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

In the kitchen, Liu Haocun and Wang Churan were standing by the sink, one washing vegetables and the other picking them, working together quite well.

In the living room, Li Ran was busy tidying up.

He cleared the clutter off the coffee table and then moved two folding tables from the storage room and put them together. It was a bit cramped for nine people to eat around the table, but putting them together made it much more spacious.

Hu Lianxin came out of the bedroom and saw Li Ran busy at work. She quickly walked over and said, "Let me help you."

Li Ran straightened up and pointed in the direction of the e-sports room: "Go to my e-sports room and take out that power strip. We'll need it for hot pot later."

Hu Lianxin nodded and turned to walk towards the e-sports room.

Zhou Ye also came out of the bedroom. She walked to Li Ran's side and watched him busy himself. Suddenly, she remembered something: "Li Ran, Sister Meng said she's coming too."

Li Ran paused in his actions, then looked up: "What's she doing here?"

Zhou Ye explained, "Sister Meng said she was coming to visit me, so I told her we were having dinner together tonight."

Li Ran thought for a moment and nodded: "Alright! One more person won't make a difference."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door lock beeped.

The door opened, and Zhang Jingyi walked in carrying Douzai, followed by Zhang Ruonan.

"Brother Li Ran," Zhang Jingyi called out as soon as she entered the door.

Zhou Ye glanced at Zhang Jingyi but didn't say anything.

She turned to Li Ran and said, "I'm going out to meet Sister Meng; she should be here soon."

Li Ran nodded: "Okay."

Zhou Ye brushed past the two men and went out the door.

After changing her shoes, Zhang Jingyi carried Douzai to Li Ran's side. When the little guy saw Li Ran, he excitedly wiggled his body, trying to jump on him.

Zhang Jingyi put it on the ground, and Douzai immediately ran to the side to play in the snow.

"How many people are there today?" Zhang Jingyi asked.

Li Ran thought for a moment: "Including Sister Meng and Da Linzi, there are nine people."

Zhang Jingyi nodded, then asked again, "Isn't Tian Xiwei there?"

Li Ran nodded.

Zhang Jingyi didn't say anything more, turned around and walked towards the kitchen: "Then I'll go to the kitchen and help Cunzi and Churan wash the vegetables."

Li Ran replied, "Okay."

She was a little puzzled. How did Zhang Jingyi know that the two of them were busy in the kitchen, and why were they calling each other so intimately?

Zhang Ruonan stood there, watching Zhang Jingyi go into the kitchen, then looked at Li Ran and asked, "What about me? Do you need my help?"

Li Ran looked her up and down and said with an awkward smile, "Just wait and eat."

Zhang Ruonan paused for a moment, then said somewhat embarrassedly, "This... I'm a little embarrassed."

The doorbell rang just as he finished speaking.

Zhang Ruonan's eyes lit up: "I'll go open the door!"

She walked quickly over and opened the door.

Guo Qilin stood outside the door, carrying a case of beer in each hand and a bag containing two bottles of Fenjiu liquor in his mouth.

Zhang Ruonan immediately took the Fenjiu liquor.

He looked at Zhang Ruonan and grinned, "Oh, hello Teacher Zhang!"

Zhang Ruonan quickly waved her hand: "Teacher Guo, just call me by my name!"

Guo Qilin didn't stand on ceremony and said with a smile, "Just call me Da Linzi. Don't call me Teacher Guo, it sounds like you're calling me Dad."

Zhang Ruonan was amused by him: "Okay, Dalinzi."

The two went into the house together.

……

In the kitchen, the sound of running water was deafening, and the cutting board was piled high with ingredients waiting to be prepared.

Liu Haocun was washing a bunch of vegetables with his head down when he heard footsteps. He looked up and saw Zhang Jingyi come in. His eyes crinkled into a smile: "Jingyi, you're here."

Wang Churan also looked up and nodded at her.

Zhang Jingyi walked to the pool with a smile and rolled up her sleeves: "Let me help you."

She had just picked up a head of lettuce when Liu Haocun leaned over and asked in a low voice, "Have you been tested these past few days?"

