Chapter35

Seeing the watch quietly lying by the pillow, Meng Fanchuan's movements froze, and a sudden wave of pain twisted in his heart.

He sat by the bed, his gaze slowly falling on Cen Zhen. She was drunk beyond measure and had fallen asleep as soon as she was laid down. The tear stains on her face hadn't completely dried, and her brows would occasionally furrow, showing that she wasn't resting peacefully.

Meng Fanchuan lowered his eyes, gently took her hand, and in that moment, he suddenly realized the enormity of his mistake.

He had stood too high, never considering her position. She, too, would feel insecure and confused, trapped in the love he thought was enough. In her eyes, the playboy heir to a wealthy family had been with the model, and then turned to her in Shanghai. Who would dare to take a step forward?

He thought that by withholding affection, he could erase those past events. But what happened would always leave marks and give rise to gossip. No one dared speak against him, but those whispers eventually landed on innocent Cen Zhen, leaving her to bear everything alone.

Cen Zhen had said she didn’t want to see him again—it was his fault.

But she also said she missed him and still kept his watch. Did that mean she still had feelings for him?

Meng Fanchuan didn’t know. He sat quietly by the bed, watching the girl on the bed, caressing her hand over and over again, until a knock came at the door.

He placed Cen Zhen’s hand back under the blanket and went to open the door. It was Chi Yu.

Chi Yu hadn’t gone to the dinner party today. She had been watching dramas in the room next door and had vaguely heard footsteps in the hallway. Then, it seemed like the door next door opened and then closed.

At first, Chi Yu didn’t think much of it, but after watching a little more TV, she felt that something was off. She sent a message to Mo Xiang, and Mo Xiang replied simply that Cen Zhen had left because she was drunk.

Worried that Cen Zhen might have gone back to the room alone, Chi Yu immediately jumped out of bed and knocked on the door next door.

When the door opened and she saw the man standing there, Chi Yu opened her mouth in shock, stunned for a moment. "…Young Master Meng?"

In her mind, she was frantically wondering: how are they together again?!

When the assistant arrived, Meng Fanchuan felt it would be inappropriate to stay any longer. Their current relationship was still unclear, and Cen Zhen was drunk, so he didn’t want to give others something to talk about.

Besides, he also wanted to confirm something.

"She’s drunk," Meng Fanchuan said to Chi Yu. "Stay here with her and don’t leave."

Chi Yu snapped out of her shock and quickly responded, "Okay, I will."

After leaving, Meng Fanchuan called Wen Hui. "Has she met that model? Do you know about it?"

Wen Hui hadn’t finished the dinner yet. She was standing outside the private room when she received the call. She was momentarily stunned. "Are you talking about Judy?"

"Who knows what her name is," Meng Fanchuan said impatiently.

Wen Hui quickly pieced things together, suddenly understanding, "Shenzhen. That time I took Cen Zhen to Shenzhen for a photoshoot, we met Judy at the photography studio. But she only greeted me. Did she secretly meet with Cen Zhen?"

It must have been that way.

Before the photoshoot, Cen Zhen had been so happy, telling herself that she would return and say what Meng Fanchuan wanted to hear, even sharing the behind-the-scenes moments with him. But after returning to Shanghai, she seemed like a completely different person.

"Find her and bring her out," Meng Fanchuan’s brow furrowed deeply. "I want to meet her."

He paused, then added, "And there’s something else—"

—

Cen Zhen slept until 9 AM the next day.

The hangover gave her a splitting headache, and as the effects of the alcohol faded, Cen Zhen opened her eyes. For a moment, she felt disoriented, but quickly recognized that she was in her own room. However, her mind was in a haze, and she couldn’t remember how or when she had returned.

She struggled to sit up and shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. Chi Yu, who had been playing on her phone nearby, immediately got up and walked over to the bed when she saw Cen Zhen.

"You're awake?" Chi Yu asked.

Cen Zhen was a bit dazed. "Why are you here?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she unconsciously glanced at herself and was startled to see that she was only wearing her bra and panties. "How did I end up sleeping like this?"

