CHAPTER 8: It Hurts

Wen Heng had serious mysophobia, which Chang Yan knew well. But before, Wen Heng was like that with everyone—now, suddenly, there was an exception.

Chang Yan felt a twinge of bitterness, but he still dutifully focused on getting the artists home safely.

He turned to ask Gu Sheng, “Miss Gu, are you heading to Huating Yuefu?”

That luxury flat in Huating Yuefu was purchased when Gu Sheng and Wen Heng got married. It was co-owned by both of them, but until now, only Gu Sheng had lived there. That was also why people online mocked her for living like a widow.

Gu Sheng nodded. “Thank you.”

As for Wen Heng’s address, Chang Yan didn’t even need to ask. He drove straight toward Huating Yuefu.

The car ride was very quiet. Wen Heng sat with his eyes closed, resting.

He had already calmed himself down quickly.

This time, the eye pain was the same level as the throat pain—level 4. But while he had completely lost his voice last time, now he wasn’t completely blind. His vision was just heavily blurred, with a stinging sensation.

Amid the blur, Gu Sheng’s figure stood out clearly among everyone else. She still had that soft, faint glow around her, outlining her whole silhouette, even down to her hair.

Wen Heng was a man of strong will and action. Since it was clear that modern medicine couldn’t fix his problem, he needed to look for other solutions.

The car smoothly pulled into the underground garage of Huating Yuefu.

Wen Heng, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke. “I’m staying here too.”

Chang Yan & Xiao Tang: “!”

Huating Yuefu was known for its top-tier privacy and security, so fans wouldn’t hear about this. But the elders of the Gu and Wen families definitely would. And the high society folks who had always looked down on Gu Sheng? Things were about to get interesting.

Wen Heng added, “…It’s more convenient for the upcoming shoot and recording.”

Chang Yan: “Mm-hmm.”

Xiao Tang: “We get it.”

Wen Heng: “…”

Gu Sheng had already seen this coming. Wen Heng’s eyes were clearly not doing well—no matter how much pain he could take, he couldn’t just go blind, right? Even though she had been looking forward to enjoying some alone time, the place wasn’t fully hers, and if Wen Heng wanted to stay, she couldn’t exactly kick him out.

She stayed quiet for a few seconds, then said, “Fine.” The place was big enough anyway.

Gu Sheng was the first to hop out of the car. Wen Heng opened his eyes and was about to feel his way out when he suddenly paused.

On the seat where Gu Sheng had been sitting, there was a long strand of hair caught on the headrest.

…It gave off the same soft glow that lingered on her body.

Wen Heng reached out and picked up the strand.

A long while later, his figure walked calmly into the elevator.

—

[What? Wen Heng is living at Huating?!]

The moment Wen Heng’s name came up, the private group chat—usually filled with flexing and gossip—exploded.

[Saw it with my own eyes. His manager, Chang Yan, dropped both him and Gu Sheng off.]

[Damn… don’t tell me the rumors are true?]

In public, Wen Heng was a top-tier celebrity. In elite circles, he was the eldest son of the Wen family. Although he rarely interacted with people in that circle after joining showbiz, before he made that decision, he had been the ideal type for nearly every rich and beautiful heiress. Yet he ended up in a “marriage alliance” with Gu Sheng of all people, which many still saw as a disgrace. Even now, plenty of them were waiting for news of their divorce.

[Do you guys even watch TV? Obviously it’s just for filming that variety show. Otherwise, Wen Heng would’ve ditched her ages ago.]

[Hhh how could Wen Heng possibly fall for Gu Sheng? Big chest, no brains, no talent.]

[I said it back then—only someone like Weiwei, who understands art and is from the industry, is worthy of Wen-ge.]

A moment later, Jiang Luwei, who was mentioned, replied:
[Don’t say that. Wen Heng is about to shoot an art magazine cover with Gu Sheng.]

It would’ve been better if she hadn’t said anything—her comment immediately set off a wave of ridicule in the group chat.

[Gu Sheng? With her fashion sense that only knows how to blindly buy haute couture??]

[Poor Young Master Wen, forced into this bundled deal with her.]

[Anyone down to crowdfund? Once that magazine cover’s out, let’s push a trending hashtag like #SoUgly for Gu-jie.]

