The northern regions cool down early.
Cen Yingshuang was born in late October. There were still more than half a month left before her due date, so Cen’s Mother had planned to finish her last job before heading to the hospital to wait for delivery.
Who could have guessed that, just as she had finished packing and was about to head out, she hugged her pet dog—who was begging for attention.
The little dog gave her belly a weak kick with its tiny paw, and Cen’s Mother suddenly went into labor without warning.
Plans can never keep up with changes.
She was admitted to the hospital early to give birth.
After a night of labor, at dawn the next day, Cen Yingshuang was born with a loud cry.
Cen’s Father remembered clearly that it happened to be the first frost of the year.
At six in the morning, the first rays of dawn bloomed, casting an orange glow like a rosy jade.
The window of the VIP hospital room was covered in a thin layer of frosty gauze, sparkling like shattered crystal diamonds. When sunlight poured in, it glimmered brilliantly.
So Cen’s Father named the child Cen Yingshuang.
While Cen’s Mother was at the postpartum center, friends and relatives came to visit one after another.
They gazed at the tiny sleeping baby.
Everyone was amazed.
“Newborn babies are always ugly, but I’ve never seen a child as beautiful as our Shuangshuang the moment she was born.”
“Isn’t that so! Just gorgeous!”
“That little nose and mouth—she’s inherited all the good features from her parents! She’s definitely got the makings of a superstar!”
“And what a great name.”
“Yingshuang, her skin is as fair as snow—so pure and white!”
“Yingshuang, little Yingshuang, grow up fast. In the future, learn from your mom and become a superstar, become Best Actress…”
“Yingshuang! Yingshuang!”
“Yingshuang Yingshuang! Ahhhhh!”
Beicheng Capital International Airport.
The nanny van didn’t head for the terminal but instead drove straight to the VIP Channel’s exclusive VIP Terminal.
Outside the VIP Terminal, a large crowd of fans had already gathered, holding light boards, support banners, and all sorts of small gifts.
The moment they saw the nanny van appear, they screamed and surged forward.
Cen Yingshuang had been dozing off in the car.
Awakened by the commotion outside, she groggily opened her eyes and glanced out the window.
Beicheng International Airport is huge, with two VIP Terminals standing side by side.
The grander and more imposing one is often tightly shut. But today, for once, its doors were wide open.
Two long rows of airport security stood solemn and motionless at the entrance, blocking the way as if waiting to welcome someone.
It was clear they weren’t there for Cen Yingshuang.
One of the security guards stopped her nanny van, instructing them to get off here—they couldn’t drive in.
Usually, fans could get right to the terminal entrance to greet or send off celebrities, but this time everyone was cordoned off dozens of meters away.
Manager Mà n Jie didn’t ask questions and just called for Cen Yingshuang to get out.
No need to ask; it must be to welcome some powerful, influential figure—someone far above the status of mere celebrities.
If it weren’t for absolute power, how could someone have their own private terminal at a major state-owned international airport?
Cen Yingshuang rubbed her eyes and followed MÃ n Jie out of the car without a word.
She wore a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a mask, bundled up tightly. Still half-asleep, she absentmindedly followed the staff toward the terminal.
The fans, seeing Cen Yingshuang appear, all called her name in unison, each voice hoarse with excitement.
“Yingshuang!”
“Yingshuang, look over here!”
One phone after another pointed at her, snapping photos non-stop.
Not long ago, Cen Yingshuang had secured the role of Global Brand Ambassador for a major international fashion label, becoming the youngest ambassador in the brand’s history just shy of her eighteenth birthday.
This time, she was heading to Fiji to shoot a Perfume Promotional Film.
As the youngest ambassador in the brand’s history, her endorsement of this top luxury brand trended for days, with the buzz only rising.
This trip to Fiji for the promotional film was a public itinerary. Loyal fans would always come to see her off, not to mention the paparazzi and obsessive fans.
Cen Yingshuang had long since grown used to this.
Because of the big shot’s arrival, the area around the VIP Terminal was sealed off, and fans were kept at a distance.
Even knowing there’d be paparazzi among the crowd, Cen Yingshuang didn’t want to let down her devoted fans who’d come from afar.
She cheerfully waved to them.
Under the protection of staff, she walked over, accepting letters from fans one by one.
She also took a pen and quickly signed her name for them.
Excitement ran high, and the scene grew chaotic. Before anyone noticed, they’d drifted into the cordoned-off area.
Security at the front noticed and quickly stepped forward.
At that moment, three cars slowly approached.
With their way partially blocked, the cars stopped.
A suited executive hurried over, going straight to the second Rolls-Royce Phantom.
The front passenger window rolled down, revealing a stern-faced assistant. The executive bowed and nodded repeatedly, his eyes flicking nervously to the back seat.
“Sorry, so sorry, Mr. He, I’ll have someone take care of it right away.”
The car was tightly shielded, not allowing even the slightest glimpse inside.
