Delicate Beauty in the Palm : Chapter 32 - I Miss You so Much
Chen Die felt like Wen Liang was acting completely out of character—and at the same time, her face was starting to heat up.
She casually raised her hand to rub her ear, letting out a soft breath.
Feng Zhi chuckled, made a bit more small talk, then returned to the shoot. Lu Chuan didn’t say anything further to deepen the awkward atmosphere either—he gave Wen Liang a polite nod and quietly walked away.
Once they stepped outside the set, Chen Die asked, “Were you doing that on purpose just now?”
Wen Liang looked down slightly and let out a low chuckle. “Yes.”
At least he was honest.
“……”
“......”
A car was parked outside—different from the one Zhu Qicong had driven her over in earlier. “You drove here yourself?”
“Yeah.” Wen Liang rubbed his brow lightly. “Where do you want to eat?”
“Who said I agreed to have lunch with you?”
Wen Liang looked at her, his gaze dropping briefly to her injured leg before returning to her face. He gave a lazy grin. “Aren’t you overestimating yourself right now?”
Chen Die got the message.
He meant that whether she agreed or not didn’t matter—given her current condition, Wen Liang could just carry her off if he wanted.
Of course. The moment they left the set, the man showed his true colors.
“I’m not eating anything,” she said defiantly.
Wen Liang clicked his tongue.
Warm midday sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on Wen Liang’s face.
His features were naturally intense and sharp—even when silent and expressionless, he had an imposing presence. But under the sunlight, that edge seemed to soften a bit.
His profile, framed by dark lashes and steady eyes, even held a hint of gentleness.
Chen Die looked up at him, and for a moment, felt calm inside.
And then the so-called gentle man opened his mouth: “Do you believe I’ll just carry you into the car?”
Ha.
The fantasy she’d constructed for one second about a ‘gentle Wen Liang’ immediately shattered to pieces.
She rolled her eyes and hobbled into the car with her injured leg.
Wen Liang smirked behind her and got in as well.
The film studio area was mostly surrounded by street food joints. It was a weekday, so not many tourists were around. Wen Liang drove around for a bit, and they eventually settled on a hot pot place.
The restaurant staff were used to seeing celebrities come in to eat, so they stayed calm even when Chen Die and Wen Liang came in together.
They got a private booth.
A brass yin-yang hot pot simmered in the middle of the table. Slices of beef and lamb, along with mushrooms, bobbed and swirled in the boiling broth. Chen Die took off her coat, tied on a bib, and asked a server to bring her a can of cola.
She popped the tab open, flipped the upside-down glass, and poured the drink in. Bubbles fizzed noisily, spilling over the top.
“Want some?” Chen Die swirled the half-full can at Wen Liang.
“No.” He looked at her, then suddenly asked, “Are you in a bad mood?”
Chen Die looked up and raised an eyebrow. “No.”
“You’re not afraid of gaining weight anymore?”
Because she had studied acting in university, Chen Die had always paid close attention to her figure. Things like sugary soda were typically a no-go. So today—hot pot and cola—it was a bit out of character.
“I know you went to Yiming Entertainment today,” Wen Liang said. “You saw Chen Shao and Chen Zhiming?”
Chen Zhiming was the name of the Old Master Chen.
Chen Die took a sip of her drink, propped her cheek on one hand, and looked at him. “Yeah.”
“What did Chen Zhiming say?”
“He wants me to go back to the Chen family.”
Wen Liang: “What do you think?”
“I’ve never thought about going back,” Chen Die said softly.
She pulled a piece of lamb from the clear side of the pot, dipped it in sauce, ate it, then looked calmly at Wen Liang. “Besides, I’ve already stepped out on my own. I can’t just return and take on the title of ‘real Chen heiress’ without accomplishing anything.”
Wen Liang was quiet for a moment, then chuckled.
“What’s that title even worth?” he said. “You’ve got me.”
Though technically on leave, Chen Die only rested for three days. Once her leg felt a bit better, she returned to the set to shoot all the non-action scenes. The action sequences were finished after her stitches were removed.
Fortunately, the delay wasn’t too long.
The team celebrated with a wrap party—Qi Cheng wasn’t able to attend due to other work.
Half a month later, the release date was officially set for the Spring Festival. Chen Die barely had any time off before starting the promo tour with the rest of the cast.
“Take the jacket from the car—you're going to need to change into your gown later.” Fang Ruan had been accompanying her to all the recent events, and after a moment, she also pulled out a scar removal cream from her bag. “Remember to apply this.”
