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

Meng Ziyi sat on the sofa in the RV, holding a cup of milk tea in her hand.

She was looking down at her phone when she heard the car door open, and she jerked her head up.

Li Ran stepped into the RV, still wearing his costume, exuding the sharp and fierce aura he had in period dramas.

He glanced at Meng Ziyi, then sat down opposite her in a casual manner.

"Li Ran..." Meng Ziyi called out, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

She tried to make her smile look natural, but there was still a hint of guilt and ingratiation hidden in it.

Li Ran leaned back in his chair, his tone casual, "What brings you here? Is there something you need?"

Meng Ziyi put down her milk tea. "I...I just wanted to come and see you."

Li Ran smiled faintly. "Now that you've seen it, let's go back early."

Meng Ziyi raised her head, bit her lip, as if hesitating about something, but finally spoke.

"Li Ran, I..." She paused, "I'm sorry."

Li Ran didn't say anything, he just looked at her.

"What I actually wanted to tell you was about Yu Shuxin. I didn't know she was that kind of person."

Meng Ziyi's voice was somewhat hurried, as if afraid of being interrupted, "I thought she just..."

She paused for a moment, then said, "If I had known, I wouldn't have spoken up for her."

Li Ran leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on her face. He didn't blame her; he just looked at her calmly.

"Sister Meng, that matter is in the past. You don't need to apologize on her behalf, nor do you need to feel that you've wronged anyone."

Meng Ziyi looked up. "So you forgive me?"

Li Ran smiled and said, "You didn't do anything wrong, so why are you talking about forgiving or not forgiving me?"

Meng Ziyi paused for a moment, then smiled.

She bent down and picked up another unopened cup of milk tea from beside her feet. She handed it to Li Ran, her gesture carrying a hint of ingratiation. "You're not angry? I'll treat you to milk tea."

Li Ran took the milk tea. "Why would I get angry with you over something so trivial?"

He paused, then added, "And also, you bring milk tea when you visit the set to apologize?"

Meng Ziyi felt a little embarrassed by what he said, but she still smiled.

Suddenly remembering something, she leaned forward and whispered, "Tonight..."

Before he could finish speaking, the car door was suddenly pulled open.

Tian Xiwei practically jumped up, her movements as fast as the wind.

She was wearing a costume with a small orchid design, the hem of which trailed on the ground, but she didn't seem to care.

She stood at the car door, her gaze first sweeping over Li Ran, then landing on Meng Ziyi, her large eyes filled with undisguised scrutiny.

Meng Ziyi swallowed her words, the second half of which was stuck in her throat and turned into an awkward cough.

Tian Xiwei ignored her, walked straight to Li Ran's side, plopped down, and leaned her body closer to him, her posture so intimate it was as if she were declaring her ownership.

She glanced at the milk tea in Li Ran's hand, reached out and took it, then took a big gulp.

Then she frowned, held the milk tea up to her eyes to look at it, put it back in Li Ran's hand, and snorted coldly.

"Why does it smell like green tea?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but Meng Ziyi's face stiffened.

"It was for Li Ran, who told you to drink it!" Her voice rose, tinged with annoyance at being offended.

Tian Xiwei smiled, a sweet smile, but her eyes held little warmth.

She leaned on Li Ran's shoulder, her tone indifferent, as if she were stating something perfectly natural.

"What's Li Ran's is mine, what's your problem with that?"

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Meng Ziyi's face. "I think Wang Churan went too far. If it were me, none of this would have happened that night."

She had already learned from Wang Churan that Meng Ziyi had visited the set of "Even If This Love Disappears".

I also learned that Li Ran and Meng Ziyi had played a friendly match.

Li Ran shook his head helplessly and handed the milk tea back to Tian Xiwei, "Drink your milk tea."

His tone wasn't harsh, but it carried a hint of "stop messing around."

Then he looked at Meng Ziyi and lowered his voice, "Sister Meng, if you have nothing else to do, you should go back first. I still have to film later."

Meng Ziyi opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

She looked at Li Ran, then at Tian Xiwei leaning on his shoulder; the scene was like a painting.

