A Billion Stars Can’t Amount to You - Chapter 434-441
Ji Yi got dressed and applied a simple layer of makeup in front of her vanity mirror. When it was about time to leave the house, she picked up her bag then called a taxi while on her way downstairs.
It had been almost ten days since Ji Yi left her room. As soon as she left her apartment, she was greeted by a hot wave of air, causing her to furrow her brows in discomfort.
After about five minutes, the taxi arrived. Ji Yi hurriedly got into the car and gave the driver her destination.
Cheng Weiwan hadn’t yet arrived when Ji Yi reached the cafe. She was greeted by a waiter as she found herself a table by the window. Just as she took a seat, a “Welcome” was heard coming from the entrance. Ji Yi instinctively turned her head to see Cheng Weiwan step in, wearing a light colored dress.
Ji Yi instinctively raised her hand and waved at the door. Cheng Weiwan sensed her since she turned her head and shot her a smile. As she slowly walked over to the table, Cheng Weiwan said, “Xiao Yi, long time no see.”
“Yeah, long time no see.” Ji Yi waited for Cheng Weiwan to take a seat before handing her the drinks menu. “Take a look at what you want.”
As Cheng Weiwan reached into her bag for her phone, she scanned through the drinks menu then ordered a cappuccino from the waiter beside them.
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Having already glossed through the drinks menu, Ji Yi then said “same as her” after Cheng Weiwan placed her order. Then she handed the waiter back the menu.
After the waiter left, Cheng Weiwan smiled and said, “I could’ve just told you over the phone, but I realized how it’s been a while since we last saw each other, so I invited you out.”
There was a pause before Cheng Weiwan asked, “This isn’t much trouble for you, is it?”
“No.” Ji Yi shook her head.
“That’s good-” Cheng Weiwan said just two words when the waiter brought two cups of coffee over to the table. She stopped mid-sentence and didn’t continue to speak until after the waiter left. “Let’s first talk business. If you’re not busy, let’s go have dinner when we’re done chatting. There’s a new Japanese restaurant nearby – I ate there a few days ago and the food isn’t half bad.”
Ji Yi figured she didn’t have much going on that night, so she nodded and said, “Sure.”
Cheng Weiwan picked up a teaspoon and stirred her drink as she said, “It’s like this: last week, YC confirmed that the next drama for production will be called ‘The Roaring Tang Dynasty.’ It’s a series about time travel. Seeing as you’re the only signed artist in the company, you’ll definitely be the female lead and we’re still deciding on the male lead. The script is more or less finished, so today, I asked to meet up to show you the script and listen to your thoughts, then I’ll make whatever changes necessary.”
As she said this, Cheng Weiwan pulled out a thick script and pushed it in front of Ji Yi.
Ji Yi wasn’t in a hurry to read the script, so she asked with curiosity: “Didn’t they say that the next series up for production was ‘The Imperial Palace’? Why did that change to ‘The Roaring Tang Dynasty’ now?”
“It was He Jichen’s idea. The change was made last month, and people in the company are really confused too,” explained Cheng Weiwan.
Ji Yi hadn’t heard the three words “He Jichen” for a long time now. Her expression changed for a moment as her fingers suddenly relaxed around the coffee mug.
Cheng Weiwan didn’t notice Ji Yi’s expression. A second later, she shared her suspicions. “I think because it’s your first time as the lead, he might be afraid that you’ll run into some trouble, so before you take on a movie, he wants you to get some practice first.”
Having not yet bounced back from the shock of hearing the three words “He Jichen,” Ji Yi was afraid Cheng Weiwan would notice something strange. Ji Yi pretended to sound calm as she replied, “Perhaps…” then carefully thought about how reasonable Cheng Weiwan’s speculations were. She was afraid that after her hiatus, the company wouldn’t dare to give her such a major project with her as the lead.
