Chapter65

Cen Zhen finally fulfilled her wish, watching the most beautiful sunrise over the Mediterranean with Meng Fanchuan in Monaco.

Though she was bare, wrapped only in a thin blanket.

She gazed at the sun rising on the horizon, while Meng Fanchuan quietly watched her from behind.

As the first rays of sunlight spilled across the sea, they cast a faint golden glow on her beautiful face. Leaning against the yacht’s window, her long hair fell in disarray from their night of passion, the blanket loosely draped, revealing half her pale shoulder.

Meng Fanchuan couldn’t tell what was more breathtaking—the scene before him or the woman in his arms.

So silent, yet so overwhelming.

This moment, in the long memories of their lives, might be an irreplaceable instant.

Moved, Meng Fanchuan hugged Cen Zhen from behind, kissing her face. “From today, I want to share countless firsts with you.”

Cen Zhen thought he was still coaxing her about that girl, turning to tease him. “I’m not upset anymore.”

“I know. I mean for our future.” Meng Fanchuan leaned to her ear, his arms around her waist, pleading, “Humor me.”

Cen Zhen didn’t know why he suddenly got so sentimental, especially after being so wicked hours ago.

Still, she hummed, not wanting to dampen his mood, leaning into his arms. “What’s our next first?”

…

During their honeymoon, Cen Zhen and Meng Fanchuan ticked off many firsts: their first visit to the Monaco Palace, their first time wearing vintage British top hats at Windsor Castle’s Royal Ascot, their first blessing from a priest at Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral.

The more places they visited, the more people recognized Cen Zhen. She graciously fulfilled requests for autographs and photos.

Over that month, fans worldwide posted videos and photos online:

“Met Cen Zhen in the UK! She’s so gorgeous in person, a hundred times prettier than on screen! Super sweet too!”

“She’s stunning! Dressed simply but so elegant!”

“Caught them at Monaco’s Grand Casino. Is that them? The guy was smiling, watching her lose money.”

“Oh my God, that smile is so doting!!!”

“Saw them taking photos on Charles Bridge. I got a picture with them, and her husband took it for me!”

“LOL, am I the only one who ran into them at Curzon Cinema? It was a niche arthouse film, hardly anyone there. They sat behind me, left hand-in-hand, Meng Fanchuan holding a milk tea, feeding Cen Zhen a sip, then taking one himself. Too sweet!”

“They’re like any ordinary couple, so sweet and comforting.”

“More fun than reading a novel. More, please, I’m hooked.”

During their nearly 20-day honeymoon, Cen Zhen and Meng Fanchuan marked many firsts, but one thing Meng Fanchuan firmly refused.

Passing through a southern French town after leaving Monaco, they heard of a famous local barbecue restaurant. Eager to try the food, they went in, only to find another specialty.

The servers were all shirtless, muscular men, a unique sight weaving through the restaurant. Cen Zhen’s eyes widened, excitedly telling Meng Fanchuan, “This is fun! First time eating barbecue like this!”

The next second, he dragged her out with a dark expression. “This first we don’t need.”

Cen Zhen: “…”

---

Soon after their honeymoon, good news kept coming for Cen Zhen.

In mid-April, the producer of *The Fall*, a Hong Kong-listed company, told Meng Fanchuan that Cen Zhen was nominated for Best Actress at the Hundred Flowers Awards, one of China’s top three film awards. The ceremony was set for late July, and the organizers asked if she could attend.

Days later, the Shanghai International Film Festival notified her of nominations for Best New Actor and Best Actress, eligible for both awards.

In early May, the *Luoshui Zhi* crew shared good news: the film would premiere in Hong Kong during the National Day holiday. With Hong Kong cinema in decline and director Luo Jiawei long absent, the film had drawn attention from the Hong Kong Film Association since shooting began, already reserving a spot for next year’s Hong Kong Film Awards.

In less than two years since her debut, Cen Zhen starred in two acclaimed films. Her acting earned industry recognition, fueling media and fan anticipation for her Cannes trip in mid-May.

