Chapter 25: A Gentle Touch

Throughout the past few scenes, Lu Qingzhuo had remained out of sync. Facing Fu Yumian, she found herself completely unable to regulate her emotions. Even the initial arrogance and defiance required by her role failed to come through fully.

After finally wrapping up the two morning scenes, Lu Qingzhuo retreated to a quiet corner alone, sipping a cool coconut while keeping her distance from Fu Yumian.

Her agent, Su Lan, walked over and, noticing Lu Qingzhuo’s lackluster demeanor, asked curiously, "What’s wrong with you today? Are you off your game, or just exhausted? If you’re really that tired, I can take you for a walk along the beach."

"Sister Lan, I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep well last night—I had a bit of insomnia."

While it was true that she hadn’t slept well, the real reason was the lingering effect of a dream. Now, every time she saw Fu Yumian’s face, guilt surged within her, making it impossible to forget what had happened in that dream.

Su Lan noticed the undeniable dark circles under Lu Qingzhuo’s eyes and sighed. "You really have been working hard. I have some traditional herbal remedies for insomnia. They’re quite effective, though a little bitter. I’ll ask Xie Yun to pick some up this afternoon so we can make a medicinal soup for you."

Herbal medicine?

And it’s bitter.

Lu Qingzhuo dreaded the thought of drinking herbal medicine, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse Su Lan’s kindness. So she forced a smile and said, "Thank you, Sister Lan. You’re always so good to me."

"Who else should I be good to if not you? In the future, make sure you think things through before acting. You’re still young, but you’ve been navigating this industry for years. I’ve watched you grow up, so I know your personality well."

Su Lan rested a hand on Lu Qingzhuo’s shoulder and said earnestly, "Do whatever you want to do. As for those online trolls and gossip accounts, try not to let them get to you. Living happily is what matters most."

Since her debut, Su Lan had always been her agent. Though they weren’t far apart in age, Su Lan felt more like a caring elder. Perhaps it was just a natural talent of hers—being a good manager.

Lu Qingzhuo had an outgoing personality and got along with nearly everyone in the crew. She even exchanged WeChat contacts with those who shared a similar disposition. Many people changed their perception of her, realizing she was nothing like the sharp-tongued, emotionally unintelligent alpha described by gossip accounts.

At lunchtime, Lu Qingzhuo chose a steaming hot boxed meal and carried a small stool to sit under the shade of a parasol.

Two meat dishes, one vegetable, and a soup—all free. And the taste? Surprisingly good.

As she sipped the rich seaweed soup, she thought to herself, No wonder so many people become extras. If all film crews were this considerate, providing unlimited meals like this, who wouldn’t be motivated to work diligently?

"Lu Lu, what are you doing here?"

Xie Yun appeared, holding an ice pop, and nearly teared up upon seeing her. "President Fu was just looking for you. She tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. I was scared half to death—I thought something had happened to you."

"Phone?"

Lu Qingzhuo rarely checked her phone while eating, and she had a longstanding habit of keeping it on silent mode. Even after becoming an actress, she hadn’t changed this habit. "It was on silent—I didn’t notice."

She unlocked her phone to find a long list of missed calls. Whatever the issue was, it must have been urgent for Fu Yumian to call so many times.

She hurriedly dialed back, but this time, Fu Yumian didn’t pick up. Now, it was Lu Qingzhuo’s turn to panic.

"What happened? There’s still half an hour before we resume filming."

"I’m not sure, but President Fu seemed pretty anxious just now."

Lu Qingzhuo checked WeChat and saw a message from Han Tian.

Assistant Han: [Li Xuelan stabbed your sister. She’s currently in emergency surgery at the central hospital.]

The moment Lu Qingzhuo read the message, it felt as though the sky had collapsed. Her hands stiffened, and she set down her half-eaten meal in Xie Yun’s hands before dashing off toward the set.

Seeing the tense and serious expression on Fu Yumian’s face, Lu Qingzhuo instinctively grabbed her wrist, her lips trembling. "President Fu, how is my sister? I need to go see her."

"The doctor said the wound is deep, but it didn’t damage any internal organs. She was treated in time and is not in any life-threatening danger."

Fu Yumian gazed at Lu Qingzhuo’s increasingly pale face and trembling hands, which were still clutching her wrist. She gently placed her other hand over Lu Qingzhuo’s in a soothing gesture. "Don’t be afraid. I’ve already arranged a flight for you. Go and see her. I’ve spoken with Shen Shijun—we’ll focus on filming my scenes for the next few days."

"Thank you, President Fu."

Lu Qingzhuo had not prepared anything before boarding the plane to leave Hainan, feeling uneasy throughout the journey.

Han Tian sent over detailed information along with video footage from the surveillance cameras. The video clearly showed that it was Li Xuelan who, while entangled with Geng Xingluo, pulled a folding fruit knife from her pocket and viciously stabbed it into her own daughter's abdomen. She was then subdued by several passersby, who quickly called the police and an ambulance.

Lu Qingzhuo stared at Li Xuelan in the surveillance footage, her disgust reaching its peak in that instant. She almost wished she could send her straight to prison right then and there.

