Appearing on a Marriage Show Before Getting Divorced - Chapter 2

In terms of sheer influence and status in the entertainment industry, Film Queen Chu was leagues ahead of Ruan Youran. A single word from the Film Queen held far more weight than anything Youran could say.

By the time Ruan Youran finally dragged her luggage to the door, Chu Nian was already inside. Hearing footsteps, Chu Nian kept her eyes fixed on the door.

She waited for a long time, but there was no movement.

Chu Nian let out a soft sigh. She stood up, unbuttoning and shedding her coat. She gingerly changed into her pajamas, let her hair down, and lightly spritzed perfume on her wrists. She twirled a lock of curly hair so it fell over her forehead—a simple gesture that exuded endless charm and effortless sexiness.

After all this, the person outside still hadn’t budged. Chu Nian walked slowly to the door and pulled it open.

The door swung open abruptly, startling Ruan Youran, who had been staring blankly at the handle for ten minutes. Her heart went thump-thump, thump-thump as she looked up at Chu Nian.

Chu Nian leaned against the doorframe, looking perfectly indifferent. “Why are you here?”

Ruan Youran: “…”

Chu Nian: “I thought you wanted to live alone?”

Ruan Youran: “……”

“And what are you doing at the door? You scared me!” Seeing that Chu Nian had seized the initiative, Ruan Youran felt a surge of irritation. She pushed past her with her suitcase.

Chu Nian’s lips curled upward in an imperceptible smirk. “I was going to take out the trash.”

Ruan Youran rolled her eyes and ignored her. She scanned the room and let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, there were two twin beds, not a double. If it had been a double bed…

Youran felt a strange restlessness. She took a deep breath, unable to tell if she was disappointed or relieved. Regardless of the internal conflict brewing inside her, she maintained a cold, detached exterior as she began unpacking, looking like she had zero interest in communicating.

Chu Nian glanced at her but said nothing more. She picked up her toiletries and headed into the bathroom. Chu Nian was a neat freak; the first thing she did in any new place was shower.

The bathroom featured a translucent frosted glass partition. Youran tried to focus on her things, but the sound of the running water made her skin feel hot. Almost reflexively, she looked up.

The sound of the droplets seemed to carry a lingering tenderness that seeped into one’s heart.

Everyone who had seen Chang’e knew how incredible Chu Nian’s figure was—graceful and ethereal. Back then, a classic scene involved her spinning in a white silk dress, smiling under the pale moonlight. Countless people had fallen for that smile; countless others had secretly imagined unraveling those silken layers.

And now, behind that frosted glass, she was lightly scrubbing her hair, creating a silhouette of maddening temptation.

Ruan Youran reflexively swallowed hard and bit her lip.

When Chu Nian finally emerged, she brought a cloud of fragrance with her. Her skin looked like a peeled egg, and her red lips were flushed from the steam.

Ruan Youran stared out the window, refusing to look at her.

Chu Nian’s lips twitched with a ghost of a smile. “Aren’t you going to wash up?”

The question made Youran’s face flush. She turned to stare at Chu Nian, her eyes swimming with complex emotions.

Chu Nian looked back at her calmly. “After all, we’re filming a show. We should maintain some professional ethics.”

The words “professional ethics” cut through Youran’s heart like a blade. She suppressed her anger, grabbed her change of clothes, and stormed into the bathroom.

Heh. Professional ethics. Right. “Professional” is the only thing left between us now.

As the water began to flow again, it disturbed the peace of someone else’s heart.

Chu Nian sat quietly in a chair for a long time. Eventually, she sighed and pulled a necklace from around her neck—one she never took off, even to shower. Hanging from it was a faint, shimmering ring. She lifted it and pressed a soft kiss to it.

That night, Ruan Youran suffered from insomnia. For someone who used to sleep like a pig the moment her head hit the pillow, this was rare—though lately, she had become used to it.

She crept out of bed, wrapped herself in a quilt, and went to the rooftop. The night air was chilly, and under the moonlight, everything felt desolate. She cracked open a beer and swung her feet over the edge, looking down at the city lights.