Though “The Roaring Tang Dynasty” may not be a highly popular IP compared to “The Imperial Palace,” it was a story with lots of charisma. The main female character’s design was especially interesting as Ji Yi would have to play two characters with completely different personalities. It would be quite challenging to act. Cheng Weiwan was afraid Ji Yi would be secretly disappointed that “The Imperial Palace” wasn’t her next project, so she tried to say a few words of comfort. Then she glanced at the script and got to the point of their meeting: “Take a look at the script first.”
Ji Yi gently nodded her head, looked down and flipped through the script. She stared at the dense array of words on the first page, then took two sips of coffee. Eventually, she calmed down her racing heart from hearing “He Jichen” and started to read the script seriously.
…
Cheng Weiwan didn’t bring the entire script with her – perhaps just five or six episodes – yet the two of them managed to talk about the script till six o’clock.
It was already evening, so the two of them finished chatting and reminiscing in the cafe. They called a waiter to pay the bill then headed for the Japanese restaurant that Cheng Weiwan mentioned.
The restaurant was already full of customers, so Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan waited for ten minutes before they finally secured a relatively quiet table.
Since Cheng Weiwan ate there before, Ji Yi let her order the dishes.
After the waiter left, Cheng Weiwan picked up the water jug from the table and poured Ji Yi a glass of water. “After filming ‘Three Thousand Lunatics,’ what have you been up to? I haven’t even seen you write in the WeChat group for our production team.”
In actuality, Ji Yi wasn’t really busy. The only reason she didn’t talk was because He Jichen was also in the group…
Ji Yi wasn’t too into the topic, so she casually breezed past it. “I haven’t been up to much. Soon after returning from shooting, it was finals, so I’ve been busy studying.”
“How did you do on your exams?”
“Alright. Barely saved myself from failing.”
“But half a year ago, you had to go on leave to join the cast. Who’s to say that when the results come out, you won’t have to retake your exams…?”
Ji Yi knew Cheng Weiwan was just joking, so her lips pursed into a smile. With her chopsticks, she picked up some food from the dish the waiter just set down. She took two bites then said, “Alright, let’s not talk about me. How about you? What have you been busy with lately?”
“Me? Just been busy with the script you just read.”
“I’m not just asking about that, what about Han Zhifan? How have you both been lately? Is he still trying to chase after you extravagantly? When do you plan to accept him?”
“What do you mean ‘When do you plan to accept him’? He and I are in two completely different worlds. What’s more, he’s been really busy lately – we haven’t talked for a week…” Before Cheng Weiwan could finish, her phone rang. At the same time, Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan looked over to see the name “Han Zhifan” light up on the screen, which seemed unusually bright in the gloomy restaurant.
Ji Yi suddenly smirked. “And you said you haven’t kept in contact, aye? Isn’t he contacting you now?”
Cheng Weiwan burst out laughing as she never imagined he would call at this particular moment. Without any reservations about talking to him with Ji Yi around, she picked up the phone and took the call.
“Having dinner…with Xiao Yi… the new Japanese restaurant on the West Road of Third Ring South… Not sure. Just started eating not too long ago…”
Even if Ji Yi couldn’t hear what Han Zhifan was saying, she could guess what he was asking from Cheng Weiwan’s replies.
She wasn’t sure if it was because she was there, but it seemed like Cheng Weiwan was concerned about keeping her waiting, so she rushed to end the call. “Mm, alright. Hanging up… Bye.”
Ji Yi put her chopsticks down and looked up. She glanced at Cheng Weiwan, who put her phone down and was now wiping her hands with a wet towel. “I see he cares a lot about you. Come to think about it, he’s been chasing you for over two months – must be almost three months now – right? He must really like you. Are you really not going to consider him?”
“Xiao Yi, I asked to meet you today to catch up, not because I needed a match-maker.”
“Alright, let’s not go there…” said Ji Yi with a smile.
Thereafter, the topic of their discussion changed.
Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan really hit it off. From TV series to celebrities to books, they couldn’t stop chatting.
The two of them were so into the conversation that they didn’t pay attention to the time. They didn’t stop talking until a waiter came over to remind them that there were just ten minutes until closing. As they waited for the waiter to get their bill, they started to pack their things.
