The bed took up so much space that the previously spacious room now felt cramped. Zhou Zizhi asked if the bed could be returned.
The staff replied, "Yes, as long as you have the receipt."
Zhou Zizhi hesitated for a moment before picking up her phone to call Yu Ze. It was the first time she'd ever called him since they met.
Yu Ze was in the middle of a meeting when the sound of a violin suddenly interrupted. The senior executives of the company stared in disbelief as their usually stern boss pulled out his phone with a faint smile in his eyes.
Everyone exchanged astonished glances. It was their first time hearing the boss's phone ring.
Wasn't it a strict rule that no phones were allowed in the meeting room?
"It's me," Yu Ze said as he stepped out of the meeting room.
The executives couldn't help but whisper. Whoever was calling must be someone special to make the boss break his own rules.
Zhou Zizhi asked, "Do you still have the receipt for the bed?"
Yu Ze raised an eyebrow. "I threw it away." Was that why she called?
"Then I'll hang up," Zhou Zizhi said.
True to her word, she hung up without hesitation. Yu Ze paused, turned toward his office instead of the meeting room, and retrieved the receipt from his drawer. With a flick, he tore it into pieces and tossed it into the trash.
Zhou Zizhi sighed as she looked at the luxurious bed, which clashed completely with her minimalist décor. From the beginning, that man had wrapped himself in a guise of gentleness, subtly forcing his way into her life and taking up space without her even realizing it.
His methods were skillful and seamless.
Glancing at the clock on the wall—9:15—she put on a loose dark gray coat, swapped into beige snow boots, and headed out.
The fog was lifting, and the temperature was climbing. The streets were bustling with life.
She went to the supermarket to buy some groceries. Passing a pet store, she paused, then stepped inside.
It was still early, and the shop was quiet. The staff lounged around, chatting lazily, their faces still bearing traces of morning grogginess.
"Miss, can I help you?"
"I'd like to see Huskies, Labradors, and Golden Retrievers," Zhou Zizhi said, tugging her cap lower.
"Right this way," a staff member said enthusiastically, leading her deeper into the store. Pointing to a cage, they added, "That Golden Retriever over there is less than three months old. Isn't it adorable?"
The little Golden Retriever seemed to have just woken up. Lying on its back, it stretched lazily inside the cage.
Zhou Zizhi was captivated. She didn't hear a word of the staff's sales pitch.
Sensing a potential sale, the staff member hurried to take the puppy out of the cage and redoubled their efforts to promote it.
Zhou Zizhi ran her hand along the soft fur on the puppy's back. Warm and fluffy, it felt so comforting. She couldn't resist rubbing its little belly.
"If you buy it now, we're offering a discount, plus a free check-up within a month," the staff member said.
But her excitement faded when her eyes caught a list of pet care requirements pinned to the wall. Reality set in—owning a dog required time, effort, and dedication. She simply wasn't ready.
She sighed, withdrew her hand, and left the store with a bag of dog food instead, heading to a nearby park to feed stray dogs.
On her way back, she unexpectedly ran into Chen Jia. Both were surprised to see each other.
Chen Jia, now dressed simply for class, looked like an ordinary university student, her usual air of sophistication absent.
A car suddenly roared past them, speeding recklessly. Zhou Zizhi felt the gust of wind sting her face, her legs weak, her heart pounding as if it might leap out of her throat.
Seeing Zhou Zizhi's pale face, Chen Jia gasped, "Hey, you didn't get hit, did you?" She hadn't even planned on speaking to her and now found herself in this situation.
Zhou Zizhi was drenched in cold sweat. Behind her sunglasses, her eyes were vacant, her lips tightly pressed, drained of all color.
Looking around, Chen Jia helped her to a nearby stone step. To anyone passing by, they were just two ordinary women, far removed from the glamor of celebrity.
"I almost stepped in dog poop this morning..." Chen Jia blurted, but realizing how inappropriate it sounded, she stopped herself.
She eyed Zhou Zizhi carefully. Something had clearly shaken her to the core. Her entire body trembled with fear.
Not knowing what else to do, Chen Jia nervously clutched her phone. "Zhou Zizhi, do you want to go to the hospital?"
Zhou Zizhi looked utterly drained. "No need," she murmured.
