Wen Chu’s fingertips tightened around her phone.
She studied at the Film Academy, and her family supported her to attend, which wasn’t cheap. When her mother fell ill, they kept it from her, originally planning to mortgage the house to gather money for the surgery.
After Wen Chu received that contract, she quickly sent money home.
Her parents initially didn’t know she was working as a stand-in actress, thinking she had landed a role. It wasn’t until years later, when she had no works to show, that they asked her about it.
She told them as gently as she could, saying that although she was a stand-in, it was a stepping stone to becoming an actress, and the company and her superiors would arrange roles for her.
Over the years, her parents had always been hopeful, because it had always been their daughter’s dream.
Wen Chu forced a smile.
She didn’t want her parents to worry.
She smiled and said, “They’re arranging it now. The role has to be suitable, so it’s not that easy. But they already have plans.”
“Really? That’s wonderful.”
Ye Qifang’s voice even lifted a little.
“They helped us, so remember to thank them, okay?”
“I know.”
“Your dad’s about to wake up. I’ll make him some breakfast. Don’t tire yourself out.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up, the lie left Wen Chu almost breathless.
She looked out the window.
Gu Cheng couldn’t hear what her mother said on the call, but from her tone, he knew she always reported only good news and hid the bad.
He ruffled her hair.
Wen Chu turned, glancing up at him, and rubbed against his palm.
Gu Cheng asked quietly, “What did you tell Auntie?”
Wen Chu shook her head.
“Nothing, just family matters.”
Gu Cheng looked at the road ahead.
“If there’s anything, you can tell me.”
“Okay.”
Wen Chu held her phone, staring at the electronic contract on the screen.
This contract weighed down on her like a shadow.
Gu Cheng noticed she was looking at it again. He paused briefly, then kept driving.
After returning home and eating breakfast, Wen Chu didn’t feel sleepy anymore.
She started flipping through the script in the living room.
Gu Cheng, for once, didn’t go to the company either and handled business at home, video conferencing with Zhou Yang.
Auntie went out to buy groceries.
Only the two of them were left at home.
Wen Chu had several night scenes that evening. She marked each one, sometimes curling up next to Gu Cheng, sometimes busy with their own work.
Then, a trending search exploded on Weibo.
Gold Medal screenwriter Fang Yi attended a banquet with Mu Xuan, suspected of going public
Mu Xuan was a minor actress who’d only started gaining recognition in the past two years.
This set of photos included not just banquet shots but also pictures of entering and leaving a hotel.
Fang Yi didn’t speak out on Weibo to deny the rumors or anything, and even posted a cheerful emoji.
In an instant, the entire entertainment industry was in an uproar.
Not to mention fans and bystanders on Weibo—the real storm was among insiders.
Xi Ning sent two messages to Wen Chu.
Xi Ning: Did you see the trending search?
Xi Ning: According to reliable sources, Fang Yi and Qi Yuan have broken up. This time it’s final. The whole industry is jumping, and everyone’s waiting to write their articles.
Wen Chu: I just saw it.
Wen Chu: Is the information reliable?
Xi Ning: Extremely reliable. This set of photos was released by your company. They want to sever the relationship between Qi Yuan and Fang Yi.
The company has now launched PR to prevent Fang Yi from turning around and biting them.
Wen Chu was slightly stunned. So the company released it.
She then saw someone commenting under the trending search:
Fang Yi was in a relationship with a certain female star for many years, but in the end, they still broke up.
People kept asking below, who?
Which female star?
But no one answered.
Instead, Qi Yuan posted a withered rose on both Weibo and her Moments.
In her Moments, the rose was surrounded by smoke.
She was smoking while holding a bent rose…
This was undoubtedly confirming to everyone in the industry that she and Fang Yi had truly broken up.
This Best Actress and Gold Medal Screenwriter had quarreled for years, breaking up and getting back together, with endless rumors—finally, the curtain had fallen.
For years, Qi Yuan’s anxiety—it was hard to say it wasn’t because of Fang Yi.
Everyone tried to comfort Qi Yuan in their Moments, but she didn’t reply to a single word.
Su Mei reminded everyone in the group not to talk carelessly outside, or else the lawyer’s letter would come.
After reading the messages, Wen Chu felt like a bystander. None of it had anything to do with her. She put down her phone and continued reading the script.
Gu Cheng’s phone also rang several times. He picked it up to check.
He saw some industry news—after all, Xingyao was in media.
He also saw Qi Yuan’s Moments.
He paused on that photo for a few seconds.
Wen Chu turned to look at him.
Sensing her gaze, Gu Cheng put down his phone and turned off the screen.
Wen Chu rested her arm under her head.
Gu Cheng reached over to smooth her hair.
“What’s wrong?”
Wen Chu whispered, “I’m tired.”
“Then go sleep.”
He got up, bent down, and picked her up, carrying her to the master bedroom.
She said she was tired, but lying on the bed didn’t guarantee sleep.
Wen Chu tossed and turned for a long time before finally dozing off.
Gu Cheng returned to the living room.
As soon as he sat down, he received several messages.
His cousin Gu Ci was organizing a gathering in the group chat, for the young people of the Gu and Qi Families.
The Gu Family and Qi Family weren’t natives of Jing City. They’d moved there due to business and taken root. Although the Gu Family had now become one of the four great families, their relationship with the Qi Family remained strong.
