Chapter52

The film crew was set to start work on the fourth day of the New Year, so after a brief stay in Hong Kong, Cen Zhen left for Bei City on the afternoon of the second day of the New Year.

Meng Fanchuan couldn't leave just yet. During the New Year, Zhuang Tai planned to host several rounds of banquets for Hong Kong government officials and specifically asked Meng Fanchuan to stay and accompany him.

The younger generation of the Zhuang family had always been hostile toward Meng Fanchuan. Among the many brothers and sisters, he was the only one who had grown up at Zhuang Tai's side, receiving the old man's favor. The inheritance battle that nearly broke out was sparked by someone getting wind that the old man had left too much to Meng Fanchuan.

How could the Zhuang family accept an outsider’s grandson fighting for the family fortune?

Fortunately, the old man came to his senses later. After learning about the attempted siege on his grandson, he became enraged, which led to the courteous and submissive attitude on New Year's Eve.

Now, seeing Meng Fanchuan making friends and about to settle down, Zhuang Tai naturally wanted to use all of his connections for his grandson. So, he specifically asked Meng Fanchuan to attend these social events.

The old man's days were numbered, and of course, Meng Fanchuan couldn't refuse his request, so he could only temporarily make things difficult for Cen Zhen. "I'll finish up here and head back."

At that time, the two of them were on Meng Fanchuan’s private jet. Cen Zhen understood and said, "You go ahead and take care of your things. There's no need to rush back to me."

Meng Fanchuan pulled her into his lap, gently leaning against her cheek, "Will you miss me?"

Every time before they parted, he always asked this question, and it had become a little sweet ritual between them. Cen Zhen still bit her lip and said, "I'll tell you when you come back."

She suddenly remembered something she hadn’t had the chance to ask in the past few days. "On New Year's Eve, my mom said you left me a small gift. What was it?"

That day, she had rushed to the airport after grabbing her documents and hadn’t had time to check what Xiao Yunqi had left on the bedside table.

But in fact, Meng Fanchuan hadn't prepared anything extravagant. He simply wanted to give her the pack of tissues as a New Year gift. She would see it during the festive season, and even if it felt a bit awkward, it would quickly pass. But since she hadn’t seen it, maybe it was the heavens deciding the timing wasn’t right.

Meng Fanchuan casually replied, "It’s nothing, just a small thing. I’ll give it to you in person next time."

Cen Zhen, confused by his tone, asked, "…Do you have a lot?"

Meng Fanchuan laughed at the question and nodded, "Yes, quite a lot."

They were all piled up in the drawer of the co-pilot seat, but unfortunately, she hadn't noticed them.

At that moment, the flight crew came over to inform them of the departure time. Meng Fanchuan held Cen Zhen's hand, kissed it briefly, and then let her go. "If you need anything on the road, feel free to ask them. Don’t worry about bothering anyone."

Cen Zhen nodded, "I know."

"Then I'll go first."

"Mm."

One took a few steps forward and stopped, the other stood still, watching. After a while, they both instinctively hugged each other again and kissed.

It was hard to part.

The flight crew, waiting just outside the door: "..."

How long do these little lovebirds intend to say goodbye?

Meng Wenluo, who had come to see them off but had been kicked off the plane early, waited in the car, growing impatient.

Was his brother going to have a child up there? Why was he taking so long?

Fortunately, after a long, drawn-out kiss, the two finally separated. Cen Zhen breathed lightly, genuinely afraid he wouldn’t stop, and nearly pushed Meng Fanchuan off the plane herself.

Back in the car, Meng Fanchuan naturally couldn’t escape being teased by his sister.

"Haha, someone’s broken."

Meng Fanchuan: "…"

He wasn’t in the mood to argue with his sister. "Why did you come to send her off?"

"My parents told me to."

Meng Fanchuan frowned, seeming to doubt what Meng Wenluo had said, but Meng Wenluo continued, "Also, I’m here to ask you to come back home. Dad said he needed to see you."

After a slight pause, with a serious expression, he patted his brother on the shoulder.