Chen Jia suddenly remembered Zhou Zizhi's car accident from a few years ago. Could it have left her with lingering trauma?
"I have water and some bread," Chen Jia said awkwardly. Despite working together on set for months, their off-screen relationship was strained at best.
Zhou Zizhi removed her sunglasses, wiped the sweat from her face, and put them back on. "Could I have a bottle of water?"
Chen Jia handed her an unopened bottle of mineral water from her bag.
"Thanks," Zhou Zizhi said, taking a few sips. She stood up and added, "You're heading back to school, right? I'm fine now."
"Are you sure you can manage on your own?" Chen Jia asked, frowning.
Zhou Zizhi nodded and thanked her again before parting ways.
Back at her dorm, Chen Jia recounted the incident as a juicy story. "Guess who I ran into on the way back—Zhou Zizhi!"
Her three roommates immediately perked up, their gossip instincts ignited.
"Didn't she have a car accident a few years ago? Maybe she has some lingering issues from it," Chen Jia speculated, combing her hair. "You should've seen her face when that car sped by—she looked absolutely terrified, as if she'd seen a ghost..."
After finishing her words, Chen Jia heard sobbing. She turned her head and saw her roommate wiping away tears, rolling her eyes in response.
A girl, a fan of Zhou Zizhi, was sitting in a chair, crying uncontrollably. Determined to defend Zhou Zizhi, she fabricated a tragic story and posted it in Zhou Zizhi's fan forum, portraying misery and torment.
Zhou Zizhi's fans immediately mobilized, condemning Feng Baiyu as heartless. They criticized everything from his works to his appearance, leaving nothing unscathed.
Feng Baiyu's fans wouldn't stand for it. They argued, "That's ancient history! And Zhou Zizhi wasn't hit by Feng Feng's car. Why insult him?"
This ignited a massive fan war, with both sides tearing into each other.
Some troublemakers even fanned the flames, escalating the conflict.
Over time, rumors turned into supposed truths. Fans of both Zhou Zizhi and Feng Baiyu accepted that they were a couple. Once united in defense of the pair, their fans now clashed at every turn.
The crux of the matter was that Feng Baiyu had "abandoned" Zhou Zizhi while she was in a coma, a move labeled as heartless and despicable.
Feng Baiyu, who was at home caring for his child, found himself thrust into the spotlight once again, crowned as the "king of scumbags."
Frustrated, Feng Baiyu ran into He Yueming that afternoon. Without a word, he landed two punches.
He Yueming, caught off guard, spat out blood and glared. "Feng Baiyu, what's wrong with you?"
"You don't know?" Feng Baiyu roared. "You *&$% don't know? Huh?"
The repeated questioning caused He Yueming's face to darken.
As Feng Baiyu passed by him, he snarled, "You're a beast. I've been your scapegoat for years, and it makes me sick."
He'd wanted to say this for years, ever since Zhou Zizhi was lying unconscious in the hospital while He Yueming and An Yiru flaunted their relationship publicly.
Now that he'd finally said it, a weight lifted off his shoulders.
He Yueming clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.
He had been following Zhou Zizhi's situation, even using an alternate account to lurk in her fan forums, so he was well aware of the trending topics that morning.
The events of that year were a nightmare he avoided revisiting—panic, fear, madness, despair. They haunted both him and Zhou Zizhi.
But regardless of the reasons, he had abandoned Zhou Zizhi at the worst possible time.
Back home, He Yueming pushed An Yiru onto the bed, his actions mechanical and devoid of tenderness. Afterward, he retreated to the bathroom, locking himself inside.
An Yiru, disheveled, sat up slowly, her fingers digging into her palms.
She had chosen this path herself. No matter how bloody it got, she would drag He Yueming along and never let him return to Zhou Zizhi.
Zhou Zizhi learned about the commotion through a call from Jian Yu. At the time, she was in the kitchen following a recipe but lost her appetite instantly.
"Zizhi-jie, the forum moderator has handled the post, but the rumors spread too fast. The fight is intense," Jian Yu reported. "Feng Baiyu's Weibo is a mess."
Within minutes, Zhou Zizhi made a decision.
The next day, after discussing it with her company, she held a press conference, addressing the rumors with patience and composure.
