Thousands of Heartbeats

As soon as the words fell, the host and barrage paused for a few seconds. Then, the barrage quickly started scrolling.

【Who is it? Who is it! Who could leave such a deep impression on my idol!】

【Is it Lin Yuan? If I remember correctly, they seem to have had something before? The media used to say that; neither Chen Lunan nor Lin Yuan's teams denied it.】

【Lin Yuan?】

【Lin Yuan, right! Chen Lunan once mentioned in an interview that he felt comfortable working with Lin Yuan.】

【Ah ah ah, is my CP finally going to be sweet?】

【Feels like seeing the dawn! Go for it, Nan-Yuan CP!】

Yan Qiuzhi looked at the rapidly scrolling barrage, her eyes twitching.

Lin Yuan??

In fact, Yan Qiuzhi knew of Lin Yuan's existence. She wasn't someone who didn't care about worldly affairs and was, in fact, like most women, fond of gossip.

Regarding Lin Yuan, Yan Qiuzhi's most profound impression of her, besides being a renowned actress, was her rumored relationship with Chen Lunan.

Whether they had been in a relationship, she didn't know. She hadn't asked Chen Lunan, but there were fan discussions and media speculations, rating them as the most compatible golden couple.

Similar in looks, comparable in talent, the epitome of a well-matched couple.

They had collaborated on a classic film, which, to this day, received many praises. Many viewers were captivated by the roles in the movie, sometimes more than the people involved, eagerly anticipating the possibility of them being together.

Adding to this, Lin Yuan had casually revealed in a domestic interview before that she admired Chen Lunan. This added a layer of ambiguous relationship between them. As for when the truth will be revealed, fans are still waiting.

Yan Qiuzhi stared at the big screen without blinking, unsure of her own emotions.

If asked if she was angry, well, it seemed okay.

She didn't think Chen Lunan was referring to her. Even if he was, the phrase deep impression had many layers of meaning, countless possibilities.

Shen Muqing, observing her small expressions, poked her face, "Jealous?"

Yan Qiuzhi gave her a disdainful look. The meaning was obvious—am I someone who would be jealous of Lin Yuan?

Shen Muqing shrugged, genuinely unable to guess.

She said, "I think Chen Lunan wasn't talking about Lin Yuan."

"Oh," Yan Qiuzhi responded indifferently, "Who knows? Whoever he was talking about has nothing to do with me."

Shen Muqing looked her up and down, commenting, "Words don't match the heart."

"......."

Just as Yan Qiuzhi was about to retort, the host on the big screen also reacted, "Is this lady Teacher Chen's friend in the industry? Can you reveal it?"

Chen Lunan's expression remained indifferent, without any mercy, "No."

The host: "........"

The fans in the live stream: "........"

Chen Lunan was indeed Chen Lunan. He wouldn't even answer an additional question, truly a principled celebrity.

After the interview, the host, along with the staff, didn't dare to show any bad attitude towards Chen Lunan.

Once off-camera, Chen Lunan's expression became somewhat solemn.

Wang Kang looked at him, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Brother Lunan"

"En."

Chen Lunan lowered his head. The corridor's light fell on his head, outlining his smooth and superior profile. His nose was straight, his facial features were exceptionally perfect, and belonged to the golden ratio.

Wang Kang looked at him, lost in thought, and then lowered his voice, "Do you need me to communicate with the person in charge?"

The third question was obviously intentionally chosen.

In the initial interview draft, there were two questions probing into Chen Lunan's private life, asking about his preferences in women and whether he would consider having a girlfriend in the entertainment circle.

He ruthlessly crossed them out, and the TV station didn't dare to be disrespectful. But gossip was still gossip; they just found a different way.

After pondering for a few seconds, Chen Lunan said in a low voice, "Forget it."

He instructed Wang Kang, "Monitor the online comments. Delete the negative ones."

"Yes."

After the live interview, many netizens continued discussing this topic online.

As a result, the CP (couple) fans, who had been quiet for a while, also started to get active. The topic also trended with #Chen Lunan Interview# hanging in hot searches. Initially, upon clicking on the topic, what was seen was Chen Lunan's response about the woman who left a deep impression on him.

After half an hour, upon revisiting the topic, most of the content was about Chen Lunan's future career plans and answers about studying abroad. His confident demeanor made quite an impression on many.

Yan Qiuzhi scrolled through Weibo and noticed that the topic related to a certain CP was losing popularity rapidly.

Shen Muqing naturally noticed it too.

She nudged Yan Qiuzhi's arm and commented, "Chen Lunan handled this quite well."

Yan Qiuzhi said, "Maybe he just wants to keep a low profile."

Shen Muqing choked, "Do you really not trust Chen Lunan?"

"........"

To be honest, Yan Qiuzhi could answer this question straightforwardly.

She trusts him.

