Chapter Three: Who Do You Think You Are

“Really, can’t you show a little more awareness of your status as an artist? How many times have I told you not to overeat and to take care of your skin? Do you think you’re one of those people who can eat endlessly and never gain weight? I gave you only one day off—just one day! And look at the state you’re in now…”

It was barely morning, and as soon as she got in the car, Sister Wang glanced at her and launched straight into a lecture.

Bai Chenxi checked herself in the mirror: perfectly fine, neither too thin nor too heavy, and not a pimple in sight. How did she end up looking like a “mess” in Wang’s eyes?

But Bai Chenxi was smart enough not to argue. Otherwise, she knew what would await her: boiled vegetables and apples for days.

She waited in silence, and sure enough, once Sister Wang had scolded enough, she moved on to work matters. Bai Chenxi exchanged a glance with her assistant, Xiao Yu. Both of them sighed in relief.

“You need to attend an event next, and after that…”

“Sister Wang,” Bai Chenxi interrupted cautiously after hesitating a moment, “could I maybe not work on New Year’s Eve?”

Sister Wang stared at her for a long while before she finally spoke: “Why? Is Lin Yue coming back that day?”

“Oh! No, he’s filming.” Bai Chenxi answered, puzzled.

“Then why are you asking for time off? You’ll be alone at home—do you really want to skip work just to lie around on New Year’s Eve? You—”

Seeing that another lecture was incoming, Bai Chenxi hurriedly cut in: “Sister Wang, I really do have something on New Year’s Eve. I’m going to have dinner with my neighbors—they’re an elderly couple, and they invited me. I can’t not go, right? You see what I mean, don’t you, Sister Wang?”

She looked at Wang hopefully. “All right, but you’ll have to finish the show before you go.”

“Of course, no problem. I promise to get everything done.”

Sister Wang gave Bai Chenxi a look of utter disappointment—if only she were this enthusiastic about her actual work!

“Zhang Kai, do I have any more events coming up?” Chu Muyun had just finished a gig and was sipping water as he asked.

“No more. I know you want to spend New Year’s with your family, so I didn’t schedule anything. Look at the others—they’re all rushing from one show to the next over the holidays, wishing they had clones to cover more ground. And you? You’re pushing work away right before New Year’s—those are all money-making opportunities you’re turning down! Every other artist is racking their brains to get more exposure, but you? You act like you’ve joined a monastery in the entertainment industry.”

Clearly, Zhang Kai’s sarcasm had leveled up after spending so much time with Chu Muyun.

Chu Muyun replied, “Are you sure it’s not because I get to rest and you have to take care of someone else?”

He turned to his assistant: “Xiao Wen, give the whole studio two days off. Take a proper break.”

He didn’t even bother to look at Zhang Kai’s exasperated face, simply closed his eyes and started to relax.

On New Year’s Day, Chu Muyun arrived early at his grandmother’s house. The family rarely gathered together, but they always returned for holidays.

“Oh dear, why hasn’t Chenxi arrived yet?” Grandmother kept glancing at the clock, muttering under her breath.

Chu’s mother said, “Mom, didn’t the girl say she might be late because she had something to take care of? Don’t worry.”

Hearing their conversation, Chu Muyun felt a jolt of unease: Who is this Chenxi? He’d never heard of her, and why would Grandma invite her to dinner on New Year’s Eve? Could Zhang Kai’s ominous prediction have come true—had they arranged a blind date for him?

His thoughts running wild, Chu Muyun decided to probe a little; if things seemed off, he’d make his escape.

Trying to sound casual, Chu Muyun asked, “Grandma, who’s Chenxi?”

“Oh, Chenxi is our neighbor—she lives right across the hall. She’s a lovely young girl.”

At that, Chu Muyun grew even more uneasy, already considering whether to have Zhang Kai call him as an excuse.

But Grandma went on, “She lives alone, poor thing, with no one to spend New Year’s Eve with. I think she’s a nice girl, so I invited her to join us for dinner—just to make things lively.”

Hearing that, Chu Muyun secretly sighed in relief. So it wasn’t a setup after all. Zhang Kai’s nonsense had really made him paranoid.

