Chapter28

Cen Zhen didn't come out of the bathroom until a long while later.

Chi Yu had just planned to come find her, and when he saw her walking out, he asked, "Why did it take you so long?"

Cen Zhen hid her emotions and shook her head as if nothing was wrong, "There were a lot of people in the bathroom, I had to wait in line."

Chi Yu didn't notice anything unusual and took her arm as he said, "Aunt Hui said the hotel we're staying at has a great buffet. You're already a celebrity now, so we don't need to go to crowded places. How about we just eat at the hotel?"

"Mm."

Cen Zhen didn’t let anyone notice the collapse of her emotions that had happened in just a few minutes. She couldn’t imagine what she had just heard, but it all felt so real. She should have expected this result, but somewhere along the way, she had fallen into the dream he wove for her, thinking he was different, thinking she was different, thinking their beginning was different.

But in the end, it was all the same.

She held herself together and had dinner with Chi Yu and Hui Wei. Later, back in her room, she sat on the couch, gazing out at the night view through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The woman's last words echoed in her mind again and again:

"Be lovers for eternity."

She lowered her head, burying her face in her arms, feeling as if she had woken from a beautiful dream, with only feelings of regret and absurdity left.

Her phone had been vibrating for a while. Cen Zhen finally gathered herself and picked it up. Seeing that it was a call from Meng Fanchuan, her fingers trembled slightly, but she answered it anyway, "Hello."

Meng Fanchuan asked what she was doing, and Cen Zhen slowly went to turn on the shower, "I'm a bit tired, I just want to take a shower and sleep."

Seeing her turning on the water to take a shower, Meng Fanchuan reminded her to rest early before hanging up the phone.

Cen Zhen turned off the water.

Not long after sitting back down in the living room, Chi Yu suddenly knocked on the door. "Zhen Zhen?"

Cen Zhen, tired, went to open the door. The first thing Chi Yu did after entering was to touch her forehead, "Are you okay?"

"What's wrong?"

"Young Master said your tone on the phone didn’t sound right, and asked me to come check if you're feeling unwell."

"…"

Cen Zhen lowered her gaze, trying her best to suppress the emotions bubbling up inside, "I'm fine."

But Chi Yu had already noticed that something was off with Cen Zhen. It seemed like she had been in a daze ever since they finished the photo shoot earlier that afternoon. She patiently sat beside her, "Did Young Master make you angry?"

Only a girl would understand another girl's feelings.

Cen Zhen was doing well now, her career was flourishing, what could she be troubled by?

If there was anything, it could only be because of feelings.

"He can't be that petty, is he still upset about the thing with Bai Yan?" Chi Yu thought for a moment and then felt it didn’t make sense, "But then again, he told me to come check on you, and it doesn’t look like he's angry."

Yeah, he would care for her like this.

But knowing how the future would unfold, why would she still do these meaningless things for someone else?

Chi Yu’s question made Cen Zhen’s concealed fragility crack open, but she still shook her head. After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked Chi Yu, "You arrived at the company earlier than I did, do you know why he came to Hu City?"

Back to the beginning of the story, Cen Zhen suddenly remembered what Song Wang had said—Meng Fanchuan had been sent to Hu City by his father because of something he had done wrong in Bei City. But after being together for so long, Cen Zhen had never been curious about what that mistake was.

She asked, and Chi Yu's eyes shifted, avoiding her gaze, "How would I know?"

Cen Zhen immediately recognized that Chi Yu was avoiding the question. "You know, don't you? Tell me, please."

"I really don't know. How would a small receptionist like me know about the big young master’s business?"

"…Xiao Yu."

Chi Yu was called out, feeling awkward, she twisted her hands for a while before sitting silently beside Cen Zhen, "I only heard some gossip from other colleagues. I don’t know if it's true, but to be honest, I think it's impossible."

"So, what is it?"

It took a long while before Chi Yu sighed and lowered her eyes, "They say Young Master Meng was caught by Meng Dong for playing around with models in Bei City, which made his father furious, so he was sent to Hu City to reflect on his actions."

The word "model" popped into Cen Zhen's mind, and she suddenly froze. Then she realized that on that day at the villa, Meng Wenruo seemed to have inadvertently mentioned something about it.

Back then, she said, "Meng Fanchuan’s ex-model..." She paused and then said it was his devilish temper. Now thinking back, if she was only talking about his temper, why was there that subtle pause?

So, she was actually about to say "model"...

It turned out even her sister had accidentally let it slip.Cen Zhen lowered her head and laughed self-mockingly. Chi Yu didn’t know what she was laughing at and hurriedly explained, “But I think Young Master isn’t that kind of person. He treats you really well.”

Cen Zhen finally understood why Wen Hui had kept her signing a contract with her under wraps from the start. It was all to hide Meng Songnian from Bei City.

To cover up the fact that the young master, who had made a mistake in Bei City, came to Hu City and didn’t behave, instead finding a new woman.

