Huayu: Starting from retirement, sweeping across the domestic entertainment industry

Chapter 207 Birthday Gift

Tian Xiwei glared at Li Ran, her big eyes filled with a hint of reproach, "What are you so arrogant about?"

"That's right, that's right," Zhou Ye echoed, unusually not refuting Tian Xiwei, and not even glancing at her.

Both of them felt a little sour.

It's not the sharp, tear-inducing sourness, but rather a faint, indescribable aftertaste, like the lingering flavor of lemon juice dissolved in water.

They both recalled a scene—the duet dance performed by Li Ran and Hu Lianxin in "Peach Blossom Village".

The sunset was beautiful that day. The two of them held hands and twirled in front of the camera, their perfect coordination as if they had practiced countless times.

That video has received over 100 million likes and is still being unearthed from time to time, often paired with various romantic background music, and repeatedly shared on Douyin.

They also recalled the slogan of those CP fans: "Li Ran and Hu Lianxin may not be real, but they are definitely the most compatible."

This sentence is like a thorn; it doesn't hurt normally, but it will prick you occasionally when you think about it.

The song "Do You Know?" we just heard featured two people standing in front of the screen, singing and harmonizing, their voices and images overlapping—they looked like a perfect match.

Zhou Ye felt a tightness in his chest, and Tian Xiwei wasn't much better off.

Li Yitong sat to the side, watching all this with a smile on her lips, her crescent-shaped eyes appearing especially gentle under the light.

She looked at Li Ran, her tone carrying a hint of sincere admiration, "Li Ran, I didn't expect you to sing so well."

Li Ran waved his hand, "It's probably all thanks to the contrast with coconuts and Xiaotian."

He said this with a smile on his lips, his tone a mix of teasing and a mischievous urge to annoy someone.

After he finished speaking, the private room fell silent for a moment.

"Li Ran, what do you mean?" Zhou Ye looked up, glaring at Li Ran as if she were ready to pounce on him and bite him at any moment.

"Labor and management of the Shu Road Mountain—" Tian Xiwei also exploded. She looked at Li Ran, her big eyes filled with "Try saying that again."

Li Ran couldn't help but laugh when he saw how united they were against the enemy.

He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

"Just kidding, just kidding."

Zhou Ye and Tian Xiwei exchanged a glance, then simultaneously turned their heads away, letting out a cold snort.

Li Yitong laughed out loud when she saw this scene.

"Who will sing the next song?" Hu Lianxin looked up at everyone, her tone casual, but no one answered.

She smiled, selected a song for herself, picked up the microphone, and began to sing.

After the party ended, Li Ran and Hu Lianxin returned to the hotel.

-

Hu Lianxin's eyes lit up when she saw the room full of roses.

The moment Li Ran closed the door, Hu Lianxin clung to him.

She jumped high, wrapped her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck, like a koala, eagerly pressing her whole body against him.

Her hair brushed against his chin, making him feel a little itchy. The scent of her shampoo wafted into his nostrils—a sweet, girlish fragrance. Li Ran swayed slightly when she pounced on him, but then steadily caught her.

His hands cupped her hips, his palms warm, and he could feel the temperature of her skin through the thin fabric of her dress.

He looked down at the smiling face in his arms, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

Are you happy?

Hu Lianxin nodded.

"happy."

Her voice was soft and sweet, with a rising tone at the end, carrying a coquettish and undisguised joy.

After saying that, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Her lips were soft, warm with a hint of alcohol, and something else entirely...

Her own unique sweetness.

"There's a gift on the bed," Li Ran said, gesturing with her chin towards the bed.

Hu Lianxin followed his gaze and saw a dark blue gift box in the middle of the bed. It was made of velvet and tied with a ribbon of the same color, gleaming subtly under the light.

Her eyes lit up, but instead of letting go, she hugged him even tighter.

"Carry me over there."

Li Ran smiled helplessly, picked her up, and walked over.

His steps were unhurried and steady, as if he were performing a solemn ceremony.

She leaned against him, listening to his heartbeat, steady and unhurried, like some kind of ancient timer, ticking away in a quiet room.

Li Ran bent down and placed her on the bed.

She turned to the side, reached out and took the gift box, untied the ribbon, her movements very gentle, as if she were unpacking something very precious.

The first layer is a necklace with a thin platinum chain and a teardrop-shaped sapphire pendant surrounded by a circle of small diamonds that sparkle under the light.

She held the necklace up to her eyes for two seconds, then put it down and continued rummaging deeper into the box.

The earrings are a set, sapphire set with small diamonds, teardrop-shaped, and are part of the same set as the necklace.

She placed the earrings next to the necklace and then touched a small box.

