Chapter 16: CH 16

Sang Wan Ci couldn’t understand Lu Zhi Wei’s expression, so she asked: “Is it not something I should have asked?”

Lu Zhi Wei suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, rubbing the back of her head: “No, it’s just my first time being asked for my birthday, I was a little surprised.”

Sang Wan Ci couldn’t help but look at Lu Zhi Wei from head to toe.

She looked calm and gentle, and her words were pleasant. She didn’t seem like someone who would be in conflict with others or be ostracised.

“Why didn’t anybody ask?” Sang Wan Ci probed.

Lu Zhi Wei fiddled with her fingers as she looked at her palm and said honestly: “You might not believe me, but my existence is a bit transparent, everybody……”

She tried to be more subtle about it: “Doesn’t really remember me.”

Sang Wan Ci suddenly paused and stayed silent, just looking at her.

It wasn’t clear what she was thinking about.

It also wasn’t clear if she believed it or thought Lu Zhi Wei was lying.

Lu Zhi Wei laughed: “Teacher Sang, just take it as if I’m rambling, don’t take it to heart.”

Then she changed the topic, curiosity on her face: “Why did teacher Sang suddenly ask about this?”

Coming back to reality, Sang Wan Ci said calmly: “It’s nothing. It’s just that when Director Li jokingly said she thought that nobody had given you a birthday present before too, I thought your reaction was a bit off.”

In that instant, Lu Zhi Wei had stiffened unnaturally, as if something she had hidden in her heart had suddenly been exposed in front of a crowd.

Thinking again about her crying scene, she suddenly felt as if Lu Zhi Wei was Xiao He and Xiao He was her.

Adding onto the fact that Lu Zhi Wei had so tenderly encouraged her just now, she had just wanted to ask.

She didn’t expect it was even worse than she had expected.

Not only had nobody celebrated her birthday for her, nobody had even taken the initiative to ask about her birthday……

Lu Zhi Wei didn’t think she was pitiful though, she even happily smiled: “Wow, you’re really attentive, teacher Sang. Thank you, I’m really happy!”

Seeing her smile so happy, Sang Wan Ci suddenly didn’t know what to say.

Not being remembered, nobody even asking about her birthday, when all these were mentioned, did she not feel aggrieved? Did she not want to cry? Did she not want to complain?

“Aren’t you upset?” Sang Wan Ci asked.

Lu Zhi Wei smiled and replied in a tone that was even and calm: “There’s nothing to be upset about.

“Technology is so advanced these days, you just need to set it and everything can be remembered by a system like your phone’s calendar. When it’s time, it will pop out and remind, isn’t that good?

“Even if not, there’s still me.”

She tapped her own temple: “I will remember, always.”

Sang Wan Ci looked at her, recalling her reaction at the filming location.

Maybe she would still be upset about this deep in her heart, she just didn’t show it outwardly.

But since she didn’t express it herself, then so be it.

They were just colleagues, not friends who could speak about everything. Lu Zhi Wei had no need to bare her heart to her unconditionally.

Besides, she seemed as if she had hundreds and thousands of ways to keep herself happy and away from negative emotions.

Thinking about it, Sang Wan Ci smiled, almost as if she was infected by Lu Zhi Wei’s happiness and concurred: “You’re very optimistic.”

Lu Zhi Wei didn’t deny it, accepting it readily.

“Optimism is good, optimism is the only way to live even happier and better.”

Her transparent body would let God know that it refused to lose and render her invisible.

She would also let her transparent body know that she refused to lose; she wanted to live for herself.

—— The gaze and opinion of other people did not matter.

Sang Wan Ci looked at her, as if she was watching a bunch of blooming flowers, each petal radiating vitality and charm, making everybody’s eyes stop on her.

“Tell me,” Sang Wan Ci smiled. “Your birthday.”

… Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

When Lu Zhi Wei went back, her steps were light and quick.

