Chapter23

Cen Zhen had no skills, passively following Meng Fanchuan’s lips and tongue as he pushed forward, pulling her closer, kissing until her shirt was a mess, until the blanket slipped off, until she was nearly suffocating in his embrace before he finally let go.

The feeling of his lips leaving hers was replaced by the heat of his breath, still burning on her skin.

“Don’t move.” Meng Fanchuan pressed his forehead to hers, not letting go, and said softly, “Let me hold you for a little longer.”

“…”

Cen Zhen could somehow sense his feelings at that moment. She didn’t resist, letting herself be held tightly by him, like a captured prey, slowly pulled closer, more deeply, completely embraced into his bones and blood.

After nearly ten days of exhaustion, Meng Fanchuan finally found a moment of relief.

Cen Zhen soon realized that he had fallen asleep again. He lay quietly on the sofa, seemingly forgetting all emotions for a brief moment.

Cen Zhen tried to get up without making a sound, but the person beside her seemed to have some kind of special sensitivity. As soon as she moved, one of his hands locked around her, holding her firmly.

Cen Zhen: “…”

Fortunately, the sofa was large enough. Though it might be a bit cramped for both of them to lie down, the position they were in, holding each other, seemed to fit perfectly.

Cen Zhen had no choice but to stretch out her hand and pull the blanket over them.

The lights in the room turned off, and the room fell into pitch-black darkness. For the first time, Cen Zhen slept in the arms of a man. She could feel Meng Fanchuan’s heartbeat, and every sense seemed to be overtaken by him, slowly, subtly blending the previously unfamiliar territories between them.

It seeped into every breath she took.

By November, the city of Hu Cheng had become cold.

But tonight, Cen Zhen didn’t even realize she had forgotten to turn on the air conditioning.

This strange warmth lasted until the morning when she woke up. Cen Zhen opened her eyes, only to realize she was lying in a bed.

She sat up in confusion, vaguely remembering last night. Just as she was wondering whether it had all been a hazy dream, Meng Fanchuan suddenly entered the bedroom.

He had changed clothes, now wearing a black shirt that had been left at home earlier.

“Awake?” He asked as he buttoned his shirt.

The “afterward” gaze made Cen Zhen feel somewhat awkward. She lowered her eyes and asked, “How did I end up in bed?”

He replied, “You made me uncomfortable sleeping with you like that.”

Cen Zhen froze, feeling wrongfully accused, her face turning red and her ears burning. “You’re the one who wouldn’t let me leave, holding me the whole time.”

Meng Fanchuan finished buttoning his shirt, lowered his head with a slight smile, and walked over to sit down in front of her, leaning slightly toward her. “Do you do everything I tell you?”

Cen Zhen’s heart inexplicably rose to her throat. She didn’t know what he was hinting at, but after a brief pause, she still replied with a faint “Mm.”

How could she not?

Being held by him, using his resources, sleeping in his house, of course, Cen Zhen obeyed everything.

But Meng Fanchuan was only joking.

If his emotions hadn’t been on the brink of collapse, so hard to release, he wouldn’t have called her right after getting off the plane the previous day. When he couldn’t reach her, he came straight to her house to wait.

But he had promised her this apartment to stay in, and him showing up here was already breaking that promise. Not to mention staying the night.

Even though Cen Zhen had agreed, it still wasn’t something he could be proud of.

The most important thing was that Meng Fanchuan wasn’t sure if he could control himself again the next time, if there even was a next time, and if he could still hold her like he had last night, pulling her back to bed.

He certainly wasn’t a gentleman.

“Director Xie said he’s very satisfied with the promotional video.” Meng Fanchuan calmly changed the subject, “He praised you for doing a great job.”

Cen Zhen was surprised. “It’s already out so soon?”

“A four-minute video is no small feat. The Mingzhou government wants it online next week. The company is speeding up the post-production. You can go see it later.”

His tone was calm, completely different from yesterday. But Cen Zhen could still sense the underlying tension in him.

She paused for a moment and moved closer to him. “What about you?”

Thinking she was asking about the promotional video, Meng Fanchuan answered, “I haven’t had time to see it yet.”

Cen Zhen shook her head. “That’s not what I meant.”

