had done it countless times before. "Let's go!"

Su Ning looked at Yan Ruyu and suddenly smiled, "Okay."

Then Suning hailed a taxi and gave them the name of the hotel.

That was a five-star international chain hotel in Beijing, Changfugong, located on Jianguomenwai Street.

After all, tonight will be a wonderful night for them, so they should arrange a venue with a sense of ceremony so that they can reminisce about it in the future.

Neither of them spoke in the car.

Yan Ruyu leaned on Su Ning's shoulder, her eyes closed, like a lazy cat.

Her hair had a faint fragrance, the scent of shampoo mixed with Yan Ruyu's unique body fragrance, which made people feel at ease.

As Su Ning watched the streetlights rushing past the car window, she suddenly felt a sense of peace.

Having traveled through various worlds over the years and experienced countless thrilling scenes, this moment of tranquility is a rare pleasure.

……

Upon arriving at the hotel, I showed my ID card to check in and then went inside.

The room is on the 23rd floor, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view of the nightscape of Beijing.

The traffic on Chang'an Avenue resembled a ribbon of light, while the China World Trade Center in the distance was brightly lit, and the skyscrapers of the Jingguang Center appeared and disappeared in the night.

The moment the door closed, Yan Ruyu turned around and looked at him. "Su Ning, do you know?"

"what?"

"From the first time I saw you, I felt you were different."

Su Ning looked at Yan Ruyu, "What's different?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it." Yan Ruyu thought for a moment, then frowned slightly in thought. "I just feel like there's something about you that makes people want to get closer to you. Even though you don't talk much and aren't proactive, it's just that people can't help but want to be near you. When other guys pursue me, I find it annoying, but being with you makes me feel especially comfortable."

"Maybe this is fate!"

Su Ning didn't say anything, but simply reached out and gently put his arm around Yan Ruyu's waist.

What followed was entirely logical.

Yan Ruyu is perfect.

Perfect figure, perfect skin, perfect reaction.

Like a fine piece of jade, it is warm and delicate, making it irresistible.

Her body was soft and warm, and every inch of her skin exuded youthful vitality.

Suning also had a great time.

I haven't felt this way in a long time.

I've traveled through various worlds over the years and experienced a lot, but few things have been like tonight.

It's not because the technology is so good, but because of that real feeling...

This Yan Ruyu is real, she is real at this moment, and the light in her eyes as she looks at herself is also real.

After an unknown amount of time, Yan Ruyu lay in Su Ning's arms, breathing evenly, and had fallen asleep.

Yan Ruyu curled up slightly, like a lazy kitten, with one hand on Su Ning's chest and a satisfied smile on her face.

Suning stared at the ceiling with her eyes open.

The hotel lights were dimmed, with only the bedside lamps on.

Thinking about what had just happened, thinking about Yan Ruyu standing under the streetlight, thinking about her saying that maybe this was fate.

Life?
I don't know if I have a life.

But tonight, I was actually quite happy.

……

At the same time, in a ward at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

The ward is a single room, quite spacious, with a private bathroom and a meeting area.

There were fresh flowers and fruit on the bedside table, all sent by the film crew.

Aunt Qiong slowly woke up.

She opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling, and it took her a while to realize where she was.

White ceiling, white walls, the smell of disinfectant, and city lights streaming in through the window.

"What...what's wrong with me?"

The agent stayed by the bedside, but fell asleep slumped in a chair.

Hearing the sound, he suddenly woke up and saw Aunt Qiong with her eyes open. He was so excited that he almost cried. "Aunt Qiong! You're awake! You've been unconscious for a whole day and night!"

Aunt Qiong frowned, trying to sit up, but found herself feeling weak and sore all over.

She could only lie there, looking at her agent, "How did I faint? I remember watching them film on set last night, how did I suddenly end up in the hospital?"

The agent paused for a moment, recalling Su Ning's words, the bizarre scene, and Aunt Qiong's incoherent ramblings while tied to the bed.