To be honest, Chi Yu didn’t know what had happened in the room before she knocked on the door.

But she felt like it must have been intense.

Chi Yu shrugged. "You were drunk. Young Master Meng brought you back."

"……" Cen Zhen widened her eyes in disbelief. She opened her mouth, but then the fragmented memories suddenly connected to what happened when she was still sober the day before.

She had been pressured by Shen Zesheng in the private room and had downed that glass of white wine.

Afterward, she felt unwell and wanted to vomit, so she left the room for some fresh air. Then… it seemed like Meng Fanchuan also came out.

Her memory stopped there.

But why was she lying in bed in her underwear? What had he done to her?

"Chi Yu…" Cen Zhen's heartbeat quickened, and her face flushed in confusion. "When you came, did he leave?""No."

"Then what were we doing?"

"Not much, I guess." Chi Yu paused politely. "Just that your clothes and towel fell off along the way."

"…"

Chi Yu continued, pointing to the side. "Your coat's by the door, the dress you wore is on the bathroom sink, and the towel's wet and on the floor."

"…" Cen Zhen's mind went blank.

She sat dumbly on the bed, desperately trying to recall, but she couldn’t remember what she and Meng Fanchuan had done in this room.

Cen Zhen tried to stay calm and put on a nightgown before slowly walking to the bathroom. Since she couldn’t remember, she decided to pretend like nothing had happened.

But as Cen Zhen squeezed toothpaste and brushed her teeth, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of her own lips in the mirror, and some fragmented memories suddenly flooded back.

It seemed like she had kissed him.

Right outside, right after they came in.

They had hugged each other tightly, and the feeling of kissing until they couldn’t breathe was vivid. Even...

That coat, it seemed like she had taken it off herself.

Cen Zhen froze, her toothbrush in hand, as her forced composure suddenly shattered.

What was she doing? How could she have... with him...

She had been drunk and unconscious, and she didn’t remember anything!

Wait, why were they using a towel? Had they taken a shower together? Or had he helped her shower?!

Cen Zhen leaned against the sink, trying to recall, but the moment her skin touched the cold surface, a strange shock jolted through her heart. Some vague memories suddenly emerged—

It seemed like Meng Fanchuan had carried her and made her sit here.

What was she doing sitting here?

Her clothes were off, the towel was wet, and she couldn’t possibly have been playing house.

Indescribable adult images flooded her mind, and Cen Zhen's legs gave way beneath her. She had to support herself against the wall for a while before calling out, "Chi Yu!"

Chi Yu rushed over. "What happened?"

"This... this can’t continue," Cen Zhen couldn’t believe she had been so reckless while drunk. She stammered, "I’m going to the hotel where the crew’s staying today."

"Ah?"

Cen Zhen was afraid that Meng Fanchuan would suddenly show up, and she couldn’t imagine how she would face him. She had just said she never wanted to see him again, yet last night she had ended up in the bathroom naked...

It was all too chaotic.

Alcohol really wasn’t a good thing. She shouldn’t have pushed herself to drink that last shot.

Cen Zhen was frustrated and embarrassed, wanting to escape the situation as quickly as possible. Chi Yu, flustered, helped her pack her things and paused before saying, "I thought you two were getting back together."

"Impossible." Cen Zhen denied it firmly, her face burning with guilt. She lowered her head and fiddled with her hair, seemingly trying to explain what had happened last night. "It was an accident."

Chi Yu looked at her with a complicated expression.

Fine, if she said it was impossible, then it was impossible.

At this moment, Mo Xiang knocked on the door and, upon seeing the several neatly packed suitcases, froze. "Where are you going?"

Cen Zhen tried to act calm. "Didn’t Director Xie say the crew’s hotel was already booked? I’m planning to move over there."

"But the filming doesn’t start until next week. Why are you moving so early?" Mo Xiang was a bit confused.

"I… just want to go early and have some quiet time, get into the mood, find my state."

Cen Zhen’s reasoning wasn’t entirely illogical, but Mo Xiang paused, then dismissed Chi Yu. "You go handle the checkout. I need to talk to Zhenzhen."

