Chapter 42

The living room was illuminated by lights. Since the last accident, it was rare for them to come home and see the lights on in the middle of the night. It was always either he was busy, or she didn't have the time.

When he heard the noise coming from the entrance, Yan Yunyang was in the kitchen skimming off the foam from the chicken soup with a spoon. According to their usual routine, if the kitchen light was also on, Zuo Mingran would come and say hello before going upstairs.

However, after waiting for a while with no signs of anyone, and with the soup simmering in the pot, he took a step out, and he happened to see two people on the stairs. Naturally, Zuo Mingran was walking in front, and the person a half step behind, slightly shorter in stature, wearing a light-colored coat, was someone he recognized—Shi Shuangxia, the manager.

Yan Yunyang didn't make a sound, and it seemed like the two people going upstairs didn't notice him either. When they reached the corner, only half of a tightly strained profile was revealed, including the eyebrows, eyes, and corners of the mouth.

The chicken soup on the stove bubbled, and waves of fragrance slowly wafted out. He stood there for a while, but apart from the sound of the door closing, there was no other movement. After thinking for a moment, he turned back with the spoon in hand.

Zuo Mingran couldn't deny that she was indeed nervous. Although leaving the industry was something she had planned for a long time, she still needed some mental preparation for the confrontation with Shi Shuangxia. After all, from the perspective of others, it was Shi Shuangxia who had brought her into this industry, and they had supported each other all the way to their current position. They even started their own studio. And now, she was going to leave.

No matter how you looked at it, it didn't seem fair.

But Zuo Mingran also felt that she was being unfairly treated. She was perfectly fine on her own, and she inexplicably found herself trapped in a book. Even if others envied her current life, it was still not what she wanted.

As the saying goes, "A doghouse of your own is better than a gold or silver one."

Moreover, as an actress without talent and no great passion for the industry, she couldn't meet the standards. She used to look down on people like that, but it seemed that she had changed the standards when it came to herself.

Zuo Mingran sat on the edge of the bed, while Shi Shuangxia dragged a single seater sofa from the corner and sat opposite her.

This was the first time they sat face-to-face in such a formal manner. Zuo Mingran suddenly had a thought in her mind, and her heart was pounding all the way until this thought came out. Suddenly, it calmed down as if injected with a strong heart stimulant. Only her mind continued to be tightly wound, needing something to break free.

Since she had made up her mind to speak, Zuo Mingran no longer hesitated. She raised her head to meet Shi Shuangxia's gaze and straightforwardly said, "I want to leave the industry."

Shi Shuangxia's facial expression uncontrollably twitched, and she couldn't believe it. She said, "What did you say?"

"The first sentence came out of her mouth, and the rest became much simpler. Zuo Mingran shrugged her shoulders and adopted a more relaxed posture. "Actually, I have thought about it for a long time and considered the consequences. It's not impulsive or rash, but a carefully thought-out decision. Before today, or rather, before telling you, I only confided in Mao Mao, but I asked her to keep it a secret."

She actually wanted to ask if Shuangxia Mao Mao had mentioned this to her, but judging by Shuangxia's reaction, she probably hadn't even hinted at it and kept it secret.

Although it was something extremely important to her, Zuo Mingran's tone was light as if it carried no weight. She flicked her long hair that was falling on the side of her face and continued, "To be honest, I'm not cut out to be an actress. I have been in this industry for so many years, and the most common evaluation I receive is 'flower vase'. Even today's trophy doesn't truly belong to me. Not to mention acting skills, personally, I don't like this industry. They say that mastery leads to excellence in any field, but you have to love what you do. However, I can't find love for being an actress, even if I try my best, it's always unsatisfactory. In other words, I don't fit the role, or to put it bluntly..."

She didn't finish the second half of her sentence because Shuangxia had already understood what she meant and raised her hand to stop her from continuing her long discourse.

The curtains were not drawn, the room was lit, but outside the window was a deep darkness. The two completely different landscapes collided through a thin layer of glass, with brightness prevailing and extending towards the other side.

Shuangxia remained silent for a long time, and Zuo Mingran didn't disturb her, just sitting quietly as if lost in thought. After a while, Shuangxia slowly spoke, "I never knew you felt this way."

