Chapter 246: Comfort

After Jiang Moli and Fan Qiuyun left, Yang Lijiong went to the window and stood there for a long while, until a knock came at the door.

She opened the door and saw Jiang Moli had returned.

More than surprised, she felt a warmth fill the emptiness in her heart.

“What are you doing back here?”

Jiang Moli shut the door behind her and pulled a bottle of Harbor Malt from her coat.

“I’m in a bad mood. Came to have a couple of drinks with you.”

As she spoke, she also produced from her overcoat pockets a can of pineapple-flavored soda, a candle, matches, and a bag of sesame cakes.

Seeing how thoroughly prepared Jiang Moli was, Yang Lijiong silently swallowed her reminder that drinking was forbidden during the training exercise.

‘I’ve followed the rules for over twenty years. What’s the harm in breaking them just once?’

Jiang Moli opened the soda and divided it between two teacups. She then added a shot or so of the white liquor into each cup, swirled them to mix, and handed one to Yang Lijiong.

“Give it a taste.”

Yang Lijiong took the teacup and took a sip.

“How is it?”

Yang Lijiong smacked her lips and nodded. “Not bad.”

Jiang Moli took a sip herself and said with satisfaction, “Overseas, this is called a cocktail. It would be even better with some ice.”

Yang Lijiong looked at the candle and matches on the table. “What are these for?”

“Go turn off the lights.”

Jiang Moli’s bossy tone made Yang Lijiong raise her eyebrows slightly, but she still did as Jiang Moli said and turned off the lights.

Jiang Moli lit the candle, used the hot wax to fix it to the coffee table, and said to Yang Lijiong:

“It’s more atmospheric to light a candle when you drink. Imagine it: the candlelight flickers, no one can see each other’s faces clearly, and we can drink and say whatever we want. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

With that, Jiang Moli flopped into a chair and raised her cup to Yang Lijiong. “A toast to our dead dreams.”

Yang Lijiong sat down opposite her, clinked cups with her, and tilted her head back to take two gulps of the mixed drink.

The sweet pineapple soda, mixed with the sharp bitterness of the liquor, slid down her throat, creating an indescribably complex flavor.

“This is the first time I’ve ever drunk white liquor like this.”

Jiang Moli said, “It’s harder to get drunk this way. In a way, our lives are like this Harbor Malt—bitter and harsh. But when you add some pineapple soda, you get a touch of sweetness.”

Yang Lijiong tilted her head and looked at her, her eyes as tranquil and deep as a moonlit lake.

“Did you come here just to comfort me?”

Jiang Moli clinked her teacup against hers and said, “Let’s call it mutual comfort. Two poor, helpless women, huddling around a candle for warmth on a cold winter’s night.”

Yang Lijiong was amused by her words and let out a small laugh. “What’s so pitiful about you?”

“I spent so long preparing, pulled so many all-nighters to create this piece, and it gets axed on opening night. Isn’t that pitiful enough for you?”

“It was just this one work of yours that was rejected. You can create many more in the future.”

Yang Lijiong’s voice was filled with suppressed frustration and dejection.

Chasing Dreams was created with her as its inspiration. Rejecting Chasing Dreams was tantamount to rejecting her entire life.

Compared to Jiang Moli, the cancellation of Chasing Dreams was a much bigger blow to Yang Lijiong.

“Qiongqiong.”

Yang Lijiong turned her head to look at her. “What did you just call me?”

Jiang Moli blinked. “You don’t like it? Should I call you Lili instead?”

“It’s fine. Call me that if you like.”

Yang Lijiong took a sip of the mixed drink and said, “It’s just that I haven’t heard it in a long time. When I was little, my maternal grandparents used to call me that.”

Jiang Moli picked up a sesame cake, broke it in two, and handed half to Yang Lijiong while she began to eat the other half.

While eating, she started telling Yang Lijiong about a future era: “There will be a time when women are completely independent and free. They won’t be judged or discriminated against for not marrying or having kids. They can pour all their energy into themselves and their careers, and even stand taller and go further than the vast majority of men.”

Although Yang Lijiong didn’t believe such a world could exist, she was still captivated by the description.

“If such a world really exists, it must be the result of the struggles and hard work of countless women.”

Jiang Moli stood up and jumped onto her chair. “When you reach a high enough position, the whole world will show you respect.”

Seeing her wobbling, Yang Lijiong instinctively said with concern, “Get down from there. You’ll fall.”

“This is nothing. I won’t fall.”

With that, Jiang Moli leaped like the Monkey King onto the bed, landing spread-eagled. She thrashed around for a bit, then turned her flushed face to Yang Lijiong and whined playfully:

“Qiongqiong, I want to sleep here tonight. Your bed is so big and soft, it’s so comfortable.”

Before Yang Lijiong could respond, she had already burrowed under the covers.

It finally dawned on Yang Lijiong. “Are you drunk?”

“No, just a little sleepy.”

With a yawn, she closed her eyes, tilted her head, and seemed to fall asleep.

Yang Lijiong got up and walked to the bedside. “Get up. I’ll walk you back to your room.”

“No, I’m sleeping with you tonight.”

With that, she burrowed deeper under the covers, leaving only half of her little face peeking out.

Yang Lijiong laughed, amused by her endearing, stubborn refusal to leave.

She turned her head, picked up the teacup Jiang Moli had been drinking from, and saw that the mixed drink was all gone.

‘Such a lightweight, yet she loves to drink.’

…

The troupe member who roomed with Jiang Moli opened the door and was shocked to see Yang Lijiong carrying Jiang Moli in her arms.

“Manager Jiang, what happened to her?”

“She’s fine. Which one is her bed?”

Yang Lijiong carried Jiang Moli into the room, and with the troupe member’s guidance, placed her on the bed. She then helped her take off her coat and shoes and tucked her in.

The two roommates stared, dumbfounded.

‘The stern, unsmiling Vice Yang actually had such a considerate side.’

After settling Jiang Moli in, Yang Lijiong looked at the two roommates. “Don’t tell anyone what happened tonight.”

The two nodded hurriedly.

After another glance at the sweetly sleeping Jiang Moli, Yang Lijiong finally left.

The reason she had insisted on taking Jiang Moli back to her room was that she was worried that if word got out that Moli hadn’t returned for the night, it would harm her reputation.

…

The next day, before the sun was up, Jiang Moli was woken by her roommates.

She hurriedly washed up, packed her luggage, and went downstairs to assemble.

It wasn’t until she was seated on the minibus to Tong County that she had a moment to think about last night.

But after thinking for a long time, she couldn’t remember how she got back to her room. In the end, she couldn’t be bothered to think about it anymore, so she leaned back against her seat and went back to sleep.

Around 10 a.m., the troupe arrived safely in Tong County.

After getting off the bus, Jiang Moli stood with her fellow troupe members, waiting for the driver to retrieve the luggage from the roof of the bus.

A short while later, a gray minibus also pulled up next to the county guest house.

The door opened, and the first person to get out was none other than Lu Deyao.

After seeing Jiang Moli, he beckoned for her to come over.

“Dad.”

Lu Deyao, with his hands behind his back, said to her, “I’ve already heard about your show being suspended. Don’t be too discouraged. The current political climate is a bit turbulent, and the higher-ups did it for your own good.”

Jiang Moli nodded. “I’m fine! Great works are often misunderstood in their own time. History is full of poets whose work was only celebrated after they died. I believe that once I’m famous, great scholars will come to debate the merits of my classics.”