"Jinran, you must trip on the red - carpet show to generate some buzz. Isn't negative popularity still popularity? In the entertainment industry, the scariest thing is to become invisible."
"If you just want a momentary rise to fame, you won't survive in the entertainment industry without using some tricks."
The sunlight outside was blindingly bright.
Through the car window, Lin Jinran squinted her eyes, allowing the silky sunlight to pour down and soak her body in the warm glow.
The sequined evening dress sparkled dazzlingly under the refraction of the sunlight.
In the flickering light, her expression was dazed as she recalled the message her agent had sent her before they set off.
The movie *The Third Party* she had participated in recently was screened in cinemas and had a huge social impact.
This movie was originally aimed at the annual film festival, and winning awards was expected.
She, Lin Jinran, was unexpectedly appreciated by a great director. Coupled with her own talent and the acting skills she had honed over the years, she had played the leading actress to perfection.
A little - known actress outside the 18 - tier list suddenly gained popularity.
Unlike the well - known actors, after this movie, she became a bit famous, and naturally, the number of anti - fans increased.
Her agent therefore advised her to create topics by any means and seize this opportunity.
Otherwise, when she truly became invisible, she wouldn't even know where to cry.
Thinking of this, Lin Jinran let out a long sigh. Her thick and slender eyelashes fluttered. She lowered her head, looking at the glowing evening dress in silence.
Arriving at the venue early, Lin Jinran first went to the artist's studio to rest. Only her assistant, Xiao Jiang, accompanied her.
Xiao Jiang was talkative. Seeing her artist full of worries, with a touch of sorrow between her eyebrows, like a delicate white lotus drooping after being washed by rain, so beautiful and pitiful.
Xiao Jiang's heart skipped a beat. She felt indignant for her artist.
Obviously, her artist was good - looking. Why were her resources so poor? Those people were really blind!
She thought for a while and decided to cheer her artist up. She chattered on, "Sister Jinran, don't be nervous. This time you were chosen by a great director to be the leading actress and you even won an award. This is what so many actors dream of..."
Xiao Jiang rambled on about all kinds of fresh gossip in the entertainment industry, which made Lin Jinran smile.
"Oh, right, Sister Jinran, do you know that Su Qinian has also been invited?"
Mentioning this name, Xiao Jiang was much more excited than usual and didn't notice the fading smile on Lin Jinran's lips.
"God, I've never seen Su Qinian. He's really extremely good - looking and very dedicated..."
Xiao Jiang was clearly infatuated, her eyes full of stars.
Su Qinian was a top - tier star in the entertainment industry. He was discovered by a scout during his college years and then started his acting career.
It could be said that anything with Su Qinian's name on it was a high - quality product.
Seven or eight out of ten people liked him, and Xiao Jiang was no exception.
Fortunately, Lin Jinran was kind to those around her and didn't mind Xiao Jiang's behavior, which would be considered a betrayal in the eyes of other artists.
Xiao Jiang kept talking. She had been with Lin Jinran for two or three years but never noticed that Lin Jinran had never talked about Su Qinian, a person with so much buzz.
No, even when there were posters of Su Qinian on the street, Lin Jinran would walk straight ahead without even a glance.
Lin Jinran listened quietly, her hand on her knee tightening into a fist.
Panic was like a huge spider web, overwhelming her and trying to wrap her up tightly. There was no way to escape.
Lin Jinran felt out of breath. She suddenly stood up, startling the chattering Xiao Jiang.
Xiao Jiang looked at Lin Jinran in surprise and didn't say a word for a moment.
"I'm going to the restroom," Lin Jinran said to Xiao Jiang and walked straight out.
"Hey!" Xiao Jiang shouted. Watching Lin Jinran's abnormal behavior, she murmured softly, "The red - carpet show is about to start. Sister Jinran, you have to come back quickly."
...
On the other side, Lin Jinran walked out of the restroom in a daze. She lowered her head to wash her hands while the words Xiao Jiang had said kept echoing in her mind.
Su Qinian would also come to this film festival?
He usually didn't attend such events. Why, why did they suddenly cross paths?
The memories of her youth were torn open, filled with surging tears.
"Writing your name is really difficult."
"As long as I'm here, Lin Jinran, no one can hurt you!"
"Lin Jinran, where do you want to go to college?"
"... "
Writing your name is really difficult. It's not because the strokes are complicated. It's just that when writing your name, you have to dip the pen in four parts of the spring scenery, three parts of the moonlight, two parts of a slight intoxication, and one part of your eyebrows.
Many years later, Lin Jinran finally realized the love hidden in the little things of that young man. Although it was subtle, it was as powerful as a storm.
All his actions were for her.
He said that no one could hurt her.
But in the end, no one hurt her. It was she who hurt him, making his heart shatter into pieces that could never be picked up again.
Su Qinian, you must hate me, loathe me, and despise me.