“Thanks,” Chen Die replied.
Her skin was delicate, and although her leg had been healing for a while, the scab hadn’t fully fallen off. A faint ring of scarring still remained. Luckily, her fair complexion helped make it less noticeable.
Tonight’s event was a major film industry conference.
Inside the banquet hall at Yan City’s Shiyu Plaza, film professionals whose movies were set to release around the end of the year had all shown up.
The red carpet arrival ceremony before the conference was being livestreamed. All attendees had to walk in for photos and sign a massive backdrop featuring the event's promotional poster.
<Hairpin Flowers> crew, with big names like director Feng Zhi and executive producer Lu Chuan, were scheduled to make the final entrance.
Chen Die and Qi Cheng were the first to step onto the carpet as the lead actress and actor.
Chen Die wore an off-shoulder blue gown, her long hair tied up in a clean, sleek ponytail that highlighted her swan-like neck and perfect shoulder line. Beside her, Qi Cheng wore a pale plaid suit, with a tie that subtly matched the color of her dress.
The moment they appeared on the livestream, the bullet comments started flooding in:
[They look so good together!!]
[I seriously can't wait for <Hairpin Flowers>—this level of visual pairing is insane.]
[Sorry, I'm only staying for three minutes (but I'm staying forever).]
[Really hope they get to work together again in the future.]
[I LOVE QI CHENG AHHHHHHHH!!]
[Chen Die’s legs are amazing omg—and wasn’t she injured before? Looks like she’s fully recovered now.]
[Die is so pretty.]
[Been watching them work together for so long and Chen Die’s never tried to stir up fake rumors with Qi Cheng. I kinda respect her for that.]
[My ultimate screen CP!]
……
After signing the board and posing for some photos for the press, Chen Die and Qi Cheng left the carpet.
With the red carpet over, the main event of the film industry conference began.
Chen Die entered the hall with the rest of the crew. Fang Ruan draped a silk shawl over her shoulders and whispered, “Whatever you do, don’t doze off. One little slip-up and people will jump all over it. Just smile.”
This was Chen Die’s first film—technically, she hadn’t officially debuted as a movie actress yet.
But thanks to her exposure from the reality show <Wilderness Kitchen> and her role in the big-budget <Hairpin Flowers>, her public image was gaining traction. If the audience recognized her acting chops in <Hairpin Flowers>, it’d mark a major win for her.
So, a lot of eyes were on her lately.
Chen Die nodded but didn’t get a chance to reply—suddenly, there was a stir behind her.
Reporters at the door were pressing forward, flashbulbs flickering rapidly. Even Feng Zhi went out to greet the newcomer in person.
Chen Die turned to look. A young woman entered, surrounded by people. She looked very gentle, with waist-length curls and a warm, smiling face as she waved at the cameras.
She took Feng Zhi’s hand and exchanged a few words with him, still smiling.
Even Chen Die had to admit—this woman was beautiful, easily rivaling any actress in the entertainment industry.
“Who’s that?” Chen Die whispered to Fang Ruan.
It was Qi Cheng who answered: “Ye Chuqing. She’s the chairwoman of this year’s film industry conference.”
“So young?”
“Yeah. She’s the eldest daughter of the Ye family. Her mother was an actress too, later transitioned into directing. Ye Chuqing basically followed in her mother’s footsteps— dedicated herself to the field. People consider her a genuine talent,” Qi Cheng explained.
Soon, the conference officially began.
This year’s industry conference also included an awards segment. Before long, Feng Zhi and Qi Cheng each received accolades— ‘Most Innovative Director’ and ‘Most Influential Actor,’ respectively, based on their past works.
After the awards, at the after-party, Chen Die excused herself to the restroom. Her leg still couldn’t handle long periods of standing—when she stood for too long, the area around the wound would start to burn and ache.
Earlier, she’d sipped a bit of champagne, leaving her lips slightly damp. Chen Die pulled out her lipstick and began touching up in the mirror—when a woman’s voice drifted out from one of the stalls behind her.
“I already told you I don’t want to go on a blind date. Your daughter is this pretty, and the line of guys chasing me stretches to Paris, and you want me to settle for some random man?”
“So what if he’s handsome? Do you know how many male celebrities were at today’s industry event? Their fans probably total over a billion. You think I care about looks?”
“What do you mean ‘he’s not one of those baby-faced types’? There are plenty of rugged, manly guys in the entertainment industry. What kind of look haven’t I seen before? Ugh, and why are you sending me pictures—who even wants that?”
