“Yifan, we have a problem.” Angela spoke with a straight face as soon as Yifan stepped into her office to discuss about his projects and current status with her. Yifan waited for her to continue but she didn’t.

 

He smiled warily, “Director, if you don’t tell me what problem we have, I can’t do anything.”

 

She sighed, “You and your wife.”

 

“What’s wrong with us? We got married and we went on honeymoon.”

 

“You two are not affectionate enough. The paparazzis are tailing you now for the big scoop.”

 

He gaped at her, “They all say nice things about me. You have got to be joking me,” he pulled out his phone and started looking for articles - the one where a paparazzi caught a picture of them walking on a field, taken while Eden was entirely freaked out from the bee as she hid behind him while he had his arms stretched out. “See?” He pointed at the title ‘Young Master Fan’s Love For His Wife: A Picture Overflowing With Protective Instinct”

 

“That was four months ago,” she said.

 

“We also attended a VR arena opening event together!” He argued.

 

Angela scoffed, “Do not forget the amount of scandalous gossips in forums saying how um-,” she paused and flipped open a file in front of her to take a peek, “Park Chanyeol seemed more protective and close to her than you.”

 

Yifan raised his arms in the air and leaned back on his chair, “All right. I give up. What do you want me to do?”

 

“Be more lovey dovey.” Yifan’s face slight fell at her instruction. “Anyway, where is your wife? I need to speak to her” Angela spoke as a matter of factly as she resumed typing on her computer, probably something unimportant just to drive Yifan away.”

 

“Paris.”

 

~~~

 

“Miss Zhou, you have a phone call from China. Would you like me to pass it to you if you’re not busy?” her secretly approached her and spoke to her quietly as Eden stood up in the boardroom to exit after the meeting.

Eden nodded, took her mobile from the secretary, and passed her file she was holding to the said girl, “Zhou Bai Xue speaking.”

 

“Eden?” an unfamiliar voice came through the receiver and she peeled off the phone to look at the number. It was unlisted in her address book.

 

“Who is this?” she asked tentatively.

 

“It’s Angela. Yifan’s director.”

 

“Oh hello,” she smiled as she spoke hoping the director would hear her smile through the waves, “how are you doing? Is there something that mattered?”

 

Angela laughed lightly in delight, “I needed you to come into my office to talk about something and unfortunately you’re in Paris. Would you be willing to come into my office when you get back?”

 

“Is it very important?”

 

“Quite.”

 

Eden motioned her secretary to open up her diary to show her schedule, “Absolutely. I’ll be back home in two days. Does Wednesday lunchtime sound good for you?”

 

“Absolutely. See you, Bai Xue.”

 

“See you, Director Cheung.”

 

She hung up and wondered why something would be so important to ask her to come into the office.

 

~~~

 

“So,” Angela started the conversation. Eden smiled and looked at the woman, who seemed to be bursting with vibrant energy. She had seen Director Cheung for a few times when they were briefed about how to handle press and his fans as Kris’s wife. “How was your trip?”

 

Eden was slightly taken aback by the question but she smiled, “It was great, slightly tiring but great.”

 

“Great.” Angela paused. Eden felt like she was beating around the bush.

 

“Director, is there something wrong?”

 

Angela breathes in, “I’ll get it straight to the point, Miss Zhou. Have you been out in the public with Yifan lately?”

 

Eden thought. Long and hard. “Not as far as I’m aware, Director. Is there something wrong?”

 

“There had been a few incidences in the fans forum as well as his fans community posting suspicion about whether your marriage is genuine or not.”

 

Eden frowned. She hates those people who pry into other people’s businesses. “But, I have been busy. Like him, I also lead a career too.” She was not going to step down with her belief. In addition to that, she also dislikes displaying affection in public.

 

“Miss Zhou, I understand but we’re looking at your husband’s career here. He is being tailed everywhere by paparazzis and the news of you two not being affectionate are starting to brew.”

