Chapter 306 – Lovefool
Despite her reluctance, Zhang Linglan boarded the green train to Beijing.
Although she felt a bit sad, her mood was still relatively good because she knew she would come back.
After a two-day, two-night train journey, she finally returned to Beijing.
As soon as she exited the station, she saw a few familiar faces: Xu Jinning, Xu Fanghua and her husband, and Xie Ting’an.
Seeing the four of them, Zhang Linglan suddenly felt like crying.
This was the first time that she had someone waiting to pick her up at the station when she returned from a trip.
In the past, she had always envied those travelers who had family waiting for them.
But now, she didn’t need to envy them anymore; she had her own family.
“Aunt, over here…” Xu Jinning called out, waving when he saw Zhang Linglan standing still, thinking she hadn’t seen them.
Zhang Linglan snapped out of her thoughts, hurriedly dragging her suitcase over. Song Yi promptly took her suitcase, while Xu Jinning and Xu Fanghua each took one of her arms, asking about her trip home.
The feeling of being embraced on both sides was wonderful. Zhang Linglan couldn’t help but smile as she recounted the details of her visit home.
…
Director Wang was undoubtedly the happiest about Zhang Linglan’s return.
Although she had already filmed a lot of scenes, there were still many important scenes left for her as the leading actress.
After all, she was the protagonist.
So her arrival was crucial.
With Zhang Linglan’s return, the filming of “Abd*ction” resumed.
When Zhang Linglan returned this time, Director Wang could clearly see that her overall state had significantly improved. Of course, her previous performance was good, but now it was unprecedentedly better.
As a result, the filming went very smoothly. What was originally scheduled to take two months was completed in just one month.
Moreover, the quality of Zhang Linglan’s work was exceptional, with almost every scene being done in one take.
Director Wang couldn’t help but be amazed.
No wonder Zhang Linglan had become the hottest star in Hong Kong. With such acting skills and work ethic, if she wasn’t popular, who would be?
Director Wang decided that if he had a suitable project in the future, he would definitely want to collaborate with Zhang Linglan again.
Unfortunately, he didn’t know that Zhang Linglan planned to retire from the industry.
“You’re planning to retire?” Haitang asked on the other end of the phone, her tone slightly surprised but not entirely unexpected.
“Yes, Sister Haitang, I plan to spend the next few years by my mother’s side.”
“…That’s fine, as long as you’ve made up your mind.”
“Sister Haitang, aren’t you going to try to talk me out of it?” Zhang Linglan thought Haitang would try to persuade her.
After all, given her current popularity in Hong Kong, retiring now would surely make people think it was a pity.
Moreover, whenever a man pursued her, Sister Haitang would always tell her that while dating was fine, she should prioritize her career.
She had thought that Sister Haitang was a very career-oriented person.
On the other end of the phone, Haitang couldn’t help but laugh. “I said that back then because I felt you were on your own. A woman needs to have a stable career to support herself, and those sweet-talking men shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I was worried you’d be deceived by them.”
“But family is different.”
“And I know that the most important thing in your heart has always been finding your family.”
“So, now that you’ve decided to retire and stay with your family, I’m not surprised.”
She felt a bit reluctant. Linglan was going to settle on the mainland, leaving her behind in Hong Kong.
Standing by the window, with the sunlight falling on her, she should have felt warm, but instead, she inexplicably felt a bit cold.
At that moment, Zhang Linglan suddenly said on the other end of the phone, “Sister Haitang, do you want to come home with me? My mother said she wants to adopt you as her daughter.”
“Huh?” Haitang was stunned, momentarily unable to respond.
Zhang Linglan laughed, “Sister Haitang, you didn’t think I would leave you behind, did you?”
“I consider you my sister.”
“Sister Haitang, you are also my family.”
Those words instantly touched Haitang, who had been an orphan since childhood, always alone, and even now, in her thirties, had never married.
“Sister Haitang, I don’t care if you don’t want to; you have to,” Zhang Linglan playfully insisted, not allowing her to refuse.
Zhang Linglan’s childlike words made Haitang burst into laughter, and at the same time, tears fell from her eyes, which had unknowingly reddened.
She wiped her eyes and said, “Alright, since you put it that way, even if I don’t want to, I have to.”
There was no unwillingness.
She had long grown tired of living alone and also yearned for the warmth of family.
That was why she had supported Zhang Linglan all these years in her search for her family.
Now, Linglan had found her family.
Linglan said her family was also Haitang’s family.
How wonderful.
After hanging up the phone, she looked out the window.
Hong Kong was indeed a bustling and prosperous place, but…
“Hong Kong, after all these years, I’m finally saying goodbye to you.”
“I… I have a family now.”
…
When Haitang arrived on the mainland from Hong Kong, it was just in time for Zhang Linglan to finish filming “Abd*ction.”
Their household registrations were handled by Xie Ting’an, making their stay on the mainland legitimate.
When Haitang left Hong Kong, she also announced Zhang Linglan’s retirement from the industry before departing.
She didn’t realize that Zhang Linglan’s retirement caused quite a stir in the Hong Kong entertainment circle.
Over at the Shen family, Shen Huai’s father, Shen Wen, was nearly driven mad.
He had been relentlessly pursuing Zhang Linglan for years, hoping to win her heart.
But now, before he could succeed, Zhang Linglan had retired from the industry?
She was still so young and had great potential in the Hong Kong entertainment industry. Why would she retire?
Shen Wen initially thought someone had threatened Zhang Linglan and planned to step in as a hero to save her.
But after investigating, he found out that Zhang Linglan had found her family on the mainland.
She planned to settle there, which was why she retired.
This meant that he might never see Zhang Linglan again in his lifetime?
This was unacceptable to Shen Wen.
Anything or anyone he wanted, he was determined to get.
So, when Shen Huai finally returned home, barely escaping death once again, he was met with his mother, Miao Lai’s, tearful complaints.
“Ahuai, you have to do something about your father. He… he wants to go to the mainland to find that vixen Zhang Linglan.”
Physically and mentally exhausted, Shen Huai sat on the sofa, frowning at his mother’s complaints.
He was aware of the commotion in Hong Kong regarding Zhang Linglan’s retirement and her plans to settle on the mainland.
What he didn’t expect was that his father, who turned out to be quite the lovefool, wanted to chase her all the way to the mainland.
Ew. What a creep!!! How could he delude himself into thinking that someone like him could ever be worthy of Aunt Lanlan?? Like, doesn’t even care about his son and wife! How could Linglan like a guy that doesn’t value his family?