Chapter 54: Clarification (Part 6)

In the corridor, Yan Han stood for a moment.

“Is there somewhere we can talk?”

Ye Lin tilted his head slightly and closed the door behind him.

“Let’s go to my room.”

A few minutes later, the two arrived at the adjacent room.

Yan Han chose a seat and looked up at Ye Lin.

Lost in thought, his movements were somewhat slow.

Yan Han: “I’m Manman’s eldest brother—her biological one. You can call me whatever you like.”

Ye Lin leaned against the wall and gave a brief “Mm.”

Yan Han: “I came here today with some things I wanted to discuss with her, but since she’s asleep, it’s good to talk to someone close to her instead. Maybe we can seek your help.”

The fact that Ye Lin had been by her side tonight, ensuring she slept peacefully despite the chaos, proved that she trusted and felt at ease with his presence.

There were certain things he could now say.

Over the next few minutes, Yan Han provided a general overview of the family situation.

“…That’s how it is. After our mother passed away, Manman was deeply saddened for a long time. She didn’t even hold a coming-of-age ceremony. It wasn’t until later, remembering that Mom wanted her to be happy, that she gradually began to pull herself out of it.”

“In truth, she has always been optimistic. It’s just that on this matter, she disagrees with Dad. She believes he shouldn’t remarry—perhaps because she hasn’t fully moved on. She feels that if Dad remarries, it means he’s chosen to forget. So…”

The man leaning against the wall suddenly interrupted.

Ye Lin said: “Isn’t that true?”

Yan Han paused.

Ye Lin: “Finding a new wife, no matter how clearly you remember your late spouse, inevitably diverts affection. That’s simply human nature—no one can avoid it. Her concerns are valid.”

Yan Han: “Yes, it’s possible for such a situation to arise. She was the closest to Mom, so I understand her worries. She was spoiled growing up, and perhaps in her mind, the world is sterile, idealized. She can’t accept this reality, believing Dad moved on too soon, which feels unfair to Mom…”

“But, there will always come a day when life moves forward.”

Ye Lin held a pen in his hand, lightly tapping the cap open.

“Why does there have to be such a day?”

Yan Han was momentarily stumped. After a long pause, he replied: “If you were in this situation, what would you do after your wife passed away?”

I would follow her to death.

His subconscious whispered that.

But after a moment, Ye Lin didn’t voice it. He simply said: “I wouldn’t remarry.”

In truth, Yan Han’s first reaction was hesitation.

After all, as Ye Lin had pointed out, human nature dictates that memories fade over time. Though not entirely forgotten, most people’s survival mechanisms lead them, actively or passively, to start anew.

Yan Han: “Do you think that if you remarried, you’d forget your late wife?”

“No,” Ye Lin answered quickly. “If she were gone, I wouldn’t love anyone else.”

Yan Han: “Dad might not love that woman.”

“If it’s not love, then it’s even simpler,” Ye Lin said. “Since her feelings for her mother outweigh your father’s fleeting infatuation with his new partner, why should she be forced to forgive? Why not ask the person with less emotional investment to step back?”

Yan Han had never considered this perspective before, leaving him momentarily frozen.

Ye Lin: “She hasn’t moved on. She’s simply forcing herself not to think about it. If it’s not even love, then why can’t they make concessions for her? Why can’t they respect her wish to preserve her mother’s unique place in the family by not bringing in another mistress?”

At this moment, Yan Han finally realized the bias in the conversation.

He had originally come hoping her friend could persuade her to let go, to accept the duality of the world—that not everything can be perfect.

But Ye Lin showed no neutrality. He didn’t care what others thought or how reality worked. He unconditionally sided with her, tilting entirely toward her perspective.

Yan Han stood up and smiled faintly: “I came hoping you’d convince her, but somehow, it feels like you’ve convinced me instead.”

“You’re not her,” Ye Lin said. “You can’t understand the depth of her pain right now. No one has the right to demand her forgiveness—it’s her own freedom.”

“If you hope I’ll act as your intermediary, I’m afraid I can’t.”

He said: “I won’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do.”

