mijobooks Chapter 32 Naza's Self-Evaluation
Chapter 32 Naza's Self-Evaluation
I paid and got off the bus; the evening breeze was cool.
Qi Yue gently patted Nazha's cheek: "Wake up, can you walk by yourself?"
Naza mumbled a "hmm" in her sleep, opening her eyes a crack, but her body was as limp as cotton.
Qi Yue sighed and bent down to help her out of the carriage.
Naza practically clung to him, one arm unconsciously encircling his neck, her head resting on his shoulder, her warm breath, tinged with the scent of alcohol, brushing against his neck.
He supported her, and they walked with some difficulty towards the building entrance.
The streetlights in the old neighborhood were dim, and the shadows of the trees swayed gently.
Just as he reached for his keys, he caught a glimpse of a small, crimson flame flickering in the shadows beside the building entrance.
Someone was smoking there.
Qi Yue paused. The figure looked familiar.
The fire went out, and a tall figure emerged from the shadows.
It was Zhu Zhu.
She wore a well-tailored camel-colored trench coat, and her long hair was loosely tied up.
She wasn't wearing much makeup and looked a bit tired, carrying a suitcase.
Her gaze swept over Qi Yue, then landed on Nazha, who was unconscious and drunk, in his arms.
Her fair profile and long, flowing hair lingered on Nazha for about two seconds before she looked away.
"What a coincidence." She spoke first, her voice sounding somewhat cold in the quiet night. "It seems Director Qi has 'important business' tonight."
Qi Yue could feel the heavy weight of Nazha in his arms, and the silent scrutiny under Zhu Zhu's calm gaze.
He maintained the position of supporting Naza.
"What's up?"
"I've come to pick up some things I left behind," Zhu Zhu said calmly. "It seems a bit inconvenient."
Her gaze swept over Nazha again, this time lingering even briefly.
"I won't bother you any longer."
After saying that, she turned around, her high heels making a clear "clack-clack" sound on the cement floor.
The black sedan parked in the distance did not start immediately, as if it was waiting for something, or perhaps the people inside just needed a little time.
Qi Yue stood there, looking at the silent car.
The night breeze swept through the buildings, carrying the chill of early autumn.
He knew that any explanation at this moment would seem superfluous, even ridiculous.
A woman like Zhu Zhu doesn't need explanations; she only believes what she sees and interprets and defines things in her own way.
He didn't try to call her back, nor did he do anything further.
Only after the black sedan finally turned on its taillights, slowly drove away, and disappeared into the night, did he look down at Naza, who was leaning against him obliviously, and shook his head helplessly.
I took out my key and opened the unit door.
Some things, once they're over, are over.
I just didn't expect it to end so abruptly.
The "trouble" he's facing now still needs his attention.
He supported Naza as they walked up the stairs, step by step.
"Qi Yue, I'm going abroad. Goodbye, or perhaps never again."
.......
Naza awoke to an unfamiliar scent mixed with a faint fragrance of soapberry.
My eyelids feel heavy.
She struggled to open her eyes.
The first thing you see is a slightly yellowed ceiling and a simple ceiling light.
A light blue quilt covered her body; the quilt cover was slightly faded from washing, and the refreshing scent of soap wafted from the quilt.
Where is this place?
Vague fragments of memory surfaced:
Toasting... splashing someone's skirt... a vicious man... Director Qi's calm face... then blank.
Finally, a woman's face seemed to appear, followed by the sound of a door slamming shut.
She suddenly remembered something and instantly became alert!
Something feels wrong! This isn't the feel of the clothes she wore yesterday!
She sat up abruptly and looked down.
He was wearing a slightly white men's shirt, the hem of which reached down to his hips; the material was soft.
But it's definitely not hers!
Her heart suddenly started pounding.
Whose clothes are these?!
What happened last night?!
She turned her neck in alarm and looked around.
It was a small room, simply furnished: a bed, an old wardrobe, a desk against the wall piled high with documents and books, and a lamp on.
It was already bright outside the window.
"This is my home."
A calm male voice came from the direction of the table lamp.
Naza turned her head sharply and saw a person sitting in the swivel chair behind the desk.
He was facing away from the lamp, his face somewhat blurred in the backlight, but she remembered his features and voice.
It's Senior Brother Qi Yue.
He held a pen in his hand, with a thick script and storyboards spread out in front of him, as if he had been working for a long time.
"Senior Brother Qi...?" Naza's voice was dry and trembling. "How did I get here? My clothes..."
"You got drunk last night and threw up all over yourself."
Qi Yue put down his pen, turned around, and spoke in a calm tone, as if stating something utterly ordinary.
"You can't wear those clothes anymore."
"That was because you helped me..."
"Li Qing helped you change. The clothes belong to Guo Fan; they were his old clothes."
"Li Qing?"
Hearing this unfamiliar name, Naza's tense nerves relaxed a little.
At least... it doesn't sound like the worst thing has happened.
"I...I actually drink very little," she said, lowering her head, her voice barely audible.
"I was so happy yesterday, and then..."
"I can tell," Qi Yue replied briefly. "There's some warm porridge in the kitchen; you can eat it if you're hungry."
His calm demeanor only made Naza feel more flustered and embarrassed than before.
She clutched her wide sleeves and bit her lip.
"I want to go home. Thank you for taking care of me last night, Senior Brother Qi."
"Yes," Qi Yue nodded, glancing at the time.
"Don't forget to come to the studio for a fitting at 2 PM. Liu Yin's look needs to be finalized as soon as possible."
"Okay, sure."
Naza quickly agreed, and slipped into the bathroom somewhat awkwardly in her ill-fitting slippers.
The person in the mirror had messy hair, a pale face, and two empty legs under a large white shirt.
According to Nazha's self-assessment, her most beautiful feature is not her face but her legs.
Straight and slender, with curves flowing smoothly from the thighs to the delicate ankles, her skin as white as jade, her figure perfectly proportioned.
But today, looking at myself exactly as I am in the mirror...
For some reason, she felt a strange sense of loss.
After washing her face with cold water and tidying her hair a bit, Nazha felt much more awake.
When I came out of the bathroom, Qi Yue was no longer in the room.
She saw that her clothes were indeed hanging on the small balcony, and were already half-dry.
Qi Yue was sitting in front of a laptop, staring intently at the screen, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
"Senior Brother Qi... I'll head back now," Nazha said softly.
Qi Yue continued revising his script, "Don't forget the costume fitting time."
"it is good."
The door opened, and Qi Yue's voice sounded from behind.
"By the way, is Gulnazar your full name?"
Naza paused for a moment, "No, my full name is Gulnazar Baihtiyar."
"Gulnazar... never mind, that's too long. I'll give you a stage name instead."
"stage name?"
"How about founding the nation?"