Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 47 The Sound Remains
[PS: The synopsis of this book is: The rise of a speculator and the fall of a devoted lover.]

I clearly stated "speculation" and "degeneration" from the beginning, didn't I? Why would anyone think that the protagonist's gradual degeneration is something unbelievable and intolerable?

Rental housing.

"Don't forget to get your deposit back."

As Sun Xiaohong walked out, she gave instructions. Because she was in a hurry to go home, she didn't have time to leave the rented room.

"You can rest assured."

Zhang Yan, who was walking behind, agreed verbally, but he had no intention of arguing with the landlord at all. There were less than half a month left in the lease, and it was not worth arguing over a few dollars.

"Hey, Sister Zhou!"

At this moment, Zhang Fang, who was walking at the front, suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan craned his neck to look ahead past his parents and saw Zhou Tao holding Zhang Fang's hand, smiling as he said, "I wasn't planning on coming, but I felt uneasy if I didn't see you and Aunt Hong off."

"Oh dear, Xiao Zhou, you really are... This is such a waste of your time and energy."

Sun Xiaohong also went up and exchanged pleasantries; the three women seemed to have endless things to talk about.

As for Zhang Yan and his father, they silently served as background figures and luggage racks.

On the way to the train station, Zhou Tao seemed no different from usual, but he didn't speak to Zhang Yan at all, and didn't even look at him directly.

But the more this was the case, the more clearly Zhang Yan could feel the restless emotions in Zhou Tao's heart. Although they were not the same as his own restlessness lately, they seemed to fit together perfectly.

Then Zhang Yan's mind started to struggle with its own internal conflict.

One voice warned him not to get too involved, after all, the other person was getting married soon; the other voice said: That's what makes it even more exciting!

In the past, he might have been able to barely control himself.

But recently, Chen Hong almost stirred up his true passion. This surge of passion was running wild, and his mind was filled with that absurd dream from back then. How could he possibly control himself?
Zhang Yan could remain calm and composed even in front of his parents and sister.

After seeing the three of them off on the train, he couldn't help but ask tentatively, "My mom has repeatedly told me to get the rent refunded, and I haven't even met the landlord yet. Why don't you come with me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Tao glanced at Zhang Yan, instinctively sensing his 'ill intentions,' but the pent-up resentment in her heart made her, as if possessed, not refuse, and instead silently nod.

So the two of them boarded the bus that took them back the same way.

On the bus, the two did not exchange any words, just as they had when they arrived, but a strange atmosphere was spreading between them.

It was exactly the same as the night of Lunar New Year's Eve.

Zhou Tao couldn't help but recall the scene of the two of them kissing in the street that night. It was a ridiculous mistake, even a terrible fallacy.

I'm getting married soon, and I absolutely cannot afford to make one mistake after another, compound my errors, or go down a path of utter failure...

Zhou Tao kept warning herself, trying to build an unbreakable defense in her heart, but the more she thought about it, the more another scene kept flashing in her mind.

That was the scene last night when Yao Ke turned around and asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

He didn't ask!
He didn't even ask!
He had long forgotten about it!
He valued his own reputation more than the future of both of them!

These thoughts were like waves crashing against Zhou Tao's newly built mental defenses, leaving her teetering on the brink of collapse and in a daze.

So much so that after getting off the car and walking behind Zhang Yan for quite a while, Zhou Tao suddenly realized that this was not the way to the landlord's house, but the way back to the rented room.

She paused, her voice dry as she asked, "Didn't you say you were going to get a refund for the rent?"

"correct."

Zhang Yan said with a 'calm' expression, "The landlady will definitely come to check before refunding the rent, so I want to tidy up the house first to avoid her finding fault with it."

Although there was nothing wrong with the reason, Zhou Tao still instinctively sensed danger, as if a ferocious beast was lurking in the rented room.

We absolutely cannot compound our mistakes!

She said this to herself silently, bit her lip slightly, and said seriously, "Then I'll wait here..."

"do you know?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Yan interrupted, "Actually, even if you hadn't come today, I would have come looking for you anyway."

These words immediately diverted Zhou Tao's attention: "You were looking for me?"

"correct."

As Zhang Yan spoke, he naturally took a step forward: "The female lead our crew originally cast suddenly withdrew because she had to intern at the Beijing People's Art Theatre—didn't you say you wanted to give it a try last time? Now the opportunity has come!"

Zhou Tao subconsciously followed his steps, and upon hearing this, he quickly said, "I was just joking, why did you take it seriously?"

"I will definitely keep what you said in mind."

As Zhang Yan spoke, he turned around and said, "If you're willing, I'll recommend you to the production team later. Although I'm just a screenwriter, I still have some say in things."