Zhang Jingyi paused, then shook her head: "It hasn't even been a week yet, so the test results wouldn't be accurate."

Liu Haocun nodded and added, "Share any developments immediately."

Zhang Jingyi responded with a sound of agreement, then asked in return, "And you?"

Liu Haocun pursed his lips, his hands still moving: "I was a day later than you, and I didn't get tested either."

Wang Churan, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but interject, "Are you both planning to have a baby now?"

Liu Haocun glanced at her and said matter-of-factly, "What else can we do? Tian Xiwei has already gotten ahead, so this is the only way to overtake her."

Wang Churan nodded thoughtfully, put down the dishes in her hand, and analyzed seriously: "Actually, I feel there's no need to rush. Li Ran probably won't marry her, or even marry anyone."

Liu Haocun paused in his work, looked up at her, and said, "Last time I asked Li Ran whose household registration to use for the child, and he said it was up to me, either way is fine."

Wang Churan nodded, her tone even more certain: "That further proves the point; neither Li Ran nor any of us intends to get a marriage certificate."

Zhang Jingyi had been listening quietly, but then she looked up and asked with some worry, "What if he and Tian Xiwei get their marriage certificate? After all, they've already changed their minds about each other."

Wang Churan shook her head, her tone certain: "Impossible. Do you two know that Li Ran bought apartments for us all in this complex? Tian Xiwei and I both have our apartments registered in our own names, and Xiaopingban and Xiaohuli should have the same."

Liu Haocun and Zhang Jingyi exchanged a glance and shook their heads.

Wang Churan continued, "Li Ran probably wanted to treat everyone equally. As for why Tian Xiwei was walking in front, it was probably Auntie's idea. After all, her personality is enough to keep all of us in check."

She paused, then looked at Zhang Jingyi: "But Li Ran probably doesn't think that way, which is why he brought you home first."

Zhang Jingyi lowered her eyes, lost in thought.

Wang Churan added, "Moreover, on the night of Weibo Night, Auntie didn't show favoritism towards Tian Xiwei. Auntie probably just wanted her to keep Li Ran's backyard stable."

After listening, Liu Haocun waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, let's talk at your apartment tonight. There are too many people here now."

Zhang Jingyi nodded and continued washing the vegetables.

Wang Churan also stopped talking...

……

At 8 p.m., everyone finally arrived.

In the living room, two coffee tables pushed together were piled high with ingredients.

The hot pot, bubbling with sizzling red oil, was surrounded by sizzling pork belly on a grill, and several neatly arranged plates of beef, lamb, vegetables, and mushrooms.

A row of drinks and alcoholic beverages were laid out, including canned beer, Fenjiu liquor, and several bottles of red wine.

Nine people sat down around the coffee table. Since there weren't enough sofas, they brought over a few chairs from the dining room.

Wang Churan held her wine glass, her gaze sweeping across the crowd. Her eyes lingered on Meng Ziyi for a moment, and she narrowed her eyes slightly.

There were three outsiders present... Zhang Ruonan, Guo Qilin, and Meng Ziyi.

Zhang Ruonan was brought by Zhang Jingyi, and she is also the female lead in Li Ran's next drama.

She could tell that Li Ran was interested in Zhang Ruonan, although nothing was happening now, but who knew what the future held.

Guo Qilin is Li Ran's good friend. The two have known each other for many years and have a very close relationship.

But this Meng Ziyi...

Li Ran doesn't seem to like her, so what's she doing here?

Wang Churan withdrew her gaze and stopped thinking about it.

The hot pot steamed up, the grease on the grill sizzled, and the group ate and chatted, creating a lively atmosphere.

Guo Qilin picked up a piece of sliced ​​beef with his chopsticks, then suddenly remembered something and looked at Zhang Jingyi: "Jingyi, should I pay the rent to you or to Li Ran?"

Zhang Jingyi paused, looking completely bewildered: "Huh? What rent?"

Li Ran explained it again with a smile.

After listening, Zhang Jingyi thought for a moment and said, "Brother Dalin, let Li Ran find you another place. I've decided to move here."

