<h4>Chapter 41</h4>


    8 p.m., Beicheng Airport.


    Shen Bin had been waiting for about forty minutes when he finally saw Chen Huaixiao emerge from the terminal.


    Dressed in a formidable suit that blended into the night, Chen''s handsome features and tall, straight figure made him stand out conspicuously amongst the crowds.


    Shen Bin waved at Chen Huaixiao, "Mr. Chen, over here!"


    Chen Huaixiao''s gaze calmly swept over him as he looked around, as if searching for something.


    Shen Bin walked over and took the ck suitcase from his hand, "Mr. Chen, are you waiting for your wife? She won''t being. She''s filming night scenes for the campus drama ''Next Station, Waiting for You''."


    Chen Huaixiao''s expression visibly cooled, his eyes sharp as des as they stabbed Shen Bin. "Your year-end bonus is forfeit."


    Shen Bin: "..."


    Shouldn''t have said too much.


    Chen Huaixiao got into the ck Bentley, expressionlessly gazing out the window at the neon cityscape.


    The streetlights and neon lights illuminated his handsome yet aloof face in ever-changing hues, casting faint gloom into his dark eyes.


    Shen Bin stole nces at him through the rearview mirror from time to time.


    He could tell that Chen Huaixiao was in a terrible mood.


    "Mr. Chen, home?"


    "Thepany."


    "You just got back from a business trip, shouldn''t you...go home and rest first?"


    Chen Huaixiao said coldly, "Your paid vacation this year is also in jeopardy."


    "I''ll shut up!"


    Shen Bin immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word.


    Half an hourter, the Bentley pulled up at the foot of Xingxing Media Tower.


    "Mr. Chen, we''ve arrived."


    "I don''t need you to tell me when we''ve arrived."


    Chen Huaixiao remained seated in the car, gazing at the brightly lit lobby. He was slow to get out.


    Shen Bin didn''t dare ask anything more.


    After a while, he restarted the engine and drove towards the filming location of the drama "Next Station, Waiting for You".


    "Next Station, Waiting for You" was a university campus drama, so it was filmed on the campus of Beicheng University.


    It was summer vacation now, and there were few students left on campus.


    The crew had to hurry and finish shooting all the campus scenes before vacation ended, so as not to affect normal schooling once sses started.


    So they had been working overnight to film scenes.


    Bai Yin yed the second female lead.


    Tonight''s scene in the rain was when the male lead would confess to the second female lead: actually, all these years, he had seen her as sce for losing the female lead. Now that the female lead had returned, the male lead had to go back to the female lead''s side.


    "Cut!"


    Director Xu waved his hand and got up, saying to Bai Yin, "Little Bai, your state is off tonight, distracted. Just now, Lu Zhouxu was breaking up with you, but you acted like you couldn''t wait to break up. Lu Zhouxu is the man you loved your entire youth, how could you have that kind of emotion?"


    "I''m sorry, Director." Bai Yin apologetically nced at Qiao Yan Shi, who yed the male lead Lu Zhouxu. "Sorry."


    Qiao Yan Shi waved his hand to indicate it was fine.


    "Do you have something urgent to do? I feel like you''re in a rush."


    "I''m sorry." Bai Yin wiped the rainwater from her face and repeatedly apologized, "Let me try to get back into character."


    "Alright, get back into character." The director stroked his jaw and asked, "Have you ever liked someone before? I mean during your adolescence..."


    Bai Yin looked up and saw the familiar Bentley parked on Lc Road.


    The car window rolled down, revealing the man''s sharp side profile submerged in the deep night.


    Bai Yin pondered for a moment and said, "I have."


    "That''s great. Right now, imagine the male lead Lu Zhouxu as the person you liked. You secretly loved him for many years, and he always treated you well, until one day, a girl appeared, and you realized all his kindness to you was out of regret for that girl. Now the girl has returned, and he is going to make a clean break with you..."


    Bai Yin''s deep gaze swept past Qiao Yan Shi andnded on that blurry silhouette in the darkness.


    Her eyes took on a touch of bleak mockery.


    Seeing she had gotten into character, the director immediately called for everyone to get ready and start filming.


    Qiao Yan Shi walked up to Bai Yin and took a deep breath, then said in a low voice, "I''m sorry, she has returned, I can''t fail her."