Media reviews raved:

“Cen Zhen’s performance in *The Fall* is undeniable. She’s a genius actor, immensely talented yet humble. Wishing her a dazzling Cannes.”

“Don’t be fooled by Cen Zhen’s gentle demeanor. She’s ambitious, fiercely dedicated to acting, a born leading lady.”

“I love the spirit and defiance in Cen Zhen’s eyes. An independent career woman unbound by wealth. I look forward to this Eastern girl shining at Cannes, hoping she becomes a beacon for Chinese talent.”

Cannes, the premier of Europe’s top three festivals, hadn’t seen a Chinese film in competition for years. Even non-fans were thrilled for *The Fall*’s main competition entry this May.

Before heading to Cannes, Meng Fanchuan planned to join Cen Zhen, but it clashed with the F1 Grand Prix in Spain in May.

Their honeymoon and post-wedding clinginess meant he’d missed earlier races in Bahrain and Miami. A team owner skipping multiple events wasn’t ideal.

With the season half over, Cen Zhen didn’t want him delaying work for her. “Go do your thing. I’ll be fine with Sister Xiang and Aunt Hui.”

For her first time at such a major event, Meng Fanchuan, uneasy, assigned Wen Hui to assist. Zhuang Jiayi, taking it seriously, had long been scouting auctions for suitable high jewelry for Cen Zhen.

Zhuang Jiayi said, “Winning or not is secondary. You must look stunning, representing Chinese actresses.”

Bella Wang was swamped, with countless dresses sent from top luxury brands, all hoping Cen Zhen would wear them on the red carpet. With China’s vast market and her many labels, a few minutes in their gown could outshine a year of marketing.

But Cen Zhen chose a niche brand by a young designer who’d held a few shows in China but struggled in the cutthroat fashion world.

The designer sent Cen Zhen sketches via private message, initially just because she admired her, tailoring dress designs for her, hoping she’d like them, never expecting her to wear them or where.

To everyone’s surprise, Cen Zhen loved one design. Even Bella Wang thought it suited her perfectly, and the team quickly contacted the designer to finalize plans.

The young girl, learning Cen Zhen would wear her creation on the Cannes red carpet, was speechless with shock for seconds.

Cen Zhen only smiled. “No talent should go unnoticed.”

She didn’t care about mockery for not wearing high-end luxury. She’d faced rejection before—if Xie Qingzong had only picked actors by fame, she might’ve quit acting.

Having been rained on, she was happy to hold an umbrella for others.

The Cannes Film Festival opened on May 23. On May 21, Cen Zhen flew from Beijing to Cannes. With Meng Fanchuan working in Spain, Meng Songnian used his private plane to send his daughter-in-law to France.

After landing at Nice Airport, fans posted arrival photos:

“Zhen Zhen’s in great shape! So relaxed! Waving and smiling at fans!”

“So many asking for autographs, and she signed them all!”

“She’s barefaced and still gorgeous.”

“True beauties never fear going makeup-free!!!”

“Too bad her husband’s not here!”

“He’s probably busy. His team’s racing in Spain soon!”

On her first day in Cannes, Cen Zhen had no time for jet lag. Beyond trying on dresses, she faced dozens of media interviews—domestic, international, film institutions, art organizations—working nonstop without a sip of water.

To ensure she was in top form for the red carpet, Mo Xiang halted all work by 8 p.m.

After a shower, Cen Zhen lay in bed, finally checking her phone. Meng Fanchuan had messaged: “Mom said you didn’t use the necklace she got you?”

Zhuang Jiayi had bid nearly 80 million for a ruby set at an auction, the necklace dazzling and regal, fit for a queen.

Cen Zhen had politely declined her mother-in-law’s gesture.

She promised Zhuang Jiayi she’d shine, but the exorbitant necklace was too lavish. She didn’t want the narrative twisted into “billionaire’s daughter-in-law debuts as a socialite,” overshadowing her acting.

She was there for her work and wanted the focus on it.

Most importantly, Cen Zhen had her own idea for accessories.