The two women, dressed in ancient costumes with their hair tied up in high buns, one aloof and the other sweet, sat together in an indescribable harmony.

She suddenly felt superfluous.

"Okay..." Her voice was very low, so low that it sounded like she was talking to herself.

She stood up and walked towards the car door. After taking two steps, she stopped and looked back at Li Ran.

He was looking down at the bottle cap, not at her. She looked away, opened the car door, and got out.

The car door closed behind her with a muffled thud.

Tian Xiwei lifted her head from Li Ran's shoulder, looked at the closed door, and smiled slightly.

She picked up the milk tea and took another sip.

"It really does smell like green tea," she muttered.

Li Ran didn't respond...

At 9 p.m., after finishing a day of filming, Li Ran returned to the hotel to rest.

After taking a shower and changing into clean clothes, he stood in the room for a while before going out.

The lights in the corridor were dim.

He walked to the room number sent by Meng Ziyi and knocked twice.

The door opened quickly, as if the person inside had been waiting.

Meng Ziyi was wearing a loose T-shirt and her hair was down. The moment she saw him, the corners of her mouth curved up.

"You're here!" Her voice was filled with undisguised joy, and she lunged forward to hug him tightly.

Li Ran didn't push her away. He hugged her and walked into the house, gently closing the door behind him.

Her hair brushed against his chin, making him feel a little itchy, and the scent of shampoo wafted into his nostrils—a very girlish fragrance.

"Looks like you don't hate me that much after all!" Meng Ziyi buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled, but with a hint of coquetry and smugness in her tone.

Li Ran shook his head helplessly, reached out and patted the back of her head. "Did I say I hated you?"

Meng Ziyi lifted her head from his embrace and looked up at him. "Then why can't I be like everyone else?"

Those eyes were bright and sparkling, with long eyelashes, staring at him intently, as if trying to find some answer on his face.

Her voice softened, tinged with a hint of grievance and resentment, "Is it because I met you later? Or do you care about my past...?"

"Sister Meng." Li Ran interrupted her, looking down at her with a calm gaze, neither evasive nor perfunctory.

"It's not your fault, you're fine."

He paused.

Meng Ziyi just stared at him, her eyes unblinking, her lips slightly pursed, as if waiting for a verdict.

Li Ran opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

He already has enough women, so many that sometimes when he wakes up in the middle of the night, it takes him several seconds to remember who he was sleeping next to.

He's barely managing to keep up with what he has, let alone have the energy to stir up new troubles.

And there's also Lulu Xiao.

After filming wrapped on "Snowy Mountain", the two had virtually no contact, and he thought time would heal all wounds.

But he could hear the cautious concern in her voice when she called a few days ago to ask if he was alright.

She didn't give up; instead, she became more and more deeply involved.

He can't afford to incur any more debt.

But Meng Jie's relentless pursuit is irresistible to any man, and besides, Meng Jie's looks and figure are impeccable.

If it were a persistent pest who calls herself a "little sun," Li Ran would have called the police long ago.

Yu Shuxin's looks are good enough to star in idol dramas, and it's also thanks to her good family background.

She marketed herself as one of the "Four Most Ordinary Women," dragging three others down with her.

One became a model and entered the entertainment industry because of her looks; the other became famous because of her bare-faced photos from her student days.

Although the last one wasn't great in the early stages, he debuted as a child star, so his ability to carry a drama is undeniable.

There's only one Tahm Kench who's become a shrewd operator, using his family connections to make money in the entertainment industry.

Meng Ziyi waited for a while, and seeing that he didn't speak, the light in her eyes slowly dimmed.

Seeing this, Li Ran smiled helplessly, "Sister Meng, sometimes I really feel that you're adorably silly..."

"You're the one who's like Pigsy..." Meng Ziyi retorted.

Three hours later, Li Ran left Meng Ziyi's room, returned to her own room, opened the door, and found the light was still on.

Tian Xiwei sat on the bed in her pajamas, scrolling through her phone; she had clearly been waiting for a long time.

