Delicate Beauty in the Palm : Chapter 5 - Who Raised You to be so Pretentious?
Chapter 5: Who Raised You to be so Pretentious?
Soon, all the teachers and students invited to the promotional film screening entered the venue.
Lu Chuan stood at the front of the stage, gave a brief speech, then bent down to click the mouse. The large screen behind him lit up with the promotional film.
The film spanned the school's 80-year history. After a sweeping aerial shot of the campus, Chen Die’s profile appeared on the screen.
Her delicate features held up well even on the big screen.
Lu Chuan stepped off the stage and took a seat in the front row beside another invited director. The two spoke in hushed tones.
Xia Ying stared at their backs for a while, clicked her tongue twice, then leaned over to whisper in Chen Die’s ear, “Why don’t you consider Senior Lu? At least he’s young, promising, and has a bright future ahead.”
Chen Die:?
“And it would be a solid slap in Chen Shuyuan’s face!” Xia Ying slapped her thigh. “Damn! Just thinking about it feels amazing!”
Chen Die laughed. “Are you trying to get me tormented by Chen Shuyuan for the rest of my life?”
“Haven’t you two been at odds since freshman year?” Xia Ying frowned. “Wait, no—why did you two start fighting so early?”
“We were classmates in high school.”
“Talk about a narrow road for enemies.” Xia Ying sighed, then turned her gaze back to Lu Chuan’s back. “But I really think Senior Lu is a great guy—gentlemanly, elegant.”
Chen Die chuckled. “You have to consider whether he’s even interested in me, though.”
“I think he has at least some interest. What man doesn’t love a beauty?” Xia Ying said as if it were obvious. “Besides, yesterday, he stood up for you even though he knew the person who made that post was Chen Shuyuan. Even if it’s not love, there’s definitely goodwill.”
Chen Die raised an eyebrow. “You seem to like Senior Lu a lot.”
“Nonsense!”
She said leisurely, “Then go for him. I think you have a better shot than Chen Shuyuan.”
“…”
The promotional film was exceptionally well-made.
She hadn’t felt it while filming, but seeing the final version on the big screen, every frame was just right.
Lu Chuan’s works had a certain magic—conveying passion and strength through simple storytelling.
When the ten-minute film ended, some people in the audience even wiped their tears.
The principal gave a speech, marking the end of the screening.
Chen Die and Xia Ying walked out of the art hall, discussing where to eat lunch.
“Chen Die.” Lu Chuan called her from behind.
She turned around. “Senior.”
She paused slightly—beside Lu Chuan stood a man, the same one who had been sitting next to him in the screening room. He appeared to be in his fifties and was a top-tier director—Feng Zhi.
“Hello, Director Feng.” She nodded in greeting.
Feng Zhi smiled. “You know me?”
“Yes, we even study your scripts in our major courses,” Chen Die replied with a smile.
Lu Chuan said, “Director Feng is currently preparing a film called <Hairpin Flowers> and is in the process of casting. He saw your screen presence just now and liked it. He wants to know if you’d be interested in auditioning.”
Chen Die was a bit taken aback. She exchanged a glance with Xia Ying before saying, “Of course, I’m interested.”
“But it’s a bit sudden—the audition is this afternoon.” Feng Zhi smiled. “Would you be available?”
Chen Die didn’t hesitate. “I have time.”
After receiving Feng Zhi’s business card, Lu Chuan also sent her the film’s basic details via WeChat.
Lu Chuan and Feng Zhi had matters to discuss, so after exchanging contact information, they left. Chen Die pulled Xia Ying along to eat.
Xia Ying stuffed a meatball into her mouth, her voice muffled as her eyes sparkled. “I think I might be about to become the best friend of a big star!”
“I haven’t even gone to the audition yet. You’re skipping steps way too fast.”
“Well, as long as you pass the audition, I think you’re set. Every actress who’s come out of a Feng Zhi film has become a huge star.”
While eating, Chen Die read through the script synopsis.
<Hairpin Flowers> was a historical drama centered on themes of patriotism and righteousness—an actor-friendly script.
After their meal, they headed straight to the audition venue, where many other actors were already waiting.
