She Wants to Divorce Me

The graceful young man seated below caught Princess Pingyang’s eye. The elegant and noble princess’s lips curved into a meaningful smile. With one hand resting on the table and the other supporting her chin, she asked nonchalantly, “Is this the Yun Yanhui my brother mentioned?”

Prince Xiang Zhao Tiandan’s lips also curved into a smile as he nodded slightly, “A kindred spirit.”

Princess Pingyang nodded, suddenly sitting upright. Her gaze lingered on Yun Yanhui for a long while before she lazily spoke, “Bring the green qin.” Simultaneously, a maid who had caught her eye hurried forward to refill the guests’ tea. As the first note of the qin sounded, the maid’s hand trembled slightly. When the sound like tearing silk rang out, she was startled, instinctively turning to look at the handsome youth. In her distraction, scalding tea splashed onto Princess Pingyang’s hand.

With a crisp “slap,” Princess Pingyang rose in anger, viciously striking the maid’s face.

The scene suddenly fell silent.

“Cut!” Li Ou’s irritated voice rang out. This scene wasn’t in the script at all. Given Princess Pingyang’s composure and dignity, she would never be the type of cruel, domineering princess who would beat servants for such a minor incident. Li Yaoyao’s slap had landed squarely on Ji Yaoguang’s face. Although Ji Yaoguang had acted in similar scenes before, they had always been simulated. She had never endured such genuine humiliation. Ji Yaoguang held her face, instinctively looking towards Chang Yu, only to see her deep eyes glistening, her expression unreadable.

“I’m sorry,” Li Yaoyao shrank back, speaking weakly, “I didn’t mean to. I thought adding this scene would be better.” A dark, surging malice flashed in her eyes. The thought that others compared her to Ji Yaoguang, with many saying she wasn’t as good as Ji Yaoguang, infuriated her. Why should Ji Yaoguang, who like her had no background, have such a smooth path, protected by Chang Yu and her manager, while she had to endure all sorts of indignities? Once the seed of jealousy takes root in the heart, it grows like wildfire.

Ji Yaoguang said nothing, maintaining her composure even as she saw the fleeting satisfaction in Li Yaoyao’s eyes, though she appeared as if a storm was brewing. Li Yaoyao’s slap had not been gentle. After Ji Yaoguang’s makeup was retouched to cover the swelling on her face, she happened to see Qiao Xi rushing out. Before she could ponder this, Li Ou called for the scene to begin again. The same setup, but when it came to the maid spilling water on Princess Pingyang’s hand, they couldn’t continue. As Li Yaoyao raised her hand high, about to deliver another slap, Ji Yaoguang suddenly gripped her wrist. Her calm eyes held a hint of fierceness. Li Yaoyao looked at her, unable to break free, finally feeling a hint of fear. But Li Yaoyao was not one to admit fault easily. In a second, her eyes reddened, and she asked very pitifully, “Sister Ji, what are you doing?”

“Li Yaoyao, what the hell are you doing?” Great, this scene couldn’t be finished either. They had finally gotten into the right mood, and although the expressions still weren’t satisfactory, it was much better than the first take. Yet Li Yaoyao chose this moment to cause trouble. Li Ou was nearly driven mad with anger. He ran over, shouting, “Do you think you’re impressive for adding scenes on your own? You think you have great ideas? Who’s the director here, you or me? Have you even finished reading the script? Have you thoroughly analyzed Princess Pingyang’s character? You don’t understand anything, so what the hell are you adding?” In his fury, Li Ou’s language became crude. His fists clenched, veins bulging, and even as Li Yaoyao displayed her trademark tearful expression, he continued mercilessly, “Get the f**k out of here. This production can’t accommodate your grand presence.”

“Director Li, I thought adding this scene would be more effective,” Li Yaoyao, pale from Li Ou’s scolding, felt hatred rising in her heart, but her face maintained an expression of humility and timidity. Before she could finish speaking, her manager quickly stepped forward, bowing and scraping, “Director Li, I’m sorry. Yaoyao didn’t understand fully. Please be magnanimous—”

Li Ou sneered, “Do I need your apologies?” Seeing the flash of displeasure on Li Yaoyao’s manager’s face, he took a deep breath and waved his hand, “We’re done for today. If you have anything to say, have Mr. Shi come talk to me.” He showed no regard for Li Yaoyao’s face. After his anger subsided, he turned to look for Ji Yaoguang, only to find she had gone to the makeup room after releasing Li Yaoyao.