Lin Jinran stared blankly at her pale self in the mirror.
"Lin Jinran, it was you who lost Su Qinian," she murmured softly. Then she suddenly let out a soft laugh. She didn't even know what she was laughing at.
The woman in the restroom mirror no longer had the recklessness and carefree youth of a few years ago.
"What should I do? I don't want to meet you, but selfishly, I do want to reunite with you."
In fact, Lin Jinran was timid. There was a corner in her heart called "Su Qinian" that she had never mentioned to anyone. That was where her dead youth memories were buried.
She watched Su Qinian getting better and better, like the bright moon being held in everyone's hands.
And after all these years, she was just a little - known actress who had finally made some progress.
Their statuses were worlds apart. She was afraid and panicked. She almost wanted to run away and hide from Su Qinian.
She really didn't dare to see Su Qinian again.
On the year of their high - school graduation, they had such a big fight that the situation got out of control, not to mention their subsequent disconnection.
Lin Jinran was silent for a while. She tidied up her makeup a little and was about to leave the restroom.
As soon as she stepped out of the restroom, she heard a man's voice.
"Yeah, okay. Adjust the artists' appearance order a bit... I'll go later. It doesn't matter..."
As the footsteps got closer and the voice became clearer, Lin Jinran's mind went blank for a second and then exploded. She quickly grabbed the wall next to her to stop herself, turned around, and rushed back into the women's restroom.
Her breathing was rapid, and her heart was pounding like crazy.
She only caught a glimpse, but from the still - unclear outline, she naturally knew it was Su Qinian's figure. Because before that, she had recognized his voice.
It was still as nice as ever.
She had listened to it for four or five years. Later, on many quiet nights, she would secretly pick up her phone just to hear his voice again.
It was like a drug addiction that she couldn't quit.
They say, "If you keep thinking about something, it will surely come true." Lin Jinran didn't believe this. She did think about him, but she was also afraid to think about him.
After a while, there came the sound of water running in the next restroom, followed by the sound of footsteps leaving. Lin Jinran, who had been on high alert, finally let out a sigh of relief.
She checked the time and secretly exclaimed that it was bad. There wasn't much time left until the artists' red - carpet show, and Xiao Jiang must be waiting impatiently.
Lin Jinran lifted her skirt and walked quickly forward, not noticing the dark figure at the corner.
Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed. Lin Jinran was like a frightened rabbit and was about to jump up and shake off the hand that didn't know its own strength.
Before she could, she was dragged into the storage room next to the restroom. The door of the storage room was slammed shut.
In the darkness, Lin Jinran's heart was pounding even more violently. She leaned against the cold wall, and the door of the storage room was blocked by the strange man.
She looked at the strange man who had dragged her in warily.
"I'm warning you. There are cameras and security guards here. Don't even think about doing anything."
In the darkness, Lin Jinran's eyes were especially bright, but her words lacked confidence. To boost her courage, she added, "I promise. If you let me go, I won't say a word."
At this moment, she was annoyed with herself. Why did she linger in the restroom because of Su Qinian? Now it was all over.
In the darkness, the man let out a soft laugh, a laugh full of mystery.
He leaned closer. His slightly warm breath fanned across Lin Jinran's face, and his unique perfume filled the air around her.
As the man's face got closer, Lin Jinran's eyes widened in shock. She stared at the person in front of her in disbelief.
She saw herself in the other person's eyes and also recognized who had dragged her into the storage room.
It was Su Qinian.
It was actually Su Qinian?
Wasn't he supposed to have left?
Did he notice her from the very beginning and deliberately hide there waiting for her to fall into his trap?
Lin Jinran's mind was in a mess. She didn't understand what Su Qinian was up to.
After years of no contact, their reunion happened in such a situation.
This was something she never expected.
The cold and aloof Su Qinian in public was actually acting like a thief, dragging her into the storage room. If his fans knew about this, they would surely be shocked.
Even Lin Jinran herself was greatly startled.
"Su Qinian, what do you want?" Lin Jinran said coldly, but her gaze at Su Qinian was far from as cold as her voice.
Su Qinian let out a soft laugh, with a faint trace of sadness in it. He said, "Lin Jinran, long time no see."
After years of no news, he thought Lin Jinran had already forgotten him completely.
In the darkness, the once - young man's eyes were astonishingly bright. He stared straight at Lin Jinran, completely different from the sadness in his tone.
He grabbed Lin Jinran's wrist tightly, as if venting his anger.
Lin Jinran felt the pain and her face turned a little pale. There was a layer of moisture in her eyes, but she was stubborn and didn't make a sound.
In the dim storage room, neither of them could see the other clearly, but they were both trying to figure the other out.
But could this unexpected reunion bring them back to the very beginning?
Lin Jinran didn't know, and neither did Su Qinian. He didn't even understand why he had, without thinking, taken such a big risk to drag her into the storage room.
Maybe it was just because he wasn't willing to let go.