But the most pressing matter was to check on Geng Xingluo’s current condition. She was just an eighteen-year-old girl, tortured by her biological mother for years and nearly killed by her. How much pain must her heart have endured?

---

At the city center hospital.

Lu Qingzhuo, still in her vintage costume from the last century, hadn't had time to change. Dressed in her retro outfit, she entered the hospital's inpatient department, drawing curious looks from those around her. Han Tian struggled to keep up with her pace.

"Miss Geng has passed the critical period. Please slow down, and be careful not to fall."

The ICU was on the fourth floor. Lu Qingzhuo stood in the elevator, anxiously fidgeting. When they exited, she almost couldn't find the nurse’s station.

A nurse making her rounds quickly deduced that they must be family members of the young girl who had just been admitted with knife wounds and immediately approached them.

"Hello, are you the family of Bed 8, Geng Xingluo? Please come this way."

Lu Qingzhuo and Han Tian changed into isolation gowns and shoe covers before following the head nurse into Geng Xingluo’s private room. Upon seeing the pale girl lying on the bed, Lu Qingzhuo opened her mouth, but her throat was too tight to speak.

She was so young yet had suffered such a senseless tragedy.

"Doctor, how is my sister doing now?"

An Alpha female doctor was slightly taken aback when she saw Lu Qingzhuo, seemingly surprised that the Omega girl’s sister was her.

"She sustained a deep knife wound to her abdomen, almost four centimeters deep. Fortunately, it didn’t hit any internal organs. There was significant bleeding, but we arranged for a blood transfusion during surgery. Her condition is better than we expected, so there’s no need to worry."

"That's good..." After hearing the doctor's reassurance, Lu Qingzhuo finally relaxed. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her voice sounded muffled behind her mask. She glanced at the doctor's badge and saw that her name was Dr. Wei, an associate director. "Thank you, Director Wei. Can I stay in the ICU with her for a while? Half an hour will be enough—I promise I won’t cause any trouble."

Dr. Wei nodded. "That’s fine. But first, please come to my office so I can register your information."

"Alright, thank you, Director Wei."

Lu Qingzhuo glanced reluctantly at the Omega girl lying in the bed before following Dr. Wei to her office.

The ICU was chilly. It was nearing October, yet the air conditioning was still on. The doctor's office was especially cold, and the moment Lu Qingzhuo stepped inside, goosebumps instantly appeared on her skin.

Dr. Wei smiled when she noticed Lu Qingzhuo’s reaction. "The ICU is indeed a bit cold. Please bear with it, Miss Lu."

"It’s fine, it's not too bad. You all are the ones working hard."

Lu Qingzhuo signed her name on the visitor list. After so many years, she had signed countless forms, but today, when she picked up the pen, it felt especially heavy as she carefully wrote three neat characters.

In her previous life, her routine had been highly disciplined. Besides acting, she spent most of her time on self-cultivation and practicing calligraphy, which had given her excellent handwriting.

Han Tian had been following closely behind her. Dr. Wei assumed she was Lu Qingzhuo’s assistant and took a quick glance at her attire. When she noticed the classic Rolex watch on Han Tian’s wrist, she was visibly surprised.

"Are celebrity assistants really that rich? They can afford a Rolex just like that? Unlike me—I worked hard to become an associate director, and even if I saved every penny, I still couldn’t buy such a watch."

"Assistant Han, you probably still have work to do, right? I’ll be fine here."

Han Tian, the assigned worker, responded without expression, "President Fu said I must stay by your side and not take my eyes off you, or else my salary will be deducted."

Lu Qingzhuo, who had been tense, finally laughed. "President Fu is so rigid. Who will know if I don’t say anything? I know it’s tough for you—go take a rest. I can see you have dark circles under your eyes."

Both of them had dark circles but said nothing. For the first time, Han Tian experienced the strange warmth of being cared for by a capitalist, almost unable to maintain her expression.

"Alright, I’ll step out then. Let me know if you need anything."

Their conversation was partly overheard by Dr. Wei. Upon hearing Assistant Han’s words, she imagined a grand family drama unfolding in her mind. She felt a bit of sympathy for the highly criticized celebrity.

Her handwriting was quite good, suggesting she had practiced calligraphy. She was nothing like the rumors that claimed she was uneducated and ignorant. From their conversation, Dr. Wei could also tell that Lu Qingzhuo’s politeness was genuine.

Lu Qingzhuo returned to the hospital room. Seeing her sister in bed, a wave of guilt and self-blame surged through her heart.

Sitting quietly in the ICU, Lu Qingzhuo stared at the red clock on the wall, silently watching Geng Xingluo’s pale face without uttering a word.

Half an hour passed, and as promised, Lu Qingzhuo left the room on time. Dr. Wei noticed everything—including her stable emotions. Lu Qingzhuo didn’t cry, didn’t shout, and didn’t cause any trouble for the doctors or nurses. This was completely different from the persona portrayed in the media.

"Thank you, Director Wei."

Lu Qingzhuo’s voice sounded slightly muffled. Seeing that she was still wearing her mask, Dr. Wei kindly reminded her, "You don’t need to wear the mask in the office. The ones we provide aren’t very breathable, and they might cause an allergic reaction for people with sensitive skin."

