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

Peach Blossom Jasmine's new work is here! Cola Novels is the first to update it online!

Li Ran leaned back on the sofa, watching the end credits scrolling on the TV screen, and chuckled awkwardly.

"I haven't read the bonus chapter for the second part yet, I'll take my time reading it." He said casually.

Wang Churan picked up the remote control and switched to the latest update of the second bonus chapter of "Peach Blossom Village".

When the screen lit up, she muttered, "Is that even a question? It's definitely the tablet."

Zhang Ruonan nodded in agreement, fully embracing the idea.

In her opinion, it would be strange if Li Ran's first love wasn't Zhou Ye.

She knew that Zhang Jingyi had only known Li Ran for a long time, but they weren't together at the time.

The extended episode included the segment where Li Ran was interviewed at 650.

When Yoko asked him what he thought of his appearance, Li Ran paused for two seconds before replying, "Very distinctive."

Wang Churan burst out laughing, almost spilling the beer in his hand.

"That's way too perfunctory."

Li Ran chuckled and said, "That's true. I still have a deep impression of Chu Chu baby."

Zhang Ruonan looked at him and suddenly said, "I never expected you to have the potential to be a comedian."

"I've always had it, you just haven't noticed," Li Ran said.

On TV, Wang Sulong asked that question, and everyone's eyes were focused on the screen.

He looked at Li Ran and asked, "Among the female guests on 'Peach Blossom Village,' who is your favorite?"

The screen paused for a moment.

Li Ran opened his mouth and said two words. The production team muted the sound, but the shape of his lips was clear... two words, opening and closing.

The live chat exploded instantly.

"Zhou Ye is definitely it! Wildfire CP is awesome!"

"Mom, the couple you ship is real!!!"

"What do you mean Zhou Ye? Just two characters? Su Qi is also two characters!"

"Li Ran may not have included his surname, but that doesn't prove anything."

"True passion lies in what you desire!"

I support Liu Haocun!

"Support Huang Chengzi!"

"I want to support Sister Meng, but I don't want to get criticized, right?"

"You're awesome, bro..."

Colorful bullet comments floated across the screen, layer upon layer, obscuring most of the image.

Zhang Ruonan stared at the comments for a while, then turned to Li Ran and asked, "Is it Zhou Ye?"

Li Ran nodded.

"Why not? If you participate, I can answer you too."

Zhang Ruonan's face flushed slightly, but she quickly turned her head away, her voice stiff: "Who asked you to answer me? I don't need to."

Wang Churan sat to the side, not participating in the topic.

Her gaze fell on the screen, watching the comments scroll by one by one.

"Wildfire", "Heartfelt Delight", "Yellow Orange", "Ginger Paste"...

Not a single one mentioned her name.

She looked down, picked up her phone, opened the video, started scrolling through the comments, tapped the screen a few times, and sent it.

A few seconds later, a brand new comment floated from right to left: "I support Wang Churan."

Li Ran caught a glimpse of that comment out of the corner of his eye, and the corner of his mouth curved into a smile.

"How come there are still people supporting you? Do we have any fans who ship us?" He asked with a hint of teasing.

Wang Churan looked up, smiled, a hint of smugness mixed with a touch of guilt: "I just swiped it myself."

Zhang Ruonan was looking at her phone when a comment suddenly caught her eye.

"Support Consort Nan Nan in the Cold Palace"

She stared at those six words for two seconds, her expression incredibly complicated. What? A concubine in the cold palace? When did she become a concubine in the cold palace? This joke is stuck in her head!

She shook her head speechlessly and tossed her phone aside.

On TV, the question wasn't over yet.

Li Xueqin then asked, "When was your first love?"

Li Ran's answer once again sparked discussion, and this time the production team did not censor it but broadcast it in its entirety.

The barrage of comments erupted again, with "Wildfire" and "Zhou Ye" flooding the screen, layer upon layer, completely obscuring the view.

My first love, which started in college, must have been Zhou Ye; all the clues match up.

Zhang Ruonan looked down and scrolled through Weibo. On the trending topics list, #Li Ran and Zhou Ye's relationship# had already climbed to seventeenth place, followed by the word "hot" and was still rising.

She glanced at it, placed the phone face down on her lap, and didn't say anything.

Wang Churan saw it too, but she just pursed her lips and didn't say anything.

