Chapter 109
Li Chu only glanced back briefly before turning around. After all, cameras were recording the entire event, and lingering even a moment longer would undoubtedly fuel countless speculations.
She pondered silently. Zhong Yue's appearance had changed significantly since their last encounter. The change wasn't in her makeup or attire, but something emanating from her eyes.
They had once been brief rivals, even filming a commercial together. Back then, they both projected similar public images. Later, Li Chu chose a broader path, opting not to portray the sweet and innocent female leads of idol dramas, forging her own unique way. Zhong Yue, however, remained within her comfort zone.
In subsequent encounters, Li Chu's status had elevated, rendering Zhong Yue's provocations insignificant as she focused on her own life.
Li Chu recalled that Zhong Yue had possessed a certain vibrancy back then. Though no longer a young girl, the roles she played and the persona she maintained lent her a haughty, almost spoiled air. While her temper was unpleasant, she was still presentable when upholding her image. Yet, the Zhong Yue Li Chu had just glimpsed was thin and sharp, her eyes clouded, devoid of the aura she had possessed two or three years ago.
Li Chu hadn't paid much attention to Zhong Yue's affairs. While she occasionally encountered online gossip, she hadn't actively sought information within the industry, remaining unaware of what Zhong Yue had been through. Li Chu tried to ignore the faint chill on the back of her neck, the unsettling sensation of her hairs standing on end. She didn't look back again, concentrating on the show.
The show had two parts. During the intermission, Li Chu went to the restroom to touch up her makeup.
Perhaps due to months of continuous filming and the dry environment, despite diligently applying face masks, Li Chu's skin remained dry, causing her makeup to cake slightly. After fixing her makeup in the mirror, she was about to leave when she heard dry heaving from one of the stalls.
The sound was agonizing, stopping Li Chu in her tracks.
She looked towards the stall and knocked, asking, "Hello, do you need help?"
Silence followed, no response given.
Li Chu couldn't discern whether the person inside didn't want her interference or was simply too unwell to speak.
“Do you need help? If so, knock once. If not, knock twice, and I'll leave immediately.”
Those present were either attendees or organizers. In this industry, everyone had secrets they preferred to keep hidden. Li Chu didn't want to pry, but neither did she want to leave someone potentially in distress.
Another wave of painful retching echoed from the stall, the sound chilling, as if the person was vomiting their insides out.
Li Chu frowned slightly, preparing to call Yuanzi for assistance, when the sound of a flushing toilet came from the stall.
The door slowly opened, revealing a thin woman in a black dress, reminding Li Chu of Flaubert's famous simile – she was sheathed in her clothes like a sword in its scabbard.
Her face was pale and haggard, foundation and lipstick failing to improve her complexion, appearing almost eerie under the cold white light.
"So, surprised to see it's me?"
The woman who emerged was Zhong Yue. She sneered at Li Chu, her steps unsteady in her high heels as she walked forward.
She stumbled, nearly falling. Li Chu instinctively reached out to steady her, but Zhong Yue immediately swatted her hand away.
"Don't pretend to be kind. Stay away from me."
Zhong Yue's tone was irritable. She reached the sink, staring at the large mirror, then at her reflection alongside Li Chu's.
"Since you're fine, I'll be going."
Li Chu wasn't a saint who could offer unwavering concern after being scorned, especially not by Zhong Yue, someone who had previously shown hostility towards her.
Zhong Yue's condition was clearly not good. Whether it was illness, pregnancy, or substance abuse, Li Chu couldn't tell.
Li Chu headed for the exit. Nearing the door, she heard a thud behind her. Unable to ignore it, she glanced back and saw Zhong Yue sprawled on the floor, struggling to get up. Her thin heels and apparent weakness made it a difficult task.
"Get out!" Zhong Yue yelled, noticing Li Chu's gaze.
"Where's your assistant or manager? Should I call them for you?" Li Chu asked, not approaching or offering further assistance. She turned away.
"No need." Zhong Yue kicked off her shoes, gripped the marble sink, and shakily pulled herself up, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
She fumbled for a cigarette, her hands trembling as she lit it. But after a single puff, she was overcome by another bout of dry heaving and coughing, as if struggling to breathe.
"Are you trying to die backstage at KJ? I guarantee you'll be headline news for the next three days." Li Chu frowned at Zhong Yue's self-destructive behavior. She snatched the cigarette, extinguished it in the sink, wrapped it in tissue, and tossed it into a nearby trash can.
