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

The first day of 2021 was a special beginning for Li Ran.

The opening day box office figures for "A Little Red Flower" were updated in the early hours of the morning, showing 360 million yuan.

It's more than 100 million higher than the data from the previous life.

The trending topics were filled with related hashtags: #GiveYouALittleRedFlowerBoxOffice# #LiRanActingSkills# #HowManyPeopleCriedWithWeiYiHang#.

"I admit my voice was a bit loud before. Li Ran really is a good actress."

"An esports player turned actor, and he's done a really good job. I'm impressed."

"I cried buckets during the scene where I confessed my love in the rain."

"Burning God's movie debut, a must-see!"

"I was just a passerby, and I didn't have high expectations, but it turned out to be surprisingly good."

Over the past three days, those who once questioned his "cross-industry money-making" have gradually been replaced by recognition and praise...

The following day, box office revenue rebounded and reached 4 million.

The figure dropped slightly on the third day, but still remained at 3 million.

The box office exceeded one billion in just three days, completing the system task.

In the following days, box office revenue remained stable between 100 million and tens of millions, showing a steady trend.

The final forecast has exceeded 20 billion.

Li Ran stopped doing promotional tours; the box office had stabilized, so promotional tours were no longer very useful.

January 5th, Beijing Airport.

Li Ran and Zhou Ye boarded a flight to Guangdong together.

Li Ran was standing downstairs when he suddenly stopped.

Zhou Ye turned to look at him and noticed that his expression was somewhat subtle, with his lips slightly pursed and his eyes darting around, as if he was preparing something.

She couldn't help but laugh: "What's wrong? Are you nervous?"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "A little. After all, it's my first time too..."

Zhou Ye gave a soft hum: "This is the first time. It won't be the same next time we go to someone else's house."

As she spoke, she took his hand and pulled him inside, saying, "Hurry up, my parents are waiting!"

The moment the door opened, Li Ran saw a face that looked remarkably like Zhou Ye's.

A middle-aged woman with gentle features and a warm smile. Zhou Ye's round, bright eyes are clearly inherited from her.

"Hello, Auntie!" Li Ran bowed slightly, a polite smile on his face. "I'm Li Ran, Xiao Ye's boyfriend."

Zhou's mother smiled and looked him over, her eyes filled with satisfaction: "Come in quickly, Xiao Ran, don't stand at the door."

Li Ran walked into the house, where a middle-aged man was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Seeing him enter, the man put down the remote and stood up.

"Hello, Uncle." Li Ran quickly stepped forward and handed over the gifts in his hand. "I didn't know what you and Auntie liked, so I brought some tea and red wine. Please don't mind."

Mr. Zhou accepted the gift and smiled faintly: "It's good that you came, no need to bring a gift."

Zhou Ye took another exquisitely packaged bag from Li Ran and brought it close to his mother:

"Mom, these are skincare products that Li Ran brought for you. They're all imported from abroad."

Zhou's mother took the bag, glanced at it, and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, Xiao Ran, don't carry it. Just put it aside. Auntie will go cook some dishes for you."

As she spoke, she headed towards the kitchen, and Zhou Ye followed, saying, "Mom, let me help you."

Only Li Ran and Zhou's father remained in the living room.

The TV was playing some news, with a buzzing sound in the background. The two remained silent for a few seconds.

Mr. Zhou spoke first: "Li Ran, what does your family do?"

Li Ran had already prepared his answer: "My parents run a small business."

Mr. Zhou nodded and then asked, "Xiao Ye said he's already met your mother?"

Li Ran nodded: "I met my mother once when we were filming in Changsha last time."

"You guys must be very busy usually?"

Li Ran smiled and said, "It's alright. I was quite busy when I was playing professionally, and I'm still quite busy filming now, but I have more time to rest than before."

Mr. Zhou was silent for a moment.

He looked at Li Ran with a scrutinizing gaze, but also with the concern of an elder: "Xiao Ran, Uncle has another question... As actors, you don't get to see each other often, doesn't that affect you?"

He asked the question tactfully, but Li Ran understood.

Zhou's father must have seen some things online.

He smiled and said sincerely, "Uncle, don't worry. We do rarely see each other while filming, but it won't affect anything."

He paused for a moment: "What happens online is all hype, which is also a requirement of our job as artists."

Mr. Zhou nodded: "As long as you two are alright, that's fine."

……

In the kitchen, Zhou's mother was busy cooking. Zhou Ye was helping out, washing and chopping vegetables, his movements quite skilled.

Zhou Ye looked at his mother and asked with a smile, "Mom, what do you think of Li Ran?"

Zhou's father's voice came faintly from the living room, but it was impossible to hear what he was saying.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou's mother continued with her work and slowly spoke.

"I think he's pretty good. Your dad and I watched one of his movies yesterday, and your dad said he's a very good actor."