The ring is also from the same series, featuring a sapphire as the main stone and set with smaller diamonds. The band is very thin, and it should look quite delicate on the finger.

She looked at the three items and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

Li Ran has always had good taste. This set of jewelry was very tasteful, not too flashy, nor too plain, just the style she liked.

She put the jewelry back in the box, and when her fingers touched the bottom, she felt another box.

The box was smaller than the jewelry box, flat, and lay at the bottom, as if deliberately hidden there, waiting for her to find it herself.

She took it out and opened it.

It is a comb.

It is made of jade, and its color is a warm, bluish-white, like the lake water in early spring, exuding a cool feeling.

The back of the comb is carved with several orchids, the lines are very fine, and each petal is lifelike, as if it is really trembling slightly in the wind.

She held the comb in her hand, and the moment her fingertips touched the jade surface, a chill spread from her fingertips, climbed up her veins, reached her chest, and then her throat, choking her and rendering her speechless.

Of course she knew the symbolism of the jade comb.

The act of tying hair together symbolizes a lifelong bond and eternal love.

This is not just a gift, but also a request and a blessing.

She looked up at Li Ran.

He stood by the bed, hands in his pockets, relaxed and calm, as if waiting for a natural outcome.

At three in the morning, the night outside the window was as dark as ink.

The room was filled with the intermingling breaths of two people, creating an indescribable temperature in the small space.

Hu Lianxin lay on her side, her face buried in the pillow, with only half of her face showing.

Her cheeks were flushed with a faint blush, not the blush of shyness.

The blush started on her cheeks and slowly spread to her ears, then to her neck, and even her shoulders, which were exposed outside the blanket, were tinged with a thin layer of pink.

She looked like a peach that had just been washed by the rain, plump, moist, and radiating a lazy, satisfied glow.

Her hair was spread out on the pillow, a few strands clinging to her cheeks, damp with sweat and sticking to her skin. She didn't brush them away, just letting them stay there, like a silent, lazy declaration.

Li Ran lay down next to her, one hand behind his head, the other on her waist, his fingers unconsciously drawing circles on her side, one after another, slowly and deliberately, like playing a tune without melody.

The room remained quiet for a long time.

Hu Lianxin opened her eyes, turned her head, and looked at Li Ran.

"Between you and Li Yitong—" she began, her voice a little hoarse, yet possessing an indescribable sexiness.

She didn't finish her sentence, but Li Ran knew what she meant. His fingers, which were resting on her waist, paused for a moment, then continued to draw circles, one after another, the rhythm unchanged, but the pressure lessened, as if he was hesitating, or perhaps organizing his thoughts.

"It's pretty much what you expected." He didn't look at her.

Hu Lianxin gave a soft hum, a tone that carried a hint of reproach, a touch of understanding, and a dash of helplessness.

She wasn't angry, nor was she particularly surprised.

She just found it a little funny—how did this man become associated with the phrase "can't stop"?

It seems that the concept of "knowing when to stop" doesn't exist in his world; there's only "wanting" and "getting".

He simply neither denied nor explained; if you wanted to stay, you could stay, and if you didn't, you could leave.

This kind of frankness is more disheartening than deception.

Do you know Tian Dabing?

Li Ran shook his head.

"Oda never asked me, and I never told him."

Li Yitong didn't seem to intend to tell her either.

Hu Lianxin remained silent for a few seconds.

"Scumbag," she muttered softly, her voice muffled, as if she had buried her face in the pillow, or as if she were talking to herself.

Li Ran smiled but didn't say anything.

He knew she was just complaining about another one, and he also knew she wasn't really angry.

He reached out and brushed aside a strand of wet hair that clung to her cheek, his fingertips tracing along her earlobe. She flinched slightly but didn't flinch.

He wrapped the strand of hair around his finger, twirled it once, and then let it go, as if he were playing with a very fun toy.

"Did she give me a gift to try and build a good relationship with us?" Hu Lianxin asked again, this time with a more serious tone.

She remembered the bracelet, the little star pendant, shimmering softly under the light.

She was surprised at the time, and she's even more surprised now.

Why did Li Yitong give her a gift?

Was it to please her, or to express something else?

She couldn't explain it, but she wanted to know.

"Maybe." Li Ran's voice carried a hint of uncertainty, as if he were answering a question that even he himself hadn't figured out.

He was genuinely unsure.

He couldn't see through Li Yitong.

She can be gentle, considerate, and understanding, or she can be cunning, willful, and infuriating.

She gave Hu Lianxin a gift, perhaps because she genuinely wanted to build a good relationship with them, perhaps it was just a casual gesture, or perhaps she had a deeper purpose.

He didn't want to guess, and he was too lazy to guess.

In a while, they'll be subjected to severe torture.

