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

Wang Churan spotted Li Ran standing at the front desk paying the bill and immediately hurried over, greeting him with a bright smile, "What a coincidence, Li Ran!"

Li Ran took the black card from the waiter and casually stuffed it into his coat pocket. Hearing this, he chuckled and turned to look at her, his tone carrying a natural teasing: "Hey, Sister Bai Zhou, we came into the restaurant one after the other, how can that be considered a 'coincidence'?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake. The movie she filmed with VV probably hadn't even been filmed yet, and naturally, there was no longer any netizens calling her "Sister White Porridge".

Sure enough, genuine confusion immediately surfaced in Wang Churan's beautiful eyes, and she tilted her head slightly to ask, "Huh? Li Ran, what did you call me?"

Li Ran's expression remained unchanged as he quickly and deftly changed the subject: "Nothing. Did you need something?"

His tone was calm, as if the little slip of the tongue had never happened.

"Why are you so cold?" Wang Churan leaned forward a little, a faint scent of perfume wafting over him.

Her eyes crinkled into a smile, a hint of mischief and generosity in her expression. "Want to go for a walk together? This beautiful lady personally invited me, you wouldn't be so rude, would you?"

Seeing her radiant appearance, Li Ran's initial thought of "avoiding trouble" faded somewhat.

Since he had nothing else to do tonight, Yu Wenbo needed some peace and quiet. It seemed like a good idea to take a walk with this interesting "Porridge Sister".

He smiled slightly and nodded: "Okay."

He then turned to his assistant, who had been quietly waiting beside him, and to Yu Wenbo, whose emotions had calmed down considerably: "Shall I have my assistant take you home first?"

Yu Wenbo grunted in agreement, his gaze quickly shifting between Li Ran and Wang Churan. He gave Li Ran a knowing look, then waved and turned to leave with his assistant.

Seeing this, Wang Churan turned around and instructed her assistant, "You can take a taxi back first, don't wait for me. Li Ran and I are going to take a walk."

The assistant, clearly understanding her personality, nodded without asking further questions, only whispering a reminder to "be careful," before picking up her bag and leaving first.

She turned back to Li Ran, her smile bright: "Alright, now everyone's been cleared out. Teacher Li Ran, where are you planning to take me for a walk?"

Li Ran glanced at her, his tone casual: "Bai...Wang Churan, weren't you the one who invited me?"

Wang Churan seemed completely oblivious to Li Ran's second near-miss with the form of address. She said in a light tone, "Let's go! Let's take a stroll along the Bund. It's been so long since we've been there."

Before she finished speaking, she grabbed Li Ran's hand and walked towards the door.

Li Ran was slightly taken aback. Looking at the hand that was being held, he smiled. This Shandong girl really wasn't shy at all.

At the restaurant entrance, Wang Churan walked towards a sleek white BMW Mini, the headlights flashing twice as he unlocked it.

She opened the car door, naturally got into the driver's seat, rolled down the window, and gestured with her chin towards Li Ran: "Get in."

Li Ran sat in the passenger seat, the car filled with a faint fruity scent similar to her own, clean and refreshing.

Wang Churan was very focused while driving, occasionally humming along to the music, creating a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

Upon arriving at the Bund, due to the special circumstances, the usual hustle and bustle was replaced by a rare tranquility.

A cool, damp breeze swept across the river. The buildings of Lujiazui on the opposite bank remained dazzling, and the Oriental Pearl Tower shone its iconic light in the night. However, what adorned them was no longer the throngs of people, but only a few local residents strolling around, a small number of tourists, and a few couples cuddling and taking photos at the best viewpoints.

"It's so quiet here, it's rare!" Wang Churan took a deep breath of the cool air, looking quite pleased.

She walked a few steps to the railing overlooking the river, turned around, and behind her was the flowing Huangpu River and the magnificent skyline.

She set her small bag aside, suddenly grabbed Li Ran's sleeve, tugged at it gently, tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling in the light: "Take a picture of me!"