After Chi Yu left, Mo Xiang sat down and asked, "How long have you and Young Master Meng been together?"

Knowing that Mo Xiang probably misunderstood because of Meng Fanchuan’s words from last night, Cen Zhen fell silent for a moment but eventually admitted their acquaintance. "It’s not really 'together,' and I don’t think it will ever be."

Though her answer was vague, saying "it won’t ever start" at least reassured Mo Xiang for the time being. She sighed. "Zhenzhen, it’s not that I’m against you dating, but..."

But people from the Meng family, for ordinary girls, were always out of reach and unrealistic.

Both of their parents came from prestigious families, their assets immeasurable, and their reputation spanned both sides of the strait. Anyone from the Meng or Zhuang families would either come from a scholarly lineage or be a descendant of nobility or influential figures.

How could Cen Zhen find love in such a class?

The more such a family seemed, the harder it was for a fairy tale romance to happen.Perhaps because she had been in this circle for too long, Mo Xiang had been deeply affected by reality. She sighed and didn’t want to be too harsh. "But I’ve also heard that the second young master is quite independent. If you like him, you should definitely make sure of his feelings first."

Cen Zhen understood what Mo Xiang meant, but didn’t deny the word "like." She simply nodded. "I understand. Right now, I just want to focus on making the movie."

"That’s good." Mo Xiang's tone suddenly became lighter. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I asked Director Xie last night about the University Film Festival. He told you not to worry and just go ahead and participate. He’ll announce at the event that you’re playing the lead role in Falling. Get ready, you’ll definitely make it to the trending topics."

"…"

Mo Xiang then canceled the room and the three of them went to the hotel arranged by the crew for the actors.

Falling began filming in a small town on the outskirts of Bei City. It was two hours away from the city center by car. The driver helped carry the luggage into the car, and just as they were about to leave, Cen Zhen suddenly remembered something. She found the address Meng Wenno had given her and asked the driver, "Will we pass by here?"

The driver checked the navigation and told her that it was in a different direction, so they wouldn’t be passing by there.

Cen Zhen had no choice but to give up.

Since arriving in Bei City, she had been busy and hadn’t had the chance to visit the aromatherapist's brand store to inquire about the tissue’s owner. Since it wasn’t on the way today, she’d have to wait for another time.

The car drove steadily on the road, the atmosphere quiet. Still suffering from a hangover, Cen Zhen closed her eyes and planned to take a nap. Just as she was about to fall asleep, Chi Yu’s phone rang.

Cen Zhen didn’t pay much attention and planned to continue sleeping, but then she heard Chi Yu’s voice, "Young Master Meng?"

Cen Zhen jolted awake, her eyes snapping open as she looked at Chi Yu.

Chi Yu had also been caught off guard by the call from Meng Fanchuan. Not sure how to handle it, she could only pretend to repeat his question. "What? You’re asking if Cen Zhen is awake?"

Cen Zhen immediately waved her hands frantically.

Chi Yu got the message. "Oh, she’s still asleep."

After talking for a bit more, Chi Yu politely said goodbye and hung up the phone.

Cen Zhen held her breath, quickly asking, "What did he say?"

Chi Yu replied, "He said to let him know when you wake up."

Mo Xiang, sitting in the front, glanced back. Given Meng Fanchuan's special status, she didn’t feel it was appropriate to ask too many questions, but she still reminded Cen Zhen, "If you have something to say, just tell him directly. Hiding from him won’t solve the problem."

Cen Zhen buried her face in her hands and lowered her head in her seat.

How was she supposed to tell him directly? To say that she had been drunk and exposed herself, to say that she had said she would never see him again but ended up kissing him crazily, and—

Cen Zhen didn’t dare to think about what she had done with him by the sink.

She had no experience and didn’t know what that kind of thing would feel like. Now, her mind was a mess, full of disjointed thoughts.

Anyway, since she had already decided to cut ties, maybe avoiding him was the best option for now.

At least… it would help her get through the awkward moment for the time being.

