I got terrified after listening to her like this. I haven't heard Yang Lulu sound like this ever, but today—today is something different. It seems like… it seems like it's not Yang Lulu who needs my help. It seems like a person who has been waiting for a long time for someone to just come to her and ask her about the problems she is facing.
I took a few steps forward to her and held her hand gently in mine so that at least for a little bit, she could feel the warmth. The moment I took her hand in mine, she burst into tears uncontrollably.
"Relax, Yang Lulu, relax. Take your time, take your time, no rush," I said while hugging her.
"I… I didn't have time for it, that is the main problem," she said while crying.
"Yang Lulu, aren't you the one who said to me in my initial days here that I can feel free to ask you anything or everything? Aren't we friends?" I asked her.
Her crying stopped. She wiped her tears with her hands and then took a long deep sigh before saying anything. It seemed like she was gathering the courage to say it to me.
Then she said, "Zhao Shiza, you know that my wedding has been fixed just a few days ago."
She said it, and I nodded my head.
Then she said, "The boy whom I'm going to marry is asking me for a huge amount of money."
"Money?" I asked her.
"Yes, money. He said that if I don't give him the amount of money he is asking for, then he'll call off the wedding with me."
"Let him call off the wedding. I am still not getting it, Yang Lulu. Why are you sticking to such a ridiculous man till now, crying over him like this? This is not the Yang Lulu I know," I said while looking at her.
"Saying these words is easy for you, Zhao Shiza, but you don't know—you really don't know my situation," she said.
"If you don't tell me, then how could I be able to understand it, Yang Lulu?" I said.
"My parents want this wedding to happen," she said.
"So just tell them—tell them the whole story the way you are telling it to me," I said.
"Zhao Shiza, my parents have become very old. They chose him for me," she said.
"So what?" I asked her.
"So if I call off this wedding or tell them the truth, they won't be able to handle it," she said.
"How? I mean, the boy is the one who is guilty here and asking for money. Why wouldn't your parents be able to handle it?" I asked her.
"I am not as young as you. I am nearly 37. They found him for me after taking so many years of research and chose him for me after a very long time," she said.
"This is so foolish, Yang Lulu. Your parents will surely understand," I said.
"Zhao Shiza, the boy said if I didn't give him the money, he'll call off this wedding," she said while looking down at the floor.
"Then let it be. How could you even think of still marrying such a ridiculous person?" I said.
"It's easy for you to say it like that, but not for me. My parents have many health conditions. One shock, and there might be a risk to their health. They won't be able to handle it, Zhao Shiza. They couldn't. They are thinking that soon I will finally settle down in my life, but they don't know—don't know that the boy they chose for me after so much time and hard work is not the right one. Do you know how they will feel? They'll feel shattered. They'll feel miserable. They'll feel betrayed by their own decisions. And looking at their health conditions, I won't let them feel like that. Since my whole life, I have dedicated each and everything to them, and now also—this one for them, this one for them."
She said it while shutting her eyes tightly in pain, but tears—the purest form of human emotions—splashed out from her eyes.
Whatever Yang Lulu is saying, maybe… maybe she is right about it. She knows her parents' condition better. But keeping them in the dark and making herself suffer like this—I think this will be the most painful thing for them. That their dearest daughter has suffered because of them, they won't be able to forgive themselves for that.
But it's only my point of view on this situation. What she'll do is totally up to her. I can't force my thoughts and decisions on her.
These are all the thoughts going on in my mind, but I didn't say them out loud.
I only asked her, "Then what are you going to do next?"
"Nothing. I'll just ask Director Li about the advance salary, and… and—"
"And?" I asked her.
"And I'll do some part-time jobs as well to gather some amount, at least to give him that in installments," she said.
Whatever she is saying and doing, I still feel it's wrong. It's really not the right way to deal with situations like this. But what else can I do? It's totally her choice, her life. I can't force anything on her.
But then an idea struck my mind, and I said, "Yang Lulu, can I help you in this?"
"No, Zhao Shiza. That's why I wasn't telling you this, because I know the moment you hear it, you'll give me the whole amount of money by yourself and say that I can pay it back to you in the future. But trust me, I know you'll never take that money back from me. That's the main reason why I wasn't telling you this," she said.
"Wait, Yang Lulu. I'm not asking to help you in the way you are saying," I said.
She looked a little astonished and said, "Then how?"
"Then I'll help you the way you are helping yourself. I mean, I'll also work part-time like you—and with you. Just ask them to find two positions wherever you apply for the job. Then together we'll gather that amount faster and give it to him. And haven't you heard that old saying—that if we work together, the burden becomes lighter and easier?" I said while putting my hand on her shoulder.