Yan Han left half an hour later, deep in thought.

He seemed to have overlooked something.

All their understanding of this matter came from Yan Wendong. Their deep affection for their sister, combined with their father’s domineering nature, made them subconsciously believe that bringing her back home was the only choice—to protect her from suffering outside.

But he had never considered—why couldn’t they compromise for her, as Ye Lin suggested?

When Dad first introduced that woman to her, she couldn’t accept it, so the three of them hadn’t even met her. They weren’t present during the argument that day either—otherwise, things might not have escalated to this point.

Later, it seemed like a subconscious loophole. Though they didn’t want Dad to remarry, they still thought perhaps it was inevitable, and they had no jurisdiction over it.

But through Ye Lin’s words, they learned that Manman wasn’t throwing a tantrum or being unreasonable. So why couldn’t they listen to her voice and stand on her side?

Yan Han: “After today’s conversation, I feel reassured leaving Manman in your hands.”

“Rest assured. When I return, I’ll talk to them properly.”

After seeing Yan Han off, Ye Lin returned to her room.

In her daze, Yan Man felt a pair of hands rest on her forehead. She stirred slightly and heard him say: “You have a slight fever.”

“It’s fine,” he said. “Sleep it off.”

Her head was muddled, unable to distinguish between reality and dreams. In the darkness, she softly called out: “Ye Lin.”

“Hmm?”

She turned to her side: “I dreamed of my mom…”

Tears fell before her voice, dripping onto the pillow. Her nose reddened, and she clutched the corner of the blanket, crying quietly.

She dreamed of her mother still being by her side, and she truly returned to that carefree sixteen-year-old self. Coming home, her mother stroked her head and asked: “My darling, was today tiring for you?”

How she wished time could rewind. She would gladly give up all the fame and fortune she had now to be an ordinary girl again, able to cry on her mother’s shoulder when she was sad.

Her crying was silent, but tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.

Ye Lin couldn’t help but feel his eyes moisten. He reached out and gently brushed away the damp strands of hair sticking to her forehead.

No one could endure such pain on her behalf, so who had the right to demand her forgiveness?

What was wrong with living in an ideal world? Even if everyone indulged her, even if she was forever surrounded by favoritism, what was wrong with that?

After crying for so long, she finally grew tired. Closing her eyes, she felt a burning ache on her eyelids and cheeks—the dry itch left by evaporating tears.

It was unclear who had wrung out the warm, damp towel, but someone gently wiped away the trails of her tears. The warmth of the towel pressed against her eyelids, bringing a long-forgotten sense of comfort and ease.

Something briefly touched her forehead, lingering for a few seconds before disappearing.

Zhou Xuan didn’t return until noon. Yan Man heard her talking to Ye Lin at the door for a while before he left.

She wasn’t sure how long she had slept, but her body still felt weak.

Yan Man shifted slightly, but Zhou Xuan pushed her back down: “You’re not in good shape. Take a few days off. Simon and I have arranged a week’s leave for you. Just rest and take it easy.”

Yan Man: “…A whole week?”

“Mm, a full week. Did you think we were coordinating something else late at night?” Zhou Xuan said. “I asked Simon if a week might be too long, but he was just worried about you. Everything’s already been arranged, so just rest. Think of it as a vacation.”

Yan Man wanted to say something, but her head was spinning too much, so she lay back down.

She slept until evening, and after sleeping for so long, she couldn’t fall back asleep. She opened WeChat and absentmindedly scrolled through her Moments feed.

Several high school classmates had reposted the same content.

The people she added on WeChat were mostly close friends, with almost no strangers. Even after becoming a celebrity, she hadn’t changed her account.

Scrolling down, Yan Man finally found the original post.

Meng Xishuang: [[Wedding Invitation]]

Her caption was simple: [The behind-the-scenes footage of my wedding photos is finally edited! Special thanks to Teacher Yan for helping me choose the looks~ As expected from my best partner in high school, our friendship remains strong.]

Friend’s comment: [Hmm? Is this the Teacher Yan I’m thinking of?]

