Chapter 2 : An Unexpected Deal

Shen Mengke only knew about Chen Yanxing’s rumored monastic life by chance.
Chen Yanxing had a twin sister, Chen Xingxing, a singer in the entertainment industry.
Shen Mengke once met Chen Xingxing backstage at an event and overheard someone call her “Third Miss.”
She’d met the Chen family’s eldest daughter, Chen Yanyue, elegant and poised, completely unlike Chen Xingxing’s flamboyance.
But the second daughter?
No memory at all.
Curious, Shen Mengke dug into the Chen family, only to find no trace of the second miss in any records.
Her agent, Fan Shi, later told her the second miss had joined a monastery as a child and rarely returned to Jiangcheng.

Rumor had it the Chen family was strict, obsessed with reputation, and absolutely forbade their members from fooling around outside…
Yet, staring at the woman before her, Shen Mengke was floored, her voice rising.
She eyed Chen Yanxing’s simple outfit and the beaded bracelet on her wrist.
“So… does this count as breaking your vows?
Am I in trouble?”
Chen Yanxing: “…”
“No vows broken,” she said, pausing.
“I didn’t become a nun.
Just lived in a Taoist temple for two years.
But you… might be in trouble.”
“Huh?”
“Those things you showed me—aren’t they trouble?”

Shen Mengke blinked, then burst out laughing.
She feared the Chen family coming after her, but as for those Weibo posts…
“Little Taoist, let me tell you, that’s just another day for me.
I’m on the trending list every other day—I’m used to it.”
Chen Yanxing looked at her, giving a faint hum, her face expressionless, as if unsurprised.

Shen Mengke felt no sense of accomplishment teasing this stoic woman.
She gave up, sitting on the bed, texting while saying, “Right now, there’s definitely paparazzi camped outside the hotel waiting for me.
If you go out, they’ll snap you too.
I know your Chen family cares about reputation, so I’ll head out first to draw them away.
When you leave, wear a mask and hat in case any slip through.”
She added, “I’ll have my people handle it.
Your photos won’t leak online—they’re mostly after me.
And I won’t spill your identity, so don’t worry.”

Shen Mengke sent the situation to her agent, Sister Fan, asking her to pick her up.
After arranging everything, she glanced at the silent Chen Yanxing.
“Anything else you want to say?”
Chen Yanxing met her eyes for a moment before speaking.
“You know a lot.”
Though she was a Chen, her identity was low-key.
Most didn’t even know the second miss was named Chen Yanxing, let alone her “monastic” past.
Yet Shen Mengke had pieced it together from just her name.
Shen Mengke wasn’t simple.

She laughed, a touch of pride in her voice.
“Joking?
I’ve been in this entertainment game for years—my intel’s top-notch.
How else would I survive?”
She added, “Speaking of, Second Miss Chen, maybe look out for me in the future?
I’m tight with your sister, Chen Xingxing!”

Chen Yanxing’s gaze turned cold.
“Chen Xingxing?”
“Yeah,” Shen Mengke said, glancing up.
“You’re twins, right?
You don’t look that alike, though.”
Chen Yanxing didn’t respond, just stared silently.
With her years in the industry, Shen Mengke sensed something off.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Just a joke—don’t get mad.”
“A joke?”
“Chen Xingxing’s a big star, and I’m a nobody.
How could I know her?
Just trying to… get closer to you.”

Chen Yanxing didn’t take the bait.
After a moment, she said, “I think you’re interesting.”
Shen Mengke paused, then nodded.
“Same here.”
“Be with me.
I can give you resources.”

Shen Mengke froze, eyeing Chen Yanxing up and down before laughing.
“A Taoist… playing the sugar mommy game?”
“I’m not a Taoist,” Chen Yanxing corrected, pausing.
“A partnership.”
Shen Mengke studied her, then knelt up on the bed, naked, inching closer.
Chen Yanxing, unsure where to look, locked onto her eyes.
Shen Mengke lifted Chen Yanxing’s chin with one hand.
“I’ve got plenty of rumors, but I don’t need a sugar mommy.”
She continued, “I sleep with people because we both want it, no strings attached.
So you don’t owe me anything.
Once we leave this hotel, we’re strangers.”
Chen Yanxing blinked, caught off guard.
“You’ve slept with a lot of people?”
Shen Mengke: “…”
Is that the point?
“Depends on your definition of ‘a lot,’” she said.
“But that’s not important.
What matters is, once we’re out of here, we’re done.”