[Hahahaha that’s so mean, count me in.]

[I’ll chip in, +1.]

[+11111]

…

After returning home, Gu Sheng completely immersed herself in film and TV.

The apartment at Huating Yuefu had a home theater with top-tier equipment. The audio-visual experience was so good, Gu Sheng was beyond satisfied. She curled up in there and watched ten movies straight, feeling like her entire soul had been nourished. Her sensitivity to characters and art soaked into her like a steady spring drizzle.

It wasn’t until she got a WeChat from her assistant—saying the Happiness Four Laws crew would be coming today to film her and Wen Heng’s VOL cover shoot—that she suddenly remembered Wen Heng even existed.

Gu Sheng abruptly realized: these past two days, there hadn’t been any physical contact between her and Wen Heng. Was he just walking around blind the whole time?

Or had she been so engrossed in the movies that she missed a system alert, and the male lead had already been tormented to death by Level 9 or 10 pain??

Gu Sheng asked the system, worried: “If I go out now, I won’t be seeing a corpse, right?”
There were only two people in the house—if he died, wouldn’t she become the prime suspect??

The system gently reminded:
[You did miss one system alert. Love Pain #07, migraine, pain level 5.]

But why didn’t it notify her?

Because at the time, the female lead had been watching a movie starring Wen Heng—and she was completely absorbed!

The CP system deeply believed it had just witnessed a shippable moment!

But the second she heard Wen Heng wasn’t dead, Gu Sheng’s mischief started bubbling up again:
“Why’s he holding up so well? Aside from that initial Level 8 stomach pain, he hasn’t had anything worse. What’s going on? Are you guys going soft?”

System: […The system needs to test the male lead’s pain tolerance first.]

“Oh,” Gu Sheng said, sounding totally disinterested. “So how’s he holding up these past two days? Built up his tolerance already?”

At that, the system’s tone became hesitant:
[The male lead seems to have discovered a bug in the system. He hasn’t been enduring pain the past couple of days. But don’t worry, host, this bug will be fixed soon.]

Gu Sheng raised her brows high. Discovered a system bug?

This guy was actually kind of impressive??

But now wasn’t the time to admire Wen Heng’s skills. Today was an important cover shoot. Gu Sheng did a full skincare routine and was so dazzled by her glowing reflection in the mirror that she was momentarily speechless—then walked out of the room, brimming with confidence, ready for the film crew’s arrival.

The moment she stepped out, she saw Wen Heng sitting in the living room.

The man had clearly freshened up a bit as well—black hair falling over a cold, pale face, side profile sharp and striking.

He looked up slightly when he heard footsteps, eyes deep and calm.

Gu Sheng stared at him suspiciously, trying to make sure he wasn’t suffering from blindness or migraines.

But his condition looked perfectly normal—and that, combined with his icy, almost unapproachably handsome features, made him seem even more intimidating.

Wen Heng spoke first, gesturing toward the theater room:
“I heard something. You were watching my movie?”

Gu Sheng was caught off guard, practically blinded by his smugness. She answered righteously, “Not just yours. I watched others too.”

Even though among those ten films, Wen Heng’s Mad Bird was actually her favorite!
But she’d never admit that.

Wen Heng raised a brow slightly. Watching her purse her lips and stubbornly refuse to admit it, he felt an inexplicable sense of amusement.

She looked just like a little animal bristling its fur.

Ever since Wen Heng discovered that Gu Sheng’s hair could also act as a painkiller, he’d finally escaped the endless torment.

But the pain relief duration had become very unpredictable. Originally, Pain Events 06 and 07 should’ve totaled more than six hours. Yet, because he kept a strand of Gu Sheng’s hair on him, the countdown still hadn’t finished even after two full days.

But… it was almost done.

Only thirty minutes left.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

The Happiness Four Laws filming crew had arrived. The director’s assistant and the follow-cam videographer were standing outside.

—“Mr. Wen, Miss Gu, sorry to intrude!”

Huating was the most high-end residential complex in the city, and this penthouse spanned over 400 square meters, done in opulent European style, with a panoramic terrace that overlooked the entire city—worth nearly a hundred million.

