Chapter 35

Without a phone, time seemed to pass by particularly slowly. Fortunately, it wasn't long before it was time for the formal meal. Angel quietly sneaked in, bringing in some necessary things, finally rescuing Zuo Mingran from the tough situation.

Everyone's seating arrangement had been pre-arranged. Although they were all in the same hall, the two groups were clearly separated into different areas.

Except for Zuo Mingran.

In terms of Zuo Mingran herself, she should have been placed in the part of the entertainment industry.

But unfortunately, she also had the identity of Mrs. Yan, so they couldn't separate the couple even for a meal. Thus, considering both sides, Zuo Mingran was seated next to Yan Yunyang.

Because of this, Fan Zhenzhen threw a tantrum.

However, just as she walked a few steps, Zuo Mingran caught a faint scent of alcohol and a hint of tobacco from Yan Yunyang.

The smell was definitely not pleasant. Although Zuo Mingran didn't mind, she couldn't help but frown.

Waving to the staff, Yan Yunyang pulled out a chair for her and whispered, "I was just discussing something with the General Manager of Jiacheng upstairs."

Zuo Mingran let out an "ah" but didn't react. She never took the initiative to ask about Yan Yunyang's business matters, and she didn't expect him to explain to her. So she dryly replied, "Oh, that's why I couldn't find you earlier."

The two of them, a young talented man and a popular actress, were particularly eye-catching when they stood together.

Yan Yunyang seemed to be oblivious to the gazes coming from all directions. After Zuo Mingran sat down, he even helped her adjust her skirt and said slowly, "We had a drink just now." He paused and turned to look at Zuo Mingran, his eyes filled with a gentle smile. "Don't like the smell of cigarettes?"

Only then did Zuo Mingran realize that her expression had been noticed earlier. She pursed her lips and slightly embarrassedly replied, "It's not that. It's just too stuffy in here."

Yan Yunyang chuckled and said to her, "Wait for me for a moment."

He got up and left, leaving Zuo Mingran slightly on edge. She didn't know anyone here, and they were all either rich or aristocratic. She didn't even have someone to chat with to pass the time.

Fortunately, Yan Yunyang only left for a few minutes. Zuo Mingran looked up and noticed that he had changed his jacket, and the smell of smoke and alcohol on him had noticeably faded.

The socializing in the business circle was unavoidable, especially in a setting like today. As the representative of Yan Group, Yan Yunyang naturally had to engage in social interactions.

Realizing that Yan Yunyang had changed his clothes possibly because of her, Zuo Mingran felt that she had made a fuss over nothing. However, before she could speak, Yan Yunyang slightly leaned forward, resting his right hand on the back of her chair, enclosing her as if he was holding her in his arms.

"Don't be nervous." Seeing her staring at him, Yan Yunyang thought it was because she felt uncomfortable in the presence of unfamiliar people. He tried to placate her and took out a candy, offering it to her. "Have a candy."

Zuo Mingran was taken aback. "Where did you get the candy?"

Yan Yunyang sat back in his chair. "I asked Angel for it."

Zuo Mingran thought about the scene and realized that Angel must have been quite frightened.

Their voices were not loud, so others could only see their affectionate actions and naturally assume that they were a loving and harmonious couple.

In contrast, Fan Zhenzhen's mood was not so pleasant.

She didn't want Zuo Mingran to appear at her own birthday banquet, but now not only did it go against her wishes, she also had to watch her being affectionate with Yan Yunyang.

Watching Zuo Mingran and Yan Yunyang not far away, Fan Zhenzhen clenched her hands into fists, not even feeling the long nails digging into her palms.

The banquet hall was quite large, and when everyone was seated, Zuo Mingran realized that they were actually seated at the main table. Whether it was a coincidence or intentional, Fan Zhenzhen happened to be sitting diagonally across from her, and they could even make eye contact just by lifting their heads.

In the midst of the crowd, Fan Zhenzhen forced herself to resist the urge to roll her eyes and pretended to turn her head and talk to others.

Seeing her like this, Zuo Mingran couldn't help but want to laugh. After all, it was rare to find someone who would willingly make her feel uncomfortable these days, and it wasn't her who was getting angry and throwing a fit.

Because of Fan Zhenzhen, there were many descriptions of the Fan family background in the original book's plot.

The Fan family was a renowned and wealthy business family in City B. Not only that, but two generations ago, Fan Zhenzhen's great-grandfather was also a high-ranking official in City B. Although the Fan family later transitioned from politics to business, the previous social connections still remained. It could be said that the Fan family had deep and complex roots in City B.

Regarding the Yan family and their relationship with the Fan family, it was not mentioned in the original book's plot and is completely a storyline that is automatically filled in by this world. Even Zuo Mingran, she only heard about the relationship between the two families once when she went to the airport with Yan Yunyang to pick up Liu Qinghe. They are both business partners and long-term friends in the story.

