Chapter42

When Song Wang left the film set, his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

He was about the same age as Cen Zhen, just a fresh graduate, and although he had become successful early and was a little more sophisticated than his peers, that little sophistication was nowhere near enough to handle the news that Cen Zhen’s boyfriend was Meng Fanchuan.

He fled in panic, with almost no dignity left. If any fans had been around, the scene would probably have been enough to make them unfollow him a thousand times over.

Song Wang found it unbelievable, hard to accept... how could this be? Wasn’t it a Volvo that came to pick up Cen Zhen that day?

Song Wang couldn't accept it, but he had no choice but to accept it.

His ex-girlfriend, who he had broken up with just a few months ago, had skyrocketed in life overnight, to a level he dared not imagine, and was now someone he couldn’t afford to provoke.

That evening at 8 o'clock, Song Wang posted a statement on Weibo.

“Recently, I’ve noticed discussions about myself and actress Cen Zhen, and I would like to clarify that Miss Cen and I are both students of the same class at Beicheng Film Academy, and apart from being classmates, we have no other relationship. I hope netizens will stop fabricating rumors. I also wish the film Falling a smooth production and huge box office success.”

After Song Wang returned, he discussed things with his manager for a long time. They both felt that distancing himself from Cen Zhen was the only way to save himself. He needed to actively undo the label that tied him to her, and he had to keep silent about their past relationship from now on.

When Meng Fanchuan’s woman made the headlines, her name would surely be linked with his. Now, by rashly confronting this, Song Wang could only hope that his swift retreat would make up for it and dissipate the anger of that young master.

As Mo Xiang had said before, fans would always guess and speculate without any real reason, and there was no need to care about it. If Cen Zhen, a newcomer, faced this, then what about Song Wang, a popular actor with established fame? Saying anything would just get him insulted and mocked by the competition for riding on the event’s popularity.

So this statement was issued, and it sparked another wave of heated discussions.

Fans tried to protect Song Wang’s image, saying he respected women, that he had good relationships in school, and even played the victim, claiming that he was just giving his old classmate a thumbs up, only to be accused by the female fans of using her to ride on her fame. Some radical fans even insulted Cen Zhen, saying she was ungrateful, that Song Wang had issued a statement, and she hadn’t responded, showing no respect for him at all.

Nobody knew how chaotic things were at Song Wang’s agency, as they were frantically deleting comments.

They knew better than anyone else that if the fans kept insulting him, Song Wang wouldn’t just disappear from the set; he would completely disappear from the entertainment industry.

Setting aside the fans of both Song Wang and Cen Zhen, some neutral onlookers had some sense.

“Wait, does Song Wang really need to make a big deal out of it? What’s the problem? He’s trending? Did the United Nations hear about it? Why issue a statement?”

“My guess is that Cen Zhen’s real boyfriend got upset.”

“Ha, it’s been a few days already, and now he’s making a statement? What happened, did he hit a wall?”

“Am I the only one who thinks it might be acting? Maybe Song Wang doesn’t want to go public, so...”

“Huh? The girl openly admitted it, and he doesn’t want to go public? If it’s true, he’s a bit of a jerk.”

Although Song Wang distanced himself, the netizens’ interest in the matter didn’t diminish. Cen Zhen couldn’t control the mouths of netizens, and Mo Xiang had already said that this was the best outcome. Some people were just born with a temperament that attracted attention, and Cen Zhen, being so young, inevitably had her peers watching her, and online scrutiny and gossip were unavoidable.

“Just focus on acting. The incident will eventually blow over.” Mo Xiang comforted Cen Zhen.

Cen Zhen did as she was told. Every day, she went from the hotel to the set, two places, sometimes with Meng Fanchuan visiting her on set. In the evening, she would spend an hour or two with him walking around. The small town at night was quiet and peaceful. They would either walk hand in hand down the stone path by the river or stop in some deserted corner to kiss each other.

This was Cen Zhen’s most relaxing time of the day.

Her first film was an international director’s work, three years in the making, aiming for Cannes. To say there was no pressure would be impossible.

Cen Zhen didn’t show it to others, because she would digest the pressure in her own way. In the past, she would watch variety shows in her hotel room, listen to the laughter of others, and absorb their emotions and joy.

But now, every hug and kiss with Meng Fanchuan felt like a high-energy recharge. Cen Zhen felt a gentler sense of peace. She would relax completely in his arms, and though sometimes negative thoughts would flash through her mind, they were soon buried by the joy of being with him.