The variety show had ended, and the end credits rolled quietly on the screen. Barbecue skewers were scattered all over the coffee table, and the oil stains glistened under the light.

Wang Churan glanced at Zhang Ruonan, who was still slowly eating.

She poked at a piece of cold eggplant with her chopsticks, turning it over and over, but wouldn't put it in her mouth.

Wang Churan stood up, stretched, and rolled up the hem of her pajamas slightly.

"I'm going back to sleep now." She glanced at Li Ran, her tone casual.

Li Ran nodded.

She didn't look at Zhang Ruonan again. She walked to the door, opened it, and glanced back at them both for a moment. Then she smiled, closed the door, and left.

The door lock clicked shut.

The room fell silent.

Zhang Ruonan didn't speak or leave. She kept her head down, rummaging through the box with her chopsticks. There wasn't much left in the box, but she just wouldn't put down her chopsticks.

Looking at her expression, Li Ran's lips slowly curved into a smile, and he chuckled.

"It's nothing." Li Ran leaned back on the sofa, his hands behind his head, and said casually, "If you're still hungry, I'll have Xiao Chen order some more and bring it over."

Zhang Ruonan shook her head.

"I'm full." She put down her chopsticks, finally accepting the fact.

She stood up, straightened the hem of her clothes, looked at Li Ran, and said, "Then I'll head back first."

She stood still, and neither did Li Ran.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds. Something seemed to be fermenting in the air, like the lingering aftertaste of unfinished beer—faint, yet persistent.

Li Ran smiled when he saw her hesitant expression.

He stood up, slowly walked to her, and put his arm around her waist. Zhang Ruonan's body stiffened slightly, but she did not flinch.

She lowered her head, not daring to look at him, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

"Why don't you stay out tonight?" he said softly, with a hint of seduction.

Zhang Ruonan's face turned red from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.

"I haven't agreed yet." Her voice was so soft it was barely audible.

Li Ran looked down at her, the curve of his lips deepening slightly.

"You didn't refuse, did you?" He slowly lowered his head, closing the distance between them.

Zhang Ruonan subconsciously raised her hand and gently pushed him, the force so light it was like she was being coquettish.

"Li Ran... what are you going to do?" Her voice was hesitant and stammering, and she herself didn't even know if she was asking him or herself.

Li Ran didn't say anything.

He looked into her eyes, smiled, and leaned down to kiss her.

This time she didn't bite him, or even dodge.

She simply closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Her hand changed from pushing to clenching, gripping his collar tightly, as if afraid that if she let go, Li Ran would run away.

After a long while, he finally relaxed.

Zhang Ruonan's lips were red and slightly parted as she breathed heavily. She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him.

"Do you agree now?" he asked softly.

Zhang Ruonan looked up and gave him a disgruntled look.

There was reproach in his eyes, shyness, and a hint of joy that he couldn't quite explain.

"You're still asking even after all this..." she said softly, then buried her face in his chest and refused to look up again.

Li Ran looked down at the fluffy head in his arms and suddenly remembered the first time he met her.

Zhang Jingyi brought her to dinner, and she sat in the corner, quiet and sweet.

Li Ran rested his chin on the top of her head, closed his eyes, and slowly said, "Sister Ruonan, don't worry, although I may be a bit of a flirt, I will not let any of you down."

Zhang Ruonan gently hummed in his arms.

She knew in her heart that Li Ran would prepare surprises for each girl and was very kind to them.

Although he may not be a good boyfriend, there are few like Li Ran in the entertainment industry.

At least he wouldn't lie or hide his philandering; he just loved more broadly.

Li Ran smiled, reached out and picked her up, then slowly walked to the bedside...

"Why did Wang Churan leave first today?" Zhang Ruonan asked, puzzled.

Li Ran explained, "I sent her a WeChat message."

He paused, looked at Zhang Ruonan, and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. I want to test the strength of the bed armor."

Zhang Ruonan was stunned for a moment, then realized that "Chuang Jia" was a nickname given to Pei Nanwei by a reader of the novel "Snowy Path of the Fierce Blade".

And the character he plays is Pei Nanwei, the one who can make Xu Fengnian, the number one in the world, have to lean on the wall to get out.

Zhang Ruonan said irritably, "You and Xu Fengnian are exactly the same, both scoundrels..."

