Chapter 79

Having made up his mind, Huo Ran carefully packaged the two palace fans into an exquisite gift box. Just then, his agent Sister Qin arrived at his place. The moment she walked in, she dropped her handbag onto the table and collapsed onto the couch with a long sigh. “God, I’m exhausted.”

Huo Ran poured her a cup of tea. “What have you been up to? You look beat.”

“What else? Running around everywhere for your sake.”

Sister Qin tilted her chin up and rolled her stiff neck. “Now that you’ve proven your innocence and your reputation is restored, I’ve been getting nonstop calls from people wanting to interview you or have you appear on shows to get first-hand information.”

She let out a cold laugh. “When you got into trouble, so many people kicked you while you were down. Those up-and-coming celebs who used to call me ‘Sister Qin’ with such respect started throwing me side-eyes. Some even hung up the moment they heard it was me or just didn’t answer at all, acting like they didn’t know me. But now? You’ve barely stepped out of prison and suddenly their calls are flooding in, all sweetness and familiarity. If I hadn’t seen their true faces, I’d think I’d dreamt everything I went through.”

Huo Ran silently patted her shoulder in comfort. Sister Qin wiped her eyes, straightened up, and said with renewed spirit, “Things are different now. Miss You is your fan, and Miss Shen is her girlfriend. That means you’ve got the Shen and You families backing you. I’d like to see who still dares mess with you!”

Huo Ran didn’t look pleased or proud. Instead, he calmly shook his head. “I’m grateful Miss You is my fan, but I can’t take advantage of her. That would tarnish the sincerity of our connection.”

“You—ugh, forget it…” Sister Qin was initially a bit exasperated. This was such a great opportunity, and Huo Ran still didn’t know how to seize it. But calming down, she remembered that this was just the kind of person he was—always protective of his fans. How could someone like him ever feel right about using one?

“If you don’t want to, I won’t push. But at least make a good impression in front of Miss You and Miss Shen. Don’t end up offending them instead of gaining their favor.”

That finally made Huo Ran smile faintly. “I know.”

Sister Qin had obtained Miss Shen’s contact information. After speaking with her, they arranged a meeting. Listening to Miss Shen’s cool, clear voice over the phone, Sister Qin blushed with excitement. God, that voice is way too dominant.

After the call, Shen Lihuan tossed her phone onto the bed and turned to look at You Changqing, who was leaning beside her. “The time’s set—twelve noon at the Riverside Hotel.”

“Thank you, Lihuan, you’re the best.”

You Changqing naturally leaned in for a kiss, and Shen Lihuan wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her firmly in return. Afterward, as You Changqing was catching her breath, she said, “Changhong’s going to be over the moon. He’s a die-hard fan of Huo Ran, you know.”

Even though he was a bit of a flirt, falling for every pretty face, Huo Ran had been one of his longest-standing favorite stars.

“Is Huo Ran really that great? You and Changhong both like him.”

Shen Lihuan narrowed her peach blossom eyes dangerously, arms crossed, clearly a bit displeased. You Changqing gasped dramatically and dove into her arms. “Lihuan, don’t be jealous. No matter how good Huo Ran is, I only like him as a regular celebrity. The one I love is you.”

Shen Lihuan pinched her delicate chin and tilted her head slightly. “You little flirt…”

You Changqing winked seductively. “My sweet talk is for you and you only.”

A glimmer of amusement flashed across Shen Lihuan’s deep eyes, and the corner of her mouth curved up. That tense air around her melted like snow in early spring. She let go of You Changqing’s chin, wrapped an arm around her waist, and flipped her onto the bed, pressing her down. “I’m giving you the chance to meet your favorite celebrity. Aren’t you going to show some gratitude?”

“What kind of gratitude do you want?”

Seeing Shen Lihuan’s playful expression, You Changqing laughed. “I want to…” The last few words were whispered into her ear. You Changqing’s cheeks turned pink in an instant.

