Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

Day .

Chen Nuo marked the sixth cross on the calendar.

It has been a week since they moved out of the ministry compound, and Fang Jingxiu's replies have gone from brief at first to now being completely silent.

She sat in the editing studio's break room, her phone screen displaying that familiar chat window. The last message was from yesterday afternoon:

"Brother Xiu, it's snowing today, remember to wear more clothes."

No reply.

Chen Nuo stared at the message until the screen automatically turned off, revealing her blurry reflection. There were faint dark circles under her eyes, her lips were pursed, and she exuded an indescribable weariness.

"Xiao Chen," Liu Qingsong poked his head out from the editing room, "come over here for a second."

Chen Nuo quickly put away his phone and walked over.

Liu Qingsong's editing room was piled high with footage and documents, and the whiteboard on the wall was covered with storyboards. He sat in a swivel chair and pointed to the seat opposite him: "Sit."

"Director Liu."

"Post-production on the documentary is almost done, but we still need a few reshoots." Liu Qingsong lit a cigarette. "I'm going to shoot a new project next, a science fiction film, on location in the East China Sea. The crew is leaving tomorrow for a month-long seclusion, and won't be back until the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month."

Chen Nuo was taken aback: "Donghai?"

"Yes, Museli Basin, for filming exterior scenes of the Mars base." Liu Qingsong exhaled a puff of smoke. "You'll come with me; you'll be the script supervisor's assistant."

This is a rare opportunity.

A sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Liu Qingsong, I'm learning from the crew.

Normally, Chen Nuo would be too excited to sleep.

But at this moment, all she felt was desolation.

One month.

I can't see him anymore.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Liu Qingsong raised an eyebrow.

"...No." Chen Nuo shook his head. "I just...wanted to tell my family."

"Okay, I'll go back and pack my bags today. We'll meet at the airport at seven tomorrow morning." Liu Qingsong paused, then said casually, "Oh, and about Director Fang... could you tell him too? After all, he recommended you, so don't let him think I'm being inconsiderate."

Chen Nuo's heart clenched painfully.

Liu Qingsong thought she and Fang Jingxiu were very close.

He didn't know that the person hadn't spoken to her for seven days.

"Okay." Chen Nuo lowered his eyes. "I'll talk to Brother Xiu."

"Alright, go ahead." Liu Qingsong waved his hand, then added, "Say a few good words for Director Fang. There's another key project next year that needs approval from the National Development and Reform Commission."

Chen Nuo nodded and left the editing room.

The corridor was quiet; I could hear my own heartbeat. One beat after another, heavy and clear.

She walked to the window and looked at the snowflakes falling outside.

It's snowing again in Jingjing.

At this time last year, she was still worrying about her final exams. This year, she met Fang Jingxiu, joined Liu Qingsong's group, and was about to embark on a completely different path.

Why do I feel so empty inside?

My phone vibrated in my hand.

Chen Nuo almost immediately picked it up to look at it...

It's a data usage alert from 10086.

She gave a wry smile and put her phone back in her pocket.

At six o'clock in the evening, Chen Nuo returned to his rented room.

The room was freezing cold. She turned on the air conditioner, and the warm air blew in, but the temperature just wouldn't rise.

She started packing her luggage. Donghai was much colder than Jingjing, so she needed to bring a thick down jacket, fleece-lined pants, and snow boots. Also, a power bank, hand warmers, lip balm…

Items were stuffed into the suitcase one by one, a mechanical process.

She stopped halfway through tidying up.

She took out the off-white cashmere cardigan from the bottom of the wardrobe. It was the outerwear from the loungewear set Fang Jingxiu had bought for her.

She sat on the floor, clutching her cardigan.

The clothes are soft and have a faint detergent scent. But I can no longer smell his scent.

Chen Nuo buried her face in her clothes and took a deep breath.

Then she took out her phone and opened the pinned chat window.

My finger hovered over the screen for a long time.

Finally, she typed:

"Brother Xiu, Director Liu is taking me to the East China Sea to film a movie. We're leaving tomorrow and will be back in a month."

send.

I waited for ten minutes, but there was no reply.