Chen Die hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but the restroom was quiet, and the woman’s voice was loud and clear.
“…Is this actually him in the photo? No filters?”
“…Okay, he’s kinda hot.”
“…I’m down.”
“…Send me his WeChat.”
“…Thanks, Mom. Mua!”
Having overheard the entire conversation from beginning to end, Chen Die stood there, utterly speechless: “…”
Worried things might get awkward if she ran into the lipstick-loving beauty from the stall, Chen Die quickly finished touching up her makeup, quietly put the lipstick back into her handbag, and was just about to leave when the stall door opened.
Chen Die looked up and paused—it was Ye Chuqing.
Ye Chuqing hadn’t expected someone to be outside either, and she stopped for a second as well.
Chen Die gave a slight nod and was about to leave, but Ye Chuqing called out to her.
She quickly washed her hands and walked over to Chen Die. “You’re Chen Die, the female lead in Director Feng’s new film, right?”
“Yeah, that’s me. Why?”
Chen Die was a bit surprised that Ye Chuqing knew her name.
Given her level of fame, it wouldn’t have been odd if Ye Chuqing didn’t recognize her. But as the chairwoman of this film industry conference, Ye Chuqing had reviewed the entire guest list beforehand—faces and names included.
Plus, Chen Die’s looks were indeed memorable.
“What shade is that lipstick you’re wearing?” Ye Chuqing asked.
“Huh?” Chen Die didn’t expect that question.
She pulled the lipstick out of her bag again, checked the bottom, and replied, “Bobbi Brown, Luxe Lip Color No. 4.”
Ye Chuqing gave her a thumbs-up. “Looks great.”
“…Thanks.”
“Your gown is really pretty too,” Ye Chuqing said, stepping back to get a better look. “Is that from Chanel’s autumn/winter runway collection this season?”
This whole vibe was very different from the elegant and aloof heiress image Chen Die had imagined.
She gave a small smile. “I’m not really sure. The company handles the gowns for events like this.”
“It probably is from the autumn/winter show,” Ye Chuqing nodded to herself, clearly satisfied with her guess. “You really hit all my aesthetic buttons,” she complimented again.
“Thank you,” Chen Die said politely.
Then she suddenly remembered Ye Chuqing’s earlier ‘I’m down’ comment from the stall—and now all this familiar, easy conversation and generous compliments. One person instantly came to mind:
Chen Shao.
Those two would be a perfect match. They should definitely meet.
As she stepped out of the restroom—
Just her luck—Chen Die turned a corner and walked straight into a man holding a wine glass. The glass tilted, and a splash of red wine spilled squarely down her front, soaking a large part of her gown.
To make matters worse, she was wearing a pale blue dress—red wine on it was very noticeable.
“Ah, I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you!” the man apologized immediately.
Chen Die’s brows furrowed slightly as she looked down at the mess, but she couldn’t really blame him—it had been her turn around the corner. “It’s okay, I’ll just try to wipe it off.”
She headed back to the restroom. Ye Chuqing had just finished fixing her makeup and was turning to leave when she spotted Chen Die again.
She blinked, then noticed the stained dress. “What happened?”
“I bumped into someone, spilled wine all over it,” Chen Die said wearily.
“That fabric won’t clean up easily after red wine,” Ye Chuqing frowned. “There’s still the group photo later, and a ton of reporters out there. Do you have a spare dress you can change into?”
“No, I’ll message my agent,” Chen Die replied. “It’s okay, really, don’t worry about me. You must be busy.”
As the chairwoman of the event, Ye Chuqing was busy—but it didn’t feel right to just leave a guest like this. And even though this was only their first real encounter, she found herself liking Chen Die quite a bit.
“Here, let me give you my contact. If your team can’t fix it, call me. I’ll see if my assistant can borrow a dress nearby.”
She pulled out her phone, brought up her QR code, and had Chen Die scan it.
After they added each other, Chen Die thanked her again, and Ye Chuqing left.
Just as Chen Die was about to text Fang Ruan, her phone buzzed first. A message from Wen Liang popped up.
[Wen Liang: Come out.]
[Chen Die: ?]
[Wen Liang: Didn’t you spill wine on your dress?]
…How did he know? Was he omnipresent or something?
Chen Die suddenly had the eerie sense that Wen Liang had spies all around her.
But she didn’t have time to think about that. She’d always been used to compliments and took pride in her appearance. There was no way she’d let anyone see her looking like this—especially not with the risk of it being discussed online.
