Chapter18

If this was a play, Cen Zhen felt that she was performing terribly, her expression and body language both radiating stiffness and awkwardness.

Even Meng Fanchuan noticed her unnaturalness. He lowered his head and looked at her, asking, “What are you doing?”

Cen Zhen swallowed, feeling embarrassed but trying to act calm. “…Trying to make you happy.”

Meng Fanchuan was perplexed by her sudden actions. After hearing her explanation, he was stunned for a moment. He remained silent for a few seconds, then gave a faint, inscrutable smile. “Is this how you make people happy, Miss Cen?”

Cen Zhen bit her lip and shook her head. “Of course not.”

“Then what do you mean?” Meng Fanchuan had yet to move. His voice, however, seemed to lower slightly. “Just like this with me?”

Cen Zhen suddenly didn’t understand what he meant. She raised her eyes, unguarded, and met his gaze. His eyes were dark and cold, looking directly at her without restraint, so intense that despite it being late at night, it felt inexplicably heated. It made Cen Zhen feel a sense of fear and danger. She hastily looked away and replied, “Mm.”

Such an absurd thing—of course, she had only done this once before.

But he still asked, “Why?”

“…”

Cen Zhen didn’t know how to answer his question.

Was it because you gave me resources? Is this my way of repaying you?

Though that was indeed the truth, Cen Zhen still felt ashamed to put herself in such a raw and naked conversation.

“Do you need a reason?” Cen Zhen said softly. “I just want to.”

The man in front of her fell silent for a moment, then slightly leaned toward her. “Miss Cen, do you think I’m too much of a gentleman?”

Cen Zhen, holding his waist, dared not move. In her heart, she answered—she didn’t.

In her perception of wealthy men like him, “gentleman” was never a term she associated with them.

Because she never thought of it that way, Cen Zhen always placed herself on an equal footing. She certainly wasn’t a gentleman either. She only wanted to be someone without emotions, a party in a transactional relationship.

The two stood together in a subtly ambiguous position. Cen Zhen lowered her eyes, her soft hands seemingly searching for a comfortable distance and angle, unconsciously tightening her hold on him, then loosening it again.

Again and again, she tried, crossing the line repeatedly.

It felt more like flirting.

Her fragrance quietly infiltrated the air, a faint, clean scent of soap, fresh and slightly sweet, mixing with the moist, pleasant breeze. It overwhelmed her senses—

Meng Fanchuan’s body grew warmer, a restless heat bubbling up. His gaze shifted away, and he gently rolled his throat twice.

When he looked back, he grasped one of Cen Zhen’s wrists.

He had originally intended to remove her hand, but something shifted in him. His body’s instincts took over. His wrist twisted, and he suddenly pulled her waist closer to himself.

—Out of nowhere, he thought of that new love.

“Are you testing me?” Meng Fanchuan’s voice was low, almost impossible to detect the slight rasp.

Cen Zhen was pressed against his chest, her whole body forced into proximity. She felt like a startled little deer, completely at a loss, her ears ringing with the pounding of her heartbeat.

“…I’m not,” she answered, too afraid to test him. She had merely tried to adapt, but it was clumsy and stiff.

Cen Zhen lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling lightly. “If you don’t like it, I’ll try something else next time.”

“Something else?”

They were so close that their breaths intermingled, burning her cheek with heat. Still, she struggled to answer, “Make you happy.”

A flash of emotion flickered in Meng Fanchuan’s eyes. He paused, and the hand resting on her waist tightened.

Through the thin knit fabric, her waist felt soft, as though it could fold under the slightest pressure.

The overwhelming silence around them only served to amplify the tension between them, suffocating in its intensity. It was as if the world had stopped spinning, and neither of them could make sense of the dizzying feeling.

Was it the loss of balance or the loss of reason? In this deep night, with the darkness concealing their eyes, Cen Zhen couldn’t tell, until suddenly, a loud engine roar interrupted—

In the dim sky, several lights appeared, moving closer. Moments later, a plane flew overhead, preparing to land.