Cen Zhen thought that Meng Fanchuan had become her dopamine, but later, she understood—he was endorphins.

Like a drug, knowing it was dangerous but unable to resist, she struggled to gain happiness, it was a double pleasure for both the body and mind.

In the twelfth lunar month, the weather in Beicheng reached its coldest point of the year. The heavy rain that had been brewing for days finally poured down. Meng Fanchuan couldn’t come today, but in the afternoon, he called Cen Zhen and heard her stuffy voice.

“Got a cold?”

“Maybe a little,” Cen Zhen replied, not wanting him to worry. “It’s fine, Director Xie let me finish early today. I’m already resting in the hotel.”

Meng Fanchuan knew the reason for her cold and stayed silent for a moment.

He had visited the set yesterday, even wearing a hat and a mask, disguising himself as Assistant Xie Qingzong, to visit the set for the first time and watch Cen Zhen film.

It was a terrible experience.

The scene they were shooting yesterday was about Li Tao being spied on while taking a bath by a demon. The plot was dark, but Director Xie still hoped to soften the mood by using light and shadow, in order to dilute the oppressive part of the story.

So in minus four or five-degree weather, Cen Zhen exposed her bare back and repeatedly followed Director Xie’s instructions to wash, dry, then wash again, over and over for hours. Even with the air conditioning on, no one could tolerate that kind of ordeal for an entire afternoon.

Not to mention, her smooth back was exposed in front of everyone, again and again.

Meng Fanchuan wasn’t that magnanimous, so he decided on the spot that he would never set foot on a film set again.He was afraid he might go crazy at any moment.

Right now, Cen Zhen had caught a cold from filming that scene, and Meng Fanchuan wanted to be angry, but didn’t know who to blame. In the end, he could only helplessly sigh and say, "I’m coming to pick you up. We’re going to see the doctor."

"No need," Cen Zhen thought Meng Fanchuan was overreacting. "It’s just a cold, a good rest will be fine."

Of course, Cen Zhen couldn't win against Meng Fanchuan, and though she initially thought going to see a doctor was unnecessary, when she saw Meng Fanchuan, she realized what it meant to truly overreact.

Ten minutes ago, Cen Zhen's chauffeur had arrived to pick her up, saying that Young Master Meng was here. Confused, she was taken to a remote area several kilometers away, only to discover—

He had used a helicopter to come pick her up.

The black helicopter had an impressive design, from the noble British brand Hill, and the highlight service was its fully customizable cabin, tailored to the client's needs.

Cen Zhen couldn’t believe it. "Mr. Meng, I just have a cold…"

"I know," Meng Fanchuan casually hugged her and sat her in the cabin, as if he had just taken a toy from his backyard. "It’s rare to bring you back to the city, I don’t want to waste time on the road."

It would take two hours to get there and two more to return. By the time they saw the doctor, it would probably be late at night.

The uniformed pilot began the return journey, and the helicopter slowly ascended, like a dream.

Cen Zhen still thought it was too exaggerated. "I mean, the town also has a hospital."

"Chi Yu said the catering on set isn’t good," Meng Fanchuan casually added, revealing his desire to spend more time with her, "So after the doctor, we’ll have a nice meal."

"…"

He always arranged everything so perfectly that Cen Zhen couldn’t find a reason to oppose, but at that moment, she couldn’t deny that she did need him when she wasn’t feeling well.

If she had to say something, it was probably that the helicopter was too over the top. As she sat inside, looking down at the skyline of Beicheng, it felt unreal, like the disconnection she often felt in her dreams. It was as if she was lost in a mirage, occasionally waking up, but often feeling confused.

It was unattainable, like floating and gazing at the universe, knowing that ahead might just be an illusion, yet still summoning all her strength to move forward.

"Has Song Wang still been bothering you?" Meng Fanchuan’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

Cen Zhen snapped out of her trance and shook her head. "He sent me a private message on Weibo apologizing… I ignored him."

Although Song Wang had issued a statement, the discussions about them had been ongoing for too long. Their “couple” image hadn’t been fully separated in the short term. There were still some fans shipping them as a “Wish Come True” couple, believing that Song Wang was Cen Zhen’s boyfriend, but his agency and contract prevented him from going public.

Because of this "couple" narrative, Song Wang was unfairly labeled as a bad guy by another group of people, and his team didn’t dare to respond.

"I actually think he’s quite pitiful," Cen Zhen said, though she was annoyed by the label, she still felt some sympathy. "He wasn’t like this before."