Meng Fanchuan looked at her, as if he understood her meaning. He gently rubbed her head. “Your grandfather is fine. He’s already been moved to a regular ward.”

Cen Zhen closed her eyes and let out a breath of relief, her heart instantly settling. Meng Fanchuan noticed her anxiety and said, “Were you very worried about him?”Was she worried?

But it was an elderly man she had never even met—what was there to worry about?

She hadn’t worried about anyone.

Cen Zhen turned her gaze away. "Anyway, it’s good that nothing happened."

Meng Fanchuan stared at her for a moment before gently pulling her into his embrace. "I’m sorry, I couldn’t go back to Mingzhou with you."

To outsiders, Zhuang Tai had merely fallen and been hospitalized. No one knew how many treacherous hearts this fall had unearthed, how much blood and chaos it had stirred. Behind the glory of the wealthy family lay a ruthless game of politics, where even before someone passed away, a grand show was already being prepared, complete with fanfare.

Meng Fanchuan hated it deeply, and he really couldn’t tell Cen Zhen everything, couldn’t feed her all that negativity.

This was the first time Cen Zhen had heard him speak like this—not so distant and high above, and his apology was gentle. "But the promotional video was about to start shooting. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid it would distract you."

Indeed, if Meng Fanchuan had told Cen Zhen from the start that Zhuang Tai had been hospitalized and was in critical condition, she would have certainly worried.

He thought of her, but she had stubbornly blamed him for so long.

"I didn’t."

Cen Zhen’s voice was strangely hoarse. She rested her head against his chest, and that sense of being unable to distinguish between truth and illusion spread through her body and up to her mind. At times, it was the warmth of his embrace that confused and intoxicated her; at other times, it was the distant, unreachable mountains behind him.

She knew she couldn’t cross over, and the other person might not even be walking toward her.

But in this moment, it didn’t matter.

Cen Zhen thought of Bai Yan’s words: "Everything is the best arrangement."

She quietly awaited fate’s arrangement.

The two embraced for a while. Meng Fanchuan patted her back and stood up. "Aunt Hui and I are going to Ciming Temple in Ningnan. My uncles have arranged several rituals over there. We’ll be gone for about four or five days. We’ll come back once we’re done."

Ciming Temple was the most prestigious temple in the country, with many officials and celebrities making donations there. Many Hong Kong tycoons believed in feng shui and metaphysics, so it was normal for them to go there to pray for the elderly who had just come out of danger.

But her promotional video was set to launch next Tuesday at noon.

Cen Zhen had originally thought that even if their relationship had started in such a way, at least they would share some different memories. He taught her to ski, taught her techniques, and she successfully used the moves he had taught her during the shoot.

She had thought about witnessing the moment it went live with him.

But since he had something to do—

Cen Zhen said nothing, simply nodding in agreement. "Okay, you’re busy."

Meng Fanchuan left for Ningnan that same day. Over the next few days, the promotional video for the Ski Festival was being worked on around the clock.

Skiing hadn’t been a very popular sport in the country in the past, but with the rise of many skiing stars at the Olympics, more and more young people had fallen in love with this sport that merged with nature.

Mingzhou was holding its first International Ski Festival, and many world-class skiers would gather there, making it a rare opportunity to showcase the city to the world.

As a result, the government attached great importance to it, and netizens were concerned as well. They kept complaining that such a big event didn’t have enough publicity. Finally, the official promotion came out on the last day of November, launched across all platforms.

Before clicking, netizens thought: "Alright, a four-minute video. Just going to slap something together and call it a day."

But once they clicked: "Whoa, is Xie Qingzong making a movie here?"

Who would’ve thought that Xie Qingzong had turned a promotional video into a stunning, fantasy-filled Chinese-style film?

Earlier versions of the promotional video had focused on Mingzhou’s millennia-old landscapes, beautiful but somewhat lacking in novelty. Xie Qingzong, however, seized upon something everyone else had overlooked:

The famous martial arts novelist Jin Lei was from Mingzhou. His hometown’s thousand-year history had been his original material and inspiration.

Xie Qingzong combined Jin Lei’s martial arts world with the Ski Festival, creating a breathtaking aesthetic feast.

The scene opened with the sound of an ancient zither, showing a woman in a red dress and veil, barefoot in the vast snowfield, her figure graceful.