    Bai Yin''s peripheral vision still brushed over the man in the car. She no longer cried like in the previous takes.


    After deeply immersing herself in character, she realized she would never shed a tear for Chen Huaixiao.


    Not a single drop.


    Facing this man she once liked so much, the corners of her lips hooked up into a deste, cold smile. "Are you sure?"


    "Of course, she was my first love and the love of my life."


    "If you like her so much, then you must protect her well."


    Bai Yin said with a smile, then turned away in the moment the torrential rain obscured her tears.


    Director Xu stared intently at the screen. Although every line Bai Yin spoke was the second female lead''s lines, the director saw...other things...in her performance and eyes.


    This take was perfect!


    Usually, scenes where the vicious second female lead spitefully threatens the couple can easily feel unnatural.


    The few actresses who auditioned for the viinous second female lead role had all been overly exaggerated and annoying.


    But this take from Bai Yin didn''t feel unnatural at all. Her eyes were icy cold, with psychological acting in every moment, making people feel not annoyanced, but resigned, sighing, and even sympathetic.


    She gave the scene such depth.


    She really is...a gem of an actress!


    "Cut! Done! Great work, go change out of those wet clothes so you don''t catch a cold."


    Bai Yin stood in the rain, drenched. Raindrops slid down her hair.


    Her emotions didn''t seem to have settled down yet. Those years of endless heartache...were slowly eroding her heart once more.


    Chen Huaixiao got out of the car and strode towards Bai Yin. As he walked, he took off his suit jacket, preparing to drape it over her.


    Bai Yin immediately took two steps back, looking at him with mocking eyes, as if she hadn''t shaken off her character yet.


    Chen Huaixiao felt a stab from her gaze, thinking she was avoiding him so their rtionship wouldn''t be discovered.


    Soon after, the male lead Qiao Yan Shi came over with an umbre to escort Bai Yin to the dressing room.


    Chen Huaixiao watched their retreating backs, feeling inexplicably annoyed despite knowing there was nothing between them.


    Like a beast whose territory had been trespassed, he was filled with irritation.


    He walked out the school gate and lit a cigarette, half his face buried in shadow.


    Just then, a gentle female voice rang out, "Brother Chen, it''s you! What are you doing here?!"


    Chen Huaixiao looked back, seeing a pretty and lively face that he couldn''t immediately ce.


    "It''s me, Qiao Lisha." Qiao Lisha walked over to his side, smiling. "You''re forgetting people again. You must not remember me. I''m Qiao Ting''s daughter. We''ve had dinner together a few times."


    Chen Huaixiao recalled she was his old friend Qiao Ting''s daughter. She had also entered showbiz in recent years. With her cute and charming image, fans called her the "Mortal Realm''s Wealth and Nobility Flower".


    "You''re in this drama crew?"


    "Mm, I y the female lead Xiaoran." Qiao Lisha gave him a sweet smile, looking over his formal attire. "Brother Chen, are you here to discuss things with the crew?"


    "No, just passing by."


    "I see..."


    Qiao Lisha stood with her hands behind her back, acting cute. In a coquettish tone, she asked, "Brother Chen, it''ste now. I''m afraid I''ll get stalked by fans if I take a taxi. Could I get a ride home in your car?"


    Just as Chen Huaixiao was about to refuse, he caught sight of Bai Yin walking out the school gate shouldering her bag, taking out her phone to call her driver. She paused when she saw Chen Huaixiao and Qiao Lisha standing at the intersection, staring nkly for a few seconds.


    A few secondster, Chen Huaixiao said expressionlessly, "Get in."


    Qiao Lisha was overjoyed and hurried into the backseat with him.


    Seeing Chen Huaixiao had actually brought another woman into the car while his wife watched from the school gate, Shen Bin felt awkward as he turned and asked, "Mr. Chen, this is..."


    "Drive."


    "But..."


    "I said, drive."


    Seeing Chen Huaixiao''s dark expression, Shen Bin had no choice but to step on the gas and drive the Bentley away.


    Bai Yin didn''t know how Chen Huaixiao knew the female lead Qiao Lisha, but seeing Qiao Lisha''s face full of sweet smiles as she affectionately called him "Brother Chen", Bai Yin could guess a thing or two.


    Qiao Lisha came from a prominent family and was a true nobledy. She and Chen Huaixiao were probably old acquaintances.