Cen Zhen laughed. “Do you think if my relationship with him were to be found out by Meng Dong, he would fly into a rage?”

Chi Yu froze for a moment and instinctively defended her, “How could that be? You’re much better than a model. You’re so good, you…”

Chi Yu also seemed to lose her words, not knowing how to continue. After all, getting into high society was never easy. The higher the family’s status, the more prejudiced they were against the entertainment industry and female celebrities. Chi Yu had long known that Cen Zhen’s path was tough. She paused and then, with a sense of regret, lowered her head and muttered:

“You’ll definitely shine, not relying on anyone.”

Yes, in the eyes of the world, a normal person like her, standing beside the unreachable aristocracy, wasn’t that just clinging on?

Cen Zhen stared absentmindedly at the flashing neon lights outside the window. She thought of Hong Kong, just a sea apart, and the movie-like memories she once had with Meng Fanchuan. Suddenly, everything felt so ironic.

Song Wang had taught her to be more realistic. She thought she had learned and tried, but unexpectedly, she had fallen into another even more unrealistic reality.

What had that woman said this afternoon?

The Qin family from Bei City?

Cen Zhen knew nothing about these rich families. She took out her phone and asked Qiao Tingtian who the Qin family from Bei City was.

Though Qiao Tingtian was puzzled by her sudden message, she still replied, "The Qin family from Yike Motors, they make cars. You might not know the people, but you must know their cars."

Cen Zhen of course knew.

So they were indeed a perfect match. Meng Fanchuan loved cars, and his fiancée’s family worked in the automobile industry—how could they not be a perfect pair?

And she?

A rookie actress who grew up in an ordinary teacher’s family, what could she possibly fantasize about standing by Meng Fanchuan’s side?

A sense of helplessness overwhelmed her. Cen Zhen felt as though she had suddenly woken up, not knowing what had led her to go so far down a path she now realized was impossible.

She had been foolish.

After finishing the ad shoot, the three of them flew back to Hu City the next day.

Cen Zhen didn’t mention anything about meeting the model in the bathroom at the photography studio yesterday. It was obvious that what the model had said to her was true. No one would dare to slander anyone from the Meng family, and rumors at the company didn’t come from nowhere. The essence of it all was—

It had really happened.

Meng Fanchuan had indeed been involved with a model, which had led to his father, Meng Songnian’s fury. The reason for his father’s anger was easy to guess.

How could the young master, about to get married, behave so recklessly with multiple women? How could he face the young lady from the prestigious Qin family?

But perhaps Meng Songnian didn’t expect that by sending his second son to Hu City to reflect, he would still "find a way" to meet Cen Zhen.

On the way back, Cen Zhen remained silent, feeling like she had returned to that moment when she woke from the dream, the pain broken and lingering in waves. Wen Hui had come to check on her once, asking if she was unwell, but Cen Zhen shook her head and continued to think in her heart.

Was there a day when Wen Hui would also give her money and say, "Fanchuan is getting married. Let’s part on good terms"?

She too would become one of his past mistakes.

Confused and numb, she returned to Junting Hui. Chi Yu was about to accompany her upstairs, but Wen Hui stopped her and subtly hinted at something. Chi Yu understood, handed the luggage to Cen Zhen, and said, "You should talk things out with Young Master."

Cen Zhen didn’t hear much of what she said. When she reached home and dropped the luggage, she realized the dining table in the living room was filled with prepared meals.

She stood there, dazed and numb, until a pair of hands embraced her from behind. The familiar scent whispered in her ear, easily penetrating her nerves and making her indulge in it. "Chi Yu said you haven’t eaten much these past two days, so I asked the chef to make the food you like. Are you hungry?"

Cen Zhen’s eyes flickered, and she held back the emotions swirling in her heart, gently pulling away from him. "I’m not hungry. I just want to sleep for a bit."

Cen Zhen didn’t realize that just hearing his voice made her uncontrollably want to embrace him, to kiss him.

She tried to avoid him, leaving the luggage and heading to the bed to hide. Meng Fanchuan noticed her lack of enthusiasm, followed her, and lay beside her. "What’s wrong?"

Cen Zhen grumbled, "I’m just a little tired."

But Meng Fanchuan turned her face toward him. "Didn't you have something to say to me? I’ve been waiting all day. Let’s talk before you sleep."

Cen Zhen felt heavy-hearted, the story so absurd that she couldn’t find the strength to speak those words anymore. After waiting for a long time, Meng Fanchuan, losing his patience, lightly tapped her nose. "Aunt Hui told me everything."

Cen Zhen looked up at him. "What?"

Meng Fanchuan paused for a moment, then smiled slyly, "You publicly announced you have a boyfriend."

The call from Wen Hui, no one knew what Meng Fanchuan was feeling. Perhaps it was just like waiting for the clouds to clear and the moon to shine. For so long, everything had been kept secret. Now, she was finally willing to admit it publicly. Few things in Meng Fanchuan’s life had brought him such joy. Cen Zhen’s willingness to acknowledge it brought him joy he couldn’t describe.