However, this relationship obviously became much weaker for Yan Yunyang. It can be seen from his attitude towards Fan Zhenzhen alone.

However, Zuo Mingran is very open-minded. She can't intervene in the relationship between the Yan family and the Fan family. Fan Zhenzhen sees her as a love rival and treats her like a ferocious beast. There is no way to improve this relationship, so it's better to be straightforward and be indifferent. Anyway, she and Yan Yunyang are on the same page as a married couple, so it is normal not to be close to them.

Eight people sat around a table, and Zuo Mingran glanced around.

There were only two people she had never seen before.

Naturally, Yan Yunyang goes without saying. Besides him, there was Fan Zhenzhen sitting across from her, and next to Fan Zhenzhen was Tian Min. To the right of them were a couple who were said to be Fan Zhenzhen's cousins and executives of the Fan family company, whom she had already met.

In addition, there were two men who had some resemblance to Fan Zhenzhen. One looked to be in his sixties, with his hair already graying, while the other was in his thirties with a dignified appearance. Perhaps due to frequently frowning, there were obvious creases between his eyebrows.

Shi Shuangxia was observant and thoughtfully found photos of Fan family members online for her to see before leaving. So even though she had never met them, Zuo Mingran immediately recognized the two.

The one with graying hair was naturally Fan Zhenzhen's father, the CEO of the Fan family company, Fan Jiang, while the middle-aged man next to him was Fan Zhenzhen's half-brother, Fan Yiming. The two sat together, and they really looked like they were made from the same mold, even the curvature of their down-turned mouths seemed almost identical.

Fan Jiang appeared even older than what Zuo Mingran had imagined. Fan Zhenzhen was two years younger than her, and combined with the appearance of Tian Min, who she had already seen, although in her forties, had a beautiful face and well-maintained figure, Zuo Mingran naturally assumed Fan Jiang's appearance should not be much different in age.

But the man in front of her was obviously different from what she had imagined. Fan Jiang's appearance was obviously much older than Tian Min's, and if she hadn't seen the photos beforehand, Zuo Mingran would never have thought he was Fan Zhenzhen's father.

Just as she was thinking, Fan Jiang, who was sitting across from her, suddenly looked this way, their eyes met, and Zuo Mingran displayed her acting skills that she had honed on the set, giving him a sincere smile.

"Miss Zuo." Unexpectedly, Fan Jiang looked at Zuo Mingran and said, "I've heard your name for a long time."

Even as a popular actress, in the eyes of others, Zuo Mingran marrying Yan Zhixing is considered reaching high. No matter how glamorous she is in the entertainment industry, there is still an insurmountable gap between her and a real elite family. This is also why most people did not have high expectations for her marriage with Yan Zhixing.

The younger generation is still okay, after all, there is Yan Zhixing, even if he doesn't like her in his heart, he can still maintain face. But Fan Jiang, who is old-fashioned about certain things, is completely conservative.

Although she was puzzled, Zuo Mingran couldn't just do nothing. She curved her lips, not appearing submissive or inferior because of Fan Jiang's words, and smiled slightly, "I dare not, I have heard Mr. Fan's name for a long time, and today I finally have the chance to meet you."

Fan Jiang smiled and pointed at Yan Zhixing, saying, "I have watched Zhixing grow up. Just call me Uncle Fan along with him, no need to be so formal."

Yan Zhixing held Zuo Mingran's hand under the table and smiled, "Uncle Fan is right, Rangrang, just treat it as meeting your family."

Zuo Mingran smiled gracefully, smoothly continuing the conversation, "Uncle Fan."

Fan Jiang's gaze swept between the two of them, then quickly retreated, as if that slightly probing look was just Zuo Mingran's illusion.

Yan Yunyang gripped her hand slightly tighter, and when Zuo Mingran turned to look at him, she received a comforting look.

Zuo Mingran: "...I'm fine."

Their intimate attitude and especially Yan Yunyang's gaze towards Zuo Mingran, when seen by others, especially by Fan Zhenzhen, were filled with deep affection.

The thought of such a gaze that should have been directed at her made Fan Zhenzhen feel a lump in her chest, making her feel uncomfortable in every fiber of her being. When she looked at Zuo Mingran again, she involuntarily showed her personal emotions.

Tian Min was sitting next to her, and a mother knows her daughter well. When Fan Zhenzhen's expression changed, Tian Min guessed what she was thinking.

Fan Zhenzhen could be willful and throw tantrums, but Tian Min remembered the occasion today. She had let Fan Zhenzhen run off and find Zuo Mingran just now, which made everyone awkward. If she now did something out of line in front of so many people, with Fan Jiang's face-saving personality, it was likely that even she would be unable to escape unscathed.