Lao Wu felt like if there was some music, she would be able to dance a lively dance right on the spot.

【She just asked for your birthday and you’re so happy?】

Lu Zhi Wei put her hands behind her back and replied with a carefree expression: “That’s right.”

Living in her own world, it was easy to be satisfied just by touching another world’s warmth.

Being content would bring happiness easily, that was also one of her principles in life.

Lao Wu asked doubtfully: 【You’re not worried she’ll forget after she asks?】

He wasn’t Sang Wan Ci, he didn’t know if Sang Wan Ci would be able to remember Lu Zhi Wei’s birthday.

From his old mother’s perspective, he still wanted to let his daughter be a bit more clear-minded, in case she would be forgotten and hurt on her birthday.

Lu Zhi Wei’s expression didn’t change, it was still happy, almost as if she had long since thought about this possibility.

“I’m not worried. I didn’t even expect that she would remember it. To me, being forgotten is a daily affair. I’m used to it, it’s not a big deal.”

【Then why are you still so happy?】 Lao Wu was utterly befuddled.

“Happy, why should I be happy?” Lu Zhi Wei smiled and refuted. “This is the first time someone has asked for my birthday, it’s a win, why would I not be happy?”

Lao Wu didn’t know how to answer.

He had discovered, Lu Zhi Wei was incredibly optimistic, able to think of the silver lining in everything so she wouldn’t feel upset.

If you said it wasn’t good, she would be able to dig out a shining point and let herself be happy for half a day.

This…… was actually quite good.

Lao Wu took off his spectacles and wiped them clean, amusement shining in his eyes: 【You’re right, it’s worth being happy about.】

Then he reminded her: 【Don’t forget someone’s still waiting for you.】

Lu Zhi Wei raised her hand and made an “OK” sign.

Her sand sculpture didi definitely couldn’t be forgotten. She still had to clarify things with him and help him distance himself from the original route of becoming a tool in the storyline so that he could continue being his own sand sculpture self.

Of course, there was something that was the most important ——

“Hurry up and fix him!”

She didn’t want to be pulled to the men’s washroom again by Ying Xi Ze!!

… Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

“Where did you go?”

Zhang Xian Rui asked the person who was slowly walking towards her.

“I chatted for a while with miss Lu.” Sang Wan Ci lifted her skirt slightly as she replied.

Zhang Xian Rui supported her arm and helped her into the car.

“Lu Zhi Wei? Oh, I remember her.

“I heard she’s quite close with Ying Xi Ze? What’s going on, does she like him?”

Sang Wan Ci: “She doesn’t like Ying Xi Ze, she likes me.”

Ying Xi Ze couldn’t compare to her.

Lu Zhi Wei even praised how pretty she was when smiling.

Ying Xi Ze had definitely never been praised like that by Lu Zhi Wei.

She didn’t know why either, but she suddenly really liked Lu Zhi Wei’s praise. It was comforting and powerful.

Zhang Xian Rui: “???”

She said it before, her artiste was appealing to both men and women!

But she didn’t expect Lu Zhi Wei would directly confess to Sang Wan Ci.

“…… She actually directly confessed to you? She really has the courage to come out of the closet.”

Sang Wan Ci: “?”

At this point, she finally realised what sort of “like” Zhang Xian Rui had meant and she laughed: “No, Zhang jie, I was talking about the sort of like a fan has towards her idol. She’s just friends with Ying Xi Ze too, there’s no romantic feelings there.”

The wise do not partake in rumours, she had an obligation to help her true love fan clarify.

Zhang Xian Rui leaned on the car door, a hand on her waist as she raised an eyebrow and smiled: “That’s for the best. I can tell that kid Ying Xi Ze likes you. If Lu Zhi Wei likes him, she’d most probably get hurt.”

This sort of situation where feelings developed from acting but had no good ending, she had seen it all.

Broken-hearted men and women both, seeing it would make anybody sigh.