Grandma, seeing the tension leave her grandson’s face, chuckled to herself: Oh, you think you can outsmart me? I know exactly what you’re thinking.

Meanwhile, Bai Chenxi rushed home as soon as her interview ended, grateful that she’d already prepared all the gifts. After a quick touch-up, she knocked on the door next door—only to find Chu Muyun himself opening it.

Faced with Chu Muyun’s striking features, Bai Chenxi, a seasoned connoisseur of good looks, couldn’t help but swoon.

He was dressed casually at home, but it did nothing to hide his charm. Bai Chenxi was utterly transfixed: Good heavens, he’s too handsome! If he joined the entertainment industry, he’d attract hordes of fangirls on looks alone.

Chu Muyun was all too familiar with the look in her eyes. He frowned slightly—so this must be the neighbor Grandma mentioned. Such an obvious fangirl… definitely a handful.

Noticing his impatience, Bai Chenxi snapped out of it. She might be a fangirl, but she knew how to avoid being annoying.

“Hello!” Bai Chenxi was about to continue when Grandma’s voice called out from inside, “Is that Chenxi? Come in, quickly!”

Chu Muyun said nothing but stepped aside to let her in. Bai Chenxi, not wanting to be a bother, carried her bags inside.

It was New Year’s, and she already felt awkward enough, so she’d brought gifts for everyone.

As she entered, she saw a man playing with a child on the floor and another man sitting on the sofa, watching the news. Grandma was nowhere to be seen—they were in the kitchen preparing dinner. Bai Chenxi handed out her gifts, and everyone thanked her warmly.

She’d been nervous, but their friendliness soon put her at ease. Especially when the little child piped up with a sweet, “Thank you, Auntie!”—her heart practically melted. Of course, there were exceptions.

Bai Chenxi, determined to mind her manners as a guest, braced herself to give Chu Muyun his gift. He simply said, “Thank you,” accepted it without a glance, and set it on the table. Bai Chenxi was so furious she vowed not to interact with him for the rest of the night.

She walked toward the kitchen, hoping to help. After all, she couldn’t just sit around in someone else’s home.

She was just about to step in when the dishes were already being brought out.

A young woman carrying a dish glanced at her, then turned back to stare.

“Hello, you must be the neighbor Grandma mentioned. I’m Zhao Qin, but you can call me Xiaoqin. What’s your name?” The woman’s eyes stayed fixed on Bai Chenxi.

“Hello, I’m Bai Chenxi.”

As soon as she said it, Zhao Qin shrieked, “It really is you!”

Her outburst left everyone else a bit bewildered. She explained, “She’s an actress—the lead in ‘Empire of Beauty.’ It’s such a great show, won tons of awards this year, and it’s still airing!”

She set down the dish and turned on the TV, and in a flash, the whole family gathered around to watch her drama.

Grandma looked at Bai Chenxi with growing satisfaction, beaming, “It seems you and my grandson are fated, after all. Muyun’s in the entertainment industry too—you’ll have plenty to talk about. You should get to know each other better.”

Inside, Bai Chenxi’s imagination ran wild: What? This poker-faced guy is in the industry too? How embarrassing! I can’t believe I didn’t recognize him. Please, let’s hope we’ve never worked together.

She couldn’t help but grumble: With a personality like his, how does he even survive in showbiz? It really is a world for the beautiful.

Before she could say anything, Chu Muyun spoke up, “Grandma, I’m a singer and she’s an actress. We don’t really cross paths—there’s nothing to talk about.”

He looked perfectly well-behaved, but his words couldn’t have drawn a clearer line between them.

Bai Chenxi pursed her lips—if he wasn’t interested, then neither was she. Please! Who do you think you are? I have no desire to cling to you.

She added, “Exactly! Even among actors, we rarely see each other, let alone people in different fields.”

Grandma looked a little disappointed, but Chu’s mother saw through her little scheme and quickly smoothed things over: “All right, Mom, let’s eat.”

Bai Chenxi ended up having a wonderful New Year’s Eve. She’d come here alone, stumbled into the entertainment industry by accident, and though loneliness sometimes crept in, that night, brief as it was, she truly felt the warmth of family.