"We're just friends," Zhou Zizhi clarified, appealing to fans to stop causing trouble for Feng Baiyu and his family.
When a reporter asked, "So, you admit to using Feng Baiyu to hype yourself?"
Zhou Zizhi frowned slightly. "It wasn't about using. I was young and naïve back then, thinking silence was the best response."
Another pressed, "Is this press conference tied to your upcoming film, Narrow Path?"
"Publicity? That's not my job," Zhou Zizhi replied. "I'm just an actor responsible for performing my role well."
"What about the rumor that you remained silent to protect someone?"
The question came from a sharp-eyed young female reporter, whose persistence made Zhou Zizhi unconsciously clench her fingers.
After a long pause, Zhou Zizhi met the reporter's gaze and calmly answered, "Yes."
The room erupted.
"That was my past. There's no point in bringing it up," Zhou Zizhi said. "If I find the right person in the future, I won't hide it. My love will be shared openly."
Backstage, Jian Yu watched in awe. The questions were cutting, and she had expected Zhou Zizhi to walk out multiple times.
Feng Baiyu saw the news and immediately called Zhou Zizhi. "I should have stood with you," he said, feeling guilty about letting her face the scrutiny alone.
"It's better this way," Zhou Zizhi reassured him. "There might still be questions on your end, so keep an eye out."
Before hanging up, she softly added, "Baiyu, I'm sorry."
Stunned, Feng Baiyu chuckled. "What are you apologizing for? I used you to protect my wife too."
Then he asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Zhou Zizhi replied, ending the call.
Feng Baiyu responded on Weibo, and the public opinion storm that had lasted for years finally showed signs of calming down. Some were disappointed, lamenting the falsehoods of the entertainment industry and vowing to focus solely on works in the future. Others were pleased, claiming that Zhou Zizhi and Feng Baiyu were never a good match in the first place.
In this circle, secrets are rare, especially when it comes to something that causes such a stir.
Feng Hao and He Yueming were drinking together when Feng Hao casually asked, "Do you believe that Zhou Zizhi and Feng Baiyu are just friends?"
He Yueming responded with a single word, "Yes."
Feng Hao looked up in surprise. Was he that certain? Teasingly, he said, "Yueming, do you happen to know some inside scoop?"
He Yueming said nothing, downed his drink in one go, and choked so hard tears welled up in his eyes.
From beginning to end, Yu Ze stayed out of the matter. He knew Zhou Zizhi's character. If he got involved, she wouldn't be grateful; she would only distance herself further.
"I contacted a friend overseas," Yu Ze said in a low voice. "She'll return soon. Zizhi, you need to undergo a full-body check-up."
Zhou Zizhi replied, "It can be done domestically."
Yu Ze didn't want to lose his temper. After stepping out for a cigarette to calm down, he returned. "She's a psychologist."
Zhou Zizhi lowered her gaze. "When?"
Yu Ze resisted the urge to pull her into a tight embrace. "No later than the end of this month."
Zhou Zizhi turned away, intending to get a glass of water. A hand reached over her shoulder, turned her around, and she found herself in an embrace, enveloped in a faint, clean scent.
Above her was the deep, husky voice of a man. "Don't move."
As she tried to break free, Yu Ze had already stepped back. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."
The movie Narrow Paths became a hit even before its release. A two-minute trailer showcasing its dramatic plot twists and stunning visuals earned widespread praise online.
Zhou Zizhi and her fellow cast members began traveling to various cities to promote the film, visiting two or three cities daily and spending most of their downtime on planes.
Their schedules were grueling, often requiring them to start makeup sessions at 3 or 4 in the morning—up earlier than the roosters and asleep later than the dogs.
As the movie's release approached, they entered the peak of their promotional activities, including numerous show recordings. Interview programs were relatively relaxed; as long as they avoided saying too much or making mistakes, it was fine. But variety shows were more demanding—they had to actively participate and come across as good sports. Even the slightest hint of reluctance or unhappiness could lead to accusations of being pretentious or unprofessional.
If You're Happy, Just Smile, the most-watched entertainment program in the country, had arranged for Zhou Zizhi and her team to participate.