The sheer fabric clung to her slender body as her sleeves fluttered, her waist twisting and spinning like a delicate flower blooming in the purest of places.

The zither’s music quickened, joined by the sound of flutes and drums, as if danger was approaching. She danced faster, her skirts flying, and her eyes, glimmering in the snowstorm, exuded charm. She moved like a celestial being, but the next moment, that charm turned into a sword hidden beneath red silk, striking at a man in white, his face hidden beneath a conical hat.

When the veil fell, the camera finally revealed Cen Zhen’s face.

The bullet screen exploded:

“??!! What the heck!”

“I’m not joking, I got goosebumps.”

“Damn, that gaze is a bit lethal—beautiful and fierce at the same time.”

“High-energy ahead! High-energy!”

The scene switched from the snowy field to Mingzhou’s ancient city wall, then to vast bamboo forests, with the mysterious dancer and swordsman engaging in a minute-long fight scene that flowed like water, clean and crisp. Just as everyone was wondering what this had to do with the Ski Festival, the high-energy moment that left netizens shouting finally came.

During a mid-air spin in the bamboo forest fight, the scene seamlessly shifted to the modern snowy slopes. With powerful music, the two, dressed in matching ski outfits, also flew through the air, landing gracefully, as if time had shifted. With stunning special effects, the audience was left exhilarated."My martial arts dream has actually merged perfectly with skiing?"

"This shot is so cool, I’ve got goosebumps again..."

"The story of 'Kunlun Mountain’s Senior Brother and the Beautiful Dancer Assassin Accidentally Turning into a Skiing Master'"

"Thank you!! I’m totally pumped!"

"That leap must have crossed at least 3,000 years, right? Damn, it’s so cool!"

Netizens were not unfamiliar with Bai Yan; his breakout role was similar to this one, and this promotional video reinforced the public's impression of his gentle and elegant demeanor.

But Cen Zhen was different.

Xie Qingzong’s choice of female lead had never been wrong, and this time was no exception.

Her unfamiliar yet stunning face was cold and graceful, breathtakingly beautiful, and the moment she posed with her sword, she almost instantly became a goddess.

That afternoon, a wave of netizens surged to Cen Zhen’s Weibo, following the official introduction.

Cen Zhen’s Weibo followers skyrocketed from just a few hundred to over 200,000 in one night.

Her mother, Xiao Yunqi, finally saw her daughter’s work and sent numerous excited messages saying that students, neighbors, and colleagues had all watched the promotional video, praising Cen Zhen’s beauty and how well she performed.

Qiao Tingting, recording her new album in Beicheng, was also shocked and sent a message: "Wow, wow, wow! It's been over a month, and you’ve been hiding this huge surprise from me?"

Classmates, who usually seemed like strangers, also suddenly started messaging her, as if they had remembered they had a classmate named Cen Zhen, some catching up, others congratulating her.

As the vice president of the company, seeing the enthusiastic response from fans for an artist's first project, Wang Yuan was glowing with pride. He generously offered to host a celebration banquet for the team responsible for the short film.

Excited colleagues gathered to discuss where to go, but Cen Zhen quietly looked at her phone from the side.

She had opened Meng Fanchuan’s profile several times, wanting to ask if he had seen the promotional video, but she kept editing and re-editing the message, afraid to disturb him and his family. The short message never went through.

At that moment, the new front desk secretary knocked on the door, holding a bouquet of flowers, catching everyone’s attention with an exclamation, "Wow, what beautiful flowers!"

The secretary walked directly to Cen Zhen, handing her the bouquet. "The flower shop said this is for you."

The exquisite Ecuadorian roses from the equator were dazzling, with an enchanting magic that made one fall in love at first sight.

Cen Zhen stood frozen for a moment, dazed as she received the flowers, only to notice a card inside with no name, just a single sentence— "Miss Cen, you are stunning across both shores."

"Who sent our Zhen Zhen such beautiful flowers?"

"These flowers look expensive."

"It must be someone who admires her!"

Chi Yu suddenly rang the alarm bell, "Could this be a stalker already? Did they find out Zhen Zhen signed with our company?"

Cen Zhen didn’t know who sent the flowers. No one knew about her signing with Zhongshi, but the fact that the flowers arrived precisely when the promotional video launched suggested it had been planned in advance.

