The Young Miss Refuse To Love-Chapter 123: Ling An

Hearing an opinion that aligned with her own, Qi Jianyi shifted her attention back to Wen Renyue. The C-list actor remained deeply immersed in his role, his voice trembling with desperation as he begged his on-screen lover not to close her eyes.

The raw, heart-wrenching emotion in his performance pulled at something deep within Qi Jianyi, making her heartbeat quicken in empathy.

As Wen Renyue poured his soul into the character, the scene came alive with the anguish of a man helplessly watching the love of his life slip away. In this moment, Wen Renyue embodied Xu Yan, a man whose world revolved around the woman he cherished above all else. Qi Jianyi couldn’t help but feel a stirring in her chest, a strange ache born from the authenticity of his heartbreak.

Xu Yan, the male lead, was a man forged in the crucible of darkness. Cold, calculating, and ruthless, his life had been reduced to one unrelenting goal: completing his mission. He was a shadow, a ghost that moved unseen, leaving destruction in his wake.

For every life he had saved, he had taken countless others. Yet, beneath the hardened exterior was a man who had long forgotten what it meant to feel.

Then came Ling An, a glimmer of light that cut through Xu Yan’s darkness. She awakened emotions within him that he had buried long ago, emotions he once believed were beyond his reach. She was the warmth to his cold, the humanity he didn’t realize he had lost.

Tragically, just as Xu Yan allowed himself to embrace this light, it began to slip away, leaving his heart shattered.

For someone like Xu Yan, who had lived in the shadows for so long, finding light was a revelation. Losing it was a descent into madness. His love for Ling An became his singular purpose, an obsession that consumed him.

He was no hero, hence he was willing to sacrifice everything—his mission, everyone in the world—to save her. But fate, ever cruel, had other plans.

Ling An was not meant to stay by Xu Yan’s side. Their paths, though deeply entwined, were destined to diverge. She was not a villain, nor was he a hero. They were simply two souls who loved each other deeply, so deeply that they would give everything to protect one another.

Yet, their ways of showing love diverged painfully. Xu Yan dreamed of a future where they both survived, clinging to the hope of a shared tomorrow. Ling An, however, resolved to ensure his safety, even at the cost of her own life.

When Qi Jianyi first penned this story, she hadn’t given much thought to its deeper meaning. It had been a tale born of fleeting inspiration, a story crafted for others to enjoy.

But now, as she watched Wen Renyue breathe life into Xu Yan, something shifted within her. The character’s pain, so vividly portrayed, struck a nerve she hadn’t anticipated.

Her thoughts began to drift, unbidden, toward her own life. Would Song Chengfeng, the man who occupied her heart, react the same way if she ever left him? Would he cry for her, plead for her to stay, as Xu Yan did for Ling An?

The more Qi Jianyi let these thoughts consume her, the heavier her chest felt, a discomfort that settled deep within her and refused to let go.

"What’s wrong?" Song Chengfeng asked in concern when he noticed her trembling eyes.

Awakened from her thoughts by his question, Qi Jianyi turned her gaze toward Song Chengfeng, her eyes lingering on him for a moment longer than usual. She forced a faint smile, her lips curving upward as though trying to mask the turmoil swirling in her heart.

Then, she shook her head gently, a subtle gesture meant to dismiss his concern. Song Chengfeng couldn’t know the truth—the weight of her thoughts, the unease gnawing at her soul. No matter how much he pressed, she was determined to keep her feelings hidden.

"He’s just so good that I’m almost immersed in it," she replied, her voice light but edged with a hint of forced cheerfulness. Her half-smile lingered, a carefully constructed facade designed to deflect his attention. Inside, however, her heart ached with the weight of unspoken words.

Song Chengfeng, satisfied with her explanation, smiled with the easy confidence she had always admired in him.

Nodding in agreement, he said with pride, "Well, that’s because you’re a talented author."

His tone carried a note of genuine admiration, a warmth that should have comforted her. Yet, Qi Jianyi felt her chest tighten as his praise reached her ears. If only he could see through her mask and realize the depth of the struggle she kept buried inside.

"I am." Despite the whirlwind of complicated emotions churning inside her, Qi Jianyi replied with a smile that seemed effortless.

She wore the expression like a mask, as though it truly mirrored the confidence he saw in her. Her words, light and agreeable, concealed the inner conflict she chose not to share.

Song Chengfeng, watching her accept his compliment so easily, felt his heart swell with affection. Her smile, even if he didn’t know the layers beneath it, was enough to draw him closer.

Unable to resist the pull of his emotions, he leaned in. His hand found the curve of her neck, warm and steady, as he tilted her face toward his. Without hesitation, he pressed his lips to hers in a swift, stolen kiss that left Qi Jianyi wide-eyed and stunned.

"Why so sudden?" she asked, her voice carrying a note of surprise as they parted.

Her fingers unconsciously brushed against her lips, still tingling from the unexpected intimacy. The kiss had been brief, fleeting like the touch of a butterfly’s wings, but it was enough to leave a lingering warmth between them.

