Falling for the Married Movie Queen - Chapter 1

It was past ten o’clock in the evening, and snowflakes were falling in Nanshi a rare sight for the city. The wind howled past, carrying a biting chill.

Having wrapped up the recording and interviews for the Spring Festival Gala, An Ji pulled her draped coat tighter around herself and quickened her pace toward the van. Inside, it was pleasantly warm, offering a stark contrast to the freezing weather outside. An Ji let out a long sigh of relief, sinking heavily into her seat and pulling a blanket over her legs. Finally, she could head back to the hotel and rest.

Coming to record this television station’s special had meant thirty-six consecutive hours of work. For a woman over forty like An Ji, saying she wasn’t tired would be a lie.

Twelve years ago, a fantasy television drama titled Entanglement had triggered a massive viewership craze. Over the past decade, various television networks had broadcasted reruns in rotation, yet its ratings remained exceptionally high, cementing its status as a classic among the public. Capitalizing on this, XX Satellite TV used the slogan of highest public demand and the gimmick of a cast reunion to gather Eileen, Yu Junye, and An Ji. The three lead actresses had gathered right at the show’s original filming location to shoot a nostalgic special chapter.

Repeated rehearsals, various interviews, and thirty-six uninterrupted hours later, it was finally over.

Still, it was worth it, because she had fulfilled a small, secret wish she had harbored for many years.

An Ji raised a hand to touch the white gown she hadn’t yet changed out of. Looking at the fluttering snowflakes outside the window, the corners of her lips curved upward, her mood lifting just like the dancing snow.

She recalled the scene when she first decided on this dress for the gala.

“Sister An, this style is a wedding dress.” Assistant Cai Xiaofei raised her voice in surprise, frowning in confusion as she looked at An Ji. “And it’s from this winter’s latest collection.”

“I know!” A soft voice slipped past An Ji’s closed red lips, accompanied by an enchantingly charming smile.

“We… are attending the Spring Festival Gala. Is this kind of outfit… appropriate?” Cai Xiaofei stammered.

“Their main focus is bridal wear, but this piece can also count as an evening gown! A wedding dress is just one way to define it,” An Ji explained offhandedly.

“As long as you think it’s fine.”

An Ji didn’t say anything more, immediately deciding on the dress for the gala right then and there.

Thinking back on it now, An Ji still felt grateful for her decisiveness at the time, and her smile deepened a fraction.

“Sister An, are you very tired? You’ve been tossed about for so long.” Cai Xiaofei reached out and handed An Ji a thermos cup.

An Ji glanced back, reached out to take it, took a small sip, and handed it right back.

“It’s alright. Well within what I can handle,” she replied softly, her tone gentle.

“Why don’t you take a short nap? We’ll be at the hotel soon.” Seeing how thinly dressed she was, Cai Xiaofei helped her adjust the blanket over her lap.

“Did Eileen and the other one leave already?” An Ji, who had kept an eye out from the inner venue all the way to the exit without catching sight of Eileen and Yu Junye, asked.

“They probably left first. Teacher Yu and the other didn’t take part in the media interviews,” Cai Xiaofei answered truthfully based on what she knew.

Hearing this, An Ji nodded thoughtfully.

Though she was tired, she felt no drowsiness at the moment. She picked up her tablet, lowered her eyelids, and began scrolling through the push notifications one by one.

The official news regarding the reunion of the three leads had already been released earlier, but there was still no official word regarding the on-site rehearsals and recording.

However, An Ji saw that outer-circle news had already popped up plenty of it, filled with all sorts of flashy, commercial hype.

The most numerous were headlines like: An Ji and Yu Junye Appear on the Same Stage to Shatter Rumors of Discord, Nostalgic Reunion Brings Tears to the Scene, and Enduring Friendship Among the Three Beauties of Entanglement.

Among them was one that stood out considerably, striking straight at An Ji’s heart. Unable to believe her eyes, she tapped on it.

The news had spread far too quickly! So fast that she had only just left the venue and hadn’t even reached her accommodation yet.

