Chapter Fifteen: Intentional

[The comment above is far too selfish.]
[Agreed.]
[No matter whether Mr. Wen has someone he likes, we’ll keep liking him!]
Yet unexpectedly, Wen Jingxing nodded without hesitation and said, “Yes.”
This time, everyone—including Song Waning herself—was stunned.
He had someone he liked. Who could it be? If that was the case, why was he engaged to Song Waning?

[When did this happen? Why did I not know?]
[I feel like a badger in the field who can’t find a melon...]
[This game tonight is too explosive, so many bombshells!]

Li Weiwei glanced at Wen Jingxing’s face, her expression shifting slightly, but she said nothing.
The last two questions she asked quickly, so casually that the livestream audience was left dumbfounded.
Without further ado, she raised her hand and had the stream shut down.

[My goodness! The amount of information tonight is insane!]
[Why did the livestream end so soon!]

A mass of curious viewers, left without answers, took to Weibo and launched a flurry of trending topics.
For once, the trending content wasn’t only about Song Waning; nearly every guest from the show had their own headline.
For example:
[27-year-old renowned singer Jane An reveals on the show that she has a crush!]
[Heir Jin Jianyi’s fortune actually began with gambling!]
[Daughter of a famous entertainment company prepares to enter showbiz!]

And so on—a dazzling array of headlines. With just one night’s broadcast, the popularity of “Let’s Fall in Love” soared to new heights.

Looking through the trends, most posts and comments were quite normal, except those about Song Waning.
[Wen family’s future third daughter-in-law suspected of two-timing, exposed by her fiancé’s sister-in-law!]
The comments section was still filled with unspeakable vulgarity.
However, this time, Song Waning’s trending topic didn’t last long before it was swiftly taken down.
A group of unsatisfied netizens immediately turned to the Wen Group’s official account to leave messages.

[Is the Wen family finally going to step in?]
[Really? The Wen family is going to break off the engagement with Song Waning?]
[What? Song Waning has already been dumped?]
[Ah! Are they already at odds?]

Meanwhile, Song Waning and the group had just finished the day’s shoot.
She was about to walk back with Wen Jingxing when Jane An immediately caught up.
“Waning! Let’s walk together!” Jane An’s smile was as innocent as ever.
But only Song Waning knew what kind of malice hid behind that seemingly pure face.
Jane An didn’t wait for Song Waning’s response, but tagged along anyway, deliberately standing between Wen Jingxing and Song Waning.
Wen Jingxing ignored Jane An and strode ahead.
Song Waning did the same—the two of them, in silent agreement, walked quickly without waiting for her.
Both wore flat shoes, so moving fast was no trouble.
But Jane An, cast as the resident singer and matching her outfit, wore heels eight or nine centimeters high—she had to be careful even just walking, let alone running.
Still, Jane An clung to Song Waning like a piece of sticky plaster.
She lifted her skirt, tottered after them, and called out, “Waning, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you upset because of what happened with Shen Yue this afternoon? I’ll apologize to you on her behalf, all right?”

Song Waning ignored her and instead called out to Jin Jianyi, who was nearby, “Jin Jianyi, can’t you see Jane An can barely walk in those shoes? Go help her!”

“Ah!”
Just then, Jane An twisted her ankle. She pitched forward, falling to her knees on the gravel, both hands scraping the stones.
Even Jin Jianyi, who had rushed over, failed to catch her in time.
“Are you all right, Jane?” Jin Jianyi asked, anxious and concerned, reaching to lift her from the ground.
But Jane An seemed a bit resistant, her innocent, helpless gaze shifting to Wen Jingxing.
Wen Jingxing glanced back, saw who had fallen, then turned away and kept walking.
Some staff members hadn’t left yet. When they saw Jane An fall, they hurried over.
In the end, Jin Jianyi helped Jane An up, but did not carry her.
Her eyes were rimmed red, tears shimmering—she looked utterly pitiful.
Yet she spoke with a tone of resilience: “I’m fine. It’s my own fault for rushing—trying to catch up with Waning to walk together. I’m just too clumsy.”

A few staffers, hearing this, shot a peculiar look at Song Waning, who was striding ahead, deliberately ignoring Wen Jingxing at her side.
They all thought Song Waning was a bit heartless—someone went to such lengths to catch up with you and fell, yet you didn’t even check on her.
When Jane An saw their reaction, she was delighted, barely able to suppress the smile tugging at her lips.
No matter—she hadn’t caught Wen Jingxing’s attention this time, but as long as she could chip away at everyone’s opinion of Song Waning, that was enough.
Jin Jianyi, meanwhile, could think of nothing else but the injured Jane An. “Your palms are scraped! I’ll take you back and get you some medicine!”

Jane An looked up at him, her eyes misty. “Thank you. You’re always so kind to me...”
Her words trailed off, making Jin Jianyi’s heart ache with sympathy.

Elsewhere, Wen Jingxing and Song Waning walked in silence all the way back to the villa.
Wen Jingxing turned off the camera on the first floor before suddenly asking, “Just now...when she fell, why didn’t you stop to check on her?”
Song Waning didn’t look back, just headed upstairs. “Do you think I’m too cold, just like the others? If so, then there’s no need for us to—”
“No, I think it’s just fine. Why care what others think?”
Song Waning’s words were interrupted by Wen Jingxing, but hearing his response, she felt no anger.
Instead, she smiled, “In that, I’m just like you.”
Her laughter rang out, light and clear as silver bells in the quiet night, making Wen Jingxing’s heart itch.
He asked, almost involuntarily, “Earlier...when the director questioned you, were your answers true?”
Song Waning was momentarily taken aback—why this sudden question?
But she answered at once, “Every word was true.”
For a moment after she spoke, Wen Jingxing’s eyes seemed to brighten.
She couldn’t quite figure him out—what exactly was he thinking now?
He was supposed to be so cold and ruthless in the book, yet the man standing before her now seemed more like the gentle boy next door, with none of the arrogance of a leading man.

“Truly...you don’t dislike me?”
Wen Jingxing looked up at Song Waning on the stairs, a trace of caution in his eyes that left Song Waning full of unanswered questions.