Liu Haocun's eyes lit up, and he immediately looked at Li Ran: "Li Ran, do I have one too?"

Li Ran nodded.

"Then I'll move in too," Liu Haocun said with a smile.

Guo Qilin looked at Zhang Jingyi, then at Liu Haocun, and finally at Li Ran, his face full of grievance: "Brother, what should I do? How about you buy me another one?"

Li Ran glared at him irritably: "Get lost, I have other properties under my own name. I'll have Xiao Chen take you to see them tomorrow."

Guo Qilin immediately beamed: "That's more like it."

……

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

The more they drank, the more energetic they became, and their conversation ranged from entertainment gossip to life ideals, and then back to entertainment gossip.

As they drank, some people started to feel the effects.

Guo Qilin and Li Ran drank the most; they finished all the Fenjiu that Guo Qilin had brought.

Guo Qilin looked at Li Ran, somewhat surprised, and said, "Little Ran, why aren't you... someone who gets knocked out after just one drink?"

As he spoke, he slumped onto the table, burying his face in his arms, muttering something, but it was no longer audible.

Li Ran nudged him, but there was no response.

Li Ran shook his head helplessly, took out his phone and called Xiao Chen: "Come up here and take Da Linzi with you to rest."

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Guo Qilin, who was lying unconscious on the table, and sighed.

He doesn't have the habit of letting men stay overnight at his house. His women have slept in both the master bedroom and the second bedroom. Where would Guo Qilin sleep?

Xiao Chen quickly came up and took Guo Qilin away.

As Guo Qilin was dragged out the door, he was still mumbling, "Drink some more... just one more drink..."

The door closed, and the world became quiet.

Wang Churan and Liu Haocun were also a little drunk.

Their cheeks were flushed, their eyes were unfocused, and they leaned back on the sofa, chatting idly.

Wang Churan could barely sit up straight, while Liu Haocun was already leaning against her.

Li Ran, seeing that Zhang Jingyi and Zhang Ruonan hadn't drunk much, said, "Let's go! I'll take you to Wang Churan's place. You can rest there for the night!"

Zhang Ruonan thought for a moment and nodded. It was indeed too late, and Zhang Jingyi definitely wouldn't go back. She also had to go to a script reading the next morning, so she could go with Li Ran.

Zhang Ruonan and Zhang Jingyi stood up and helped Wang Churan up, one on each side.

Li Ran walked up to Liu Haocun and bent down: "Come up."

Liu Haocun opened his eyes, saw it was him, chuckled, and climbed directly onto his back.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and felt her warm breath brush against his skin.

"Brother..." she murmured softly, her voice as soft as cotton candy.

Li Ran lifted her legs and carried her out, with Zhang Jingyi and Zhang Ruonan supporting Wang Churan as they followed behind.

The four of them went downstairs together and headed towards Wang Churan's apartment.

The night was quiet, and the moonlight shone on the path in the neighborhood, casting long shadows of several people.

Liu Hao shifted on Li Ran's back, finding a more comfortable position. "Li Ran, are you a bastard...?"

Li Ran turned his head to look at her, and Liu Haocun kissed him on the cheek, muttering, "You smell so good..."

Li Ran ignored her and continued walking forward. When Liu Haocun saw that Li Ran was ignoring him, he reached out and tapped him on the head.

"You bastard, you bastard, why are you ignoring your sister now..."

Zhang Jingyi watched quietly from behind the two without saying a word.

Zhang Ruonan shook her head as she watched.

Wang Churan slowly opened her eyes, glanced at it, and rolled her eyes.

Li Ran took them to Wang Churan's apartment and, after settling them in, walked back alone.

Back in his apartment, he opened the door, and the scene in the living room gave him a headache.

Zhou Ye was completely exhausted, slumped on the sofa with one foot still on the floor, in a very unrestrained posture.

Li Ran walked over and gently nudged her: "Coconut?"

no response.

He sighed, bent down and picked her up. Zhou Ye stirred in his arms, mumbled something indistinctly, and then fell asleep again.