“Can’t I?” Shen Lihuan raised an eyebrow, obviously displeased.

“You can.”

You Changqing’s voice stretched into a purr as she pulled Shen Lihuan in for another kiss.

What happened in that room after that was beyond the scope of polite description. It wasn’t until 11:10 that they finally left to pick up You Changhong. When he saw them, he excitedly waved and sprinted to the car.

“Lihuan-jie! Long time no see! Last time you two went to Green Villa and didn’t even bring me!”

After greeting them with a grin, he immediately remembered how he’d been left out and looked at Shen Lihuan and You Changqing with mock condemnation. Poor him—his two big sisters never took him anywhere.

“Next time, next time, we’ll bring you along,” You Changqing said half-heartedly.

Shen Lihuan was even more blunt. “We’ll bring you when there are more people. When it’s just me and your sister, you’d better stay out of it.”

Three’s a crowd, and frankly, Changhong didn’t need to play the lightbulb while the couple glowed.

You Changhong picked up on the implication and sulked into the corner of the backseat. In this day and age, single people really have no rights.

You Changqing shot Shen Lihuan a playful glare. Couldn’t she be a little less brutally honest?

Shen Lihuan gave her a completely innocent look. What, I’m not allowed to tell the truth now?

From his corner, You Changhong watched these two “girlfriends” exchange loving glances and felt deeply that he had boarded the wrong vehicle.

I should be under the car, not in it—watching how sweet you two are.

Thankfully, You Changqing still loved her little brother. She coaxed him for a while until he cheered up. Shen Lihuan shrugged and decided to follow her wife’s example and be nice too. “Don’t be upset, Changhong. I’ll give you a big red envelope for the New Year—you can buy whatever you want.”

She said it with impressive generosity.

“Really?!”

You Changhong’s eyes lit up. “That’s awesome! As long as you’re generous, Lihuan-jie, I swear I’ll never interrupt your couple time!”

He looked all righteous, but his mind was already wondering how fat that red envelope would be. Funds had been tight lately, and he hadn’t gotten his hands on a figurine he wanted. But now with Lihuan-jie’s red envelope—heh, that figurine’s as good as his.

When it comes to how frustrating it is to have a younger brother who can be bought off with a red envelope, You Changqing said she had no comment.

“I just love kids like you with such high ideological awareness. Don’t worry, sis will definitely treat you well.”

Having settled her little brother who always wanted to be the third wheel, Shen Lihuan was very pleased and decided to give him more pocket money in the future—after all, the kid was so considerate.

Soon, the bodyguards dropped them off at River View Hotel. The hotel manager was already waiting at the entrance. When he saw them getting out of the car, he immediately greeted them with a warm smile. “Miss Shen, Miss You, Young Master You, welcome to River View Hotel.”

“Hello, sorry to trouble you.”

Shen Lihuan nodded at the manager, while You Changqing added coolly, “Thanks for the trouble.” You Changhong gave the manager a cheerful smile. “Thank you for the trouble.”

“Not at all. Please, follow me.”

The manager, a seasoned professional who’d seen it all, took the lead and escorted them up to a private room on the third floor. Huo Ran and his agent were already there.

Knowing the drill, the manager quietly exited and instructed the server to stay by the door and only go in when called.

Sister Qin and Huo Ran stood up as soon as they saw the three stunningly attractive guests enter. “Miss Shen, Miss You, nice to meet you.”

When she saw You Changqing’s younger brother, Sister Qin wasn’t quite sure who he was, but since he’d arrived with Miss Shen and Miss You, he clearly wasn’t just anyone. She quickly smiled and asked, “Forgive me for not recognizing someone so important. May I ask your name, young master?”

You Changhong beamed at the sight of Huo Ran, gave a casual wave, and kept his eyes on him. “My surname is You. Just call me Changhong. Brother Huo, I’m a big fan of yours.”