Chen Die’s beauty was striking—her porcelain-white skin made people instinctively linger their gazes on her.
She wasn’t entirely new to the entertainment industry. After her photos went viral online, she had received many invitations from variety shows, though she had declined them all.
The audition began.
All the actors received the same script segment. The director had high standards and required them to perform a scene involving water.
Additionally, because the role was that of a stunning beauty, the actress needed to look convincing in historical attire.
The last-minute reveal that the audition required entering the water left many actors—some of whom couldn’t swim or were afraid of water—pale with shock.
Chen Die actually knew how to swim.
Wen Liang had taught her during the summer vacation after the college entrance exam when he took her on a trip. She had choked on water countless times before finally learning.
Chen Die changed into the costume provided by the crew and followed the arrangements to enter the set.
Xia Ying waited outside. After waiting for quite a while and seeing that she hadn’t come out, she went to a store across the street to buy a towel.
By the time she returned, Chen Die had already come out. She was standing alone outside, having changed back into her own clothes, but her hair, arms, and neck were still wet.
Xia Ying immediately ran over and wrapped her in the towel.
“Didn’t they provide hairdryers here?” Xia Ying asked with a frown.
“They did.” Chen Die couldn't help but sneeze. “But there were too many people. The wind will dry it anyway.”
“I think the wind is going to give you a cold.” Xia Ying didn’t hold back, wrapping the towel around Chen Die’s head, leaving only her eyes exposed. “How did the audition feel?”
Chen Die shrugged. “It was okay, I guess.”
“Then it should be fine.”
Xia Ying knew her well.
When it came to acting, Chen Die indeed had talent and a natural gift. She was frequently praised by her teachers in school. Every time she finished a final performance project and was asked how she did, she would give the same indifferent response.
But when the results came out, she would be close to a perfect score.
Not only was she the campus belle, but she was also a legendary top student.
However, in film academy, many students started taking acting roles in their sophomore or junior year. Though online idol dramas had reached out to Chen Die before, she had turned them all down.
Xia Ying figured it had something to do with her bad-tempered, possessive boyfriend.
After helping Chen Die dry her hair,
Chen Die immediately covered her nose and sneezed.
“I told you! You didn’t dry your hair, and now you’re out in the wind!” Xia Ying scolded her.
Knowing she was in the wrong, Chen Die obediently lowered her head and accepted the lecture.
After saying goodbye to Xia Ying, she headed straight back to the villa in the western suburbs.
“Miss, you're back.” Aunt Zhang wiped her hands on her apron and greeted her with a smile. “Have you had lunch? Do you want me to make something?”
“I've already eaten. You can rest, Aunt Zhang.”
Chen Die sniffled, realizing she really might be catching a cold.
There were still many things to take care of after graduation, and she didn’t want to get sick at this crucial moment. She immediately went upstairs, planning to sleep and sweat it out.
But perhaps because she had recalled her first encounter with Wen Liang that morning, he appeared in her dreams again.
It was as if he wouldn’t leave her alone.
Chen Die had arrived in Yan City when she was 16, just after finishing her first year of high school in a small town.
The school she later attended was arranged by Wen Liang.
At the time, Wen Liang was 22. He had been sent to military training for two years during college, and now he had to complete the remaining two years of his studies. But he rarely attended school.
He had sat in front of her with a serious expression and said, “You still need to study.”
So, Chen Die obediently went to the school he had arranged for her—the best private school in Yan City, full of wealthy kids.
But what Wen Liang hadn’t anticipated was that the fake heiress of the Chen family, Chen Shuyuan, was also studying there. Chen Die had met her before and recognized her.
Naturally, Chen Shuyuan never mentioned it, and Chen Die couldn’t be bothered to bring it up.
But Chen Shuyuan still couldn’t resist bullying her.
She was the little leader of the class, rallying the other girls to ostracize and isolate Chen Die, dirtying her chair and throwing her books into the lake.
One afternoon after school, Chen Die returned to the classroom from the office to find footprints all over her jacket. It was raining outside, and her umbrella had been broken.
She sat alone in the classroom, holding the broken umbrella, shedding a few silent tears.
