The Vanishing Beauty - Chapter 1 - 9

Chapter 1 - 9

Over the weekend, Bai Yuankai invited Yu Shuang to dinner and instructed her to bring all her hometown friends along. He always mentioned that his mother and Yu Shuang were from the same hometown.

Yu Jia's household was busy, and the weekend was also a rare window of time for her to spend with her husband and child, so she couldn't get away. Yu Rui had plans outside, but Yu Shuang had given her a heads-up. Rui indicated she might arrive a bit late. Only Yu Meng was free and accompanied them right on time. She also wanted to get a close-up look at this high-profile figure in the industry.

Yu Shuang had already returned to work, but she still hadn't gotten back into her working rhythm, remaining listless overall. She hadn't walked out of the blow of her mother's passing yet. However, this didn't delay Yu Meng in "probing the bottom line." Before arriving at the restaurant, she had already squeezed Shuang for all the details about her relationship with Bai Yuankai—how they became senior and junior schoolmates, their developmental backgrounds, educational histories, and current career statuses—so much so that even the dense Yu Shuang was taken aback. "What is this, trying to set me up on a blind date?" Yu Meng quickly smoothed it over. "Set you up with what? Aren't you two a great match?"

Yu Shuang immediately said they weren't a match.

"Why aren't you a match?"

"First, he doesn't like me, and I don't like him. We're just buddies."

"Feelings can be cultivated. Haven't you started growing out your hair, too?" Yu Meng smiled.

"Second, I don't like his family. I don't like his dad, and I like his mom even less."

Yu Meng clicked her tongue, almost losing her grip on the steering wheel.

With all her meticulous planning, she had forgotten to ask about his family situation just now. "Poor?" she asked.

"Wealthy."

"Hate the rich?"

"Bad temper."

"Bear with it a little."

"No need." Yu Shuang wasn't someone who swallowed her grievances.

After another rapid-fire volley of questioning from Yu Meng, she finally figured out that Bai Yuankai came from an affluent background. His father had originally been an official before diving into business, and his mother also had an independent career, running several trading companies under her command. His parents basically spent half the year domestically and half abroad, belonging to that crowd constantly running around New York, Shanghai, Beijing, and Tokyo.

Yu Meng concentrated on driving and asked no more questions. She only felt it was a pity for Yu Shuang, passing over a big fish just to chase small shrimp? If she were a few years younger and without children, she reckoned she would have made a move on someone like Bai Yuankai herself. But now she lacked the confidence; her hunting grounds remained pegged at around fifty years old. Still, as for someone like Bai Yuankai, she hoped to "united-front" him over, preferably uniting him with one of her sisters so she could borrow his leverage and open up new avenues. Shuang wouldn't do. Then it had to be Rui.

"How about Rui?"

"What?"

"With Bai."

"Hard to say."

"I think it's good."

"Sister Meng, are you addicted to being a matchmaker?" Yu Shuang asked, somewhat impatient.

"Charity begins at home," Yu Meng said. "You should put some heart into it too." Her concern came straight from the raw depths of her soul. She hoped all of her sisters would live in peace, security, wealth, and auspiciousness.

According to Yu Rui, Yu Shuang had also loosened her stance lately and agreed to go on blind dates. Yet after meeting two candidates, nothing came of them. Yu Shuang always summed it up with a single phrase: they couldn't click.

However, Yu Rui knew that Yu Shuang had high standards for looks; even someone like Bai Yuankai failed to catch her eye. The difficulty level was simply too high. Should she just find Huang Qi instead? An actor, blessed with good looks. Yet Yu Rui felt awkward about it, utterly unable to open her mouth to introduce him. Huang Qi wasn't a shared public bicycle.

"What time is Xiao Rui getting here?" Before entering the restaurant, Yu Meng asked again. Yu Shuang gave Yu Rui a call. Yu Rui said she was still tied up with business and would head straight over the moment she finished.

Getting off the public bus, Yu Rui entered the residential compound and went straight upstairs. Zu Liangcai was already waiting for her inside. Being close to the sea, the compound had been built quite a few years ago, but due to incomplete surrounding facilities, there weren't many residents.

Yu Rui had met Zu Liangcai back when she was still studying. At the time, he was merely an underachieving low-level official. Now, he had soared straight up into the clouds, becoming a figure of standing and face. Wielding power in his hands—to say nothing of commanding wind and rain—he could at least walk out into society and command a measure of respect from everyone.

This was the very first time Yu Rui had contacted him since graduation.

The moment she sent her message, he called her back immediately using that encrypted phone. He told her to meet in person to chat. Yu Rui had mentally prepared herself; she took a shower before leaving and dabbed on a touch of perfume.

Having not seen each other for so long, she hoped she would look her best.

As far as Yu Rui was concerned, Zu Liangcai felt more protective tenderness toward her than actual affection. Even when they were lovers, he had never completely regarded her as just a mistress. Yu Rui was far too sensible. She had never once asked about his family, his children, his income, or his work.

She knew they had no future together.

Yet, Yu Rui's sensibility also left Zu Liangcai deeply conflicted. On the one hand, he felt reassured—such a mistress was dependable and secure. On the other hand, he felt something was lacking; Yu Rui never went crazy over him, which seemed to suggest a deficiency in his own personal charm.

