Chapter 156: Chapter 156

Shen Jianian sat up, leaning against the pillow, the quilt on her body sliding down to her lower abdomen.

She didn’t fully understand what Bai Changxia said.

Last night was the first recording of "Shining Starlight," and many people bought tickets to watch. Although the program team had some control, some photos still circulated.

The program was recording and broadcasting simultaneously, usually by the third or fourth episode, the first episode might air, needing a certain level of discussion, and appearing on the news was within Shen Jianian’s expectations. But what does this have to do with Fu Jichen?

She asked Bai Changxia.

"I can’t explain it in a few words, you should check it yourself." Bai Changxia couldn’t help but laugh while saying this, "Do you need me to send you a link?"

Shen Jianian truly wasn’t sure, "No need to send a link, just tell me where to look."

"On Weibo." Bai Changxia guided her.

"I’ll check it right now."

Changing her mind, Bai Changxia suppressed the smile on her face and couldn’t help but worry about her, "Being linked to the heir of the Fu Family is likely more complicated than just a piece of online news; it might make it to the papers, so you need to be mentally prepared."

The Fu Family is a traditional family, obsessed with social status, and may not want to see the most valuable heir associated with scandalous news.

After ending the call, Shen Jianian opened Weibo. She hadn’t used the app for a long time, and first bypassed the reminder to update the version on the interface.

On the trending list, she saw several keywords related to herself.

"Fu Family Crown Prince suspected to be in a relationship with Shen Jianian"

"Yan Qiusheng is Shen Jianian’s mentor"

"First recording of ’Shining Starlight’"

"Shen Jianian’s stunning opening"

"Shen Jianian and Pei Che"

"Fu Jichen as idol drama male lead"

The moment Shen Jianian saw the first trending search, her mind erupted with a buzzing sound. She thought it might be because last night Fu Jichen brought flowers backstage to find her, and was spotted by those staff, who took pictures and uploaded them online.

When she clicked into the trending search and clarified the content posted by those entertainment gossip marketing accounts, there were pictures and text, but the background was not backstage at the Grand Theater, but rather a rainy night street.

Perhaps the person covertly taking the photos was far away, or due to the rainy night, the image quality wasn’t very clear, yet it was still recognizable that the man was Fu Jichen, wearing a black suit, one arm around her, the other holding a clear umbrella, with fine rain droplets scattered across the umbrella surface, reflecting tiny shimmering lights under the lamp.

The neon lights on both sides of the street were reflected on the wet pavement, with some falling on them.

Several photos captured Fu Jichen’s car, at that time, he was standing by the car, holding a cloth and bending down to wipe her feet.

Recalling how later they kissed in the car for a long time, Shen Jianian’s ears felt a bit warm, and her heart was racing.

She quickly went through all the photos; fortunately, the scenes inside the car weren’t captured, probably thanks to the heavy rain last night, obscuring the windshield.

Shen Jianian didn’t ease up because of this; she clicked into the comments section.

As expected, everyone was greatly curious about her private matters.

"Is the woman in the photo Shen Jianian? Isn’t she supposed to be with the scion of the Pei Family? I remember news reporting they were childhood sweethearts."

"Is that man the Crown Prince of the Beicheng Fu Family? Really? Early morning gossip, still not clear, is there anyone to summarize?"

"Here comes the representative! After verification, the man in the photo is indeed the current leader of the Junshan Group, who is known to be low-profile, only appearing in financial magazines, and reportedly has only accepted one interview. Shen Jianian is the already defunct Shen Family’s daughter, and prior rumors had it she was in a relationship with the Beicheng Pei Family’s sole heir Pei Che; the two should have broken up, and she’s now with the Fu Family’s heir."

"Limited vocabulary only allows me to say ’awesome.’ Beautiful women should have legendary lives."

"The representative missed a key point, Shen Jianian is also the only personal disciple of world-class cellist Yan Qiusheng, which is enough to astonish."

"This photo by the paparazzi really has a vibe; it feels like a Korean drama."

"Not that the paparazzi have high skills; it’s about their high facial value."

"I strongly recommend idol drama actors to come in and repeatedly observe and learn! See how a real CEO pampers his wife!"

"That photo of the Crown Prince bending to wipe the girl’s feet by the car really touched me; wouldn’t it be great if it was in high definition."

The conversation gradually transitioned into a strange direction, from initially analyzing the relationship between Shen Jianian, Pei Che, and Fu Jichen, to discussing the details revealed in those photos.

While browsing through the comments section, Shen Jianian’s heart hung with uncertainty, as if squeezed tight, causing her to struggle for breath.

"Jianian?" Cheng Jin knocked on the door outside, calling out to her, "Are you still asleep?"

