Chapter 9: The House

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“Uh…” Liao Sheng said, “She doesn’t seem to live here.”

Yi Feicheng asked, “Then where does she live?”

Liao Sheng replied, “I remember she has a house in City A. She probably lives there.”

Yi Feicheng asked softly, “Why?”

He vaguely felt that this matter, like their undisclosed relationship, was somehow his fault. But at the moment, he couldn’t recall anything.

For the first time since his car accident-induced amnesia, Yi Feicheng felt an inexplicable frustration.

Liao Sheng quickly changed the subject with a joke, “That’s between you two; I don’t know. I’m leaving now, Feicheng.”

After saying that, he slipped away quickly.

As he went downstairs, he still had some conscience and promptly sent Jiang Ranyun a message to inform her of the situation.

*

Upon receiving the message, Jiang Ranyun breathed a sigh of relief.

Liao Sheng said Yi Feicheng had returned home, which meant he was at least safe.

As for the fact that the “couple” was not living together, Jiang Ranyun could come up with a hundred and eight excuses to explain it to Yi Feicheng. She even began to look forward to him asking her about it.

After a while, Yi Feicheng called.

Jiang Ranyun stood up, cleared her throat, and pressed the answer button.

“Wife,” Yi Feicheng’s voice was low and soft, flowing like a quiet spring through the electromagnetic signals in the late night.

“What’s up?” Jiang Ranyun asked, already anticipating the answer.

She stood barefoot on the soft carpet in the living room, strolling slowly.

After a brief silence, Yi Feicheng asked, “How was work today?”

Jiang Ranyun replied, “Very smooth. How about you?”

“Not bad.”

“Have you just finished work?”

“...Yeah.” Yi Feicheng was reluctant to tell her about his hospital visit that afternoon, not wanting to worry her, so he changed the subject. “Are you… at home?”

“Of course, I’m home at this hour. You’re home too, right?” she asked deliberately.

“Yeah.”

When silence fell again, Jiang Ranyun spoke up, “Don’t you have anything else to say? If not, I’ll hang up. It’s getting late, and we both have work tomorrow.”

Yi Feicheng seemed to wake from a dream and replied, “Okay, good night. See you tomorrow.”

“...Good night.”

She hung up slowly, and Yi Feicheng remained silent until the very end.

Just like that? No talk about why they weren’t living together?

Jiang Ranyun sank back onto the sofa, thinking it was a pity that her carefully prepared one hundred and eight excuses had gone unused.

*

In the height of summer, the morning sun was already blazing.

“Director Kang, Writer Yu, Writer He,” Jiang Ranyun called out as she stepped off the car, spotting familiar faces.

It was the director and two screenwriters she had just met a week ago at the media press conference for “The Flight of Birds over Green Mountains.”

“Ranyun,” Director Kang glanced behind her and teased, “Feicheng didn’t come with you?”

“No,” Jiang Ranyun smiled gently but said no more.

The group chatted as they walked, quickly arriving at the filming location.

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Within minutes, Yi Feicheng arrived as well.

His eyes immediately found Jiang Ranyun. She looked radiant today, her hair loosely pinned back, wearing a fitted short-sleeved knit top in pale pink and blue, paired with perfectly fitted flared jeans that made her legs look long and straight.

She was talking with the director, laughing about something.

Suddenly, she noticed him and their eyes met.

For a moment, Yi Feicheng was dazed.

She was so beautiful—an undeniable, dazzling beauty, like sunlight sparkling over a deep blue sea.

“Here he is, Feicheng,” the director called him back to reality.

Yi Feicheng nodded, greeted the director and writers, then walked toward Jiang Ranyun.

He stared at her.

Though he had said it many times since the accident, he still felt that not seeing her for a day made him miss her terribly. He longed to be near her, to hold her—like suffering from skin hunger.

What was he thinking before?

How could he live in such an empty home?

Though he didn’t remember the reasons, Yi Feicheng had a strong intuition that he must have done something wrong to lead to this result.

“Didn’t sleep well again last night?” Jiang Ranyun looked into his eyes, tapping the air with her finger and smiling, “Your dark circles are getting hard to hide.”

“Hmm.” Thinking about it, Yi Feicheng corrected, “Not that I didn’t sleep well, just stayed up late.”

“What were you doing?”

Yi Feicheng looked at her deeply and said softly, “House hunting.”

Jiang Ranyun raised an eyebrow.

Buying a new house? An investment? The housing market wasn’t great right now.

Soon after, the other main cast members—the second male lead, second female lead, third male lead, and third female lead—arrived.

Before the recording began, everyone greeted each other and chatted casually. Jiang Ranyun had a good relationship with all of them and happily joined the conversation.

Suddenly, the person beside her touched her hand and slowly intertwined their fingers with hers.

Jiang Ranyun smoothly ended her conversation with the second female lead, turned to Yi Feicheng, and whispered, “Everyone’s watching.”

Yi Feicheng said, “It’s fine.”

Jiang Ranyun laughed, “Could you be a little more professional during working hours, Feicheng?”

Yi Feicheng answered seriously, “Holding hands doesn’t affect my professionalism.”

