Chapter5

Cen Zhen returned home around 11 PM.

Although Meng Fanchuan's jacket helped her fend off the chill of the night, it also brought with it another unwelcome complication.

After taking off the suit, Cen Zhen leaned against the sofa, pressing her hand to her temple. At that moment, she realized how troublesome this situation had become.

Setting aside the jacket's expensive value, just the gemstone brooch alone was incredibly luxurious. They had no relationship, and they were nearly strangers to each other. How could Cen Zhen return such a heavy favor?

Other than knowing he was the second young master of the Meng family, Cen Zhen knew nothing about him.

Everything from tonight had felt so surreal. Cen Zhen looked down at the suit on her lap and suddenly remembered what Song Wang had said earlier: the custom-made fabric was made from the finest baby alpaca wool, and the workshop could only produce three or four meters a day.

Curious, she reached out to touch it and could clearly feel the sturdier texture and quality of the fabric.

Ironically, what Song Wang had longed for, what he dreamed of obtaining, was something Meng Fanchuan had casually thrown at a stranger by the roadside, with no concern whatsoever.

After a tiring shower, Cen Zhen was soon overwhelmed by exhaustion and dozed off on the sofa. In a daze, she felt cold. Instinctively, she grabbed the closest thing to her for warmth. When she woke up, she realized—

She had curled up inside Meng Fanchuan’s jacket.

The soft sensation pressed against her cheek, the faint scent of his cologne mixed with an indescribable masculine aroma, somehow making her feel at ease.

Cen Zhen, lost in the warmth and safety it brought, zoned out for a few seconds. Suddenly, she remembered something, and she sat up quickly, checking the suit—fortunately, it hadn’t been wrinkled.

A more pressing question than how to contact Meng Fanchuan arose.

Cen Zhen had never dealt with luxury high-end suits. She figured that such clothing couldn’t be taken to just any dry cleaner, and if it got ruined, she’d have to pay for it.

—If she had known it would be this troublesome, she wouldn’t have accepted his jacket last night.

Cen Zhen closed her eyes and sighed softly. She wasn’t sure what had made her so bewitched by that small bit of warmth.

After tossing and turning restlessly through the rest of the night, the next morning, after breakfast, Cen Zhen took the jacket and went out to find the store where Meng Fanchuan had tried it on.

When it came to cleaning and maintaining the suit, the brand itself was probably the most knowledgeable.

The sales assistants immediately recognized Cen Zhen. Besides the incident when she mistakenly entered Meng Fanchuan’s fitting room the other day, she had a face that was hard to forget.

When they heard Cen Zhen was there to dry clean the suit, they initially thought it was the one Song Wang had bought later. But when they saw the suit she was holding, they exchanged glances, looking at each other as though they’d just swallowed a giant, hard-to-digest secret.

Wait a minute, wasn’t this young lady with that little star yesterday? Why was she now holding the clothing of the second young master, who was far out of reach?

However, these sales assistants, who were used to the rich and powerful, thought that the so-called "misunderstanding" from that day might have some hidden story. After all, what were the odds that three people would coincidentally appear in the store at the same time?

It seemed like, perhaps, the second young master had taken the beauty home?

Despite their curiosity, the sales assistants politely told Cen Zhen that the special fabric of such custom-made suits didn’t need frequent dry cleaning.

“We can do a simple press and iron for you. If it’s convenient, you can come by this afternoon to pick it up.”

Cen Zhen thanked them and was about to pay. "How much will it be?"

The sales assistant smiled, “Mr. Meng’s suits can be cleaned and maintained for free at any time.”

Cen Zhen paused, surprised by their keen observation. She suddenly had an idea: perhaps she could have the sales assistant contact Meng Fanchuan to pick up the jacket, so she wouldn’t have to meet him again.

But soon, Cen Zhen dismissed the thought.

The suit was one thing, but the brooch was too valuable. She might only feel at ease if she returned it to Meng Fanchuan in person.

Besides, how could she have someone come to her house to collect the suit?

It was still early, so Cen Zhen decided to go home first. Just as she entered the community, she received a call from Song Wang, saying he was in the parking lot and wanted to meet her.

Cen Zhen still felt uncomfortable about what had happened the day before. Honestly, she didn’t really want to see him. But she wasn’t the type to avoid confrontations. If there was a conflict that needed resolution, it had to be dealt with. Most importantly—

She wanted to hear what Song Wang had to say.

In the parking lot.

Song Wang carefully rolled up the window. When he saw Cen Zhen get into the car, he smiled and glanced at her, “Still angry?”

Cen Zhen spoke indifferently, “Is there anything you’ve done that’s worth me being angry?”