The agent hesitated for a moment, then said carefully, "You might be... too tired. The doctor said you need to rest. You've been working too hard lately, day and night, and your body can't take it anymore."

Aunt Qiong nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

Actually, she always felt that there were some blurry shadows in her mind, as if something terrible had happened, but she couldn't remember it no matter what she did.

Those shadows were like mist, dissipating at the slightest touch.

The agent secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He remembered Suning's warning.

Not a single word should be said.

I just remember that young man, the moment he pressed his hand on Aunt Qiong's forehead, the sudden drop in temperature in the ward, and that shrill scream.

Everything was so terrible.

That's amazing.

……

The next morning, at a five-star hotel.

Suning's phone suddenly rang.

I picked it up and saw it was Sister Na.

She glanced at Yan Ruyu, who was still fast asleep beside her, gently got up, walked to the window, and answered the phone, "Hello, Sister Na."

"Suning, Aunt Qiong is awake." Sister Na's voice came from the other end of the phone, carrying a hint of relief.

"Ah."

"Thank you."

"Need not."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Na Jie spoke again, her voice carrying a complex emotion: "Su Ning, from now on..."

“Sister Na.” Su Ning interrupted Sister Na’s next words.

"Ok?"

"I want to remind you again, there won't be a next time, after all, I'm not a fortune teller."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

After a long pause, Sister Na sighed softly, "Okay! I understand."

Suning put down his phone and looked out the window.

Outside the window, the sun is shining brightly.

The sky over Beijing was unusually blue, with a few white clouds drifting in the air.

The skyscrapers in the distance gleamed in the sunlight, and the streets were bustling with traffic; a new day had begun.

Yan Ruyu rolled over and asked groggily, "Who is it?"

"Nobody's here. I'll sleep a little longer."

Yan Ruyu hummed in agreement and then closed her eyes again. Su Ning looked at her, a slight smile playing on her lips.

In her sleep, Yan Ruyu lost her usual cleverness and playfulness, leaving only a pure tranquility.

Her eyelashes were long, casting a shadow on her eyelids.

Her lips were slightly parted, and her breathing was light and even.

Su Ning suddenly realized that this kind of morning was quite nice.

He lay back down on the bed and gently pulled Yan Ruyu into his arms.

Yan Ruyu unconsciously snuggled closer to him, found a comfortable position, and continued to sleep.

The room was quiet, with only the sound of their even breathing.

Outside the window, the morning in Beijing is slowly awakening.

……

Aunt Qiong fully regained consciousness the following afternoon.

She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the confusion in her mind gradually dissipating.

Those blurry shadows, those chaotic fragments, slowly pieced together into a complete memory.

The agent stayed by her side for a whole day and night without closing his eyes. His eyes were red, and he was unshaven, looking even more haggard than she was.

Seeing Aunt Qiong staring blankly with her eyes open, she quickly came over and said, "Aunt Qiong, how are you feeling? Would you like some water? I'll pour you a glass of warm water. The doctor said you should drink more water."

Aunt Qiong ignored him and just stared at the ceiling.

After a long while, Aunt Qiong suddenly spoke up, "Tell me! What exactly happened?"

The agent froze, her expression hardening. "Aunt Qiong, you..."

"Don't hide it from me." Aunt Qiong turned her head and looked at him.

Those eyes were exceptionally clear and sharp at that moment. "I know what's wrong with my body. Do you think I don't know anything just because I'm unconscious? There are some things I can still sense."

The agent swallowed hard, hesitating whether or not to speak.

Aunt Qiong just stared at him, her eyes coldly waiting.

After all, she is a big shot in the entertainment industry, and she still has a lot of presence.

After a few seconds, the agent finally couldn't withstand the gaze and lowered his voice to recount what had happened last night.

Aunt Qiong suddenly went crazy on set, talking nonsense, biting anyone she saw, and her strength was terrifying; several grown men couldn't hold her down.

When she was taken to the hospital, the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with her, so they could only tie Aunt Qiong to the bed.