Meng Xishuang: [Yes, the very same Teacher Yan who’s currently trending.]

Afterward, everyone helped repost it, praising the bride’s beauty.

Yan Man vaguely recalled that a few days ago, when Ye Lin had visited her set, Meng Xishuang had sent her a batch of photos asking her to help choose which looks to include in the behind-the-scenes footage.

She hadn’t expected the editing to be completed so quickly.

Yan Man gave her a like, then felt dizzy again. After spacing out for a while, she fell back asleep.

Early the next morning, she received a message from Meng Xishuang: [Three days until the wedding countdown!]

Meng Xishuang’s husband was Lin Wen, also a classmate from their high school days. The two had been close in high school, and true to form, they got together right after graduation.

Though they’d had their share of arguments over the years, they had made it this far.

Just as Yan Man was about to reply, she sat up and heard Zhou Xuan remind her: “You don’t have any work today, remember?”

She shook her head, feeling less dizzy now: “I remember.”

In truth, she thought seven days might be too long, but since it was her agent’s concern—and everything had already been arranged—changing it now would cause unnecessary trouble for the staff.

Zhou Xuan nodded: “Just in time, I have some family matters to attend to, so I’ll head back for a bit. Will you be okay on your own?”

“Don’t worry, I’m an adult. What could possibly go wrong?”

After a pause, Yan Man confirmed: “There’s absolutely no work scheduled for these seven days, right?”

“That’s right. Why?”

After a moment of thought, Yan Man said: “Then I can attend my high school classmate’s wedding. It’s happening in the next few days anyway.”

“Sure,” Zhou Xuan said. “Just remember to wear your mask and let her know.”

Yan Man hummed in agreement, saw Zhou Xuan off, and then looked back at her chat with Meng Xishuang.

Meng Xishuang had sent the message last night, so Yan Man wasn’t sure if she was awake yet.

SoundSoundMan: [Ms. Meng, are you there?]

Five minutes later, her phone dinged.

Meng Xishuang: [Don’t call me Ms. Meng. Call me □□.]

“…”

Meng Xishuang: [Just woke up. What’s up? Oh, give me your address again so I can send you a wedding favor.]

Yan Man: [You already asked for it a few days ago.]

Meng Xishuang paused for a moment. [Did I? I’ve been trying to conceive lately, so my brain’s not working too well.]

Meng Xishuang: [Of course, my brain has never worked too well.]

Seeing her self-awareness, Yan Man replied: [I suddenly have a few days off. Do you want me to come to your wedding?]

Meng Xishuang: [Really? You took time off just for me? I love you so much, I’m so moved! If I weren’t married, I’d definitely fall for you. Let’s promise to meet in the next life, okay?]

Yan Man: […]

For some reason, she suddenly wasn’t so eager to go anymore.

Meng Xishuang: [How many days off do you have? I was planning to visit your area before the wedding and have one last adventure. Can we? Can we? That cross-river bridge of yours looks amazing for photos—I’ve been eyeing it for ages!]

[Alright,] Yan Man said. [Aside from the cross-river bridge, I can take you anywhere I’m allowed to go.]

Meng Xishuang had been close to Yan Man in high school. Though many of their classmates had drifted into mere acquaintances who only liked each other’s posts, Meng Xishuang still sent her pictures of billboards featuring Yan Man whenever she saw them. Occasionally, when Yan Man had dilemmas, she’d ask Meng Xishuang for advice.

When she heard it was possible, Meng Xishuang immediately booked a flight for that afternoon, as if afraid Yan Man would change her mind, and flew over that evening.

She insisted on staying at Yan Man’s hotel. Upon arrival, Meng Xishuang marveled: “No wonder you’re our female star—such great treatment!”

Meng Xishuang’s family was also wealthy, so Yan Man knew she was just being supportive. She teased: “What, is □□ not good enough?”

Meng Xishuang raised an eyebrow: “You’ll understand once you try it.”

Too lazy to entertain her antics, Yan Man took her downstairs to eat. After dinner, Meng Xishuang eagerly mentioned wanting to visit the cross-river bridge, so naturally, Yan Man had the driver take them there.

