My Wife is a Big Star

Chapter 2 - Zhang Fanzhi

The husband and wife spoke in low voices at the entrance; Chen Ran didn’t intentionally listen.

Glancing casually around Director Zhang’s home, the décor was still in the style of over ten years ago. The house was filled with old items; he reckoned they were nostalgic people.

A photo album stood on the TV cabinet, showing a family of four: Uncle Zhang, Auntie Yun, and two daughters. It looked very warm and cozy.

Regarding Director Zhang’s daughters, Chen Ran rarely heard him mention them, only lamenting that they seldom came home, likely because work was very busy or something of the sort.

Chen Ran actually felt some resonance with this. His previous self had attended school in a neighboring city and, after graduation, interned and worked here. Clearly, he was within the province, yet he rarely had time to go home.

Director Zhang said a few words to his wife and then opened the door and went out.

Yang Yun turned to Chen Ran and said, “Chen Ran, have some tea first. Your uncle has an urgent matter to go downstairs for, but he’ll be back shortly.”

As she spoke, she moved to pour tea for him.

Chen Ran hurriedly stopped her, saying, “Auntie Yun, I’ll do it myself.”

Yang Yun looked at Chen Ran with a look of relative satisfaction in her eyes. The couple had wanted a son, but back then, they had paid the fine and still only ended up with two daughters. After sterilization, there was no further chance.

It wasn’t a matter of favoring boys over girls; it was mainly that their Zhang family had been a single-line succession for five generations, and by their generation, there was no son. When they were young, they didn’t mind, feeling that the new era shouldn't have old-fashioned thoughts. But as they grew older, they felt a hollow ache in their hearts.

Being good to Chen Ran, besides the fact that he saved Old Zhang, was likely also because both Chen Ran’s appearance and personality perfectly met the couple’s original expectations for a son.

“Chen Ran, are your parents doing well back home?” Yang Yun asked casually.

Chen Ran nodded and said, “They are all quite well.”

“Have you thought about bringing the two elders over?”

Chen Ran said, “I haven't really thought about that. I just became a regular employee, so I haven't been able to save enough money to buy a house. Besides, my parents are used to living back home; if they were really to come here, they definitely wouldn't be happy.”

“So that means you won't live with your parents after getting married in the future? That’s actually good—it saves the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law from conflict!” Yang Yun nodded thoughtfully.

Chen Ran scratched his head. How did the conversation get here?

It seemed Auntie Yun had also experienced mother-in-law conflict back in the day; otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked this.

But I don’t even have a girlfriend. Something like mother-in-law conflict is just too far away.

Downstairs, the car horns were incessant, and shouting could faintly be heard drifting up. They were some distance away, and with the windows closed, it was basically impossible to hear clearly.

It seemed that after that person crashed the car just now, someone had gone down and started an argument.

In this kind of old-style residential compound, everyone had lived there for ten or twenty years; they were all acquaintances, so there were plenty of various conflicts and many onlookers. It was normal for things to suddenly become noisy.

Chen Ran chatted with Yang Yun about domestic matters. Most of the time, it was Yang Yun asking about his family affairs and him answering.

After a while, hearing the ding-dong sound, Yang Yun stood up and said:

“It should be your uncle back. I’ll go open the door.”

She opened the door, and Director Zhang was standing there.

“How did it go?” Yang Yun asked first.

Director Zhang said with a dark expression:

“How else could it go? Naturally, it’s paying compensation. That Li Si is a piece of work; I told him several times not to occupy our family’s parking spot, but he just wouldn’t listen. This time was just great—he took up two at once!”

“And you, you don’t know how to change that temper of yours. Something that could be solved with one phone call, yet you had to make such a big scene. How many times has it been? Every time you come home, you make such a ruckus. Aren't you afraid someone will expose you on the internet?”

This last sentence was said toward the outside of the door, with a bit of complaint but also a bit of helplessness.

Yang Yun shot him a look. Director Zhang saw Chen Ran, and his expression softened. Only then did he walk in. Behind him, there was also a woman.