At the Film Academy, many students were clear about their goals from the moment they entered. Like Gu Ying, who started attending various wealthy social events and acted as a social butterfly at dinner parties, preparing for future connections.

But Song Wang wasn’t like that. He had once believed in acting, spending weeks reading foreign-language acting textbooks, and even sought related work experiences for class plays.

He had once been pure.

What happened afterward, no one could say for sure. Maybe it was because he signed with that famous, opportunistic agent, or maybe, after becoming popular, he was blinded by the glitz of the entertainment industry.

He had become someone completely unfamiliar.

After knowing him, Cen Zhen couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

But then, a cold voice interrupted her thoughts, "He’s pitiful?"

Cen Zhen’s heart skipped a beat, realizing that she had triggered the person beside her. She turned to explain, but heard him ask:

"Aren’t I pitiful?"

The second son of the Meng family, not to mention not having a title, had been by her side without complaint. Just the daily back-and-forth four-hour journey, how many times had he willingly made that trip?

Cen Zhen knew she had said the wrong thing and softly tried to soothe him, "I didn’t mean anything by it…"

She paused, then added, "Don’t be so petty."

Meng Fanchuan turned his face away, his eyes betraying no emotion.

Cen Zhen wondered if he was really angry.

Her sore throat unintentionally caused her to cough twice. Meng Fanchuan instinctively turned back, the concern in his eyes clear, as if forgetting the angry persona he was trying to maintain.

Cen Zhen saw through his act and almost laughed. She bit her lip and took his hand. "Don’t be angry."

But the young master snorted coldly. "Miss Cen, it’s pretty obvious that I’m not happy."

Cen Zhen had caught a cold, her head a little heavy, and couldn’t figure out what he meant by those words. After thinking for a while, she suddenly remembered a time in Hu City, the night before she left for Mingzhou to shoot a promotional video. He had come to see her, driven her to a remote area, and told her he wasn’t happy.

Back then, she had imagined many scenarios and had ended up hugging him awkwardly.

So now, did he want her to comfort him? Like that night?

Cen Zhen figured out the answer in her mind. Though there was still a pilot in the cabin, a hug wouldn’t be too out of place.

So, she hesitated for a moment, then turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Is this better?"Because they were sitting side by side, Cen Zhen hugged him from the side, her chin resting on Meng Fanchuan’s shoulder, and she had to slightly tilt her head up to look at him.

Meng Fanchuan lowered his gaze, staring at her for a moment before letting out an inexplicable cold laugh.

“Okay.”

“?”

“Still treating me like a sugar daddy?”

Cen Zhen was stunned by his words. She furrowed her brows, and one of her hands, which had been resting on his waist, began to pull away. “So, what do you want to—”

The word "want" hadn’t even left her lips when there was no opportunity to finish it.

Her lips were suddenly invaded in a manner that made no sense, and at that moment, a mechanical voice slowly came from the front of the seat.

In the midst of the chaos and confusion, Cen Zhen widened her eyes in panic. For the first time, she learned that helicopters could have partitions.

Half an hour later, the helicopter slowly landed on the rooftop of a building. Cen Zhen was too embarrassed to look at the pilot, and as soon as they landed, she lowered her head and walked forward.

She felt that Meng Fanchuan was worse than an animal; even a sick person wasn’t spared. Her nose was already blocked from the cold, and yet she had been forcefully kissed all the way.

What made it even worse was how the helicopter had a partition.

Why did he install that partition before?

Meng Fanchuan watched her walk off the helicopter without a word, and then caught up to her, pulling her back. “If you keep walking forward, you’ll end up in the staff passage. There are a lot of people there.”

Cen Zhen didn’t say anything and, with a lot of pride, walked towards the other elevator.

The voice behind her, calm and unhurried, rang out: “That’s my father’s private elevator.”

Cen Zhen immediately stopped in her tracks. The momentary desire to act angry vanished completely with that sentence. She turned around and looked at Meng Fanchuan. “...Who did you say?”

Only then did she look around and ask, “Where is this?”

Meng Fanchuan replied with a half-smile, “The top floor of Yawan.”

Among all the commercial buildings in Beicheng, only the Yawan Group’s building had a helipad on its rooftop. No one knew the original reason it was built. It was simply because

Meng Songnian hated the traffic jams in Beicheng that delayed him from spending time with his wife after work.

So, he built this lavish rooftop. Every evening, he would take a helicopter back to his manor in the southern suburbs, only ten minutes away from his wife, Zhuang Jiayi.