Sister Qin was surprised at first—so this was the young master of the You family. Then she was thrilled—he was a fan of Huo Ran!

My god, what a huge surprise!

Seeing the bright and sincere look in the young man’s eyes, a hint of a smile finally appeared in Huo Ran’s usually calm eyes. “I’m honored you like me. It really means a lot.”

“That’s because you’re amazing, Brother Huo. That’s why I like you.”

Meeting his idol, You Changhong was visibly excited. He darted over and started chatting with Huo Ran, full-on fanboy mode.

Shen Lihuan knew he wouldn’t be paying attention to anyone else now. She smiled at Sister Qin. “Changhong is always this excitable. Let’s sit. Let him chat with Huo Ran a bit more.”

Sister Qin was overjoyed seeing the young master getting along with Huo Ran—why would she mind? She smiled and invited Shen Lihuan and the others to sit. “It’s Huo Ran’s good fortune to have won the young master’s admiration. He’s a bit stubborn and not one for self-promotion, so most of his fans are people who’ve been in the workforce for years. It’s rare for someone young to like him—I couldn’t be happier.”

“Huo Ran is very talented. It’s fine if he keeps a low profile. He’s not one of those idol-types who rely on hype to stay relevant.”

You Changqing glanced at Huo Ran, who was chatting with her brother. She didn’t know much about him, but she had heard several of his songs and knew he had real talent. Seeing now that he didn’t act like some arrogant superstar or try to curry favor with them because of their backgrounds, but instead treated them sincerely and with confidence, she nodded to herself in approval.

Shen Lihuan, who knew the least about Huo Ran, didn’t say much either. She simply poured boiling water into the teacups to rinse them, then poured a cup of tea for You Changqing. The rich aroma of the tea wafted through the air. You Changqing turned her head and gave her a sweet smile.

Sister Qin quietly observed from the side. Miss Shen had a reserved and commanding presence. She didn’t say much, but her aura was impossible to ignore.

Miss You, on the other hand, had a cold and elegant air. At first glance, she seemed aloof and unapproachable—but with Miss Shen, she transformed into a sweet and gentle girl. Miss Shen treated her with care, even pouring tea for her personally.

What an extraordinary pair. In terms of background, they were a power match; in looks, they were evenly matched; and in temperament, they complemented each other perfectly. Truly a match made in heaven.

Not to mention, they were so in love.

Over on the other side, You Changhong finally calmed down after chatting with Huo Ran for several minutes. He returned to his seat with Huo Ran. “Lihuan-jie, you’re amazing. That scumbag Qin is totally screwed this time—I’d love to see how he bounces back. Watching him get wrecked makes me so happy.”

“Exactly! We’re so grateful to you, Miss Shen. If it weren’t for you, Huo Ran wouldn’t have been able to clear his name. You’re literally his savior.”

Both Sister Qin and Huo Ran stood up and gave Shen Lihuan a deep bow. “Thank you so much.”

“No need to be so polite. It was no trouble. Changqing likes your work. I hope Mr. Huo will continue to produce more outstanding music.”

Shen Lihuan raised her hand to gesture for them to sit. She glanced at Huo Ran’s refined, yet not overly pretty face, thought for a moment, and said, “Mr. Huo was wrongly accused—those previous jobs and endorsements probably aren’t valid anymore, right?”

Sister Qin’s expression darkened. “There’s nothing we can do. Huo Ran just had bad luck and crossed the wrong people. Everyone’s in it for the profit. If Huo Ran can’t bring them benefits, of course they’d cancel the gigs and endorsements.”

“In that case, would Mr. Huo be interested in endorsing one of my companies?”

Sister Qin’s eyes lit up. “Miss Shen, you mean…?”

Was she asking Huo Ran to endorse one of Shen Group’s products? Just thinking about the Shen Group made Sister Qin shiver in excitement.

“I have a company under my name that’s about to launch a men’s skincare line. Would Mr. Huo be interested?”

