Chapter19

Mingzhou Ski Resort

Cen Zhen had absolutely no experience in skiing. In order to perform her best during the shoot, she almost every day arrived at the ski resort as soon as the sun rose and practiced repeatedly.

At 6 p.m., after practicing all day, Cen Zhen rested in a small cabin. She planned to have some water and then ski a few more laps. While taking a break, she glanced at her phone and noticed that Qiao Tingting had sent her a message a few minutes ago.

"Is Director Xie crazy? Gu Ying?"

Attached was a link.

Cen Zhen stared at the text on the link, and her drinking motion froze.

@Entertainment Express: Director Xie Qingzong's The Fall lead actress interacts with Gu Ying.

When she was with Song Wang, he had told her that among the many marketing accounts, this "Entertainment Express" was the most reliable, and it was rumored that a major platform held shares in it. Many of the news they shared were tests to gauge the market.

Cen Zhen never expected that it would be Gu Ying.

Gu Ying, being able to get into the Film Academy, obviously had some level of attractiveness. It had long been rumored that someone was backing her, which is why, after graduation, she kept getting resources, becoming one of the fastest rising stars among her peers.

But her acting skills were average, and for her to be in contact with a director of Xie Qingzong's stature was a shock to everyone.

"Gu Ying’s backer must be quite powerful if they can get Xie Qingzong’s resources."

"Can they stop pushing her so hard? Her acting, with that wide-eyed, pouty performance—does Xie Qingzong want to ruin his reputation?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. Didn’t Xie Qingzong say this film was aiming for next year’s Cannes? At least find an actress who can act."

"This is hard to judge. The original female lead was pure yet manic, requiring a lot of explosive power. Gu Ying… well, I wish her success."

Xie Qingzong had been silent for three years, working on the adaptation of The Fall. He had tested many actresses, including popular ones, and the whole team had high expectations for the film. The role of the female lead, Li Tao, was a target secretly fought over by many actresses of the right age.

Now, the news about the female lead broke, and naturally, it created an uproar online.

Netizens were discussing it, and Cen Zhen silently watched, recalling the day of the audition when Gu Ying had confidently wished her good luck.

Had she known from then that she would be the female lead?

Cen Zhen was deep in thought when Chi Yu, who had been waiting nearby, noticed something was off with her expression. He leaned over to look at her phone but couldn’t understand, "What’s wrong?"

Cen Zhen suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.

At first, she had auditioned for the movie on a whim. If she didn’t get the role, she wouldn’t complain, but clearly—

After a few deep breaths, Cen Zhen suppressed the emotions rising in her chest, closed her phone without saying a word, and replied, “Nothing, let’s go.”

Chi Yu didn’t understand but helped her check her protective gear. Together, they headed back to the slopes.

Bai Yan was practicing on another slope and hadn’t left yet. The coach saw Cen Zhen and waved at her, "The sun’s about to set. You two should do two more runs and then head back."

Cen Zhen nodded and was walking towards the slope when Chi Yu’s phone rang. Soon after, Cen Zhen heard Chi Yu’s excited voice from behind, "Zhenzhen, Aunt Hui is here! I’m going to pick her up!"

Cen Zhen was momentarily stunned, thinking, "There’s still a week until the official shoot, why is Aunt Hui here so early?"

Chi Yu dashed off, and Cen Zhen slowly walked to the slope.

Just as she crouched down to strap on her skis, Bai Yan noticed her unusual expression. He asked, "What’s wrong? If you’re too tired, we can stop and go rest."

Cen Zhen was still thinking about the role of Li Tao.

At 21, she hadn’t yet mastered the art of hiding her emotions. When she was upset, it was hard to conceal it on her face.

She lowered her gaze and shook her head, "Nothing, let’s go."

After nearly a week of intense, military-style training, Cen Zhen had gone from being unsteady in snow boots to being able to perform the simple moves required by the coach on the beginner slopes. To the coach, she was considered "talented."

But at that moment, as the wind whistled by her ears, the Weibo post she had just seen still lingered in her mind, distracting her.