Meng Fanchuan’s actions today, in a way, could be seen as a continuation of his father’s legacy.

But Cen Zhen didn’t know all this. Hearing Meng Fanchuan’s reply, her eyes slowly widened, and the relaxed expression on her face quickly became tense and awkward. “So, will it…”

“It won’t,” Meng Fanchuan said, knowing what she was worried about. “Don’t worry, he’s been at home resting these past few days.”

The company had two helicopters. One was Meng Songnian’s private one, and the other was for company use, such as transporting important guests to and from Yawan’s resort.

When Meng Fanchuan called for a helicopter today, he could have used the company’s helicopter, but at the last moment, he deliberately used his father’s personal one instead.

Yesterday, Wang Yuan told Meng Fanchuan that Meng Songnian had personally called to ask if there were any abnormalities in the company.

Despite being established for so long, Zhongshi had never received a direct inquiry from the chairman. Meng Songnian’s sudden interest shocked Wang Yuan, who didn’t know how to respond. He made some small talk to brush it off, then immediately reported back to Meng Fanchuan.

Meng Fanchuan understood that his visit to the hospital had aroused his father’s suspicions, so today’s rebellious act was his way of responding to his father’s “curiosity.”

…

Suddenly standing at the center of this unattainable world, Cen Zhen wasn’t prepared. She hurriedly pulled out a mask and put it on, urging Meng Fanchuan, “Let’s go quickly. It’s not good if others see us.”

Meng Fanchuan hummed in agreement, boldly leading Cen Zhen down in his father’s exclusive elevator. As they descended, he lowered his gaze at their intertwined hands, staring at them intently, thinking—

It had to be said, eventually.

The only question was how to say it, and how to introduce her to his parents.

Meng Songnian’s temperament, and his obsession with forcing him to marry into the Qin family, were ongoing challenges.

When the elevator reached the parking lot, Meng Fanchuan’s black "Warrior" with five zeroes on the number plate was already parked in its designated area.

He remotely unlocked his car, glanced at the nearby Maybach, and smiled at Cen Zhen. “My brother hasn’t finished work yet. How about we have dinner with him tonight?”

Cen Zhen widened her eyes and shook her head. “No…”

With her occasional cough and the need to wipe her nose with tissues, she felt too embarrassed to meet his family.

Meng Fanchuan was deliberately teasing her. After getting into the car, he closed the door. “Let’s first go see the doctor. You’ve got an hour to decide what you want to eat tonight. How about it?”

“Mm.”

Once again sitting in the "Warrior," Cen Zhen looked at the delicate lights and interior design on the sports car dashboard, and the sense of disconnection subtly crept up from her heart. During the past period, Meng Fanchuan had been driving some small, unknown-brand car to the town to meet her. They had been walking hand in hand by the river, just like any other ordinary couple—simple and happy.

Suddenly, she was back in this distance-laden world of wealth, with helicopters, the Yawan building, and his sports car, one of only seven in the world—

It felt like they were once again far apart.Cen Zhen suddenly grabbed Meng Fanchuan’s hand, as if trying to hold on to something.

Meng Fanchuan: “What’s wrong?”

Cen Zhen shook her head, but her hand tightened around his, saying something absurd, “...I don’t want the shot.”

Meng Fanchuan was amused by her strange words. He patted her hand, “Alright, no shot.”

The car slowly drove out of Yawan’s parking lot.

Meng Fanchuan had arranged to see a doctor from the private medical team of the Meng family, someone he was closer to and trusted. Originally, they had planned to go to the doctor’s private clinic, and the doctor had already stopped seeing other patients to prepare for meeting Cen Zhen.

As the night lights came on, it was the peak of rush hour. Young office workers were finishing their day and holding their phones on the subway and buses, hoping to find a moment of relaxation on their way home.

No one would know that, while they were scrolling mindlessly through information on various platforms, a bombshell of a news item quietly appeared online.

Although the traffic was a bit congested, when the car stopped, Meng Fanchuan would touch Cen Zhen’s hand or tease her a little, not at all irritated by the waiting process, until a phone call from Wen Hui came in—

At that moment, Meng Fanchuan’s hand was still tangled in Cen Zhen’s hair as he casually answered the phone, “Hello.”

In just a moment, the faint smile that had been on his face vanished. He frowned but tried to remain calm. After listening to Wen Hui, he paused for a long time before replying,

“Got it.”

“Come over to my place and settle her down first.”

Settle her down?

Was that referring to herself?