Two hours later, the three of them arrived at the hotel where the crew was staying. The small town didn’t have the same amenities as the city, but Xie Qingzong had managed to find the best place available, booking the entire building for the crew’s rest.

By the time Cen Zhen arrived, only a few set designers and crew members who were preparing for filming had checked in, and the other actors hadn’t arrived yet.

The entire building was empty and quiet. Cen Zhen went to her room and started unpacking. As she was organizing, she suddenly remembered something and began searching through her things.

She couldn’t find it, so she called Chi Yu, looking a bit anxious. "Chi Yu, have you seen my watch?"

Chi Yu asked, "What watch?"

"A men's watch, silver."

"…I haven’t seen it. Where did you put it?"

Cen Zhen wasn’t quite sure either. A few days ago, she had taken the watch out of the trash can and put it on her nightstand, then had taken it out again one sleepless night to look at it, and later…

She thought she had put it back in the cabinet?

Cen Zhen wasn’t sure. These past few days had been busy, and her mood hadn’t been great, so she had been distracted.

Chi Yu, seeing how anxious Cen Zhen was about the watch, cleared her throat. "Is it Young Master Meng’s?"

Cen Zhen’s eyes flickered, and she whispered faintly, "No."

Chi Yu looked at her with a complicated expression.

Fine, if she said it wasn’t, then it wasn’t.

Chi Yu joined her in the search for the watch. The two of them rummaged through the luggage, but it still wasn’t found.

"Could it have been left in the hotel? Maybe under the bed or between the bed sheets? We didn’t notice."

When Chi Yu said this, Cen Zhen felt that it was indeed possible. She immediately called the hotel to ask the staff to check if the watch had been left behind in her room.

On the other side, Meng Fanchuan had yet to receive a call from Chi Yu.At 2 PM, he went straight to Cen Zhen’s room downstairs and knocked on the door. No one answered, but he ran into the cleaning lady who was there to clean the room.

"The young lady checked out at 10:30 this morning," the cleaning lady said.

Meng Fanchuan frowned.

10:30?

He had called Chi Yu at 11 o'clock, and she had said that Cen Zhen wasn’t awake.

His assistant certainly wouldn’t lie, so this must have been Cen Zhen’s intention.

But what did this mean? Had she woken up and quietly left after a nap?

Meng Fanchuan took out his phone and was about to call Cen Zhen when the hotel lobby manager suddenly walked out of the elevator holding a walkie-talkie. He seemed hurried and was likely dealing with something urgent. When he saw Meng Fanchuan in the hallway, he stopped and greeted him respectfully, "Young Master Meng, what brings you here?"

The hotel higher-ups knew about Meng Fanchuan staying at the Wan Yue, and Room 222 had been marked as a key room. Every day, it was cleaned and tidied by the hotel’s most experienced staff, who would never dare to slack off.

"I’m here to see a friend," Meng Fanchuan said, noticing that the manager was about to enter Cen Zhen’s room. He asked, "What’s going on?"

The manager sighed. A female star had called to say she had lost a watch, a luxury watch worth millions. The staff immediately reported it to the manager, who was now sweating profusely and had decided to personally come and search for it.

If the watch was found, it would be fine, but if it wasn’t, it would be another troublesome issue.

"You go ahead," the manager said, "I’ll go help look for the watch."

Meng Fanchuan paused at the door, then suddenly looked down and gave a slight smile. He put his phone away and called the manager back. "Call Miss Cen and tell her the watch has been found. You’ll personally deliver it to her."

The manager was stunned. "Huh?"

He quickly realized from the words "Miss Cen" that Meng Fanchuan must know the female star.

The manager, being experienced, could tell that Meng Fanchuan was covering for the watch. He immediately understood, took out his phone, and called Cen Zhen.

Cen Zhen had called from Chi Yu’s phone, so it was Chi Yu who answered the call now.

Chi Yu, unaware, happily told the manager the address when she heard the watch had been found, not knowing that the manager would pass on that information to someone else.