As for why she trusts him, she doesn't know. Perhaps it was because she had some understanding of Chen Lunan, that he wasn't the kind of man who would cheat in marriage.

It's not that he was completely righteous; it's just that... Chen Lunan had no reason to do such things.

If he really wanted to be with Lin Yuan, he wouldn't have married her in the first place.

And if he wanted to cheat after marriage, he wouldn't have waited until now.

So the final conclusion was — he wouldn't.

As for why he wouldn't; probably because he was lazy, or maybe for some other messy reasons.

Yan Qiuzhi didn't want to delve into it.

After a moment of thought, she slumped onto the sofa and played with her phone, "Trusting is one thing."

Being a little unhappy is another.

Even if she and Chen Lunan had no feelings, she didn't want to be bothered by these rumored girlfriends.

Shen Muqing, understanding her temperament, lay down next to her and said, "You're right. Lin Yuan came back recently, didn't she?"

"Seems like it."

"Why haven't we heard anything about her?"

"Don't know."

Yan Qiuzhi lazily said, "Maybe she's preparing for some big project."

Shen Muqing nodded and patted her head, "If she really does have any crooked thoughts she shouldn't have, I'll curse her for you."

Yan Qiuzhi chuckled, her lips curving into a light smile, "Sure."

The two of them continued bustling around the house, and by noon, the housekeeper auntie came over to cook for them.

After lunch, Yan Qiuzhi and Shen Muqing went out for skincare and beauty treatments. The two of them lay in the salon, getting massages and skincare.

Yan Qiuzhi felt as if she had come back to life. It had been a long time since she felt this comfortable.

"Oh, by the way."

"En?"

Shen Muqing said, "I heard there's a good variety show. Interested?"

Yan Qiuzhi half-opened her eyes and looked at her, "What variety show?"

Shen Muqing closed her eyes, trying to recall, "Can't remember the name. I'll find it for you after we go back."

"Alright."

After coming out of the beauty salon, Yan Qiuzhi felt radiant and rejuvenated, as if she had undergone a complete transformation.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but exclaim, "I'm really beautiful."

Shen Muqing: "........"

Speechless, she snatched the mirror from Yan Qiuzhi, "That's enough from you."

Yan Qiuzhi squinted at her, "You're just jealous of my looks."

Shen Muqing: "Sure, sure, I'm even more jealous of Chen Lunan."

Yan Qiuzhi choked.

Just as the conversation ended, her phone vibrated.

It was a message from Chen Lunan, asking where she was.

Shen Muqing mysteriously smiled, blinked, and said, "Quickly reply to him. Tell him that we're shopping at the mall."

"........"

Shen Muqing urged, "Hurry, let him foot the bill."

Yan Qiuzhi wasn't short of money, but when she thought of the interview, she found Shen Muqing's idea somewhat reasonable.

She nodded, "You're right."

Her fingers touched the screen, and just as she was about to type, she remembered a crucial point.

"No, I have one of his cards with me."

It was one with an unlimited spending limit.

Shen Muqing fell silent instantly.

She sighed, Oh, and sounded a bit disheartened, "How can we exploit Chen Lunan like this?"

Yan Qiuzhi blinked and thought, "I'll try my best to max out his card later."

"That works too."

She smiled and replied to Chen Lunan: 【Shopping at the mall, do you need anything?】

Chen Lunan: 【Mom asked us to come home for dinner.】

Yan Qiuzhi tapped her fingers to reply: 【Today?】

Chen Lunan: 【Yes.】

Yan Qiuzhi raised her eyes and exchanged a glance with Shen Muqing.

"What did he say?"

Yan Qiuzhi hesitated for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and said, "His mom asked us to go home for dinner."

"Are you going?"

Yan Qiuzhi nodded, "Can't refuse. If Chen Lunan is going, I definitely have to go."

Shen Muqing said, "Alright, alright. You really haven't been home for a long time. Aunt Chen is still very good to you."

Yan Qiuzhi naturally knew this.

When Chen Lunan came to pick her up, he watched the driver load her bags into the car and casually asked, "What did you buy?"

Yan Qiuzhi replied, "A lot."

"........"

The two of them arrived at the Chen Family Residence in silence.

Although the Chen Family Residence was not considered remote, it was located halfway up the mountain. It was said that the entire area belonged to the Chen Family.

Yan Qiuzhi vaguely remembered the first time she came here. It was like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Gardens*, everything seemed novel as if she were a naive country bumpkin.

Lost in thought, Yan Qiuzhi couldn't help but glance out of the window, a faint smile playing on her lips.

As soon as they got out of the car, someone came out to greet them.

It was Mother Chen. When she saw Chen Lunan, she nodded excitedly, "You're back."

Chen Lunan responded with a cold En.

