Love Contract with the Queen Actress - Chapter 27

Under the gaze of countless eyes, Su Yuchen, led by Shen Wu, walked her first red carpet.

Her heart fluttered with nervousness, yet the hand holding hers continuously infused her with strength. Their warmth passed through the fabric between them, making the winter night breeze seem less biting and terrifying.

The stars glittered, camera flashes dazzled, and banners and light boards shimmered in harmony.

It was so radiant, like a blazing silver ribbon connecting the Milky Way to the mortal world.

As she stepped along the red carpet, bathed in the spotlight of the cameras, Su Yuchen grew increasingly composed. She smiled and waved at the lenses and the crowd, her grip on Shen Wu’s hand subtly tightening.

Watching the fiery red dress and the budding pink dress side by side, the CP fans covered their mouths with muffled squeals while playfully punching each other’s shoulders. At a glance, their eyebrows were all arched in excitement.

“Did you see that? Did you see that? They’re so perfect together!”

“This isn’t a red carpet, it’s a wedding ceremony.”

“I just want to give them a wedding gift already…”

Nearby, the solo fans remained silent, as if muted. A few bold ones even stepped forward to help hold up banners. The fearless leader generously stuck small stickers of Su Yuchen and Shen Wu on everyone’s faces.

Though the solo fans still made up the majority, this small public defection was enough to “disrupt morale.”

Thus, the fan formations stood listlessly. Though they still held up their signs, the inner conflict was palpable.

“Stop looking over there! Don’t you dare look!”

“Only those with wavering loyalty would do that, anyone who switches sides gets their fan status revoked!”

Though no one else dared to make a move, their longing gazes still drifted toward that pair of figures.

Unaware that their backs had already hosted a “wedding” in the eyes of the crowd, Su Yuchen and Shen Wu made their way to the signature board.

Two female hosts stood waiting by the board, both dressed in elegant evening gowns, but their postures seemed oddly mismatched.

The seasoned hostess smiled and raised her microphone to hype the moment. “So, which star will be the grand finale tonight?”

Her co-host ignored her, forcing her to prompt, “Yunyun, do you know?”

Only then did He Yunyun reluctantly lift her mic. “There’s no need for suspense. Let’s welcome tonight’s special guest, Shen Wu!”

She emphasized Shen Wu’s name but omitted Su Yuchen’s.

Of course, her tone wasn’t particularly respectful, it carried an edge that made it uncomfortable to listen to.

The main host glanced sideways at her co-host, noticing the unusual favoritism, earlier, when Fu Mozheng and the three male stars had walked over, He Yunyun had gushed excitedly for ages, even holding them past their allotted time. If not for Fu Chunsheng’s reluctance to let his sister linger in the cold, Shen Wu and Su Yuchen might not have even made it onto the red carpet.

Fine, I’m just unlucky to be stuck with an untouchable last-minute co-host.

Resigned, the host feigned humor with a sigh and added the other guest’s name. “And of course, our other special guest, Su Yuchen.”

Shen Wu naturally didn’t need an introduction, this was just a formality.

But Su Yuchen was different. Many reporters still didn’t recognize her.

She had no idea just how much embarrassment had been narrowly avoided moments ago, thanks to someone stepping in to save the scene.

“Hey, hey, hey! Who’s that holding hands with Shen Wu and walking the red carpet together?”

“No idea. Said to be a special guest, but… huh? Why don’t I recognize her?”

“The girl is so pretty, standing next to Goddess Shen Wu, she doesn’t lose out at all! Quick, snap a few more shots!”

The female host who had saved the moment watched the two beauties approaching hand in hand with sparkling eyes, surrounded by an air of elegance and glamour. Her delighted, almost fangirl-like smile was impossible to suppress, as if she had suddenly sprouted a new ship on the spot: “Now, let’s welcome the beautiful Shen Wu and Su Yuchen to leave their signatures for our ‘Starry Night,’ adding even more brilliance to tonight’s galaxy.”

He Yunyun, watching their clasped hands, felt a surge of irritation and stiffly interjected, “Please separate to sign.”

A protocol officer promptly handed over a pen. Su Yuchen’s first instinct was to take it and pass it to Shen Wu as if caring for Shen Wu had become a habit ingrained in her very blood.