Song Wang paused for a moment and then dropped the smile.

He turned away, resting his hands on the steering wheel for a moment before speaking calmly. “Zhen Zhen, it wasn’t easy for me to gain some recognition, so any resource I can climb up with, I have to make full use of. This industry is like that; you should understand.”

Cen Zhen stayed silent. Indeed, the entertainment industry was brutal and merciless. She had rejected the unspoken rules of a famous producer and had been quietly sidelined since, with no chance of emerging.

Song Wang wanting to climb up wasn’t wrong; after all, who didn’t want to stand in the spotlight? Who would willingly remain in someone else’s shadow forever?

But Cen Zhen just felt that this kind of “reality” had slowly crept into their relationship as well.

“If it were you now, with good resources and connections, I’d definitely support you and be happy for you.”

“Reality isn’t a fairy tale. Can’t you try thinking from my perspective?”

“Zhen Zhen, I’ve liked you for four years. My heart has always been yours. Can you trust me?”

Song Wang spoke so sincerely that Cen Zhen didn’t know how to respond. It almost felt selfish to say anything else. Her future was bleak, and she couldn’t stop him from shining.

Cen Zhen, suddenly uninterested, didn’t want to argue. She changed the subject, asking, “What time did you drink until last night?”

“Three o’clock.” Song Wang pressed his brow, “Qing Jie invited some friends from the circle, so it wasn’t a wasted trip.”

Saying that, he pulled a bouquet of flowers out from the backseat like a magician. “I didn’t sleep well either. I was worried you were still upset, so I came over as soon as you woke up.”

Cen Zhen looked at the vibrant bouquet, but her heart didn’t stir at all.

She sighed lightly in her mind, took the flowers, and said, “If you didn’t sleep well, go back and sleep.”

“No.” Song Wang picked up a bottle of mineral water and took a sip. “By the way, how did you end up entering with Meng Fanchuan yesterday?”

Cen Zhen turned her head away, instinctively resisting his probing. “He didn’t have a companion. You stood me up, so we just ended up going together.”

“I see.” Song Wang took Cen Zhen’s hand, paused, and then told her, “Stay away from these rich young masters...”"Qing Jie said that people from the Meng family are polite but should not be befriended closely, you can't win against them."

Cen Zhen could easily detect the implication in Song Wang's words, but she had always kept a respectful distance from wealthy young masters, so she simply ignored the hidden meaning in his words.

As if the clouds parted and the sun came out, Song Wang’s tone lightened, "I have a building tour event tomorrow and will be flying to City C for a few days in the afternoon. How about we have a meal together when I get back?"

Song Wang's new drama was being released, so he had been busier with promotional activities lately.

Cen Zhen was used to it, "We'll see, I have to meet with a crew in a couple of days."

Song Wang casually asked, "Whose?"

"Xie Qingzong's, the leading lady of 'Falling.'"

Song Wang paused in shock and turned to look at Cen Zhen, "…Are you crazy?"

"That's Xie Qingzong! How many people are fighting for his roles? And you’re going to audition for the leading lady?"

It did sound somewhat overconfident.

Xie Qingzong was a heavyweight director in the country, in his fifties, with countless classic works. He was regarded as the pinnacle of mainland Chinese cinema aesthetics. His standards for actors were particularly high. Even if it were Zhong Qing, who hadn't retired, trying to audition, he might not even get a glance.

Every time Xie Qingzong started a new project, half the entertainment industry would line up to audition. No matter how small the role, just entering the crew was seen as a confirmation of an actor’s ability, and fans would proudly boast about it for years.

But none of that could deter Cen Zhen.

Since she wasn't getting any roles in ordinary productions, she decided to go against the grain and try for a role with the untouchable top director.

And she wasn’t going for a secondary or minor role; she was going for the leading lady.

Thinking about it—

Cen Zhen smiled wryly, "Maybe I am crazy."

After sending off Song Wang, Cen Zhen had lunch, then went to the store to pick up Meng Fanchuan's suit, as scheduled by the SA.

Carefully carrying the exquisite dust bag, Cen Zhen hailed a cab and told the driver, "To Yawan Building."

Thanks to Song Wang’s visit that morning, it reminded Cen Zhen of his mentioning that Meng Fanchuan might soon take over the Meng family's media group. Since she didn’t have any more information about him, she could only take a chance and head there, hoping to return the things to their rightful owner as soon as possible.

Although she had already searched for information online before heading there, when the car stopped in front of Yawan Building, Cen Zhen couldn’t help but feel a little stunned.

There were many self-proclaimed city landmarks in the country, but only a few occupied prime locations and had international influence.