Li Ran carried her into the second bedroom, put her on the bed, took off her shoes, and covered her with a blanket.

Back in the living room, Meng Ziyi and Hu Lianxin were still slumped over the table.

Hu Lianxin rested her head on her arm, her eyelashes fluttering gently.

Meng Ziyi lay on the other side.

Li Ran walked to the table and nudged the two of them, saying, "Alright, stop acting."

……

Meanwhile, in Wang Churan's apartment.

Zhang Jingyi and Zhang Ruonan first helped Liu Haocun into the bedroom and settled him in.

Liu Haocun fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, breathing evenly, his face still flushed from the alcohol, like a lazy kitten.

The two tiptoed out of the bedroom and closed the door.

"There's one more," Zhang Ruonan said softly, pointing towards the living room.

They returned to the living room to deal with the remaining issues concerning Wang Churan.

Then the two of them froze at the same time.

Wang Churan was sitting upright on the sofa, holding a glass of warm water in her hands, and slowly drinking it.

The blush on her face had faded, and her eyes were clear; she showed no signs of being drunk at all.

Zhang Jingyi's eyes widened: "You're not drunk?"

Wang Churan instinctively wanted to roll her eyes, but she stopped halfway through.

"I only drank two bottles of beer, what's there to be drunk about?"

Zhang Ruonan was even more confused: "Then why did you pretend to be drunk?"

Wang Churan put down his water glass, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips: "Let's go see what that damn clamp is up to later."

"Meng Ziyi?" Zhang Jingyi asked.

Wang Churan nodded, his eyes filled with an all-knowing certainty: "You think I'm the only one pretending to be drunk? Neither she nor the little fox are drunk."

She paused, then began to analyze: "Of the nine people, only Li Ran and Guo Qilin drank baijiu. Liu Haocun and Zhou Ye, those two idiots, drank a bit too much. The rest of us—me, Meng Ziyi, and Hu Lianxin—were just pretending."

"You two didn't drink..."

Zhang Jingyi looked completely bewildered and couldn't react at all.

Looking at her expression, Wang Churan couldn't help but laugh: "Didn't you notice that Meng Ziyi has been drinking Little Flatbread and Little Fox wine all the time?"

Zhang Jingyi shook her head; she really hadn't noticed those things.

Zhang Ruonan whispered from the side, "I was just focused on eating..."

Wang Churan was amused by her and waved his hand, "Alright, you two go and rest, I'll go take a look."

She stood up and straightened her clothes.

Zhang Jingyi hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll go with you."

Wang Churan glanced at her and nodded.

The two walked together toward the door.

Zhang Ruonan stood there, watching their retreating figures, and muttered to herself, "They're all good actors!"

……

Li Ran stood in the center of the living room, looking at the two people slumped over the table, and shook his head helplessly.

"Alright, stop acting."

Hu Lianxin's eyelashes trembled, and she slowly raised her head.

She pursed her lips, sat up straight, and there wasn't a trace of the flush from being drunk on her face.

"You noticed?"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly: "Otherwise what? Only Cunzi and Coconut, those two silly idiots, really drank too much."

He paused, then said with certainty, "Just you wait and see, Chu Ran will be here soon."

This is also why he carried Liu Haocun away but ignored Wang Churan.

How could he not see through that girl's little scheme?

After saying that, he turned to look at Meng Ziyi, who was still slumped over the table: "Sister Meng, how long are you planning to stay slumped over?"

Meng Ziyi's body stiffened for a moment.

Then she slowly raised her head, a sheepish smile plastered on her face: "Li Ran... how did you find out?"

Hu Lianxin glared at her, her eyes filled with obvious wariness: "Sister Meng, what are you trying to do by pretending to be drunk?"

Meng Ziyi blinked, looking completely innocent: "I wasn't pretending! I really was drunk..."

Hu Lianxin scoffed, "You call this being drunk?"

Meng Ziyi stood up, but perhaps because she stood up too quickly, she stumbled and fell onto Li Ran.

"oops……"

Li Ran quickly reached out to support her, but Meng Ziyi fell with considerable force and landed directly in his arms.