Li Ran took her phone and nodded.

Wang Churan tidied her wind-blown hair and flashed a bright and natural smile at the camera, with the city night view behind her resembling an inverted galaxy.

Li Ran pressed the shutter, the image was captured, and in the photo she had a bright smile, the background was magnificent, and the composition was surprisingly good.

"Let me see!"

Wang Churan jogged over, took the phone, examined it carefully, and a satisfied smile immediately spread across her eyes. "Great shot! I didn't know you had this skill!"

Before Li Ran could respond, she grabbed his arm again, and with her other hand, she held up her phone, switching to the front-facing camera: "Come on, let's take a picture together!"

Li Ran instinctively tried to dodge to the side; he didn't want to be trending on social media tomorrow.

"Oh, don't worry!" Wang Churan tightened her grip on his arm, her tone a mix of coquettishness and matter-of-fact, "I promise I won't post it. I'll just keep it to myself and commemorate tonight!"

As she spoke, she didn't give Li Ran a chance to refuse again. She leaned closer to him, raised her phone high with her left hand, and adjusted the angle.

"Look at the camera and smile!" she said cheerfully.

Li Ran was somewhat helpless at her sudden intimacy and speed, but the warmth and strength from her arm could not be ignored.

In the end, he still faced the camera and gave a smile that seemed helpless but not exactly resistant.

After taking the photos, Wang Churan released Li Ran's hand and looked down to examine the results.

She looked at it for a few seconds and murmured softly, "Tsk, I must say, they actually look quite well-matched."

She turned her phone screen towards Li Ran, a slight smugness playing on her lips. "How was it? Not bad, right?"

Li Ran's gaze fell on the group photo. His face was expressionless, but the corners of his mouth were almost imperceptibly upturned. His tone remained flat: "Hmm, not bad."

A secret thrill, which I hadn't expected, swept through my heart.

He really didn't intend to provoke this woman known for her "straightforwardness" and "unique thought process" right now, but when she approached him so brightly and irresistibly...

He found that he didn't dislike it at all, and even enjoyed it a little.

The two fell silent for a moment, leaning side by side against the cool riverside railing.

The wind from the Huangpu River, carrying damp moisture, brushed against my cheeks. On the opposite bank stretched a dazzling galaxy that seemed to never go out, with the Oriental Pearl Tower standing quietly on the other side.

In this floating stillness, Wang Churan suddenly turned his head, his gaze no longer the playful one he had been taking pictures of, but focused and direct, landing squarely on Li Ran's profile.

"Li Ran".

She spoke, her voice clear and earnest, "How does it feel to be a star?"

Li Ran was slightly taken aback by her question.

He turned his head to meet her eyes, which reflected the river fire, and said in a relaxed tone, "It's good. Discovering that so many people like you doesn't feel bad."

Wang Churan frowned slightly and asked doubtfully, "But when you were a professional player, didn't countless people like you and cheer for you? Wasn't that feeling of being genuinely loved by so many people better than it is now?"

Li Ran remained silent for a moment, then turned back and looked again at the illusory sea of ​​light on the opposite shore.

When he spoke again, his voice was heavy, "That's different."

"The liking on the field is conditional. It's tightly tied to your performance, your form, whether you'll carry or make a mistake in the next second. That kind of pressure feels like being roasted on a fire all the time."

"You never know how long you can maintain your peak performance, or when your next slump will suddenly strike."

He thought of himself in another time and space, paused, and a faint regret appeared in his eyes, "And there can only ever be one champion."

"But you succeeded." Wang Churan didn't notice his unusual emotions and stated the facts with certainty.

Her arm naturally slipped through Li Ran's crook and gently took his arm, the gesture carrying an unspoken intimacy.

Wang Churan raised her head slightly, looked into Li Ran's eyes, and spoke clearly and firmly while Li Ran was still somewhat confused.

"Li Ran, I like you."