Hearing the noise, Tian Xiwei looked up and glanced at him.

She snorted softly, her voice not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

"You mean you're going out to eat tonight when you're saying you have something to do?"

Li Ran didn't explain. He stood at the door, his hand still on the doorknob, and remained silent for two seconds before giving a sheepish laugh.

"I'm going to take a shower first."

He turned and walked toward the bathroom, his steps quicker than usual.

Tian Xiwei didn't stop him or say anything more. She just sat on the bed, watching his figure disappear behind the bathroom door, her expression complicated.

……

Li Ran came out of the bathroom, walked to the bedside, and sat down next to Tian Xiwei.

Tian Xiwei didn't move. She turned her back to him, pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, and wrapped herself up tightly.

Li Ran reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, his voice soft.

Are you angry?

Tian Xiwei nodded without speaking. After a long while, she turned her head to look at him, her eyes filled with grievance. "Don't you feel that relationships are cheap these days?"

Li Ran opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

He thought for a moment, and finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of sophistry.

"Is it that I don't love you?"

Tian Xiwei gave a soft hum, a hint of helplessness and resignation in her voice.

"Love, how could I not love?"

She paused, then said, "But can't you just love me?"

Li Ran smiled helplessly.

He knew in his heart that it was his family that gave her confidence: her mother's attitude, her grandmother's bracelet, and the moment she started calling her "Mom".

These things made her always feel that she was a few points more important than others.

But he happens to be someone who doesn't like being constrained.

In my past life, I had many conflicts with my family because of my desire to pursue a professional career. In this life, for some reason, although my family did not openly oppose me, they still interfered quite a bit.

But Li Ran, just like his name suggests, burns wildly like a flame, loves the wind, and is unrestrained and reckless.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Tian Xiwei raised her voice a little, with a hint of anger.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Tian Xiwei raised her voice a little, with a hint of anger.

"Li Ran, you have nothing to say, huh?"

Li Ran smiled helplessly, forced by her tone, and with a "what's the use" attitude, spread his hands and said, "How am I supposed to answer that? You all hold the same place in my heart. It's impossible for me to give up on either of you."

He paused, then added, "I've said this almost eight hundred times. You're not tired of hearing it, but I am."

Tian Xiwei didn't say anything. She stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly raised her elbow and gave him a hard slap.

The blow landed on his chest, neither too light nor too heavy, but it carried a fierce force.

"Fine, Li Ran, you've been flirting with other women all this time, so I won't be polite anymore." After she finished speaking, she turned over, climbed to the other side of the bed, turned her back to him, pulled the blanket up, and covered half of her face.

Li Ran's heart skipped a beat.

He thought of Guan Yu's hat, but he didn't have the penchant for that kind of character.

He quickly moved closer and hugged her from behind. Her body stiffened for a moment, but she didn't break free.

He was about to say something when Tian Xiwei suddenly turned around and faced him.

The two were very close, close enough to see the curve of her eyelashes. Her expression was serious, not like she was joking. "Don't worry, I won't find any other men. I'm not like you."

Li Ran breathed a sigh of relief, a slight smile playing on his lips, and teased her on purpose. "So you're still planning to find another woman?"

Tian Xiwei gave a soft snort, tinged with a hint of provocation, "Why can't I? Are you the only one allowed to find women?"

An alarm bell rang in Li Ran's mind.

He remembered that in his past life, Xiaotian had a lesbian couple, and the rumors online were quite detailed...

Could she really have that kind of fetish?

Tian Xiwei looked at his constipated expression and suddenly laughed.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore." Her voice softened, and she poked his chest with her finger, again and again.

Before Li Ran could fully relax, she spoke again, this time in a more serious tone.

"Whether it's Lu Yuxiao or Meng Ziyi, there really can't be any more."

She looked into his eyes, as if waiting for a promise, "I won't say anything about Zhang Ruonan. But Meng Ziyi, although you've already eaten, she can only stay outside."

Li Ran nodded and agreed first.

As for what happens in the future, we'll talk about that later.