While she was guessing in her mind, Chi Yu suddenly pointed behind her, her eyes lighting up. "Aunt Hui? Young Master Meng!"

The office, which had been buzzing with excitement, fell into silence. Everyone turned around and stood up straight, saying in unison, "Young Master Meng."

Cen Zhen froze for a moment, instinctively turning around as well, only to see the person she had been wondering how to contact actually standing right in front of her.

He must have just returned, his shirt collar casually unbuttoned, exuding a certain carelessness. When Cen Zhen looked over, he raised his eyes, making brief eye contact with her.

It was a look that only they understood.

Cen Zhen’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head, pretending to look at the flowers in her hands.

"Young Master Meng, here’s some good news for you!" Wang Yuan, seeing Meng Fanchuan had arrived, couldn’t stop himself from praising, "Cen Zhen’s short film reached over a million views in just five hours and has been reposted by multiple official platforms. Zhen Zhen’s Weibo also gained almost 200,000 new followers, and her personal real-time search index is still rising. Tomorrow at noon, the promotional video will be aired on the National Sports Channel and Mingzhou TV. You could say—"

Wang Yuan continued non-stop, thoroughly pleased with himself, "This data is truly unprecedented."

"Is that so?" Meng Fanchuan’s gaze, intentional or not, fell on Cen Zhen’s face. "That’s good."

Wen Hui, seeing the lively scene, asked, "You all look so happy, what are you discussing?"

Wang Yuan eagerly spoke again: "Everyone has been working overtime on the post-production, so I thought I’d treat everyone to a meal to celebrate."

He immediately turned to invite Meng Fanchuan. "Young Master Meng and Aunt Hui, would you like to join us?"

Wen Hui and Meng Fanchuan had just returned from Ningnan, and to be honest, they were a bit tired. But Wen Hui knew Meng Fanchuan never participated in such gatherings. She didn’t want to dampen everyone’s spirits, so she took the initiative: "Alright, I’ll go. As for the second young master—"

"Together." Meng Fanchuan’s gaze silently shifted away from Cen Zhen, casually dropping two words. It was the first time he lowered himself to join a group activity.

"Great!" Chi Yu cheered the loudest. "How do we get there? Who has a car to give me a ride?"

Colleagues with cars immediately began organizing rides for those without. Wen Hui, with clear insight, waved at Cen Zhen. "Zhen Zhen, come with me and the second young master."Wen Hui’s words didn’t raise any questions among the others; after all, she was the leading lady of the company, so her treatment was naturally different. The group continued their discussion as they walked to the parking lot. Cen Zhen and Meng Fanchuan maintained a respectful distance, only until he got into the car did Wen Hui take the flowers from Cen Zhen’s hands and gave her a subtle look, silently urging, "Get in."

The figure in the car had already turned his gaze toward her without any concealment. Cen Zhen pressed her lips together and lowered her head as she sat beside him.

Once the door closed, the backseat became their private space.

"Wasn't it supposed to be five days?" Cen Zhen asked softly.

Meng Fanchuan naturally took her hand, "Finished early."

His thumb slowly traced across her palm, moving along each finger before locking his hand firmly into hers. What seemed like a mere touch between hands strangely carried a sense of intimacy, with an unexpected hint of tension.

The proximity made Cen Zhen’s face flush with warmth. Uncomfortably, she glanced at the front seat where Chen Xiang’an was sitting.

He was like a statue, still and unmoving, staring straight ahead with no inclination to look aside.

Cen Zhen allowed Meng Fanchuan to continue, but after a moment, she couldn’t help but ask, "Did you watch the promotional video?"

Meng Fanchuan definitely had seen it.

On the way back, he had been checking the real-time feedback about the video on his phone.

He saw all the awe and praise people had for Cen Zhen.

The thought that she was no longer just his to see made him feel a strange possessiveness, though Meng Fanchuan understood better than anyone—

He had always been a free bird, and how could he let Cen Zhen, like himself, be trapped in a beautiful cage?

"I watched it." Meng Fanchuan gently stroked her palm, pausing slightly before teasing with a light tone, "Miss Cen, you are stunning across both shores."

Cen Zhen’s eyes widened slightly, instantly realizing, "…It was you."

It was him who sent the flowers.