This sentence didn't carry any blame but rather a mixed sense of wonder.

Zuo Mingran couldn't say that it was because she had changed inside her shell. She could only admit her mistake and lower her eyes, saying, "I've always wanted to say it, but I didn't know how to start."

Shuangxia felt a lump of stifled emotion in her chest, neither able to come out nor go down. She looked at Zuo Mingran and asked, "I originally wanted to ask you to reconsider, but you said you had already thought it through and considered the consequences. So, no matter what I say, you won't listen anymore."

Zuo Mingran nodded, her words did imply that. She had taken the initiative and stated her firm position, unshakable.

Shuangxia sighed and said, "I know that once you make up your mind, no one, not even me, can persuade you."

Zuo Mingran didn't know she had such a stubborn temperament, but since Shuangxia said so, it was probably the original owner's personality.

Shuangxia continued, "Since I can't persuade you to turn back, then let me ask about the way forward. Since you started following me, you have been on the path of being an actress. Now that you don't want to continue on this path, what do you plan to do to support yourself?"

Zuo Mingran was aware of her financial situation. While celebrities earn a lot of money, they also spend a lot, whether it's for their team or staff salaries. In the past two years, she had just started to stabilize her career, but she had spent a considerable amount of money. According to Zuo Mingran's current savings, if we calculate based on the consumption of an average middle-class family, it could support her for a while. However, it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Eventually, this money would run out.

Zuo Mingran had naturally considered the issue of her survival. She blinked and said, "Didn't I also invest in our studio?"

Shuangxia felt frustrated.

In fact, it was Shuangxia who had originally brought up the idea of investing in the studio. On one hand, she had limited funds, and on the other hand, they had developed a bond over the years. With the idea of sharing good fortune, she had invited Zuo Mingran to become a partner. She never thought that there would come a day when it would backfire.

Shuangxia said, "The studio is still in its early stages and there's no guarantee it will succeed. There are so many studios across the country, and many of them close down every year. What if we don't make it?"

Zuo Mingran thought to herself, you don't know, but I know because I read the original book. Your studio not only didn't close down but also successfully moved to the top-ranked agent, Wen Shikai. You stand at the pinnacle of the industry.

Of course, there were things that couldn't be said, so Zuo Mingran quickly coughed a bit and said, "How can you say that? I believe you can succeed."

Shuangxia crossed her arms and looked at her. "Don't change the subject. Be honest and tell me."

Zuo Mingran thought for a moment and said with a hint of implication, "Xia Jie, what do you think of the screenwriting industry now?"

The topic shifted too abruptly, and Shuangxia didn't react for a while. "It's alright. It mainly depends on connections. Good scripts are scarce nowadays, and each production company is finding ways to approach it from different angles."

Zuo Mingran asked, "What do you think of the script I gave you before?"

"It's a good script. Why are you asking? Are you planning to become a screenwriter?"

Shuangxia spoke casually, but she didn't expect Zuo Mingran to nod seriously and point to herself, saying, "Yes, I wrote that script."

The air fell silent for a few seconds. The impact of this revelation was no less than Zuo Mingran announcing her retirement. In just ten or twenty minutes, Shuangxia experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. She covered her chest and said, "You wrote that script? You're not joking, are you?"

Zuo Mingran had a smile on her face. "Why would I lie to you? Besides that script, I have several others. If you want, I can write them for you anytime."

As she spoke, she genuinely counted on her fingers and listed the other scripts she had, explaining the plot and characters in a clear and organized manner. It was evident that she wasn't making up stories.

Shi Shuangxia listened to the conversation in a fog, but at least she understood one thing - even if Zuo Mingran didn't continue as an artist, she had a skill that would prevent her from starving. Although she didn't know when she developed this skill, it was a guarantee for her livelihood. However, it also made her change careers more directly.

Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise.

Sighing in her heart, Shi Shuangxia stood up and said, "Since you have made your decision, there's no point in me saying more. But you still have a few assignments to complete, including an interview and a reality show as a guest on a flight. The contracts are already signed. Even if you want to leave the industry, you need to finish these jobs first."