"It’s about you and Sister-in-law."

—

On the fourth day of the New Year, the crew of Falling officially resumed filming.

That morning, every staff member and actor who entered the set received a New Year red envelope. Everyone was happily thanking Director Xie for being generous, when Xie Qingzong casually pulled out an envelope from his pocket. "Sorry, I also have one this time."

Everyone was puzzled—who was giving out this red envelope?

Xie Qingzong glanced at Cen Zhen with a faint smile, saying, "Then let’s thank our investors."Cen Zhen: "……"

"Wow, is it that uncle who spoke to us when we first started filming?"

"That uncle is being so generous, huh?"

"But our production company is based in Hong Kong, and that uncle’s Mandarin was very standard last time."

"What do you mean? Last time he was just a representative of the investors, not the actual person."

In order to avoid suspicion, when Meng Fanchuan invested, he didn't use the name of Zhongshi but instead registered a film company in Hong Kong under a friend's name. This way, no one would know he was the behind-the-scenes investor, and it also prevented people from accusing Cen Zhen of using her boyfriend to rise to fame in the future if she achieved success.

Amidst the speculation and discussions, Chi Yu, happily counting her red envelope, said, "You must have had a great time in Hong Kong with the young master these past few days."

Cen Zhen: "How do you know?"

"Of course!" Chi Yu flaunted the money in her envelope, "The young master’s red envelope is so generous; you can tell he’s in a good mood."

After waiting for a while with no reply, Chi Yu looked up at Cen Zhen, who was also staring at her phone. She saw something on it and, unable to stop herself, smiled lightly, completely immersed in it.

Chi Yu clicked her tongue and leaned over. "What did the young master say to make you smile like that?"

Before Cen Zhen could answer, she exaggeratedly imitated, "Ah, Zhen Zhen, I miss you so much, I want to kiss my precious, is that it? Hahahaha!"

Cen Zhen quickly closed her phone but couldn't hide the slight blush as she pinched Chi Yu's arm. "Stop saying nonsense."

Chi Yu laughed and dodged, running off while saying, "I won't disturb you guys. Sister Xiang said to call her when we’re done filming. There’s work to do!"

Cen Zhen paused. The crew hadn't wrapped up yet, so what work could Mo Xiang be calling her about?

Although it seemed strange, Cen Zhen didn't think too much about it. After all, Mo Xiang was reliable, and if she hadn’t carefully considered the job, she wouldn’t have taken it at this time.

Cen Zhen reopened her phone. The message from Meng Fanchuan was still there:

"I went to Wong Tai Sin yesterday and got you a career fortune slip, it's a good one."

On the second day of the New Year, they had indeed planned to visit Wong Tai Sin for a fortune slip, but their plans had been delayed by her comment about not wanting to get married.

Meng Fanchuan sent her a picture of the fortune slip, which basically read: "Abundant wealth, fame achieved, everything is stable and as desired."

Cen Zhen called him back: "I was just saying that casually. You really went?"

Meng Fanchuan said, "Since you couldn’t go, I went for you. I’ll bring the slip back and give it to you as a keepsake. Let’s see if my girlfriend is about to be successful."

Cen Zhen laughed at his words, "I thought you didn’t believe in this stuff?"

Meng Fanchuan had never believed in such things before. But after helping Cen Zhen pull the career fortune slip and passing by the Yue Lao Hall, he stopped to watch the couples kneeling in prayer. He suddenly felt inspired—

"I got a love fortune slip for myself," he told Cen Zhen.

Cen Zhen’s smile faltered slightly. "What did you get?"

Meng Fanchuan, however, kept it mysterious, imitating her, "I’ll tell you when I get back."

Cen Zhen wanted to keep asking, but just then, the crew called for the filming to start. She had no choice but to put her curiosity aside and go back to work. Even though she had taken a few days off, as soon as the camera was on her again, Cen Zhen felt that her performance was even better than before the New Year.

