Chapter 8: Eight Fires

Steadying herself, Yan Duo turned to Ji Ran with feigned nonchalance and asked, “Why are you back?”

Casually pushing the suitcase aside, Yan Duo hesitated inwardly—since Ji Ran was back, should she leave now or wait another half hour?

Ji Ran was wearing only a white sweater and black pants, the sleeves of the sweater pulled up to his elbows, exuding a homely vibe. As he walked downstairs, he said, “Come back for dinner when you’re done.”

When it came to eating, Yan Duo touched her stomach—come to think of it, she hadn’t had lunch yet!

“What are you eating?” Yan Duo called after Ji Ran’s retreating figure.

Ji Ran replied without turning his head, “Beef curry.”

Hearing these four words, Yan Duo’s mouth involuntarily began to water. She took two steps forward, then, annoyed by her high heels, kicked them off, slipped into slippers, and quickly followed Ji Ran downstairs.

Airplane food is terrible, so let’s eat before we go. Well then, that’s settled!

Ji Ran’s lunch consisted of four takeout dishes: vinegar-glazed cabbage, dry-fried green beans, beef curry, and red date chicken soup—a well-balanced mix of meat and vegetables, still steaming hot and beautifully presented.

“There’s so much, you can’t finish it all by yourself, can you?” Yan Duo swallowed her saliva and asked.

Ji Ran glanced at her, “Go get the bowls and chopsticks.”

Yan Duo let out a small cheer and dashed into the kitchen.

Ji Ran turned his head to glance at her retreating figure. Her naturally curly long hair bounced on her back as she ran, and the form-fitting dress accentuated her slender waist and rounded hips, creating a perfect proportion.

Yan Duo brought the bowls and chopsticks, took the initiative to serve Ji Ran a bowl of rice and handed it to him, then served herself a small bowl of chicken soup, lowering her head to finish it with great relish.

When she looked up and met Jiran’s gaze, Yanduo asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Ji Ran withdrew his gaze, “Nothing.”

Yan Duo didn’t pay it any mind and helped herself to another bowl of rice. While scooping the rice, she accidentally noticed a drop of soup had stained her chest area, quite noticeable. She discreetly adjusted the fabric over her chest


She lifted it up a bit and carefully wiped with another tissue, her thoughts wandering—had Ji Ran been looking at that drop of soup, or at the bit of her chest she’d accidentally exposed?

After finishing the meal, Yan Duo took the initiative to wash the few dishes in the kitchen. As she was washing, the dark gray woolen skirt was pulled down from behind, all the way to her feet, and finally used as a cushion for her bottom.

At 8 p.m., when Fang Fang picked up Yan Duo, she asked curiously, “Duo Jie, why did you change your flight?”

He was supposed to be back by six, but something must have happened, causing a two-hour delay.

Yan Duo’s face flushed slightly as she made up an excuse, saying, “There’s been a bit of trouble at home.”

The pet at home was hungry, so she had no choice but to change her flight.

Fang Fang exclaimed “Ah” and pressed further: “Not serious, right? Is it resolved?”

“It’s resolved.”

Feeding oneself to the wolf—probably satisfied it.

**

After seeing Yan Duo off, Ji Ran went for a run at home. Midway through, Shi Lei barged in, seething with anger.

Ji Ran, what do you mean by this?

Shi Lei was called back to the studio’s HR department early this morning. The HR manager instructed him to hand over his work to Li Qiao, stating that he would no longer be responsible for Ji Ran’s affairs—all of Ji Ran’s future work would be assigned to Li Qiao. Starting today, he would be mentoring newcomers instead.

Suddenly being reassigned to a new position, and being notified by HR at that—for someone as proud as Shi Lei, this was nothing short of a humiliation. What made it even more infuriating was that Ji Ran hadn’t answered his calls all day. Eventually, he found out Ji Ran had gone home, so he rushed straight to his place.

