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

When Hu Lianxin touched Li Ran's lips, her heart clenched and then suddenly relaxed.

She didn't dare to see his expression clearly, only feeling her cheeks burning. Her hand trembled slightly as she released him. She stood up in a panic, staggered out the door, leaving only a series of hurried footsteps that disappeared into the corridor.

Li Ran watched her disappearing figure, his brows furrowing unconsciously. He felt a mix of amusement and exasperation; he'd been forcibly kissed again...

Hu Lianxin stood in front of her and Zhou Ye's room, her hand on the doorknob, hesitant to open the door and go in.

She could clearly hear her own heart pounding like a drum, each beat striking her eardrums and making her temples throb, like an inescapable shackle.

She had only intended to thank Li Ran, but after seeing him, she didn't know what to say. She remembered the surprise that flashed in Li Ran's eyes, and even more so, the soft and warm touch of their lips when her body involuntarily leaned forward.

Thinking of Zhou Ye and Li Ran's relationship, her hands unconsciously clenched, and a sense of shame spread from the bottom of her heart, wrapping around her body like vines. This guilt of betraying her best friend almost devoured her.

The wind from the corridor seeped in through the cracks in the window, ruffling her hair. She stared at the closed door as if a courtroom was hidden behind it.

As if she had made up her mind, she slowly opened the door and went inside.

Sunlight streamed into the room through the curtains. As Zhou Ye sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes, she heard the door open. She saw Hu Lianxin walk in, her bangs slightly disheveled by the wind.

"Xiao Hu, where did you go all by yourself?"

Zhou Ye stretched and yawned, his voice hoarse from just waking up, "He didn't even call me when he went downstairs, so I woke up to find no one to talk to."

Hu Lianxin's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. She avoided Zhou Ye's gaze and slowly sat down beside him. "Ah... I... I was a little hungry, so I went downstairs and ate something."

She glanced at the messy bedding on the bed and added, "You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake you."

Zhou Ye, completely unaware of her subtle movement, grabbed his phone from beside the pillow and turned on the screen. "It's already past one o'clock!"

She affectionately hugged Xiao Hu's arm, tilted her head to look at her, and said, "I'm a little hungry too. I'm going to find Li Ran to eat with us. Do you want to come and get something else with us?"

"I won't go." Hu Lianxin paused, feeling a little flustered, and turned her gaze to the window as she explained.

"I ate a bit too much downstairs and I'm a little tired now. I want to rest for a while."

She lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes. Her heart was pounding like a rabbit's. What if Li Ran and Zhou Ye met and told her what had just happened? What should I do if they did?

"Alright then. You should get some rest; you're all sweaty."

Zhou Ye readily agreed. As he got up from under the covers, he suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, how about we go to the nearby ancient town this evening? I heard the night view is especially beautiful, and we can also eat 'sa pie' and 'songhua cake'."

Hu Lianxin absentmindedly hummed in agreement, watching Zhou Ye grab his coat and rush out the door. She only let out a long sigh of relief after the door clicked shut.

She kicked off her shoes, lay on her side on the bed, and watched the curtains being blown by the wind, just like her fluctuating emotions at that moment.

When Zhou Ye found Li Ran, she discovered he was on the phone, looking somewhat serious. She remained silent and quietly sat down beside him.

Seeing that he had finished his call, Zhou Ye asked with a lazy curiosity, "What's wrong? You look so serious, your eyebrows are practically twisted into a knot."

When Li Ran turned around, the seriousness between his brows had softened into a gentle smile. "It's nothing. It was just a call from my agent. He said the crew will start filming in five days and I need to go back tomorrow to prepare."

"Huh?" Zhou Ye sat up abruptly, his eyes wide. "Why hasn't my manager told me yet? I thought I could have a few more days to play."

The disappointment in her voice deflated like a punctured balloon, and her shoulders slumped.

"So," Li Ran reached out and ruffled her hair, his tone reassuring, "we can only make the most of today and have some fun."

"Alright then." Zhou Ye quickly perked up, patted his stomach, and stood up.