After paying, Ji Yi went to the restroom. When she came out, she left the restaurant with Cheng Weiwan, who was waiting for her at the entrance.
The Japanese restaurant had interesting furnishings. Perhaps they wanted to create a unique atmosphere since they chose to decorate it like an ancient courtyard in the heart of the city. Bamboo covered the courtyard along with paper lanterns, which gave off a Kyoto-esque feeling.
There was a huge courtyard, and as patrons stepped out of the Japanese restaurant, they would encounter an alleyway. Cars were prohibited from driving into the alleyway, so Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan were forced to walk over to the main road.
There were only a few people who lived close to the courtyard. It was noisiest during the day, but coming here felt really secluded and quiet at night.
Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan followed the dim lights and weaved through the alleyway for about five minutes without bumping into anyone.
It wasn’t until they turned into a rather long alley that they heard a few heavy steps coming from behind them.
Out of instinct, Ji Yi glanced back to see about five or six men, each with a cigarette in their hands.
They were a little far from them, but they walked quickly. Not long after, they caught up to the two of them.
Ji Yi reached her hand out and pulled Cheng Weiwan to the side to let them through.
As they got closer, Ji Yi saw that they were dressed like thugs with threatening tattoos.
One of the men with a blonde buzzcut glanced over at Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan as he passed. Ji Yi wasn’t sure if she was imagining things or not, but she felt the man’s line of sight linger over Cheng Weiwan’s face.
Soon after, the men disappeared at a turning point up ahead.
Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan didn’t think much about those guys as they continued their conversation while walking forward.
But when the two of them reached the turning point, they saw that the guys who passed by earlier were all still there.
Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan hadn’t reached the turn yet when they saw that the guys who passed by earlier were all still there.
They were leaning against the wall, smoking casually. They must’ve heard Cheng Weiwan’s footsteps approaching as their hushed conversation instantly stopped and their eyes all fell on Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan.
Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan looked at each other then instinctively edged closer to each other.
Just as they were about to make their way through the guys, each guy in front of them straightened up as though they had been waiting especially for Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan.
At the same time, their hearts thumped “kadonk!” then a terrible feeling crept into their chests.
In one short second, Ji Yi calmly turned around and asked Cheng Weiwan, “Wanwan, I can’t find my phone. Call me for a sec.”
Cheng Weiwan wasn’t stupid. She instantly understood that Ji Yi was secretly signaling for her to call for help.
Cheng Weiwan pretended as though Ji Yi really did lose her phone as she fished for her own phone and said, “Could you have left it at the restaurant? Let’s go back and look for it.”
As she said this, Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan turned around, one after the other, but before they could walk back, a hand grabbed Cheng Weiwan’s arm and yanked her backward.
The man moved so suddenly that it caught Cheng Weiwan off guard, causing her to scream.
“Wanwan!” Ji Yi blurted out Cheng Weiwan’s name. She immediately stopped walking and turned around to look.
The man standing next to Cheng Weiwan didn’t give her any chance to react as he snatched the phone from her fingers. Then he pushed her up against the wall and push his body hard against hers.
“Wanwan!” Ji Yi cried Cheng Weiwan’s name again. She instinctively raised her feet and rushed over to Cheng Weiwan.
Having returned to her senses, Cheng Weiwan shook her head at Ji Yi. “Xiao Yi, run…”
“Yo, I’ve got you in my hands right now, yet you still have the heart to worry about other people? Let me tell the both of you now: meeting us guys tonight… don’t you even think about running away. Stay and play with us and if we’re happy, we can let you girls leave with your clothes all neat and tidy. Otherwise, you leave with no clothes at all!” The man pressed up against Cheng Weiwan scoffed like he heard her say the funniest joke. He shot a look at the two guys standing beside him then reached his hand out and squeezed Cheng Weiwan’s chest hard.
Catching the guy’s glance, the two men pinched their cigarettes and rushed over to Ji Yi.
Ji Yi instinctively took a step back and pulled out her phone from her bag.