The thick, sticky tension between them instantly snapped.

Meng Fanchuan released Cen Zhen and turned his head away.

“I heard you’re going to Mingzhou to learn skiing,” he said, perhaps wanting to change the subject to regain some semblance of calm.

Cen Zhen’s mind was blank. She hadn’t even registered what had flown overhead. Her heart was still racing, but she let him take control of the conversation, responding with a simple “Mm.”I originally thought Meng Fanchuan would continue the conversation on that topic, but he didn’t say anything further. He simply looked at a few planes landing, then turned and casually opened the car door. “Let’s go.”

Cen Zhen: “…”

He actually didn’t do anything.

Back home, Cen Zhen lay on her bed, the first time she had doubts about her own thoughts.

Was Meng Fanchuan really someone like Shen Zesheng?

Could it be that all along, she had been biased in her assumptions? Could he really just be a slightly warm-hearted, helpful rich young master?

Although the possibility was slim, perhaps, just perhaps, it was true?

Cen Zhen couldn’t see through him at all.

Cen Zhen tried to get a good sleep before heading out, but things didn’t go as planned. The moment she closed her eyes, she uncontrollably remembered the look in Meng Fanchuan’s eyes when he had held her that night. Beneath his seemingly calm exterior, there was clearly desire and danger.

—How could he possibly be a philanthropist?

The next day, Cen Zhen met up with Chi Yu at the airport. The company was keeping a low profile, not releasing any news about signing new talent, so Cen Zhen’s departure felt just like that of an ordinary person.

The plane landed at Mingzhou Airport at 2:30 PM. As soon as she got off the plane, Cen Zhen felt the legendary chill of the snow city, pulling her thin down jacket tighter around herself.

Chi Yu was also freezing, and after looking at her phone, she gasped, “Oh my god, it’s minus three degrees!”

It was only mid-October, and the temperature in Mingzhou had already dropped below freezing. The two girls, who had come from a city where it was still in the teens, were struggling to adjust. Fortunately, the staff sent by Wen Hui arrived on time to pick them up, and once they got into the car, they finally started to feel some warmth.

Xie Qingzong’s training base was located at the Guandong Film and Television Base in the suburbs of Mingzhou. It had rich equipment, and most importantly, there was a ski resort right next door.

When they arrived at the hotel, Cen Zhen found that she had been added to a new group chat.

The group was called the Ski Festival Promotional Film Crew, and there were already 19 members in it.

Cen Zhen must have been the last one added. Everyone had already updated their name cards.

The group consisted of core staff members related to the filming, including the director, assistant director, executive director, lighting and photography positions, and more. There were also ski instructors, martial arts instructors, and other key personnel. Additionally, there were teams from both Cen Zhen and Bai Yan, including managers and assistants.

Chi Yu was excited to be added to an internal group for the first time and immediately updated her nickname: Cen Zhen’s Assistant.

“If someone had told me a week ago that I’d be in the same group as Bai Yan, I’d never have believed it!”

Cen Zhen laughed and updated her name card, asking Chi Yu, “Do you like him a lot?”

“Of course!” Chi Yu was extremely pleased with her new job. “The gentle and refined senior brother he played is a white moonlight for so many girls. Don’t you like him?”

Cen Zhen had an impression of Bai Yan’s character. His acting was indeed good enough to make young girls cry.

But he wasn’t the type she liked.

After organizing her luggage, Cen Zhen glanced at her phone and suggested, “Let’s go check out the training location. We can’t be late tomorrow.”

Chi Yu nodded. “Okay, but wait for me a minute.”

After speaking, the little girl slipped out holding her thermos. When she returned, she was holding a cup filled with hot water. “It’s too cold outside, so I brought you some hot water.”

Cen Zhen hadn’t expected Chi Yu to be this thoughtful. A warmth inexplicably passed through her heart. “Thank you.”

