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

After Li Ran went into the kitchen, only Tian Xiwei and Liu Haocun remained in the living room.

Tian Xiwei leaned back on the sofa, raised her eyes, and slowly looked at Liu Haocun.

Then she smiled, a sweet smile, but one that lacked warmth.

"What, are you wary of Zhang Jingyi?"

Liu Haocun's smile faded slightly.

She looked at Tian Xiwei, and the innocence and naivety in her doe eyes were gone, replaced by a calm scrutiny.

"What, aren't you worried?" she retorted, her voice indifferent. "Li Ran has already introduced her to his parents."

Tian Xiwei snorted coldly: "It's just a birthday celebration, you seem to lack self-confidence."

Liu Haocun looked at her and smiled, a smile full of sarcasm.

"Is your older sister very confident in herself?"

She paused, her tone softening further: "If he's that confident, how come Li Ran could have found six?"

Tian Xiwei's expression changed for a moment, but she quickly returned to normal.

She leaned back, sinking into the sofa in a languid posture.

"You should ask Zhou Ye about that. Didn't you say she was the first one?"

She paused, then said with a hint of meaning, "If it were me, you wouldn't be here."

Liu Haocun looked at her, his doe eyes crinkling into a smile that seemed utterly harmless: "But I'm right here now."

She stood up and straightened her clothes: "These things are not up to you."

After saying that, she turned and walked briskly towards the kitchen, her back view as light as a deer in the forest.

Tian Xiwei looked at that retreating figure, snorted coldly, and did not follow.

She picked up her phone again and continued scrolling, as if nothing had happened.

In the kitchen, Li Ran was preparing ingredients.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around and saw Liu Haocun walk in.

"How did you get in?"

Liu Haocun tilted his head and smiled sweetly: "Come in and see if there's anything I can help you with."

Li Ran smiled and turned back to her work: "It's okay. You go and rest, I can manage on my own."

Liu Haocun did not leave.

She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest: "Then I'll just watch from the side."

Li Ran didn't say anything more, he just nodded.

……

In the living room, Tian Xiwei was scrolling through her phone.

The door suddenly opened.

She looked up, and then the corners of her mouth slowly curved into a smile.

It's really lively today.

Zhou Ye and Hu Lianxin walked in hand in hand, chatting and laughing, looking like they were in a good mood.

Zhou Ye saw the figure on the sofa, and his smile instantly froze.

"Stitch?"

Zhou Ye's voice turned cold. "What are you doing here?"

Tian Xiwei put down her phone and slowly sat up straight.

She looked at Zhou Ye, a half-smile playing on her lips: "You flat-chested jerk, what did you call me?"

He paused, then said sarcastically, "Want to get beaten up, huh?"

Zhou Ye put his hands on his hips, craning his neck to look at her: "You think I'm afraid of you?"

Tian Xiwei stood up.

Her gaze swept over Zhou Ye, then landed on Hu Lianxin standing to the side.

"What, you've brought reinforcements, getting all high and mighty?"

Hu Lianxin's expression changed slightly.

Just then, a soft laugh came from the kitchen doorway.

Liu Haocun leaned against the door frame, looking at the people in the living room with a meaningful smile.

She turned around and whispered to Li Ran in the kitchen, "Today is really lively."

Hu Lianxin noticed her.

She tugged at Zhou Ye's sleeve and whispered, "Coconut, there are others too."

Zhou Ye followed her gaze.

Liu Haocun stood at the kitchen door, his doe-like eyes curved, looking harmless.

Zhou Ye had never met her in real life, but she knew that this was Liu Haocun, the last "little scoundrel".

It seems like there's a lot of mistresses around today.

This is the scene that Li Ran saw when she came out of the kitchen.

Zhou Ye stood near the entrance, hands on his hips, with a look that said, "This is no friendly visit."

Hu Lianxin stood next to her, her expression somewhat unnatural.

Tian Xiwei stood by the sofa, arms crossed, a smug smile playing on her lips.

Liu Haocun leaned against the kitchen doorway, his doe-like eyes shining, looking like he was ready to watch the drama unfold.