In the end, she had no choice. After crying, she decided to just run to the subway station in her dirty school uniform. But as soon as she walked downstairs, she unexpectedly saw Wen Liang approaching with an umbrella.
She never thought he would come to pick her up from school.
Even though she lived at Wen Liang’s place, she rarely got to see him.
Outside, the wind and rain suddenly intensified.
Wen Liang’s gaze landed on her uniform. He stepped closer, yanked off her jacket, and asked coldly, “Who did this?”
Chen Die remained silent.
“I’m f***ing asking you!” He suddenly erupted in anger, his whole demeanor menacing. “Who did this to your clothes?!”
It was the first time Chen Die had ever seen him truly furious. She was so startled that tears welled up in her eyes, and she stammered, “…Chen Shuyuan.”
“What else did she do to you?”
Chen Die didn’t dare hide anything and told him everything Chen Shuyuan had done since the beginning of the school year.
Immediately after, Wen Liang took her back to the classroom and personally gave her a lesson in ‘an eye for an eye.’
The next morning, Wen Liang brought Chen Die to the school gate to wait.
Chen Shuyuan arrived late. By then, there were hardly any students around. Wen Liang stood in front of her, holding a stick.
At that time, Wen Liang was infamous among the upper-class circles—a madman and a scoundrel, completely unruly, and no one could rein him in. There was even a terrifying scar at the corner of his eyebrow. Even Chen Shuyuan’s father was somewhat wary of him, let alone her.
She immediately went weak at the knees, about to drop down in fear.
Wen Liang let out a mocking laugh and said disdainfully, “With guts as weak as this, where did you find the courage to bully my girl?”
Chen Die froze for a moment.
—My girl.
Last night, Wen Liang had already trashed Chen Shuyuan’s seat, returning the favor exactly as she had done to Chen Die. After giving her a slow, deliberate warning, he let her into the school.
He tossed the stick into a pile of grass, dusted off his hands, stuffed them into his pockets, and turned to look at Chen Die. “If she bullies you again, just tell me.”
He said it casually, almost carelessly, yet at that moment, Chen Die’s nose suddenly stung.
Seeing that she was about to cry again, Wen Liang frowned impatiently. “What the hell are you crying for? What’s there to cry about?”
Afraid of making him angry, Chen Die quickly sniffled and held back her tears. Worried that wasn’t enough, she mimicked him—stuffing her hands into her pockets, tilting her chin up, and forcing a defiant expression despite her teary eyes.
Wen Liang chuckled softly. “Idiot.”
Later on, Chen Die thought that her personality had probably been shaped little by little by Wen Liang himself.
“I’m heading in now.” Chen Die grabbed the strap of her school bag and pointed toward the school gate.
“Mm.” Wen Liang responded, then suddenly called her back out of nowhere and asked, “What’s your childhood nickname?”
Chen Die was caught off guard.
Her former adoptive parents had called her A-Ling. In their small town, girls’ childhood names were usually unrefined and rustic.
If she told Wen Liang, he would definitely laugh at her. So she dropped the "A" and said, “Lingling.”
“Which ‘Ling’?” Wen Liang asked.
She hesitated for a second, then changed her answer. “The ‘Ling’ from ‘Bailing bird’—Lingling.”
“That actually sounds pretty nice.” Wen Liang raised an eyebrow and nodded toward the school gate. “Go to class, Lingling.”
Chen Die looked at him, and for some reason, her heart thudded heavily.
She didn’t say goodbye. Feeling inexplicably lightheaded, she turned and ran into the school.
She ran quite a distance before stopping and looking back.
Wen Liang was already gone.
Chen Die paused, raising a hand to press against her chest, her fingers digging in, feeling each intense heartbeat—like blades threatening to break through her ribs.
She woke up from the dream in a daze.
Her head was splitting. Instead of sweating out the fever, she had dreamed of Wen Liang. At this rate, the dream alone might be enough to make her burn up.
Outside, the sky was already dark. She glanced at the time—it was 9 PM.
She had actually slept for so long.
She sat up, intending to steady herself, but suddenly a wave of nausea surged up. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited until she was completely empty, nearly throwing up bile.
Her dizziness was overwhelming, making everything blur into double vision.