Cen Zhen had a vague feeling that something was wrong. Just as she was about to ask, her phone in her bag started ringing persistently.

Mo Xiang: “Are you with Young Master Meng? Call me back when it’s convenient, but don’t respond to anything for now. Wait until the company discusses it.”

Chi Yu: “It’s over, this is big... /laugh-crying”

Qiao Tingting: “??????????????????”

Qiao Tingting: “Wait, is it really you, baby??? Is it really you??”

Cen Zhen was confused but realized something big must have happened. Could it be related to Song Wang again?

She looked up at Meng Fanchuan. “What’s going on? Is it another photo with Song Wang?”

“No.” Meng Fanchuan replied, suddenly turning the car around at an intersection, heading in the opposite direction. When he spoke again, his tone carried a hint of a vague, unreadable smile. “It’s with me.”

Cen Zhen: “?”

Cen Zhen thought he was joking, but the next second, another message from Chi Yu came through: “How could you kiss Young Master in the middle of the street...”

Cen Zhen was startled, realizing that Meng Fanchuan wasn’t joking. Her mind went blank, her heart raced, and her breath quickened. “Us?”

She still couldn’t believe it and repeated, “It’s really us?”

How could this be?

This was a question Meng Fanchuan also wanted to ask, but right now, he didn’t have time to think about where the photo had come from. Ten minutes after it was posted and began spreading online, Yawan’s PR department quietly removed all posts and photos that would expose his identity.

Yawan’s PR department was always capable, cautious, and powerful, but they hadn’t anticipated this sudden leak that revealed the second son of the Meng family on the internet in such a way.

Rather than focusing on how the photo came to be, what echoed in Meng Fanchuan’s mind now was Wen Hui’s words:

“The news has already reached Mr. Meng. There’s been a virtual earthquake at home. Madam says you must come back.”

But Wen Hui had used soft language. Meng Fanchuan knew—“must” was the key word, not “should.”

Although the Meng family had entered business with Meng Songnian’s generation, looking back a few generations, the Meng family had been highly respected in politics. Even today, some branches of the family held important positions. The family traditions had always been to maintain humility, respect, and discretion. Meng Fanchuan’s usual rebelliousness aside, now he was kissing a female celebrity in the middle of the street, and the public had found out—it was a matter of disgrace.

At the South Suburbs Manor, just a minute ago, Zhuang Jiayi had indeed helped Meng Songnian find two more blood pressure pills.

…

The situation had unfolded so suddenly that Cen Zhen couldn’t find any photos online. The plaza was filled with fans who either had captured the moment or were regretful for missing it, now scrambling to find photos as the new round of discussions began—

“Oh, so Cen Zhen’s boyfriend is someone else.”

Meng Fanchuan sped up slightly, and ten minutes later, the car arrived at the Wan Yue Hotel parking lot.

Cen Zhen was confused. “Why are we here at the hotel?”

Just as she spoke, someone opened the car door for her. Looking up, it was Wen Hui.

“The doctor is here,” Wen Hui said.

“Go with Aunt Hui to my room. I’ll return home for a bit,” Meng Fanchuan unbuckled Cen Zhen’s seatbelt. “I’ll be back soon.”

Cen Zhen knew why he suddenly needed to go back and hurriedly grabbed him. “Will you get scolded?”Meng Fanchuan smiled silently and patted her shoulder. “Don’t overthink it, wait for me.”

Cen Zhen, still in shock, her mind completely blank, only became worried when the car drove away. She asked Wen Hui anxiously, “Aunt Hui, will he be okay?”

To be honest, Wen Hui didn’t know either.

The incident had been so sudden, and it exceeded her expectations for how these two young people would handle things publicly. What the outcome would be, she couldn’t say, but after thinking for a moment, Wen Hui said, “Maybe… it’s a sign?”

Cen Zhen didn’t quite understand.

Wen Hui smiled and patted her. “What I mean is, if heaven wants you to be together, no one can stop it.”

“…”

The two of them entered the elevator, and after selecting the floor, Cen Zhen suddenly realized, “Why is he staying at a hotel?”

“He’s been staying here since returning from Hucheng.”

Wen Hui didn’t elaborate further, leading Cen Zhen upstairs. The doctor was already waiting at the door. Wen Hui nodded at him, then swiped the card to open the door. Turning to Cen Zhen, she said, “Come on in.”

But Cen Zhen didn’t move.

She stood still at the door, staring in disbelief at the room number—222.

Her heart suddenly raced.

...The person who has been staying in room 222 is Meng Fanchuan?!