Chen Yanxing stared, her seriousness almost transactional, like settling a deal.
“I’m good-looking, with solid skills?” she asked suddenly.
Shen Mengke blinked, nodding.

Chen Yanxing smiled faintly, the curve barely visible but clear in their close proximity.
“I’m pretty satisfied with you too,” she said.
“Be my girlfriend.”
Shen Mengke: “???”
This wasn’t right.
She pulled back like she’d been burned, but Chen Yanxing grabbed her waist.
Bare skin met soft fabric, the magnolia brooch digging into her, almost painful.

“Hold on,” Shen Mengke said, trying to push her away, but Chen Yanxing’s grip was firm.
She spoke from the awkward position.
“You’ve got it wrong.
I, Shen Mengke, only play, no feelings.”
“Second Miss Chen, ‘girlfriend’ is too heavy a title.
Find someone else.”

“No misunderstanding,” Chen Yanxing said calmly, her voice devoid of emotion, pure calculation.
“I’m inviting you to be my girlfriend.
I can draw up a contract.
Name your terms.”
Shen Mengke caught on—this was still a sponsorship deal.
She started to refuse, but Chen Yanxing continued, “I don’t need much.
Just shield me from unwanted attention at events.”
Shen Mengke frowned, looking up.
“What’s that mean?”
“A job,” Chen Yanxing said.
“I hire you as my girlfriend to protect my reputation in public.”
She added, “You know the Chen family cares about face.
Last night’s situation might happen again.
I can’t dodge every time.
A legitimate girlfriend is a’shield.”
Shen Mengke laughed.
“An entertainment circle girl—me, with all my scandals—is that your idea of protecting your reputation?”
“The Chen family’s reputation has nothing to do with me,” Chen Yanxing said indifferently.
“Don’t you need to clean up your image?”
Shen Mengke’s brow furrowed.
“First, I don’t need to clean anything—I haven’t done anything wrong!”
“Second…” She smiled, trailing a finger from Chen Yanxing’s chin down her neck, tugging at the top button.
“I’m open to a job, but I don’t want money or resources.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
“Deal.”

Good looks, great skills, no risk of blackmail—Chen Yanxing was the perfect fling.
For Shen Mengke, this was a no-loss deal!

Chen Yanxing agreed quickly.
Shen Mengke glanced at her, half-expecting a take-back, and rushed to discuss terms for public appearances.
Chen Yanxing, silent, grabbed a blanket from the sofa and draped it over Shen Mengke.
Shen Mengke froze, clutching the blanket as she knelt on the bed, listing conditions.
“Make sure to prep a contract,” she said, typing notes on her phone.
Chen Yanxing watched her, giving a soft hum.

They struck a deal, no money involved.
Shen Mengke’s payment to Chen Yanxing: block all romantic advances at any event.
Chen Yanxing’s payment to Shen Mengke: herself.

They swapped contact info.
Shen Mengke glanced at Chen Yanxing’s WeChat—default avatar, a simple name: Chen Yanxing, no need for a nickname.
“How many people are in your WeChat?” she asked.
“Just you.”

Shen Mengke, wrapped in the blanket, sat cross-legged on the bed and opened Chen Yanxing’s WeChat Moments.
Empty.
No bio, nothing.
She looked up, smirking.
“Wow, what an honor, Second Miss Chen.”
With that, she got up, blanket in tow, and headed to the bathroom.

Shen Mengke was a bit annoyed.
Logically, their arrangement didn’t need sincerity, but using a burner account felt dismissive.
Fuming, she hung the blanket aside, set down her phone, and stepped under the shower, turning on the mixer valve.
Her chest felt tight, her mind a mess.
Without thinking, she twisted the valve, and ice-cold water poured down, shocking her from head to toe.
“Ah!”
She yelped, shutting it off.
The valve was set to cold.
Her irritation spiked.
Why would she set it to cold after her shower?
On purpose?
Gritting her teeth, she shivered as the water evaporated, silently adjusting the valve to warm, testing the temperature.