When she reached the next slope, she lost her balance for a moment and tumbled, falling along with her skis.

Falls like this happened almost every day, and Cen Zhen had grown accustomed to it. But she felt a bit sorry that her distraction had indirectly affected Bai Yan.

Though Bai Yan didn’t mind, he quickly stopped and skied over to her. He squatted down to check if she was hurt, "Are you alright? Did you hurt your bones?"

Cen Zhen felt some pain, but it wasn’t severe, and she was sure nothing was broken. She struggled to get up, and as Bai Yan reached out to help her, just as his hand was about to touch her arm—

A figure suddenly appeared in front of them.

He blocked the setting sun, casting a large shadow and chilling the snowy landscape around them.

The snow-covered mountains before sunset were especially beautiful. When the sun was between 4 and 6 degrees below the horizon, the sky turned a cool, bluish hue. Not far away, the ski lodge had already turned on its warm yellow lights. The two contrasting colors intertwined, creating a tender, soft contrast.The world was silent, and it felt as though reality and fantasy could no longer be distinguished.

When Cen Zhen looked up and saw the face of the person in front of her, she suddenly remembered something she had read in a book:

Blue hour, every second holds the potential for romance.

But what if it was Meng Fanchuan?

The entire world seemed to be soaked in a blue haze, and Cen Zhen’s snow goggles fogged up. She thought she must be seeing things. Just a moment ago, she had muttered a few words of frustration under her breath, and now, here he was, appearing right in front of her?

It wasn’t until Bai Yan slowly stood up that Cen Zhen snapped out of her daze.

The man standing in front of her, though Cen Zhen didn’t recognize him, her instincts told her that the hand Bai Yan had extended might not be suitable anymore.

The aura around him was young, proud, and there was a warning in it.

Bai Yan didn’t say anything more and skied off to the other side of the slope. As he left, Cen Zhen finally snapped back to reality, staring at the familiar face in front of her. A voice in her head repeated over and over:

It’s him.

He’s here.

Her calves, which had been feeling fine, suddenly shot with pain.

Cen Zhen knew she should probably show a happy face, but in truth, she wasn’t happy. She tried to get up again, but Meng Fanchuan didn’t say anything. He just looked at her, then slowly extended his hand.

His hand had distinct knuckles and blue veins, looking very strong.

Cen Zhen saw it, but she lowered her head and stubbornly pretended not to notice.

She clumsily tried to stand up on her snowboards, but it seemed like the heavens wanted to see her embarrassed. As soon as she stood upright, she triggered the pain in her calf. She staggered and ended up making a more embarrassing move—

She fell straight into the man’s arms.

Her hands landed on his chest, and like a little deer clinging to him, she found herself hanging on.

Cen Zhen: "..."

Her body, which was already close to freezing, stiffened even further.

"I'm sorry." Cen Zhen apologized, flustered and awkward, relieved that she was wearing a helmet. Her goggles perfectly hid her embarrassed expression. Finally managing to pull away from Meng Fanchuan’s support, she steadied herself and asked, “Why is Young Master Meng here?”

Meng Fanchuan’s voice seemed to have been chilled by the mountains around them, and it was hard to hear clearly. "I had a layover here and thought I’d come by to take a look."

Cen Zhen nodded, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw her coach and Bai Yan both watching her. She distanced herself from Meng Fanchuan and said coldly, "I still need to practice some more."

Meng Fanchuan didn’t argue; he just gave her a quick glance and asked, "Is your leg alright?"

Cen Zhen quickly shook her head, afraid he might do something dramatic like those overbearing CEOs on TV, picking her up and carrying her back to the hotel room, announcing to the world that she was his woman.

Thankfully, Meng Fanchuan didn’t seem to have that kind of hobby.

He simply turned around and walked away. When Cen Zhen looked up again after a while, he had already disappeared. Down at the foot of the mountain, Chi Yu and Wen Hui were standing together, waving at her.

Bai Yan, who had been waiting, slowly skied over to Cen Zhen. "Did your boyfriend come to visit?"