He was usually rational enough in his daily life, but with Yu Rui, he had never found that daydream-like feeling of romance he longed for. Consequently, after some back-and-forth, both of them took a step back and became friends. Of course, while they were together, Zu Liangcai hadn't skimped on spending money on Yu Rui to support her through her years of studying performance.

Zu Liangcai had once chuckled and said, "You aren't suited for acting." Yu Rui had looked at him, not understanding his meaning. "You don't know how to pretend," he continued. She had offered a bitter smile. It wasn't that she didn't know how, but rather that there was no point—since she already knew the ending, why bother with self-deception? It was better to cut straight to the chase and get down to business.

The irony was that what Zu Liangcai pursued precisely was "self-deception." He lived life far too realistically, and romance was his day-dream. His day-dream was his primary theme, with the emphasis placed on the experience, on the process.

Yu Rui only wanted the result.

Their collision was truly a twist of fate, a beautiful misunderstanding. He had come looking to reclaim his youth, while she had grown old in her heart at a tender age, incapable of appreciating his worldly vicissitudes.

Because of this "lesson" with Yu Rui, Zu Liangcai rarely touched young girls anymore.

Yu Rui stepped through the door, standing tall and graceful. She was much better at makeup now, and through richer life experience, she carried an even stronger aura. She set down her handbag—the exact same one Zu Liangcai had bought for her in the past.

Zu Liangcai recognized the old item at a single glance.

"Still using it," he said with a smile in his tone. Full of polish. Once a man gained power, he appeared even more youthful. He looked rather like a middle-aged male model from a Taobao advertisement, possessing a striking charm.

"Frugality," Yu Rui self-deprecatingly remarked. The atmosphere instantly relaxed.

"How have things been?" He stood up, one hand tucked into his trouser pocket, exuding an imposing aura. It always sounded to people as if a leader were addressing a subordinate—a occupational hazard.

Yu Rui knew he was asking about her recent situation, yet she had nowhere to begin: her acting career hadn't taken off, leaving her in endless waiting; her work had made no progress; and she hadn't even managed to strike up a decent romance so that her old lover might "draw in a sharp breath of shock."

Yu Rui had originally wanted to pull strings to enter a state-run cultural troupe, but upon inquiring, she found out the system was undergoing reforms and everyone inside was plotting ways to get out; getting in would merely consume her youth for no purpose. To do anything else, she truly lacked any specialized skills. She had tried live-streaming alongside Huang Qi, but without strong platform backing, she couldn't gain traction, while going overly explicit went against her resolve—she still cared about her reputation and was unwilling to sacrifice the big picture for small gains. Thus, when Zu Liangcai suddenly asked this—though it was naturally part of the expected script—she still felt a momentary flutter of panic.

Rapidly readjusting herself, she decided to stick to her usual approach and not put on a front.

"Not good," she replied.

If things were good, she wouldn't have come looking for him.

Zu Liangcai chuckled. It was the laughter of a successful middle-aged man, containing both tolerance and complacency. Giving things to others brought a man joy; it was the ultimate proof of his capability.

The hand inside his trouser pocket was drawn out.

A jewelry box appeared before Yu Rui.

A marriage proposal? Her mind boomed with a roar. What should she do? She was instantly at a loss. Dazedly opening the box, she discovered it was a pair of diamond-inlaid earrings.

A gift striking just the right balance.

On one hand, Yu Rui felt comforted; on the other, she couldn't help feeling a trace of disappointment.

He didn't help her put them on. Yu Rui put them on her own ears; since someone had given a gift, she had to give face and show the real-life effect.

The water boiled. Zu Liangcai fetched a cup of instant milk tea for Yu Rui, which needed to be brewed.

"I drink tea," Yu Rui hurriedly corrected him.

Liangcai smiled in mutual understanding. The girl who used to love milk tea had switched to drinking tea. Yu Rui had only truly come to appreciate the taste of tea within the past year. Tea had to be brewed using boiling water. Only through brewing could a new entity and a new situation emerge. Life needed to be brewed as well; lukewarm and sluggish got nothing solved and kept one forever trapped in quantitative changes.

Yu Rui didn't bring up work; she had already mentioned it in her messages, so there was no need to repeat it in person. The two of them chatted for a while about performance and the entertainment industry, and then shifted to Buddhist scriptures. Liangcai referred to it as Buddhist studies—an academic discipline. Yu Rui found herself wandering in a fog, yet she managed to field the questions and maintain the conversation; on the day of Guanyin Bodhisattva's enlightenment, she had copied out the Heart Sutra, and that very text had once been her birthday gift to Liangcai.

The chat reached a point where Yu Rui checked her phone twice. Realizing the time was right, Liangcai asked, "What industry do you want to get into?" Yu Rui spoke frankly: "I wonder if media might work?"

Opportunities were scarce, so she wasn't going to hem and haw; opening her mouth to ask him was a one-time affair anyway. Once expired, it became void. She couldn't afford to owe him too many favors.

Liangcai remained silent, sipping his tea. The main event was up next, and Yu Rui waited. Having taken someone's things, she couldn't possibly offer nothing in return; Yu Rui understood this crystal clear. Yet in matters like this, the initiative had to come from the man. Waiting... she had already taken a bath before coming over.

After a brief silence, Liangcai instead said, "Let's go. Where are you heading? I'll drop you off."

Yu Rui felt somewhat surprised.

They had truly become friends. Pure friendship. This really was a rare slice of genuine emotion in the cold, unfeeling big city. Yu Rui felt a bit touched, but she knew she couldn't cry.