But before her fingers could dive into her bag, she heard the sound of ripping. Ji Yi looked over to see that Cheng Weiwan’s clothes had been ripped in two. The sight of her fair skin instantly fell into the eyes of everyone around them.
Ji Yi’s entire body shivered as her bag was snatched away. Then she saw the man pulling Cheng Weiwan, looking like he was drooling slightly as he lowered his head to kiss Cheng Weiwan’s skin…
“Wanwan!” Without any hesitation at all, Ji Yi charged in Cheng Weiwan’s direction.
She wanted to pull that man’s body away from Cheng Weiwan, but before she could take two steps, the two men sent to watch her held her arms back.
The man pressing up against Cheng Weiwan became more overbearing. His mouth started to slowly travel down Cheng Weiwan’s skin, eventually reaching her .
Cheng Weiwan tried her hardest to struggle, but it was like a cat tickling a muscular man. Her resilience simply didn’t have any effect on him.
The man used even more force to free his hand from Cheng Weiwan and reach into her ripped clothes.
The stifling scent of cigarettes entered Cheng Weiwan’s nostrils as his greasy lips sucked her skin non-stop. His coarse hands brushed her skin, repulsing her and making her want to faint.
Her body trembled like crazy as the horror in her eyes spread to her mind. Tears slowly gathered in her eyes.
The moment Ji Yi met Cheng Weiwan, she always seemed calm, no matter the situation. She gave off the feeling that she was very well-educated and elegant; Ji Yi had never seen Cheng Weiwan the way she was at this very moment, so when she saw the tears fall from the corners of Cheng Weiwan’s eyes, Ji Yi’s heart ached. Then, as though Ji Yi’s entire body had been provoked, an unknown strength inside her erupted, tearing the man’s hand away from hers. Like a crazy person, she lunged over to the man pressing up against Cheng Weiwan and yanked his clothes in hopes of pulling him away from Cheng Weiwan.
He was so immersed in Cheng Weiwan’s beauty that he didn’t pay Ji Yi any attention. When he spoke, his lips didn’t even leave Cheng Weiwan’s skin as he said, “Are you all blind? Take her away!”
Following the man’s roar, the two men responsible for Ji Yi instantly snapped back to their senses and quickly drew closer to her.
Ji Yi knew she couldn’t handle one guy, let alone two.
But when they came closer, she saw Cheng Weiwan’s body tremble.
Ji Yi wouldn’t just sit back and ignore it if she saw a woman she didn’t know in this kind of situation… but this was her friend in front of her!
She knew deep down that if she fought back now, it would be useless. Regardless, in a moment of desperation, Ji Yi bit the man on top of Cheng Weiwan without a second thought while she sensed the two men drawing closer.
She used all the strength in her body to hurt the man assaulting Cheng Weiwan. After he cried out involuntarily, breaking his mood and angering him, he turned around and mercilessly slapped Ji Yi across the face.
With an equal force to Ji Yi’s bite, the man struck hard, causing Ji Yi’s ears to ring. Then she felt the scorching pain on her face.
But she wasn’t willing to let go.
She clearly felt the man grow more agitated.
She was afraid she might’ve already used up all her strength, but she still clenched down hard.
“F*ck!” cursed the man as he reached his hand out and grabbed her lower jaw, prying open her mouth. Then he glanced at his arm to see that there was blood. A second later, he violently tossed Ji Yi aside.
The man used sufficient force to hurl Ji Yi’s slender body to the ground far away, like a kite with a broken string.
The immense pain almost made Ji Yi faint. She laid on the floor without flinching for a while then slowly came back to her senses. She heard the man grit his teeth and say, “You’d better play nice or you’ll really make me mad. Don’t blame me if I finish you later!”
As he said this, the man told the people around him, “Watch her!”
Then he turned around and pressed on Cheng Weiwan’s body again…
Maybe it was because Ji Yi’s fiasco wasted too much time, but the group of guys was afraid that people would find out sooner or later if they stuck around. The man was a lot hastier as he assaulted Cheng Weiwan.
His hands weren’t exactly caressing her, yet he didn’t seem to want to violate Cheng Weiwan’s skin either.