On the way, Meng Xishuang pulled out a box: “Take a look at my wedding ring. Isn’t it dazzling?”

She opened the deep blue velvet box to reveal a hefty diamond ring—a custom piece from Harry Winston, quite impressive. Inside the band was engraved an “M.”

Meng.

Yan Man: “Lin Wen bought it for you? His taste isn’t bad.”

“I picked it!” Meng Xishuang exclaimed. “His straight-man aesthetics are truly unimpressive. If I didn’t know that department store was his family’s, I’d have thought he got scammed by the salesperson into buying the ugliest ring for the highest price.”

Yan Man chuckled and asked to see the box.

At the mention of her husband’s questionable taste, Meng Xishuang launched into a tirade, growing more animated as she spoke, flipping through more than twenty photos.

The car ride was lively, but Meng Xishuang was careless and tossed the ring box aside. After critiquing her husband’s fashion sense, she spotted sky lanterns being sold outside and immediately urged Yan Man to stop and release one.

They wandered around until 2 a.m., even managing to experience an abrupt stop on the cross-river bridge, before finally returning to the hotel exhausted and sleeping for eight or nine hours.

Upon waking up, Yan Man received a message from the screenwriter of The Urban Traveler, saying they had added a kissing scene to her character’s romantic storyline and asking for her thoughts.

After pondering for a while, she asked: [Isn’t the female lead in a low point in her life right now? Wouldn’t adding a romantic scene like this feel a bit off?]

Yan Man: [Also, isn’t the female lead supposed to be into platonic love? Has that part of her character changed yet?]

The screenwriter thought for a moment and replied: [You’re right. Let’s delete it.]

She responded with an “okay,” unknowingly feeling relieved, then glanced at Meng Xishuang.

Still asleep.

The previous day’s activities had drained her energy, so the two spent the day resting in the hotel. Midway through, Meng Xishuang expressed curiosity about whether there was any way she could meet Ye Lin.

“Listen, everyone inside and outside the industry has been talking about you two lately. What’s going on? Is he pursuing you, or is it a secret relationship? If you’ve signed a confidentiality agreement, it’s fine—you don’t have to say anything. But can you get him to come to the hotel so I can meet him? You two were absolutely electrifying in your drama—the curtain kiss was so steamy, and that hug… Can you reenact those scenes for me?”

Yan Man was momentarily speechless: “Or should we just kiss on the spot for you?”

“Sure! As a special wedding performance for me, deal?”

“…”

After a day of rest, they set off for the resort island to begin preparations for the wedding.

Many of their high school classmates had already arrived. Upon seeing Yan Man, they gathered around, laughing and teasing her about the recent incident involving Yan Zong and her omnipresent billboards.

Some even directly asked if she could negotiate an endorsement deal.

Though enthusiastic about discussing her previously undisclosed identity, most of them came from affluent families, so they weren’t too surprised for long. They soon moved on to reminiscing about their high school days.

A year after graduation, some had entered their family businesses for training, while others happily continued living as second-generation heirs, traveling and enjoying life.

One such representative was Zhu Wenxuan.

Meng Xishuang laughed: “I heard our Mr. Zhu has settled down recently? Haven’t seen you with any female companions.”

Zhu Wenxuan sighed and shook his head: “My family’s keeping a tight leash on me. They want me to tone it down so my reputation doesn’t get ruined before marriage.”

Someone nearby chuckled: “How old are you, and they’re already planning a marriage alliance for you?”

Zhu Wenxuan sighed again: “Whoever I marry is just a formality. After the wedding, we’ll go our separate ways. It’s all for the family anyway.”

Affluent families naturally provided advantages in life, but from another perspective, many of these individuals lacked control over their own marriages.

Dating was fine, but marriage had to bring benefits.

And among these benefits, arranged marriages became the best option.

Yan Man rested her chin on her hand and exhaled slowly. Meng Xishuang turned to her: “Has your family arranged a marriage prospect for you?”

“There was one before, but it was just casual consideration,” Yan Man said. “If I don’t like it, they won’t force me.”