Shen Jianian hadn’t left her room all morning. As lunch was approaching, Cheng Jin was a bit worried, so she came up to check on her.

Shen Jianian glanced at her phone’s top left corner; it was already half-past eleven. Unknowingly, she had been reading the news for an hour.

When she put down her phone, her thoughts were still lingering on the gossip content she had read, making her answer sound distracted, "I’m getting up soon, I’m just about to get up."

Cheng Jin didn’t enter rashly, saying from outside the door, "I’ll go down first to ask the chef to prepare lunch then."

Shen Jianian got down from the bed, slipped on her slippers, and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

She took her phone with her downstairs, and during meals, she couldn’t help but glance at it a few times.

Suddenly, the screen changed; someone was calling in. She saw it was marked as Fu Jichen, and answered the phone at ease.

"Awake?" Last night they didn’t sleep until nearly three in the morning, Fu Jichen guessed she’d need to catch up on sleep until after ten.

The man’s warm and magnetic voice smoothed Shen Jianian’s inner restlessness and anxiety. She set down her chopsticks and said, "I just got up not long ago; I’m having lunch in the dining room."

Fu Jichen didn’t mention anything about the online issue, calling just to say, "It’s getting cooler today, so remember to wear more when going out." After a pause, he added with a smile, "Staying home is fine too; I saw you bought several new books."

Shen Jianian pursed her lips, listening to him finish before she proactively brought up the online news, "Did you see the news today?"

"Which news are you referring to?"

By asking this, Shen Jianian was certain he had seen it.

"Last night I felt as if someone was watching us; didn’t expect we got photographed. I... Did you..." Shen Jianian stammered, "Have you been affected?"

After speaking, she quietly awaited his response.

She heard a "click" sound from the phone, it was the crisp metal flap of a lighter opening, imagining his appearance with a cigarette in his mouth, she asked again, "Does it cause you any trouble?"

"Trouble for what?" Fu Jichen’s voice was deep and ambiguous, wrapped with an inconspicuous hint of amusement, and he wasn’t angry, "They’re not fabricating; what they’re saying is all true."

Shen Jianian’s breathing transmitted into his ears, her breaths fluctuating lightly and heavily, sounding hesitant and constrained.

"Is there something you want to say?" Fu Jichen, alone in the President’s office, held a cigarette between his fingers, tapping the ash on the edge of the ashtray.

Shen Jianian closed her eyes, took the plunge, and asked, "Doesn’t your group’s PR department take care of this?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Jichen’s voice became slightly serious, "Don’t want to be connected with me?"

"That’s not what I mean."

Shen Jianian couldn’t help but be concerned. She feared the matter might escalate, affecting him and his company, even impacting his family.

This is Beicheng, different from Yicheng.

Fu Jichen extinguished the cigarette, his tone softened, "Don’t overthink it; it’s not that serious."

At the Xu Family villa, Xu Jingyi angrily grabbed a newspaper and stormed into the study, throwing it on the desk.

"So the woman with Jichen brother is that fallen daughter from the Shen Family!" Xu Jingyi ranted to her sister sitting at the desk, "That scheming bitch; showing off isn’t enough in public, she even caused a stir online. A fickle woman, first with Pei Che, Pei Che died, and now with Jichen brother; I’ve never seen such a thing."

Xu Youxuan frowned upon hearing her unrestrained words, her voice was consistently gentle, "What did I tell you before? Don’t randomly discuss others; you really haven’t listened at all."

"I’m going to burst!" Xu Jingyi forcefully tapped her fingers on the newspaper’s entertainment section, "Look for yourself, she’s deliberately showing off, absolutely shameless."

Xu Youxuan hadn’t been back in the country for long before beginning work, and today, even while resting at home, she hadn’t been idle, staying in the study handling some business. Being suddenly intruded upon by her sister didn’t arouse any anger in her; her elegant features remained soft, picking up the newspaper from the desk and briefly scanning it, hitting the nail on the head, "Showing off also requires someone’s cooperation, doesn’t it?"

For someone like Fu Jichen, willing to do such things for a girl, it’s evident he cares deeply for her.

Xu Jingyi completely couldn’t grasp her sister’s perspective, "You’re even speaking for her. Jichen brother was definitely seduced by that woman; temporarily blinded."

"Fu Jichen manages a vast group; how many people could possibly fool him?" Xu Youxuan folded the newspaper, sincerely telling her, "Yiyi, let me reiterate, Fu Jichen is not my fiancé, I have a boyfriend. Fu Jichen’s affairs have nothing to do with me, and I ask you not to..."

Her words were abruptly interrupted by Mrs. Xu at the door, "What did you say?"