Even though he threw Ji Yi a distance away, she could still see the bruises on Cheng Weiwan’s shoulder and collarbone under the pale yellow street lights.
Ji Yi struggled to get up from the ground, but because her knees were in so much pain from her fall, she couldn’t get up. All she could do was try to stop them: “Stop! Stop! I beg you guys to stop…”
She cried until her voice trembled and started to sound like she was pleading.
The thuggish men around her pretended like she didn’t exist and ignored her.
One of the guys even watched and laughed as Cheng Weiwan was humiliated; another guy actually cried out judgmentally, “That girl’s skin isn’t too bad. She looks skinny, but she’s got some body. Her waist is pretty slim…”
They humiliated Cheng Weiwan, causing Ji Yi’s body to quiver.
Her phone was still in their possession and it was just them in the silent alley.
Deep down, she knew that it was Cheng Weiwan’s turn now, but she would probably be up next… It was impossible for her and Cheng Weiwan to escape at that moment in time. Even if she fought back, it would be useless! And yet, she endured the pain and got up from the ground. As she walked unsteadily, she tried to reach Cheng Weiwan.
But before she could reach her, she was stopped by the surrounding guys.
She tried hard to push past them but couldn’t budge them.
With her own eyes, she watched as the man lifted Cheng Weiwan’s skirt and undid his belt…
Ji Yi finally broke down as she watched, “Please, let her go! Let her go! What do you want? I’ll give it to you guys. I’ll give you guys money. Let her go! Let her go…”
Her cries and pleas sounded like she was acting out a one-woman show.
Cheng Weiwan didn’t know if she was scared witless or just lost all hope because her face was pale white and aside from the silent tears falling from her eyes, her entire body didn’t flinch.
The man’s eyes glowed brightly as he easily pried Cheng Weiwan’s legs apart…
Ji Yi’s mouth gaped as she lost her voice in an instant.
She clearly wasn’t the one being harassed, but her body trembled like crazy.
Is Cheng Weiwan really going to be defiled just like that?
Ji Yi instinctively shut her eyes and didn’t dare watch such cruelty.
In actuality, she shut her eyes for just a second, but it felt like an entire century went by.
She wanted to stop all of it, but she was held down to the point where she couldn’t move. She wanted to beg them, but it felt like something was stuck in her throat. She was so numb that she simply couldn’t speak.
In her heart, all she could think about was what was going to happen to Cheng Weiwan now. Was she completely humiliated by that man?
Cheng Weiwan told her that she had never dated before. She looked forward to meeting a good person like the ones in the stories she wrote. She looked forward to being in a relationship that would last forever, but considering what was happening to her, how could she ever live out the life she so looked forward to?
The more Ji Yi thought, the more fiercely her tears fell.
As both her legs were numb from the devastation, she nearly collapsed to the ground. Then Ji Yi suddenly heard a “bang!” like a body had been kicked violently, and there was an ear-splitting howl.
Ji Yi’s wet eyelashes quivered softly as she hadn’t quite snapped back to her senses.
After about ten seconds, the man next to Ji Yi cursed: “F*ck.”
Ji Yi’s brows furrowed slightly then she instantly realized that someone else was there. Are they here to save me and Cheng Weiwan?
Ji Yi hurriedly opened her eyes and looked over.
The man on top of Cheng Weiwan was no longer there. Cheng Weiwan was clutching her torn clothes and forcefully covered herself up as she crouched in the corner.
The disheveled man who assaulted her was lying nearby, looking badly beaten up. He let out a “Huk.”
The other guys who were surrounding the humiliated Cheng Weiwan straightened up and encircled the black-suited man.
The man had his back to Ji Yi, so she couldn’t recognize who he was until one of the other guys made a move first. When he retaliated, he turned his face and Ji Yi realized he was Han Zhifan.
Did Han Zhifan come and just happened to bump into this scene after he called Cheng Weiwan at dinner to ask where she was?
Deep down, Ji Yi was instantly filled with joy and gratitude.