Ji Ran continued running on the treadmill in the gym and replied indifferently, “I thought you knew very well.”

Shi Lei choked on his words. Since Ji Ran answered his mother’s phone call last night, he hadn’t spoken a single word to him. Sitting right beside Ji Ran, Shi Lei had clearly heard An Yixin mention Yan Duo’s name. So, apart from Yan Duo, Shi Lei couldn’t think of any other reason. Although he had gone against Ji Ran’s wishes in this matter, Ji Ran’s complete disregard for their relationship was something Shi Lei couldn’t accept.

“Because of a woman, you’re being this ruthless to a work partner who’s struggled alongside you for years?”

Back when Ji Ran left his original agency to start his own business, Shi Lei had followed him without hesitation. All these years, he had worked diligently to secure resources for him and handle various PR matters, always putting Ji Ran first. Ji Ran had treated him well in all aspects too. The only thing Shi Lei hadn’t complied with was regarding Yan Duo. And now, because of that woman, Ji Ran actually wanted to exile him?

Ji Ran stepped off the treadmill, glanced at Shi Lei, and replied, “She’s not just any woman—she’s my wife!”

Shi Lei simply didn’t believe that Ji Ran could be truly sincere towards a woman he had only spent a short time with, especially one who played mind games with him.

“Hmph, if you want to kick me aside now that your position is secure, just say it outright! Why bother finding such excuses!”

After speaking, Shi Lei stormed out the door in anger.

Ji Ran glanced at him but didn’t take his words to heart.

After returning to the film set, Yan Duo’s days became as fulfilling as before—spending her days shooting scenes and occasionally going shopping with Zeng Meng and Zhou Yingmeng when she got off work early in the evenings.

That day, the three of them went for a stroll along the shopping street near the film set after dinner. While waiting in line for milk tea, Zeng Meng nudged Yan Duo in front of her and whispered, “That scumbag surnamed Mu.”

Yan Duo followed Zeng Meng’s gaze toward the oyster omelet stand next to the milk tea shop, where a long line had formed. Among the crowd, she spotted a vaguely familiar face. Upon closer inspection, she confirmed it was indeed the same man she’d seen outside the hot pot restaurant last time—except now he wasn’t with the petite girl from before, but rather a tall, scantily clad woman. These two girls, along with Zhou Yingmeng, represented three completely different types.

“Huh, this guy is quite the philanthropist.”

Zeng Meng also noticed the same issue and let out a scornful laugh.

Yan Duo didn’t respond, having no sympathy for scumbags, she didn’t want to waste her breath.

The two of them didn’t plan to tell Zhou Yingmeng, who was on the phone, about the scumbag’s actions. However, the reason he’s called a scumbag is precisely because he has such despicable qualities.

Yan Duo took the milk tea, and as she turned to walk back, she saw Mu Tian with his arm around his female companion standing in front of Zhou Yingmeng, seemingly saying something. Exchanging a glance with Zeng Meng, Yan Duo quickened her pace toward them. As soon as she got close, she heard the scumbag’s voice.

“You think you can dump me? Look at you—no chest, no ass. If it weren’t for my noble spirit of sacrifice willing to ‘break you in,’ you’d still have no idea what a man tastes like, hahaha.”

Zhou Yingmeng felt the urge to slap Mu Tian upon hearing such vulgar words, but she was no match for a man and a woman combined. Mu Tian shoved her backward, and his female companion moved to strike Zhou Yingmeng across the face.

Yan Duo and Zeng Meng quickly stepped forward upon seeing the scene, directly pulling the woman away and pushing her to the ground together.

A crowd of onlookers had gathered around, while Fang Fang, who had gone further away to buy fruit, and Zeng Meng’s assistant rushed back, each standing by their respective “boss.”

“Are you okay?” Yan Duo asked, her eyes red.

But Zhou Yingmeng seemed not to hear Yan Duo’s words, biting her cheek fiercely as she glared at Mu Tian. Standing beside her, Yan Duo could clearly hear her teeth chattering.