—”I don’t dare make promises, but in this life, I will give you the best of everything I can get.”

—”I can’t wait to have you; I can’t wait another day.”

—”I imagined many decades with you… but they’re all gone now.”

Tears slid down her cheeks. Youran kissed the ring she had moved from her finger to a chain around her neck. she hugged herself tight, but no matter how hard she squeezed, she couldn’t warm her frozen heart.

Outside the half-closed door, Chu Nian leaned against the cold wall, her lashes fluttering as she closed her eyes.

Director Niu, puffing on a cigarette, asked in a low voice: “What exactly is the situation? You two…”

Though the director didn’t see Chu Nian often, they had worked together years ago. She knew Chu Nian was fiercely independent and cold. Was she actually grieving over Ruan Youran?

Chu Nian remained silent, though a mist gathered in her eyes.

“What is going on between you two?” the director pressed.

Chu Nian stared at her for a long time before finally saying: “Sister.”

Director Niu flinched so hard she nearly burned her lip with her cigarette. “Don’t, don’t! Nian Nian, if there’s something on your mind, just say it. Don’t call me ‘Sister,’ you’re scaring me.”

“I’ve known you for nearly ten years,” Chu Nian said softly, looking toward Youran. “All these years… I’ve had a secret that’s hard to voice.”

Seeing Chu Nian’s conflicted expression, the director quickly interrupted: “If it’s that hard to say, then definitely don’t say it! I’m tired, I’m going to bed.” She yawned and stretched. She knew Chu Nian was incredibly smart—if she was opening up, there was a reason. Curiosity killed the cat.

Chu Nian said calmly: “Since you’re tired, get some rest. I’ll try my best to exercise restraint so it doesn’t affect the filming.”

The director’s feet felt glued to the floor. She turned back, clutching her chest. “Affect… affect the filming?!”

The long night passed. When Ruan Youran finally composed herself and returned to the room, Chu Nian’s bed was empty.

She stared at it for a while, then shook her head. None of my business, she thought. Whether the Film Queen went out to meet a lover or a random stranger was her own concern.

She lay in bed, her mind conjuring countless scenarios. Where did she go? Is she meeting some beautiful young man or woman? The moonlight is so nice; they must be having a great talk. Will they hug? Will they…

She barely slept a wink.

The next morning, everyone sat down for breakfast. Both Youran and Director Niu looked like they hadn’t slept, sporting dark circles. Usually a chatterbox, the director kept her head down in her bowl, casting frequent, suspicious glances at Youran.

After breakfast, the director briefed them: “This show is called 33 Days of Marriage, but as you know, I don’t follow fixed scripts. I want this to be natural—let the fans see what living with a national idol is really like. No baggage.”

Lin Yiyi, snacking on melon seeds, asked: “Does that mean we have character personas?”

The director nodded mysteriously and produced some sealed cards. “A basic framework helps with promotion.”

The pairs opened their cards:

Lin Yiyi & Song Ci: “The Free-Spirited Leader” and “The Golden Canary.”

The “Sunset Glow” Couple: Qin Yanlan was the “Overbearing CEO,” while Lan Ke was the “Unruly Old Troublemaker.”

Finally, it was time for the most anticipated pair.

Ruan Youran was excited. Despite her current mood, she still had a childish streak and wanted to see her “vibe.”

Chu Nian opened hers first with her usual elegance. She looked at the text and smiled faintly. The smile was so beautiful it made everyone’s heart melt.

The card read: “The Goddess Chang’e Falling into the Mortal Realm.”

It was perfect—a high-and-mighty goddess descending to the world of men.

Everyone turned to Ruan Youran. Youran smirked, feeling smug. She knew her “Auntie” Niu still favored her. If Chu Nian was the goddess, she’d surely get something cool like “The Heartbreaker” or “The Alluring Charmer.”

Imitating Chu Nian’s grace, Youran flicked the paper open with a flourish.

The room went silent as everyone read it:

“Chang’e’s Pesky Little Rabbit.”

Ruan Youran: “…”

Everyone else: “……”