She called Meng Fanchuan back, comforted by his voice after a hectic day. “Everything going okay there?”

The Spanish race was at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. Such commercial sports events involved extensive business dealings, and as team owner, Meng Fanchuan had countless issues to handle.

He was indeed swamped.

He answered her, then asked, “Why not the ruby?”

“Too expensive.” Cen Zhen blurted out, then paused, whispering the truth to her husband. “I don’t think I can pull it off.”

Zhuang Jiayi wanted her to appear like a queen, but joking aside, Cen Zhen was only 23. Despite praise for her talent and aura, she was still a novice with limited experience.

Calling herself a queen would dismiss the senior actors and guests on the red carpet.

Meng Fanchuan laughed over the phone but agreed her reasoning made sense. Cannes was star-studded, and for her debut, tempering her edge was wise.

“So, the jewelry you picked—you think you can pull it off?” he asked.

Cen Zhen pursed her lips. “…Sort of.”

“Sort of?” Meng Fanchuan chuckled again. “Expensive too?”

Sinking into the soft mattress, Cen Zhen tilted her head, thinking. “Not as much as Mom’s ruby set, but it’s special to me.”

He paused, shamelessly fishing for credit. “Did I get it?”

A blunt reply: “Nope.”The atmosphere was slightly stagnant for two seconds.

In those two seconds, Meng Fanchuan went through all the jealous thoughts he could, still unable to figure out what piece of jewelry could hold special meaning for Cen Zhen that he knew nothing about.

But he still maintained his calm, even casually saying, “Hmm, okay.”

Cen Zhen could tell that beyond his calm, there was almost a visible trace of jealousy, but she wasn’t planning to explain anything at this moment. Instead, she changed the subject, talking about the weather in Cannes that day, and also about the not-so-great French meal they had for dinner.

“I miss you,” Cen Zhen finally said before hanging up the phone, and that made Meng Fanchuan's mood warm a little.

Meng Fanchuan took a deep breath and softened his tone. “I miss you too.”

It had only been a few days since they parted.

“Will you be watching my red carpet tomorrow?” Cen Zhen asked.

“Of course,” he answered without hesitation.

Though he couldn’t be there in person, he would definitely watch the live stream of the red carpet.

Satisfied with his reply, Cen Zhen smiled. “Alright, I’ll see you on the red carpet.”

At first, Meng Fanchuan didn’t understand what Cen Zhen meant by that, thinking it was just something she casually said. He responded with a few words of encouragement before hanging up.

After a long while, Meng Fanchuan, still in the hotel in Barcelona, pushed open the balcony window, spending a long time thinking:

What piece of jewelry could hold special meaning for Cen Zhen?

Did someone else give it to her?

Why didn’t he know about it? He had never heard of it.

But what he didn’t know was—

Thousands of miles away, Cen Zhen was lying in bed before going to sleep, gently caressing the jewelry she had picked out herself, silently dreaming and anticipating.

She was looking forward to walking the red carpet with the person she loved.

—

On May 23, local time, the Cannes Film Festival officially opened.

Domestic trending topics quickly took over the top spots, with countless netizens eagerly watching online. After all, every year the red carpet alone generates endless discussion, and this year, a Chinese-language film had been nominated for the main competition.

Every year, the red carpet is full of stars, with talented actors from all over the world shining in the spotlight. The venue was packed, and photographers on both sides were constantly snapping shots of the stars as they walked.

At the same time in Barcelona, Meng Fanchuan stopped all his work and even silenced his phone, just hoping not to miss a single second of Cen Zhen’s appearance. He wanted to see it all clearly.

Back home in Beijing, the Meng family, the Hong Kong Zhu family, and Xiao Yunqi from Hangzhou were all watching the live stream.

Meng Wenru was anxious. “Why isn’t sister-in-law here yet?”

Cen Zhen’s sister-in-law, Meng Qinghuai’s wife, Guan Xiaotang, was also taking deep breaths. “I’m so nervous. What if Zhenzhen suddenly trips?”