A faint scent of perfume wafted into my nostrils.

Hu Lianxin's face instantly darkened.

She rushed over, grabbed Meng Ziyi's arm, and pulled her out of Li Ran's arms.

"Meng Ziyi! You're not going to act anymore, are you?!"

Just then, the door opened.

Wang Churan and Zhang Jingyi walked in.

The two were standing in the entryway when they witnessed this scene...

Hu Lianxin grabbed Meng Ziyi's arm, and Meng Ziyi staggered to her feet. Li Ran stood in the middle, looking helpless.

Wang Churan's lips curved into a meaningful smile.

She turned to look at Zhang Jingyi and said softly, "Am I right?"

Zhang Jingyi didn't say anything, she just watched quietly.

Li Ran rubbed his temples, feeling that tonight's filming was even more tiring than the actual filming.

He looked at Meng Ziyi, who was confronting Hu Lianxin, and said, "Sister Meng, shall I have Xiao Chen take you home?"

Meng Ziyi turned to look at him, a hint of expectation in her eyes: "Could you... see me off together?"

Li Ran thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay."

Upon hearing this, Wang Churan looked at him and said calmly but with a hint of reminder, "There's a script reading tomorrow, remember to come back."

Li Ran understood what she meant: don't stay out overnight.

He chuckled awkwardly, "I'll come back after I drop her off at home."

……

After Meng Ziyi and Li Ran left, the apartment was quiet for a few seconds.

Wang Churan walked to the sofa and sat down naturally. She looked at Hu Lianxin, who was still standing there, and slowly asked, "What's the situation with Meng Ziyi?"

Hu Lianxin sneered: "Didn't you see it all?"

She sat down opposite Wang Churan, with a coffee table between them, as if there was an invisible boundary between them.

"I didn't expect you to be pretending to be drunk too," Hu Lianxin asked.

Wang Churan rolled her eyes and retorted, "Aren't you the same?"

Zhang Jingyi glanced at Wang Churan, then at Hu Lianxin, sensing that tensions were already escalating between the two.

She spoke softly, trying to ease the tension: "Does Meng Ziyi... also like Brother Li Ran?"

Wang Churan curled her lip: "Obviously."

She leaned back, her tone knowing: "Li Ran is a hot commodity in the industry right now. Even if they can't be together, creating a CP (couple pairing) or a scandal will get them a lot more attention."

After explaining, she looked at Hu Lianxin: "When did you find out?"

This time, Hu Lianxin didn't argue with her, but answered seriously: "When we were recording 'Peach Blossom Village' a couple of days ago, Coconut should have known better."

Wang Churan curled her lip, speechless, and said, "What could that silly little flat-headed thing know?"

Hu Lianxin did not refute.

As she thought about what happened today, she became increasingly angry...

Zhou Ye actually agreed to let Meng Ziyi come over without any warning, and she even got him drunk.

This silly kid is such a worry.

She looked up at Zhang Jingyi: "What's the situation with Zhang Ruonan?"

Wang Churan followed her gaze and looked at Zhang Jingyi.

Zhang Jingyi felt a bit pressured being watched by the two men.

She explained softly, "If Sister Nan doesn't like Li Ran... she strongly dislikes Li Ran's scumbag behavior..."

Hu Lianxin interrupted her: "Zhang Jingyi, are you too confident in yourself, or too trusting of Li Ran?"

Wang Churan didn't speak, but just watched quietly.

Zhang Jingyi frowned, her voice trembling with anger. "What do you mean? Do you think Ruonan is like you, capable of stealing her best friend's boyfriend?"

Hu Lianxin shrugged, completely unfazed by her sarcasm: "Otherwise what? Don't tell me you didn't notice the way Li Ran looked at Zhang Ruonan."

She paused, then said firmly, "I'm not worried about Meng Ziyi, because Li Ran isn't interested in her. But Zhang Ruonan... is a different story."

Zhang Jingyi fell silent.

She did notice the change in Li Ran's attitude towards Zhang Ruonan.

But she chose to believe Zhang Ruonan. They were good friends, and Zhang Ruonan hated scumbags so much, how could she...

