SWG Chapter 28
by Volare*Chuncheng*
It was past ten o’clock at night when “The Fourth Kind of Primary Color” studio finally quieted down.
Xiao Wenyu propped up her aching back, moved her shoulders, and suddenly felt a bit lucky.
She was glad that the video went viral relatively late. By now, most people’s holiday plans were already set. Most of those who called to make appointments or came here today were young people who had just started working and college students from nearby cities.
Only these people would be inspired by a video to experience this suddenly popular photo studio, even though she was no different from other photo studios, except that she had a very patient and gentle photographer, nothing more.
This was the magic of the internet age, and also the online popularity that Xiao Wenyu had inadvertently gained.
However, capitalizing on popularity was a difficult task. For Xiao Wenyu as she was now, she needed to put in 120% of her effort, possibly only to capture a small part of this popularity, while also facing a lot of accompanying malice and probing.
Today, some people had already begun to question the purity of her motives, and some had even begun to dig into her past.
Xiao Wenyu sank deep into the soft chair, one hand on her lower abdomen, where a wonderful curve had already formed, announcing to the world that a small life was growing tenaciously.
Her past was not scandalous, but she feared that this child would be dug up as well, attracting the attention of the Lin family, who would be eyeing her.
She turned her hand over and grasped the business card she had forgotten to take out of her pocket.
These past two days, that person should have come to Chuncheng too, and started doing what she needed to do, right?
A phone call that could only be used once.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t have to be used so soon.
Xiao Wenyu slightly closed her eyes, forcing herself to clear her mind and enter a state of rest.
Even the energetic Li Wan was a bit too tired today, dragging her long voice and weary limbs as she stumbled over, staggering as she said, “Teacher Xiao, I’ve organized all the photos for today. I’ve scheduled the following appointments in the order of shooting one day and organizing one day.”
Xiao Wenyu lightly hummed in agreement, patted her on the shoulder, “Go back and rest, I’ll give you half a day off tomorrow.”
The girl twisted into a smile, and said, “Can I ask not to take a day off tomorrow? How about taking a day off on the sixth.”
“The sixth?” Xiao Wenyu lowered her eyes, pondered for a moment, “The sixth, there’s no outdoor shooting scheduled, right?”
“No, no, I’m asking for leave on the sixth, so I adjusted it slightly.”
Xiao Wenyu nodded, “Okay, then you can rest for a day on the sixth. Remember to be on time tomorrow. I’ve made a spare key, it’s on the table.”
Li Wan happily agreed and left the store, and the shop, which had been noisy all day, was finally a little quieter.
Xiao Wenyu scratched her hair and listlessly lay down in the soft chair, sighing deeply.
She didn’t really want to accept this so-called windfall.
As she expected, the quiet only lasted for ten minutes before she had just helped herself up the stairs to the second floor when an unpleasant phone call came in.
But this time the background noise wasn’t a noisy nightclub, and the Lin family’s eldest daughter’s voice was no longer full of contempt, but rather a tired and low tone, saying, “Did you buy traffic?”
Xiao Wenyu was amused and laughed, resting her arm, and coldly said, “There are very few people in this world who don’t appreciate things like you do.”
“How dare you talk like that?”
Xiao Wenyu’s breath trembled slightly, but she still replied with a smile, “Why wouldn’t I dare?”
The photos she took were beautiful, her business was booming, some people would admire her, and some people would think she was good, and would trot back, sweating, to tell her that they wanted to be her best neighbors.
What reason did she have not to dare to speak like this?
Xiao Wenyu thought, and silently increased her confidence a little.
The other end of the phone was silent for a moment, and then said, “You’ve changed since the divorce.”
“Is the Lin family’s eldest daughter calling today to reminisce about the old days? Sorry, business is booming, I can’t keep you company.”
Hanging up the phone, Xiao Wenyu swayed, and only steadied herself when she leaned against the wall.
Not only was Lin Simu shocked, but because of her words at this moment, she began to look back at the changes she had made during this time, and suddenly felt…
Xiao Wenyu, you’re not as bad as you think, are you?
She suddenly remembered someone who had been forgotten all day because of her busy schedule. She opened her messages and was instantly amused.
Ruan Shengyi’s grievance penetrated the phone screen even across thousands of kilometers.
From top to bottom were explanations, sharing, and tentative questions. The latest message was sent to her at 7:30 in the afternoon, and it was Ruan Shengyi saying, “Although I accidentally didn’t see your message yesterday, don’t be really angry, okay?”
Xiao Wenyu looked at this message, tilted her head and leaned against the wall, and suddenly smiled. Something seemed to be completely broken and reborn at this moment, replaced by a heartfelt smile and sigh.
Look, she was actually pretty good, pretty outstanding.
Someone cared about her, and someone favored her, she was no longer that isolated and helpless person.
Just as she was about to type, the disgusting thing tirelessly called again, and when she didn’t answer, it called again.
Xiao Wenyu frowned slightly, her fingers traced the back of her phone case, and after a long time, she swiped to answer.
Xiao Wenyu: “What exactly is it?”
Lin Simu: “I saw someone say they ran into you at the hospital, you…”
Xiao Wenyu chuckled, “Lin Simu, you don’t even have the ability to check information anymore? Do you actually have to rely on hearsay to ask me for confirmation?”