Then Sister Na brought in that mysterious young man, who only pressed on Aunt Qiong's forehead, and she fainted.

"...The person Sister Na brought, surnamed Su, is a student. He glanced at you and said you were...possessed by something. Then he pressed your forehead, and you passed out. After you woke up, you were normal."

After the agent finished speaking, he looked at Aunt Qiong cautiously, thinking that she would be shocked, panicked, and ask for more details.

But Aunt Qiong didn't react at all.

However, a complex expression flashed across his face.

The agent couldn't understand his expression.

It felt like guilt, regret, and... a sense of relief.

"Alright, I understand." Aunt Qiong waved her hand gently, but with an undeniable air of authority. "You can go out now! I want to be alone for a while."

"Okay! I'll wait outside! Call me anytime if you need anything." The agent nodded, quietly slipped out, and closed the door behind him.

……

Aunt Qiong was the only one left in the ward.

She gazed out the window with a complicated expression.

The sky outside the window was overcast and gray, making it impossible to tell whether it was sunny or cloudy.

Autumn in Beijing is always like this: sometimes it's bright and clear, and sometimes it's gloomy and oppressive.

Possessed by a ghost.

The young man was right.

Aunt Qiong knew exactly what it was.

That's Xiaoru.

An obscure, unknown actress, who played minor roles in her film crew five years ago.

Xiaoru is beautiful and well-behaved. She never competes or fights for anything, unlike some child actors who try to climb the social ladder or curry favor with powerful figures.

Arrive at the film set early every day, quietly prepare for your scenes, and after filming, stay quietly in a corner, watch others act, and learn from them.

At that time, Aunt Qiong liked Xiaoru very much. She thought that the girl was smart, hardworking, and would make a name for herself in the future.

I even told the director to give Xiaoru more screen time so she could get some practice.

But then something went wrong.

Xiaoru started dating a male actor in the film crew.

The actor's name is Li Jian. He's quite handsome and somewhat famous, having played the second male lead in several TV dramas.

However, Li Jian has a family; his wife is a well-known wealthy woman in the entertainment industry, the kind whose family owns a mine.

Thanks to his wife's connections, Li Jian thrived in the industry, and no one dared to offend him.

After the affair was exposed, the wealthy woman came to Xiaoru's door and made a scene, crying and shouting on the set, pointing her finger at Xiaoru and calling her a vixen, a mistress, and shameless.

He even threatened to ruin the film crew and make everyone suffer the consequences.

Aunt Qiong was getting anxious.

That film had a huge investment, tens of millions of yuan. If it failed, she really couldn't afford to lose the money, and she didn't want to pay for someone else's mistake.

When that happens, investors will cause trouble for Aunt Qiong, TV stations will cause trouble for her, and the actors and staff who rely on this show for their livelihood will all cause trouble for her.

Her own interests would also be harmed, which is not what Aunt Qiong wants to see.

Next, Aunt Qiong talked to Xiaoru, telling her to leave the film crew, leave that male actor, and leave this industry.

Xiaoru knelt before Aunt Qiong, crying so hard that her makeup was ruined. She said she truly loved that person and begged Aunt Qiong to give her a way out.

Xiaoru promised that she would leave the film crew, leave the male actor, leave Beijing, and never come back.

However, Aunt Qiong did not soften her heart.

After all, having worked in this dirty industry for so long, what kind of scumbags haven't I experienced?

So Aunt Qiong made Xiaoru sign an agreement, gave her 200,000 yuan, and from then on, she would never set foot in the entertainment industry again.

The agreement clearly states that once the money is received, the person leaves and is not allowed to mention the film crew, Li Jian, or anything related to the production in any future setting.

Xiaoru signed it.

When signing the agreement, Xiaoru's hands were shaking, and tears fell onto the paper, blurring the writing.

But Xiaoru still signed her name on the last page, stroke by stroke, very carefully.

……

To everyone's surprise, the day after signing the contract, Xiaoru jumped out of the hotel window.

Nineteenth floor.