During the rehearsal, lead actors Chen Jia and Feng Hao went first, while Zhou Zizhi and Chen Shuyuan stayed backstage, eating scallion oil noodles. They had just flown in from City M and were starving, not having had a sip of water.
As he ate, Chen Shuyuan asked, "Zizhi, what do you do for fun when you're not acting?"
Being in the industry himself, he understood that most celebrity rumors were a mix of truth and fabrication, often serving as publicity stunts. So he didn't think much of the gossip surrounding Zhou Zizhi and Feng Baiyu. What he saw was someone who had survived a terrible accident, made a miraculous recovery, and persevered in her career.
Zhou Zizhi finished the last few strands of noodles and said, "I play games."
Curious, Chen Shuyuan asked, "What kind of games? Maybe we play the same ones."
Zhou Zizhi replied, "Landlord."
Chen Shuyuan paused. "...Fair enough."
Backstage, their assistants, Jian Yu and Wang Shan, were scarfing down their own meals. The pains and joys of being an assistant, as they knew all too well.
"Shan Shan, is Chen Shuyuan really 170 cm tall?"
Wang Shan answered without hesitation, "Of course! He's 172 cm."
Jian Yu shrugged. "I almost believed the internet saying he's 180 cm."
Wang Shan winced and whispered, "Please, Jian Yu, keep that to yourself, okay?"
"Don't worry, I know better," Jian Yu replied with a wink.
Unbeknownst to them, the first part of their conversation was overheard by Zhou Zizhi and Chen Shuyuan.
"My parents are both under 160 cm," Chen Shuyuan joked without embarrassment. "The fact that I'm over 170 cm is a miracle."
Zhou Zizhi smiled. "I'm the opposite. My parents were retired athletes, and all my relatives are tall. I'm the shortest at 163 cm, like they picked me up off the street."
Onstage, the second game involved male guests carrying female guests over six hurdles, across a balance beam, and reaching balloons hanging above—all within a time limit. The design was outrageously challenging.
Chen Jia and Feng Hao struggled repeatedly, failing more than ten times and ending up bruised and battered. Fed up, Chen Jia announced she was done and wanted to leave.
The atmosphere turned awkward.
Chen Jia had been facing harsh criticism online. As a newcomer, her acting was deemed amateurish, and her heavy screen time in the trailer sparked allegations of favoritism and exploitation of connections. Even her background and family ties were dug up, adding fuel to the fire. Feeling cornered, she had lost weight and still couldn't resist checking the endless negative comments about herself online.
Seeing no alternative, Feng Hao suggested, "Let's switch. I'll pair with Zizhi."
Though their manager disapproved—viewers loved the chemistry between the leads, and separating them could hurt the show—there was no other choice given the situation.
As Chen Jia went to rest, Zhou Zizhi passed her and spoke softly, her tone warm and genuine. "Your acting is impressive. You have your own unique style that no one can imitate. Just be yourself, Chen Jia."
Startled, Chen Jia stammered, "I don't know what you're talking about!" But as she walked away, she mumbled under her breath, her face slightly flushed, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
The official recording went smoothly, and even Chen Jia loosened up and enjoyed herself. During the food segment, she was so engrossed that the director's frantic cue cards went unnoticed.
As the program wrapped up, the host asked, "When does the movie premiere?"
Feng Hao replied, "December 25th."
"Perfect timing for a Christmas movie," the host said excitedly. "Should we all bring our family and friends to support Narrow Paths on Christmas?"
The audience cheered loudly. "Yes!"
The host then turned to the cast. "Say a word to the viewers!"
Chen Jia smiled. "December 25th, see you there."
Feng Hao: "See you there."
Zhou Zizhi: "We hope for your support for Narrow Paths."
Chen Shuyuan: "Please support us."
The host burst into laughter. "You're all hilarious."
The audience laughed along.
After the recording, Zhou Zizhi returned to find Yu Ze waiting for her with a stranger by his side. The woman had darker-than-average pupils that made her gaze unsettling.
The woman extended her hand. Her voice was clear and steady. "Tan Yin."
Zhou Zizhi shook her hand with a smile. "Zhou Zizhi."
Tan Yin tucked her hair behind her ear. "I've heard a lot about you," she said. "Shall we begin?"