Jeanne was a sultry little white cat, named so because Lin Yuewei adored the French actress Jeanne Moreau. As Ruan Qiuji gently stroked Jeanne’s back and scratched her chin, Qi Bailu leaned back against his chair, watching the cat roll lazily in Ruan Qiuji’s arms.
"She isn't shy around strangers," Qi Bailu remarked.
With the conversation opened, the dialogue could flow more naturally. Ruan Qiuji glanced at him and asked, "Have you been here the whole time?"
Qi Bailu looked exhausted. He blinked slowly after a long pause, his silence offering no intention of continuing the small talk.
Ruan Qiuji gazed into his eyes, his stroking of the cat becoming somewhat perfunctory. "Perhaps you want to talk about what happened these past two days."
Qi Bailu hesitated, then reached for the cigarette pack on the round table beside him to light one. Ruan Qiuji noticed the ashtray was already filled with many butts. Perhaps because the air was too damp, Qi Bailu had to try several times before the cigarette finally caught. He rested the hand holding the cigarette casually on the armrest, but that hand was trembling slightly. Ruan Qiuji watched his fingers, and Qi Bailu noticed it too. He took a deep drag, then moved his hand to his lap.
"This is my own business," Qi Bailu said.
At those words, Ruan Qiuji lowered his head slightly and reached out to hold Jeanne’s paw. Jeanne didn't seem to like the spreading smoke and let out a disgruntled cry.
Suddenly, Ruan Qiuji said, "I thought we were friends."
Qi Bailu glanced at him, seeing only a cold, calm profile. Ruan Qiuji didn't look as high-spirited as usual, yet he remained as elegant as ever. He continued to toy with Jeanne, letting her fuss about on his knees, only catching her by the belly to pull her back when she was about to fall off.
In truth, they had only known each other for a little over two months, but Ruan Qiuji’s friendly demeanor—one could even call it deliberate ingratiation—always made Qi Bailu feel as though they had known each other for a long time.
"Can someone like me really be considered a friend by you?"
Ruan Qiuji looked at him, a faint smile finally appearing on his face. "Bailu, I told you that you don't need to belittle yourself. Besides, the person in the video isn't you." Qi Bailu froze. Ruan Qiuji added nonchalantly, "Did you think I would change my opinion of you because of that? It’s just a classic case of substitution—the civet cat for the prince."
At the mention of that classic substitution, Qi Bailu nearly broke into a cold sweat. Before this, he had only thought that Zheng Kunyu had fabricated a lie, getting the influencer and Chen Xiangfeng to play along. But Ruan Qiuji’s implication was that the model’s betrayal and abortion were real events. He realized then that this was a way to kill two birds with one stone: if Qi Bailu truly became Chen Xiangfeng’s scapegoat, then Chen Xiangfeng’s reputation would be scrubbed clean.
If that were the case, as long as Zheng Kunyu willed it, the manipulated evidence could turn black into white at any moment, becoming the executioner's blade for Qi Bailu.
"How do you know?"
"I know many things," Ruan Qiuji said calmly. "For instance, I know that Jiaxing Entertainment was the 'oriole behind the mantis' regarding the casting wall. I know Zheng Kunyu was the one who leaked your previous photos. And I know Zheng Kunyu is the one doing this to you now."
Qi Bailu looked down and stubbed out his cigarette. After a long while, he asked, "What are you trying to say?"
Ignoring his wariness, Ruan Qiuji sat up straight while holding the cat. "I can help you."
Such a perfect windfall had dropped from the sky, yet Qi Bailu only stared at him in silence.
Ruan Qiuji chuckled softly. "You seem to have never trusted me. Even when you were drunk, you were incredibly cautious about a single kiss."
"You wouldn't help me for no reason. Everything comes with a price."
Seeing him so sober and self-possessed, deliberately maintaining his distance, Ruan Qiuji’s tone became even gentler. "Is this how you treat everyone who likes you? Don't look at me like that, and don't say you didn't know. Bailu, of course you know I like you. I haven't hidden it since the first time we met. You’ve always known what I wanted."
"Is this a Faustian bargain?"
"If that’s how you want to see it."
Qi Bailu didn't speak for a long time, seemingly weighing Ruan Qiuji’s words. Finally, he said in a heavy voice, "I already made a deal once. I’ve lost enough."
"Perhaps this time will be different."
Qi Bailu stared straight at him. Ruan Qiuji leaned back against the chair again, unbothered, allowing himself to be scrutinized. Qi Bailu knew, of course, that Ruan liked him. He was gentler and more considerate than Zheng Kunyu, and he was far better suited to be a lover. But was he fundamentally any different from Zheng Kunyu? If a person were presented with only two paths, would they choose the one they had already trodden, or the one that was entirely mysterious and unknown? Perhaps every path was equally dangerous and difficult.
Qi Bailu stood up and walked slowly to Ruan Qiuji’s side, resting a hand on the back of his chair. The air under the porch was fresh and cold, tinged with the bitter scent of tobacco. The overwhelming sound of the rain swallowed the sounds of breathing and heartbeats. Ruan Qiuji looked up at him. He could tell that for a fleeting moment, Qi Bailu had almost leaned down to kiss him, but something had pulled him back.
Ruan Qiuji glanced at Qi Bailu’s tightened jaw, then looked back at the cat. His stroking hand stopped completely, as if time itself had frozen. Jeanne looked up and meowed twice, but neither of them paid her any mind. So, Jeanne perched on Ruan Qiuji’s shoulder and meowed at Qi Bailu.
Qi Bailu seemed to be pulled back to reality by the cat's cries. He leaned down to take Jeanne, brushing past Ruan Qiuji, and carried her to a tin biscuit box to pour out some cat food. Jeanne was indeed hungry; once she focused on eating, she stopped crying.