"I was so busy talking that I forgot about the important matter! I was originally calling you out for dinner, but let's go, my stomach is growling." She grabbed Li Ran's wrist and walked towards the door, her steps as light as a deer that had just woken up.

Li Ran let her pull him outside, then, as if remembering something, asked softly, "Where's Xiao Hu? Aren't you going to ask her to come along?"

"Oh, her," Zhou Ye turned to look at him, smiling broadly.

She said she had just eaten and was a little tired, so she wanted to lie down and rest for a while.

Li Ran raised an eyebrow and didn't ask any more questions, but he knew exactly what was going on: He was probably tired, and most likely he was hiding in his room because of what happened earlier.

He smiled helplessly and didn't explain the situation to Zhou Ye; that's what makes it interesting, isn't it?

As dusk settled, the three walked along the cobblestone path into the adjacent ancient town.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm golden hue on the mottled brick walls, and the red lanterns hanging along the street swayed gently in the evening breeze. Occasionally, the aroma of food wafted from a few time-honored shops, attracting the few tourists who could find a place to stay.

Zhou Ye and Li Ran walked side by side ahead, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones; their footsteps were particularly clear in the empty alley.

Hu Lianxin followed behind, keeping a half-step distance, her hands unconsciously clasped together.

Her gaze seemed to be drawn to Li Ran's back, but whenever Li Ran turned his head unintentionally, she would quickly look away like a startled deer, pretending to look at the scenery around her.

As she lowered her head, the ends of her hair slipped down her cheeks, obscuring her slightly unnatural expression.

Actually, she felt uneasy from the moment she stepped into the ancient town. It wasn't until she saw Li Ran and Zhou Ye chatting and laughing as usual, without anything unusual, that she breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Li Ran hadn't told Zhou Ye about what happened that afternoon.

A cool evening breeze swept by, but it couldn't dispel the complex emotions of relief and bittersweetness in her heart.

Soon, Zhou Ye's gaze was drawn to a food stall not far away. His eyes, which always sparkled with curiosity, lit up instantly. As if he had discovered a treasure, he almost skipped over and ran over, his ponytail swinging merrily behind him.

Li Ran stopped in his tracks. Instead of following Zhou Ye's figure, he slowly turned around and calmly looked at Hu Lianxin.

Hu Lianxin was caught off guard by his sudden action. Her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively lowered her head, her voice involuntarily tinged with timidity as she stammered, "W-what's wrong, Brother Li Ran?"

Li Ran's smile deepened. He leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible teasing: "Nothing, just wanted to ask, why did you run off right after we kissed this afternoon?"

The tension in Hu Lianxin's mind snapped completely. She felt her cheeks burning instantly. Her eyes darted away, avoiding his gaze. Her voice was barely audible, tinged with grievance and panic: "That...that coconut is still right there! I...I didn't mean to."

Li Ran turned her head and looked in Zhou Ye's direction. She saw Zhou Ye standing on tiptoe, gesturing excitedly to the stall owner about something, her little face full of anticipation. She was clearly unaware of what was happening here.

He withdrew his gaze, a sly smile curving his lips, and taking advantage of Zhou Ye's inattention, subtly moved closer to Hu Lianxin.

The distance between the two suddenly shortened, and the refreshing minty scent emanating from him, mixed with a faint smell of smoke, wafted over, making Hu Lianxin's breathing become somewhat rapid.

He lowered his head slightly, his warm breath gently brushing against her earlobe, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Weren't you quite bold this afternoon? Why weren't you shy when you came up to me?"

Hu Lianxin stood still as if frozen in place, not daring to move an inch. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, as if it would burst out of her chest at any moment.

She could clearly feel the slight vibration of Li Ran's chest as he spoke; his deep voice seemed to possess some kind of magic, making the blood in her body start to flow faster.

Just as she was so nervous she could hardly breathe, Li Ran's magnetic and slightly seductive voice came to her ear again, "However..."

Li Ran paused deliberately, looking at her long eyelashes trembling slightly with nervousness, before slowly continuing, "If you're really that brave, you can come to my room tonight."

The moment she finished speaking, Hu Lianxin felt her cheeks were so hot they could fry an egg on them, and a fine heat spread throughout her body.