Chapter 5: Straining Every Nerve to Save Herself Once More

Since that was the case, who had tampered with the lives she and Chi Ran were meant to live?

Yu Ling frowned and kept reading.

Everyone had been waiting to see the everyday romance between Yu Ling and Chi Ran, only for the story to suddenly take a turn. Out of nowhere, Mu Chenbei appeared and became the male lead; then, for no reason at all, a supporting female character named Lin Mianmian showed up with some kind of system and began wildly stealing Yu Ling’s luck. I really can’t make sense of it. It also left me with a strong sense of disjointedness whenever I read the later chapters.

Is Yu Ling really the female lead? Why does Lin Mianmian seem more like the heroine now?

When Yu Ling saw that comment, she nodded furiously.

What kind of heroine ends up with nothing, thrown into the sea and dead without a trace?

This looked more like the setup for a vicious supporting woman.

Yu Ling pressed a hand to her forehead in helplessness. Turbulence surged within her, emotions crashing over one another: confusion, shock, sorrow, indignation... and hatred.

So her life had only ever been words written down by someone else.

But if that person had written these words, then he or she had essentially created her, created the world she lived in. So why be so irresponsible?

Yu Ling could not understand.

The comments kept streaming by at a frantic pace, refreshing nonstop, but she no longer had the heart to look.

Chi Ran...

She lowered her gaze and softly murmured that name.

In Yu Ling’s memory, she and Chi Ran ought to have had no connection. Even though they moved in the same circle, they had rarely had any chance to meet.

By the time Chi Ran debuted, her own career had already begun to decline.

A year ago, there had been an event where the organizers invited both of them. They had only exchanged a brief greeting backstage.

He had been wearing a tailored black suit, his expression cold and unapproachable. Yu Ling had not wanted to run into him, but there had been no way to avoid it.

When they greeted each other, she had not even lifted her head to look at his face.

And he, too, had not seemed to harbor any particular feelings toward her.

Yu Ling bit her lip and nervously pinched a small piece of fabric.

Yet at the end of the story, Chi Ran had been the only one who remembered her, the only one who avenged her, and he had even died because of her.

Even though she and Chi Ran were now practically strangers, and the events the comments described had not yet happened, Yu Ling could no longer keep her heart calm.

It had not been ten days, nor ten months, but seventeen years.

Yu Ling did not dare imagine how intense such feelings must have been.

Nor did she dare imagine how he had endured seventeen years alone, guarding an impossible love.

So someone had loved her in silence through years that long.

An indescribable ache began to ferment and rise in her chest, climbing all the way to her throat.

Her mouth went dry, her lips turned bitter, and Yu Ling could not say a word.

She feared she would never again be able to look Chi Ran in the eye.

The stone in her heart grew heavier and heavier, crushing the breath from her lungs. She had to open her mouth just to breathe, and the corner of her eye caught sight of the window on her left.

The little window on the wall, one side dim and one side bright, looked in the mottled play of light and shadow like a monstrous beast, its abyssal maw gaping toward Yu Ling.

Yu Ling hurriedly looked away and shifted the small stool beneath her a little farther off.

Suddenly, she felt that if it were not for those strange comments, she would be swallowed little by little by this world until not even bone shards remained.

Not just her, but Chi Ran as well.

At that thought, Yu Ling lifted her head and once again fixed her gaze on the scrolling comments.

Those rapidly moving characters became driftwood floating upon the sea. As long as she could cling tightly to that driftwood, she would not be engulfed by the surging waves.

Her long lashes trembled uneasily, like butterflies ready to beat their wings and fly, on the verge of breaking free from all the bonds tied to them.

A flash of resolve crossed her eyes. Yu Ling clenched both hands and stared hard ahead as she said to herself:

"Yu Ling, you have to give everything you have and save yourself once more."

Even if it means flying into the flame like a moth.

Since this world was created for me, then it must revolve around me.

If it betrays me, then it deserves to be destroyed.

Yu Ling stood motionless, staring at the white wall as though she meant to see through it.

The assistant who had hurried over called out to her several times, but Yu Ling seemed not to hear.

"Sis, are you okay?"

Yu Ling blinked and turned to look at her.

After a brief silence, she shook her head. "I’m fine. It’s nothing."

Her assistant was named Chu Ming, a young and adorable girl who had just graduated from college this year. She had a soft, doll-like face and an equally gentle personality, and she listened to Yu Ling very well.

Yu Ling’s face looked terrible. Even if she said nothing, Chu Ming could tell she was in a bad mood.

Very tactfully, Chu Ming did not ask further and silently helped Yu Ling pack up her makeup bag.

Yu Ling temporarily pushed aside the thoughts in her mind and asked, "Has everyone outside left?"

Chu Ming nodded. "They’ve all gone. I waited outside for a long time, and I called you but you didn’t answer. I was afraid something had happened to you, so I came in to look for you."

At Chu Ming’s reminder, Yu Ling only then realized belatedly what had happened. She picked up her phone from beside her and turned it on.

Three missed calls, all from Chu Ming.

Yu Ling stood up and gave her an embarrassed smile. "My phone was on silent. I didn’t hear it ring."

Chu Ming gave a small nod and said nothing.

She was an assistant. Waiting until Yu Ling finished work was part of her job.

Yu Ling was very kind; having such a boss was her good fortune.

"Sis, shall we go?"

Chu Ming carefully checked everything once more and, confirming that all the things she had brought were packed up, asked Yu Ling.

"Mm, let’s go."

Chu Ming took the coat and wanted to drape it over her shoulders. "Sis, it’s raining outside."

"It’s raining?"

Yu Ling was a little surprised. It had still been sunny in the afternoon, hot enough to scorch people.

"Mm, not heavy, but it’s a little cold."

Yu Ling let out an "oh" and took the coat from her hands, putting it on herself.

It was already two in the morning.

The event had ended at midnight, and she had been alone here for nearly two hours.

Yu Ling lightly stamped her feet. Her legs had gone numb.

Once the feeling had returned a little, she pushed the door open and walked out.

The moment she stepped outside, all the lights went out.

The world turned utterly dark; nothing could be seen.

"Sis, don’t panic. Turn on the flashlight on your phone first."

Chu Ming hurried to support her, using her free hand to search for her own phone in her pocket.

Yu Ling was afraid of the dark.

Chu Ming pulled her phone out of her pocket, but her grip slipped and it nearly fell to the ground.

She cursed herself for being useless in her heart. The more anxious she was, the less she seemed able to do anything right.

Just as she fumbled to enter the password and unlock it, a small patch of light suddenly appeared before her eyes.

"It’s okay. Let’s go."

Yu Ling patted the arm that Chu Ming had looped through hers and comforted her softly.

The phone was unlocked, and Chu Ming froze for a moment.

"Xiao Ming?"

Receiving no response, Yu Ling tilted her head and looked at her with concern.

Snapping back to herself, Chu Ming hurriedly said, "Sis, I’m fine."

"Then let’s go. It’s already very late."

With one hand, Yu Ling held up her phone to light the way. With the other, she took Chu Ming’s wrist and led her forward.