Especially now, with the tension between her and Yan Wendong, who knew what would happen next.

The two quickly shifted back to discussing family matters, played a couple of rounds of games, and then it was evening.

The wedding was scheduled for the next day, lasting two days. Given Meng Xishuang’s personality, it was guaranteed to be chaotic.

First, there weren’t enough staff, and the strong winds caused numerous mishaps. Eventually, their group of classmates had to step in to get the wedding back on track.

Yan Man and Zhu Wenxuan were assigned Task 4: rescuing the chairs that had been blown over by the wind.

She was still holding the bouquet, her dress fluttering wildly in the wind. While holding her skirt down, she came up with the simplest solution.

“The two of us should find something heavy to weigh the chairs down first, then sit on them for a bit. That should do the trick.”

“Alright.”

They sat on the chairs. Across the way, the arch was swaying precariously, and everyone rushed to steady it. The scene was tense yet amusing. Meng Xishuang, as the bride, was laughing so hard she couldn’t catch her breath.

Yan Man laughed: “Are you really a bride? Look how happy you are!”

“Forget it, forget it!” Meng Xishuang waved her hand dismissively. “Let’s just call this a rehearsal. We’ll do the real thing tomorrow.”

Meng Xishuang’s laid-back attitude matched her groom’s lack of attention. When it came time to exchange rings, Yan Man, as the bridesmaid, asked her: “Where’s your ring? I need to give it to the groom.”

Meng Xishuang patted her bag: “Right! Where’s my ring?!?!”

Yan Man: “….”

Meng Xishuang: “WHERE’S MY RING!!!”

Thus began a frantic search for the missing ring, lasting several hours. In the end, they couldn’t find it. Yan Man asked her: “When was the last time you saw the ring?”

Meng Xishuang: “In your car.”

Yan Man thought for a moment: “It might actually be in your car. Didn’t you get out to release sky lanterns afterward? And then we braked abruptly on the way back. Maybe it fell under the seat during that time.”

“It must have,” Meng Xishuang sighed in relief. “As long as it’s not lost. Just have it couriered over.”

Yan Man: “Will it arrive in time?”

“If it arrives, great. If not, I’ll make do with something else,” Meng Xishuang said. “No one will notice anyway.”

“Alright,” Yan Man extended her hand. “Give me your phone.”

Meng Xishuang rummaged through her bag, then looked up after a few seconds: “What phone?”

“My phone. Call my agent,” Yan Man said. “I didn’t bring my bag today. Isn’t my phone in your bag?”

Meng Xishuang was silent for a few minutes, then handed over her bag: “I couldn’t find it. Why don’t you… take a look?”

“…”

Perfect. The answer was no.

Someone who could lose their own wedding ring could certainly lose a phone.

Since she was the bride, Yan Man couldn’t scold her. She sighed, thinking the phone was probably still somewhere on the island and resolved to look for it later.

Yan Man said: “Then give me your phone. I’ll call my agent.”

Fortunately, she hadn’t forgotten Simon’s number. She quickly dialed him.

What Yan Man didn’t know was that, within these short few hours, the outside world had undergone a seismic shift.

Meng Xishuang had overlooked Yan Man’s celebrity status and only arranged for basic security. A paparazzo who had been following Yan Man around decided to capitalize on the opportunity to create some news.

The paparazzo captured a photo of Yan Man and Zhu Wenxuan sitting side by side on the chairs. She was holding flowers, smiling at Meng Xishuang, while Zhu Wenxuan, looking toward the arch, grinned with squinting eyes. Using forced perspective, the photographer excluded the wedding party from the frame. After some embellishment, the narrative emerged—

An exclusive report on Yan Man and the heir of the Zhu family’s secret romantic getaway and impending business alliance.

The trending topic exploded online, marked with a fiery “BOOM.” However, Yan Man’s phone had long since disappeared. Simon tried calling her multiple times, only to hear the automated message indicating the phone was powered off.

Inside the room, three people sat facing each other.

Ye Lin and Bi Tan sat opposite Simon, who was visibly frazzled. He had initially been confident in denying the rumors but now found himself doubting.