 

Eden sighed. Of course, she would have to play the role of a filial and supportive wife even though she has her own career and is capable of things. “What do you want me to do?”

 

~~~

 

“AND CUT!”

 

Yifan beamed and smiled at his co-actress, who also smiled. He was at a filming site for the latest movie - a rom com, a genre that he’s quite familiar with. It was time for lunch break. He walked over to his chair and slumped down on it as tiredness has started to take over him.

 

“Manager,” he called, “where is my lunch?”

 

“Oh! Miss Zhou!”

 

Yifan turned his neck so suddenly at the mention of familiar place at an out of place location. There was Eden Zhou, decked out in her usual office wear of white blouse and black pencil skirt, smiling as she walked across the hall towards him in her usual composed strides, her heels clicking rhythmically behind her.

 

“Hi, Fan Xiansheng (先生)” she smiled, occupying the seat next to him as she sat down. Yifan frowned at a different term she used to address him. (Note: I know Xiansheng means Mister /cough/ Kris’s weibo username /cough/ but it’s also a term you can use to address your other half. It’s kind of a light hearted way. Not so serious but slightly affectionate. If I’m wrong, please tell me because I learned this through my friend, who was born and raised in China, as my main source of Chinese studies.)

 

“H-Hi,” he stuttered, sitting up right, feeling quite uneasy at the arrival of an unexpected, “this was unexpected.”

 

Eden smiled, “I was nearby and realised that it was lunch time so I brought lunch for you and the set.”

 

“You don’t really have to…” his voice tailed off.

 

“What kind of wife would I be if I did not visit my husband on set with lunch?” her voice was sweeter, and slightly sickening for his liking, than usual. Other people did not notice but Yifan did.

 

He chuckled, “Where’s the lunch?”

 

Eden’s head jerked towards the entrance and Yifan’s sight followed. There were three food trucks - warm noodles, fried chicken, and an ice cream truck. His jaws fell, “You brought three food trucks?!!!”

 

“Yeah, isn’t she the nicest?” one of the crew members exclaimed.

 

Eden stood up and raised her voice, “Everyone, thank you so much for taking care of my husband. I bought lunch for everyone so please help yourself as everything is on me!”

 

Yifan looked up at her and still couldn’t believe his eyes. She offered her hand towards him, “Let’s go and have lunch,” she smiled. He took her hand and she pulled him up.

 

“So, what’s the deal with such an outburst of affection towards your Xiansheng,” he mocked and chuckled as they brought back their lunches - a bowl of noodles each.

 

Eden pulled a face and slightly shudder. Then, she leaned closer to him, her lips directly at his ear, “Angela said we are being tailed and are not affectionate enough.” Yifan looked up to see a few crew members looking at them. He felt slightly embarrassed about how close Eden was to him but she didn’t seem to nice. The crew members smiled at him and look away. “So, I had to come up with something to show affection.”

 

“By purchasing three food trucks worth of lunches.”

 

She shrugged, “I was actually thinking about getting five but it might have been a bit too much.”

 

“So, what do I call you now?” he leaned in closer to her and whispered, “Furen (夫人)? (note: basically wife but in more of a formal way)”  

 

Eden laughed slightly but didn’t say anything.

 

“Hello. Wu Yifan. We’re from China Entertainment Daily. How are you doing?” a team of photographers and reporters holding recording devices, reflecting mirrors, cameras, microphones approached the couple in a hasty manner.

 

“Who-” Eden stammered as she winced at the sudden change of light intensity around them.

 

Yifan was about to fume up when he realised that he had an interview appointment due that day. He slightly cursed in his head and fixed his position by sitting up right. Eden looked uncomfortable beside him but she was trying to look as professional as she could.

 

“Hello.” He muttered, “Nice to meet you guys again.”

 

“Are we interrupting something?”

 

“No, not at all.” Both of them answered hastily since they know that it is best not to upset the press with sassy attitude for their cleverly constructed image rely on the words they print.

 

“It’s very nice of Miss Zhou to come and see Yifan,” the interviewer smiled as she started her questioning.

 

Eden smiled, “I think it’s important to keep the marriage alive by trying to take care of each other during busy schedule.” Yifan glanced at her direction. Eden’s expressions were unreadable as she kept a straight face.

 

“Of course. Of course,” the interviewer agreed, “but I feel like it’s coinciding with the news that had been circulating.”

 

Yifan realized that the press attack had started and he started to pray that Eden was witty enough to handle the probing. “What news?” Eden asked.

 

“A lot of people are saying that you two are married because of statuses and we haven’t see you around him as much.”

 

Eden laughed shrilly, causing Yifan to jostle a little, “I can’t be around him as much as I want to because I also have been jet-setting myself with business. When I do get the time, I spend time with him.”

 

“But-”