She no longer got distracted by thoughts of Meng Fanchuan at random moments. In the past, his family and the complicated relationships behind him had held her back. But now, Cen Zhen’s heart was clear, and even when she thought of him, it only brought a comforting smile and a sense of stability.

The hardest scenes in the movie had already been filmed before the New Year. Afterward, the focus shifted to Li Tao as an adult, and it was during this part that her emotional tension was most intense.

Eight years later, Li Tao changed her name and moved to another city. By day, she was a smiling, enthusiastic kindergarten teacher, loved by the children, but at night, wearing a baseball cap, she became a vengeful figure, tracking her stepfather from the shadows.

Li Tao had once had a beautiful future. After escaping her home, she lived alone, trying to accept someone else’s love. But the shadow of her past had become a lifelong nightmare, and she could no longer love anyone. She came to the purest place in the world, hoping to cleanse her twisted heart.

She met a sweet six-year-old girl at the kindergarten who was an orphan but had been adopted by her current parents. The girl wore beautiful little dresses to school every day, and everyone said she was lucky and happier than other children her age.

The little girl adored Li Tao, and Li Tao, in turn, adored her. She always found hope when looking at the innocent child.

But one day, Li Tao discovered that the girl had abnormal swelling and redness in a sensitive area. While trying to talk to the parents, Li Tao realized the cruel hand of fate.

She left, but that nightmarish family still had another version of her, continuing its legacy.

Li Tao’s world collapsed in that moment, and she went mad. Using the last bit of her innocence, she embarked on a path of revenge to protect the girl, even though it was a path that would lead her to her own destruction.

Because of the progression of the plot, the filming location was now at a film base near the city center of Bei City. Cen Zhen’s daily shooting progress was going smoothly, and the crew was impressed by how well she portrayed the character’s stark transformation. The change from innocent and weak to obsessive and dark was a huge leap, and aside from makeup changes, the most important factor was the actress’s own performance.

At the end of the day’s shoot, Xie Qingzong reminded Cen Zhen, "Your smoking still doesn’t look natural enough. Go watch the old smokers on set and practice how they do it. Work on your feel."

Though Cen Zhen had been practicing since she learned there would be smoking scenes, Xie Qingzong wasn’t satisfied. He felt that her smoking didn’t look dissolute enough.

Cen Zhen nodded. "Alright, I’ll practice more."

"By the way, about Young Master Meng," Xie Qingzong suddenly mentioned in a low voice as everyone was packing up. "I’m sorry, but the film’s schedule has delayed his return to Bei City."

Meng Fanchuan had originally planned to go back on the eighth day of the New Year, but just before leaving, he said that something came up, and he had to go back to Hu City first. That delay had stretched to another five or six days.

At the time, Meng Fanchuan only said he had work to do, and Cen Zhen hadn’t asked any more questions. Now, hearing Xie Qingzong mention it, she understood."The people from the Film Bureau are having a meeting in Hu City recently. He still wants to help you fight for the Mainland Dragon Seal."

"Falling" is a crime ethics reality-based film, and its ending is not very 'positive'; it even alludes to some organizations' inaction. So, Xie Qingzong's initial plan was to go for Hong Kong or overseas distribution, giving up on the Mainland market.

"Whatever the result is, still thank him for me," Xie Qingzong quickly finished saying and waved his hand, "Alright, you have an event this afternoon, hurry up, only half a day's leave has been approved."

"……"

Cen Zhen had no idea that Meng Fanchuan had been busy for the past few days running around for her. She thought about calling him to ask, but as the van arrived at the set entrance, Chi Yu anxiously called her, "Hurry up, Zhen Zhen, or we’ll be late."

Cen Zhen had no choice but to put her personal matters aside and quickly got into the car.

A few days ago, Mo Xiang had called her, saying she had a job that she needed to attend to.

At that time, she said, "The State Guest House is holding an unveiling ceremony, and they’ve invited you as a guest. Such a great opportunity, you have to go."

The State Guest House in Bei City is well-known, with a prestigious background that ordinary commercial hotels can’t compare to. The guests are almost always important political figures and foreign dignitaries. Two years ago, after a long approval process, the State Guest House expanded and built a new 300-acre area, which was completed and officially unveiled this year.