Zhou Ye smiled and said, "I also think Li Ran acted very well."

Zhou's mother asked, "What does his family do? Xiao Ye, aren't you worried you'll suffer losses?"

Zhou Ye shook his head and said in a coquettish tone, "Mom, you're overthinking things. We've only been dating for a short time, and you're already planning to marry off your daughter?"

Zhou's mother glared at her: "Don't I have to think about things for you?"

In the living room, Mr. Zhou examined the tea gift box in his hand.

The packaging was simple, but the words printed on the box made him squint slightly.

Specially supplied.

He remained silent for a few seconds, put down the tea leaves, and said nothing more.

……

Zhou Ye's bedroom wasn't large, but it was very cozy. A framed photo table sat on the bedside table, filled with pictures of her from childhood to adulthood.

Li Ran leaned against the headboard, flipping through the thick photo album.

"You were quite cute when you were little."

Zhou Ye leaned over for a look: "Isn't she beautiful? She's been beautiful since she was a child."

Li Ran smiled and did not refute.

Zhou Ye lay down next to him and asked, "What did you and Dad talk about?"

Li Ran thought for a moment: "It's the same questions a father-in-law would ask his son-in-law."

He paused, then said, "It's pretty much the same as what my mom asked you and Xiaotian back then."

Zhou Ye nodded, then suddenly said, "So when are you going to formally introduce me to your parents? How about during the Spring Festival?"

Li Ran paused for a moment.

He remembered his mother's request to take Xiaotian back to her hometown for the Chinese New Year.

"We don't even know if anything will happen then!"

"Let's see."

Zhou Ye looked at him suspiciously; she always felt that he seemed a little guilty.

"You're not going to bring someone else home, are you?"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "How could that be? Don't worry. If I'm free, I'll definitely take you to meet my parents."

Zhou Ye nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

……

That night, Li Ran slept in Zhou Ye's room.

Zhou Ye went to sleep in her sister's room. With their parents there, the two of them couldn't go too far.

But just after midnight, the door was gently pushed open.

Zhou Ye tiptoed in, slipped into the covers, and snuggled into his arms.

Li Ran closed his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He didn't say anything, but simply pulled her closer to him.

The two stayed in Guangdong for three days.

Zhou Ye took Li Ran around, to her childhood school, the bubble tea shop she frequented, and the streets she used to walk with her friends.

She chattered excitedly like a little bird, telling him stories about every place.

Li Ran listened quietly, nodding occasionally and asking a question now and then.

On the morning of January 9th, the two flew back to Beijing.

Over the next few days, Li Ran finally witnessed the true meaning of Zhou Ye's words, "It's alright."

The audition for "The Sword and the Brocade" was just around the corner, and Zhou Ye's action scenes were still far from impressive.

The movements are weak and limp, the point of force is wrong, and there is no sense of rhythm at all.

After a set of basic movements, the instructor's face turned green.

Li Ran stood by and watched, remaining silent for a long time.

What's the point of acting as the Bluebird?

no way.

He had to personally train with the three of them, and he also had a lot of action scenes of his own.

Wang Churan had already arrived in the capital and was now living with Tian Xiwei.

After practicing for a few days, the effects gradually became apparent.

What surprised Li Ran the most was Hu Lianxin, who turned out to be the best fighter among the three.

The movements are clean and crisp, the force is applied precisely, and one can even add some small details.

Wang Churan was a little short, but she still passed.

The entire sequence of movements was fluid and natural, far superior to the slow-motion fight scenes of my previous life.

Only Zhou Ye...

Li Ran watched her stumble and struggle through the routine, and sighed.

"Coconut, you still need to practice. You're barely qualified now."

Zhou Ye pouted:

"Okay. I've been working really hard lately."

Wang Churan chimed in casually from the side, "Yeah, they really tried their best. They even cried during practice yesterday."

Zhou Ye immediately bristled: "You eye-roller, are you looking for trouble?"

Hu Lianxin walked over and stood next to Zhou Ye: "Want to fight?"

Wang Churan immediately shrank back, hiding behind Li Ran and peeking out half her head: "Brother... those two are bullying me."

Li Ran rubbed his temples.

The three of them are arguing every day now, and he's starting to regret letting them star in "Snow in the City".

"Alright!"

He slowly said, "Each of you will practice alone for another hour, then we'll go eat."

Hu Lianxin looked at Wang Churan and snorted coldly: "Next time you provoke me, don't hide behind Li Ran."

Wang Churan peeked out from behind Li Ran and rolled her eyes: "Do you think I'm really afraid of the two of you? The two of you can't even beat Liu Haocun, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"

Zhou Ye's face immediately darkened, and Hu Lianxin's expression also changed.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Li Ran quickly spoke up: "Practice your skills!"

The three then dispersed.

Li Ran leaned against the wall, watching their sweat-drenched backs...

I only felt that the headache was yet to come.