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

Chapter 234 Why is it so hot?

After Zhang Ruonan left, Li Ran sat down next to Lu Yuxiao, looking at her deep in thought, puzzled.

What kind of crazy idea is this girl coming up with now?

Lu Yuxiao still didn't look at him. Her gaze was fixed on the phone screen, unfocused, as if she was looking at something, yet also as if she wasn't looking at anything at all.

"—Little Mudman, what are you thinking about?" Li Ran turned his head to look at her.

Lu Yuxiao suddenly snapped back to reality, as if she had been pulled back from a great distance.

She turned to look at him, a flicker of panic in her eyes, then quickly shook her head.

"It's nothing —"

Li Ran smiled helplessly as he looked at her bewildered expression.

"What were you and Ruonan whispering about so mysteriously on the way back?" he asked casually.

Lu Yuxiao's body stiffened for a moment.

"Oh, it's nothing, don't ask." She turned her face away, not daring to look at him, her ears turning slightly red.

As if remembering something, she suddenly stood up, her movements so fast it was as if she had been bounced up by something.

"Where's the bathroom? I'm going to take a shower first."

Li Ran pointed towards the end of the corridor. "There."

Lu Yuxiao glanced at the object he was pointing at, responded, and walked towards the bathroom.

He took two steps, then stopped, hesitated for a moment, and turned back.

Li Ran looked at her, puzzled. "What is it now?"

Lu Yuxiao shook her head. "It's okay, I'll get a change of clothes."

She squatted down, opened her suitcase, rummaged through it for a while, and took out something—wrapped in a coat, which she held tightly in her arms, so that it was impossible to tell what it was.

She glanced back at him, warning, "You're not allowed to peek—"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "What's going on? Why are you being so mysterious?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Lu Yuxiao's voice rang out from behind him.

Li Ran saw Lu Yuxiao carrying a bundle wrapped tightly in her coat, walking towards the bathroom.

"Do you need me to help you wash?" Li Ran called out to her back, his tone slightly mischievous.

"Need not!"

The bathroom door was slammed shut.

Li Ran looked away and lowered his head to unlock his phone.

He replied to several unread messages on WeChat one by one, his fingers tapping rapidly on the screen, a smile playing on his lips.

The bathroom door finally opened.

Lu Yuxiao stood at the door, her hair draped over her shoulders, with a few stray strands clinging to her cheeks, making her fair and delicate face appear even more radiant.

She wore a plain white ancient costume dress with flowing sleeves, and a light blue ribbon tied loosely at her waist.

Her hair was not combed; it was simply gathered behind her ears, revealing a section of her fair neck.

Standing under the warm yellow light, she looked like she had stepped out of a painting, or perhaps she had woken up from a long-ago dream.

Li Ran was stunned for a moment.

He recognized the outfit—it was exactly the same as Jiang Ni's attire in "The Sword and the Brocade".

The difference is that the costumes in the play were made by the costume department, with stiff fabric and intricate embroidery patterns. This set was probably made by someone she commissioned herself. The fabric is softer and not as stiff. When worn, it gives off a homely, private, and gentle feeling that belongs only to her.

He understood; this was what she meant by "surprise."

Lu Yuxiao and Li Ran exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

She bit her lip, then smiled. She lifted her skirt and twirled gently in front of him, the skirt fluttering like a blooming flower.

"Does it look good?" Her voice was soft, with a hint of tentative hesitation.

Li Ran nodded.

His gaze moved from her face to her shoulder, from her shoulder to her waist, from her waist to the hem of her skirt, and finally back to her eyes.

Those eyes were bright at that moment, reflecting the lamplight and his shadow.

"nice."

He stood up, walked over, and scooped her up in his arms.

Her body was very light, as light as a feather, and felt almost weightless when she was in my arms. Her skirt hung down like a soft cloud.

"So you prepared this and even managed to get Ruonan away." He looked down at her, his tone carrying a hint of knowing, "You little rascal."

Lu Yuxiao wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and smiled foolishly.

The laughter was muffled, tinged with a hint of embarrassment at being exposed. "I can only show this to you; I get nervous in front of too many people."

""

Her voice muffled in the crook of his neck, like a soft, sweet, and affectionate kitten, making his heart melt.

Li Ran smiled helplessly.

He recalled the way she was whispering to Zhang Ruonan in the car, Zhang Ruonan's words when she left, "I'm going to sleep at Jingyi's place," and her flustered expression as she pulled this outfit out of her suitcase with a flushed face.

It turns out that she planned all of this not for some grand ceremony, but simply to become the person he remembered on a night when it was just the two of them.

He suddenly didn't know what to say about her.