Looking at the seemingly unresponsive others, Tian Min quickly pressed down on Fan Zhenzhen's arm and smiled, "Zhenzhen, didn't you always say you wanted to be best friends with Mingran? Why are you suddenly not saying anything now? Are you shy?"

Fan Zhenzhen was caught off guard by Tian Min's words, and her thoughts were suddenly disrupted. She looked at her in astonishment and uncertainty, "Mom, what are you talking about?"

Zuo Mingran was also startled by Tian Min's ability to come up with nonsense. If she didn't know the original book's plot and didn't know that this mother had two faces, Zuo Mingran might have actually believed her words.

With so many people watching and unable to directly stand up and say that she didn't really like Zuo Mingran, Fan Zhenzhen's face turned completely red.

Fan Jiang saw everything and put down his glass, making a clear sound as the bottom touched the table.

"Alright, it's the girls' business, let them play on their own. She's already in her twenties, why are you meddling?" 

Although he said this, in reality, he was giving everyone a way out so it wouldn't become too awkward. Tian Min understood what Fan Jiang meant and smiled in response. Fan Zhenzhen reluctantly looked at Zuo Mingran, mindful of Yan Yunyang's presence, and forced herself to say, "Sister Mingran, we'll be colleagues from now on. I don't know anything, so please guide me!" 

Zuo Mingran smiled on the surface but thought to herself, MMG. 

The two exchanged a fake and exaggerated smile, each reaching the pinnacle of their acting skills. 

Fan Jiang noticed the undercurrents between Zuo Mingran and Fan Zhenzhen. Unlike Fan Zhenzhen, who only had dislike for Zuo Mingran because of Yan Yunyang, Fan Jiang had no strong impressions of the young actress Zuo Mingran. Instead, he had some misgivings about Yan Yunyang. 

A few years ago, Fan Jiang had praised Yan Yunyang greatly. Additionally, there was something that everyone knew – Fan Jiang vaguely regarded Yan Yunyang as his future son-in-law. 

Fan Jiang having this thought wasn't surprising. After all, the Fan and Yan families had been in contact for many years, and not only did he have a lot of business connections with Yan Yunyang's father, but their personal relationship was also good. It just so happened that Yan Yunyang and Fan Zhenzhen were only a few years apart in age. If the two of them could be together and form a strong alliance between the two families, the benefits would outweigh the disadvantages. 

Fan Jiang's thoughts were too obvious, to the point that Fan Zhenzhen, under the influence, naturally accepted this layer of relationship between her and Yan Yunyang. 

However, no one expected that Yan Yunyang would go against the norm. Instead of marrying Fan Zhenzhen, he made a big fuss and married a female celebrity. 

If Yan Yunyang had married someone from an equivalent family background, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Fan Jiang wouldn't have been so angry. But it just so happened that Zuo Mingran was a small-time actress with no notable family background or even any significant identity. Yan Yunyang would rather marry such a woman than marry Fan Zhenzhen. Although it seemed like Fan Jiang had nothing to do with this matter, he still felt that he had lost face. Now, Fan Zhenzhen was infatuated with joining the entertainment industry and refused to join the family company, even secretly signing up for some talent show without telling him. 

If it weren't for the presence of the Yan Group and Yan Yunyang being the sole heir of the Yan family in name, he definitely wouldn't let Fan Zhenzhen have any connection with Yan Yunyang. 

This little episode quickly passed, and aside from the occasional dagger-like glances from Fan Zhenzhen, the dinner party ended on a good note. 

After eating, everyone left one after another. 

With celebrities attending the banquet, the media couldn't enter, but they were waiting in the parking lot for them to come out. 

The evening temperature was lower than during the day, and the route from the elevator to the car not only lacked heating but was also filled with reporters trying to get a scoop. Angel took two long down jackets, which were the warmers that their artists always carried with them. They could keep warm without looking too bulky.

Zuo Mingran was still wearing her evening gown, which made it inconvenient for her to put on her coat. Angel was about to help her when she saw Yan Yunyang quickly put on his own down jacket and naturally took over the task of helping Zuo Mingran with her coat, even doing it with a gentler touch.

An Qi, who had just witnessed a sweet moment, silently approached Shi Shuangxia, who was standing nearby. The two of them exchanged a wordless glance and saw the unique aura of the "FFF" team in each other's eyes.

Just like when they entered, the Fan family had arranged separate passages for people from the business world to leave. It would definitely be different from when they arrived, and the reporters would be waiting to swarm them. Yan Yunyang probably had never experienced such a situation before. Zuo Mingran originally wanted Yan Yunyang to leave first and wait for her, but before she could say anything, a hat was placed over her head.

