Chapter 635: Promises
While Bruno and Liu Yimei were enjoying their tender moments in the luxury hotel suite, journalist Li Ming was on a call with Liu Yimei's mother.
"…Ms. Liu Lili, I am an honest person. If the price is right, I'll hand over the memory card to you without keeping any backups."
"Stop wasting my time! I won't give a scammer like you a single cent!" Liu Lili snapped angrily and hung up.
Li Ming glanced at the call duration displayed on his phone: 38 seconds. That was the entire negotiation time he got with Liu Yimei's manager and mother.
Shrugging, he muttered, "Alright then, if you're not interested in doing business, I'll just find someone who is…"
He immediately dialed the number of Song Dazui, a well-known figure in self-media circles.
"…Yes, I guarantee the authenticity of the photos. Ms. Liu Lili is lying. Liu Yimei isn't staying home to recover from any illness. In reality, she's strolling around Beijing hand-in-hand with a stranger! I can send one sample photo to your email so you can see for yourself…"
Li Ming uploaded a watermarked image from his laptop to the recipient's email and waited for a response.
Soon, Song Dazui called back with an offer. However, Li Ming wasn't satisfied.
"Don't you think that's a bit low for a star of Liu Yimei's caliber? Consider it again, sir."
...
Ending the call, Li Ming smirked confidently. He wasn't worried—he knew there would be plenty of buyers.
Any competent journalist would understand the significance of these photos and the kind of explosive news they could generate.
Li Ming began reaching out to other influential entertainment media figures. He made it clear to everyone interested that he was negotiating with multiple parties and would sell to the highest bidder.
While Li Ming was setting his price, Liu Lili was pacing back and forth in her room, completely distraught and clueless about what to do.
She couldn't confirm whether the caller—who claimed to be Li Ming—was telling the truth, but Liu Yimei had indeed returned to China after her Disney promotional work.
However, Liu Lili hadn't been able to meet her at the airport. Her calls to Liu Yimei's phone went unanswered, with an automated message saying the phone was turned off.
Fear crept into Liu Lili's heart. Could her daughter have been kidnapped?
Although China's public security was excellent, recent news reports of violent crimes and abductions were hard to ignore.
That's when Li Ming's call came in.
The call brought both relief and dread. Relief because it confirmed Liu Yimei was safe and hadn't been abducted. Dread because if Li Ming's claims were true, the image Liu Lili had painstakingly built for her daughter would crumble.
Would endorsement deals be lost? Roles in new shows? Protests from fans?
Desperate, Liu Lili decided to call the man who had introduced Liu Yimei to the entertainment industry years ago: Mr. Chen. Perhaps he would have a solution.
...
At 8 a.m., Bruno sat aboard a high-speed train bound for Chengdu, still savoring the lingering scent of Liu Yimei on his clothes.
He knew he shouldn't let his thoughts linger on her. After all, he was engaged—a man committed to someone else. Dwelling on another woman was undeniably wrong.
But he couldn't help himself.
Liu Yimei's allure was irresistible, especially for someone like Bruno, whose soul hailed from the East.
Bruno didn't know what the future held, but he was sure of one thing: the past two nights would remain some of the most unforgettable moments of his life.
In those two nights, he realized that he and Liu Yimei had been harboring feelings for each other for quite some time. They had simply never confessed.
Even now, after discovering their mutual affection, they couldn't be together. Their respective circumstances and Liu Yimei's career—where her personal life was closely scrutinized by fans—posed significant challenges.
"I don't know when we'll meet again, but I promise you this: when I have a break, I'll come to England to see you, Bruno."
Those were Liu Yimei's parting words to him before he left.
Bruno had asked, "What if I have time off? Can I come see you?"
She had hesitated, her face clouded with concern.
Bruno noticed and reassured her, "It's okay. I'll wait for you."
Afraid he had misunderstood, Liu Yimei hurried to explain, "It's just… my mom. You know how strict she is with me…"
"And this time?"
"I kind of snuck out," she admitted with a cheeky grin.
Bruno's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean, you ran away from home?"
Liu Yimei nodded proudly. "You could say that. But I have to go back soon. Thank you, Bruno, for giving me these wonderful two days."
...
As the train raced toward Chengdu, Bruno leaned back in his seat and gazed at the rapidly passing scenery—trees, grass, houses, and pedestrians all blurring together.
He felt as though he were leaving a dream and returning to reality. The high-speed train, traveling at an average of 300 kilometers per hour, was like a time machine, pulling him from one world back to another.
Finally, he was returning to a place that had haunted his dreams.
Meanwhile, back at Beijing West Station, Liu Yimei took out her phone, deciding to turn it on and let her mother know she was safe.
The phone rang for a few moments before her mother picked up.
"Hi, Mom. Good morning." Liu Yimei's tone was light and carefree, as though she'd just returned from a friend's birthday party.
"Oh, thank goodness… You can still talk to me like this after everything? My daughter!" Liu Lili's voice cracked with emotion, nearly on the verge of tears. "Tell me—where were you yesterday?"
Her mother prayed silently, hoping Liu Yimei's answer wouldn't be, "In Beijing."
(END CHAPTER)
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