Chapter 39 - On the Way Back (1/2)

Chapter 39: On the Way Back

Yi Ran didn’t know how long she slept, but the vibration of her phone woke her up.

She found that she had fallen asleep on the bed, still wearing the same clothes, and without covering herself with the quilt. The heater was turned on all through the night, and the room was warm but quite dry.

She rubbed her eyes and saw that it was half past six in the morning. Her mobile phone had two missed calls and one WeChat message from Gu Tingchuan.

He knew that she was probably asleep and sent a WeChat message saying that they would rush back in the morning.

Yi Ran thought for a while. It was probably still very early in the morning for Gu Tingchuan. She didn’t want to disturb his rest so she changed her reply from “Please contact me when you’re free” to “Call me before boarding the plane.”

When she arrived at school, she was a little bit sluggish. Her colleagues probably learned that Homecoming hadn’t received any awards at the film festival. They were afraid she would feel embarrassed so they didn’t stop by to chat with her. Only Yao Juan took the initiative to say hello.

He saw the faint circles under her clear eyes and softly said, “There are so many excellent domestic films that don’t always win. But, it’s a pity for Director Gu.”

Yi Ran looked up, and seeing the pity behind Yao Juan’s glasses, she couldn’t help but want to praise him, “I say, Teacher Yao, you are too good. Good-natured and good-hearted.”

Yao Juan was taken aback by her words and felt slightly uncomfortable. His brows furrowed a little but he still gave her a smile.

Just after the lunch break, she finally received a call from Gu Tingchuan. The man’s voice was slightly hoarse and there were some noises in the background, but when she heard his voice, her whole heart trembled.

“I’ve arrived at the airport and will take off in half an hour.”

When the time finally came, she realized that it would be useless to console him. Instead, as his wife, she should give him some encouragements.

Yi Ran slowed down and said very firmly, “Gu Tingchuan, you are such a good director. That crazy group of judges are blind. I’ll give you a hundred little red flowers when you come back. You’re really great.”

Gu Tingchuan’s voice had a bit of laughter to it, but she couldn’t see that his eyes were still gloomy.

“As soon as I get off the plane, I’ll have to go directly to the company. There are a lot of things waiting for me to deal with.”

Yi Ran desperately wanted to see him, but she also expected that the man would have to face many problems and difficulties when he returned. After thinking it over, she found that she still could not tolerate it and said, “You always eat indiscriminately. When you return to the company, I’ll make you something to eat.”

Gu Tingchuan messaged his eyebrows. But, he understood her mood and was unwilling to refuse her. “Okay, I’ll tell Xiao Zhao in a bit and have him send someone to pick you up.”

Yi Ran could hear that his mood was extremely bad. The harder he was on himself, the harder it would be for him to forgive himself. It would take a while for him to recover from his loss.

She thoughtfully said, “Okay. I won’t bother you anymore. Take a rest on the plane, and I’ll see you when you get back.

Yi Ran hung up the phone and sat by her desk in a daze, absentmindedly pulling her long hair in front of her.

She used to think that their tacit understanding was getting better and better. He certainly had feelings for her. But, in the end, the nature of their work was radically different. When he really needed assistance and enlightenment, this vast distance between them was suddenly exposed.

However, he had never said that he liked her and had never used the word “love.” She really had no confidence.

When you had such a cherished person in your heart, every move, every smile, became the most advantageous thing, and you simply wanted to stubbornly hide him in the bottom of your heart and keep him safe and protected.

During Gu Tingchuan’s flight back and as Homecoming was about to be released in China, an unexpected incident occurred.

The protagonist in Homecoming was a talented young actor who once debuted as a member of a boy band. As it was, he happened to clash with passengers on the plane and was recorded arrogantly exclaiming, “Do you know who I am?”

The actor further declared that the Chinese didn’t have the talent nor the ability to make good movies. After naming and criticizing a few films, he went back and complained that Gu Tingchuan was too difficult to get along with.

Everything was secretly photographed and posted online, igniting mass indignation. Tens of thousands of people demanded the he be blocked and called for everyone to refuse to see Homecoming.

The next day, Yi Ran was still preoccupied with the news as she headed to the Jiaye company building. These remarks had spread like viruses, and she did not dare to think about what Gu Tingchuan must be feeling.

Thinking of it, the panic in her heart was so deep that she could feel the beating of her heart through her fingers.

As a Jiaye’s staff lead her to the elevator, she tried to relax her expression. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator door, she saw Gu Tingchuan standing in the hallway. That familiar figure was talking to Xiao Zhao, who stood beside him.

Her eyes grew hot, and she hung her head down as she hurriedly wiped her eyes. Then, she walked toward him, a gentle smile on her face.

Gu Tingchuan’s face was very poor. He was clearly exhausted after such a long journey. He listened to Xiao Zhao’s report for a long time and didn’t say a word. As she neared, he looked sideways at her and suddenly stretched out his hand to hold her wrist. Then, he bent down slightly and leaned a little on her shoulder.

This action turned Yi Ran’s soft heart into complete mush. But, her words were lodged in her throat. Too many complicated thoughts rushed up, making her bite her tongue instead.

Xiao Zhao froze and winked at another staff member. The staff member received his signal and they both calmly walked away.

Yi Ran gently wrapped her arms around his strong waist. She felt as if it had been too long since they had touched each other, making this moment seem as if it was just a sweet illusion. It made her want to hold him tighter.

“I brought some takeouts from your favorite restaurant, along with a few dishes I made myself.”