The hat was too big and covered half of Zuo Mingran's face.

The lights in front of her suddenly dimmed, and Zuo Mingran was stunned for a moment before struggling to tilt her head up. "What are you doing?"

Yan Yunyang looked at her amusedly and raised his hand to pull the hat backward. "Just follow me later."

Before Zuo Mingran could react, Yan Yunyang grabbed her shoulder and got on the elevator. An Qi and Shi Shuangxia followed closely behind. The four of them descended in the elevator.

Behind them, Fan Zhenzhen saw their departing figures and was about to follow them. Fan Jiang stood next to her, his face dark. "Stop right there."

Having been pampered and spoiled since childhood, Fan Zhenzhen wasn't afraid of anything. But if Fan Jiang was truly angry, she would still be scared.

She looked back at the elevator, pouting at Fan Jiang. "Dad, look..."

"Don't say anything more." Fan Jiang remained unmoved. "Go back and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, come with me to meet someone."

Just as Zuo Mingran had expected, there were indeed a number of reporters waiting in the parking lot. When Zuo Mingran and Yan Yunyang emerged, the reporters who were originally filming someone else rushed over. Even though security personnel formed a human barrier around them, the journalists' microphones and cameras came dangerously close to their faces.

Once they were in the car, Zuo Mingran slipped out of Yan Yunyang's arms and let out a long sigh. "With that commotion, anyone would think there was a fight!"

Shi Shuangxia took out her tablet and started working as soon as she got in the car. When she heard Zuo Mingran's words, she said, "Forget about the fight for now. Take a look at Weibo."

Zuo Mingran knew that something had happened from Shi Shuangxia's tone. She unlocked her phone and asked, "Good news or bad news?"

Shi Shuangxia looked at her meaningfully and then glanced at Yan Yunyang beside her, teasing, "Neither good nor bad."

Zuo Mingran: "?"

The media's actions are indeed fast. The incident of princess carry on the red carpet has been trending for over an hour. Apart from that, there is also a short video/gif of Fan Zhenzhen falling. The fans on either side are either enjoying the drama or showing support, creating a harmonious and beautiful scene.

Zuo Mingran looked at the comments for a while and then said, "Xiajie, let the public relations team prepare a contingency plan just in case."

Shi Shuangxia replied, "We've already been working on it. Otherwise, how do you think this trend has stayed stable in the back row?"

Zuo Mingran continued, "It's not about that, it's about Fan Zhenzhen's fall. I feel like it will be connected to me sooner or later."

Shi Shuangxia wasn't aware of the grudges between her and Fan Zhenzhen. Zuo Mingran briefly explained, ignoring Yan Yunyang's role in it, and only mentioned her own feud with Fan Zhenzhen.

Shi Shuangxia fell silent for a moment and then gritted her teeth, "Can you let me get some sleep?"

Zuo Mingran put on an innocent expression, and Shi Shuangxia sighed in resignation, turning around to arrange an emergency public relations plan.

As the year came to a close, there were fewer cars on the road, but due to the slippery snow, everyone was driving cautiously. By the time they returned home, it was already 11 pm.

Shi Shuangxia and An Qi didn't stay overnight and just instructed Zuo Mingran to go to the filming set early the next morning and be mindful of any swelling.

After wearing high heels for several hours, Zuo Mingran was exhausted, feeling like every step she took was like a mermaid stepping on a knife's edge.

It took two steps for Yan Yunyang to realize something was wrong. He immediately stopped and asked, "What's wrong?"

Zuo Mingran groaned and lifted her foot, saying, "I forgot to change shoes."

She hadn't noticed it while sitting in the car, too busy looking at the trending topics, and had forgotten about it. Luckily, the elevator was in front, and Zuo Mingran endured the pain, saying, "It's fine, it'll be better once we get on the elevator."

Just as she finished speaking, Zuo Mingran felt her feet leave the ground for the second time today.

Being Princess Carried twice in a single day, and this time there was no one else around. Zuo Mingran instinctively hugged Yan Yunyang's neck, opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"Press the elevator button."

They waited until the doors opened and entered the room. Zuo Mingran was gently placed on the sofa by Yan Yunyang. He brought over slippers, but Zuo Mingran was afraid he would help her change shoes, so she quickly took off her shoes herself.

The heater in the room was on, dispersing the cold from their bodies.

Yan Yunyang took off his coat and poured a cup of hot water to warm Zuo Mingran's hands. "You sit here, I'll go make some ginger tea."

Zuo Mingran nodded silently, and Yan Yunyang looked at her in this state and couldn't help but smile. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and his clear and beautiful eyes shone under the lights, resembling a galaxy within his eyes.

After he turned and went to the kitchen, Zuo Mingran finally hugged the nearby pillow and buried her face deep into it.