The emphasis of Zhang Yan's words was actually on the latter half. But what kept echoing in Zhou Tao's mind was the phrase, "I will definitely keep your words in mind." This phrase, along with Yao Ke's question, "Why?", formed a pincer attack, easily destroying the mental defenses she had just built.

Zhou Tao fell into that dazed state again until Zhang Yan pushed open the door of the rented room, and she realized that she had arrived at her destination.

Looking at the not-so-dark room, Zhou Tao suddenly felt an urge to run away.

But in the end, she still gritted her teeth and went inside.

Then, as soon as the door closed, she felt Zhang Yan grasp her hand, and at the same time, she heard Zhang Yan's concerned voice in her ear: "Have you run into some trouble again recently? Why did you seem so absent-minded just now?"

Zhou Tao had initially wanted to struggle, but upon hearing these concerned words, his already wavering heart immediately softened.

Since we've already taken more intimate actions, shaking hands shouldn't be a big deal.

So she let Zhang Yan hold her hand and shook her head, saying, "No, I was just... just a little distracted."

Something's definitely wrong!

Zhang Yan, however, refused to give up and questioned him somewhat agitatedly, "Do you not trust me, or do you consider me an outsider?!"

As she spoke, her gaze deliberately fell on Zhou Tao's rosy lips.

Zhou Tao's face was burning. After hesitating for a moment, he finally couldn't help but break the silence and poured out everything that had happened in the past few days, as well as his feelings.

“I feel like our relationship has suddenly become an arranged marriage. Sometimes I’m even afraid of the future and want to give up on this relationship or even just run away!”

As he spoke, Zhou Tao clenched his fist tighter and tighter, seemingly trying to take control.

Now it was Zhang Yan's turn to feel guilty.

After all, he was lustful, not sincere. He was only after her body and had no intention of becoming a sucker.

Don't let your cleverness backfire...

Thinking of this, Zhang Yan suddenly sighed and said helplessly, "I shouldn't be saying this, but I really don't want to see you like this—Zhou Tao, have you ever thought about listening to your parents' words in reverse?"

"Listen to it the other way around?"

Zhou Tao hesitated, wondering if Zhang Yan was trying to persuade him to break up with Yao Ke.
Thinking about it this way, she suddenly felt a bit repulsed by Zhang Yan.

Ultimately, she and Yao Ke still had feelings for each other. No matter how dissatisfied she was, no one else could sow discord between them.

However, Zhang Yan's next sentence conveyed the exact opposite meaning.

"That's right. Apart from his lack of ambition, Yao Ke isn't really a bad person. So why not try changing 'men work outside the home, women work inside the home' to 'women work outside the home, men work inside the home'?"

Zhang Yan said confidently, "Doesn't Yao Ke like cooking and housework? Then let him be a stay-at-home husband and a good wife, while you take charge of being enterprising and forging ahead!"

Upon hearing the term "stay-at-home dad," Zhou Tao almost burst out laughing.

Upon closer examination, if the roles of men and women were reversed, Yao Ke would indeed be well-suited to the role of a 'good wife'.

After positioning himself as the stronger party, Zhou Tao felt much less apprehensive.

She breathed a sigh of relief and sincerely thanked him, "Zhang Yan, thank you. If it weren't for you, I definitely would have..."

She had barely finished speaking when Zhang Yan suddenly lunged forward and hugged her tightly!
Caught off guard, Zhou Tao was pulled into Zhang Yan's arms.

By the time she realized what was happening and was about to struggle, she heard Zhang Yan say, "You guys with the surname Zhou must be my nemesis. One of you left without saying goodbye, and the other... I really didn't want to ruin your relationship with Yao Ke, but why didn't you reject me that day?!"

Faced with Zhang Yan's counterattack, Zhou Tao felt dizzy and ashamed.

Yes, in that situation just now, Zhang Yan was still speaking up for Yao Ke, he definitely didn't want to break him up with Yao Ke.

But that day, I couldn't control myself. Even though I knew he had just been heartbroken, I still...

She felt guilty, remorseful, and couldn't bear it. Instinctively, she hugged Zhang Yan and whispered comfortingly, "I'm sorry, you deserve better."

"But I don't want anything better!"

Zhang Yan whispered in her ear, stubbornly and willfully, "Just like that day, let's pretend nothing happened afterward, okay?"

Feeling his hand slide down her waist, Zhou Tao immediately realized what Zhang Yan meant. She instinctively wanted to resist, but then she heard Zhang Yan repeatedly whispering in her ear:

“Zhou…Zhou…”

She couldn't tell if it was calling for Zhou Nan or Zhou Tao, but her already wavering heart softened with each call, until she couldn't muster even the slightest resistance.

Oh well, this is all my own fault.

Since we've already made a mistake, let's just do it like that day. After that day, nothing happened, right?

Thinking this, she embraced Zhang Yan tightly, just like that night, and began to passionately reciprocate his advances...

(End of this chapter)