But just then, another protocol officer had already placed a pen in Shen Wu’s hand.

So there Shen Wu stood, her black velvet gloves holding one pen, only to instinctively reach for the one Su Yuchen offered, casually returning the first pen to the protocol officer.

The difference in priority was clear.

Now, each held one end of the signing pen, their eyes meeting in a fleeting moment of mutual surprise.

“…”

“Damn, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there’s definitely something there.”

“It’s just… kinda shippable.”

Whispers spread through the crowd. Shen Wu, ever poised, swept a strand of hair behind her ear with effortless charm and met Su Yuchen’s gaze with a radiant smile.

Su Yuchen smiled back, releasing the pen as if amused by her own unconscious gesture.

“You use it,” she said.

Shen Wu’s lips curved into a deeper smile, her devastatingly beautiful peach-blossom eyes shimmering as she stared unwaveringly at Su Yuchen.

She extended the golden pen toward her.

“No, you use it.”

As if no one else around them existed.

This instinctive exchange, broadcast live, sent the popularity of the #WuXinYuYi hashtag skyrocketing.

[AHHHHHH!!! OMG, did they just have that intense eye contact full of unspoken tension?!]

[A single pen, and they’ve already turned it into an art form! [heart eyes]]

[If these two don’t have something going on, I refuse to believe it.]

[My gut says they’re anything but platonic.]

[At this point, not getting married would be the real plot twist.]

[^ +10086]

[Speaking of marriage, didn’t I hear they’re doing a dating show together? OMG, is it true? I wanna see them on Love OR Marriage! When’s it airing? I’ll be glued to my screen shipping them daily!]

[Shh, the dating show isn’t confirmed yet. Don’t jinx it, wait for the official announcement.]

[Exactly, let’s just trust what we see with our own eyes.]

Back at the event.

The two took turns signing.

Shen Wu gestured for Su Yuchen to go first, then lightly encircled her slender frame, pressing close to take the pen Su Yuchen had used and naturally signing her name right beside hers.

Sharing a single pen, they completed the signing.

The hostess, barely containing her excitement, gushed, “Thank you, Shen Wu, thank you, Su Yuchen!”

“Now, please come this way, our media friends have been waiting eagerly!”

In the center of the signature board, right at the heart of the red platform, a small × was marked with a sticker.

This spot was designated as the prime position for media photos.

Even before anyone stepped forward, the flashbulbs were already blazing nonstop, the rapid clicks of shutters filling the air.

But now, hearing that Shen Wu was about to take photos, the entertainment reporters were practically salivating, eager to snap eight hundred shots in a single second, their fingers cramping from pressing the shutter buttons.

The female host guided the two of them toward the photo area, with He Yunyun following closely behind, lifting her dress hem and smiling into the microphone as she chimed in, “Yes, it’s truly an honor tonight to have the triple-crown film queen and superstar Shen Wu joining our event. Earlier, the musical prodigy Fu Mozheng also took her photos here.”

As if anyone wouldn’t take photos here…

“…”

An awkward silence hung in the air for a second. The host, sensing the impending professional doom of a wage slave, quickly laughed it off and added, “Every star here will light up the ‘Starry Night,’ and naturally, every star will make their appearance for our media friends right here.”

Just as she managed to salvage the moment a little, He Yunyun raised her microphone with a smile and said, “Indeed, a night of shining stars but undoubtedly, the brightest tonight is Shen Wu, our superstar.”

“Come on, let’s capture your presence for our media friends here.”

“How about a photo of Shen Wu with the event backdrop for the press?”

With that, He Yunyun took action, physically wedging herself between Shen Wu and Su Yuchen, effectively pushing Su Yuchen out of the frame as she positioned herself and another host beside Shen Wu for the photo.

Su Yuchen felt a nudge on her arm and instinctively took a step back, widening the gap between them.

From the audience’s perspective, it was blatantly obvious, she was being deliberately excluded. The awkwardness skyrocketed in an instant.

“…”

The entertainment industry was, after all, a grand stage of fame and fortune, where scenes of sycophancy and exclusion played out daily. The media was hardly surprised.

Only a few female reporters pursed their lips, looking somewhat displeased.