She reached for her phone on the bedside table and called Wen Liang. It rang for only a moment before he picked up.
“Hello.” Wen Liang’s voice came through.
There was a noisy background behind him—probably a bar or a party.
Chen Die had originally wanted to ask him to bring medicine when he came back, but when the words reached her lips, she changed them to, “Are you coming to the western suburbs tonight?”
Wen Liang replied lazily, “We’ll see.”
Chen Die responded with a soft “Mm,” then heard laughter and teasing voices on his end. Without another word, she hung up.
Wen Liang tossed his phone back onto the table as the people around him chuckled knowingly.
“That wouldn’t happen to be our Wen Boss’s little beauty calling to check up on him, would it?”
“Haha, even Wen Boss gets these ‘where are you?’ calls now? Man, your life is different from us single folks.”
“For real, though. Why don’t you ever bring your girl to these parties?”
The crowd was getting rowdy, but Wen Liang wasn’t really listening. He replayed Chen Die’s voice in his head, then grabbed his jacket and stood up. “I’m heading out.”
“Hey—! The party’s not over yet!”
Wen Liang didn’t even look back as he left.
Everyone knew he was impossible to stop him, so they didn’t bother.
“Did something happen at Wen Yuan Group? He left in such a hurry.”
“Nah, he probably just went home to his little sweetheart,” someone said leisurely. “I happened to catch a glimpse of what he saved that caller’s name as.”
That instantly piqued everyone’s curiosity. “What is it?”
“Lingling,” the person said with a teasing smirk. “A cutesy, double-syllable name.”
The group was genuinely surprised. Wen Liang’s image didn’t match such an affectionate nickname at all.
At that moment, they couldn’t help but develop a newfound respect for the girl he had hidden away.
Chen Die hung up the phone and went back to sleep.
But after sleeping for so long in the afternoon, she wasn’t drowsy at all. Her head was spinning, her body felt heavy, and she was on the verge of passing out.
Eventually, she wasn’t even sure if she was asleep or awake.
Until the bedroom door was pulled open, and she vaguely heard Wen Liang’s voice.
Half-conscious, she thought—so I must be dreaming. Why is Wen Liang so persistent today, haunting me even in my sleep?
The next second, she was grabbed by the shoulders and yanked upright from the bed.
Dazed, she opened her eyes and saw Wen Liang right in front of her. For a brief moment, she couldn’t tell if this was reality or a dream.
The bedroom lights were off, and moonlight cast over his face, making his expression unreadable.
Wen Liang frowned. “You were sick and didn’t think to mention it over the phone?”
Chen Die’s throat burned too much to retort.
He brought the cold medicine he had just mixed downstairs to her lips. She took a small sip, and the bitterness immediately made her scrunch up her whole face.
Wen Liang watched her reaction and finally let out a laugh. “I specially got the sugar-free version.”
Chen Die glared at him. It took all her effort to suppress the bitterness before she turned her head away in protest. “I’m not drinking it. It’s too bitter.”
Her voice was so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable—much worse than when she had spoken on the phone earlier. Wen Liang’s brows knitted slightly. “Drink it, and you’ll feel better.”
“How did you even know I had a cold?” she asked.
“You think I couldn’t tell from the call?” Wen Liang shot her a glance. “Your voice sounds terrible. Stop talking.”
He brought the cup to her lips again. “Finish it.”
Chen Die turned her head away in refusal.
Wen Liang clicked his tongue in annoyance. Without another word, he tilted his head back and took a mouthful himself—then grabbed the back of her head and passed it directly into her mouth.
The faint scent of smoke and alcohol on him mixed with the sharp bitterness of the medicine, overwhelming her senses. Caught off guard, she swallowed the liquid whole, then immediately doubled over, coughing uncontrollably.
“It’s just a little bitterness, and you can’t handle it? Who the hell spoiled you this much?” Wen Liang scoffed at her.
Chen Die finished coughing, her face flushed red all the way down to her neck. Just as she steadied her breath and was about to curse at him—
Wen Liang wiped the medicine off the corner of her lips, and before she could say a word, he clamped a hand over her mouth and pushed her back onto the pillow. “Shut up. Don’t get me sick.”
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