The hotel arranged by Wen Hui was located in the city center, a bit far from the base. Luckily, a driver had been arranged to follow them, so the drive wasn’t too troublesome.

At the Guandong Film and Television Base, Cen Zhen and Chi Yu met the martial arts instructor, a friendly middle-aged man. He told Cen Zhen that during this time, she would need to master wire work and skiing, but she would also have to undergo special dance training.

“Dance?”

Cen Zhen suddenly remembered that during the audition, Xie Qingzong had unexpectedly asked her to perform a dance. At the time, she had thought it was related to the drama, but now it seemed that it was all part of the plan.

“Yes, the details will be clear when Director Xie arrives,” the martial arts instructor said, then suddenly waved behind Cen Zhen. “Bai Yan!”

Cen Zhen turned around and saw Bai Yan walking toward them with a young man. He was smiling slightly and greeted Cen Zhen, “When did you arrive?”

“Just now.” Cen Zhen smiled faintly at him. “I came to check out the environment and hope to adapt quickly.”

Bai Yan briefly spoke with his assistant before looking back at Cen Zhen. “There’s a great place in Mingzhou for iron pot stew. Last time we met so briefly. How about we get together tonight? Just to welcome each other?”

Chi Yu quickly interrupted, “Are assistants going?”

Bai Yan smiled, “Of course. Assistants need to eat too.”

Chi Yu eagerly tugged at Cen Zhen’s sleeve. “Let’s go, sister. I’ve heard that the iron pot stew in Mingzhou is really good.”

Cen Zhen knew that Chi Yu was eager to be close to her idol, but since Bai Yan had made such a kind offer, she couldn’t refuse. She agreed, “Okay.”

As night fell, the group walked around the training location before heading to the restaurant Bai Yan recommended. He had also invited the martial arts instructor and ski coach. The private room was lively, and there was a warm and friendly atmosphere. The two senior figures didn’t look down on Cen Zhen because she was unknown. Instead, they treated her with great care.

For the first time, Cen Zhen felt that perhaps the entertainment industry wasn’t as cold and heartless as she had imagined.While waiting for the dishes to be served, Chi Yu received a phone call from Wen Hui.

Wen Hui asked about their situation after they arrived, “How’s everything? Are you all settled in?”

“Don’t worry, Aunt Hui, everything’s great except for the cold,” Chi Yu said, glancing at Cen Zhen and Bai Yan at the table. With a smile, she added, “Tonight, Bai Yan’s treating us to dinner. A lot of people came, it’s lively.”

Hearing that everything was going smoothly, Wen Hui didn’t continue the conversation and simply reminded her, “Eat well, and make sure to take care of Zhenzhen.”

“Mm!”

After hanging up the phone, Wen Hui’s phone received another message. She opened it and saw that it was from the martial arts instructor in the newly created group chat. The message tagged Director Xie Qingzong:

“Director Xie, the advance team has assembled. /Laughing”

At that moment, Wen Hui and Meng Fanchuan were at the Christie's exhibition hall in Hu City.

Meng Fanchuan’s grandfather’s birthday was approaching. The old man didn’t have many hobbies, but he loved tea and had a significant collection of tea ware. Not long ago, the manager from Christie's had sent Wen Hui the autumn auction catalog, and there happened to be a black-glazed rabbit-hair tea bowl, which seemed perfect as a gift.

In the exhibition hall, the staff were respectfully presenting the items to Meng Fanchuan, who listened with only half an ear. Suddenly, a phone was handed to him.

Wen Hui: “Look at the photo in the group, Zhenzhen and the team are adapting well.”

Meng Fanchuan glanced at the photo. There were about seven or eight people in the picture, but Cen Zhen and the young man sitting beside her seemed particularly close.

He shifted his gaze back to the items, but after a few seconds, he asked Wen Hui:

“What group is this?”