Die on the spot.

The body was thrown onto the concrete ground behind the hotel, mangled and bloody.

It is said that when the cleaning lady took out the trash in the morning and saw that scene, she fainted on the spot.

The matter was suppressed.

The media did not report it, and people in the industry remained silent.

The rich woman was satisfied, and Li Jian continued making movies and living off his wife's connections.

Aunt Qiong's film was successfully completed, became a huge hit, and made her a fortune.

Everything was as if it had never happened.

Only occasionally would Aunt Qiong think of the girl who knelt in front of her and cried.

I remembered the look Xiaoru gave me at the end.

In those eyes, there was despair, pleading, and something else that Aunt Qiong couldn't understand.

Now Aunt Qiong understands.

That was hatred.

Aunt Qiong closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

The sigh was soft, yet it seemed to have taken away all of Aunt Qiong's strength. "Xiaoru... you still won't let me go."

Silent for a long time.

The ward was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.

Aunt Qiong opened her eyes, picked up the phone on the bedside table, and dialed her agent's number. "Give me Sister Na's phone number."

The agent quickly gave me the number.

Aunt Qiong dialed the number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, Nako, it's me."

On the other end of the phone, Sister Na sounded a little surprised, "Aunt Qiong? You're awake? How are you feeling? I was just about to call you."

"It's alright now." Aunt Qiong paused, her voice calm. "You were the one who brought people here that day, thank you. If it weren't for you, I might have..."

Aunt Qiong didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was already quite clear.

"Don't mention it, it's nothing," Sister Na said. "You're always so good to me, this is nothing. Besides, it's not my doing, it's my friend who's so capable."

"That person..." Aunt Qiong asked, "Can you still contact him?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. "Aunt Qiong, he told me there won't be a next time."

Aunt Qiong paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly, "I understand. Then please pass on something to me."

"Okay, go ahead."

……

The next day, Sister Na received a check.

Ten million.

The bank draft from the Bank of China bears Aunt Qiong's personal seal and her signature.

The number column clearly states "Ten Million Yuan".

Sister Na held the check and stood there stunned for a long time.

Aunt Qiong was indeed generous.

But will that young man accept it?

Na Jie suddenly felt a little uneasy when she remembered what Su Ning had said.

That young man appeared gentle, but deep down he possessed an indescribable arrogance.

The other party helped me, perhaps just because it was a convenient thing to do; they helped Aunt Qiong probably because I asked them for help.

Would someone like that accept ten million?
After hesitating for a long time, Sister Na finally dialed Suning's number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, "Hello, Sister Na."

"Su Ning, Aunt Qiong just brought me a check and asked me to give it to you."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. "How much?"

"Ten million."

After a few seconds of silence, he said, "You can keep it for now."

Sister Na was stunned. "Really put it here with me?"

"Hmm. I'm busy right now, I'll have my girlfriend ask you for it another day."

"Girlfriend? You're in a relationship?"

"Yes! It's normal for college students to date."

After saying that, the phone call ended.

Na looked at her phone, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Ten million, just left here with me like that?
This is far too much trust in oneself; it's ten million in 1997, which would absolutely drive countless people crazy.

The reason why Aunt Qiong is so generous is most likely because she wants to use money to bribe Suning, and she is also planning to ask for help again next time.

After all, the entertainment industry is one of the dirtiest in the world, and bizarre things often happen there.

Sister Na shook her head and then put the check away.

This young man is becoming increasingly incomprehensible.

I suddenly remembered the first time I met Su Ning, that quiet high school student sitting across from me at the dinner table.

At that time, Sister Na only felt that this child was quite composed, not talkative, but every word he said was to the point.

Who would have thought that Suning would have such great capabilities?

Sister Na tucked the check into the book and then put it in the safe.

Perhaps for Suning, money really isn't the most important thing.

But for Sister Na, this check represented Aunt Qiong's gratitude, as well as the young man's kindness.

She has already used up all the favors she owed.

...(End of this chapter)