But the atmosphere wasn’t as warm and sweet as he had imagined.Cen Zhen simply responded, "Mm, yes."

After a few seconds of silence, she gently inhaled and said calmly, "I was afraid you'd be unhappy, so I made up that story."

Meng Fanchuan froze for a moment.

The atmosphere suddenly grew cold, heading in a direction that couldn’t be reversed.

"What do you mean?" he slowly retracted the smile at the corner of his lips.

"I could tell you weren’t happy that day, and I didn’t want you to be affected by something like this again."

Meng Fanchuan looked at the woman in front of him, feeling a strange sense of unfamiliarity. "Cen Zhen, I don’t understand what you’re saying."

Cen Zhen pressed her slightly trembling lips together. "Young Master Meng has given me so many opportunities; I shouldn’t be the one to trouble you."

"You can rest assured, I belong to you alone."

An invisible distance seemed to open up between them. Meng Fanchuan finally furrowed his brows. "What do you think I am to you?"

"A sugar daddy," Cen Zhen replied lightly. "Young Master Meng gave me two opportunities and even gave me such a big house to live in. Whatever I do for you is only right."

"..."

The unfamiliar words fell into his ears like a ridiculous joke. Meng Fanchuan felt as if his blood had frozen, and he laughed in disbelief. "Is this what you came back to tell me?"

Cen Zhen’s rationality at this moment turned into a sharp dagger. While she stabbed Meng Fanchuan with it, she was also stabbing herself deeply.

Meng Fanchuan was a sudden storm in her life. She had accepted his arrival, but she could no longer accept that he would eventually leave.

They were destined not to belong to the same world. Before falling deeper, Cen Zhen would take the initiative to let go.

The knife left a faint bloodstain on her heart. Cen Zhen choked on her words. "Mm."

"So everything about us—" Meng Fanchuan was stung by her words. "Is it all fake?"

Her concern for him, her nervousness, the smiles, the shyness when they were together—were all just acts?

Cen Zhen’s expression remained emotionless. She didn’t look at him. After several seconds, she self-deprecatingly spoke softly, "Isn’t what you and I have real, Young Master Meng?"

Meng Fanchuan's lips moved slightly. Just as he was about to speak, a phrase from a long time ago suddenly flashed through his mind. It was something Song Wang had said, when he overheard it from Cen Zhen’s phone:

He asked Cen Zhen, “Is this what you call resources?”

Meng Fanchuan had heard it then, but he never suspected anything inappropriate. He never thought that from the beginning, Cen Zhen had approached him for resources.

All her flattery, obedience, and accommodating behavior—were all part of an exchange for resources, something even her ex-boyfriend knew about.

It was like a bucket of cold water being poured over his head. Meng Fanchuan suddenly found it all incredibly ironic.

Before, Hua Xun had told him that a woman’s initiative was either for fame, fortune, or status. He had naively thought that Cen Zhen was not one of those women.

Now, his entire demeanor turned cold. He slowly rose from the bed. "I never thought you’d become so transparent."

Cen Zhen lowered her eyes. "Isn’t being transparent good? Whatever Young Master Meng wants, I’ll give. There’s no debt between us."

Meng Fanchuan stood upright, positioned at the edge of the bed, looking down at Cen Zhen. He suddenly removed his watch and unbuttoned his jacket. "So, how much would it cost to sleep with Miss Cen? Name your price."

The atmosphere became deathly quiet.

After a long pause.

Cen Zhen sat up directly, facing Meng Fanchuan, and removed her clothes, leaving only her underwear. "I don’t want money."

"If Young Master Meng wants it, you can do it now."

Her beautiful body was laid bare before him. Before today, Meng Fanchuan might have found it hard to resist, but now, as he looked at the person in front of him, he only found it glaringly absurd. He stood motionless and suddenly asked with a smile, "If another person were to give you resources, would you also do this, taking off your clothes in front of them?"

Cen Zhen’s heart twisted painfully, but she still stubbornly replied, "Yes."

It had always been like this. She had no reason to maintain any false dignity. Whether it was Meng Fanchuan or another man like Shen Zesheng, it wouldn’t change the fact that her initial reason for entering this situation was to get resources.

"I was prepared the first time I went to your house. Don’t you remember?"

"…"

Meng Fanchuan recalled that condom.

So that’s how it was.

So that’s how it was…

"Very well." Meng Fanchuan had once wondered why this relationship had been so easy to obtain. He had thought maybe it was fate, maybe it was his company during her low point, or many other reasons. But he had never considered that all her obedience was simply because he was Meng Fanchuan, the young master of a wealthy family with endless money and resources.

Nothing more.The truth was ugly, yet it was so reasonable.

Meng Fanchuan took two steps back from the bed, coldly staring at Cen Zhen.

"Cen Zhen."

He said it again, but this time, there was no trace of affection in his voice. "You're really something."