At 9 PM, after finishing dinner, Cen Zhen and Chi Yu returned to their hotel rooms.

Mingzhou was even colder than Beicheng. Cen Zhen had brought a whole box of heating pads, and adjusted the air conditioning to a comfortable temperature beforehand. After her shower, she didn’t feel cold at all.

Lying on her bed, she intended to check the group chat to see what everyone was discussing, but she suddenly noticed that the original 19-person group had now become 20.

She opened the group details and saw that the last person to join had a black avatar and the name “Lewis.”

He hadn’t changed his nickname, and no one had asked about him. He just lay at the bottom of the list with little presence.

Probably because she had been traveling all day, Cen Zhen was about to see what the group was chatting about, but soon her eyelids grew heavy. Before she realized it, her phone slipped from her hand, and the intense fatigue finally overshadowed her curiosity about the new member. She fell into a deep sleep and didn’t dream the whole night.

The intense training schedule began the next day.

Most of the time, Cen Zhen and Bai Yan were separated. Bai Yan was learning to ride horses on the set, while Cen Zhen was in a room at the hotel practicing dance. Her dance teacher was from Mingzhou, around her mother’s age, graceful and beautiful, but with a dance style that was both flexible and strong.

As for the remaining tasks—

Bai Yan had already done film work, so he was familiar with wire work. Cen Zhen had no experience, but it only took her one day to master the technique.

For both of them, the hardest part was skiing, a skill they had no experience with.

It wasn’t hard to simply learn how to ski, but to present the sport elegantly and show off its charm was not an easy task.

Cen Zhen started with zero knowledge. She had to wake up every morning and spend the day at the ski resort, returning to the hotel only after dark. During that time, she learned how to brake, how to turn, and didn’t know how many times she fell, leaving bruises all over her body.

Every night, she made herself exhausted so that she could sleep deeply.

Because once she had insomnia, she would start thinking about Meng Fanchuan, remembering the breathless moment they shared that night.

The good thing was, during this time, Meng Fanchuan hadn’t disturbed her. It felt like that night’s intimacy was just an impromptu performance, and after it ended, the heat that lingered in her mind slowly cooled down.

She had no idea—

How the hand she had extended that night had changed the relationship between the two of them.

Far away in Hu City.

The autumn season was at its most beautiful, and the weather had warmed up recently, making people feel lazy and just wanting to relax.

Hua Xun had come to bother Meng Fanchuan early in the morning.

Recently, he had become obsessed with sea fishing, and it just so happened that Meng Fanchuan’s grandfather also loved fishing. There were several fishing boats of different sizes at the villa’s dock, which were usually idle. Since young master Hua asked, Meng Fanchuan, who rarely gave anyone face, agreed to accompany him on the boat.

The weather was great today, the sea reflected the sky, sparkling in the sunlight. The tide, the sea breeze, and the wine that Wei Shu had arranged beforehand made young master Hua very content and intoxicated.

“How come the car was driven for a whole night and then returned to me?” Hua Xun asked, being generous.

The sunlight was blinding. Meng Fanchuan, wearing sunglasses, lounged lazily on the deck. The wind raised the collar of his unbuttoned shirt. He sipped his wine and casually replied, “It wasn’t convenient.”

Hua Xun clicked his tongue, “Then just buy another one. You’re not short on money.”

Meng Fanchuan was uninterested, “Not interesting.”

He had seen and played with too many sports cars. When he was 20, he might have been passionate about trying different brands of supercars, but as he grew older, he had already settled on the steering wheel he liked most.

Everyone in the Beicheng circle knew that he owned a black knight, one of only seven in the world, with a license plate that was deliberately conspicuous.He was just like his personality—unique in Beicheng, rebellious and difficult to approach. Who would dare provoke him?

But such a proud person had now been sent to Hu City to reflect on his actions. Thinking about how he now obediently sits in a mature and steady car every day, Hua Xun felt exhausted for him.