Zuo Mingran made a "OK" gesture towards her, and Shi Shuangxia rolled her eyes and walked out.

As soon as she left, Zuo Mingran suddenly felt relieved and collapsed onto the soft bed. She didn't expect the situation to be resolved so smoothly, and she had prepared herself mentally for so long.

Regardless, she had resolved a major issue that had been weighing on her for months. Zuo Mingran rolled around on the bed in celebration and suddenly remembered that the lights in the living room and kitchen were still on.

She had come back in a hurry and had been preoccupied with her thoughts, completely forgetting that there was another person in the house. But it was also because they hadn't seen each other recently that she didn't think it would happen now.

Since the kitchen lights were on, it was probably someone cooking. Thinking about how Yan Yunyang's injuries hadn't fully healed yet, she rushed down to the kitchen without considering her own appearance.

Yan Yunyang wasn't in the living room, but the smell of delicious food wafted from the kitchen. Zuo Mingran hurried over, peering through the doorway to see Yan Yunyang holding a spoon while making porridge.

"Yan Yunyang." She smiled, her eyes and brows forming a beautiful curve. "I'm about to be out of work. Will you be responsible for feeding me from now on?"

Yan Yunyang had heard her footsteps approaching. He didn't say anything, but instead lifted the lid off the chicken soup and scooped up a spoonful, offering it to her.

Zuo Mingran didn't understand why, but she obediently drank it from his hand.

The chicken soup was incredibly delicious. Before she could express her admiration, Yan Yunyang said, "Now I am responsible for feeding you."

Zuo Mingran stood frozen, leaning against the doorframe for a while, unable to speak. Meanwhile, Yan Yunyang remained calm and casually said, "Wait a moment, it will be ready soon. Go to the dining room and wait, don't lean against the doorframe, there's smoke."

Zuo Mingran snapped back to reality. "The cleaning aunty cleans frequently, so it won't be too dirty."

However, instead of going to the dining room to wait, she walked in slowly with her hands behind her back and asked, "Mr. Yan, is there anything I can help with?"

Help? Maybe he wants her to help burn down the kitchen.

Although he said to wash the dishes, she only needed to put them in the dishwasher. There was no need for her to do it manually. Zuo Mingran wandered around the kitchen for a while, but fortunately, the kitchen was spacious enough that her presence didn't hinder Yan Yunyang's cooking.

Yan Yunyang's culinary skills were really good. The aroma filled the kitchen, and the sip she had earlier had awakened her taste buds. Now she felt hungry and her appetite had been completely whetted. After waiting for a few minutes, Yan Yunyang turned off the heat, and Zuo Mingran volunteered to carry the pot outside.

It was past 1 a.m., and the chicken soup had been simmering for two to three hours, so it was clear that the meat was tender and had fallen off the bones. Zuo Mingran served herself a bowl and noticed that there were many slices of ginger in the pot. She thought it was going to be ginger soup, but when she took a sip of the chicken soup, it was incredibly delicious. It didn't have a strong taste of ginger, but instead, a warm sensation flowed down her throat and spread throughout her body.

Zuo Mingran didn't even look up while drinking, not even noticing that Yan Yunyang had prepared a bowl of plain congee for her.

"It's so delicious." After finishing the bowl of soup, the cold and hungry feeling disappeared instantly. She held the bowl, her eyes shining, and said to Yan Yunyang, "Can I have another bowl?"

Drinking chicken soup late at night was a sinful act, but with Shi Shuangxia and An Qi not around and herself about to leave the industry, whether it was sinful or not was not even a question.

It was almost 3 a.m. after dinner, and Zuo Mingran went to the second-floor balcony to let the food digest. She didn't know when it started, but it was snowing outside. Large snowflakes fell from the sky, cutting through the boundless darkness, and covering the earth with a white layer in an instant.

When Yan Yunyang came up and saw Zuo Mingran writing on the glass with her fingers, he watched for a while before realizing she was writing his name.

Three characters, stroke by stroke, as if she was exerting all her strength to leave something behind.

After waiting for a while, Yan Yunyang walked over and added three characters next to his name - Zuo Mingran.