Jiang Ranyun glanced at the cameras already set up nearby. “Then… hold hands for a while, but let go once recording starts.”

A relaxed smile appeared in Yi Feicheng’s eyes. “Okay.”

At that moment, others gradually focused their gazes on the couple’s joined hands.

Jiang Ranyun was speechless.

Yi Feicheng, however, was unfazed, holding her hand tighter and deliberately asking the onlookers, “What’s the matter?”

For a moment, everyone coughed or turned away, pretending not to have seen anything, and quickly resumed their conversations.

Jiang Ranyun sensed their curiosity but also their restraint.

Many people had been curious about her relationship with Yi Feicheng before, but back then, there was nothing between them, so she was open about it.

Now… she couldn’t say.

She could only, like Yi Feicheng, shamelessly ignore their gossiping eyes.

Fortunately, the crew soon took their places as recording was about to begin. Jiang Ranyun nudged Yi Feicheng’s elbow, and reluctantly, he let go of her hand.

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Everyone focused on their work, sharing stories about the filming of “The Flight of Birds over Green Mountains,” the behind-the-scenes experience, and their characters.

After a morning of recording, Jiang Ranyun took a big sip of water to soothe her throat.

“Everyone,” a crew member said, “our afternoon recording starts at two. Between now and then, you have lunch and rest. Thank you all for your hard work.”

The cast discussed lunch options, and the assistants looked up nearby delivery services.

Jiang Ranyun, who usually watched her diet carefully, quickly chose a high-end light meal.

While waiting for the delivery, she went to the restroom.

Upon exiting, she saw the second male lead.

The second male lead in “The Flight of Birds over Green Mountains” was the female lead’s childhood fiancé. Compared to the female lead’s progress, the fiancé was rather traditional and patriarchal, insisting on the three obediences and four virtues for women. He restricted the female lead in many ways, but she never listened. Although furious, he endured it all because, despite being an arranged marriage, he truly loved her—until he died for her in the end.

The actor playing the second male lead was Zhao Che, once wildly popular, then faded, and later climbed back up, now regularly appearing in TV dramas.

During filming, cooperation had been pleasant, but seeing him now, Jiang Ranyun felt a wave of trouble coming.

“Ranyun,” Zhao Che began, “when did you and Yi Feicheng get together?”

Jiang Ranyun said, “That’s none of your business.”

Zhao Che smiled briefly, eyes reddening, “I just want to know… is it because I was the latecomer that you rejected me?”

On the day Zhao Che wrapped filming, he confessed to Jiang Ranyun.

She politely declined, telling him he might have been too immersed in his role and needed to calm down.

“I kept thinking after seeing your official announcement—during filming, I didn’t notice you two were together. He seemed so cold…”

Jiang Ranyun smiled, “He’s like that with everyone.”

Zhao Che stepped closer, agitated, “I don’t understand. It’s one thing with others, but not with the one you love. At least, I wouldn’t be like that! Ranyun, you can still choose me now. You told me to calm down—I have. Seeing you again these days, I realize I still love you! Love doesn’t have first come, first served. I definitely love you more than he does…”

Jiang Ranyun sighed, “Zhao Che, sorry. My answer is the same as before. And you don’t have to compare yourself to Yi Feicheng. It’s not about him—it’s just that you’re not the type I like.”

Her blunt words stunned Zhao Che for a moment.

But he quickly found another argument: “If that’s so, we can be friends. I remember you said I might love the role, not you. Maybe if you give me a chance to understand you, I could let go of my obsession…”

“Sorry,” Jiang Ranyun said, “I don’t make friends with men.”

Zhao Che was speechless.

Jiang Ranyun glanced at her phone politely, “If there’s nothing else, I’m going back. Lunch break is precious.”

Zhao Che opened his mouth but couldn’t find words.

Jiang Ranyun walked away, rounding a corner and suddenly noticing Yi Feicheng leaning against the wall, apparently having listened for some time.

“Was I really not good to you before?” Yi Feicheng asked softly.

Jiang Ranyun thought for a moment. He hadn’t been “bad” to her. Though cold, he always listened and responded when she spoke, though sparingly. During filming, whenever there was a dangerous scene, he protected her carefully. She also remembered once when she was dieting and the on-set boxed meals smelled so good that her eyes lit up. That day, Yi Feicheng had brought a particularly appetizing meal. She glanced at it secretly, and the next day, he brought her the exact same meal for lunch.

Seeing her silent for a long time, Yi Feicheng’s voice lowered, “I will change. I’ve already started.”

Jiang Ranyun was about to say he had been good to her before when Yi Feicheng took out his phone, opened some pictures, and earnestly said, “Yesterday I had someone find some suitable houses—more than a dozen. Take a look and see if you like any.”

“Ah? Something I’d like?”

Why should she care about his house purchase?

“Yeah,” Yi Feicheng said, “this one is for our wedding home. What you like matters the most.”

“???” Jiang Ranyun was stunned.

Yi Feicheng added, “I’ve also looked at several brands of wedding rings. When you’re free in the next few days, let’s go to the store together, okay?”