"Go take a shower first," Lu Yuxiao said softly as she lifted her head from his embrace.

Li Ran looked down at her, a mischievous smile curving his lips.

"No need, we'll be washing them all together later anyway."

Lu Yuxiao's face flushed red.

She didn't argue or struggle; she simply buried her face in his neck again and stopped looking at him.

Her ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

Her outfit was exactly the same as the ginger-mud costume Zhou Ye wore on the set of "The Sword and the Brocade," but the two of them gave off completely different vibes.

When Zhou Ye wore it, his hair was tied up in a high bun, and when he stood there without smiling, he exuded a cool and aloof air that kept people at a distance.

She has the natural air of a woman who can command respect even when she's just standing there, without making a sound.

Although he looks like a puppy when he smiles, Li Ran still prefers "Cold-faced Coconut".

There's no way around it, her face is just too beautiful when she's giving a cold look.

But when Lu Yuxiao wore it, she looked like a junior sister, like a little maid, clumsy and simple-minded, with a touch of naivety.

She doesn't have Zhou Ye's aura, nor does she deliberately put on airs.

She is just herself—she twists the hem of her clothes when she's nervous, lowers her head when she's shy, and smiles foolishly like she is now when she's happy.

There was no scheming or probing in that smile, only a clean, unreserved, and innocent charm that made you want to protect it.

She's like a bird that has surrendered itself entirely to you, wings folded, eyes closed, quietly waiting for you to catch her.

Li Ran carried her towards the bedroom, his steps neither hurried nor slow.

Lu Yuxiao hugged Li Ran's neck tightly and whispered in his ear, "Do I look better in this, or does Sister Zhou Ye look better in it?"

""

Li Ran paused for a moment, but it was only for a moment; it wasn't over yet!

"They all look good!"

"But how did you know?"

"That night—I saw Sister Zhou Ye sneaking into the dressing room," Lu Yuxiao scoffed. "Li Ran~"

Li Ran chuckled and said, "So you found out all along that you deliberately came to me the next day to complain."

Lu Yuxiao nodded slightly: "And yet, you acted like nothing happened~"

"Li Ran, why do I feel so hot?"

It's hot, too hot!

The following afternoon, Li Ran took Lu Yuxiao to the airport.

Farewells always carry a touch of melancholy, even though Li Ran will be going to Shanghai in a few days and we'll be able to meet again.

After Lu Yuxiao passed through security, she looked back at Li Ran several times, waving at him each time.

Li Ran stood there, watching her walk away until her figure completely disappeared into the crowd in the waiting hall before he turned and walked out.

On the way back, my phone vibrated.

The message Lu Yuxiao sent was only three words: "Boarding."

He replied with an "Mm" and put his phone in his pocket.

She was more clingy than he had imagined—clung to him at the airport, repeatedly asking, "You'll really be coming to Shanghai in a few days, right?" like a kitten afraid of being abandoned by its owner.

But he didn't dislike the feeling.

Being needed by someone is not a burden.

-

When I got home, a sweet and fresh aroma wafted from the entrance hall, mixed with the smoky fragrance of scallion oil and the salty freshness of seafood.

Li Ran changed her shoes and followed the aroma into the kitchen. Zhang Ruonan was standing in front of the stove wearing an apron, her hair casually tied up, holding a spatula in her hand, intently watching the sizzling yellow croaker in the pot.

"What are we having for dinner?" He leaned against the kitchen doorway, his hands in his pockets.

Zhang Ruonan didn't turn her head, and her hands didn't stop working.

"I also made yellow croaker with scallion oil, raw marinated crab, and tofu casserole."

She paused, as if she had thought of something, and then said, "However, the swimming crabs now are not as good as those in August and September. They're not quite right for raw marinating, but they're pretty good for making tofu stew."

She glanced back at him as she spoke, a slight smile playing on her lips, "You'll know once you try it."

Watching her busy figure, Li Ran asked, "Do you need my help?"

"No need, just wait to eat, it'll be ready soon."

She didn't let him interfere, and he didn't insist. He just leaned against the door frame and watched her busy herself.

He recalled that when they first met last year, she hadn't dared to speak to him like that.

At that time, she sat next to Zhang Jingyi, as quiet as a rabbit that had wandered into the jungle. She would occasionally glance at him, their eyes would meet, and then she would quickly look away.

Now she stands in his kitchen, wearing an apron and cooking for him, her tone as natural as if she's done it countless times.

"Alright, dinner's ready." Zhang Ruonan brought the dishes to the table: scallion oil yellow croaker, raw marinated crab, and tofu casserole.

The two people sat down facing each other.

She picked up a piece of raw marinated crab and put it in his bowl, looking at him.