“I’d better keep it on. I just came from outside, and I might still be carrying bacteria.”

Lu Qingzhuo had been watching the cardiac monitor closely, but all the readings remained normal. The machine didn’t trigger any alarms, and there were plenty of doctors and nurses in the room. Finally, the anxiety that had been gripping her chest eased.

“Director Wei, when can Xingluo be transferred from the ICU to a regular ward?”

Wei Ran glanced at the latest test results. “Her vital signs are stable, and young people tend to recover quickly. She can probably be transferred tonight or tomorrow. You don’t need to worry.”

“Thank you.”

Wei Ran walked Lu Qingzhuo out of the ICU. The moment the automatic doors closed, she pulled out her phone from her white coat pocket, opened Weibo, and removed Lu Qingzhuo’s account—followed by twenty million fans—from the blacklist. Then, without hesitation, she followed her.

It had been half a month since Lu Qingzhuo's last Weibo update. Scrolling down, Wei Ran clicked on the comment section of her most recent post—and was utterly stunned by what she saw.

The most liked comments were all from haters. But what shocked her the most was that Lu Qingzhuo had personally responded to nearly every one of them. At first, Wei Ran thought someone had hacked her account. But after carefully reading through all the comments, she was certain—they were all written by Lu Qingzhuo herself.

The contrast was... unexpected.

---

As she stepped out of the ICU, Lu Qingzhuo stood at the door, looking exhausted. The sky had already darkened. Through the hospital window, she gazed at the countless glowing lights of the city, and a deep sense of emptiness filled her heart.

Home? She had never truly had a home in her past life.

After her parents divorced, neither of them wanted custody of her, as if she were nothing more than a burden.

Later, both of them remarried, started new families, and lived happily with their new children. Meanwhile, she survived on scholarships, working part-time as a tutor during weekends and holidays to cover her living expenses. In the end, she was admitted to one of the top ten universities in the country.

Becoming an actress had been pure coincidence. One summer, on her way home from a part-time job at a bubble tea shop, she happened to pass by a film set—and was pulled in as an extra on the spot.

From there, her career skyrocketed.

Her parents, who had once abandoned her, suddenly changed their cold and indifferent attitudes. They took to social media, loudly proclaiming their deep love and devotion.

Lu Qingzhuo gave them a sum of money and cut ties without hesitation.

But some people were insatiable.

Not long after, they sued her in court, demanding twenty million in compensation.

The case quickly became a media sensation. Lu Qingzhuo held a press conference and publicly disclosed all of her earnings and expenses from middle school through university. Every scholarship, every bit of financial aid—she laid it all out, leaving no room for doubt.

She won the lawsuit with ease.

She had no interest in maintaining a so-called familial bond built on money. However, a small group of people still sided with her parents, leaving comments criticizing her for being unfilial and ungrateful for the “gift of life.”

A shimmer of tears welled up in her eyes. Lu Qingzhuo tilted her head back, blinking rapidly, unwilling to dwell on the painful memories. She turned her head—only to see Fu Yumian approaching from a short distance away.

Quickly, she wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand and forced a smile, one that looked worse than crying.

“President Fu, what brings you here?”

It was the first time Fu Yumian had ever seen her looking so vulnerable. She hesitated for a moment before taking out a handkerchief and offering it to Lu Qingzhuo.

“Thank you.”

“How is your sister?”

“The doctors said she’s doing well. Luckily, the knife missed her organs—otherwise, whether she could be saved would have been up to fate.”

Lu Qingzhuo fidgeted with the handkerchief in her hands before hesitantly speaking. “President Fu, once Xingluo is stable, I want to transfer her to the hospital on Sangdao to recover.”

Fu Yumian nodded. “That’s fine. I own a private hospital on Sangdao with excellent medical facilities. I can have my people take care of her.”

“Thank you, President Fu, but I appreciate your kindness. Once I’m done filming each day, I’ll have time to take care of her myself.”

Fu Yumian seemed like she wanted to say something but stopped. Seeing that Lu Qingzhuo’s refusal was firm, she simply replied, “Alright. If anything comes up, let me know.”

Following behind Fu Yumian, Lu Qingzhuo suddenly realized something.

Usually, Fu Yumian would say, ‘If anything comes up, talk to Han Tian.’

But today, she had said, ‘Talk to me.’

“As for Li Xuelan, I’ll find you a professional lawyer.” Fu Yumian stopped walking and looked directly into Lu Qingzhuo’s eyes. “Attempted murder is a serious crime. She’ll be sentenced to at least ten years.”

“For now, just stay with your sister and don’t worry about anything else. I’ll take care of everything.”

Lu Qingzhuo slowly lifted her head, a rush of warmth flooding her chest. Her nose tingled.

In the quiet hospital corridor, she gently wrapped her arms around Fu Yumian’s waist, resting her chin on her shoulder. Her voice trembled slightly.

“President Fu… how can I ever repay you?”

Fu Yumian ran her fingers through Lu Qingzhuo’s soft hair, shaking her head.

“There’s no need to repay me.”

Because this is what I want to do for you.  

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