When she realized it wasn’t a Shen Group product, Sister Qin felt a slight twinge of disappointment. Still, just being associated with Miss Shen was more than enough. “May we ask what your company is called, Miss Shen?”

You Changhong grinned and answered for them. “Lihuan-jie’s company is called Shengyan. You definitely know it.”

Shengyan?! How could they not know it? It’s the hottest skincare brand right now—constantly out of stock, with purchase limits due to overwhelming demand. In just two months, it had risen to the top and become the number one skincare brand in consumers’ hearts.

If Huo Ran could become the face of Shengyan, his career would absolutely soar!

“Of course we’re interested! If Huo Ran has the honor of endorsing Shengyan, he’d be the lucky one.”

Sister Qin was absolutely thrilled.

Qin Jie spoke with great excitement.

Huo Ran was currently in the most awkward stage of his career. Even though he had been framed and wrongfully imprisoned, the fact remained that he had gone to prison. No matter how you spun it, he now had a stain on his record. If he didn’t choose the right moment to make a comeback, everything he’d worked so hard to build could fall apart.

But now, with the endorsement of the Shengyan brand, and with Miss Shen from the Shen family backing him, who would still dare bring up the fact that Huo Ran had been to prison?

“Thank you so much, Miss Shen. I have no way to repay your kindness. I won’t take a cent for this endorsement. And—these are two palace fans from my personal collection, said to be made by the great calligrapher and painter Shen Yaonian and his wife, You Zhaoyan. I’d like to gift them to you and Miss You, wishing you a long and happy life together.”

Huo Ran knew Miss Shen had no obligation to help him—they were complete strangers. That she was willing to lend him a hand was a stroke of incredible luck. So he very sincerely presented the gift box to Shen Lihuan with both hands.

“Shen Yaonian, You Zhaoyan…”

Shen Lihuan suddenly felt a strange familiarity with the two names, like they were etched deep into her soul. Just thinking of them caused a flurry of images to flash through her mind.

You Changqing noticed her dazed expression and quickly took her hand. “Lihuan, are you okay?”

Shen Lihuan shook her head slightly and smiled. “I’m fine. Just… those names feel oddly familiar.”

“Well, of course they do. One’s surname is Shen, the other You—just like us. They were a couple. So are we. Maybe we’re even their reincarnations.”

You Changqing was joking, but Shen Lihuan’s heart trembled slightly. A part of her couldn’t help but feel it might be true.

“You were very thoughtful. Thank you for the gift.”

You Changqing naturally knew about Shen Yaonian and You Zhaoyan’s legendary love story. She was happy to see these kinds of coincidences. Shen and You were known as an inseparable, loving pair—and wasn’t that exactly what she and Lihuan were too? If Shen and You could grow old together, surely they could as well.

“This gift suits you two best. I’m glad Miss You likes it.”

Huo Ran’s brows finally relaxed into a gentle smile.

“Then I’ll say it now—here’s to a happy collaboration. With Mr. Huo’s popularity, I believe Shengyan will rise even further.”

Shen Lihuan didn’t dwell on the names Shen Yaonian and You Zhaoyan. This wasn’t the time or place to lose herself in thought.

“I’m just lucky to be endorsing Shengyan. Miss Shen flatters me.”

Huo Ran was very modest, but You Changhong wrinkled his nose. “Alright, enough with the polite talk. My head’s spinning. Let’s order food—I want to eat with Brother Huo!”

Shen Lihuan gave him a sideways glance with a smile. “Okay, let’s have the waiter come in and order. You must be hungry too.”

The last sentence was directed at You Changqing, who nodded. “I am a bit hungry.”

The waiter soon came in, and the five of them ordered a large meal. None of them stood on ceremony, and the casual conversation over dinner brought them all closer.

Shen Lihuan and the others still had school the next day, so they didn’t linger. You Changhong got Huo Ran’s autograph and took a photo with him, then followed his two sisters home with a bright smile on his face.