Li Ran felt a throbbing sensation in his temples.

He was never this nervous when he was competing in the World Championship and going all out with Smite.

He took a deep breath and walked over.

Liu Haocun followed behind him, grinning mischievously, ready to watch the show.

You scumbag, let's see what you do now!

Li Ran walked up to Zhou Ye and smiled awkwardly, "Coconut, what brings you here?"

Zhou Ye scoffed, "If I didn't come, I wouldn't see the bunch of mistresses!"

Tian Xiwei immediately retorted, "Pingban, what do you mean?"

Zhou Ye looked at her, unyielding: "What, is there a problem with what I said?"

Liu Hao blinked behind Li Ran without saying a word, but her doe eyes were very bright, clearly she was analyzing the situation at a rapid pace.

Hu Lianxin, who was standing next to Zhou Ye, changed her expression.

No, sister, how can you even insult your own people?

Li Ran pursed his lips, somewhat helpless.

Zhou Ye's words drew everyone in the room in.

Just as Tian Xiwei was about to retort, Liu Haocun spoke first.

"That's not quite right!"

Her voice was soft, tinged with a naive confusion, "And why did you come with your mistress?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of the other four people in the living room changed.

Hu Lianxin's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Li Ran suddenly turned his head and glared at Liu Haocun.

Finished!

He forgot to tell her about the current relationship between the three of them.

Zhou Ye stood there, staring at Liu Haocun, then at Hu Lianxin.

The expression on her face changed from doubt to confusion, and then from confusion to... a chilling blankness.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice a little tense.

Liu Haocun then noticed Li Ran's gaze.

She paused for a moment, not understanding what she had said wrong, but the words were already out and couldn't be taken back.

She looked at Zhou Ye, then at Hu Lianxin, and finally at Li Ran.

Li Ran stopped looking at her; his gaze was now fixed intently on Zhou Ye.

Liu Haocun pursed his lips and said calmly, "Just the literal meaning."

Zhou Ye's brain seemed to be stuck.

She slowly turned her head and looked at Hu Lianxin beside her.

Xiao Hu no longer dared to look at her.

She kept her head down, feeling her whole body trembling...

Zhou Ye then looked at Li Ran.

Li Ran didn't say anything; he just walked over and took her hand.

"Come to the bedroom with me, I'll explain."

Zhou Ye instinctively struggled for a moment, but Li Ran did not let go.

He bent down, picked her up horizontally, and carried her to the bedroom.

Zhou Ye was completely stunned.

She did not resist, did not struggle, and did not even cry.

She just stared at Li Ran, her eyes empty, as if all the light had been sucked out.

The door closed.

The living room was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.

Tian Xiwei looked at Liu Haocun and gave a mischievous smile.

"You're finished."

Her voice was soft, but every word was clear.

Liu Haocun frowned: "What do you mean?"

Tian Xiwei leaned back on the sofa and repeated exactly what Liu Haocun had said to Zhou Ye: "Just the literal meaning."

Liu Haocun looked at her, wanting to say something, but then swallowed his words.

She turned to look in the direction of the bedroom, and suddenly felt uneasy.

Hu Lianxin stood there, completely oblivious to what they were saying.

Her mind was in complete chaos, with all sorts of thoughts swirling around like a revolving lantern.

She had imagined many times what would happen if Zhou Ye found out, how to explain, how to apologize, and how to beg for her forgiveness.

But now that it's actually happened, her mind is completely blank.

She looked at the closed bedroom door, hoping that Li Ran could calm Zhou Ye down.

She truly considered Zhou Ye her best friend.

Although she unkindly skipped her boyfriend.

Inside the bedroom.

Zhou Ye sat on the edge of the bed, motionless.

Li Ran squatted down in front of her and held her hand.

Her hands were as cold as ice, not just cool, but freezing.

That kind of cold seeps into your bones, and no matter how much you try to warm yourself up, you can't get warm.

Neither of them spoke.

Zhou Ye's eyes were unfocused, staring straight ahead at a point in the void.