After all, it was obvious to anyone with normal eyesight that there was something unusual between Cen Zhen and Meng Fanchuan.

Cen Zhen felt awkward being asked and shook her head, afraid that Bai Yan would ask more questions, so she took the initiative to move ahead.

Bai Yan saw she didn’t want to say more, so he quietly followed her.

The coach gestured from the side, and with a command, Cen Zhen started her second run. She skied down the slope, trying her best to ignore the pain in her calf.

She had already made a mistake once, and she couldn’t afford another.

Luckily, the second attempt was successful. Cen Zhen and Bai Yan both completed the required moves perfectly. But when they reached the end of the slope, Cen Zhen could no longer hold herself up. She collapsed to her knees and fell.

Everyone froze for a moment, then rushed toward her. "Zhenzhen!"

There was a small cabin next to the ski equipment hall, which had been reserved for Cen Zhen and Bai Yan by the production team. It was a place where they could warm up, have some coffee, or enjoy the snow scene from the window.

At that moment, the small cabin, though not spacious, was crowded with people.

The coach called in a doctor from the ski resort. Cen Zhen sat in a chair, removing her thick snow outfit, while Chi Yu wrapped her in a long down jacket, leaving only a portion of her smooth calf exposed.

Meng Fanchuan sat across from her on the sofa, occasionally furrowing his brows.

“It’s nothing serious, just the same place from last time. It hasn’t fully healed,” the doctor said after a brief examination. He confirmed that no bones were injured and sighed, "I told you to reduce your training, but you’ve been practicing hard every day."

When the doctor finished speaking, Meng Fanchuan cast a vague look at Wen Hui, who immediately understood his unspoken message. She then looked at Chi Yu, and two heavy burdens seemed to press down on him. Chi Yu panicked, quickly turning to Cen Zhen, signaling:

It’s not my fault if she insists on doing this.

Thankfully, no one had any intentions of reprimanding anyone. After the doctor gave Cen Zhen some instructions and recommendations for post-treatment, he left the cabin.

Once the doctor, coach, and Bai Yan had all left, the cabin finally became quiet.The room was instantly emptied, leaving only the people from their own side.

Chi Yu, nervous that her brief moment of happiness as an assistant was about to come to an abrupt end, rushed to explain herself. But Wen Hui raised her hand to stop her. “Let’s go outside first. The second young master has something to ask Cen Zhen.”

Chi Yu froze, her gaze shifting to Cen Zhen. She suddenly thought of something and quickly began to explain, “I’m sorry, Young Master Meng. The last time you called Cen Zhen, I accidentally cut off the call. Please don’t blame her. She didn’t know anything, she was in training at that time.”

Cen Zhen tried to return the call later, but Meng Fanchuan didn’t answer, leaving Chi Yu in a state of panic for quite a while.

This was the first time Wen Hui had seen such a clueless girl, but she was also sincere and endearingly cute. With a helpless smile, she tugged at Chi Yu’s arm. “It’s not your fault. Let’s go.”

Finally, the room was cleared, and only Cen Zhen and Meng Fanchuan remained.

Since she entered, Cen Zhen had not looked at Meng Fanchuan. At this moment, she still kept her head lowered, paused for a moment, and stood up silently, saying without looking at him, “I’m sorry, I didn’t do it on time—”

“What’s bothering you?” Meng Fanchuan interrupted her, cutting her off directly.

As smart as he was, he had noticed something off about Cen Zhen when they were on the ski slopes.

Cen Zhen froze for a moment, a flicker of emotion flashing in her eyes. She stubbornly glanced to the side. “Nothing.”

Meng Fanchuan leaned back, drawing out his words casually. “I don’t like guessing.”

The words came with a hint of pressure, but Cen Zhen remained still, continuing to silently look in the other direction.

Her whole body was wrapped in a large down jacket, and only her calf, which had been treated with medication, was exposed. It was smooth, pale, and eye-catching.

Meng Fanchuan stared at her, his lighter spinning in his hand, until he finally lowered his gaze and said coldly, “If you really don’t want to talk, I won’t ask again.”