Chen Nuo bit her lip and sent another message:

"We won't see each other for a month... [feeling wronged]"

She added a wronged expression, just like when she used to act coquettishly.

send.

Then she stared at the screen and waited.

One second, two seconds, one minute, five minutes...

The phone was as silent as a stone.

Chen Nuo's eyes slowly reddened.

She thought of the past.

She sends him messages, and he always replies, no matter how busy he is. Even if it's just a simple "hmm," a "okay," or an emoji.

But now...

Did she do something wrong?

Am I being too clingy and annoying him?

Or... does he simply not want to talk to her anymore?

The snow outside the window was falling heavier and heavier, and soon a thin layer of white had accumulated on the ground.

Chen Nuo sat on the floor, holding the cardigan, and didn't move for a long time.

She didn't come to her senses until her phone beeped with a low battery warning.

20%.

She got up to charge her phone, and as soon as she plugged it in, the screen lit up briefly.

Chen Nuo's heart skipped a beat.

Pounce over to take a look...

The weather forecast push notification reads: "Jingjing will experience heavy to blizzard conditions tonight and tomorrow. Please take precautions against the cold."

It wasn't him.

Chen Nuo stared at that push notification for a long time.

Then she laughed, a somewhat bleak laugh.

What is she expecting?

Is she hoping that the person who ignored her for six days will suddenly change his mind?

Chen Nuo turned off her phone and continued packing her luggage.

The movements were much faster than before, as if they were trying to escape from something.

At 9 PM, the luggage was packed. One 28-inch suitcase and one backpack.

She sat on the sofa and looked around the small rented room.

I'll be back next month, on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month.

Then it'll be time to go home for the Chinese New Year. This winter vacation is over just like that.

And she and him...

Is this all there is to it?

Chen Nuo dared not think about it.

At ten o'clock, she took a shower and lay down in bed.

Her phone was plugged into the charger and placed on the bedside table. The screen was facing upwards so she could see any messages.

But she waited a long time, until her eyes ached, but her phone remained silent.

Finally, she turned off the light and lay there with her eyes open in the darkness.

Many images flashed through my mind.

Their first meeting was in a banquet hall, during their conversation.

In the school's small courtyard, he walked towards her, sunlight filtering through the ginkgo leaves and falling on his shoulders.

A profile view of him washing dishes in the kitchen of the ministry compound.

Downstairs, he told her to lock the door, saying "anytime".

Every image was like a knife, stabbing into her heart.

She knew she was in deep trouble.

When did it start? I don't know.

By the time she realized it, it was too late to get away.

But now, he's tired of himself.

Why?

Chen Nuo buried her face in the pillow, tears streaming down her face silently.

She dared not cry out loud, afraid that the neighbors would hear.

She could only bite her lip and swallow all her grievances, sadness, and resentment.

Outside the window, the snow is still falling.

At one o'clock in the morning, Chen Nuo finally drifted off to sleep.

She had a dream.

She dreamt that she was still in her dormitory in the ministry compound, and Fang Jingxiu was cooking in the kitchen while she sat on the sofa waiting for him. The air was filled with the aroma of food and the scent of his cedarwood, making it unbelievably warm.

Then he brought out the dishes and smiled at her, "Dinner's ready, my little fangirl."

She ran over happily, but just as she reached the dining table, he suddenly disappeared.

The table, the food, and the entire room all disappeared.

She was all alone, standing in a vast expanse of white snow.

cold.

Bone-chilling cold.

Chen Nuo suddenly woke up with a start.

It was still dark in the room before dawn.

She reached for her phone and turned it on.

Three o'clock in the morning.

No new messages.

She stared at the empty dialog box for a very long time.

Then she typed:

"Brother Xiu, my flight is at seven in the morning. To Donghai."

"One month."

"Please take good care of yourself."

send.

She knew he couldn't see it.

He should be sleeping at this time.

But she still posted it.

Like a farewell.

After sending the message, she turned off her phone and lay back down.

This time, she didn't wait any longer.

I just closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep.

Because tomorrow, there is still a long way to go.

But she could only walk alone.