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

Li Ran drove to the address Zhang Jingyi had sent, which was a stylishly decorated pet store located in a quiet neighborhood.

He parked the car and, through the window, immediately saw Zhang Jingyi standing outside the store waiting.

Li Ran got out of the car and walked over with Wang Churan.

Although Li Ran was wearing a hat and a mask, Zhang Jingyi recognized him at a glance, a smile spreading across her face as she waved gently at him.

However, when Zhang Jingyi saw Wang Churan following behind Li Ran, she frowned slightly.

Wang Churan? What's she doing here?

Li Ran approached, pulled down his mask, and smiled: "Have you been waiting long, Jingyi?"

"No, I just arrived a little while ago."

Zhang Jingyi shook her head, turned her gaze to Wang Churan, and asked in a gentle but inquiring tone, "Sister Churan, are you here to buy a pet too?"

Wang Churan took off her sunglasses, smiling frankly, even with a hint of matter-of-fact: "Li Ran said he couldn't make up his mind and insisted on dragging me over to help him take a look. Right, Li Ran?"

As she spoke, she nudged Li Ran lightly with her elbow, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Li Ran could only nod in agreement, then smiled at Zhang Jingyi and said, "More people means more information. Shall we go in?"

The three of them entered the store.

The space was more open than I had imagined, with two floors, a bright and warm design, and almost no odor.

"Welcome! Would you like to see dogs or cats?"

Before Li Ran could decide, he looked at Zhang Jingyi and asked gently, "Jingyi, do you already have a target?"

Just then, the sales assistant heard Li Ran speak and clearly heard him call one of the girls "Jingyi".

She looked at Li Ran more closely, her eyes suddenly widening, and tentatively asked in a low voice, "Excuse me... are you the God of Burning?"

Li Ran was slightly surprised, not expecting to be recognized here.

He simply pulled down his mask and smiled, "Yes, I'm Li Ran."

"Ah! It really is the God of Burning!" The young lady looked excited and almost jumped up.

"I'm your fan! I've liked you since you were a professional player! Can...can I take a picture with you? Just one!" She clasped her hands together, her eyes full of expectation.

Li Ran glanced at the name tag on her chest and said gently, "Taking a photo together is no problem."

"However, how about we choose a pet first? It's your work time now, wouldn't it be inappropriate if your boss saw us?"

The young woman quickly waved her hand, smiling a little embarrassedly, "It's okay, it's okay! This shop is owned by my brother, so I'm in charge!"

It turns out he was the small business owner.

Li Ran nodded knowingly, and since it was his own business, he readily agreed.

The young lady excitedly took out her phone and took only one photo with Li Ran, striking a good balance.

She looked at the photos with satisfaction, then couldn't suppress her gossip and asked curiously, "Ran Shen, many people online say that you entered the entertainment industry because of Teacher Jingyi, is that true?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ran was both amused and exasperated.

This fan seems to be a 5G surfer, knowing even the most trivial gossip.

Before he could speak, Zhang Jingyi, who was standing next to him, explained, "Don't misunderstand. Li Ran and I are high school classmates and friends now. It's not like what's being said online."

When Zhang Jingyi personally clarified the situation, the young lady showed a hint of regret on her face, indicating that her "CP dream had been shattered."

She chuckled awkwardly, "Oh, that's not what I meant! Actually, I'm a fan of your pairing, I just think the senior-junior dynamic is really sweet..."

Wang Churan, who had been watching quietly, chuckled softly, "Little girl, shipping every kind of couple is dangerous, you might end up with an unbalanced diet."

As she spoke, she also took off her mask and hat.

"Wow!" The sales assistant's eyes were instantly drawn to it. After a closer look, she exclaimed again in a low voice, "Consort Zhang?! I've seen 'Serenade of Peaceful Joy'!"

She's clearly a big fan of TV series.

Then, her gaze darted back and forth between Li Ran and Wang Churan, and she blurted out, "So... you and Ran Shen are actually a couple?"

She felt as if she had discovered an even more incredible truth.

Li Ran realized that this fan was not only a fan of celebrities, but also a deep "fangirl" who loved to find romantic moments in every interaction.

He shook his head with a slight chuckle, stepping in to end the increasingly tangential conversation: "Alright, alright, we're all friends. Let's see the pets first, and we can chat as we look at them, how about that?"

The young woman realized she had gotten too excited, stuck out her tongue sheepishly, and quickly got back to the point: "Okay, okay! So, what breed would you three like to see? Dogs or cats?"

