Chapter 34: Round and Round, Fate Comes Full Circle

On the other side, Yu Ling snuck into the nightclub, "Qingcheng Night."

In the past, she could head to the market without a hat, just wearing a mask. Now, however, she had to be fully disguised with a mask, a hat, and sunglasses. If asked why? Perhaps that was just the burden of being too famous.

Yu Ling had booked a well-positioned booth in advance and sat down with Chu Ming and Zhang Yue. Chu Ming looked at the neon lights and the crowd dancing to the music, then shrank her neck and turned to ask Yu Ling, "Sis, why did you bring us here?"

She looked tense and guarded, clearly feeling out of place. Yu Ling signaled for her to lean in. Zhang Yue, sitting beside her, glanced at the two of them and lowered his head as well. Three small heads huddled together.

Yu Ling pressed a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. Then, she gestured for them to move even closer. Chu Ming and Zhang Yue exchanged a look, both seeing the confusion in each other’s eyes.

Yu Ling cupped her hands around her mouth, as if to keep her voice from drifting, and whispered, "I have a major matter to attend to here today."

A major matter? Chu Ming and Zhang Yue both felt a jolt in their hearts. They exchanged another glance in unison, then quickly looked away.

Yu Ling continued, sounding mysterious, "A good friend of mine is coming back."

A good friend? Chu Ming and Zhang Yue raised their heads at the same time and locked eyes again.

Yu Ling looked at them oddly. "Are you two okay?"

"No... nothing's wrong," they both replied, shaking their heads in perfect synchronization.

That reaction was clearly suspicious. Yu Ling eyed them with skepticism, her face practically shouting, "Do you really think I believe that?"

Chu Ming was the first to fold. She bit her lip, looked away, and said uncomfortably, "Sis, honestly, Sister Li told us to follow you. She asked us to keep an eye out for any other hidden friends you might have."

Yu Ling turned to stone upon hearing this, her expression becoming complicated.

Chu Ming added weakly, "It’s... because you surprised us all by getting Chi Ran to help you last time. We had no idea your network was so vast..."

Her voice grew quieter as she spoke. She lacked the confidence to continue. To be fair, it didn't sound great; "keeping an eye out" was effectively no different from surveillance. That was why Chu Ming dared not meet Yu Ling’s eyes.

Yu Ling didn't take it to heart; she wasn't the sensitive or petty type.

However, scoring Chi Ran’s help had been pure luck, thanks to the enthusiastic comments from the live-stream audience. Speaking of Chi Ran, there was one thing Yu Ling couldn't figure out: what exactly had happened between her and Chi Ran when they were kids? She had racked her brain but couldn't recall a thing.

Yu Ling spent three seconds feeling sad for herself and then sighed. Never mind, she would be seeing Qiuqiu, whom she had been longing for, very soon. She needed to be happy!

"Sister Yu, who is the friend you're meeting?" Zhang Yue asked, mimicking her gesture by covering half his face. "Are we allowed to know?"

Chu Ming, sitting to the side, nodded frantically and gave him a thumbs-up from the shadows. *I salute you for being a brave soul.*

Yu Ling smiled brightly. At the mere thought of her friend, a smile crept into her voice. "Her name is Qiuqiu. She’s like an older sister to me and my best friend. She went to Paris for further studies three years ago, and she’s returning to the country today."

Chu Ming was enlightened. "Sis, how come I’ve never heard you mention her?"

Yu Ling looked at her strangely. "You never asked."

Chu Ming was left speechless. She realized she really hadn't asked. There was no room for rebuttal.

With that said, Yu Ling looked up, nervously scanning the entrance for that familiar silhouette amidst the crowd.

"Sis," Chu Ming nudged her arm, "don't people usually pick up friends at the airport? Why meet at a bar?"

Yu Ling found the situation both funny and heartwarming. "I was going to pick her up at the airport, but she said the public discourse surrounding me is too intense right now. She thought I might be recognized, so she asked me to wait for her here."

Chu Ming didn't entirely understand, but the bar was crowded, too—wouldn't that be just as easy to get spotted? Thinking of this, she pulled out her phone, edited a message, sent it, and then poked Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue looked at her in confusion. Chu Ming gestured toward her phone with her chin and mouthed three words: "Check your phone."

Zhang Yue found it amusing, but he took out his phone as instructed. It turned out Chu Ming had sent him a message a minute ago, telling him to be prepared to help escort Yu Ling out of the crowd if necessary. Zhang Yue smiled. He thought it was something serious, the way they were acting like secret agents.

Chu Ming was still staring at him with wide eyes. Zhang Yue put his phone away and gave her an "OK" gesture.

Yu Ling grew more anxious the longer she waited. She kept checking her phone, burning with impatience. Qiuqiu hadn't replied to her messages, which only made Yu Ling more worried.

*Why isn't she here yet? Why isn't she here yet? Why is she still not here?*

A comment floated across her vision: [Oh, Zhou Yan is coming soon, too. Is the male supporting character about to chase his wife to the crematorium?]

Yu Ling sighed helplessly. She had only learned today that Qiuqiu and Zhou Yan had a history. Furthermore, they were the originally intended supporting female and male characters. What a mess. It all went around in circles; everyone was part of the same small world. Fate really was a circle.

Before boarding her flight, Qiuqiu had called her once. After that call, Yu Ling started seeing information about Qiuqiu in the live comments. That was how she learned that Qiuqiu hadn't just gone to France for studies three years ago; she had also been running away from a heartbreak.

It had been nearly an hour, and Qiuqiu still hadn't arrived. Had she been intercepted by Zhou Yan outside? Yu Ling looked dejected. If Qiuqiu had actually been cornered by Zhou Yan, whose side should she take? Qiuqiu was her benefactor and best friend, while Zhou Yan was Chi Ran’s manager and also her benefactor—he had helped her a lot these past two days. She couldn't take sides.

Yu Ling let out a long, hollow sigh. If it came down to it, she would just have to act as a human shield, standing between them as an emotionless barrier.

While waiting, Yu Ling began to tally up recent events. Mu Chenbei and Lin Mianmian were both in custody, eating prison food with no time to stir up trouble. Lin Mianmian had been sentenced to three years for multiple offenses, while Mu Chenbei’s crimes were lesser, requiring only fifteen days of detention.

Yu Ling gritted her teeth. The jerk had gotten off too lightly. As for Lin Mianmian, the world would have changed by the time she got out in three years. These three years were Yu Ling’s time to grow. She had to climb as high as she could to ensure she wouldn't be on the defensive when the time came. After all, no one could guarantee whether Lin Mianmian’s "system" might make a comeback.

The live-stream audience had been debating the matter of the real and fake authors, but there was no consensus yet, so anything was possible. Therefore, Yu Ling had to be prepared.

However... Yu Ling played with the cufflinks on her sleeves, distracted. She should go see them soon, too. What if they forgot her?

*I'll just wait until after I've caught up with Qiuqiu.* Yu Ling happily made her decision.