Su Yuchen had, of course, anticipated all sorts of hurdles and setbacks. She was well aware of her own weight or lack thereof in this industry, her status as a virtual nobody. Naturally, she couldn’t possibly stand next to Shen Wu…

Before her thoughts could settle, a sudden force tugged at her arm, pulling her forward.

It was just a fleeting moment of disorientation.

The next second, her shoulder brushed against Shen Wu’s.

Two snow-white shoulders pressed lightly together, the two women showing no signs of discomfort, as if this closeness was the most natural thing in the world. If anything, Su Yuchen was only surprised by Shen Wu’s action though she didn’t mind the physical contact at all.

“…”

“Ah…” Su Yuchen parted her lips slightly.

Shen Wu glanced at her, her mesmerizing peach-blossom eyes blinking once in reassurance.

But when her gaze swept over He Yunyun, the look in her eyes carried a multitude of meanings, none of them particularly friendly.

Without a live mic, she spoke just a few words, her voice too soft to be heard over the surrounding noise.

But Su Yuchen, standing right beside her, heard every syllable clearly:
“Quit crowding. You want in the shot?”

The last two words were open to interpretation.
At least in Su Yuchen’s understanding, Shen Wu was simply asking: Are you trying to photobomb?

But these words struck He Yunyun’s ears with devastating force, exactly, you’re just a host, not here to be photographed, so why are you squeezing in?

For someone like He Yunyun, who had always prided herself as the darling of the heavens, this felt like a high-dimensional blow. She pursed her lips, instinctively took a big step back, and her fingers gripping the microphone turned white at the knuckles.

Shen Wu had no interest in further entanglement with her. She simply raised her hand, wrapping it around Su Yuchen’s slender waist, then tilted her head toward Su Yuchen with a charming smile.

As if nothing had happened, she softly mouthed to the media, “Go ahead and shoot.”

The venue fell silent for a full two or three seconds before erupting into a flurry of hushed whispers, interspersed with waves of screams from not too far away.

“I knew there was something going on, there really is something!”

“Isn’t this just fiercely protecting his wife?”

“Now that you mention it, I remember, I once ambushed Shen Wu outside Gaole Entertainment and ran into this Su Yuchen. Shen Wu showed up to intervene and just whisked her away.”

“Exactly, I won’t say too much, but I just want to say, all of this is real.”

Su Yuchen was stunned for only a moment before warmth flooded her heart.

Shen Wu’s head was tilted toward her, and Su Yuchen relaxed, flashing a radiant smile at the camera.

Her head also tilted toward Shen Wu.

Their hair brushed against each other, shoulders pressed together, and their scents effortlessly mingled.

Then, the sound of camera shutters erupted once more, so loud it seemed to chase the stars back behind the clouds.

The winter night sky was dark and heavy.

Yet it was illuminated by two stars on the ground.

…

In the waiting area, Liu Ruomeng sat in the very back row, almost bordering the long corridor separating the media section from the audience seats.

Those who had entered early, like her, were merely the prelude, the real stars would appear much later.

So, while the back rows were nearly full, the front seats were only just beginning to fill up.

Naturally, Liu Ruomeng was one of the appetizers, surrounded by others of similar status, small dishes and sweet preludes.

At that moment, she was glaring in the direction of the first row, frowning and squinting so intently that she didn’t even hear the girl group idol beside her greeting her.

“Xiao Meng, hello! I’m Kuang Li. I’m the only one from our group here today. I’m a little nervous, but I’m so happy to meet you! I’ve watched your cat rescue livestreams! You’re so kind, I love cats too, and my eldest sister also loves them. We both watched your streams together!”

Kuang Li: “…”

Receiving no response, Brother Kuang Li followed Liu Ruomeng’s gaze. “Oh, Xiao Meng is looking at Fu Mozheng and her brothers, huh? They’re all sitting together waiting, how sweet.”

“My eldest sister is too busy. I begged her so much, but she coldly refused to come. Seeing someone else with their brothers, three of them surrounding their sister in the center, it really is enviable!”

Liu Ruomeng suddenly spat out, “Pah! Tui!”

Kuang Li blinked. “Huh? Oh, right, accompanying.”

