Chapter 2

He likes me, yet he wants to tame me like a little dog. If I misbehave, he punishes me severely to teach me to behave. He likes me, but he also loves someone else.

I was not the best actress that year, but I have no regrets, as this is a good beginning. As Director Huang Zifan said, I should continue on this path

On the day Fang Boan came to my home and tasted the dishes I prepared, I cannot recall his exact comments. I only remember that he picked up his phone, glanced at a message he had just received, and then said, "I have something to attend to, so I will leave first. In the future, if you want to eat something, just have someone make it for you, and take good care of yourself."

I said, definitely

Therefore, he also mentioned that an entertainment magazine costs 18 yuan, and he occupies two pages, while the entirety of his life's achievements is not worth more than 100 yuan.

I do not hold out much hope, it is somewhat akin to the mindset of sending out resumes indiscriminately. To speak candidly, I have offended Fang Bo'an and am preparing to terminate my contract with Taifeng Entertainment, seeking his assistance in taking me in.

During this period, we have not been in contact. His tone sounded as if nothing had happened. He asked me if Meng Shengping's agent had contacted you

As I sat in the award ceremony studio, illuminated by the dazzling stars, waiting for the moment when the presenter would unveil the suspense, I knew full well that it could not possibly be me. I had not even prepared an acceptance speech, yet I found myself inexplicably becoming anxious.

I picked up the last suitcase, took one last look at the apartment that overlooked Victoria Harbour, closed the door, and left

As he approached the door to leave, I stood up and said, "In the future, if there are no official matters, do not come to find me again"

I pondered that before I formally retire from the culinary world, I must at least prepare a meal for Fang Bo'an

I sat silently in the reception room without leaving, staring at the thermos that Meng Shengping had forgotten here, contemplating what I should do next

I said no, now you can easily find your rumors online, and the internet is free in the study room of my school

On the phone, I said that I want to develop at Meng Shengping's company

Thus, there exists the following memory that I am somewhat reluctant to recall

Not long after Fang Bo'an was born, he was secretly photographed by paparazzi as Mrs. Fang carried him out of the hospital. This destined his entire life to be intertwined with various romantic entanglements, the friends he would make, the type of wife he would eventually marry, the appearance of his children, and even the manner of his passing, all of which would be known to those who were complete strangers to him.

I choked back tears and said, I am so hungry, I want to eat egg waffles

Fang Bo'an no longer pays my rent, and the job opportunities I have lost can all be understood as sanctions against me. He uses this method to convey to me that whenever I upset him, I will lose everything.

His gaze upon me seemed to reproach my stubbornness, leaving him disappointed. In the end, he replied, "Don't be foolish"

I want to have a "unique" relationship; is this foolish stubbornness?

After the award ceremony concluded, I specifically consulted the almanac to select a date and dialed Fang Bo'an's phone number

But I feel that I am not being willful; I am simply becoming increasingly clear-headed. His desire for me to continue entangled with him, rather than pointing at my nose and telling me to get lost, brings me even greater sorrow.

He never asks me about which rumors he is aware of, nor does he explain anything

I asked again, "Have you reconciled with her?" What was I thinking at that moment? I truly cannot remember. I guess I must have felt a pang in my heart and blurted out, "Then what am I to you?"

I lowered my eyelids to avoid his gaze. "Joanna (my agent at the time) once told me, 'Since you have entered this circle, you will inevitably have to deal with the higher-ups in this industry. Regardless of whether they flaunt their status, just remember that when you encounter someone you dislike, who also does not express themselves clearly, you must understand what you want. The tricks of pretending to be obedient and playing dumb can only be used once on the same person.' So, I think I understand what you mean.

I asked him, "Can we not leave?"

Meng Shengping remained silent, indicating his agreement with his agent's suggestion. Following this, he was urged by the agent to go for a recording, clearly signifying a desire to distance himself from any controversies.

He patiently said, "Please do not be willful, alright?"

At that time, I had only one assistant. During the days of filming, she took care of all the trivial matters of daily life for me. After I had spent a month idly, she suddenly came to remind me that it was time to pay the rent

I have no obsession with convertible sports cars or luxury watches and bags; I can easily return them to him. This way, he won't go to extremes against me, right? Is it a case of love turning to hate? One must first have 'love' for that to happen

In order to win her favor, Fang Bo'an spent lavishly at the Sotheby's auction. Despite his mother, whom he has always respected, disapproving of her, he disregarded this and made their relationship widely known, showing no regard for his family's reputation

I thought that as long as I appeared carefree and understood that my relationship with Fang Bo'an was merely one of mutual benefit, others would regard me with greater esteem

Please believe that whether I was enduring Fang Bo'an's cold violence or wondering how those around me viewed me, unable to confide in anyone during my moments of uncertainty, I did not cry. However, at this moment, my tears cannot stop falling down

Subsequently, I was suddenly informed that I need not participate in the script reading for the film we had previously discussed. They have changed the selection for the female lead, and there has been no further communication regarding the luxury brand ambassador role that was agreed upon. These two significant projects were the only ones I was preparing for, so I have started to take a break again, and even my agent has been in touch with me very infrequently

At that moment, I received the news that I was nominated for Best Actress for my role in "Gone with the Lipstick"

He became very angry, regardless of whether he cares about me; it is his possessiveness at play. He can easily abandon me, yet he does not allow me to leave him first

I never expected that as I was about to get up and leave, Meng Shengping returned from the recording studio. He picked up the thermos and said to me, "Let's go, I will take you to find him."