Mo Xiang’s "good opportunity" was precisely because of the official status of the State Guest House. After all, such a place, which is almost never open to the public and even requires political review to enter during special periods, was an honor for Cen Zhen to be invited as a guest at the unveiling ceremony.

Although she didn’t know why such a "good opportunity" had fallen on her, Cen Zhen took the job and asked Xie Qingzong for half a day off. Fortunately, her scenes were almost done, and Xie Qingzong readily approved the leave.

Such an event wasn’t the kind for standing out, so the stylist chose a low-key Chinese-style dress for Cen Zhen. Her makeup was also subtle and gentle. The time was tight, and after quickly finishing her preparations in the van, Cen Zhen arrived at the State Guest House at 2 p.m.

A place like this had only been heard of in friends' conversations before; Cen Zhen had never stepped in. Even Chi Yu, who usually loved to gossip, sat quietly and seriously.

"It feels so serious as soon as we walk in."

The stylist pointed in a direction and said, "The national flag is over there."

Chi Yu understood and straightened up, "I see now."

The hotel was built around the mountains and a lake, with exquisite layouts featuring courtyards, lakes, and hot springs. As the car passed, they occasionally saw red-crowned cranes, black swans, and other animals. The whole atmosphere felt like the upscale "Splendid China" style with its Chinese ambiance.

But despite how beautiful the place was, the more Cen Zhen looked, the stranger it felt.

Why was someone like her, who was just filming on set, invited to such an official place as a guest?

Even if they wanted a celebrity for the ceremony, it would never be someone like her, a small newcomer...

"Did Sister Xiang make a mistake?" The deeper they drove into the venue, the more suspicious Cen Zhen felt, "Did they really invite me?"

Chi Yu blinked, "Please, we came in with credentials, not something you could get yourself in."

Cen Zhen: "……"

At this moment, Meng Fanchuan called. Cen Zhen was temporarily distracted and picked up his call, "Hello."

It was still his familiar voice, "What are you doing?"

"Sister Xiang got me a job." Hearing her boyfriend’s voice, Cen Zhen relaxed, leaning gently against her seat, "Director Xie gave me half a day off today, so I'm just going to stand in for a while and then head back."

"Stand for what?"

"The State Guest House unveiling." Cen Zhen was still a little confused, looking out the window, "I don’t even know how they found me."

Perhaps it was just a feeling, but Cen Zhen thought she heard Meng Fanchuan chuckle lightly on the other end of the line.

She slightly turned to the side, lowering her voice to ask, "When are you coming back?"

"Why?"

Cen Zhen bit her lip, her fingers nervously twisting a strap of her dress, "I miss you."

This time, Meng Fanchuan definitely laughed, "Didn’t you say you’d only tell me when I get back?"

"You haven’t come back, I can’t wait anymore." Cen Zhen muttered softly, "Tomorrow’s the Lantern Festival."

It sounded like both a pout and a complaint.

On the other side of the phone, Meng Fanchuan’s voice, still carrying a smile, said, "Alright, I’ll come back as soon as I can."

At that moment, the car pulled into the parking lot. Cen Zhen said, "I have to get to work now. I’ll call you when I’m done."

After hanging up, she turned back and saw Chi Yu busy rubbing her arms, which puzzled Cen Zhen. "What are you doing?"

Chi Yu: "I’m picking up my goosebumps."

The stylist next to them couldn’t help but chuckle, then quickly covered her mouth, "Sorry, Teacher Cen."

Cen Zhen’s face turned slightly red, but compared to before, she was now much more open about her relationship and felt confident.

So, when the car stopped, she calmly told Chi Yu, "You take your time picking them up, I’m getting out."

"You’ll never be done picking them up, you know," Chi Yu said, bouncing out to open the door for her, "I’ll have plenty to pick up when the young master comes back."