“A secret romance seems unlikely,” Simon said, “but if it’s a business alliance… it’s, it’s actually quite possible…”

Following the timeline of the news, someone leaked that the Yan and Zhu families had recently been exploring potential collaborations. Rumors about Zhu Wenxuan settling down were rampant, and as for Yan Man…

Just then, Simon’s private phone rang.

Seeing an unfamiliar number, he assumed it was a harassing journalist and rejected the call several times before finally answering without speaking.

Yan Man: “Hello? Are you there?”

Simon was startled and quickly glanced at Ye Lin: “Yes, I’m here. Why can’t I reach your phone? I—”

“Wait, I have something urgent,” Yan Man interrupted. “Go check my car for a ring. It’s extremely urgent. We’ll talk about the rest later. Hurry!”

“A ring?” Simon was shocked. “What ring?”

Yan Man: “A wedding ring in a velvet box with an ‘M’ engraved inside. Did you find it? If not, I’m doomed.”

If Meng Xishuang lost the ring because of her, wouldn’t she become the villain of this wedding?

Simon hurried downstairs to her car, with Ye Lin following. Soon, the man found the ring she described under the seat.

A top-tier jewelry brand, with an “M” engraved inside.

Simon blurted out: “…Man?”

Yan Man thought he was calling her: “Huh? I’m here. Did you find it?”

“I found it, but…”

“No buts. Send it over immediately. I’ll give you an address. Use the fastest air freight, and we’ll arrange a plane to pick it up,” she groaned. “This is such a rush—I’ll definitely confirm the process next time before flying.”

Soon, she sent the address. Seeing her give an OK gesture, Meng Xishuang finally relaxed and was called away to finalize the schedule. Zhu Wenxuan curiously asked: “Did you find it?”

Yan Man nodded: “Thank goodness we did. Otherwise, I’d be dead.”

“It’s not that serious,” Zhu Wenxuan said. “Can’t you just buy another one?”

Yan Man: “Buying another one wouldn’t carry the same meaning.”

She stood up, ready to perform her duties as a bridesmaid. Meng Xishuang waved her over. Meanwhile, Simon seized the opportunity to ask: “Who’s the guy next to you?”

Yan Man found the question odd: “Zhu Wenxuan, a high school classmate. You probably don’t know him.”

“…”

Yan Man: “I’m hanging up now. It’s so hectic here, my head is pounding.”

“Wait!” Simon hesitated, seeing Ye Lin nearby and unwilling to ask too bluntly. “You… a business alliance marriage?”

“Huh? Where did you hear that?” Yan Man casually replied, “It’s still far off.”

Then the sound of wind rushed into the receiver. Yan Man: “I’m really hanging up now, I’m at my wit’s end. Oh, the groom’s family—don’t leave yet—”

With that, the call abruptly ended with a beep.

The car fell silent.

Ye Lin remained motionless for a long time, still holding the ring box engraved with an “M.”

When the news broke, he naturally didn’t believe it. Even before this call, the likelihood of it being false had already occupied ninety percent of his thoughts.

—Until the person next to her spoke, until she herself confirmed how rushed and hurried everything seemed.

Perhaps it wasn’t entirely fabricated by the media. Today might not have been a wedding or honeymoon, but both families had clearly met, and she had said “it’s still far off,” not outright denying it.

Which meant that someday, it would happen, right?

For someone of her status, making such a choice was understandable.

But he couldn’t help but wonder—

Was she willing? When did she find out about this? Today? Or yesterday? Did she have any room to resist, and what convinced her?

Before she made her decision, had there been even a fleeting moment… when she thought of him?

He didn’t know.

Yet she hadn’t done anything wrong. Many days ago, she had already made her stance clear. He had expressed that he accepted all outcomes.

Perhaps, to her, he was just an ordinary suitor, a passerby who happened to cross paths with her.

In this circle, marriage for those involved was often just a matter of moments.

Who was he to demand that she notify him in advance?

Beside him, Simon finally couldn’t bear it anymore. He pulled the small velvet box from Ye Lin’s hand and murmured: “I need to send this off.”