It was he who gave her the surprise, the romance.

"I was worried I wouldn’t make it in time, so I ordered the flowers early." Meng Fanchuan said casually, "Your first time, of course, I have to be there."

Cen Zhen stared at him, and suddenly memories of the Mingzhou ski resort flashed in her mind. She remembered their time together in Hong Kong— skiing, drinking milk tea at a busy intersection, taking photos, riding buses, kissing… even the Romeo balcony on the night they first met. He had accidentally walked into her shot, and then into her life.

Those moments, so much like a movie, were still vivid in her mind.

He had been with her, not just for this first time today.

Her heartbeat quickened, like vines growing, as though something was quietly sprouting. Cen Zhen lowered her head and suddenly reached for the car door, "Do you think Aunt Hui will throw away the flowers?"

Earlier, she didn’t care about who sent the flowers, but now…

She wanted to keep this first moment.

"It won’t be thrown away." Meng Fanchuan held her hand down, "Don’t worry, they’ll be kept at home."

Outside the car, Wen Hui saw everyone was already inside and naturally didn’t want to be the third wheel. She quietly walked to the side to open her own car.

But to her surprise, Chi Yu, with her keen eyes, noticed her leaving and immediately unbuckled her seatbelt, running over to Wen Hui. "Aunt Hui, why did you get out of the car?"

Wen Hui, stunned by the sudden appearance of the young girl, hadn’t figured out how to respond. Chi Yu blinked, "You’re not sitting in the car, can I? I’ve never been in such a fancy car before."

"Uh—no, wait—" Normally calm and composed, Wen Hui couldn’t react quickly and couldn’t find a reason to refuse. She could only watch as Chi Yu opened the Bentley’s passenger door and climbed in, then casually turned to Meng Fanchuan and asked, "Young Master Meng, is it alright if I sit in your car?"

Cen Zhen’s heartbeat shot up to 120, and she quickly pulled her hand away from Meng Fanchuan’s.

She knew Meng Fanchuan would probably insist on Chi Yu getting out, and to avoid the upcoming awkwardness, she hurriedly said, "…It’s fine, just sit."

"…" Meng Fanchuan’s words were on the tip of his tongue but had to be swallowed.

The atmosphere in the car shifted within seconds. Chen Xiang’an, who had been looking straight ahead, finally turned about 30 degrees, trying to give Chi Yu some subtle hints like "Why can’t young people be a bit more perceptive?", "Can’t you see the boss is in a relationship?", "Hurry and get out on your own."

However, the next second—

With a click, the young girl fastened her seatbelt and even smiled at Chen Xiang’an, "Uncle Chen, go ahead!"

Chen Xiang’an’s internal thoughts: …This is really enough.

In the backseat, Meng Fanchuan was almost amused, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Wang Yuan really knows how to pick people."

Chi Yu, oblivious to the veiled criticism, was still excited about sitting in a luxury car for the first time. She eagerly looked around, occasionally asking Chen Xiang’an questions, and then enthusiastically spoke about how popular Cen Zhen’s short film was.

Although she had entered the car at an inopportune moment, at least she hadn’t disturbed the backseat pair.

After two minutes of silence, Meng Fanchuan, restless as ever, grabbed Cen Zhen’s hand again.

Cen Zhen glanced at him, seeing the visible displeasure in his eyes, his low-pressure aura filling the car.

Thinking of how rebellious and arrogant he usually was, it was almost amusing to see him suddenly being controlled by a young assistant. Cen Zhen suppressed a smile, lowered her head, and allowed him to hold her hand.

The front seat continued chatting casually, while in the backseat, they silently held hands, not disturbing each other, until Chi Yu suddenly turned around to seek some mutual understanding on a new topic.“Hahaha, Zhen Zhen, don’t you think that person is especially funny?”

The young girl, who had been all excited just a moment ago, froze when she unexpectedly saw the company’s young master and the leading lady holding hands with their fingers intertwined.

This time, Meng Fanchuan didn’t let Cen Zhen pull away. He simply held her hand, looking at Chi Yu with an indifferent yet imposing gaze.

Cen Zhen: “…”

Chi Yu: “…”

The car suddenly fell into an awkward silence. Half a minute later, Chen Xiang’an quietly came to the rescue, silently raising the partition in the middle of the car.