……

It was late at night, and it was just as Chuang Jia was wondering whether Li Ran was truly the best in the world.

This has sparked heated discussions online.

The online world has no night; it is always lit, always noisy, and there are always people tirelessly typing, sending, and refreshing.

The hashtag #LiRanZhouYeRomance# has been trending at number one on Weibo for over three hours, with the word "hot" next to it appearing extremely popular.

The topic has garnered over 800 million views and more than one million discussions, and the number is still rising.

The comments section is like a boiling pot, with new opinions being thrown in every second...

"Li Ran and Zhou Ye are definitely dating, no need for anyone to guess anymore. Wildfire CP is real!" This comment was pushed to the top and received over 300,000 likes.

A string of crying emojis followed, with some saying "It's Chinese New Year," others saying "My CP has finally come true," and still others saying "I've been shipping them since 'The Dragon Boy,' it was worth it."

People started digging into the timeline.

"The two got together in college. Judging from what Li Ran said, they probably broke up when he went to play e-sports."

Someone chimed in: "You can get back together after a breakup! Li Ran's debut work was a collaboration with Zhou Ye, I don't believe there's no reason for that."

Some people also dug up old videos. When Li Ran was playing in the S8 finals with IG, Zhou Ye posted a Weibo post with only eight characters: "Go for it, Ran! You'll definitely succeed this year!"

Back then, Zhou Ye was still relatively unknown, and no one paid attention to this Weibo post. Now that it has been unearthed, it has become the most compelling evidence.

Of course, there were also strong dissenting voices.

"What wildfire? Xin Yi Wei Ran is the real deal! Has your sister been held in public by Li Ran?" This comment also received quite a few likes.

"What wildfire? Xin Yi Wei Ran is the real deal! Has your sister been held in public by Li Ran?" This comment also received quite a few likes.

Someone posted a GIF of the Weibo Night event below, showing Li Ran holding Zhang Jingyi's hand as they walked out of the venue, with flashbulbs going off everywhere, and their silhouettes standing out clearly in the crowd.

"Zhou Ye is a thing of the past; Zhang Jingyi is the true love. No one can resist the power of a 'white moonlight' (ideal love)."

Some people were jumping back and forth between the comment sections on both sides, trying to be a rational and objective observer.

"Why do I feel like the two women look a bit alike? Is Li Ran playing the role of a body double in his novels?" This comment was criticized by fans from both sides at the same time.

Wildfire fans said, "Are you blind?" Xinyi, a fan of Burning, said, "You're the stand-in, your whole family are stand-ins."

But that comment still quietly garnered over 10,000 likes...

Many people may deny it verbally, but deep down they probably feel that there is a slight resemblance.

The most interesting comment came from a long-time fan of Li Ran: "As we all know, real couples disdain creating a CP (couple pairing) dynamic, so Wildfire is the way to go."

Someone replied below: "Don't even mention Zhou Ye, Li Ran herself said they broke up."

Longtime fans calmly replied: "Can two people who have broken up still collaborate? Shouldn't they never speak to each other again? What does this mean? It means there are still feelings between them."

This chain of logic is so perfect that it is impossible to refute.

The debate continues.

The fans produced evidence from their university days: a blurry campus photo that appears to show Li Ran and Zhou Ye strolling on the Beijing Film Academy's sports field...

Xinyi posted a high-definition photo of her holding hands with her fans at the Weibo Night event; even the details of their fingers were clearly visible.

The fans quietly displayed stills from the TV series "A Little Red Flower," showing Wei Yihang and Ma Xiaoyuan embracing in the rainy night, a scene as beautiful and poignant as a poem.

Fans of Li Ran and Tian Xiwei have unearthed a photo of them on the set of "So Cute Us" from somewhere. The two are smiling and looking at each other, their eyes seemingly only for one other person.

The topic page is still refreshing, with new posts appearing every second.

Some people took screenshots, some analyzed, some wrote short essays, and some silently gave likes. This night, many people are destined to be unable to sleep.

Meanwhile, room number eight in Peach Blossom Village was just as lively.

Zhou Ye lay on her bed, holding up her phone. The light from the screen flickered on her face.

Meng Ziyi was lying on the bed next to her, also scrolling through her phone.

Her trending topic has dropped to the twenties and is still going down. The angry comments are still there, but not as many anymore...