Only then did Liu Ruomeng realize someone was next to her. She glanced sideways. “Who are you?”

Kuang Li: “…”

No choice but to reintroduce herself. “Xiao Meng, hello, I’m Brother Kuang Li, the leader of MF Group. I was just-”

Before she could finish, Liu Ruomeng waved her off dismissively.

“You… why are you so pale too!”

“……”

Kuang Li: “Huh?”

“My whole family is pale, and I’m not even as pale as my eldest sister.”

Each word seemed to sprinkle salt on Liu Ruomeng’s wounded pride. She had momentarily forgotten about the emerald-green dress that accentuated her slim yet dark complexion, making her feel even more self-conscious and awkward.

Her mind flashed back to the recent phone call with her agent, who had told her there was only this one dress available, take it or leave it. Alternatively, she could agree to accompany Kuang Gong, the chairman of the Kuang family, one of the four major financial conglomerates in the capital, to a dinner party. A few drinks with him, and good opportunities would naturally follow.

Liu Ruomeng had snapped back, “Accompany my ass.”

“Damn miner.”

The call ended abruptly.

But her anger still simmered, especially as she watched Fu Mozheng and her three CEO brothers chatting elegantly in the front row, which only fueled her irritation.

And now this girl was flaunting her pale legs and boasting about her family’s fair skin for three generations.

Liu Ruomeng couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough nonsense. Who the hell are you?”

“And who’s your eldest sister?”

“She’s my younger sister.”

A cold, pale hand with well-defined knuckles rested on Kuang Li’s shoulder. The hand was slender and perfectly proportioned, its thin, fair skin revealing faint traces of delicate veins. When slightly arched, the tendons stretched visibly, exuding an inexplicable aggressiveness, so flawless it seemed ripped straight from a manga panel.

“I’m her sister.”

A cool, emotionless voice sounded from nearby.

Liu Ruomeng looked up and saw the speaker.

The woman had a sleek bob and wore a pitch-black Western-style suit, a conservative office cut, but the stitching, tailoring, and onyx cufflinks were of the highest quality, as if she had just stepped out of a meeting. The only flourish was a high-grade pink diamond brooch pinned to her chest, marking the occasion.

Her presence was overwhelming. Liu Ruomeng faltered for a moment before opening her mouth.

She repeated her question: “And who are you?”

Those thin, unfeeling lips parted slightly. “Kuang Gong.”

The name was too distinctive…

It took Liu Ruomeng two seconds to process before her eyes widened in realization. “You can’t be… that CEO?”

Exactly.

Kuang Gong tilted her chin up slightly, looking down at her with icy detachment. “No, the ‘damn miner.'”

…

Night of the Stars

The stars shone brilliantly, and the atmosphere was electric.

Everyone showcased their talents, participating in interactive games both on and offstage. Popular comedians took turns roasting the celebrities, sending waves of laughter through the crowd and pushing the energy to new heights.

By the end, it was clear the hosts had switched, the female host from the red carpet now teamed up with the comedians, driving the final segment to its peak.

The live broadcast streamed across TVs and devices, with Weibo trending topics exploding in real-time. Online searches and discussions skyrocketed.

[Ahhh! The red carpet’s over, the performances are done, now it’s time for the grand finale! Are we finally going to see Shen Wu’s first public dance tonight?!]

[Wow, I’m so intrigued! I only caught a few seconds of Shen Wu in a cheongsam in that movie years ago, and that slow-motion shot has been my screensaver ever since.]

[The votes for Shen Wu haven’t even been announced yet, but the hype is already this high? How did you know I voted for Shen Wu?]

[No surprise here, I voted for Shen Wu too.]

[But what if it’s Fu Mozheng? I’ve noticed a ton of new accounts signing into Fu Mozheng’s fan community this past week, plus loads of sketchy burner accounts posting identical copy everywhere.]

[Imagine if Shen Wu and Fu Mozheng danced together, that would be the juiciest gossip of 2024 [devil emoji].]

[Better yet, throw Su Yuchen into the mix! Picture this: Su Yuchen comes in third, just missing the chance to dance with Shen Wu, now that’s drama!]

[Are you all directors or something? Who’s paying you to pitch these irrelevant plots? Our queen stands alone, thank you very much!]

