Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 232 : The Empress’s Tale

Chapter 232: Chapter 232 : The Empress’s Tale

They all went to hospital together soon afterward.

Hua Xueying underwent a thorough medical inspection to record all signs of abuse inflicted by her husband.

Afterward, Lawyer Hui, Yan Renzhong, Shang Ruohai, and the doctor in charge retreated to a separate room to discuss.

They were soon joined by several police officers.

Shen Jingwei was left alone outside for some time, until Hua Xueying joined him.

"Heya," she greeted him.

"Hi."

Hua Xueying plopped down next to Shen Jingwei.

It was nearing midnight, and the lighting in the hospital corridors had been reduced to a minimum.

They could only see the outlines of each other’s figure.

"I am sorry for intruding on you and Yan Renzhong tonight," Hua Xueying said. "I didn’t have any other person who could help me."

The actress chuckled to herself.

"They called me ’Empress Hua’, but I am an empress who lives in the Cold Palace*. Unloved and uncared for."

Shen Jingwei turned to look at her.

"If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?"

He knew that Hua Xueying was married to a fellow celebrity, but the couple had been separated for almost two years now.

Which explained why Hua Xueying was so generous with her kisses.

Hua Xueying pulled her lips into a sad smile.

"My husband beats me almost every day after we got married," she began. "He always paid attention only to leave bruises in obscure places. After all, my face and body are my assets. Without them, I can’t continue performing on stage."

"I have been asking for a divorce for over a year now, but the process is long and arduous. He has a lot of support behind the curtain, making it very difficult for me to assert my rights."

"Why didn’t you report him for domestic violence?"

"Because, ahhh..."

Hua Xueying sighed.

"I was embarrassed to tell the entire world that I, Empress Hua, had chosen the wrong man to spend my life with. I don’t think my family members and friends will sympathize with me at all."

"So you would rather endure the mistreatment than destroying your public image?"

"Oh, yes."

"..."

Hua Xueying laughed when Shen Jingwei fell silent.

"In the entertainment industry, as soon as you become a celebrity, you have to stick to a certain standard.

Your and your husband have to be successful, your marriage has to be perfect, your children must excel academically, and even your pets need to win competitions."

"Celebrities are but human beings," Shen Jingwei pointed out.

"Of course, but we are the picture of perfect human beings that everyone strive to be."

"..."

Despite the dim lighting, Shen Jingwei could see tears gather in Hua Xueying’s eyes.

"That’s what I learned after staying in this industry for years."

"..."

Hua Xueying sighed to herself.

"Besides, it’s all my fault, anyway."

"... How so?"

"Well, I chose him. After I broke up with Yan Renzhong, I threw myself into messy relationships with men, not caring about my well-being at all. And that’s how I landed such a toxic husband."

Shen Jingwei could feel his chest tighten when Yan Renzhong’s name was mentioned.

"Yan Renzhong... Did he do anything to you?" He heard himself asking.

Hua Xueying gave Shen Jingwei a curious look.

"What, do you think that he also beat me up?"

"..."

Shen Jingwei’s silence made Hua Xueying giggle softly.

"No, silly boy. He didn’t beat me up. He was the most attentive, loving boyfriend I ever had. I was head over heels in him. And he was very good in bed too."

"..."

"Oh, come on. You didn’t think that we only went as far as holding hands, right? Besides, I understand that you and Yan Renzhong already separated at that point."

"Wait, you know about me?"

"Hahaha. Of course I do."

Hua Xueying leaned against the wall and sighed.

"You have always been his white moonlight."

"..."

When Shen Jingwei did not give a satisfactory response, Hua Xueying felt compelled to explain further.

"You know, the one who got away. The one he longed for but could never attain."

"I know what white moonlight means."

"Oh, okay."

"I just don’t know how you found out about me."

"Ahhh."

Hua Xueying clicked with her tongue once.

"I think it was the night of the Qixi Festival**. We traveled abroad together, had wonderful dinner, and went back to the hotel for an intimate evening.

We were both drunk, but Yan Renzhong drank a lot more than me.

Anyway, we still managed to have a good time. And right at the end of it, guess what happened?"

"... I don’t know."

"He called out to you. While he was still holding me, naked. He kept calling your name, and he kept saying he’s sorry."

Hua Xueying scoffed.

"I still had ample self-respect at that time. I didn’t want to stay with a man who was hung up on another person. So I dumped his ass, and here I am."

During the three years they were apart, Shen Jingwei used to think that he was the only one who suffered from the separation. It turned out that he was wrong.

Yan Renzhong too suffered.

Silently.

On his own.

"You should cherish him," Hua Xueying spoke again. "I have met a lot of men in my life, dated a fraction of them, but few can compare with Yan Renzhong. He is someone you can count on for life."

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Author’s note :

*Just in case my readers are not accustomed to Palace C-Dramas, unwanted concubines and sometimes empress were often thrown into a dilapidated palace called Cold Palace.

**The Qixi Festival, also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day, is a romantic festival celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. It is one of the most important traditional festivals in China.

The festival is based on a Chinese legend about a cowherd named Niu Lang and a weaver girl named Zhi Nü. They were separated by the Milky Way and were only allowed to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, when magpies would form a bridge across the Milky Way for them to cross.

The Qixi Festival is celebrated in various ways throughout China.