And she knew Fang Ruan wouldn’t be able to get a new gown in time.
Chen Die exhaled lightly and walked out.
Wen Liang was waiting in a quiet hallway. The moment he heard her footsteps, he looked up.
Without a word, he took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. With his broad frame, the jacket easily covered the wine stains on the front of her dress.
The restroom had been chilly, and Chen Die’s shoulders were cold. But the warmth of Wen Liang’s jacket—and his body heat—instantly enveloped her. It even carried his scent.
Chen Die tugged lightly at the jacket. “What are you doing here?”
She hadn’t even noticed Wen Liang earlier.
She’d been busy lately—traveling around for promotions, filming a variety show with the production team—it had been over two weeks since she’d last seen Wen Liang.
“The company has some investment interests in this area, so I was invited too,” Wen Liang said calmly. “Want to go change?”
“Change where?”
“Back home,” he replied, just as calmly.
Chen Die blinked, looking up. “What?”
Wen Liang didn’t repeat himself.
The Shiyu Plaza was quite close to the Western Suburbs villa. When Chen Die had left before, she hadn’t taken all her expensive clothes with her—some of which included haute couture dresses suitable for formal events like this.
She understood now. “If I leave now, I’ll definitely get caught by the reporters.”
Wen Liang pointed in another direction. “We’ll use the VIP passage.”
Chen Die didn’t say anything else. She quietly thanked him and let him lead her away from the crowd. It wasn’t until they got into the car that she remembered something.
“How did you know my dress was stained?”
“I know the guy who bumped into you. He mentioned it, and I guessed it was you.”
It had been months since Chen Die left the Western Suburbs Villa.
She had lived there for six years—ever since the first day she arrived in Yan City. But now that she was back, it felt unfamiliar.
Wen Liang got out of the car and entered the house after pressing in the code.
Chen Die hesitated at the door, not stepping inside.
Wen Liang turned to glance at her. “Not coming in?”
“It’s not really appropriate,” Chen Die said, looking at him. “You can just bring out the blue dress from the closet for me.”
Wen Liang let out a low chuckle. “Coming in is inappropriate, but having me dig through your closet for clothes is fine?”
Without saying more, Wen Liang reached out and pulled her inside, then bent down and grabbed a pair of slippers from the shoe rack, tossing them at her feet.
They were the same fluffy light-pink slippers she used to wear in the winter.
Originally, all the slippers in the house were identical—blue and white striped. But back in high school, Chen Die had once bought a pair during a trip to a home goods store.
It was a little secret of hers—she’d picked a mismatched pair: one pink, one blue, connected by a hook. The tag even had the words ‘couple slippers’ on it.
After buying them, she quietly snipped off the tag and tucked it into one of her books like a cherished bookmark.
She placed the mismatched pair at the very top of the shoe rack, waiting for Wen Liang to notice them when he got home. But he seemed to be completely immune to romance.
He never picked up on the hint and just wore them like any regular pair of slippers.
After that, she stopped buying new ones. Every winter, the housekeepers would simply restock the same two colors.
And yet now.
Those slippers were still on the rack.
She had left during summer.
Without thinking further, Chen Die put them on and followed Wen Liang upstairs.
The wardrobe was exactly as she’d left it. She quickly found the blue dress she was looking for.
Holding the dress, standing with Wen Liang again in this familiar bedroom, she felt a wave of complicated nostalgia. Her fingers curled slightly in discomfort. “Mind if I change here?”
“Go ahead.”
She stepped into the bathroom. While she was changing, Fang Ruan texted, asking where she was.
Chen Die explained the situation briefly, but didn’t mention she’d left with Wen Liang.
She had only worn this dress once before. This would be the second time.
Once changed, she folded the stained dress into a bag and handed Wen Liang’s jacket back to him.
Wen Liang reached out to take it.
When their fingers brushed, his hand felt unusually hot.
Startled, she looked up. The lighting in the room was bright, and she finally noticed the flush on his face—and his amber eyes were a little unfocused.
“Are you feeling okay?” Chen Die asked.
“Hm?” Wen Liang raised an eyebrow. “Yeah.”
Chen Die stepped closer, stood on tiptoe, and reached up to touch his forehead.
It was burning.
She frowned. “You have a fever.”
“It’s fine. I don’t feel sick.”
“You’re still going back to Shiyu Plaza? You’re definitely going to be drinking again once you’re there.”
