Chapter 18 : Mingcheng Respite and New Contracts

Staying in Mingcheng for a week was both a break and an escape.

At eighteen, Shen Mengke came to Jiangcheng alone for college.
Nearly a decade later, the city held half her life—its joys, sorrows, and humiliations.
Now, it overwhelmed her with defeat.
In this glittering city, countless young dreamers arrived, only to have their edges dulled.
Shen Mengke was one of them.
Jiangcheng’s weight exhausted her.
The halt of Ask the Heart was a blade over her head.
She’d pinned hopes on it, only for it to end abruptly, leaving her future at a foggy crossroads, paths invisible.
Choosing one was daunting, especially for someone like her, drained of youthful zeal.
She couldn’t dive in headfirst like a fresh graduate, fearless of what lay ahead.
Shen Mengke couldn’t.
Shen Mengke didn’t dare.

So she sent Fan Shi back to Jiangcheng, staying alone in Mingcheng to try a week of ordinary life, free from cameras, to see if she could survive.
But someone always disrupted her plans.
In Mingcheng, she ran into Chen Yanxing.

For days, Shen Mengke wandered, sampling Mingcheng’s delicacies, living freely—money to spend, no work to do.
What a life!
Today, she’d booked a spot at Qinghe Banquet, famed for its authentic Mingcheng dishes, top-notch service, and near-perfect reviews.
But reservations were tough—she’d secured hers three days in advance.

Mingcheng’s summer was cooler than Jiangcheng’s.
Shen Mengke wore a teal spaghetti-strap dress under a sheer white jacket, no makeup.
Without her usual camera-ready polish, her face lacked sharpness, but her eyes sparkled, her complexion radiant from rest.
Her hair was loosely braided over her left shoulder, a white sunhat and sunglasses completing her look as she left the hotel with a bag.
She browsed a mall before heading to Qinghe Banquet, only to meet a familiar face at the entrance.

“Well, if it isn’t Miss Fox?”
Shen Mengke, one foot in the door, froze, turning to see Ren Zhou’s carefree grin.
She lowered her sunglasses, raising an eyebrow.
“Miss Ren?”
Ren Zhou waved.
“What a coincidence, Shen!
Here for work?”
“No, just chilling.”
Her gaze drifted past Ren Zhou to a white van where two women stood, one being Chen Yanxing.
Dressed formally in a crisp black shirt, white cufflinks gleaming in the sun, Chen Yanxing held a contract in her left hand, shaking hands with someone.
From Shen Mengke’s angle, she caught the curve of Chen Yanxing’s smile.

A snap of fingers jolted her.
She flinched, stepping back as Ren Zhou asked, “Here to eat?
Got a reservation?”
“Booked a spot.”
“Perfect!” Ren Zhou clapped.
“We reserved a private room, ordered food, but our guest bailed.
Join us, or it’s just me and Xing—too much to finish.”
Shen Mengke hesitated.
She’d come to enjoy herself, but what if their dishes weren’t her taste?
Still, wasting food was a shame…
As she wavered, Chen Yanxing approached.
Ren Zhou explained the encounter and invitation.
Seeing Shen Mengke’s indecision, Chen Yanxing said, “Check the menu first.
We can change it if you don’t like it.”
Shen Mengke’s eyes lit up.
“You’re paying?”
Chen Yanxing nodded.
“Deal.”

Ren Zhou led Shen Mengke inside, Chen Yanxing trailing.
She made a call, and ten minutes later, a new contract arrived.
As Shen Mengke and Ren Zhou debated swapping dishes, Chen Yanxing slid the contract to her.
Shen Mengke and Ren Zhou froze.
Shen Mengke frowned, looking up.
“You…”
“New contract.
You saw it before.”
Shen Mengke hissed, “You never miss a chance, huh?”
She pushed the menu to Ren Zhou, flipping through the contract, taking a pen Chen Yanxing offered.
Signing with a flourish, she eyed Chen Yanxing curiously.
“Last time was a coincidence.
This time… also?”
She slid the contract and pen back.
“Miss Chen carries unsigned contracts everywhere?”
The idea was absurd—who lugs contracts around?
Her real question: was Chen Yanxing tracking her?
Ren Zhou, tweaking Shen Mengke’s dish changes, laughed.
“Chen’s family is big—she’s got people everywhere.
Even abroad, she’d get you a contract in ten minutes.”
Handing the menu to the waiter with hushed instructions, Ren Zhou asked, “But… is your contract legit?
Legal?”
Shen Mengke grinned.
“Probably only binds gentlemen.”
Winking at Chen Yanxing, she teased, “Is Miss Chen a gentleman?”
Chen Yanxing carefully stowed the contract.
“Not me begging to get in bed every time.”
Shen Mengke: “…”
Ren Zhou coughed, switching topics.
“Shen, you drink?”
“Nope, ordered milk tea.
Should be here—I’ll grab it.”
She fled the room.
A Taoist, so blunt in public?

Ren Zhou watched her go, amused.
“She’s fun.”
Chen Yanxing glanced at her.
“Like her?”
Ren Zhou shrugged.
“Yeah.
Hand her over?”
“No.”
Ren Zhou chuckled, dropping it.

At the table, Shen Mengke focused on the dishes.
Chen Yanxing, true to “no talk while eating,” stayed quiet.
Ren Zhou, craving chatter, couldn’t hold back.
“Shen, shooting anything lately?”
“Nah, project’s dead.
Gearing up for a variety show…”
She paused, looking at Ren Zhou.
Ren Zhou, caught off guard by her stare, faltered.
“What?”
“Boss Ren, how’s your company’s benefits?”
“Huh?”
Ren Zhou blinked, but Chen Yanxing set down her chopsticks, eyeing Shen Mengke.
“Job hopping?”
“No, my contract’s almost up.”
“Oh.”
Ren Zhou sized her up.
“You’ve got the looks, but… not exactly hot, right?”
Shen Mengke’s lips twitched, eyes dropping as she poked the tender fish on her plate.

Awkward silence settled.
Ren Zhou, flustered, looked to Chen Yanxing, who ignored her, staring at Shen Mengke.
“Maybe she can make you a star,” Chen Yanxing said suddenly.
Both women froze.
Shen Mengke looked from Chen Yanxing to Ren Zhou, questioning.
Ren Zhou’s gaze shifted from Chen Yanxing to Shen Mengke.
“Maybe… but you know, in this industry, it’s mostly luck…”
Before she finished, Chen Yanxing cut in.
“She can.”
They couldn’t tell who “she” was—Shen Mengke, destined to shine, or Ren Zhou, able to make her shine?
It sounded similar, but the difference was vast.

Shen Mengke’s eyes darted between them.
“Fanxing… that’s yours, right?” she asked Ren Zhou.
Ren Zhou glanced at Chen Yanxing, nodding.
“Then why do you listen to her?
Who’s really in charge?”
Chen Yanxing laughed.
“She’s the boss.
I’m just pulling strings.”
Ren Zhou sighed, resigned.
“When’s your contract up?”
“Next month.”
“Alright, I’ll draft a new one.
You’ll see it in a couple days.”
Ren Zhou was decisive, but Shen Mengke hesitated.
Just days ago, she’d considered quitting.
Agreeing now felt fickle.

“I’ll think about it,” Shen Mengke said.
“Rushing into this makes it feel like I’m sleeping my way up.”
“No,” Chen Yanxing said.
“I’m the one pulling strings.
You and her?
That’s a legit, legal contract.”