The makeup room was dark, with only a faint light from the doorway. Ji Yaoguang was curled up in a chair, arms around her knees, the flickering light from her phone screen illuminating her bewildered eyes. Her delicate face was swollen, and even moving her mouth caused a twinge of pain. She drew in a sharp breath, then laughed softly, a sound more painful than crying. Li Yaoyao’s merciless slap wasn’t what hurt the most; it was Chang Yu’s indifference. If it had been a stranger… she was sure a stranger would have received Chang Yu’s concern. But what about her? She should have been the closest person to Chang Yu, yet now she was treated worse than a stranger. The joy of seeing Chang Yu was overwhelmed by disappointment. Hidden in the darkness, she was like a half-dead person, quietly waiting to decay.

“Ji Yaoguang—”

Hearing someone call her name, Ji Yaoguang thought it was the annoying Cheng Henian. She pursed her lips and replied impatiently, “Stay away from me.” The voice disappeared, and in the cramped space, only faint breathing could be heard. Ji Yaoguang was momentarily dazed. Then, with a click, harsh light suddenly flooded her eyes. She shielded them with her hand, and after a while, turned her head to look at the person standing in the doorway. Arms crossed, eyes lowered, concealing unknown thoughts.

Ji Yaoguang hadn’t expected Chang Yu to come, even though it was her deepest desire. She feared that as Chang Yu approached, she would tell her to leave the production, or ask if she had signed that damned divorce agreement. The inner conflict made Ji Yaoguang’s eyes redden, but she only mumbled, finally saying nothing, just staring blankly at the silent Chang Yu.

Suddenly, her phone chimed, startling Ji Yaoguang. As the phone began to slip, she reached out to catch it, nearly losing her balance on the stool. She steadied herself with difficulty. Stealing a glance at Chang Yu, she saw her brows furrowed, her gaze still cold and devoid of warmth. Unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere, Ji Yaoguang spoke haltingly, “I won’t divorce you.”

Chang Yu’s eyebrows twitched, but she said nothing, slowly approaching Ji Yaoguang step by step. Her cool fingertips lifted Ji Yaoguang’s chin, slightly pained by the glistening in her eyes. Taking in Ji Yaoguang’s disheveled state, she stepped back slightly, took out a box of ointment from her pocket, scooped a bit with her fingertip, and gently applied it to Ji Yaoguang’s swollen, reddened face.

Ji Yaoguang, filled with a mix of grievance and joy, didn’t dare to embrace Chang Yu’s waist for a warm hug. She could only look at that cold face hidden in the shadows, against the light. What was Chang Yu thinking? Could she hold onto this warmth? The ointment on her face gradually warmed under Chang Yu’s gentle rubbing. Chang Yu set the ointment aside, and when Ji Yaoguang came to her senses, she couldn’t even grasp the edge of Chang Yu’s clothes. She could only stare blankly as that figure disappeared from view. She had come, said nothing, and if not for the sensation on her face, Ji Yaoguang might have thought it was an illusion. Looking down at the ointment box, alternating between joy and sorrow, Ji Yaoguang felt she was going mad.

The persistent ringtone echoed in the makeup room. Ji Yaoguang, having finally composed herself, glanced at the caller ID and answered. Bian Yuting’s curious, excited voice came through: “You’re in the production, right? How are things with Chang Yu? Is she talking to you?”

“I don’t know how to explain,” Ji Yaoguang lowered her voice and briefly recounted the day’s events to Bian Yuting.

Bian Yuting’s voice came through, “What? Li Yaoyao took the opportunity to slap you? Didn’t you hit back?”

Ji Yaoguang sighed and replied, “No.”

Bian Yuting said, “Who does Shi Kaiwen think he is? Huahan will eventually be ruined under his management. Li Yaoyao is no good either, just a mistress kept by Shi Kaiwen. I can’t stand for this. Yao Yao, what’s wrong with you? Don’t let yourself be bullied just because you’re focused on Chang Yu.”

Ji Yaoguang laughed softly. She had anticipated Bian Yuting’s reaction. Glancing towards the door, she said quietly, “My brother should be coming here in a few days. As for Li Yaoyao— Yuting, you know me. I’m not the type to be bullied easily. It’s just not the right time yet.”

Hearing this, Bian Yuting relaxed, her voice revealing amusement, “What, are you using this as an opportunity to play the suffering card, trying to win Chang Yu back? The fact that she was willing to apply medicine for you shows she still cares. Otherwise, she could have just sent Qiao Xi. Why would she do it herself? Keep at it.”

Ji Yaoguang sighed. These things couldn’t be rushed. She hung up and left the makeup room. Qiao Xi was sitting nearby playing with her phone, while Chang Yu had already immersed herself in the next scene, seemingly unaffected by the incident. Gently touching her face, feeling the lingering pain, Ji Yaoguang could finally sense that she was alive and real.