With Wen Liang’s status, even if he didn’t show up later due to something coming up, it wouldn’t really make much of a difference—no one would say anything. Chen Die said, “You should rest here for now.”
“And you?” Wen Liang asked.
“I’ll take a cab back later. It’s not far anyway.”
Before Wen Liang could say anything, Chen Die had already pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed. She then went downstairs, rummaged through the storage room for the medicine box, and brought up a forehead thermometer and some fever medicine.
“Almost 39°C... Don’t go back. Just rest,” she said.
Wen Liang looked at her. “Will you stay with me?”
Chen Die paused while pouring water. “No. My manager already urged me to go back. I still have interviews and photo ops.”
She checked the expiry date on the medicine, tore open a packet, and placed it on the bedside table. “Drink this.”
Then, she pulled out her phone and contacted Zhu Qicong to handle Wen Liang’s absence from the event.
After sending the message, she looked up and saw the medicine hadn’t been touched.
Chen Die picked up the cup and held it to Wen Liang’s lips. “Drink it.”
Wen Liang obediently drank the whole thing from her hand. When he looked up again, he saw the girl watching him with bright, sparkling eyes. She asked, “Bitter?”
“Yeah,” he answered truthfully.
Chen Die grinned, shaking the empty packet in her hand. “Brewed just for you—sugar-free version.”
“……”
Sweet, sweet revenge. So satisfying!
Chen Die patted Wen Liang’s shoulder, still pleased with herself. “Lie down.”
Wen Liang, for once, listened and obediently lay down after taking the medicine.
Chen Die tucked him in, feeling rather impressed with herself for being such a beautiful, kind-hearted, magnanimous fairy. Instead of kicking her ex while he was down, she was actually taking care of him personally.
She reached out to touch his forehead again—still hot.
A 39°C fever was no joke.
But unless he absolutely couldn’t bear it anymore, Wen Liang would never willingly go to the hospital—Chen Die knew that well.
After a moment’s thought, she went to the bathroom, soaked a towel in cold water, and laid it on his forehead.
Wen Liang lay in bed, his eyes following Chen Die’s every move.
She didn’t act overly worried about his fever. In fact, she looked like she was in a surprisingly good mood after that sugarless medicine stunt—she was even humming while grabbing the towel, light on her feet.
The once-empty and quiet room suddenly felt full of life again.
Wen Liang remembered how, back then, Chen Die would turn the bathroom into her personal concert stage during baths. He used to complain that she was too noisy.
Chen Die rinsed the medicine cup clean and poured him a fresh cup of warm water, placing it beside him.
Standing by the bed, she said, “Alright, I’m leaving now. If you really start feeling worse, go to the hospital. Don’t hold it in.”
A complicated emotion swelled in his chest.
He remembered the day he came home, and Aunt Zhang had come rushing out to tell him Chen Die had run away from home.
And now she was humming happily, light and relaxed, saying she was leaving again.
The bitterness of the medicine still lingered on his tongue—mixed with a deeper, more gut-wrenching bitterness from within.
Chen Die picked up her clutch from the side. Just as she was about to leave, her wrist was suddenly grabbed and yanked backward—she fell onto the bed.
Wen Liang reached out and pulled her into his arms.
It had been so long since he last held her like this.
Chen Die instinctively tried to push him away, but he only held her tighter. Her nose pressed against his shoulder, his embrace suffocating.
“Wen Liang, let go of me!” she said, frowning, a hint of anger in her voice.
Wen Liang was always like this—doing whatever he wanted without warning. He had yanked her down so suddenly that she’d almost lost her balance. His dark hair fell over her face, their breath mingling, nerves tense and frayed.
Chen Die couldn’t figure out what he was trying to do.
After all, Wen Liang never had boundaries. He didn’t abide by any rules or expectations.
In his eyes, he was the king of the world—and everyone existed to serve him.
Chen Die braced herself.
At least he had a high fever—his combat power should be significantly reduced.
The room was quiet except for their breathing. Chen Die could feel him burying his head into the crook of her neck, holding her tightly.
His hair tickled her neck.
It scratched.
“I miss you so much,” he whispered.
His voice was hoarse, and the way his head bowed looked so vulnerable.
Chen Die froze.
She had been ready for a fight—but now, her arms slowly went limp.
She had never seen Wen Liang like this before. She even wondered if the fever had fried his brain.
Finally, she raised her hand and gently ran her fingers through his hair. She struggled to reply, “You’re holding me so tight I can barely breathe.”
“But I,” Wen Liang said, his voice still hoarse, “I still miss you so much.”
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