Seeing the disappointment on Mother Chen's face, Yan Qiuzhi quickly took her hand and coquettishly said, "Mom, what delicious dishes did Auntie Liu make for us today?"

Mother Chen couldn't help but smile, tapping Yan Qiuzhi's nose, "All your favorites."

Yan Qiuzhi's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Really? Then I'll have to eat two extra bowls of rice."

Mother Chen nodded with a smile, "Sure, eat as much as you want."

"Oh, by the way, Mom, Chen Lunan and I brought you some gifts. Take a look and see if you like them."

A smile blossomed on Mother Chen's face as she repeatedly said, "I like them, I like them."

Yan Qiuzhi pulled Mother Chen to get the gifts, and with that, the momentary hurt on Mother Chen's fragile heart caused by her son disappeared.

Yan Qiuzhi was someone who was good at acting according to others' moods. Since the day she married into the Chen family, there was no one who didn't like her.

Listening to the lively chatter around him, Chen Lunan suddenly felt a moment of relaxation.

After dinner, several people gathered to chat.

Yan Qiuzhi was pulled into the group of women. Chen Lunan had a cousin, Chen Xi, who was a few years younger than her. They had a good relationship and often chatted together about entertainment industry gossip.

This time, the cousin naturally didn't let go of the idea of digging up gossip.

"Sister-in-law."

"En."

Yan Qiuzhi turned to look at her, reaching out to pat her head, "How have you been lately?"

Chen Xi smiled happily, "I'm doing very well."

She whispered in Yan Qiuzhi's ear, "How about you? I heard your TV drama has finished shooting."

She complained in a low voice, "I wanted to go to the set to visit you."

Yan Qiuzhi squinted at her, suppressing her smile, she asked, "Go to the set to visit me, and then what?"

Chen Xi said confidently, "And see Lin Jing."

Yan Qiuzhi's smile froze for a moment, "Huh?"

Chen Xi repeated, "And see Lin Jing. I really like him."

"........"

Yan Qiuzhi choked for a few seconds and looked at her suspiciously, "How come I didn't know you liked Lin Jing?"

Chen Xi blinked, surprised, "Didn't I tell you?"

"No."

Chen Xi paused, then hugged Yan Qiuzhi's arm coquettishly, "Then I must have forgotten. Lin Jing is the idol I follow right now!"

Listening to her tone, Yan Qiuzhi didn't know what to say for a moment.

She touched her nose and suggested, "How about you change idols?"

"Why?"

Yan Qiuzhi didn't know why. She just felt that if Chen Lunan found out that her cousin's idol was Lin Jing, then Chen Xi might never get a chance to meet her idol.

"Just... why don't you pursue a star instead of a director?"

In response, Chen Xi confidently said, "Lin Jing is very cultured, knowledgeable, and has a lot of ideas."

She was not someone who judged by appearances; she focused on the inner qualities.

Yan Qiuzhi nodded, indicating her understanding.

"He actually―"

Before she could complete the sentence, Chen Xi leaned in and whispered to Yan Qiuzhi, "My brother is off-limits. He belongs to you. I can't pursue him."

Yan Qiuzhi: "........"

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Pinching Chen Xi's face, she asked, "Where did you learn that?"

Chen Xi giggled, "I'm just telling the truth."

After a brief silence, she took the initiative to say, "Sister-in-law, um... I watched my brother's interview today."

Yan Qiuzhi nodded, "And then?"

Chen Xi said with a puzzled expression, "Netizens are really going overboard. Clearly, he was talking about you, but they insist that it was Lin Yuan."

Yan Qiuzhi smiled but didn't say anything.

Just as Chen Xi was about to continue the conversation, Chen Lunan happened to pass by, and she called out, "Brother, come over here for a moment."

She was quite mischievous and not at all afraid of the usually cold Chen Lunan.

Chen Lunan hesitated for a moment before he walked over in their direction.

When he approached, Chen Xi hugged Yan Qiuzhi's arm and said, "Brother, I'm going to interrogate you. I hope you answer truthfully. If you don't, I won't return your wife to you tonight."

Yan Qiuzhi: "........"

Chen Lunan raised an eyebrow and casually glanced at her, "What do you want to ask?"

Chen Xi hesitated for two seconds but plucked up the courage to continue, "The woman you talked about in today's live interview, who is it? Netizens are guessing it's Lin Yuan. Is it Lin Yuan?"

Chen Lunan didn't speak but shifted his gaze to Yan Qiuzhi.

Feeling his scrutinizing gaze, Yan Qiuzhi, thinking about the barrage she had seen, asked with determination, "Why are you looking at me?"

Chen Lunan paused and asked, "Curious?"

Yan Qiuzhi asked in return, "Can't I be?"

She murmured, "I'm your wife. Don't I have the right to know?"

Chen Lunan seemed to smile and said, "You do."

Finally, he answered the previous question, "No, it's not."