Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself-Chapter 211: I Will Always Put You First

March is the season when peach blossoms bloom.

However, a heavy snowfall blanketed the capital, the weather was cold, and the peach blossoms in the courtyard had yet to reveal even a hint of red.

Song Zhuozhi had already recovered well and followed Ji Jin Yu to handle affairs at the General Mansion and Marquis Mansion, occasionally going out for leisure, attending garden parties hosted by noble ladies.

Lu Jiu stood guard on the last night at the Marquis Mansion, standing in the courtyard.

He stood rigidly, cold invading his body from all around, the severe injuries he had not healed from making it difficult to stand, every inch of skin felt as though it could be torn away like frozen paper.

The peach blossoms still had not opened. He stared all night, his eyes a bit sore, when finally, Lu Shi arrived.

"You can leave now. Are you returning to the General Mansion?"

Lu Jiu reached out to catch a snowflake, saying, "Perhaps."

The snow fell heavier and heavier, Lu Jiu took all his belongings with him, leaving Marquis Yongcheng’s Mansion, heading beyond the city.

The sky grew the color of duck egg blue, nearing dawn, and outside the city on Qingluo Mountain, there was a wild peach grove. Because of a hot spring on the mountain, the peach blossoms here had already bloomed, gleaming with bright colors amid the white snow.

Lu Jiu stood beneath a peach tree, looking down at a newly erected wooden marker before him.

His complexion was as white as the snow, yet he stood silently in the snow, gazing at the nameless wooden marker and the small snow mound behind it.

After a long while, the sun shone brightly.

Lu Jiu softly said, "May I call you Zhizhi? Not the young lady of the General Mansion, nor the Marchioness Yongcheng."

Just Song Zhuozhi, who appeared only briefly.

Even though that person was malicious, cunning, always deceiving and using him, he still wanted to call her Zhizhi just once.

"I could not fulfill your command; the shadow guards around the Eleventh Prince are too many, I was injured and could not kill him."

"But perhaps you no longer wish to kill him now, such peace as now is quite good."

Why be a regent who controls the court, that still cannot see the light, better to be this free soul beside the peach tree in the snow.

After a long silence again, snow fell on his head and shoulders, almost freezing him to the point of being unable to speak.

At this moment, he spoke to himself softly again, "You probably don’t know my name, Lu Jiu was just a sequence; the General gave me a proper name."

His voice was so light as if afraid of dispersing the fluttering peach blossoms, yet his tone was very solemn.

"My name is Lu Jingzhi, Zhizhi, I am Lu Jingzhi, in the future when commanding, just call me Lu Jingzhi."

Saying that I love you was for Lu Jingzhi, saying that you are my only was also for Lu Jingzhi.

The hustle and bustle of the market street below the mountain had begun, and the once solemn man, whose vitality was slowly ebbing, spoke one final sentence.

"I have something that surpasses them, shadow guards always live for their master, but I will always prioritize you first."

In my heart, there is no country, no family; you are my first choice, always have been, only today do I know.

He knelt before that wooden marker, pitying that his status was not clear, unable to offer anything but the two red garments she liked.

And the golden hairpin that once pricked his skin.

The heavy snow sealed the mountain, peach blossoms fell in profusion, no one knew two shadows were buried here.

Song Zhuozhi dressed up and walked with Ji Jin Yu across the corridor, suddenly seeing a peach tree blooming in the courtyard.

Energetically revealing its vitality, she seemed a bit dazed.

"What’s the matter?" Ji Jin Yu asked gently, "Do you like that peach blossom?"

Song Zhuozhi came back to her senses, adjusted her hair but felt an empty space, vaguely feeling a golden hairpin should be there.

"Nothing. It’s just surprising that this peach blossom bloomed in the snow," she said.

Ji Jin Yu took her hand, smiling, "Perhaps it bloomed for lovers, like you and me."

The two exchanged a glance and smile, Song Zhuozhi walked past the peach tree with a blush.

...

"Cut!"

"Congratulations to Xie Qingci for finishing the scene!"

The set erupted in congratulations tinged with nasal tones.

"It’s so distressing; tears and snot came out together as I watched."

"Why did they have to write Xie to die, couldn’t he just live well?"

"It’s too tragic for Lu Jiu, I can’t take it; I need tissue."

The tissue Mei brought was already half used up by the surrounding circle of people. The sobbing, sniffing sounds were distinctly audible.

Xie Qingci was still kneeling in front of the wooden marker, motionless, head bowed, doing who knows what.

An assistant ran over to drape a coat over him; only then did he lift his head, yet still did not rise, instead turning to look at Yu Xia.

Under thick black eyelashes were reddened eyes; a tear that had just fallen slid across his lips, moistening the pale, dry corners of his mouth, then dropped hurriedly.

His expression was distracted, and one could easily feel the immense and hollow sadness within him.

He was quite captivating like this, everyone had their eyes on the two of them.

The male lead who had been walking alongside Yu Xia stepped aside, leaving her within Xie Qingci’s line of sight.

No one spoke, Xie Qingci also stayed silent, just looking at her like that.

Yu Xia brushed her fingertip beneath her eye, wiping away tears, then took a deep breath and said, "Happy wrap."

Xie Qingci softly replied, "Thank you."

Only then did the others begin to clap, a few actors presented bouquets, and the director gathered everyone for a group photo.

Yu Xia stood in the middle of the front row, the male lead failed to snag a good spot and ended up in the back, nearly obscured by the bouquet in Xie Qingci’s hands.

The photographer chuckled, saying to someone beside him, "With this group photo released, people might think Xie is the male lead."

Someone nearby laughed in reply, "Pretty much."

The director counted down three-two-one, and everyone said in unison, "Wishing Xie Qingci the best on wrapping up!"

After a brief celebration, Xie Qingci was to return to the hotel to pack up, then could leave directly.

Yu Xia stayed on set waiting for the next scene; the room next door was shut tightly.

After gathering his things and closing the door, Xie Qingci stood a while in the corridor.

Mr. Yang remained silent, accompanying him in looking at those two adjacent rooms.

"Mr. Yang, this is the first movie I’ve filmed, took nearly three months," he said.

Mr. Yang nodded, with a gentle tone, "You performed very well; this is a good beginning, many more exciting roles await you."

He chuckled once, then added, "But this was not the first time I liked her."

Mr. Yang was stunned.

With a black cap pulled down low, Mr. Yang could not see his eyes hidden under the brim.

Mr. Yang asked, "Not the first time... does it mean you liked her during the audition?"

"No," he shook his head, taking out a fluffy duck-yellow hairpin from his bag, "even earlier."

The hairpin was clipped to his clothes, he said, "Sometimes I believe in fate, otherwise, why would the company choose this role for me, let me get closer to her when no one knew each other."

Before Mr. Yang could express his surprise, he turned his head, sighing as if, "I really do like her a lot."

He liked her aloofness, her brilliance, even liked her indifference.

Just like Lu Jiu liked the sinister Song Zhuozhi, as if there was no specific reason, but he just wanted all of her, good and bad, to be entwined with him alone.