“Xiao Wenyu, can you stop being so prickly all the time? I’m here to care about you, if you go to the hospital, I…”
“What are you going to do? Pull out my IV or drug me? Get lost, Lin Simu, I don’t care about you anymore, I don’t want your concern, get lost.”
“…Xiao Wenyu.”
“Don’t call me that, it disgusts me. Is there anything else? If not, I’ll hang up, and don’t bother calling me when you’re bored.”
Before the phone could be hung up, Lin Simu said sharply, “Tell me, is the thing about going to the obstetrics and gynecology department true or false?”
Xiao Wenyu was instantly stunned. She tried her best to steady her trembling voice and said coldly, “Get lost.”
Hanging up the phone, she realized that with just this one sentence, she was already sweating, and her legs even went weak. She staggered a few steps and only managed to calm down when she sat on the stairs.
This was the problem brought about by the double-edged sword of the internet. She was afraid that Lin Simu would see the information and then find her here, and do something to her child…
Xiao Wenyu stroked her lower abdomen, took several deep breaths, and gradually calmed down.
Don’t panic, Xiao Wenyu, think slowly.
You’ve already escaped that hell, no matter how you go next, there will always be a way out, don’t worry.
At least, she still had that one-time use phone call, at least to protect herself once, it shouldn’t be a problem.
She slowly stood up, her head suddenly spun for a moment, and her hand holding the stairs went weak, her whole body leaning on the stairs.
Xiao Wenyu pressed her head with one hand, adjusting her breathing.
Don’t rush, don’t really faint, don’t rush.
She held on to the handrail and slowly walked up, losing the mood to record photos as she passed the second floor, but when she saw the clearly separated branches, her heart softened slightly, and she slowly walked over again.
She would regret it in the future if she missed any day.
Besides, there was no need to waste her time for Lin Simu, that scum.
She forced a smile, and took pictures again from the side, carefully tracing the records of the past month from the bottom up.
At the top of the tree, there was a blurry figure.
This was the most successful photo she had taken since she picked up the camera again. Today, Li Wan saw this photo when she advised her to post some of her current works.
But she resolutely refused.
First, the best boss in the neighborhood was someone who didn’t even want to download Douyin. She couldn’t accept the photos appearing on another person’s phone, let alone her photos being online.
Secondly…
This was her secret, a secret that even Ruan Shengyi had not seen.
Ruan Shengyi, when are you coming back?
Xiao Wenyu silently put away the camera and turned to walk to the third floor.
Just as she had changed her clothes and was sitting on the bed, the phone rang suddenly.
Was this endless?
Xiao Wenyu grabbed the phone and said almost in a low voice, “Lin Simu, that wasn’t me, where I go has nothing to do with you!”
“…” Both ends of the phone were silent, only the slight crackling of the current remained.
After a long time, so long that Xiao Wenyu felt that this person was sick, the other end of the phone was a voice that made people envious.
Ruan Shengyi asked gently, “Is Lin Simu harassing you again?”
She seemed to be in a vast outdoors, her voice was a bit clear, but there was also familiar concern and thoughtfulness, with a few touches of softness in the coldness, and the voice alone made Xiao Wenyu’s nose slightly sour.
Because of pregnancy, her emotions were not very stable, and she even loved to cry.
Xiao Wenyu lay on her side on the bed, turned on the speakerphone, put it next to her ear, and said softly, “Ruan Shengyi, you finally agreed to call me.”
In such a rare moment, let’s not talk about that disgusting news, okay?
Ruan Shengyi naturally understood her subtext, and seemed to have changed the direction of the phone, and said softly, “Let you listen to the wind in Yecheng at night.”
“I used to listen to it for a long, long time.” She studied for four years, and listened to the night wind for four years.
Ruan Shengyi: “I know, but you haven’t listened to it with me.”
“…Ruan Shengyi.” Xiao Wenyu couldn’t bear to interrupt the quiet sound of the wind, and lowered her voice, “Is there anything you want to say?”
Ruan Shengyi shook her head, and realized that she couldn’t see it, so she softened her voice and said, “I guess you’re very tired now. I saw Douyin, in the same city, in the push, there are many of you.”
“You must be very busy today, right? You’ve only rested at this point, I’m afraid you’re exhausted.”
“So I’ll just let you listen to the wind, listen to the silent sound of the outskirts of Yecheng, but it’s not very quiet, there are too many cars here, and the nightlife is very rich, so noisy…”
Xiao Wenyu had many, many things she wanted to ask her, and wanted to tell her.
But she was indeed too tired, so tired that she was a little dizzy. Ruan Shengyi’s voice was so reassuring that drowsiness swept over her as she lay on the bed, pulling her into sleep.
The last murmur she heard was Ruan Shengyi lowering her voice, seemingly not wanting her to hear, whispering, “When you wake up, take a look at Douyin, okay?”
“Okay…” She didn’t even know if she had replied.
Ruan Shengyi heard the increasingly steady sound and knew that the person on the other end of the phone was already asleep, and said softly, “Good night.”
But she didn’t rush to hang up the phone.
She held the phone and got up, gently stepped on the fallen leaves beside her, so the light sound of the broken leaves mixed with the wind was transmitted from the microphone of the headphones, and there were a few stray cats in the suburbs, calling softly, protesting the noise she made.
But the cat’s cry was also the best sleep aid.
Xiao Wenyu, I wish you a good dream tonight.