Li Ran turned his gaze to Zhang Jingyi again.

Zhang Jingyi said gently, "I'd like to look at Yorkshire Terriers first. Do you have any miniature ones?"

"Yes, yes! This way, please, I'll take you there." The young lady regained her professionalism and led Zhang Jingyi to the Yorkshire Terrier display area.

There were several little creatures playing on the soft mat, their fur glossy, like exquisitely moving dolls.

Zhang Jingyi squatted down and her eyes were immediately drawn to one of the particularly lively little creatures with bright black eyes. She then whispered to the sales assistant.

Li Ran didn't follow immediately, but instead strolled slowly in the kennel area on the first floor, his gaze sweeping over the lively or quiet little lives behind each glass window.

Wang Churan stood beside him with her hands in her pockets, like a human-shaped pendant.

"So, Young Master Li, have you decided which roommate you want to invite home?" Wang Churan asked.

"It's probably a small dog, which is suitable for apartments and easier to care for."

Li Ran's gaze swept around, finally settling on a few Schnauzers in a nearby area.

This breed has distinctive old man-like eyebrows and beard, giving it a unique and endearing charm.

He especially noticed a small creature with black and silver markings, erect ears, and tilting its head, curiously examining him.

The puppy had exceptionally bright eyes, and when its gaze met his, it gently wagged its docked tail, showing no fear whatsoever.

In that instant, Li Ran's heart stirred.

He has always relied on intuition, whether it's making predictions on the field or making decisions in life.

That intuition of "this is it" was clear and unambiguous.

"What do you think of the Schnauzer?" he asked Wang Churan, pointing to the small black and silver dog.

Wang Churan followed his finger, pursed her lips, and replied in an extremely perfunctory manner: "It's fine, you're the one raising it, not me."

"What, want to experience what it's like to raise a son early?"

Li Ran was too lazy to argue with her; his mind was made up.

He turned and walked towards Zhang Jingyi, who had also made her choice and was gently stroking a quiet Yorkshire Terrier lying in her palm.

"Brother Li Ran, look, isn't it cute?" Zhang Jingyi looked up and showed the puppy in her palm to Li Ran like a treasure, her face filled with a pure joy of sharing.

"Hmm, it's very cute and looks very well-behaved." Li Ran praised sincerely, looking at the puppy's dependent look in her palm.

"So, you've decided on this one?"

"Yes, this is it!" Zhang Jingyi nodded, her eyes gentle yet firm.

"I've made my choice too," Li Ran pointed to the direction of the Schnauzer behind him, "a black and silver Schnauzer that I really like."

After making your selection, the next steps involve payment and related procedures.

The sales assistant was very enthusiastic. She not only gave me a discount, but also gave me a lot of free pet supplies, from high-end food and treats to toys and pee pads, which were almost piled up like a small mountain.

What's even more thoughtful is that she offered to let Li Ran and his team stay at the shop for temporary boarding if they were busy with work or traveling in the future. She assured them that the service would be professional and reliable.

When it was time to pay, the young lady shyly made a small request: "Ran Shen, could we... take another photo together? Just with me holding the puppy!"

Li Ran looked at Zhang Jingyi and Wang Churan, and both of them said it was fine.

The young woman was overjoyed and quickly asked her colleagues to help take the photos.

In the photo, Li Ran is holding a black and silver Schnauzer with a slightly serious expression, Zhang Jingyi is holding a well-behaved Yorkshire Terrier, and Wang Churan is standing on the other side of Li Ran with a bright smile.

After the photo was taken, the young woman looked at the picture on her phone, hesitated for a moment, and then mustered up her courage to ask, "Um... Mr. Ran, can I post this photo on my personal Weibo? I promise I'll only post pictures of the pet and promotions for the store, and I definitely won't write anything inappropriate!"

She knew this was a great publicity opportunity.

Li Ran thought about it.

This fan was very helpful, offering discounts and conveniences; I might need her to foster my child again in the future.

Posting a Weibo post is both a way of thanking her and a good way to promote her shop.

Li Ran herself doesn't mind sharing this kind of chance encounter.

"Okay, just don't write any random pairings for me." He nodded in agreement.

"That's great! Thank you, Ran Shen! Thank you, Teacher Chu Ran! Thank you, Teacher Jing Yi!"

The young woman was so happy she almost jumped for joy. For her small shop, this was like free top-tier traffic falling from the sky.