Amid the explosive discussions, comments flew by, including the persistent chant: [“Wu-Xin-Yu-Yi is real! Wu-Xin-Yu-Yi is real!”]

Ruan Mengqing glanced at the TV before heading upstairs with her script in hand. Behind her, Old Fu called out, “Our daughter’s event is on tonight, aren’t you going to watch?”

From the spiral staircase, Ruan looked down at the screen, where the broadcast had just cut to Fu Mozheng and her three brothers. Calmly, she replied, “No, it’s too noisy.”

“It’s almost the final segment,” Old Fu said, remote still in hand. “The voting results for our daughter will be out soon. Second Uncle said she’ll probably win tonight.”

Ruan’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “Old Fu, do you realize what winning means?”

Fu Zhengliang smiled faintly. “Just a girl’s little whim. If it makes her happy, why not?”

Clearly, he knew but when it came to spoiling his daughter, cost was never a concern.

This daughter was heaven-sent, hard-won after years of struggle. From childhood, they’d never so much as raised their voices at her, and even when disciplining their three sons, they’d never dared to do it in front of their angelic girl. So whatever Fu Mozheng wanted, Fu Zhengliang granted without hesitation.

A dance was nothing in comparison.

Ruan sighed, disapproval lacing her tone. “There were already ambiguous rumors about those two. If things work out between them, fine. But if not, it’ll just become fodder for gossip.”

His wife had always been sharp-eyed and uncompromising, she wasn’t wrong. But his doting fatherly instincts overrode logic, though he couldn’t bring himself to contradict her outright.

So, Fu Zhengliang rubbed the bridge of his nose, swallowing the words, “Then let’s make sure they end up together,” and instead offered a smile. “Sweetheart, why not come down and watch? The announcement’s about to happen.”

“She’s too competitive these days, and Mozheng’s second uncle has definitely meddled behind the scenes. Go ahead, keep indulging her.”

Fu Zhengliang chuckled but said nothing, his gaze lingering on his wife with undisguised admiration.

After all these years, he was still utterly smitten.

The live broadcast kept cutting between celebrities, and just as Fu Zhengliang turned back to the screen, the camera landed on Su Yuchen and Shen Wu.

Su Yuchen had her hair tied up in a bun, with loose strands framing her face. Her skin was delicate and fair, her nose high and her lips small. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled under the dazzling lights of the venue.

Standing beside those around her, she smiled and applauded for the camera.

Fu Zhengliang caught sight of those eyes, remarkably similar to his wife’s.

The almond-shaped eyes appeared gentle and sweet, utterly unassuming, yet beneath them lay an unshakable resilience. It was a temperament Fu Zhengliang knew all too well.

Then the camera abruptly cut away. The bold host, seemingly unafraid of losing their job the next day, audaciously switched the feed from Shen Wu and Su Yuchen to Fu Mozheng and her three brothers.

Fu Mozheng was even placed front and center, with her brothers barely in frame, granting her a full close-up.

It was as if they were taunting, “Screw it, I’m quitting after today, no work tomorrow!”

Just like that, his precious daughter’s face replaced Su Yuchen’s on screen. The bright almond eyes transformed into sharp, upturned phoenix eyes with narrow lids, almost like a subtle double eyelid. He couldn’t tell if it was the makeup artist’s fault that his daughter had been styled this way tonight.

Fu ZhengLiang sat down, the couch dipping slightly as Ruan Mengqing unexpectedly returned and took a seat beside him.

The two exchanged a glance, each detecting something inexplicable in the other’s eyes: unreadable, inscrutable.

Then, without another word, they turned their attention back to the TV, watching in silence.

…

The comedian held the microphone, their hand exaggeratedly trembling. “I can barely bring myself to announce these vote counts, there are so many zeros, I can hardly lift it!”

A perfectly timed pause, then the next line: “I was just thinking, if only this were a check instead.”

The audience erupted in laughter.

“Are there any fans here willing to pay me to stay away from their daughter or son?”

The comedian pulled out a POS machine from their pocket and raised it high. “I’ll accept offers over five million.”

Another wave of uproarious laughter followed, the crowd cheering and clapping, the atmosphere electric.