Ruan Qiuji watched the heavy rain in the courtyard. The downpour seemed to have intensified, and a stray drop or two of icy water splashed onto his neck. He didn't look at Qi Bailu behind him. One sitting, one crouching, they remained silent for a long time amidst the rain. After a while, Ruan Qiuji’s phone rang. Qi Bailu stood up to see him out.
Before opening his umbrella to leave, Ruan Qiuji said, "You still have time to change your mind, but I won't wait long."
Qi Bailu avoided his gaze and said softly, "Then don't wait."
***
By the time Lin Yuewei returned, it was evening. The sky was as dark as ink, and the rain still hadn't stopped. Qi Bailu was sitting on the living room sofa eating the snacks Ruan Qiuji had brought—exquisite hibiscus cakes. Each piece was adorned with a small square sticker of the character for "Blessing," accompanied by the curling steam of tea. Seeing that he looked relatively peaceful, Lin Yuewei spoke hesitantly.
"When I was parking, I saw a car waiting outside the gate."
"I know."
"You know?"
"He’s waiting for me."
Only then did Lin Yuewei notice Qi Bailu’s suitcase standing nearby. On the coffee table lay a stack of A4 papers—some kind of contract. She sat opposite him, watching him bite into a cake, and asked with uncertainty, "Is it Zheng Kunyu? Or Cheng Wenhui? Bailu, are you really going back?"
Qi Bailu pushed the papers toward her. Lin Yuewei picked them up and flipped through them. After only two pages, she looked up in disbelief, her mouth hanging open, unable to say a word.
"How can you sign something like this?"
Qi Bailu had already collected six of the small "Blessing" stickers from the cakes. He picked up the lid, closed the box, and left the remaining snacks for Lin Yuewei.
"It’s my only path."
Not long after Ruan Qiuji had left, Cheng Wenhui had called again. He had called countless times that day, but this time, Qi Bailu finally answered. Cheng Wenhui had tried to persuade him with kind words, saying Zheng Kunyu had a new contract. If he signed it, it would take effect immediately, and all the rumors about him online would be instantly suppressed and clarified.
Qi Bailu said he wanted to see him, so Cheng Wenhui came with the contract. When Qi Bailu saw the specific terms, he nearly tore the thing to shreds on the spot. But no matter how much he raged or threw a fit, the black and white ink could not be changed. He kicked Cheng Wenhui out, but Cheng Wenhui urged him to stay calm, saying, "Bailu, sign it. These are the best terms."
They were indeed the best terms. Professionally, Zheng Kunyu would still provide him with the best resources and the best salary. Everything he gave him was the best. It was just that this time, the duration listed was fifty years.
The white Cadillac sat quietly in the rain. Continuous threads of rain lashed against the windshield, only to be swept away by the wipers. When Cheng Wenhui saw Qi Bailu come out, he hurried over with an umbrella to meet him, taking the suitcase and placing it in the trunk. The chill in the wind and rain was even sharper now. Cheng Wenhui carefully studied Qi Bailu’s expression. As he led him to the rear door, he whispered, "He’s waiting for you in the car."
Only then did Cheng Wenhui pull the door open. With the person and the umbrella shrouded in rain, the movement of opening the door had to be careful, making it seem as if it were in slow motion, gradually revealing the person in the back seat. Zheng Kunyu was waiting for him, looking as if there had never been an argument or a rift between them, as if Qi Bailu had merely gone out for a meal.
Qi Bailu looked at the man in the car expressionlessly, then climbed in and sat down. Zheng Kunyu had been looking straight ahead, but now he turned to look at him. The air pressure in the car dropped instantly. Seeing that neither of them spoke, Cheng Wenhui returned to the driver's seat, put away his umbrella, and slowly started the engine.
But just as Cheng Wenhui gripped the steering wheel to reverse, Qi Bailu suddenly took the contract he was clutching and threw it forcefully at Zheng Kunyu. A few pages even bounced off Zheng Kunyu’s face.
Cheng Wenhui froze, staring into the rearview mirror, momentarily forgetting to drive, fearing something was about to happen. Despite the limited space, Qi Bailu sat as far from Zheng Kunyu as possible, practically pressed against the door. Amidst the fluttering white pages, Qi Bailu’s chest heaved slightly, his indignation plain to see.
The glasses on Zheng Kunyu’s nose had been repaired. He fixed Qi Bailu with an oppressive gaze, his hair and clothes perfectly in place. Cheng Wenhui almost feared he would strike him, but Zheng Kunyu didn't explode. Instead, he slowly picked up the scattered papers from the seat. Then he leaned down to retrieve the few that had fallen to the floor, resting on his leather shoes. Zheng Kunyu unhurriedly stacked the contract pages in order until he reached the last one. There, he saw the name "Qi Bailu" signed in black ink. Because of those three words, that thin sheet of paper now carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
Tucking the contract neatly into his briefcase, Zheng Kunyu didn't look at Qi Bailu again, appearing completely indifferent to him. He looked at the rearview mirror and gave a cold command:
"Drive."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 让娜 | Jeanne | Named after Jeanne Moreau. |
| 让娜·莫罗 | Jeanne Moreau | Famous French actress. |
| 狸猫换太子 | The Civet Cat Exchanged for the Crown Prince | A classic Chinese idiom/tale referring to a deceptive substitution or framing someone with a lookalike. |
| 芙蓉糕 | Hibiscus cake | A traditional Chinese pastry. |
| 福 | Fu / Blessing | The character for good fortune or blessing. |
| 五十年 | Fifty years | The duration of the new contract, effectively a lifetime commitment. |
