Chapter 297 – Knowing
Wang Xuelai thought it was Zhang Linglan who had come, so he wanted to go over and say hello. However, even though the distance from where he was to where Zhang Linglan was seemed close, there was still a small distance between them, and he had to take a detour to get there.
He had originally wanted to call out to Zhang Linglan, but he was afraid that his voice would attract attention.
After all, Zhang Linglan was a big star. If she really appeared at Beijing University, it would definitely cause a sensation.
Zhang Linglan must have come quietly, so she didn’t tell him.
Since she clearly didn’t want to make a scene, he couldn’t speak loudly either.
However, when Wang Xuelai finally managed to walk over, he found to his surprise…
“Huh, where did this person go all of a sudden?”
Wang Xuelai looked around in place for a long time but didn’t see Zhang Linglan. In the end, his assistant found him and urged him to hurry to the casting scene.
This casting would last for three days at each school.
In the evening, Wang Xuelai and the others left.
That night, they had dinner together with other actors, including Zhang Linglan.
Zhang Linglan was the biggest celebrity at this dinner.
Originally, the dinner was supposed to revolve around Zhang Linglan.
However, Zhang Linglan didn’t seem very interested.
After she arrived, she just sat there, drinking quietly, in a melancholy mood.
Seeing her like this, no one dared to speak to her much.
But they couldn’t ignore her either, so one after another, they gestured to director Wang Xuelai.
Originally, Wang Xuelai was dizzy with the casting process and quite busy, almost forgetting about this.
Seeing Zhang Linglan now, he suddenly remembered seeing her at Beijing University during the day.
Unable to help himself, he asked, “Teacher Linglan, why didn’t you tell me when you went to Beijing University during the day?”
“If you had told me, I could have had someone show you around Beijing University.”
“Beijing University, as a century-old institution and the highest in the country, has many places worth visiting.”
Zhang Linglan was drinking, lost in her thoughts, when Wang Xuelai suddenly spoke to her.
Actually, Zhang Linglan hadn’t originally wanted to come to this dinner.
But her assistant said it was arranged specifically for her.
Zhang Linglan couldn’t refuse.
However, her mood was indeed not very good.
She had been on the mainland for some time now, studying the script and starting filming.
She had no choice but to go. The script about abd*ction was indeed well-written.
At least, as someone who had also been abd*cted, Zhang Linglan empathized with the heroine.
This empathy unexpectedly made her feel melancholic.
Like the heroine, she hadn’t had a good time after being abd*cted, and it was only later that she had finally encountered benefactors.
But…
The heroine eventually found her family and they lived happily ever after, never to be separated again.
But what about her?
Where were her family?
Where should she start looking for them?
When she came to Red Star Film Studio, the director promised to help her find them, but…
There has been no news to this day.
Zhang Linglan knew that some things couldn’t be rushed, and being impatient wouldn’t help.
But still…
Her emotions were very urgent.
She really, really wanted to see her family.
However many times she tried, she could only vaguely see them in her dreams at midnight.
Time had passed too long. So long that even in her dreams, she couldn’t clearly see their faces, only their backs.
Zhang Linglan was very afraid. Afraid that if more time passed, she might not even see their backs in her dreams.
Perhaps her emotions were difficult to suppress for a moment.
After drinking, her emotions intensified, one cup after another.
Drowning her sorrows in alcohol!
Unexpectedly, director Wang Xuelai started talking to her.
He even mentioned her visit to Beijing University during the day.
Though Zhang Linglan had been drinking, she had a good tolerance.
So she knew what she had done during the day.
“Director Wang, are you mistaken? I stayed at the hotel all day today and didn’t go anywhere else.”
Zhang Linglan hadn’t been in a good mood these days, naturally not in the mood to go out for a stroll.
“It’s impossible. My eyesight is good. Although I only saw a side profile, I can be sure it was you.”
“Are you trying to keep it a secret? Well, I shouldn’t have asked.”
Seeing Wang Xuelai’s serious expression, Zhang Linglan asked, “Director Wang, did the person you saw wear a mask?”
Immediately, Wang Xuelai replied, “No.”
As soon as he said that, Wang Xuelai realized something was wrong.
Because Zhang Linglan had a habit of wearing a mask when she was out.
This habit was known to anyone who had spent time with her.
Wang Xuelai furrowed his brow slightly. “Could it really not have been you?”
He thought carefully. “Actually, it probably wasn’t you.”
“Now that I think about it, that person seemed younger than you.”
“Oh, and she was wearing Beijing University’s uniform!”
Yes, why hadn’t he thought of that just now?
The person wearing Beijing University’s uniform, it couldn’t possibly be Zhang Linglan.
“But that person really looks like you.”
“I mean, their profile looks almost identical to yours!”
“I think, Director Wang, your eyesight might be failing. Someone as beautiful as Teacher Zhang, how could anyone look exactly like her, unless, it’s her family.”
“Yeah…”
“…”
Everyone teased Wang Xuelai, who smiled awkwardly.
Little did they know, Zhang Linglan was feeling a storm inside.
Just because someone had said: “Unless it’s her family.”
If, if Director Wang really saw a student wearing a uniform whose profile looked just like hers…
Could it be possible that person was her family?
The family she had been searching for all this time!
With this thought in her mind, Zhang Linglan’s breathing quickened suddenly, and her heart raced.
Younger in age, a student.
Could it be her younger sibling?
Considering the timing, they could be around seventeen or eighteen, the age for university.
So, could her long-lost family really be at Beijing University?
During the latter part of the dinner, Zhang Linglan remained mostly silent.
Everyone had grown accustomed to it.
After people dispersed, Zhang Linglan approached Wang Xuelai and suggested they go to Beijing University tomorrow.
“Why do you want to go there? To relax?”
“Director Wang, I don’t know if Director Lin mentioned it to you, but my main reason for coming from Hong Kong to Beijing this time is not just to film movies, but primarily to find my family!”
“I was abd*cted by human tr*ffickers when I was five years old and later sold to Hong Kong.”
“But all this time, I’ve been wanting to find my family!”
Wang Xuelai thought for a moment and then understood.
“Are you suggesting that the person I saw today at Beijing University, who looked a lot like you, might be your family?”
**TN
Teacher – a title of honor for people who teach something and for specialists in their own fields. Just like in Japan, where they call mangaka and writers Sensei.