"Why don't you try this raw marinated meat?" she asked expectantly, blinking at Li Ran like a child waiting for praise.

Li Ran picked it up and took a bite.

The crab meat is raw, with a texture like jelly—smooth and sweet. The juice melts in your mouth, a delightful sweet and sour flavor that's very appetizing.

"It's very appetizing, sweet and sour. Come to think of it, I haven't eaten raw marinated food many times." He swallowed and picked up another piece.

Zhang Ruonan could tell that he genuinely liked him, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

"I feel like it's still not quite right." She picked up a piece herself, took a small bite, chewed it, her brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed.

"Although they are all air-freighted, they are still not as fresh as those from my hometown. My hometown is by the sea, and I grew up eating seafood. The seafood here always seems to lack a certain flavor."

Li Ran looked at her and smiled.

"If you have time, we can go to your hometown for a meal and visit your parents."

Zhang Ruonan did not respond.

She lowered her head, poking at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, turning it over and over, as if she was thinking about something.

After a while, she raised her head, her gaze appearing very serious under the lamplight.

"Li Ran, Liu Haocun, and Wang Churan's parents all agreed?" she asked directly.

Li Ran naturally knew what she was asking and what she was worried about.

"Although Chu Ran's mother was a little unhappy, she didn't say anything, which can be considered as tacit approval. She just hopes that Wang Chu Ran can live a good life."

He paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "I've met Cunzi's parents a few times before."

He didn't say it very clearly, but the meaning was obvious.

Although the parents on both sides had some objections, they tacitly accepted it.

It's not that they're particularly enlightened; it's that they know opposing it is useless. The child is already conceived; should they abort it? In the end, it's their own daughter who will suffer the most.

It's better to let go and let her live her own life.

Zhang Ruonan fell silent.

She thought of her family, and of the things she had been running away from but had to face.

She has two younger sisters and one younger brother.

She now supports most of the family's expenses.

She wasn't unaware of Li Ran's family situation, nor was she unaware that he was willing to help her.

But she didn't dare to say it.

She was afraid that once she opened her mouth, she would never be able to take it back.

"Li Ran, if—" she paused, as if choosing her words carefully, "I mean, if my mother asked you for a lot of money, would you give it to her?"

Li Ran was stunned for a moment.

He looked at her, his eyes filled with nervousness and uncertainty.

He suddenly understood why she had never dared to tell him about her family.

It's not that I don't want to talk about it, it's that I'm afraid everything will change once I do.

He thought for a moment, smiled, and asked, "A lot of money? How much money?"

Zhang Ruonan shook her head.

"I don't know either."

She really doesn't know.

What she feared wasn't a specific number, but a bottomless pit.

She knew her family too well. Her mother was the kind of person who would take whatever she could get, without considering her situation or Li Ran's feelings.

She was afraid that if Li Ran gave her the first time, there would be a second, a third, and countless more.

She was actually a little scared.

She was afraid that once her family found out about her relationship with Li Ran and about Li Ran's family situation, it would be like a bottomless pit that could never be filled.

She wasn't being unfilial; she just didn't want her relationship with Li Ran to be tainted by these negative things.

Although Li Ran is not short of money, he doesn't care at all.

But she felt guilty, as if this was no longer a relationship between two people, but rather a transaction of interests.

Li Ran noticed her concerns.

"It's okay, whatever you want to do, I'll listen to you, right, sister?" His voice was soft, but full of reassurance.

Zhang Ruonan looked at him for several seconds, then lowered her head. "You'd better not meet my parents."

Her voice was very soft, so soft that it sounded like she was talking to herself.

"I'll talk about it when I've made a lot of money myself."

Li Ran nodded.

There was no advice, no "I can help you," and no "Don't overthink it."

He could actually help her very easily; her contract with Enlight Media was a newcomer contract, which didn't involve much money.

In short, all Li Ran needed to do was give a heads-up to his father.

Back then, Xiaotian was someone his mother directly asked for.

But he won't do that.

It's not that I can't bear to part with it, it's that I can't.

She has her pride; she doesn't want people to think she's after his money, nor does she want people to think she's climbing the social ladder.

What she wanted was to stand beside him, not hide behind him.

It's no wonder that when others found out she was pregnant, some were anxious, some were scheming, and some remained silent.

Her reaction was the strangest—

The sky outside the window was completely dark, but the tofu casserole was still emitting faint white steam, like the last bit of warmth left in the night.

Zhang Ruonan picked up a piece of tofu, put it in her mouth, chewed it twice, and swallowed it.

It was very hot, but she didn't spit it out.

What she needs isn't a promise like "I'll take care of you," but someone willing to wait for her to take her time.

And this person was looking at her from the opposite side.

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