"Wouldn't that be nice? I can't compare to you, with your endless resources and constant popularity. I can't even remember the last time I trended for real. Why did you throw away my cigarette?" Zhong Yue spoke after recovering slightly. She clicked her tongue, reaching for another cigarette, but failed to light it, throwing the lighter to the ground in frustration.
The high-quality lighter didn't shatter, only emitting a sharp click.
"Damn it..." The click seemed to snap something within Zhong Yue. She cursed under her breath and discarded the cigarette as well.
Li Chu stood at a distance, feeling it necessary to contact Zhong Yue's manager. Her mental state seemed precarious.
Zhong Yue muttered something inaudible, tearing at her hair in distress, tears streaming down her face.
Li Chu frowned, now convinced that medical attention was required. Zhong Yue needed to be taken to a hospital.
She didn't leave, remaining to observe Zhong Yue's condition. Despite their past friction and Li Chu's dislike for her, Zhong Yue's transgressions hadn't reached a level that warranted simply walking away.
Zhong Yue's outburst didn't last long, subsiding after about a minute.
Li Chu offered her a tissue. Zhong Yue stared at her for a moment, then laughed.
"I'm most afraid of the people I hate seeing me like this, but I never thought you'd be the one," she said with self-deprecating humor. Her tear-streaked makeup and disheveled hair made her appear forlorn and vulnerable. "But you're not the person I hate the most."
However, Li Chu was indeed someone she resented, a thought Zhong Yue kept to herself.
She attempted to fix her makeup, but her hands trembled, applying the powder unevenly, triggering Li Chu's professional instincts as a former makeup artist.
"Let me." Li Chu took Zhong Yue's compact and, retrieving her own makeup tools, calmly and expertly touched up Zhong Yue's face.
Zhong Yue gazed at her reflection, now devoid of any trace of distress, looking even better than before. She touched her face.
"I'm leaving." Li Chu checked her watch. The second half of the show was about to begin.
"Wait." Zhong Yue stopped Li Chu. Seeing her turn, she fidgeted with her cigarette pack, asking casually, "Have you offended anyone? Someone who wants you to suffer?"
Li Chu narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
If Zhong Yue hadn't seemed devoid of malice, Li Chu would have thought she was cursing her.
"I have HDM. Someone contacted me. I don't know who they are, or how they knew about my illness. They promised me a hundred million if I infected you."
Zhong Yue gathered her belongings, avoiding Li Chu's gaze. "I'm not a good person. I was tempted. A hundred million isn't a small amount, and with my current resources, it would take me a long time to earn that much. But now I've changed my mind. Who knows if that person was lying? Besides, I don't even know when I'll die. A hundred million would be useless then."
She carefully smoothed her hair, maintaining her composure as a celebrity. Her freshly applied lipstick made her lips look blood-red.
"It's not a sudden attack of conscience. It's just that you did a decent job with my makeup. Don't play the good Samaritan next time. There aren't many good people in this industry."
Zhong Yue slipped on her heels, lifted her chin, straightened her back, and walked out, resuming her previous air of disdain. Only the discarded lighter on the floor and Li Chu remained, witnesses to her vulnerability.
This revelation was overwhelming, eclipsing Li Chu's interest in the show's second half.
HDM wasn't mentioned in the original novel, but it was common knowledge in this world, equivalent to AIDS. It was a mutated virus specifically targeting alphas and omegas, affecting their glands and nervous system. Its transmission mirrored that of AIDS, treatable only with early intervention drugs, after which survival was a matter of luck.
A chill ran down Li Chu's spine. Zhong Yue would undoubtedly keep her diagnosis a secret. Who, then, had discovered it and bribed her, someone with a grudge against Li Chu, to harm her?
Li Chu knew there were those in the industry who resented her, envious of her resources and popularity. But this act, intending to end her life, suggested deep-seated hatred. Li Chu couldn't recall having such an enemy.
Li Chu initially wanted to leave immediately, but then considered that the person manipulating Zhong Yue might still be observing her. Composing herself, she returned to the show.
Zhong Yue was still seated behind her, but the unsettling chill on Li Chu's neck had vanished.
Li Chu remained distracted throughout the second half, only finding solace when she boarded Ning Manqing's car.
"Teacher Ning!" Li Chu grasped Ning Manqing's hand, her face filled with lingering fear.
"What's wrong? Why so distressed?" Ning Manqing smiled, pinching Li Chu's cheek, her fingers trailing from the back of her head down to her neck.
Li Chu recounted the incident. The previously warm atmosphere in the car instantly plummeted to a frigid winter as Ning Manqing's alpha pheromones surged with rage.
"I'll find out." Ning Manqing's fingers soothed Li Chu's glands, her touch gentle, but her eyes were glacial.
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