“…Alright.”

Ye Lin stood up and said: “I’ll drive.”

The nearest courier station was just ten minutes away. In those ten minutes, Simon personally witnessed Ye Lin’s gaze grow progressively darker until they reached their destination.

Before getting out of the car, Simon asked: “What if she really gets married?”

…

His jaw clenched tightly. Though he sat upright in his seat, his body visibly trembled at the question.

After a long pause, Ye Lin closed his eyes.

He said: “Then I wish her happiness.”

Wishing her safety, health, and happiness.

Even if the rest of her life no longer involved him in any way.

Just watching from afar and becoming strangers again… was fine.

It was fine.

After appeasing the groom’s family, the wedding rehearsal finally continued.

Everything was finally back on track. Every guest was so busy they barely had the energy to speak, staying up late and waking up early. On the sixth day, they bid farewell to the resort island.

Finally, the island didn’t let her down. Before leaving, Yan Man found her dead phone tucked away in a corner of Meng Xishuang’s wardrobe.

She bought a portable charger before boarding the plane. By the time the phone was charged, the plane had already landed.

Yan Man turned on her phone, and messages flooded out like crazy. She was about to reply one by one when she suddenly noticed the topmost notification.

It was a hospital.

Her heart jolted. After confirming the message, she rushed out of the station, hopped into a taxi, and said: “Navigate to this location, please.”

The rain had paused for a while but now resumed its drizzle, tapping lightly against the car windows.

The terrible weather persisted. Through the radio, Yan Man learned that a nearby town had experienced a landslide due to heavy rain. The female announcer urged everyone to be cautious while traveling.

At the entrance of the private hospital, she saw Simon waiting downstairs.

Simon hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking: “So your wedding is over?”

“What wedding? What are you guys thinking?” Yan Man groaned. “The media makes stuff up, and you actually believe it? I went to attend a friend’s wedding—you think I’d risk my career during my peak period to get married? Have I gone mad?”

Simon: “So there’s nothing between you two?”

“Of course not! Zhu Wenxuan likes the European-American style; I have nothing to do with that.” Yan Man said. “My phone? My friend probably hid it somewhere and turned it off. I couldn’t find it.”

Simon sighed in relief: “Damn, looks like I won’t lose my job!”

“…”

Yan Man: “Can’t you have a little faith in my professionalism? Even if I were to get married, I’d definitely tell you.”

“So why didn’t your friend tell you about it?”

“Do you know how much we were tortured on that island? Did we even have time to discuss some rumor?” Yan Man said. “We nearly died because of the bride.”

“…”

Simon thought for a moment: “Alright, go upstairs first. I’ll rush to write a clarification statement and put an end to this nonsense today.”

Thinking about the flood of messages on her phone, Yan Man didn’t linger with Simon further. She took the elevator straight to the seventh floor, found the ward, and pushed the door open.

Bi Tan greeted her anxiously: “What happened to Ye Lin?”

Bi Tan sighed deeply: “Nothing life-threatening, but it’ll take a while for him to wake up.”

“I’m speechless. Last night, he went back to that elementary school—the one where you filmed that episode with the autistic children, remember?”

“There’s a temple nearby that’s said to be very auspicious, but the mountain path is notoriously difficult to navigate. We don’t even know why he insisted on going there. The weather was bad, and it poured rain last night with thunder and lightning! We had already left, but he suddenly said he forgot something and insisted on driving back alone—”

“And then—a landslide! Scary, right?! If he hadn’t reacted quickly, he could’ve lost his life!”

“And guess what he went back to retrieve? Such a big bag—can you imagine what he risked his life for?!”

Yan Man: “…What?”

Bi Tan pointed to a black bag nearby: “See for yourself.”

The bag was soaked with rainwater, covered in mud, looking battered and worn.

But when she unzipped it, the contents inside were perfectly protected. Her hand trembled as she lifted the topmost item, slowly pulling it out.

Dangling from her fingertips, swaying in the air, was a beautiful, brand-new, brown teddy bear.