Get hurt…… Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

Thinking about Lu Zhi Wei’s smile, Sang Wan Ci couldn’t help but look in the direction she had come from.

She didn’t want such a lively person to be hurt.

Without waiting for her to speak, her head suddenly started hurting, as if needles were poking into her brain.

She held her forehead as her eyebrows knit together.

Zhang Xian Rui quickly reached out to support her: “Is it another headache?”

Sang Wan Ci stayed silent, enduring the pain as it suddenly disappeared.

Her expression slowly became normal as she reassured Zhang Xian Rui: “Don’t worry, Zhang jie, I’m fine.”

Zhang Xian Rui sighed, not knowing what to do with her.

Sang Wan Ci’s headaches were incredibly odd. She had gone to the hospital and the doctors had said nothing was wrong and that there was no need for medication. At most, she just needed to rest and not become too tired.

Zhang Xian Rui could only reach out a hand and squeeze her shoulder: “Rest more, don’t tire yourself out.”

Sang Wan Ci smiled slightly and said nothing.

Only she knew that this headache was not something that could be cured via resting.

But there would come a day when it would get better.

Zhang Xian Rui handed a cup of hot coffee to her: “You have to take better care of yourself. If your family knew about it, they would be worried about you.”

Hearing “your family”, Sang Wan Ci’s eyelashes trembled slightly amidst the steam rising from the coffee.

“He wouldn’t worry about me.

“He only worries that I can’t become a nationally renowned piano player like my mother.”

As it turned out, his worry did come true.

She became an actress.

Zhang Xian Rui wanted to say that there was no parent on Earth who didn’t care about their child, but seeing Sang Wan Ci’s refusal to continue the topic, she could only sigh and leave the matter alone.

…

Lu Zhi Wei removed her makeup and changed out of costume, carrying her bag as she went to look for Ying Xi Ze.

Ying Xi Ze was sitting by the small pond near the crew, looking lonely and distracted, no different from a man who was dumped.

Lu Zhi Wei: “……”

A perfectly fine kid, he hadn’t even gotten into a relationship, how did he get broken up with first.

Just as Ying Xi Ze was nursing his broken heart alone, his shoulder was suddenly tapped lightly and someone appeared by his side in the next second.

“Ge, you’re here.”

“Mm.” Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

After that short exchange, it went silent.

It was so depressing it felt stifling.

Lu Zhi Wei took the initiative to start the conversation: “Can you tell me now why you like teacher Sang?”

Ying Xi Ze didn’t reply.

Lu Zhi Wei wasn’t in a hurry either, waiting patiently.

After a long while, she knew Ying Xi Ze wouldn’t reply so quickly, so she opened her canvas bag and started rummaging, planning to use the time while waiting to prepare her winter clothes.

Ying Xi Ze didn’t know how to talk about this matter. He didn’t know how to tell others that he actually didn’t like Sang Wan Ci, but a woman who looked like her and had already flown to another country.

He was clear about where his like for Sang Wan Ci came from, but even so, he would still be disappointed and upset at Sang Wan Ci falling for someone else.

Even he couldn’t figure out what his heart was thinking.

He felt like he should really talk to someone about it, and this person was just conveniently by his side.

Let him gather his thoughts and figure out how to say it.

He thought about it for a long while, and Lu Zhi Wei waited by his side for a long while.

Until he stopped being silent and wanted to talk.

“Ge.”

He broke the silence and looked at Lu Zhi Wei, then suddenly his throat clammed up at the sight of what she was holding.

“……”

He saw two knitting needles in Lu Zhi Wei’s hand, with a few bundles of yarn in the bag. Seeing as he finally wanted to talk, she put down the needles and looked at him encouragingly: “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

Ying Xi Ze had a shocked expression: “?”

Why did this brother carry yarn and knitting needles around?

Wait, no. I’m being all upset here, and you’re knitting beside me???

T/N: Pretty productive this week in terms of translating, so update today and in 24 hours!