He asked, must I answer you

I asked blankly, "Do you know where he is?"

She is the beautiful barrier of his sorrow, his beloved

He reached out to pinch my face and said, not only do you not feel sorry for me, but you also add insult to injury

Meng Shengping and his agent were taken aback, looking at me as if they were staring at a living, breathing big trouble. Who would want to sue Taifeng

I pretended not to care as the paparazzi blocked me at the school gate, pressing me about my feelings regarding the rumors about Bai An. I said he is my boss and friend, and whatever decisions he makes, I wish him well.

The woman with whom he has rekindled an old flame is now well-known by name in gossip magazines, but I have not had any contact with her; henceforth, I will refer to her as Miss Li

Miss Li met him in the United Kingdom, and he fell in love with her at first sight; she could not escape the charm of this dashing young man. Due to opposition from his family, they displayed their relationship more publicly, creating quite a dramatic atmosphere. This romance lasted less than two years, ending in a dismal breakup

He kindly advised me that Meng Shengping's company was originally his personal studio, with only Meng Shengping himself as the artist under its banner. The film investment and production are just getting started, and the publicity team is not impressive. With my arrival, the prospects seem bleak

The week-long holiday has come to an end, and I am about to fly to Amanohashidate in Japan to shoot a soda advertisement. Fang Bo'an mentioned that he would come to see me whenever he had the time, but in the end, he did not come. Upon returning to Hong Kong, I immersed myself in the study room at school to catch up on assignments, and I took a photo of my desk with reference materials and notebooks to share on Weibo.

After that night when I spoke on the phone with Fang Bo'an, I calmly took a shower and went to bed. In the morning, I woke up, changed my clothes, and went out, taking a taxi to Meng Shengping's company

Meng Shengping said while handing over a tissue, "Don't cry, it's just a small matter."

Perhaps it is because everything is different from my imagination, there is no place for me in fairy tales, I have never worn glass slippers, and Meng Shengping is not so hypocritical; it is he who allows me to see some light amidst the endless wandering

While waiting for the driver to pick me up from school, I browsed a certain entertainment forum and suddenly came across a post: Isn't Tang Yike not a typical "little white flower" appearance?

He stood up and put on his coat, impatiently saying, "You need to be clear about what benefits this brings to you"

I cannot confide in my family, as they will both blame me for being inconsiderate and lack the capacity to help me solve my problems, only adding to their worries

I suddenly realized and began to associate thoughts; it turned out that I was the catalyst for the love between him and Miss Li. According to traditional plotlines, as this little white flower, I would exhaust my efforts to separate the lovers, yet it would inevitably be in vain, merely serving as a stumbling block on their path to achieving a successful relationship

The tipsy sunlight spilled onto the floor, coffee table, and sofa from outside the window. Once, Fang Bo'an sat there with me, studying a box of Taj Mahal LEGO bricks. He furrowed his brow with great seriousness and said, "Isn't it supposed to be placed here?"

Clearly, he did not anticipate that I would ask such a question, and for a moment, he appeared taken aback, before responding, "No."

He angrily agreed, "Alright!"

I no longer need to suffer; I do not know when I lost him, because I have never truly had him. Therefore, I say, "I do not care about the future, I only want to leave you"

I just called and asked his secretary

His agent said, "You should still go find Mr. Xiao Fang and ask him to let you off the hook. I know you are young and have a lot of unnecessary pride, but when it comes to being a star, the most important thing is to have a thick skin"

When this Weibo account was handed over to me, the agent repeatedly reminded me: refrain from expressing your personal opinions, as too many words may lead to mistakes

When I take a bite of the cookies I made myself, the taste is akin to my other dishes—neither particularly good nor bad. Perhaps I simply lack the innate talent for cooking; what I produce is either mediocre or just barely acceptable

Miss Li also graduated in the United Kingdom and returned to Hong Kong to work as a lawyer. Her father is a university professor, yet gossip magazines still refer to her as Cinderella. What about me?

I do not respond, which can be considered as a default. In fact, it is not the case; they have never approached me. "Wanting to go to Meng Shengping's company" is merely an excuse that I, not being clever enough, came up with.

Before the arrival of early summer, I had already packed all my luggage. With the assistance of my assistant and driver, I moved everything downstairs one by one, and the entire room became spacious and clean

I also do not intend to bow down to Fang Bo'an and admit my mistakes. At worst, I will let go of the experiences of the past year and a half and treat them as a fleeting dream. In the future, I will focus on my studies, graduate smoothly, and become an ordinary office worker.

The oven beeped, bringing me back to reality; the cookies were ready.

What about me