The second young master of the Meng family, who usually couldn’t be bothered to talk to anyone, obviously didn’t want to become one of those people who kept pushing.

A brief yet long silence stretched for more than ten seconds. Cen Zhen’s chest rose and fell slightly. Finally, she turned back to face him, took a deep breath, and said, “You lied to me.”

“?” The sudden accusation confused Meng Fanchuan. “Lied to you about what?”

Though she really didn’t want to bring this up, the foundation that had been supporting her collapsed. Cen Zhen couldn’t just sit back and accept it.

If it was a deal, it should be based on honesty.

“When we signed the contract, you said the female lead for Falling would be given to me.” Her voice was a bit hoarse.

Meng Fanchuan, now understanding the reason, let out a light chuckle and asked indifferently, “So? Who said it wasn’t you?”

Cen Zhen pulled up the Weibo post she had seen earlier, showing the phone to Meng Fanchuan. “The other side already sent out the press release.”

Meng Fanchuan glanced at it. “I can’t see it.”

Cen Zhen pursed her lips and took a small step closer to where he was sitting.

Meng Fanchuan remained silent, giving her a look as if saying, “I have eyes, not a telescope.”

Cen Zhen: “…”

She suddenly didn’t feel like showing him anymore. What was the point of reasoning with him? The contract was already signed, and she had no way of dealing with him.

She lowered her phone. “Forget it, I won’t show you.”

But Meng Fanchuan didn’t seem ready to let it go. He patted the spot next to him, almost like a command. “Come here.”

Cen Zhen, still angry, didn’t want to go over.

But the tension hung in the air, and after only three seconds, she relented and moved a step closer.

The two were now face to face, less than a meter apart. The closeness, yet the distance that couldn’t be bridged, caused Meng Fanchuan to feel suddenly irritated. Without warning, he reached out and pulled her closer.

Cen Zhen was startled, stumbling as she landed in his lap.

As she tried to get up, she found that his strong hands silently held her in place.

Cen Zhen: “…”

The distance between them closed quickly, their bodies pressed together in a somewhat ambiguous way. Cen Zhen’s heart raced, but there was nowhere to escape.

The last time they were this close, on the night before their separation, his eyes had the same scorching intensity that seemed to swallow her whole.

Meng Fanchuan gently lifted her wrist, looking at the content on her phone screen.

He then scoffed lightly and said, “Should I send out a press release saying I’m the male lead? Would that make it true?”

His words, laced with his breath, landed in her ear, impossible to ignore. Cen Zhen’s heart skipped a beat, but she still pretended to remain calm, refusing to look at him or speak.

Her emotions were a tangle—fear, anger, and a hint of grievance.

The role she most wanted had slipped through her fingers, and now, she had to sit in his lap. The capitalist truly never makes a losing deal.

But Meng Fanchuan only picked up on one of her emotions. After a brief silence, he tugged at his lips with an almost imperceptible smile. “So, now I have to comfort you too?”

“How could that be?” Cen Zhen dared not act coquettish or ask for comfort. Taking advantage of his distraction, she stood up again, her voice low. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.”As she stood up, Meng Fanchuan noticed the faint red tint in her eyes, which somehow made her seem pitiful.

That feeling of having his heart stripped away and falling again resurfaced. He paused for a moment, helplessly turned his face away, and pressed the speakerphone button on his phone, dialing out.

After a few rings, the call was answered. “Young Master Meng?”

“Director Xie.” Meng Fanchuan’s voice was flat, like that of a machine devoid of emotion, only asking for the answer to his question. “Who is the female lead for Falling?”

Xie Qingzong hesitated for a moment. “It’s Xiao Cen, didn’t you already know? But don’t tell her yet, so she won’t get distracted while filming the promotional video.”

“Thanks.” Meng Fanchuan politely hung up the phone.

Throwing his phone aside, he lifted his gaze and looked at Cen Zhen. “Are you still leaving?”

After a brief, subtle silence—

Cen Zhen pressed her lips together, very much aware of the situation, and silently sat back down on Meng Fanchuan’s lap.