On the tablet screen, that web page prominently featured a photo of An Ji, accompanied by a glaring headline that dazzled her eyes:

[“The Three Beauties of Entanglement” Reunite for the First Time; An Ji Suspected of Wearing a Wedding Dress]

In truth, An Ji had secretly hoped her little intentions would go unnoticed by everyone, but she hadn’t expected the observational skills of netizens and the media to surpass all imagination.

She could easily picture how fans and the media would dissect this topic from every possible angle over the coming days.

Sigh… An Ji let out a soft breath. Let them guess away; after all, that person probably wouldn’t notice anyway. That person essentially never watched her own shows or dramas, let alone paid attention to entertainment gossip.

Raising her hand to exit the webpage, An Ji paused. Her finger changed direction instead, and she ended up reading through the news article roughly.

The content was simple, matching the headline, but the photos inside froze An Ji right where she sat.

In the picture, two people stood side by side. One wore a bright red casual suit with hair cut just past her ears, an undeniable air of festivity radiating from her. The other wore a white gown paired with a red shawl, her long hair pinned up in a bun. The two looked precisely like a pair of newlyweds in the middle of a wedding ceremony.

Even more exaggerated was the fact that she herself was holding onto that person’s arm, smiling brightly, looking both shy and radiantly happy.

At the time on stage, An Ji hadn’t thought much of it. When the host referred to the “male and female leads,” she had instinctively reached out and grabbed the arm of the person beside her. Feeling that person stiffen, she had even casually patted her a couple of times in a reassuring manner natural and carefree.

Seeing the photograph now, her cheeks automatically flushed.

So that was what it looked like from a visual standpoint!

It was indeed a bit difficult to describe.

No wonder even the host had teased live on stage, ” Wow! The two of you standing together just screams a match made in heaven.”

Was it really that obvious?

Could the host possibly be a shipping fan as well?

Or was it just for the sake of the program’s effect?

An Ji’s ears and cheeks heated up uncontrollably, turning burning hot. She fought down the impulse to pull the blanket up over her head, gently patting her face instead. With the heat rushing up, her entire body felt feverish.

This was perhaps the bravest and craziest thing she had ever done in her life, especially considering she was a public figure with no small degree of recognition.

Even so, no matter how the outside world chose to comment on her from this point forward, she would never regret doing it.

After all, this was also an answer to herself, to her, and to their feelings. No matter what the future held, at least for her own sake, it was a resolute completion.

Yet, a lingering sense of unease remained in her heart. If she let the media continue to sensationalize and wildly speculate like this, would it cause trouble for that person?

While the entertainment industry was filled with all sorts of scandals every day with some people even intentionally fabricating rumors for commercial gain her situation was different. Not only was it completely uncommercial, but it was real, and it involved a same-sex relationship.

While An Ji’s mind was still entirely occupied by that photo and news report, the car had already silently pulled up to the hotel entrance.

“Sister An, we’re here.” Stepping out and standing by the door, Cai Xiaofei called out softly when she saw An Ji still lost in thought.

Getting no reaction, Cai Xiaofei raised her voice a notch. “Sister An?”

Coming back to her senses, An Ji glanced out the open car door, realized they had arrived at the hotel, offered an apologetic smile, bundled herself tightly in her coat, and stepped out.

Inside the quiet elevator, An Ji’s nervousness tightened in tandem with the rising floor numbers. She could hear her own heartbeat, growing increasingly chaotic.

Asking the production team to place Yu Junye’s room right across from hers was a selfish request by An Ji, born from the secret hope of having more opportunities to interact with Yu Junye and ease the guilt in her heart.

The production crew hadn’t questioned it and arranged it just like that.

Yu Junye had arrived in Nanshi rather late, and the two of them hadn’t managed to meet privately before running into each other right at the recording venue. Things had been so busy they hadn’t even exchanged a single word.

Now, tension suddenly gripped An Ji. Would Yu Junye come looking for her?

Three years ago, it was she who had demanded the breakup, and they hadn’t seen each other since. If they ran into each other right now, what should she even say?

A thousand thoughts swirled in An Ji’s mind. Her hands tightly twisted the hem of her down jacket, releasing it only to clutch it again, repeating the cycle over and over.