Cen Zhen lowered her head and smiled, not bothering to respond. Mo Xiang hadn’t returned to Bei City, and today, only Chi Yu was accompanying her. As they were talking and walking toward the elevator, they unexpectedly ran into someone familiar at the elevator door.

"How come you’re here?" The other person was the first to ask when they saw Cen Zhen.Cen Zhen didn’t expect to run into Qin Shiyao here again, but after a moment of stunned silence, she calmly said, "I don’t think I need to explain where I am to Miss Qin."

Chi Yu immediately took a defensive stance and stood beside Cen Zhen.

Qin Shiyao had friends with her as well, and after looking at Cen Zhen, she sarcastically asked, "Is this the little celebrity that Meng Fanchuan found?"

Although Qin Shiyao didn’t respond to her friend’s words, her gaze clearly didn’t deny it. She withdrew her gaze from Cen Zhen and smiled, "Miss Cen, today is the unveiling ceremony at the State Guest House. I’ve said before that I don’t discriminate against your profession, but you should know what the State Guest House is. Don’t talk about you being an insignificant celebrity; even if someone like an Oscar-winning actor or actress were here, they would still have to weigh their worth before entering."

Cen Zhen responded with a calm tone, "But I’m already in."

Qin Shiyao: "……"

Qin Shiyao furrowed her brows and then remembered that without permission, she indeed wouldn’t be able to enter this place.

The State Guest House Phase II was a two-year project developed by a real estate group under the Asia Bay company. The Qin family had initially wanted to get a share, and because the two families had a marriage agreement, Meng Songnian allowed Qin’s father to invest a small amount. This is why Qin Shiyao was able to enter with her tiny "project partner" status.

She had worked so hard to get here, so why could Cen Zhen enter so easily?

But then Qin Shiyao realized a bigger issue. With so many media present today, would Cen Zhen use the media to create hype?

The last scandal with the kissing photos made her suspect that Cen Zhen had leaked the photos herself. Most people in the entertainment industry used such tactics—manipulating the media, leveraging public opinion—especially in such a formal setting with government representatives and so many official media.

Qin Shiyao took a deep breath and warned Cen Zhen, "Miss Cen, I don’t know what you’re here for today, but whatever your intentions are, in such an occasion, you’d better not play any tricks, or you’ll end up burning yourself."

"I must remind you again," Qin Shiyao moved closer to Cen Zhen, "Even if Fanchuan picked you, the Meng family won’t… the Meng family will never allow a celebrity—"

Cen Zhen directly interrupted her, "Miss Qin, your surname is Qin, right?"

Qin Shiyao didn’t understand what she meant, staring at her intently.

"Your surname is Qin, yet you speak for the Meng family?" Cen Zhen asked with a faint smile, "What’s your relationship with the Meng family?"

"……"

Qin Shiyao’s friend, seeing her speechless, bitterly chimed in, "Then what about you? What’s your relationship with the Meng family?"

Just then, the elevator arrived. Cen Zhen didn’t bother responding; she walked in and turned around to ask Qin Shiyao, "Miss Qin, are you coming?"

After waiting a few seconds, she smiled and said, "Then I’ll go first. Goodbye."

It wasn’t until the doors closed that Qin Shiyao snapped out of her thoughts. She couldn’t believe she had been left speechless by a small celebrity. Furious, she took out her phone. She knew calling Meng Fanchuan would be useless, so she decided to report to an elder instead.

So, she directly called Meng Songnian. The call was answered, but after two rings, it was abruptly hung up.

Qin Shiyao nearly went mad. Her friend comforted her, "Don’t be angry, it’s such an important day today. He’s probably busy. Wait until it’s over."

She even reassured her, "Don’t worry, Meng Fanchuan’s dad will definitely back you up."

Qin Shiyao took the reassurance and took a deep breath to suppress her emotions, "Alright."

After Cen Zhen went upstairs, she was escorted to the lounge by the staff.

There were less than ten minutes before the unveiling ceremony, and she waited in the spacious lounge. Chi Yu was still angry beside her. "That woman’s words were so harsh, what’s her problem? Does she think you’ll cause a scene at the unveiling, claim to be the young master’s girlfriend, and threaten her position as the fiancée?"

