009 Anyone Can Pretend

For the casting of the new drama, Gu Yan constantly shuttled between Hangzhou and Hengdian. As the screenwriter, she insisted on being present at both the preliminary and final rounds—the very beginning and the very end. It was no surprise that the preliminaries were such a success.

“Cheers!” In the elegantly simple private room sat a group of remarkable individuals.

“I must make a special toast—to our most outstanding Gu Yan. Cheers!” Cai Mei raised her glass boldly.

“To our reunion,” Gu Yan replied, raising her glass in acknowledgment before downing it in one gulp.

Nearby, Li Min watched Gu Yan thoughtfully. He never imagined that the "Gu Yan" spoken of by Xiao Mei was the playwright Alisa. Though the woman before him smiled warmly, she radiated an aura of cool aloofness.

“Cai Mei, I’ll toast you as well. May true lovers finally be together!” Cai Mei’s gaze flickered between Zheng Yingqi and Gu Yan as she finished her drink with a smile. The welcome banquet had gone smoothly, and throughout, Gu Yan only uttered two words to Li Min: cherish blessings.

The next day, Gu Yan accompanied Cai Mei back to Hengdian. Before leaving, she promised the lead male role would be Li Min’s. One could hardly blame her for favoritism—it was the harsh reality. Connections were always a crucial part of power.

Back in her familiar hometown, Cai Mei’s first stop was the hospital.

The ward was quiet, save for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. After days apart, Gu Yan noticed the girl in the bed had grown even thinner. Cai Mei’s lips trembled with sorrow, tears streaming down endlessly.

“Daxian... Daxian... Stinky Mei’s here... Daxian... Stinky Mei won’t choose Li Min anymore, Stinky Mei’s back. Gu Yan too, Gu Yan won’t choose Shen Hong anymore. Wake up, after all these years, don’t let Jiang Yun Kai torment you anymore, don’t let us look down on you. I know you can hear me. Wake up, wake up…”

Unable to bear seeing Cai Mei’s tear-streaked face, Gu Yan turned away, a single tear escaping her own eye. What Gu Yan didn’t know was that at the very moment she turned, a tear also slid down the corner of the girl’s eye.

In the end, Cai Mei decided to stay in the hospital. She said, “Xiao Yan, I have no home to return to, just like you. Let me stay here and take care of Daxian.” Back at the hotel, Gu Yan collapsed into bed, exhaustion overwhelming her. It was no wonder she was so weary after such relentless days.

“You miserable woman, you came back from Hangzhou and didn’t even stop by to see me. Do you know how much I missed you?” Wei Hao spoke as he entered the room. Seeing Gu Yan asleep, his voice faltered. “Forget it, I’ll forgive you this time.” He gently stroked her face.

“Dad... Mom...” A tear slipped from the corner of the woman’s eye.

Sitting by the bedside, Wei Hao’s heart felt as though it had been struck. He had seen Gu Yan at her wildest and most unreasonable, at her most brilliant, at her coldest and most aloof, and at her most openly weeping—but never had he seen her so vulnerable and helpless. In this moment, he suddenly realized that after three years together, he had never truly understood her. He should have expected it—returning to the hometown where she grew up, she had met her friends, but had never been with her closest family.

Wei Hao was suddenly filled with a deep ache for the woman who was a few years his senior, curious about how much pain and sorrow she had endured.

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The drawn-out scenes are about to end; the story is about to enter the phase of light-hearted satire.