Song Chengfeng, however, seemed entirely unbothered by her question. If anything, he looked even more at ease, his happiness radiating in the soft curve of his smile. His eyes lingered on her face, and he exhaled her name like a tender confession.

"Jianyi..." he whispered, his voice low and intimate, his breath mingling with hers. "You’re so beautiful."

The sincerity in his tone was undeniable, and for a moment, time seemed to pause as his words hung in the air, echoing between them.

At that moment, hearing his heartfelt compliment spoken in such a gentle, soothing voice, made her heart skip a beat. Qi Jianyi stared at the man before her, her eyes lingering as she struggled to find the right response.

Yet, no words came to her, leaving her in a silence that felt both comforting and unnerving.

This man, Song Chengfeng, was no longer just a companion. He was becoming something more—something precious and fragile. Qi Jianyi realized this undeniable truth with a sinking feeling in her chest.

Song Chengfeng has become her weakness, and the weight of that realization filled her with a deep, paralyzing fear.

It was a fear she had carried silently for what felt like an eternity, but now it loomed larger than ever. She was terrified—terrified that she would begin to want this world, to stay in it longer than she should. That Song Chengfeng, with his unwavering devotion and gentle words, would become the reason she forgot her real world.

Before, she had no ties, no reason strong enough to anchor her to this world. She had nothing and no one to hold her back from returning to where she truly belonged. But now, things have changed. Everything had changed.

She had Song Chengfeng. The man who so openly and confidently claimed himself to belong to her. The man whose presence had carved a space in her heart she hadn’t known was empty.

And yet, Qi Jianyi knew the truth she couldn’t escape: one day, she would have to let this man go. The thought weighed on her like a storm gathering in her chest, a prelude to a heartbreak she couldn’t bear to imagine.

It was no longer a choice, it has become fate. Because her body was dying and she didn’t know how to fix her body at all.

"Miss Yi, I’m done." Wen Renyue’s voice cut in, interrupting Qi Jianyi’s chaotic thoughts.

Meanwhile, Song Chengfeng, still oblivious to how his simple compliment had thrown his girlfriend’s mind into turmoil, smiled handsomely as he passed the microphone to her.

Qi Jianyi took a deep breath, pushing her distracting thoughts to the back of her mind. She accepted the microphone from his hand, her attention shifting to Wen Renyue to cover up her unease.

"Mr. Wen, what a good performance you’ve shown us," Qi Jianyi spoke, her tone calm and composed.

"It seems that you’ve studied Xu Yan’s character well," she continued, her words measured. "What do you think of Xu Yan? Do you think he’s arrogant and decisive for killing everyone after Ling An died?"

Wen Renyue, who had been visibly nervous before, relaxed slightly at her compliment. Though he couldn’t see her face from behind the one-way glass, he understood that the person evaluating him did not dismiss his efforts.

"To be honest, Miss Yi, I do not see Xu Yan as someone who was decisive in killing others. He did it to avenge Ling An, but that doesn’t mean he’s not guilty," Wen Renyue replied, stopping abruptly as if afraid he’d said too much.

Qi Jianyi nodded at his words, a smirk playing on her lips. "I don’t entirely agree with you on that, but I respect your perspective. Xu Yan isn’t a good person. His job was to assassinate people, after all. You could say he lived to kill. But when he met Ling An, he realized there was something in this world he wanted to save, something he wanted to protect. So, when he lost her, all he could do was continue killing. It’s what he was raised to do. In a way, the organization reaped what they sowed—they raised a killer, only to die by his hand." Her explanation was clear and deliberate.

"The emotions you portrayed earlier were impressive, but there are areas for improvement," she added, her tone shifting to one of constructive critique.

"Xu Yan doesn’t view the world like normal people do. His world lit up when he met Ling An. She taught him so much—about feelings, about life. When she died, his world crumbled. Rather than just heartbreak, what you need to convey is desperation. Of course, you showed a hint of it, but it was subtle." She stopped to take a breath and continue.

"Based on your earlier performance, the audience would only understand that you lost someone you love and were crying over that loss. But, Mr. Wen, Xu Yan didn’t just lose his lover—he lost his entire world. He wasn’t merely begging her to live, he was pleading for his entire world not to collapse."

"So, in the scene where he begs her to stay, you need to dig deeper. Show the audience how much Xu Yan treasures her. Make his desperation palpable. Then, after Ling An dies, bring out the heart-wrenching grief. That’s where the raw, unfiltered emotion should shine through. Xu Yan wasn’t just mourning a lover; he was mourning the person who taught him how to feel, the one who brought light to his darkness. He felt her life slipping away, and he was powerless to stop it. That’s the desperation and heartbreak you need to embody."

Qi Jianyi’s passion for her characters was evident as she spoke. She had become completely immersed in her explanation, her voice filled with conviction and dedication.

Unbeknownst to her, Song Chengfeng had been watching her intently the entire time. His expression softened, his gaze full of affection. He loved seeing her talk about her work. It was in these rare moments that Qi Jianyi’s excitement broke through her usual reserved demeanor, and he couldn’t help but adore her even more for it.

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