He reached out and pulled her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head and closing his eyes.

Tian Xiwei nestled in his arms and didn't say anything more.

The night has finally fallen silent...

September has arrived.

Meng Ziyi's visit to the set was just a small episode in the long filming process.

She came for a day, stayed overnight, and left early the next morning. Before leaving, she sent Li Ran a message with only two words: "Gone."

Li Ran replied with an "Mm," and then deleted the chat window.

Tian Xiwei didn't ask any more questions, and he didn't bring it up again. Life went on as usual. They continued filming, and after work each day, they would have dinner together, play a couple of games, and then go back to their rooms to sleep.

The online uproar has finally subsided.

Those trending topics, the overwhelming discussions, and the fierce verbal battles were like a torrential rain – they came on strong and went away quickly.

People still mention it occasionally, but the voices are so faint they can be ignored.

Yu Shuxin faced widespread boycotts.

Endorsements were lost, projects were halted, and several previously scheduled roles were quietly recast.

Her Weibo account stopped updating in mid-August. The last post was "The innocent will clear themselves," which received hundreds of thousands of comments, 90% of which were negative.

Meanwhile, in a corner where no one was paying attention, a notice about the dismissal and investigation of a senior executive of a certain group, "Yu," quietly appeared on the official website of the relevant department.

There were no trending topics or discussions.

But Li Ran knew what that meant. He glanced at it, swiped past it, and didn't think about it anymore.

Liu Haocun's public image has recovered somewhat, but only somewhat.

The parents' mistake is an indisputable fact, even if no one wanted that accident to happen, even if the compensation had already been paid, and even if the other parents came out to clarify.

But the internet doesn't care about these things.

It only needs one target, an object to be judged from a moral high ground. As long as Liu Haocun stands there, there will always be people who want to throw stones at him.

Everyone longs for instant fame, yet they also envy others who seem to achieve success effortlessly.

Li Ran was powerless to do anything about it.

He could only have his team slow down, stop trying to use drastic measures to reverse public opinion, and let time wash things out.

Reputation is something that can't be rushed; if you rush it, it can easily backfire.

One midday in mid-September, the sun was shining brightly, not too strong, and felt warm and cozy on my skin.

Li Ran and Zhang Linghe had just finished a scene together and were resting on folding chairs by the set.

Zhang Linghe casually tried to find topics to talk about, while Li Ran leaned back in his chair, occasionally nodding or humming in response. His posture was relaxed, but not perfunctory.

Speaking of which, Zhang Linghe and Lu Yuxiao are from the same agency – Zhongxing.

Kiwifruit strategically acquired a 10% stake, which is the main reason why Zhang Linghe was able to get the second male lead role in "The Legend of Canglan".

To put it bluntly, both he and Lu Yuxiao are artists affiliated with iQiyi.

Among the three major internet platforms, Tao is the only one in which Li Ran's company holds shares, making Zhang Linghe practically one of his own.

Lu Yuxiao's casting as Jiang Ni has nothing to do with any of these things; it's entirely because of Li Ran.

Li Ran sometimes thinks about this and finds it a bit strange.

Just then, Tian Xiwei walked over from the direction of the dressing room, accompanied by a girl.

Li Ran looked up and was slightly taken aback.

The girl was wearing a light-colored knitted sweater, her hair was loose, her eyebrows were curved, and when she smiled, her eyes looked like two crescent moons. She had an indescribable charm about her.

It's not the kind of aggressive beauty, but a comfortable, captivating charm, like a gentle spring breeze.

Li Yitong, Li Ran recognized her.

In his past life, he had seen her dramas, but not many. In his memory, she had a "cold constitution," and although her dramas were popular, she herself was not. She played the female lead in more than a dozen dramas, but she was always just one step away from becoming famous.

She was also the absolute female lead in the later hit drama "Running Wild", but she didn't reap any benefits.

The standout characters are actually the eldest sister-in-law and the highly educated female supporting character.

But now, standing in the sunlight, her face was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her skin was so white it seemed to glow, and her eyes held a youthful liveliness, yet also a hint of maturity.