She was wearing a black woolen trench coat and a black mask; her face was covered tightly, revealing only some fair skin.

Chen Ran was drinking tea. Seeing Director Zhang approach, he had just set down his teacup and stood up when he suddenly saw the person entering from the doorway. His eyes bulged, and he almost spat out the tea. After forcing himself to swallow it, he choked and coughed several times.

This... wasn't this the woman who crashed the car downstairs just now?

“Aren’t you coming in yet?” Director Zhang frowned.

The woman gave an “oh” and then entered the house and closed the door.

“Chen Ran, let me introduce you. This is my eldest daughter, Zhang Fanzhi. She’s twenty-four this year, a year older than you, so you’re roughly the same age. You two can get to know each other...”

Director Zhang had already switched to a smiling face when looking at Chen Ran, but when he turned and saw his daughter still wearing a mask, he immediately said in dissatisfaction,

“Why are you still wearing a mask inside the house? We’re all family here.”

Zhang Fanzhi glanced at Chen Ran and didn’t say a word. Under her father’s gaze, she silently removed her mask, revealing a delicate little face. Her skin was truly fair—not a sickly pale, but a white with a hint of pink.

Contrasting with the fairness of her face were her somewhat rosy earlobes. Overall, she looked very exquisite; even with a stoic expression, it didn't ruin her beauty.

Chen Ran felt she looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before. He didn’t stare, but smiled politely and said,

“Hello, my name is Chen Ran.”

Zhang Fanzhi looked at him without any extra expression, simply nodding and saying, “Hello.”

After speaking, she lowered her head to change into slippers and casually took off her trench coat, revealing an elegantly curved figure.

“This girl...” Director Zhang wanted to say something but ended up just shaking his head.

“Chen Ran, don’t mind her. This girl just has this kind of personality—cold on the outside but warm on the inside. She’s like this with both me and her mother.”

Chen Ran didn’t find it strange. For a first meeting, one couldn’t expect someone to be passionate right away; he wasn't a hundred-yuan bill, after all.

“You two sit first; I’ll heat up the food.” Yang Yun went to the kitchen to get busy, casually pulling Zhang Fanzhi along. The latter followed into the kitchen half-heartedly.

“What is wrong with you, girl? Don’t keep such a stiff face...” Before the kitchen door closed, Chen Ran vaguely heard a couple of sentences.

Director Zhang cleared his throat and said:

“This girl was spoiled growing up, and now she’s quite pampered. Whether it was her studies or her work, she’s never followed our wishes. Take Zhizhi, for example; back then, we wanted her to go to school locally, but she insisted on running off to Beijing. Later, she went into singing, running around outside all year round, hardly spending a few days at home...”

By the end of his sentence, there was no blame on Director Zhang’s face; instead, there was a faint hint of pride.

Hearing about singing, it finally clicked for Chen Ran; he finally understood where that sense of familiarity came from.

Zhang Fanzhi—this name was certainly unfamiliar, but if one were to say Zhang Xiyun, Chen Ran would know.

Zhang Xiyun had debuted two years ago and released a self-titled album, ‘Zhang Xiyun’. It received attention right from its release. Last year, she appeared on the hit variety show ‘Sound of Nature’, where she sang the album's title track, ‘Just So,’ and became an overnight sensation.

At the year-end music awards ceremony, she garnered three major awards, including Best New Artist and Best Album. She was currently the most popular female singer, and her future could be said to be limitless!

Chen Ran never would have expected that Director Zhang’s daughter would actually be a big star.

Chen Ran himself didn't pay much attention to singers, but the cover of Zhang Xiyun's album featured her own face, and her advertisements frequently scrolled on the streets, so he naturally felt a sense of familiarity.

Zhang Xiyun was a stage name; he hadn’t expected her to have a real name like Zhang Fanzhi.

Fanzhi, Fanzhi—luxuriant branches and lush leaves.

Chen Ran had heard Director Zhang lament about not having a son; when they chose this name back then, they probably had that kind of vision, right?