"No, I haven't," she said.
"I know. How could you? It was just invented right now by the great young master Zhao Shiza," I said, lifting my head slightly in pride.
Listening to it, she finally smiled, hugged me immediately, and said, "I don't know how you come up with such unique ideas."
"To respect my friend's decisions and her self-worth, I need to come up with such ideas," I said.
But she broke the hug, and her expression changed a little.
"What now?" I asked her.
"But you are the main lead of the drama. You need to shoot the whole day—every day. And you are also currently studying in your university. How will you take out time for these additional jobs? It will become hectic for you. No, you can't," she said in a quiet, worried tone.
"Listen, Yang Lulu, it's up to me how I'll figure out the time. Leave it on me. And if you are talking about shooting, then don't you stay with me the whole time for shooting? And about my studies—I have my bestie who'll do all my college work for me. So don't worry about that. And I am a multitasker. I know with my appearance you'll think that I am a fragile princess of some kingdom, but internally I am solid as a rock. So don't worry when Zhao Shiza is near you, okay?" I said.
She laughed a little.
"And now your only work is to find the job for both of us, okay?" I said to her.
She nodded her head, and through her teary eyes she said, "Okay, the great young master Zhao Shiza."
I laughed.
And like this, the day went well. We shot many more scenes afterward, and then the most awaited time came—the moment everyone was waiting for, to hear "Pack up" from Director Li.
Finally, he said, "So everyone, pack up. We'll continue this scene from here tomorrow."
Everyone on set started packing their stuff. Of course, we all had worked so hard the whole day.
Then I saw Yang Lulu leaving the set, so I immediately pulled her hand toward me and was about to ask, but before that she said, "I'll get the job for both of us, don't worry."
I was amused by her and said, "How do you know that I was going to ask you this?"
"Of course. You have questionable eyes. They are so expressive—anyone can easily tell what is going on inside you," she said while smiling at me.
"Is it a compliment or a threat?" I asked her.
She smiled a little and said, "Take it as a compliment. Bye-bye."
"Bye-bye," I said while waving both my hands. "Be safe, okay?"
She smiled back and said, "You too."
Then she went on her path.
But before I could fully turn around, someone pulled my hair slightly from behind.
"Where are you heading, little bunny? Thinking of running away from me again?" he asked.
"Yuan! Why did you pull my hair? My hairstyle will get shattered," I said while touching my hair.
He gently held it and said, "No, it won't. Don't worry. My girlfriend is still the prettiest girl in the whole Shanghai."
"Only in the whole Shanghai? Not in the whole China?" I asked in a quiet, disappointed way.
He let out a small laugh and said, "Okay, my girlfriend is the prettiest girl in the whole China."
I blushed and said, "You mean I am the crush of the whole China? Oh God, I can't even imagine it. I am on cloud seven."
"Only mine," he said while holding my hands in his.
"Yuan, someone will see us. Let me go," I said, still red from blushing.
"You are so easy to blush, aren't you? I just come near you or stand in front of you, and you turn completely red like an apple," he said.
"Only for you," I said.
He chuckled and said, "Yes, of course, only for mine. And don't worry—everyone has almost gone back."
"Oh, so Mr. Yuan is going to take advantage of it, isn't it?" I asked.
"You silly girl," he said while tapping my head, "you always think of new ways to make me feel embarrassed and tease me."
"Did I really do that?" I asked.
"No, it's your daily chore," he said.
"Now let's go," he said.
"Where?" I asked.
"I'll drop you at your dormitory," he said while taking out his car keys.
I stopped his hand midway and said, "No, Yuan. I don't need it."
"But I need it," he said.
"You are becoming so stubborn nowadays," I said while rolling my eyes.
"Just learning a few tricks from my teacher," he said.
"Now come, I'll drop you," he said again.
"No, Yuan," I said.
"Can't you agree to one thing?" he asked.
"Stop making those puppy eyes in front of me. Understand?" I said, pointing my finger at his eyes.
"Why? Does it melt you?" he asked with a mischievous smile.
"Yes, it does," I whispered.
"What did you just say?" he asked.
"Nothing. Okay—if you want to drop me, then we can do it this way," I said.
"What way?" he asked.
"From here, my bus stop is fifteen minutes away by walking. So you can accompany me till there. That way, you drop me—and you don't drop me," I said.
"You are such a—" he said.
"Such a what?" I asked.
He chuckled and said, "Such a mine."
I blushed again and said, "Yuan, stop making me blush this much. You are really very bad."
"Yes, I know," he said, still smiling mischievously.
Then we both started walking toward the bus stop, holding hands. Our hands held each other automatically when we started walking together, like it was meant to be this way—forever and ever...