Speaking of this matter—

“So, is your thing with that person real or fake?” Hua Xun’s curiosity couldn’t be held back anymore.

Meng Fanchuan glanced at him, “Who?”

Hua Xun cautiously replied, “The little model who made your dad’s blood pressure spike.”

Meng Fanchuan’s expression suddenly darkened, and he turned his head to look at the sea, “What do you think?”

Hua Xun had already guessed that it was just for show. He sighed, “Actually, the person from the Qin family isn’t bad. She’s liked you for many years. Why not just give it a try and stop making things so complicated at home?”

As soon as Hua Xun finished speaking, he sensed the intense gaze from the person next to him, which was directed straight at him.

“Just kidding, I’m just kidding,” Hua Xun knew Meng Fanchuan’s temperament, so he quickly shut his mouth. “Right, right, love is something you have to feel for yourself. You can’t force it.”

Meng Fanchuan was casually listening. After a few seconds, he suddenly asked, “What does it mean when a woman takes the initiative to hug you?"

Hua Xun widened his eyes, “Oh! Who is it? Who dares to hug our second young master Meng? The courage is quite big, huh?”

Everyone in Beicheng knew that Meng Fanchuan had his way with playing around, but he only played with things like skiing, cars, and other outdoor activities. He never touched women. Furthermore, his bad temper was well known. Even if a woman had thoughts of approaching him, no one dared to make a move directly.

Meng Fanchuan kicked him impatiently, “Just answer me.”

Hua Xun didn’t even bother looking at his fishing rod and eagerly analyzed, “Does it need to be said? If she takes the initiative, she either likes you as a person, or she’s after your money, status, or background.”

Hua Xun continued to analyze with great enthusiasm and leaned in to ask, “So, which one is it?”

But Meng Fanchuan didn’t respond. He only nodded slightly and reminded him, “The fish has bitten.”

Hua Xun quickly turned around and clumsily grabbed his fishing rod. Meng Fanchuan watched from the side, his thoughts drifting slightly.

He hadn’t seen Cen Zhen for six days. Technically, it wasn’t like they hadn’t seen each other. Cen Zhen sent him messages every night, obediently telling him what training she had done that day and wishing him goodnight.

But aside from that, there were no other words.

It was a strange push-and-pull, neither too close nor too distant, making Meng Fanchuan feel like he was the fish Hua Xun had caught—suspended in midair, neither going up nor down.

But how could she be the latter person Hua Xun mentioned?

If she were, she would have had plenty of chances by now. Would she still need to wait until now? Would she still need to reject others’ attempts to make her drink and end up looking so miserable?

She wasn’t that kind of person.

...

It was as if he had ruled out all other possibilities and come to a conclusion. Meng Fanchuan paused for a moment before suddenly feeling a surge of energy and picking up his phone to call Cen Zhen.

However, after several beeps, it said, “The number you have dialed is currently in a call.”

For the first time in his life, Meng Fanchuan, who was always the one to hang up on others or have people begging him to pick up, had his call hung up on him.

Hua Xun turned his head, “Who are you calling?”

“No one.” Thinking that Cen Zhen might be busy, the irritation in Meng Fanchuan’s chest eased after three seconds. Just as he was about to put the phone aside, WeChat pinged with a new message.

He casually opened it and saw the latest behind-the-scenes update in a group chat—

Skiing instructor: "Zhenzhen and Bai Yan’s first trial run."

Meng Fanchuan’s expression was unreadable as he clicked on it. Just a few seconds in, something in the video caught his attention. He slowly straightened up and even took off his sunglasses, as if trying to see clearly—

In the video, Cen Zhen and Bai Yan were wearing ski suits, with goggles on, skiing down the slope together. After switching a few moves as required, Cen Zhen accidentally fell and rolled a few times.

Bai Yan quickly stopped, returned to her side, and crouched down to check her injuries.

The two of them leaned close to each other, their closeness resembling that of a couple deeply in love.