On the smaller stage opposite, the female host smoothly took over: “The time now is 23:58, Beijing Time.”

The director immediately cut to her.

“We are about to close the voting! Next, let’s invite our notary staff to conduct the final tally and announce the results!”

The top vote-getters were no surprise, only a handful of names dominated. But at this stage, every celebrity’s profile on the massive LED screen was marked with a “?”, amplifying the suspense with dramatic sound effects.

The polite campaigning phase was long over. With the vote count about to close, fans were going all out, mobilizing every resource they could to push their favorites forward.

Finally, as the last second of voting ticked away, the countdown ended, and the scrolling bar graphs froze in place.

The female host extended the microphone to the notary staff, who began reading the rankings one by one, starting from the bottom.

Applause grew louder with each name.

Then came the top three.

The third-place artist, upon hearing their name, played along with an expression of disbelief, standing to wave at the crowd, met with thunderous cheers.

The venue quieted. The moment everyone had been waiting for had arrived, all eyes locked onto the notary, as if their collective gaze could bore holes through the slight young woman.

The notary wrote down the names of the top two, sealing them separately in gold and silver envelopes before handing them to the host.

The female host continued with several more lines of overly flattering remarks before leaning into the microphone and clearly announcing, “This year’s ‘Starry Night’ is different, so we’re going to do something interesting, we’ll skip the second place and announce the winner first.”

“Who could it be? Who will take home the crown of first place?”

The live music was perfectly timed, erupting with dramatic sound effects and an exhilarating background score.

The celebrities below didn’t dare to speak out of turn, but the audience buzzed with whispers.

“Who else could it be but Shen Wu?”

“If it’s not Shen Wu, I’ll wash my hair standing on my hands.”

The suspenseful music continued to build as the host raised the microphone to her lips. “Now, allow me the honor of announcing the most popular star of the year at ‘Starry Night.'”

The golden envelope was opened, and the host’s eyebrows twitched uncontrollably as she read the name inside. Then,

“The first place goes to… Fu Mozheng.”

A collective gasp swept through the venue. Two seconds later, the crowd erupted into bewildered but enthusiastic applause.

Fans holding Shen Wu’s light boards in the audience froze.

“What? Shen Wu didn’t win first place this year?”

“No way. I know you shouldn’t make reckless bets, but this is just absurd.”

“How could Fu Mozheng, who doesn’t even have any notable works, beat Shen Wu? The votes must be rigged!”

“This is insane. Fu Mozheng first and Shen Wu second? No wonder the organizers pulled this switcheroo, it’s all staged!”

Fu Mozheng, holding up the hem of her purple gown, gracefully rose to her feet. A smile played on her lips as she placed one hand over her chest to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions and waved to the audience with the other.

The crowd responded with a wave of ambiguous screams.

Just as the cameras focused on Fu Mozheng’s triumphant moment, the mischievous live broadcast director abruptly cut to a close-up of Su Yuchen, who was sitting beside Shen Wu.

On screen, Su Yuchen’s almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise, but Shen Wu patted her arm reassuringly. Su Yuchen then smiled warmly and began clapping, while Shen Wu herself remained composed, her stunningly beautiful face betraying no emotion.

She truly didn’t seem to care.

And so, it seemed everything was settled. Everyone relaxed, who else could second place be but Shen Wu?

It was probably just a narrow loss, a “heartbreaking defeat” to her own fiancée, who had recently announced their “engagement.” Tonight’s dance between Shen Wu and Fu Mozheng was bound to become an explosive trending topic.

“Thank you all for your enthusiasm! Now that the winner has been crowned, let’s turn our attention to the second most popular star of the night!”

The host, having just recovered from her earlier awkwardness, flashed a professional smile as she glanced at the cue card in her hand, only for that smile to nearly crack.

“The second place in our ‘Starry Night’ popularity vote has been decided.” She paused for an unusually long time, staring at the card as if she couldn’t comprehend the words.

“Here’s a little hint, the first initial of this star’s name is ‘L’!”

The moment she said this, the entire audience froze.

Hands that had been mid-clap hung suspended in the air as people exchanged stunned glances.

Second place… wasn’t Shen Wu either?!