Gu Ci: Tonight at Mingshan Qing Bar. Come.
Gu Ci: Qi Yuan finally broke up with that Fang guy. Let’s celebrate.
The other brothers and sisters in the group cheered scatteredly.
Gu Cheng leaned against the sofa, reading the messages, especially his cousin’s triumphant tone.
Qi Yuan: All you know how to do is tease me.
Gu Ci: So, gathering or not?
Qi Yuan: Gathering. @Gu Cheng, you have to come.
Gu Cheng replied: I’ll see if I have time.
Gu Ci: All right.
Then they chatted about other things.
Gu Cheng set his phone down and got back to work.
After lunch, he went to the company.
He returned after five.
Auntie said Wen Chu had woken up around two, eaten lunch, then gone back to sleep.
He took off his suit jacket and entered the master bedroom.
The curtains were tightly drawn.
She was sleeping soundly on the bed.
Gu Cheng sat by the bedside, gently brushing her hair with his fingers.
Her breathing was even.
She looked even softer than usual when she slept, making it hard to wake her.
He watched for a while.
The phone on the table vibrated—it was Wen Chu’s.
A message came from Su Mei’s assistant: Tonight’s night scene is temporarily canceled.
Meaning Wen Chu could rest and keep sleeping.
Gu Cheng felt his mood lighten.
He picked up the tablet from the sofa and typed two lines on it.
Cousin became a shareholder of Mingshan Qing Bar
I wanted to wake you up to go together, but seeing you sleep so soundly, I’ll go first. If you wake up and want to come, have Chen Shu bring you over.
After editing, Gu Cheng put down the tablet, set it on the table, leaned down and kissed her brow, then left the master bedroom.
Wen Chu was woken by the persistent vibration.
Half-asleep, she groped for her phone and answered without looking.
Xi Ning’s voice came through.
“Which film studio are you at? Which scene is today?”
Wen Chu’s sleepiness faded.
“At Dongcheng Film City. Today… I still need to make up for last night’s scene.”
“Oh, then I’ll come visit the set.”
Wen Chu woke up more, opened her eyes, and hurriedly asked, “I haven’t gone to the set yet. What time is it?”
“Nine thirty. Did you oversleep?”
Xi Ning realized instantly.
Wen Chu sat up straight, putting on her shoes.
“Yeah, I forgot to set the alarm.”
She turned and saw the tablet propped up on the table, the screen dark.
But Wen Chu knew that Gu Cheng sometimes left her messages on it—it was their habit.
She slid it open and, sure enough, found two lines left there.
She also knew Gu Cheng’s cousin Gu Ci.
He was a good person.
One year, on her birthday, Gu Cheng booked his cousin’s bar for her, and Gu Ci even helped him decorate, bringing a whole truckload of flowers.
Unlike other siblings, Gu Ci disliked the family business, preferred freelance work, invested in whatever he liked, did whatever he wanted—a free spirit, unbound by the family name.
Wen Chu had always envied that way of living.
Xi Ning had once said: That’s because he has money and can live that way.
Wen Chu laughed.
True enough.
Xi Ning exited the elevator.
“I’ll pick you up and go to the set together. I’m already at the parking lot.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up, Wen Chu saw the message from Su Mei’s assistant.
She glanced at Gu Cheng’s note.
Xi Ning was already on her way over.
So Wen Chu called Xi Ning back.
“There’s no shoot tonight. Let’s go to Mingshan, Gu Cheng’s cousin’s bar. What do you think?”
Xi Ning remembered the person.
“Sure, pack up. I’ll be there soon.”
Just up, Wen Chu’s stomach was empty.
She grabbed some food.
After changing clothes, half an hour later, she got in Xi Ning’s car and headed to Mingshan.
The Qing Bar was in a relatively secluded location but had a nice atmosphere.
Tonight, a sign hung—Owner’s Gathering.
Xi Ning saw it and tugged Wen Chu.
“Your man is here tonight too, right?”
Wen Chu smiled slightly.
“Nothing escapes you.”
Xi Ning snorted.
They pushed open the door, facing the bar.
By the bar, Qi Yuan wore a light apricot knee-length dress, one hand resting on the other, holding a wine glass, talking to someone.
The person listening was Gu Cheng, in a white shirt and black pants.
Dim overhead lights fell on them both.
They looked like a perfect match—talented man, beautiful woman.
Wen Chu froze for a few seconds.
Xi Ning, however, noticed that the ring Qi Yuan used to wear on her finger was gone.
She said, “Looks like the breakup is real.”
Wen Chu snapped back to herself and saw a banner hanging over the singer’s stage not far away: Celebrating Qi Yuan dumping that Fang guy, no one leaves sober tonight.
Only then did Wen Chu realize that tonight’s gathering wasn’t just for Gu Ci becoming a shareholder of the bar—it was also for this reason.
Indeed.
Everyone here got along well with Qi Yuan and treated her well.
“Come on, let’s go in and call your guy.”
Xi Ning pulled Wen Chu with a bit of provocation, ready to confront Qi Yuan.
But Wen Chu held her hand back.
Xi Ning was startled.
Wen Chu shook her head.
“Let’s go somewhere else.”
In that instant, Xi Ning saw the vulnerability in her eyes and suddenly understood.
She looked toward the two at the bar.
A strange thought floated up.
Those two, one older sister, one younger brother…
No way, right?