Because everyone's attention was drawn to that trending relationship topic.

She didn't know whether she should be happy or unhappy. She was happy that no one was scolding her anymore, but unhappy because...

She doesn't even have the right to be scolded anymore.

"Xiao Ye, are you happy?" Meng Ziyi asked, looking at Zhou Ye lying on the bed.

Zhou Ye pursed his lips and slowly said, "It's too late, Sister Meng, go back to your room and rest."

Hu Lianxin was already asleep; she couldn't be bothered with these things, since they were none of her business anyway.

I wonder if anyone will ship me and Li Ran as a couple after the clip of us dancing airs next week...

The following day, the crew of "Even If This Love Disappears" arrived.

The soft lighting in the dressing room made Zhang Ruonan's skin appear translucent.

She sat in front of the mirror; the makeup artist had already left.

She glanced at herself in the mirror twice, then looked away, a slight, barely suppressed smile playing on her lips.

Wang Churan walked in from the door and sat down next to her.

She turned to look at Zhang Ruonan, sized him up and down, and then smiled.

"Sister Ruonan, I thought you could hold on for a couple more days," she said slowly.

Zhang Ruonan was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously glanced at the door. There were only the two of them in the dressing room, and she breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I don't understand." She lowered her head and pretended to tidy up the brushes on the table.

Wang Churan rolled her eyes, stared at Zhang Ruonan's face and slowly said, "Your face is so tender and smooth, it's obvious that it's been pampered. Don't pretend."

Zhang Ruonan's ears turned red.

She wanted to argue, but when she opened her mouth, she found that she couldn't say anything.

Last night, those images kept popping into my mind, frame by frame, and I couldn't bring them back no matter how hard I tried.

She wasn't Wang Churan; she couldn't bring herself to say those words. She just gave an awkward smile.

Looking at her, Wang Churan's smile deepened. She leaned forward, lowering her voice as if to reveal a secret: "How long did you two play yesterday?"

Zhang Ruonan felt quite comfortable with herself, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks.

"I'm going to find Li Ran to rehearse my lines." She said this without looking at Wang Churan, slowly got up and walked towards the door, her steps so fast it was as if she were fleeing.

Wang Churan watched her figure disappear through the door, rolled his eyes, and muttered under his breath, "She didn't want to leave last night, but now she's pretending to be innocent."

……

In a corner of the set, Li Ran leaned back in a folding chair, his cousin Long Ying sitting next to him, a tablet on her lap, the screen displaying real-time data from Weibo's trending topics.

"It's better to admit it now."

Long Ying frowned even more deeply and glared at him.

"Admit it openly?" Her tone carried a hint of warning.

"Back when we were freshmen at Beijing Film Academy, many classmates knew about our relationship." Li Ran leaned back in his chair, his tone calm, as if he were reviewing a past event.

"There were some related rumors when the Wildfire CP first started. It's just that my CP with Zhang Jingyi became too popular, and with the continuous emergence of other CPs, it didn't attract much attention."

Long Ying rolled her eyes at him and said coldly, "What, you want to officially announce your relationship with Zhou Ye?"

"I won't say anything else, but what will the other CP fans think? Will Auntie agree? And what will the other girls think?"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly and explained, "I didn't say it was an official announcement."

"Just openly admit that Zhou Ye and I had a relationship. After all, the breakup is real. As for whether we've gotten back together, let the fans guess."

Long Ying looked at him irritably, speechless, and said, "What's the difference between you admitting it now and making it an official announcement?"

Li Ran shook his head and added, "We'll buy some marketing accounts to stir up some controversy; we don't need to respond directly."

"Let public opinion develop on its own. We neither confirm nor deny it. In any case, the breakup is a fact, and whether they will get back together is just speculation. Let the fans believe whatever they want."

Long Ying was silent for a few seconds, then swiped her finger twice on the tablet. "I'll discuss a solution with the team."

She looked up at Li Ran and said, "By the way, tell Zhou Ye to tell Hesong not to cause any trouble."

Li Ran smiled, a smile that held a hint of helplessness and a touch of understanding.

"Are you afraid that Li Shuangbing will take this opportunity to let Zhou Ye leech off me?"

Long Ying didn't speak, but her expression already confirmed it.

"Or what?"