Cen Zhen wasn’t sure what Qin Shiyao’s warning meant—what tricks, what self-destructive behavior, she didn’t understand.

But she wasn’t interested in delving into the other person’s thoughts. As she later mentioned those words, Cen Zhen remained unperturbed.

Whether the Meng family accepted her was no longer important. Her relationship with Meng Fanchuan was enough for them both to accept each other.

Meng Fanchuan would never be abandoned.

Because no matter what, he would always have a steadfast self in his world.

"Let her say whatever she wants." Cen Zhen casually dismissed that person and looked at the stage set up outside, where the media were busy adjusting their equipment. She felt an inexplicable sense of nervousness.

Such a formal and oppressive atmosphere.

At that moment, a staff member knocked on the door and notified Cen Zhen, "Miss Cen, you can go to the stage now. All the guests have arrived, and the ceremony will start soon."

Cen Zhen nodded, then called out to stop her, "By the way… is there anything I need to do?"

She had never attended such an event and had no experience.

The staff member smiled, "Just stand there and smile for the cameras."

Cen Zhen: "…"

So simple?

Cen Zhen hesitated but nodded, handing her phone and bag to Chi Yu before following the staff member out of the lounge.

The ceremony venue had two waiting passageways, and Cen Zhen stood on the left side. Shortly after she arrived, the host took the stage. The voice sounded familiar. She looked up and, as expected, it was a national-level host, a familiar face on the news channels.Next came the speech from the representative of the State Guest House Professional Committee. Cen Zhen stood at the bottom of the stage, feeling like she was attending some kind of forum, and everything seemed out of place.

That sense of oppression came subtly again. Cen Zhen had to take a deep breath and relax, exhaling slowly, when she heard the host announce:

"Next, we invite our guests to officially unveil the new State Guest House."

Applause rang out, and Cen Zhen’s heart skipped a beat as she quickly straightened up.

"Please welcome Mr. Fan Tao, Director of the Beicheng Tourism Bureau, and his wife, Mrs. Xu Qian."

"Please welcome Mr. Meng Songnian, Chairman of Asia Bay Group, and his wife, Mrs. Zhuang Jiayi."

Cen Zhen, already prepared to take the stage, felt her mind buzz. She froze for a moment.

When she saw the familiar figures walk through the opposite corridor, Cen Zhen confirmed she hadn’t misheard. She stared at the stage blankly. Meng Songnian was dressed unusually formally today, wearing a suit and tie, exuding the dignity and steadiness of a mature businessman.

Zhuang Jiayi wore a beige suit dress, walking beside him, smiling gracefully and exuding elegance and wealth.

And then—

"Please welcome Mr. Meng Qinghuai, shareholder of Asia Bay Group, and his wife, Mrs. Guan Xiaotang."

Meng Qinghuai and his wife soon appeared from the opposite corridor.

Cen Zhen’s heart raced. She felt like things weren’t as simple as she had imagined. Was it a coincidence? She didn’t know, but if it were, how could it be so coincidental for her to run into their whole family here?

Just as her mind was in a complete daze, Meng Qinghuai had already taken his place. The host raised the microphone, looked at the nameplate in his hand, paused for a moment, as if expecting the name he was about to announce, his tone becoming louder and more enthusiastic:

"Please welcome Mr. Meng Fanchuan, shareholder of Asia Bay Group, and Ms. Cen Zhen."

"……?"

Cen Zhen stood stunned, hearing her own name being announced by the host, and her brain immediately went into a state of shock.

Before her name, was it really Meng Fanchuan’s name?

Did she hear it wrong?

But Cen Zhen didn’t have time to think much more. For some reason, all the media down below suddenly set up their cameras, and the host gestured toward her direction with an inviting motion. Almost instinctively, Cen Zhen regained her composure, lightly lifting her feet to step forward, but then a pair of hands suddenly reached out and gently took hold of hers from the side!