Chapter 38: A Question That Had Troubled Me for Years

The workload today was manageable. After the afternoon shoot wrapped up around six, Wen Jianan prepared to take her team back to the apartment to handle the follow-up tasks.

Just then, Li Ruoruo approached Chen Ling to request leave. Chen Ling, unsure of how to proceed, deferred the decision to Wen Jianan.

Wen Jianan thought for a moment, frowned, and asked, "Can you hold on a little longer?" After all, everyone else was still working. The project had reached a point where everyone was exhausted and yearning for a break, but if she granted Li Ruoruo’s request, how would she answer to the others?

Then there was Chen Ling. Last night, Wen Jianan had overheard her on the phone in the hallway; it seemed her daughter was ill and her mother was struggling to cope. Despite her distress, Chen Ling hadn't let it affect her work, nor had she shown any intention of stepping back.

Li Ruoruo pouted, dissatisfied. "Our work is mostly done. Most of what’s left is for the follow-up departments. When we were working overtime at the start, they had it relatively easy."

"They were helping us then, too," Wen Jianan said. She wasn't trying to moralize, just stating the facts. She had seen how hard everyone worked, and she wouldn't let Li Ruoruo’s words diminish their contributions.

"I’ve been helping too! I just need to take leave for a personal matter. Team Leader Wen, are you going to approve it or not? If you can't decide, I'll go find someone who can." Her tone made it clear she was determined to leave.

Wen Jianan stared at her for a moment before relenting. She knew who Li Ruoruo was referring to—Manager Zhang or Wei Ming—and she didn't want them interfering again. Having achieved her goal, Li Ruoruo left happily, parting ways with Wen Jianan and the others at the entrance of the filming base. Wen Jianan then led the rest back to the apartment.

Just as they were nearing the apartment complex, Lin Li from Kunteng called, asking her to return for an urgent meeting.

"Alright, please wait a moment." After hanging up, Wen Jianan asked the driver to pull over, told Chen Ling to take the others back, and hailed a taxi to Kunteng.

The meeting lasted two hours. At eight o'clock, having finished coordinating with the Kunteng team, Wen Jianan stepped out of the conference room. Summer had officially arrived, and the daytime heat was stifling; fortunately, the air-conditioned office had spared them from heatstroke. At night, however, the weather was erratic, with sudden, heavy thunderstorms rolling in. Just as Wen Jianan stepped out of the elevator, a rumble of thunder shook the air, and rain began to pelt down in heavy drops, creating dark splotches on the asphalt.

Wen Jianan stood at the entrance of the building, her phone showing that her taxi was still three or four kilometers away. The driver had messaged to say that traffic was gridlocked and he would be delayed.

Wen Jianan sighed and stepped aside to wait. As the rain intensified, she felt a wave of heat rising from the pavement and retreated further back to avoid getting sick.

Li Yuxiu happened to be driving out of the parking garage and caught the scene. He pulled his car up, stopping right in front of Wen Jianan. She was staring at her phone; ten minutes had passed, and her taxi hadn't moved an inch.

Wen Jianan felt a headache coming on. She looked up and saw the window roll down, revealing Li Yuxiu’s indifferent face. Thinking she was blocking his path, she moved aside without saying a word, pretending not to see him.

But a second later, Li Yuxiu reversed the car back to where she stood. Wen Jianan glanced over, frowning in confusion.

"The rain is getting heavier. Get in, I'll take you."

"..."

Wen Jianan wanted to refuse, but the ride-share driver called to say he was stuck in gridlock and asked her to cancel the order. She felt her luck was truly abysmal.

"It's rush hour in the city center. If you don't get in, you'll be waiting for an hour or two." Before she could respond, he stepped out of the car, took her by the arm, and ushered her into the passenger seat.

The rain hammered against the roof. The silence inside the car was eerie. Just as Wen Jianan felt she might suffocate, Li Yuxiu’s phone rang.

"I'm driving, I can't look away. Help me answer it," Li Yuxiu said, eyes fixed on the road.

Wen Jianan pressed the button.

"Mr. Li? This is the property management at Zhongjing Garden. Did you forget to close the window in the living room of 2201? It’s pouring, and if you don't come back to close it soon, the whole living room might get soaked..."

"Understood. I'm nearby; I'll head over now."

"Please, as soon as possible."

After hanging up, Li Yuxiu signaled to change lanes to cut through the traffic. Wen Jianan quickly said, "Just drop me off on the side of the road."

"There won't be any taxis on this road, and in this weather, there's nowhere to even take cover. Just come with me, and I'll drop you off after I take care of this." Li Yuxiu said this while re-routing his GPS.

Wen Jianan opened her mouth to argue, but the cars behind them began honking impatiently. Li Yuxiu maneuvered through the flow of traffic, turned onto a side road, and soon reached the Zhongjing Garden parking garage.

He kept glancing at her, but she remained silent throughout the trip. As he prepared to get out of the car, Wen Jianan unbuckled her seatbelt.

"I'll be on my way now. Thank you for the ride."

Li Yuxiu paused, then looked at her and asked, "Are you not coming up to see it?"

Wen Jianan’s refusal was clear: "There's no need."

Li Yuxiu fell silent. After some deliberation, he finally asked a question that had haunted him for years. "Why didn't you take the apartment?"

The unit at Zhongjing Garden had been their marital home, purchased by Li Yuxiu and registered in his name. When they divorced, he had not only provided a large settlement but also intended for her to keep the property. When the lawyer presented the divorce agreement, she had signed it quietly without a word. Shortly after, Li Yuxiu went abroad. It wasn't until a year later, when he received a notice about unpaid property fees from overseas, that he realized she had never taken the apartment. Furthermore, he had recently learned from the late director of the orphanage that she had donated the entire settlement money as well.

In their marriage, she had walked away with nothing. It defied his entire perception of her. He felt his understanding of her being shattered time and again. He didn't know what the truth was, or which version of Wen Jianan was real. He felt a compulsion to investigate, to find the answer. He couldn't accept, nor believe, that his judgment had been wrong all those years.

Wen Jianan gave him a faint, indifferent look. A bright smile touched her lips, carrying a sense of liberation and detachment.

"I didn't need it, that’s all."

In the past, she might have offered a long explanation, earnestly trying to tell him about her feelings. Now, all that remained of those words was a soft sigh.