“I hope you remember the time some paparazzi decided to take picture of Fan Xiansheng and I standing at our house’s veranda while drinking wine,” Eden smirked but her eyes were steely as she looked dead straight into the interviewer’s eyes, “I remember your company was the one who featured it.”

 

Yifan wanted to smile. Eden’s attacks have started.

 

The interviewer flustered, “I… we’re sorry.”

 

“It’s okay,” Eden spoke casually, “it’s not that bad but I would like to warn the paparazzi and the media companies,” she paused and stared into the camera lens that was filming her, “that filming celebrities in their house is considered as misdemeanour and can be sued.”

 

The interviewer flustered and fidgeted on her seat but she managed to compose herself again, “So, Yifan,” she obviously tried to change the topic, “how is marriage life going?”

 

“It’s great!” he answered cheerfully, “Furen and I have been enjoying the time we get together when we’re free.” Eden glanced at him through the corner of her eyes but she kept smiling, as sweet as she could.

 

“The way you two call each other is very sweet. What do you call him, Miss Zhou?”

 

Eden blinked, “Fan Xiansheng.”

 

“Isn’t it the same name as his weibo?” Eden nodded.

 

“And you call her as Furen.”

 

Yifan laughed, “Yeah, I think that the term Furen is quite endearing and kind of ancient in a way. She doesn’t like it much but it stuck.” Eden covered as he answered and he knew that she was trying to laugh while making other people think she was giggling in embarrassment.

 

“Can we two feed each other?”

 

Yifan and Eden looked at each other in fright. They did not expect this to happen but they tried their best anyway. The teamwork was there but the timings were a little off. Yifan was sure he poked the roof of with his chopsticks because she glared at him as he fed her.

 

“So, any baby plans on the way?” the interviewer asked so suddenly.

 

Eden started choking on her food as the question ended. She started coughing so helplessly that she started to become breathless. Yifan shot up from his chair and grabbed a hold of water bottle for her. Her face started to become very red and patchy as she tried to breathe normally again.

 

“Oh, the question must have shocked her,” the interviewer spoke empathetically.

 

“Yeah,” Eden wheezed, “we were not expecting that and no, we don’t have plans for a baby yet. Thank you.” Yifan did not miss the way the interviewer looked quite offended for a split second.

 

The interviewer went on to ask questions about his life after marriage, her career shift after marriage, their home life, things they do to relax, and all the mundane questions fit for entertainment news website.

 

“Yifan, we’re going to start rolling again,” the director warned.

 

“Eden,” Yifan started to call her name again as the interviewer was at quite a distance, “will you be going back soon?”

 

She shook her head, “I took the rest of the day off from office to do some damage control here,” she laughed, “do you mind if I sit here and work?” she pointed at his actor chair.

 

“My chair?”

 

“Yeah. I’ve always wanted to sit on a chair like this when I was younger,” she answered as she looked at his chair with such longing eyes. Yifan is quite proud of his chair. He got it custom made for him. The chair legs are tall but it made it easy for people to climb on and off. It’s made out in organic cotton which was durable so he feels comfort whenever he sits on and it has cursive writing ‘Yifan’ on the back of the backrest. It’s his everyday luxury.

 

He nodded and witness her climb up onto the seat. Strangely enough, it suited her. Eden already has a regal look to her and the chair complemented it. Yifan left her with her laptop as he went back to work.

 

The scene that he had to shoot was about the main actor confessing his unrequited love to the actress. The plot had built up so much that he had to look desperate yet scared as he confessed his love to the girl for he was scared to let her go away.

 

“I love you,” he grabbed his co-star by her shoulder and spoke as he gazed into her eyes.

 

A snigger was heard and then there was a full-on laughter. It was not even a normal one but something that looked like the person has found it extremely amusing. The entire set tried to look at the source which disrupted an important scene.

 

It was Eden, who was laughing hysterically on the chair as she tried to suppress it.

 

Yifan frowned at his pseudo-wife’s odd behaviour. It was so out of character that it caught him, and everyone, by surprise. “Eden, are you okay?”

 

She waved him away, “I’m good. I’m good. I just lost a grip. I’m so sorry everyone.” She apologized with a bow.

 

Yifan returned to re-shoot his scene.

 

“I love you.”

 

Eden started laughing as soon as she heard it again. The director was now pretty pissed off, it was not easy to get in the mood to shoot this scene.

 

She apologized.

 

The scene resumed.

 

She laughed again.

 

“Can someone please Wu Taitai (note: basically Madame Wu in terms of wife of Yifan) to his van and hold her captive there. This scene is important and I can’t-” the director threw up his hands in air with frustration.

 

Yifan felt apologetic. Eden also looked apologetic but quite amused as she followed the setting director’s lead towards his makeup and changing van. It was amusing to see how a well-composed girl losing it entirely upon hearing the words ‘I love you’ on a set.

 