The three people fighting Han Zhifan quickly lost their spirit. The two men guarding Ji Yi released her as they too joined the fight.
Freed from her gag, Ji Yi couldn’t care less about how the fight going on. She stumbled over to Cheng Weiwan.
“Wanwan?” Ji Yi called Cheng Weiwan’s name then crouched to the ground.
Cheng Weiwan didn’t react but curled up her body and cried silently.
Ji Yi’s heart ached as she reached her hand out to stroke Cheng Weiwan’s disheveled hair. Then she took off her jacket and covered Cheng Weiwan’s body.
Cheng Weiwan finally moved, but she merely made a quick glance at Ji Yi then looked away and continued to fall back into a daze.
Just as Ji Yi was thinking about what to say to comfort Cheng Weiwan, she heard an angry roar up ahead. “Who told you to meddle in my business? Go die!”
Ji Yi turned her head and saw a man with a brick rush over to Han Zhifan and hit the back of his head hard.
In that split-second, it was like the picture was frozen still.
After about three seconds, there was blood… Fresh, red blood trickled down from Han Zhifan’s head.
In that instant, everything was completely silent.
So silent that the only thing that could be heard was the sound of blood dripping.
The big and tall Han Zhifan swayed violently for a moment then he raised his hand to touch the back of his head.
His hand instantly turned red. Before he could take a look at his hands, his world turned black and he collapsed to the ground with a “bang!”
The sound alarmed everyone in the alley.
Ji Yi, who watched everything unfold without blinking, suddenly raised her hand and covered her mouth.
The men surrounding Ji Yi and Cheng Weiwan probably didn’t intend to hit him so hard. Seeing Han Zhifan lying on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood, utter panic filled each of their faces. They silently shot glances at one another, helped their friends get up from the ground and dashed out of the alley.
The sound of their frantic footsteps moved further and further away as those men disappeared.
Soon after the men disappeared, there was just Ji Yi, Cheng Weiwan and Han Zhifan left in the dim alley.
Ji Yi was the first to snap out of her shock from what just happened. When she came to, she cried at the motionless Han Zhifan: “Mr. Han?”
She was met by a wall of silence.
“Mr. Han?” Ji Yi asked again as she saw the motionless Han Zhifan in a pool of blood. She panicked and in the next second, her legs trembled as she stumbled over to Han Zhifan. “Mr. Han? Mr. Han? Han Zhifan?! Han Zhifan?!”
The man’s eyes were tightly shut, completely unresponsive to her cries.
His face was frighteningly pale and his blood-drenched hair stuck to his forehead.
Ji Yi’s fingers shivered as she gently touched Han Zhifan. Seeing as his eyelids didn’t even flinch, she started to feel completely hopeless.
She instinctively wanted to find a phone and call 120 for an ambulance. She scanned the area and saw Cheng Weiwan’s phone by her feet. She quickly crawled over and picked up the phone. Just as she was about to press the button, she suddenly remembered that Cheng Weiwan studied medicine, so she probably knew how to stop the blood. Ji Yi abruptly grabbed Cheng Weiwan’s arm. “Wanwan? Wanwan?”
Ji Yi shook Cheng Weiwan violently.
Cheng Weiwan looked into Ji Yi’s eyes in a daze.
Ji Yi knew she still hadn’t recovered from the terrifying scene, but now, someone’s life was in danger. There simply wasn’t any time for her to be stunned. Ji Yi hesitated for a moment then a second later, she grabbed Cheng Weiwan’s wrist and helped her get up from the ground. They headed over to Han Zhifan, where Ji Yi pushed Cheng Weiwan forward so she could see Han Zhifan’s condition clearly.
Cheng Weiwan stared at Han Zhifan’s blood-covered face for a moment then her fingers twitched softly.
Ji Yi let out a sigh of relief when she saw Cheng Weiwan finally return from her lifeless state and immediately said, “Wanwan, quick! Think, what should we do? Han Zhifan’s bleeding so much. If he continues to bleed like this, I’m scared he’s going to be in mortal danger…”