Seeing that she remained silent, Hu Lianxin continued to press her advantage: "You're not thinking of finding an ally for yourself, are you?"

Wang Churan smiled upon hearing this: "Allies or not, is your relationship with the tablet really that solid?"

She looked at Hu Lianxin with a scrutinizing gaze: "Nobody wants to add anyone now, and Tian Xiwei is the biggest enemy."

Hu Lianxin scoffed, "Aren't you closest to Stitch?"

Wang Churan didn't explain anything.

She stood up and looked at Zhang Jingyi: "Jingyi, shall we go back?"

Zhang Jingyi nodded and stood up.

The two ignored Hu Lianxin and headed straight for the door.

The door opened and then closed.

Hu Lianxin was left alone in the living room.

……

The car drove smoothly through the night, the neon lights outside the window flashing by frame by frame.

Li Ran leaned back in his seat, gazing out the window. Suddenly, Meng Ziyi next to him stirred, leaning closer to him and resting her head naturally on his shoulder.

A scent mixed with the aroma of alcohol and perfume wafted into my nostrils.

Li Ran smiled helplessly and turned to look at her: "Sister Meng, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

After saying that, he pulled his arm out from under her and moved it towards the car door.

Meng Ziyi was completely stunned.

She remained frozen in her semi-reclined position, staring at Li Ran with disbelief.

The look in his eyes was as if he had seen some incredible creature.

"Li Ran!"

She glared at him. "What are you pretending to be, some innocent, naive boy?"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly: "No, what am I pretending for?"

Meng Ziyi sat up straight, glared at him, and said, word by word, "Don't think I didn't see it. Every single one of those girls here today has something to do with you."

Li Ran smiled but didn't explain.

He hadn't actually gotten Zhang Ruonan yet, but there was no need to tell her that.

"No, Sister Meng..."

He looked at her and said, word by word, "What's it to you? What, you want to expose me? Aren't you afraid I'll kill you to silence you?"

Enraged, Meng Ziyi cursed him directly, "Li Ran, you son of a bitch, you f***ing bastard..."

Enraged, Meng Ziyi cursed him directly, "Li Ran, you son of a bitch, you f***ing bastard..."

She paused, took a deep breath, and looked at him earnestly: "Li Ran, don't tell me you didn't realize I like you."

Li Ran chuckled and shook his head: "Sister Meng, the number of people who like me could stretch all the way to the Eiffel Tower. Whether you like me or not is none of my business!"

Meng Ziyi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down: "You have absolutely no feelings for me?"

Li Ran shook his head: "No."

"Am I not pretty? Do I have a bad figure? Or a bad personality?" She glared at him, her tone tinged with resentment.

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "Everything's fine."

"Then why don't you agree?"

Meng Ziyi leaned forward. "Anyway, you already have so many girlfriends, one more won't make a difference, and I don't mind. Isn't that great?"

Li Ran looked at her and shook his head: "Sister Meng, you can't force feelings."

Meng Ziyi was so angry at his nonchalant expression that she gritted her teeth.

Am I really that unattractive?

She suddenly lunged forward, pinning him down and kissing his face.

Li Ran was taken aback by this sudden action and quickly pushed her away, saying, "Sister Meng, forced love is never sweet."

Meng Ziyi, panting, glared at him: "I don't care if it's sweet or not, as long as it quenches my thirst!"

After saying that, she pounced on him again.

In the front row, Xiao Chen gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed straight ahead on the road.

He glanced at the situation in the back seat through the rearview mirror, hesitated for a moment, and then whispered, "Brother Ran..."

Meng Ziyi turned her head sharply and glared at him: "Shut up! Just drive!"

Xiao Chen immediately looked away, focusing intently on what was ahead, and dared not utter another word.

Li Ran was pinned to the seat, looking at the reckless woman on top of him, utterly speechless.

To say that he knew nothing about Meng Ziyi's thoughts would be to deceive a child.

But he really had no interest in Meng Ziyi.

He sighed and reached out to press down on her shoulder: "Sister Meng, that's enough."

……