Hu Lianxin pouted, "Should I return the favor?"

Li Ran thought for a moment, looked at her, and said, "It's up to you."

The next morning, Li Ran took half a day off.

It wasn't a formal leave approval; I just informed the director that I had something to do in the morning but would be back to filming in the afternoon.

The director didn't ask any further questions, just waved his hand, indicating that it was approved.

Zhou Ye and Hu Lianxin's flight was in the afternoon, but since it was still early, the three of them strolled around Hengdian Town.

It's called "strolling," but there's really nothing to see. It's just that old street that I've walked back and forth countless times. The bluestone pavement is worn smooth, and the shops on both sides sell pretty much the same things—antique-style folding fans, oil-paper umbrellas, and all sorts of celebrity merchandise.

Zhou Ye stopped in front of a shop and took a fancy to a fan. Several plum blossoms were painted on the fan surface, the ink was light, and it had a very antique feel.

-

She picked it up and looked at it again and again, then finally put it down, saying she would buy it next time.

Li Ran knew she found it troublesome to carry, so he didn't say anything, but he remembered the location of the store.

"Remember to visit me on set sometime." Zhou Ye and Hu Lianxin walked ahead without turning their heads.

Li Ran nodded.

"Okay," he replied casually, but his gaze lingered on her retreating figure for a moment.

She wore a light-colored sweatshirt, and her hair was tied in a high ponytail, which swayed as she walked, making her look like a college student who hadn't graduated yet.

He suddenly remembered that she was like that in college, always walking ahead of him, her ponytail swinging back and forth, occasionally glancing back at him, smiling, and then turning back again.

At that time, he felt that the days were very long, so long that it seemed like they would never end.

Zhou Ye will be joining the cast of "Protecting the Heart" in half a month, also in Hengdian, not far from the filming location of "The Legend of Canglan".

At that time, "The Legend of Canglan" had not yet finished filming, and the two could still meet from time to time.

She said "Remember to visit the set," not as a polite remark, but because she genuinely wanted him to come.

Li Ran knew this, so he didn't give a perfunctory answer.

It was already afternoon when the two left.

When Li Ran returned to the film set, the sun was blazing, making the eaves of the antique-style building scorching hot.

Tian Xiwei and Li Yitong had just finished eating and were nestled under the sunshade in the rest area.

Xiao Tian's gaze fell on the direction Li Ran was coming from, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Did you send them off?" she asked casually.

Li Ran nodded and sat down next to Tian Xiwei.

He reached out and took the coffee from her hand, took a sip, found it bitter, frowned slightly, and put it back.

Tian Xiwei glared at him, but said nothing. She simply picked up the cup of coffee that had been drunk from, took a sip, and then put it back on the table.

The movements were so natural, as if they had been done many times before.

Li Yitong leaned back in her chair, watching this scene, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

Li Ran took a small box out of his pocket, a dark blue velvet box, about the size of a palm, and handed it to Li Yitong.

"A return gift from Xiao Hu."

Li Yitong smiled and took it, but didn't open it right away. She first turned it around in her hand to feel its weight before opening it.

It is a necklace, silver and delicate, with a small ginkgo leaf as the pendant, the veins of which are carved in a very fine way, and it gleams softly in the sunlight.

She looked at the leaf for a few seconds, then picked it up, put it back in the box, closed the lid, and held it in her hand.

"Xiao Hu gave me a gift." She looked up at Li Ran, her crescent-shaped eyes filled with a mischievous yet expectant glint, hinting, "Li Ran, what about yours?"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "Isn't it my birthday tomorrow? I'll give it to you tomorrow."

Li Yitong smiled, didn't ask any further questions, and simply nodded.

"Okay, I'll be waiting for your surprise." She put the small box into her bag very gently, as if she were putting something very important in there.

Then she picked up her coffee, took a sip, and looked at the film set in the distance, her expression calm, as if nothing had happened.

Tian Xiwei looked at Li Ran, then at Li Yitong, her brows furrowing slightly before relaxing.

She felt something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She just felt there was something strange about the atmosphere between the two of them—not the kind of strangeness that comes from unfamiliarity and politeness, but the kind of strangeness that comes from being too familiar with each other to need any politeness.

She paused for a moment, remembering what Li Ran had just said about "tomorrow".

"Oh no! I forgot to prepare a gift." She looked at Li Yitong a little embarrassed.

After finding out it was her birthday yesterday, I was thinking of preparing a gift for her today.

I was so busy arguing with Zhou Ye that I forgot about it.

Li Yitong smiled and said, "It's okay."

"no----"

Tian Xiwei turned to look at Li Ran, "Come with me tonight to pick out a gift for Sister Tong."

"

Li Ran nodded helplessly, which was taken as an agreement.