“You f*cking dare push me? I’ll beat you to death, bitch!”

The woman who had been pushed to the ground was no pushover either. After falling, she quickly stood up and rushed toward Yan Duo and the others, eager for revenge. But before she could raise her hand, Zhou Yingmeng snatched the milk tea from Yan Duo’s grasp, tore off the lid, and splashed it directly onto the woman’s face.

Splashed in the face with warm milk tea, the woman froze for a moment before Mu Tian snapped back to reality. He grabbed tissues and began wiping his companion’s face while roaring at Zhou Yingmeng, “Are you out of your mind?”

The usually good-tempered Zhou Yingmeng seemed to have found the perfect way to vent her anger. Taking the two milk teas handed by her friend, she continued splashing them onto the despicable couple.

“I’m crazy, and it’s all because of scumbags like you who drove me to it!”

“Besides, if that ‘toothpick’ of yours is what you call a man’s taste, then I must have been totally ripped off!”

After speaking, Zhou Yingmeng took the lead and walked ahead, Yan Duo quickly followed. Last in line, Zeng Meng intentionally glanced down at Mu Tianyi, then sympathetically looked at the woman drenched in milk tea beside her. She clicked her tongue twice and said, “Sister, you’ve really suffered!”

Mu Tianyi was furious at Zhou Yingmeng and Zeng Meng, while the woman soaked by both cold and hot milk tea felt even more enraged after Zeng Meng’s pointed remark.

“Zhou Yingmeng, just you wait!”

The response to her was the receding figures of the departing group.

After leaving the shopping street, Zhou Yingmeng’s mood had returned to normal. She smiled at her two friends and said, “Sorry for making you miss out on bubble tea—let me treat you to cotton candy instead!”

Yan Duo looked at the cotton candy stall not far away and said with a smile, “Sounds good! I’d like a bunny-shaped one.”

Zhou Yingmeng naturally didn’t refuse. After checking with Zeng Meng and the two assistants, she ran off to buy cotton candy for everyone.

Watching Zhou Yingmeng, Yan Duo noticed that after venting her emotions, she had finally shaken off that faint melancholy she carried, looking much better than before.

After a while, Yan Duo heard Zeng Meng’s voice: “Mu Tian’s new girlfriend has quite the background.”

So, the retaliation from her probably won’t be simple either.

Yan Duo looked at Zeng Meng, “Who is she?”

She didn’t seem like a famous celebrity or influencer—Yan Duo had no impression of her at all.

Zeng Meng let out a laugh and said, “I don’t know exactly who it is, but I do know her godfather is quite powerful—just a flick of his wrist could crush insignificant nobodies like us.”

Once, Zeng Meng went out for a meal with her father and saw this woman snuggled up in the arms of an older man who was even older than her dad. According to her father, that old man had an unusual status. 400txt.com

After discussing for a while, they stopped talking when Zhou Yingmeng returned.

Back at the hotel, Fang Fang found an excuse to call Yan Duo to her room and asked, “Duo-jie, how do you plan to handle the matter of Mu Tian’s girlfriend?”

Yan Duo said honestly, “I’ll call Sister Qi later and see what she thinks.”

Although Zeng Meng said she would ask her father for help, Yan Duo didn’t want to just sit back and wait. The trouble was something they got into together, so they should solve it together.

Fang Fang: “Only looking for her?”

Yan Duo gave her a puzzled look. “Of course, she’s my agent. Who else would I turn to if something happens?”

In Yan Duo’s mind, the resourceful Qi Sixian should be able to handle this matter. If that didn’t work, then she could turn to Senior Fan. As an artist signed to his family’s company, it was only right for him to help her solve her problems.

Fang Fang’s lips twitched slightly, but she didn’t dwell on the issue any further.

Author’s Note: So Ji Ran, your purpose for coming back really was just to eat—no problem there!

The complete translation of the novel

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