She never expected this.

Xiao Hu, who had always given her advice, the person she trusted most...

He actually betrayed her.

Looking into her unfocused eyes, Li Ran felt a sharp pang in his heart.

"coconut."

He spoke softly, "It's not Xiao Hu's fault, it's my fault for letting you down..."

Zhou Ye slowly turned his head and looked at him.

That gaze sent a chill down Li Ran's spine.

She spoke slowly, her voice hoarse and unlike her own, "So... it's all true..."

Then, large tears fell down.

Li Ran felt a sense of relief as he watched the tear slide down her cheek.

It's okay to have emotions.

He was genuinely frightened by that empty look he saw earlier.

He stood up and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Coconut..."

Zhou Ye didn't struggle; she just leaned against him, her shoulders trembling violently.

Then, a suppressed sob was squeezed out of her throat, growing louder and louder.

"Why... Li Ran... tell me why..."

Her voice was broken and fragmented by sobs: "Tian Xiwei... I forgive you..."

"I didn't blame you for anything after that..."

"Even Zhang Jingyi... I forgave you for taking her to meet your parents..."

"But why did you lie to me...?"

She suddenly raised her head and pushed him away forcefully.

Those eyes were red, and tears kept flowing...

There was no anger in her eyes, only sadness...

"Hu Lianxin...why did she lie to me too...?"

"You...you all lied to me..."

"Am I the only idiot..."

"You all know...you're all just laughing at me, aren't you...?"

"Li Ran..."

Her voice suddenly lowered, becoming almost inaudible, "Is it fun to play tricks on me?"

Li Ran looked at her.

He wanted to say something, but all explanations seemed pale at this moment.

Zhou Ye's tears were still flowing, but she didn't cry out loud anymore.

She just looked at him, at the person she had loved for so long.

She slowly asked, "When did you get together?"

Li Ran didn't hide anything: "Back in Tengchong."

Zhou Ye nodded.

That expression was so normal, it was frighteningly normal.

She stood up, looked at him, and said in a frighteningly calm voice, "Li Ran, we both need to calm down."

She turned and walked out of the bedroom.

Li Ran didn't stop her; he simply followed behind her and they walked out together.

In the living room, the three people waited, each with their own thoughts.

Hu Lianxin was the first to see Zhou Ye.

She stepped forward, opened her mouth, and said, "Coconut, I..."

Zhou Ye shook his head.

She didn't look at her, showed no anger, no blame, not even disappointment.

She simply shook her head, then walked past her, opened the door, and went out.

Hu Lianxin stood there, stunned.

Then she turned to Li Ran and said, "Li Ran, I'm going to find Coconut."

She ran out too.

The door closed.

The living room fell silent again.

Liu Haocun stood to the side, feeling somewhat uneasy.

She walked up to Li Ran and whispered, "Li Ran, did I... get into trouble?"

Li Ran shook his head.

He glanced at her, his gaze indifferent, yet it felt utterly foreign to her…

"It's okay! I'll be fine by myself for a while."

He went into the e-sports room and closed the door.

Liu Haocun stood there, looking at the door, and pursed his lips.

Tian Xiwei glanced at her, said nothing, and curled back up on the sofa.

Li Ran and Zhou Ye broke up, which was exactly what she wanted. Without Zhou Ye, she could truly stand on her own two feet.

Now that you have a reason, deal with the others.

……

A burnt smell suddenly wafted over.

Liu Haocun paused for a moment, then suddenly ran towards the kitchen.

The braised pork in the pot had completely dried out, sticking to the bottom of the pot in a blackened state and still smoking.

Thankfully, it didn't catch fire.

She stared blankly at the pot of failed braised pork for a few seconds.

We won't be able to have this meal today.

Tian Xiwei walked to the kitchen door, glanced inside, and snorted coldly, "Now we can't eat anymore, you can leave too."

Liu Haocun turned his head and looked at her.

The two women stared at each other for a few seconds.

Then Liu Haocun lowered his head, said nothing, picked up his bag, and walked out.

Tian Xiwei was left alone in the living room.