The Meng family's Yawan Building was undeniably one of them.

This landmark, representing the Meng family's business card, could be found in Asia's top-tier cities. Cen Zhen had thought that the headquarters in North City was already luxurious enough, but she didn’t expect the Shanghai branch to be just as impressive.

The whole building, which was along the river, had countless floors, covering all the industries of the Yawan Group in Shanghai. The sunlight hit the building, creating a clear and translucent central axis across the city.

Cen Zhen sighed lightly as she walked in. At the floor directory on the first floor, she saw that the offices of Zhongshi Culture were on the 22nd to 30th floors, so she took the side elevator to the upper floors.

Cen Zhen wasn’t sure which floor Meng Fanchuan was on, so she started from the 22nd.

When the elevator doors opened, the first thing she saw was minimalist Italian carpets and two neat display walls.

The floor was spacious and quiet, and she didn’t see anyone in the hallway. She cautiously stepped out and saw posters of Zhongshi’s programs over the years on the wall, most of which were about global geography, folk traditions, and city promotions.

On the other side, there were photos of many big-name stars who had visited the company, including several high-level TV station executives.

Cen Zhen had heard from friends that Zhongshi was a breath of fresh air in the industry, with an elite team and excellent production values. They didn’t sign artists or engage in media hype; their programs were broadcast on international channels and were known for their high-end quality.

Without realizing it, Cen Zhen had seen all the display walls when a voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts, "Miss, may I help you?"

She had apparently walked up to the front desk. At the end of the corridor, the cubicles were neat and orderly. Cen Zhen cleared her throat, walked over politely, and asked, "Hello, is Mr. Meng in?"

The receptionist shook her head, "He’s not here."

"When will he be here?"

The company had indeed notified everyone that the second young master of the group would be arriving soon. Everyone had been nervously rehearsing how to welcome him, but despite memorizing his appearance, they still hadn't seen him.

The receptionist sighed helplessly, "We’re not sure about that."

"…"

It was clear that the person wasn’t here for a serious visit, but Cen Zhen didn’t have time to wait around for him.

She could have handed everything over to the receptionist, but the two items in her possession were worth nearly ten million, and if something went wrong, she wouldn’t be able to take responsibility.

After some consideration, Cen Zhen came up with a compromise. She asked the receptionist for paper and a pen, wrote down her phone number, and said, "If Mr. Meng comes by, could you give me a call?"

The receptionist looked curious, "And you are?"

"I…" Cen Zhen had to give herself a reasonable identity and steeled herself, "I’m his friend. I lost my phone and no longer have his contact information."

Just like the SA staff at the suit store, the receptionist didn’t seem to doubt Cen Zhen's words. Her beauty was unlike that of ordinary people, it was a high-class beauty, and even her thoughtful frown looked like a work of art, making people instinctively want to approach and reluctant to refuse.

"Alright," the receptionist replied, "If he comes in, I’ll let you know."

Cen Zhen let out a breath of relief, feeling as though a heavy weight had finally lifted from her chest. After thanking the receptionist, she turned and left the building.

What she didn’t know was, if she had waited a few more minutes, she and Meng Fanchuan might have crossed paths on the 22nd floor.

Just as Cen Zhen stepped out, the group’s exclusive elevator stopped at the 22nd floor. A young man dressed casually in black stepped out, accompanied by a dissonant voice—

"I’m not interested in this field. If you want me to take over, I might as well apply for bankruptcy."

"You still have to manage it," Wen Hui said helplessly, "This is arranged by Meng Dong personally. He wants to test you, so just let him have his way. Don’t always go against him."

Compared to the exciting projects Meng Fanchuan liked, the media company’s behind-the-scenes work was indeed a bit dull.

Meng Fanchuan scoffed, "Playing house? I still have to make concessions for him?"

He walked with his hands in his pockets, casually glancing at the photos on the wall. When he reached the front desk with Wen Hui, the receptionist froze, blinking in disbelief. "…M-Mr. Meng?"

Meng Fanchuan continued walking, seemingly unaware of her surprise.

After hastily notifying the group chat about the second young master’s arrival, in order to give her colleagues some time to prepare, the receptionist quickly stopped him, "Mr. Meng, a lady came earlier looking for you!"

Meng Fanchuan stopped and turned around, "Looking for me?"

After briefly losing her composure because of Cen Zhen’s beauty, the receptionist had regained her clarity. She knew that revealing the boss’s whereabouts was not acceptable and promptly reported, "Yes, she said she’s your friend and lost your phone number."

With that, she handed him the note with the phone number written on it. "Here’s her contact information."