This year, the cold had come even earlier than usual. It was only early October, yet a bleakness had already settled over the world. But colder still was the natural, oppressive aura emanating from the car’s back seat.
Oblivious, Cen Yingshuang was still surrounded by her fans, hurriedly signing autographs.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, loud and abrupt, both excited and urgent: “Shuangshuang, look at me, look at me! I have Banana Milk—do you want some?”
The voice was so thunderous that even the man in the back seat of the car heard it clearly.
He lifted his eyes nonchalantly in that direction.
He happened to see Cen Yingshuang startled by the shout, almost dropping her pen.
Her slender frame visibly shuddered.
Her face was tightly covered, but even without seeing her features, there was a sweet hint of laughter in her voice.
She reached out, nodding vigorously like a little chick, looking especially cute and obedient.
She even mimicked the fan’s tone with playful humor, calling out loudly, “I want it, I want it!”
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Several security guards quickly stepped up, intent on dispersing them.
The man in the car glanced over indifferently, then looked back at his laptop on the small tray.
The cold light from the screen reflected in his ink-black eyes behind his glasses. With lowered lids and no expression, he spoke three words: “Let them be.”
The assistant in the front seat exchanged a look with the executive, who understood immediately—he was to wait politely until things were settled.
He radioed the security guards who were heading toward Cen Yingshuang, calling them back.
The female fan who had shouted didn’t force her way forward. Instead, she stretched out her arm and handed over a carefully wrapped gift box.
Cen Yingshuang took it and thanked her.
“Shuangshuang, Mommy loves you!!” she shouted again, her voice like a megaphone.
MÃ n Jie, noticing the scene ahead, was startled.
She quickly realized they were holding things up, nudging Cen Yingshuang with her elbow to hurry her along.
Cen Yingshuang thought Mà n Jie was urging her to board, so she didn’t linger.
Before leaving, she raised her arms over her head to form a heart, then turned and strode toward the VIP Terminal.
Only then did the security guards step in to guide the fans back to the designated area.
As Cen Yingshuang turned around, she noticed the three cars parked not far ahead and realized she’d blocked their way.
Embarrassed, she pulled her cap lower and hurried into the terminal.
Still, she couldn’t help but admire the other party—clearly a prominent figure, yet so gracious, not clearing the area or forcibly driving them away.
The VIP Channel was extremely convenient. As soon as she entered, a staff member greeted her. She didn’t need to carry her own luggage or pick up her boarding pass.
Even security checks were through a private lane, and she rode a dedicated shuttle straight to the plane. The whole process took only a few minutes.
Once on board, the first-class cabin was very quiet.
Cen Yingshuang buckled her seatbelt and nestled into the soft seat, taking off her mask and hat with a long sigh of relief.
Only now did she have time to open the small gift box in her hand. Inside was a letter and a bottle of Banana Milk.
Seeing the Banana Milk, she couldn’t help but smile again.
She was about to insert the straw when Mà n Jie, her manager, quickly stopped her: “Hey, you’re really going to drink that?”
Cen Yingshuang blinked suspiciously, “Why not?”
“Aren’t you afraid someone might’ve put something in it?” Mà n Jie reminded her.
“No way.”
Cen Yingshuang looked at her with wide, innocent eyes.
“Why would anyone do that to me?”
She examined the Banana Milk, noticing a tiny red heart drawn on the back of the bottle.
Her lips curled up, her eyes sparkling as she declared, “Mà n Jie, it’s fine! This is from my true fan! Besides, what fan would be so bad?”
Only her true fans knew her little secret: she hated eating bananas, but loved Banana Milk.
She’d posted about it when she debuted, drawing a little heart on the bottle.
MÃ n Jie said nothing, taking the Banana Milk to inspect it carefully. After confirming there was nothing wrong, she returned it to Cen Yingshuang with a resigned sigh, “Fine, fine, true fan it is.”
Cen Yingshuang happily inserted the straw and took a sip.
MÃ n Jie glanced at her.
Her face, untouched by makeup, was bright and delicate like a porcelain doll—a natural beauty.
Her skin was smooth and rosy, radiating good health.
She clearly was in a great mood, her bright, deer-like eyes sparkling with innocence and joy.
It was exactly the youthful purity that belonged to someone at her blossoming age.
Having spent half her life in the entertainment industry, MÃ n Jie had seen all kinds of people, but never anyone as pure as Cen Yingshuang.
In fact, aside from Cen Yingshuang, people like her simply didn’t exist.
Someone so naïve couldn’t survive in this industry.
Even if they did, they’d never remain unchanged.
Cen Yingshuang owed her innocence to her successful mother.
Her mother, Zhou Yabin, held an unshakable position in the entertainment world.
She was the only domestic grand slam Best Actress, a lifetime judge at Hollywood.
After sweeping all the film awards, her ambition didn’t stop—she moved into television and won a grand slam for Best Actress there, too.