~~~

 

A few days later, Yifan read about the interview they did.

 

“Young Master Wu’s wife is a dragon lady in secret who portrays an entirely different persona from her husband,” Yifan was reading the article aloud, “while Yifan looks intimidating, he has a sweet, caring personal while Zhou Bai Xue, whom he lovingly calls Furen, is a dragon lady with a sweet demeanour yet firm views on things. Their marriage seems like they are also in a honeymoon stage, where each other enjoys the presence of the other person, which was evident by the way they feed food to other, looking at each other with loving eyes. Yifan seemed smitten with the head-strong girl, who also shows love to him but in an extravagant way, as she bought lunches for the entire set screw by ordering three food trucks.”

 

Yifan paused and looked at Eden, who smirked, “She also has a strange habit of laughing when Yifan started to act with her co-star. Yifan’s Furen had to be escorted away while he was filming a love scene for she started to react excessively as the Young Master spoke I love you to his co-star. Is it her way of showing jealousy?” Yifan stopped as the article had came to an end.

 

“She laughed like a maniac as she heard you say that, right?” Chanyeol voice appeared from across the sofa Yifan was sitting on. The gangly doctor had decided to spend his Saturday with the newly-wed. Eden said it is his habit to spend his weekends at her place before she got married, since he doesn’t have many relatives in China.

 

Yifan nodded, “How do you know?”

 

Chanyeol chuckled and stretched his body, “That is Zhou Ye for you. She loses it whenever he hears it around her. We have been gotten thrown out of a movie theatre a few times because she wouldn't stop laughing.”

 

“Chanyeol,” Eden menacingly warned her friend from the kitchen, where she was keeping watch on her choux pastry, which she wanted to make and eat for tea time.

 

“But why?” he asked, genuinely curious of why such words would have big impacts on her.

 

“Well, she-”

 

“CHANYEOL!” Eden’s voice boomed from the kitchen area, “STOP IT OR I’M GOING TO THROW YOU OUT OF THE DOOR.”

Chanyeol shrugged and ducked his head. He no longer said anything about it for the rest of the day. Yifan was surprised at how a small girl’s words have such impact on this human giant and he is also curious to why Eden would laugh upon hearing I love you around her.

 

~~~

[Author's monologue:] It's so quiet around here. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the update!