    Someone of Chen Huaixiao''s status could be involved with any woman, and Bai Yin had no right or interest in controlling that.


    As long as he kept it in his pants and didn''t bring her any nasty diseases.


    In this regard, she trusted Chen Huaixiao.


    Bai Yin called her butler Tang Ka toe pick her up.


    In Chen Huaixiao''s car, Qiao Lisha pouted her lips and snapped many selfies. Chen Huaixiao sat by the window gazing at the shing neon lights outside, his eyes dark as the night.


    Shen Bin kept ncing at the rearview mirror. He could clearly tell Chen Huaixiao was unhappy.


    Seeing Chen Huaixiao remain silent, Qiao Lisha took the initiative to break the silence. "Brother Chen, it must be so inconvenient for you to send me home."


    "It is."


    "Oh, how embarrassing..." Qiao Lisha hadn''t expected such a blunt reply from Chen Huaixiao and felt a little awkward. "Then just drop me off at a bus stop. I''ll take the bus home."


    Hearing Qiao Lisha''s words, Shen Bin knew she was just being polite and acting pitiful.


    Not only was she a big star, but with her elite family background, even her transportation was chauffeured. There was no way she actually took the bus.


    Clearly, she had deliberately dismissed her private car tonight in hopes Chen Huaixiao would offer her a ride.


    "I really don''t want to trouble Brother Chen when you must have your own things to do. Just let me out up ahead."


    She sized up Chen Huaixiao''s cold side profile. She was determined there was no way Chen Huaixiao would make her get out of the car alone thiste at night.


    Unexpectedly, Chen Huaixiao said unhesitatingly, "Shen Bin, stop up ahead."


    "Yes, sir."


    Shen Bin pulled over at the bus stop and got out to open the rear door. "Miss Qiao, please get out."


    Qiao Lisha looked at Chen Huaixiao in shock. "This...I was just..."


    She had only said it in passing and didn''t expect Chen Huaixiao to actually make her get out here.


    Chen Huaixiao didn''t so much as nce at her again.


    Qiao Lisha couldn''t say anything more and had no choice but to bite her lip and get out of the car, watching Chen Huaixiao''s Bentley disappear into the night.


    She stamped her feet in exasperation and called her driver angrily, "Come get me!"


    ...


    That night after her shower, Bai Yin felt her throat getting hoarse and like something was stuck in it. Her whole body also felt weak and limp.


    She guessed she had overexerted herself tonight and didn''t think much of it, burrowing into bed to sleep early.


    Not long after, Chen Huaixiao returned.


    He didn''t turn on the lights. After changing shoes in the foyer, he immediately saw the woman''s ck high heels carelessly strewn about the shoe rack.


    In the darkness, the high heels exuded a hint of alluring brilliance.


    Chen Huaixiao adjusted his tie to loosen his cor a little.


    After holding back for over two weeks, just a pair of high heels was enough to stoke his desire.


    Chen Huaixiao headed straight upstairs into Bai Yin''s room, skipping any forey and getting right to business.


    He had been craving her...craving her madly.


    Bai Yin was startled awake and cried hoarsely, "Chen Huaixiao!"


    Chen Huaixiao''s kisses spread unchecked in the dark of night. "Give yourself to me."


    Bai Yin''s breathing grew ragged. She tried raising her arm to block him but her whole body was limp without an ounce of strength, even as he stripped her fully naked.


    "Brother, I don''t feel well." She coughed lightly in her suppressed voice, conceding softly, "Really not well."


    Hearing the abnormality in her voice, Chen Huaixiao immediately stopped and felt her forehead.


    No fever, but her whole body was limp and weak, clearly in poor condition.


    He swiftly wrapped her in his suit jacket and held her tightly, then took out his phone from his pocket to call his private doctor. "Come to Shuixi Vi right away."


    ...


    After hanging up the phone, Chen Huaixiao helped Bai Yin put on a soft, white cotton nightgown, thenid her down, letting her lie across hisp.


    Bai Yin was sofortable pillowed against him that she didn''t even have the strength to open her eyes. Her whole body felt as limp and soft as a puddle of water.


    "Chen Huaixiao," Bai Yin asked in a hoarse voice, "How many people do you call brother?"


    Chen Huaixiao was silent for a moment, his rough fingertips caressing her jawline. "Only yours."