At the ding signaling the elevator’s arrival at her floor, she instinctively stepped out as the doors slid open. She turned into the hallway it was completely empty, causing her to let out a breath of relief.

Standing at her doorstep, she still couldn’t resist turning her body to glance at the tightly shut door across the hall, a faint glimmer of anticipation flickering in her heart.

She hoped the door would suddenly fly open and Yu Junye would greet her with a cheerful, “Hi! You’re back!” just like the scenes from their filming days many years ago.

However, not a single sound came from across the hall until her phone began to ring.

The tension in her chest eased, replaced by a flash of lingering disappointment in her eyes.

The phone kept ringing. It was a call from her younger son, Mai Zhixuan.

“Hello!” An Ji answered gently, pulling out her room card to unlock the door. She walked straight inside, sitting down on the sofa directly facing the entrance, from where she could catch a glimpse of the door across the hall. Her assistant quietly slipped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

“Mom, are you done with work?” came a slightly hoarse voice.

A teenage boy going through voice change sounded heartbreakingly raspy. An Ji’s delicate brows knitted together slightly. “Xuanxuan, Mom is done.”

“Then can you come back tomorrow? Let’s celebrate the Lesser New Year together. Dad says he’s coming over too,” Mai Zhixuan asked expectantly.

Hearing this, An Ji frowned, clutched her phone tighter, and paused for a moment before she couldn’t help offering a few instructions. “I can come back tomorrow. Make sure you behave yourself at home!”

Whenever she tried to offer a little extra care, her rebellious son always acted like she was nagging. Despite his rebellious phase, compared to other kids, he still looked mostly like a good boy she had no idea who he took after.

“Got it, Mom. It’s cold out, make sure you keep warm!” Breaking all precedent, he didn’t snap back and even offered a warm remark. It filled An Ji’s heart with warmth, and a natural smile curved the corners of her lips.

After she hung up the phone, the door across the hall remained completely still.

An Ji sighed again, wondering what on earth she was fantasizing about and anticipating.

With a self-deprecating shake of her head, she locked the door, changed out of her gown, poured a glass of red wine, and walked out onto the balcony.

The world was dead silent. The snow was falling heavier now, deep and dense, as if carrying a thousand tangled emotions, rushing like the ocean to submerge everything in its path.

A lone figure stood by herself in the snow, umbrella-less, looking exceptionally conspicuous in the empty courtyard.

As the figure began to move slowly, An Ji recognized her. It was the person she knew by heart, the person she had been thinking of day and night over the past two days.

A bright light flashed in An Ji’s eyes. No wonder the door across the hall had remained quiet. But at this late hour, standing alone in the freezing winter was she really just admiring the snow? As a southerner, wasn’t she afraid of getting sick?

Hurriedly pulling out her phone, An Ji hovered over Yu Junye’s name for a long while before backing out of her contacts and opening WeChat instead.

Cold? She typed the two short characters and hit send.

An Ji clearly saw Yu Junye pull her phone out of her pocket, glance at it, and turn her head to look in her direction. The distance was too great, and though An Ji maintained a smiling expression, she couldn’t make out the other’s expression.

Not bad.

Equally brief. An Ji’s eyes immediately reddened.

Want to come over and sit for a bit?

Okay.

An Ji’s hanging heart finally dropped, but her pulse immediately accelerated into a chaotic flurry.

Watching Yu Junye lengthen her stride and walk back toward the building, An Ji panicked and bolted back inside the room.

What should she do? She had no idea. She simply went ahead and boiled some water; perhaps someone who had been soaked in the freezing outdoor chill needed to warm up.

A moment later, a knock sounded at the door.

An Ji walked quickly to the entryway, took a long, deep breath, and twisted the doorknob.

The door slowly swung open, revealing a slender figure. An Ji moved her lips, but no sound came out.

“Hi! Long time no see,” Yu Junye offered in a clichéd opening line.

An Ji froze on the spot. Nonsense, we literally saw each other a few hours ago.

And yet, it truly felt like they hadn’t seen each other in many years.

Time seemed to freeze right then and there.