After hanging up, Chi Yu immediately messaged Cen Zhen to let her know the watch was found. However, Cen Zhen’s phone suddenly rang in the room, and Chi Yu realized she had left her phone charging in the room and hadn’t taken it with her.

Cen Zhen had just left, with Mo Xiang taking her to Li Tao’s house, which had already been set up as a shooting location.

Chi Yu had no choice but to let it be, figuring it might be better that Cen Zhen didn’t know for now. The surprise of the watch appearing later might be even more delightful.

As Chi Yu decided to keep it a surprise, she continued tidying the room and waited for the hotel staff to deliver the watch.

As she waited, she thought about the top-notch service at a five-star hotel. Even with a two-hour distance, they would personally deliver it. Truly the service of a luxury hotel.

Time passed quickly, and after organizing all Cen Zhen’s clothes and personal items, someone finally knocked on the door.

Cen Zhen had a keycard, so it wouldn’t have been her knocking. It must be the person delivering the watch.

Chi Yu jumped up from the sofa, relieved that she had managed to arrange this before Cen Zhen came back. She went to open the door, her face full of excitement, but that expression froze as soon as the door opened.

Chi Yu looked at the person standing there, her mouth opening and closing, only feeling the world go black for a moment.

Cen Zhen arrived early, and since she had nothing to do at the hotel, she went with Mo Xiang to check out the shooting location.

This was Li Tao’s house, the one her mother had lived in before remarrying. It was a brick house tucked in a small alley, leaking water when it rained. The most valuable thing in the family was a color TV, but it never had a signal. The bathroom had a bucket to catch dripping water, and Li Tao didn’t even have a proper bed. Her mother, however, had a vanity with the cheapest bright red lipstick on it.

They were so poor that it made Li Tao’s mother do many selfish and irrational things after remarrying.

As Cen Zhen entered this room, she immediately felt a sense of suffocating pressure, as if she was immersed in Li Tao’s world. That girl had once desperately tried to escape her constrained life and dreamt of a beautiful future, but in the end, she couldn’t break free from the fate’s grasp. She chose to reconcile with herself, but it was a reconciliation with the destruction of the world.

Her life was tragic yet passionate.

Leaving the set house and finally breathing some fresh air, Cen Zhen escaped the suffocating feeling. But as she returned to reality, her mood didn’t improve much.

The thought of the lost watch made her feel a kind of indescribable emptiness.

Even though she had once coldly said she would throw it away and had actually thrown it in the trash, just a few minutes later, she couldn’t bring herself to leave it behind. She had taken it out again.

It was the only thing Meng Fanchuan had left behind. She kept it as a memento, to remember this love that ended without a conclusion, to remember that she had once deeply liked someone.

Cen Zhen didn’t want to lose it.

By the time it was evening, they drove back to the hotel. Mo Xiang said she would rest before dinner, and Cen Zhen went straight to her room.

She swiped the card, entered, and immediately saw Chi Yu turn to look at her, desperately trying to convey something with her eyes, but Cen Zhen didn’t understand.

"What’s wrong?" Cen Zhen asked, just as her eyes landed on the familiar watch on the table. She brightened, ran over in two or three steps, picked up the watch, and asked in disbelief, "Did the hotel find it?"

Chi Yu: "…"

She nodded. "Yes, they found it.""Did they bring it over?"

Chi Yu hesitated, "Yes."

The joy of having something lost and then found is one of life’s greatest feelings. The cloud of gloom in Cen Zhen’s eyes disappeared instantly. She carefully checked the watch for any scratches or damage and then asked Chi Yu, "Did you thank them for me?"

"...No."

Cen Zhen thought the girl was really impolite and scolded her, "Why not?"

Chi Yu let out a deep sigh, seeming to want to say something but stopped herself. She just pointed behind Cen Zhen, "Well, maybe you should thank them yourself..."

Cen Zhen paused in the act of holding the watch, and from the look in Chi Yu’s eyes, she finally sensed something. Slowly, she turned around.

On the sofa by the window, Meng Fanchuan was lounging, as if he had been waiting for a long time. When he saw her finally look his way, he straightened up slightly and smiled politely:

"Miss Cen is back?"