Zhu Jiayi replied, “...Baby, can you wish for something else?”

Meng Wenru smiled optimistically. “Hehe, it’s not impossible. Many stars became famous after tripping!”

Meanwhile, the two men at home—

Meng Songnian stared at the pacifier in his hand, uncertainly asking Meng Qinghuai, “Are you sure this will stop the baby from crying if we put it in his mouth?”

Meng Qinghuai: “...”

—

The excitement on the Cannes red carpet continued.

Finally, after a Portuguese actress walked the red carpet, the host announced the next group.

“... Now coming up, Chinese director Xie Qingzong, Chinese actress Cen Zhen, and their team. The movie ‘Falling’ has been nominated for the main competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival. We look forward to their red carpet appearance.”

As the host introduced them, the official camera finally focused on Xie Qingzong and Cen Zhen as they walked out.

Chinese fans in the audience screamed almost immediately, waving posters and banners related to Cen Zhen and the movie. Amid the flashing lights, Cen Zhen appeared with a smile.

Before this, Mo Xiang had worried about Cen Zhen’s state, as this was an international stage. Even many big-name domestic stars couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t feel nervous facing cameras from around the world. Let alone a young actress, many newcomers were hesitant and lacked confidence when walking on the red carpet.

But Cen Zhen was nothing like that.

In this dazzling event, with so many big names, her smile was radiant. As soon as she stepped onto the red carpet, the official camera caught her and gave her a solid minute and a half of footage.

Her vintage-style black-and-white strapless gown with a side slit was clean and neat, simple and modern, without any complicated designs. The black velvet silhouette trailing behind her looked like a streak of light in the dark night—retro yet stunning.

Her style was low-key, yet her presence was luxurious.

Cen Zhen’s impeccable shoulder line and graceful neck made her look flawless in the gown. The classic black-and-white combination on her looked understated yet striking. But the most intriguing part was the accessory she chose to wear.While all the other actresses were fiercely competing with extravagant high-fashion necklaces, rings, and earrings, Cen Zhen quietly took a different path.

“Zhenzhen!! Forever the goddess! She nailed the high-end vibe!!”

“Phew, I was so afraid she’d step out in something garish and colorful, but this one is very stable!”

“Black and white is classic!! Zhenzhen’s movie-star face, the more classic, the more high-end!!”

“Having a film nominated is already great, we’re walking the red carpet based on our strength, hehe.”

“Wow, wow, wow, the official camera time is too long!! They even filmed her up close!”

“Can we praise this? This look is so clean, super charming.”

“So beautiful, so beautiful!! The confidence of our Chinese actress!”

“This is the first time I really understood what ‘female star’ means. She’s truly glowing.”

“Is brother-in-law here? Seeing his wife look this beautiful, he must be so proud, haha!”

Meng Fanchuan, of course, was not on-site.

He sat in the hotel, watching every frame of Cen Zhen on the screen, looking at the only piece of jewelry she wore. After a long time, he finally understood from her meaningful words, “special significance,” and smiled as he lowered his head.

The black-and-white strapless dress was simple to the extreme, the only embellishment being an antique gem brooch pinned to her left chest.

The deep blue scattered light connected in lines, like sparkling stars.

It was the brooch Cen Zhen had instinctively chosen for him the first time they met again in Hu City, based only on his silhouette.

When she unexpectedly found it in their new home in Beicheng, she was stunned.

A brooch worth several hundred thousand should have been placed in an expensive jewelry box, but Meng Fanchuan had kept the cheap pink jewelry box in which Cen Zhen had returned it to him, treating it like a treasure and locking it away in the safe.

At the time when Cen Zhen had chosen this brooch for him, she had no idea she would become famous, nor did she know that there would one day be fan support colors that matched the brooch’s color. It felt as if everything was predestined. Back then, she hadn’t chosen a brooch, but a lifelong love.

She and Meng Fanchuan had promised to accompany each other through every first moment in their lives.

So, even if he couldn’t be there, she would pin his brooch as close to her heart as possible, standing with him beneath the dazzling lights.