The home wasn’t just a display of wealth; it was also a reminder that these two were an elite couple from a high-society marriage. Rich marrying richer.

The videographer’s lens briefly scanned the lavish interior, then returned to focus on Wen Heng and Gu Sheng.

They were heading to the studio today and would be styled there, so they were both essentially bare-faced. But with their top-tier looks, even without makeup, they held up perfectly on camera.

The only issue—there was zero interaction between them.

After the premiere of Episode 1, several staff members had become CP fans of Wen Heng and Gu Sheng. The director’s assistant personally preferred the “Mountain Road” couple, but before coming, the director had specifically instructed her to look out for “moments” between Wen Heng and Gu Sheng.

But that kind of “moment” was just way too vague. She was starting to worry they’d have to rely on editing magic for this pair too.

The importance of variety show post-editing went without saying. Even a plastic couple could be made to look sweet enough to rot your teeth. And that heavily depended on whether the cam crew could catch useful material—that is, whether they had the eye to spot those sugary moments.

The follow-up interview was set up in the well-lit living room. With the cameras rolling, Wen Heng and Gu Sheng sat on opposite sides.

Gu Sheng was always serious about work, but she hadn’t expected to be stumped by the very first question.

“May I ask, what is your mode of interaction at home?”

Gu Sheng: ?

There isn’t any interaction—how could there be a “mode” of it?

Wen Heng lowered his gaze to glance at her, then calmly turned to the camera and said, “She watches my movies at home.”

Gu Sheng: ??

The assistant director froze, as if catching a trace of subtle pride in Wen Heng’s mild tone. Then, seeing the awkward expression on Gu Sheng’s face, she suddenly kind of got what the director meant by that “chemistry.”

But in truth, Gu Sheng was yelling at the system in her mind: “This shameless man is just using this chance to brag! No shame! So low!”

The system, still running diagnostics, replied:
“But you did watch them.”

Gu Sheng: “I’m not listening!!!”

The assistant director cleared her throat:
“Then, which segment of the show left the deepest impression on you both?”

Gu Sheng knew how to answer this one:
“The styling segment! My husband’s outfit is still vivid in my mind!”

She dragged out Wen Heng’s “Japanese street style” look and metaphorically beat it like a dead horse.

“…” Wen Heng’s brow twitched slightly. Then he looked back at Gu Sheng and curved his lips.
“Then for me, it was the nighttime sleeping segment that left the deepest impression.”

Assistant director: !

She was startled. Her first thought: This top-tier star really knows how to play to the camera. If they included that in the final cut, the audience would lose their minds.

But Gu Sheng narrowed her eyes. The words sounded suggestive at first, but anyone who’d seen the trending topics would know—Wen Heng was referring to her kicking him in her sleep!

Bringing up old dirt! Petty and passive-aggressive!

“Why didn’t it hurt him to death?” Gu Sheng grumbled to the system.
“Are you guys still functioning or what!”

The system beeped promptly:
“Host, bug located! Now patching!”

At the same time, Wen Heng began to sense something was off.

The post-interview was still going. The assistant director seemed genuinely into shipping them now. Her eyes sparkled as she fired off questions, clearly invested.

Even though he had the hair strand in his pocket, Wen Heng’s eyes began to sting again. The migraine came back, accompanied by aura-related visual flashes. He had to shut his eyes.

“Final question: In the first episode’s recording, was there any moment that particularly moved you?”

Every couple had been asked this one.

The “Sunny Day Couple” talked about taking care of plants in the blazing sun, all for the sake of being together.
The “Mountain Road Couple” mentioned cooking a meal together, even though neither could cook.
The “Wang-Lü Couple” reminisced about their wedding during a late-night heart-to-heart.

Different stories, each sweet in their own way.

Now the assistant director was eagerly waiting for Wen Heng and Gu Sheng’s response.

But just as Wen Heng opened his eyes, the pain surged back, his tear ducts were intensely triggered—

Before he could speak, a single tear slid down his cheek.

Gu Sheng: ?

Assistant director & cameraman: ?!

Was it… that touching?

So many words left unsaid—but no need for them.

The assistant director was completely won over:
Oh my god, I’m going to die from how much I ship them!

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