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

This question, which was exactly the same as Wang Churan's, made Zhang Jingyi's eyelashes tremble slightly.

She didn't answer immediately, but simply stared quietly into Liu Haocun's eyes without flinching.

"Why do you ask that?"

Liu Haocun spoke calmly without hesitation: "Because the way you look at him is the same way I look at him."

Zhang Jingyi avoided her gaze and lowered her head in thought.

First there was Wang Churan, and now there's Liu Haocun. Li Ran, how come you're so popular with girls?!

Although Liu Haocun and Wang Churan were rivals in love, she couldn't bring herself to dislike Liu Haocun; she just felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"Yes, I like him." She wasn't as assertive as she was when facing Wang Churan; in fact, she seemed rather calm.

Liu Haocun's eyes crinkled slightly, but without sarcasm, he continued, "Starting in high school?"

Zhang Jingyi nodded.

Does he know?

"have no idea."

Zhang Jingyi lowered her eyes, paused, and softly said, "Perhaps... she probably doesn't know."

Liu Haocun looked at Zhang Jingyi in front of him. She sat there quietly, with a gentle posture and a calm tone, but beneath that calmness was a long-standing unrequited love.

It was a childhood crush that, after accumulating over time, became a habit.

They dared not speak.

Liu Haocun was a little reluctant to ask further, but she still asked because she also liked Li Ran.

"So what do you plan to do?"

Zhang Jingyi raised her eyes and looked at her, her tone this time somewhat stubborn.

"And you? What are you planning to do?"

Liu Haocun paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Me..."

She drew out the last syllable, her eyes darting towards the kitchen before returning to their own.

"I don't have any plans. If I like someone, I'll get closer; if I don't, I'll stay away. If we can be together, we'll be together; if we can't... then we'll just be friends."

She spoke lightly and casually.

But Zhang Jingyi looked at her and suddenly said, "You're not that kind of person, you don't need to act for me."

Liu Haocun frowned.

Zhang Jingyi continued, "The more indifferent you seem now, the more it proves that you care. And from the moment you walked in, you acted as if you were very familiar with Li Ran."

"You're just putting on an act for me, aren't you? You're actually not as good as Wang Churan!"

Liu Haocun's expression changed, clearly she was unaware of the relationship between Wang Churan and Li Ran.

Zhang Jingyi keenly noticed this and slowly said, "It seems you are unaware of Wang Churan's existence."

Liu Haocun was silent for two seconds, then she laughed out loud: "Wow, is Wang Churan his girlfriend?"

"Another, more direct suitor." Zhang Jingyi didn't hide it; even if she didn't say it herself, she would have asked Li Ran.

"Oh, I see! Then it's nothing, she's not like she's your girlfriend."

……

Li Ran ladled the last stir-fried vegetable dish out of the pan and called out towards the living room, "Okay, come help serve the dishes."

Liu Haocun was the first to jog to the kitchen doorway. She approached, glanced at the dishes, and then pouted.

"Why isn't there braised pork?"

Li Ran, carrying the plate out, glanced at her speechlessly upon hearing this: "You've been eating this for three days straight, aren't you tired of it?"

"It's not greasy at all."

Liu Haocun said matter-of-factly, "How can delicious food be greasy?"

She picked up her bowl and chopsticks and followed Li Ran out, muttering to herself, "What's wrong with three days? I could eat this for thirty years and never get tired of it..."

Zhang Jingyi also went into the kitchen to help serve the remaining dishes.

Her gaze fell on the plate of stir-fried carrots and pork, and her eyes lit up slightly.

"It has my favorite one," she said softly, her voice brimming with undisguised joy.

Li Ran glanced back, a slight smile appearing on his lips: "They're mostly things you like."

Zhang Jingyi paused for a moment, lowered her eyes, and didn't say anything. But when she carried the plate out, her steps were lighter than when she came in.

Liu Haocun heard him clearly, quickly caught up with him, gently bumped his shoulder, and then gave a soft "humph".

Li Ran smiled but didn't say anything.

At the dinner table, Liu Haocun buried his head in his rice, clearly sulking, and didn't say a word, picking at the plate of stir-fried vegetables.

I comforted myself by thinking that today's meal was a way to lose weight.