She countered, "Do you think Dong Shen wasn't involved in your affair with Zhang Jingyi?"

She paused, then added, "After the third episode of 'Peach Blossom Village' airs, the company plans to create a CP (couple pairing) between you and Hu Lianxin."

Li Ran nodded. This matter had been discussed from the beginning, so he had no reason to object.

With so many on-screen couples now, Zhang Jingyi is the one who benefits the most.

But ultimately, she is an artist under Dong Shen Entertainment.

Zhou Ye is now reaping the benefits, gaining nearly two million followers in one night, which shows how massive his current popularity is.

The main reason is that his fan base is very healthy, unlike the still-developing Bo Jun Yi Xiao, where CP fans make up the majority.

Long Ying watched as Zhang Ruonan walked over from the direction of the dressing room, closed the tablet computer, and stood up.

"You guys chat." She nodded to Zhang Ruonan and walked to the other side of the set.

Zhang Ruonan smiled at her and called out "Sister Long". Long Ying nodded and continued walking.

Li Ran looked up and saw sunlight filtering through the gaps in the roof, falling on her face and making her skin glow.

That light wasn't created by foundation; it shone through from within, like a spring bud just beginning to open, revealing its tenderest petal.

Zhang Ruonan sat down next to him and glanced in the direction Long Ying had left. "What were you talking about? Sister Long Ying looked very serious."

Li Ran looked at her and smiled, "It's nothing, we just chatted about the trending topics."

He paused, then suddenly asked, "By the way, you seem to be very afraid of my sister."

Zhang Ruonan pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "I just feel that Sister Long Ying has a rather strong aura; she doesn't seem like an assistant at all."

Li Ran chuckled. "Indeed, what kind of assistant can berate their boss so badly they can't even lift their head?"

Zhang Ruonan smiled too, a gentle smile in the sunlight. "Isn't she your sister?"

Suddenly remembering something, she turned to look at him, her smile fading slightly, replaced by a tentative expression. "Wang Churan knows about us?"

Li Ran glanced at her, his tone as flat as if he were stating something obvious: "She always knew."

Zhang Ruonan was taken aback. "Then who else would know?"

Li Ran thought for a moment: "I feel like I know."

Zhang Ruonan's expression changed from doubt to confusion, and then from confusion to something complex and indescribable.

"Huh?" she uttered a single syllable, her voice as soft as a sigh.

Li Ran turned her head, looked at her slightly bewildered expression, and smiled slightly. "They all asked me if I liked you, and I didn't hide anything."

Zhang Ruonan lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

"When did you start liking me?" she asked softly, but Li Ran still heard her.

Li Ran thought for a moment, looked at her, and answered seriously, "The night we watched the fireworks on New Year's Day, wasn't it? Seeing you standing there alone, I suddenly had a feeling."

Zhang Ruonan buried her face in her knees, her voice muffled: "Am I so incredibly embarrassing?"

She remembered how she had called him a scumbag not long ago, and she had been so righteous in her condemnation. But now she was sitting here asking him when he would like her back.

Several other people had already noticed the unusual situation between them, but she was the only one who stubbornly refused to admit it for months.

Li Ran couldn't help but laugh when he saw her curled up in a ball.

"Actually, I still prefer your rebellious side." His tone was slightly teasing.

Zhang Ruonan lifted her head from her knees, gave him a sidelong glance, her eyes filled with reproach, shyness, and a hint of smugness that she couldn't quite explain.

Zhang Ruonan lifted her head from her knees, gave him a sidelong glance, her eyes filled with reproach, shyness, and a hint of smugness that she couldn't quite explain.

"Then why did you make me call you last night..."

She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence.

Her face turned red starting from her neck, all the way to the tips of her ears, and down to the roots of her hair. She buried her face in her knees again and refused to come out.

She couldn't believe she was ever like Wang Churan.

Li Ran laughed when he saw her looking like she wanted to disappear into a crack in the ground.

In the distance, staff members were calling for them to get ready. He reached out and gently patted the back of her head.

"Let's go, let's go rehearse."

Zhang Ruonan lifted her head from her knees, her face flushed, and glared at him.

That look seemed to say, "It's all your fault," and also, "Hurry up and leave."

She stood up, dusted off her skirt, and walked towards the shooting area. Li Ran followed behind her, slowly, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

……