Zhang Jingyi ate slowly and deliberately, feeding the shredded carrots into her mouth one small bite at a time, her eyes always showing a faint sense of satisfaction.

The two puppies had already eaten their fill and were now huddled together in their doghouse next to the sofa, heads touching, fast asleep.

After the meal, Li Ran put down his chopsticks and looked at Liu Haocun, who was wiping his mouth: "Alright, go wash the dishes."

Liu Haocun paused, looked up, and stared wide-eyed: "Isn't there a dishwasher?"

"Didn't you say that I would cook and you would wash the dishes?"

Li Ran leaned back in his chair and said slowly, "Besides, you washed yourself clean."

Liu Haocun stared at him for two seconds, his cheeks puffing out slightly.

"Hmph, fine, I'll go then."

She carried the bowls and plates towards the kitchen, but turned back halfway and added, "I'm doing this to give you face, so you won't nitpick about me again."

After saying that, he went into the kitchen without looking back.

Zhang Jingyi got up to help, but Li Ran gestured to stop her, saying, "It's okay, let her wash."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of indulgence he himself didn't realize: "She's gotten used to it, eating and drinking for free every day, she's practically treating this place like her own home."

The sound of running water came from the kitchen, and Liu Haocun could be faintly heard humming a song. The tune was completely off-key, but she was humming with great enthusiasm.

Li Ran and Zhang Jingyi sat down on the sofa in the living room.

Ta Xue and Dou Zai rolled over in the doghouse and continued sleeping, their soft snores rising and falling.

Li Ran leaned back on the sofa and glanced at Zhang Jingyi.

She sat very upright, legs together, hands on her knees, as quiet as a porcelain doll.

Li Ran suddenly remembered when Xiao Tian and Coconut were on set; the scene was like two fighting cocks, ready to start a fight at any moment.

But the two girls in front of me, one humming an off-key song while washing dishes in the kitchen, and the other sitting quietly beside me, created an unbelievably peaceful atmosphere.

Curious, he asked, "What were you two talking about just now?"

Zhang Jingyi turned to look at him, her eyes crinkling into a smile: "It's nothing, we just chatted about you."

Li Ran raised an eyebrow: "What do I have to talk about?"

I won't tell you.

Zhang Jingyi shook her head gently, a slight smile on her lips, "This is a secret between girls."

Li Ran looked at her but didn't ask any further questions.

He suddenly noticed that when Zhang Jingyi smiled, the corners of her eyes would curve into small crescents, making her look gentle and non-aggressive.

She appears very gentle and poised, giving the impression of a model student in the class.

Zhang Jingyi felt a little embarrassed by Li Ran's gaze, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

She asked in a soft, sweet voice, "Brother Li Ran, is there something on my face?"

Li Ran shook his head, then, as if remembering something, said, "It's kind of good!"

After spending a few days together, he was also infected by Liu Haocun, and started spouting cheesy pickup lines all the time.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingyi's ears turned red, and as if to hide her embarrassment, she quickly changed the subject.

"Do you have time the day after tomorrow?"

She didn't look at him; her gaze fell on the two small dogs beside her, and she seemed a little nervous.

"The day after tomorrow?" Li Ran thought for a moment.

Filming for "Sending You a Little Red Flower" is scheduled to begin in late July, leaving about ten days of free time.

He didn't really have any fixed schedule during this period, but he might have to take some time to visit Xiaotian and Yezi on set.

"Nothing, what's wrong?" he replied casually.

Zhang Jingyi was silent for a second, and her eyes slowly dimmed.

"It's nothing," she smiled and quickly returned to normal.

"How about we go out and have some fun together that day? I'm about to start filming, so I want to take advantage of this free time... and go out for a bit."

Li Ran had been watching her closely and naturally noticed the change in her. The day after tomorrow is July 10th.

He also knew what day it was.

Li Ran looked at her and chuckled softly, "Okay! You decide where we go."

Zhang Jingyi nodded gently.

"it is good."

The sound of water in the kitchen stopped.

Liu Haocun wiped his hands and walked out. He paused when he saw the two people sitting side by side in the living room.

"Finished washing?" Li Ran asked her.

Liu Haocun walked over and naturally sat down on the other side of Li Ran, throwing himself into the sofa.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted. You'll have to help me next time."

"We'll talk about it next time."