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Ye Lin stared at her for a while.
Just as she was starting to feel uncomfortable under his gaze, he finally spoke in a low voice: “Nothing. I was just worried you might get dizzy from soaking too long.”
Then he added, “Don’t stay in the bath for too long,” before turning and leaving.
After wrapping herself in a towel and drying off, Yan Man drained the bathtub and walked into the bedroom.
Ye Lin was already lying on the bed.
Yan Man lifted the corner of the blanket and slipped in. She hesitated for a long moment, sensing something slightly off in the atmosphere, before finally asking him, “Are you going to take care of it yourself?”
“You’re too tired today,” he said. “Forget it.”
She feigned surprise. “So considerate?”
The man turned his head to look at her, his pupils dark.
...
Just as Yan Man thought something dangerous might happen, he simply turned his head and asked her, “Do you remember what you said on stage today?”
Yan Man replied, “I do. I thought about it for a long time. It was pretty good, right?”
“I mean the part about me.”
She nodded as usual. “Mm, why?”
Ye Lin looked at her, his pupils like swirling whirlpools—dark and intense.
He murmured, “Say it again?”
That part hadn’t been planned—it had just slipped out in the heat of the moment. Now that he was asking her to repeat it, she found herself struggling to say it again.
After much deliberation, she cleared her throat and mumbled, “Good things should only be said once.”
He hummed softly, not pressing further, but lowered his eyes.
She stared at him for a moment, wondering if he might be a little disappointed.
The room fell silent again. After a while, she called out to him, “Boyfriend?”
“Mm?”
Summoning her courage, she looked into his eyes and said, “...I love you.”
As soon as she finished, without waiting for his reaction, she repeated it.
Ye Lin chuckled. “Why are you suddenly acting like a broken record?”
“Important words should be said three times,” she said. “That sentence applies to you too.”
In the darkness, their eyes met. Ye Lin parted his lips, about to speak, when Yan Man suddenly shuddered.
She pulled the blanket over her head, hiding from the lack of oxygen. For the first time, her face flushed all the way to her ears. “Too cheesy. Let’s stop here. Time to sleep!”
“...”
This night passed peacefully. Yan Man woke up at her usual time, picked up her phone, and checked the messages Simon had sent her.
These two days were free—a transitional period. After resting, the promotional tour for Floating Life, Old Years would begin.
The movie’s production cycle had been long, with many scenes requiring special effects, so it had been delayed. But surprisingly, the buzz around them hadn’t faded.
At noon, Yan Man decided to watch a highly acclaimed film at home. Suddenly, her phone vibrated a few times—it was a message from Yan Zong.
Her conversations with Yan Zong had never stopped. He would tell her about recent family matters and ask about her life. However, they often ended up bickering, so their chats came in bursts.
Their last conversation had been over three months ago.
Yan Zong: [Busy?]
She tapped to reply.
Shengsheng Man: [Not really. I’m resting today. What’s up?]
Yan Zong: [The New Year has passed. It’s been a while since we’ve seen you. Your second brother and I want to visit. Are you free?]
She said yes and sent her location.
Most of her energy had been focused on the movie, so she hadn’t thought much about it. It wasn’t until the doorbell rang that Yan Man belatedly realized something.
As she walked toward the door, she heard Yan Zong talking outside: “When did this girl get so rich? Such a big villa, double-door design too. Is acting really this lucrative? Tomorrow, I’m joining the industry.”
Yan Yuan: “Your face probably won’t cut it.”
“What’s wrong with my face?!” Yan Zong exclaimed. “Yan Yuan, explain yourself. How am I not charming, handsome, and talented? It’s just that I’ve been in Los Angeles for three months, and the water there made me swell up. If you were busy traveling for work, you wouldn’t have time to groom yourself either!”
Yan Man opened the door, stopping an impending verbal battle.
She asked Yan Zong, “You went to Los Angeles?”
“Yeah, I’ve been super busy these past few months. As soon as I had some free time, I thought of you.” Yan Zong sighed. “I’ve been so busy I didn’t even have time to check my phone, you know?”
While listening to him, Yan Man glanced at his hands.
Yan Zong: “What are you looking at?”
“Did you bring anything?”
“...”
“What do you mean by ‘anything’?” Yan Zong said. “I’m visiting you, not paying a formal call. Do I need to bring gifts?”
Yan Man: “It’s fine. I was just thinking about your first meeting, worried you might feel awkward.”
Yan Zong finally sensed something was off. He stepped inside and noticed the men’s slippers by the entrance, the men’s water cup on the table, and... the men’s pajamas hanging on the rack.
Yan Zong immediately raised his voice: “You’re living with a man?!”
Yan Man hadn’t expected him to be so out of the loop. Before she could respond, Yan Zong turned around and pulled a several-foot-long square package from the bag Yan Yuan was carrying.
At first glance, it looked like a wooden stick.
Yan Zong was furious: “Tell him to get his ass out here! I’ll show him what rules are!”
Just as his voice trailed off, they heard commotion from the living room. A man wearing a black shirt slowly emerged from the kitchen.
Ye Lin: “What’s the matter?”
The next second, Yan Man heard the sound of the “wooden stick” hitting the floor.
...
...
Yan Zong looked at Ye Lin in disbelief, then at her. His expression could only be described as textbook-level emotional transformation.
The first level of shock—
Doubt.
Yan Zong: “Who is this?”
“Isn’t this your idol?” Yan Man said. “The one you called otherworldly and godlike.” Wasn’t that how he described him?
“Otherworldly,” Yan Zong’s voice trembled as he pointed at the cooking utensils in his hand. “Then what is he doing now?”
“Cooking for me.”
“...”
The second level of shock—
Seeking resonance.
Yan Zong turned to Yan Yuan: “What’s with that expression? Did you know about this?!”
“I did.”
Yan Yuan said, “Didn’t they announce it officially?”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?!”
“I didn’t think you’d be this clueless.”
“...”
The third level of shock—
Denying reality.
Yan Zong: “I don’t believe it!”
Yan Man: “...”
Finally, after a brief moment of composure, Yan Zong reached the fourth level—
Mental breakdown.
Yan Zong approached Ye Lin, utterly heartbroken: “Did she kidnap you?”
Ye Lin: “I pursued her.”
Yan Man watched silently as the scene unfolded, feeling both amused and anxious. Her older brother’s dramatics were nothing new, but seeing him confront Ye Lin was still a sight to behold.
...
The fifth level of shock—
Acceptance.
In the end, Yan Zong sat down on the sofa and began to accept everything. He picked up his phone and started searching for the news he had missed.
Meanwhile, Yan Man quietly reviewed his earlier emotional transitions, thinking that it might come in handy for future performances. Art truly draws from life.
Ye Lin temporarily stopped preparing ingredients and joined her on the sofa. Since they were all in the entertainment industry, introductions seemed unnecessary. Yan Zong sat there, alternating between moments of clarity and confusion.
Yan Man let him process his emotions while she noticed an orange on the table. She handed it to Ye Lin and said, “Peel this for me.”
Yan Zong immediately looked up. “Do you not have hands?! We’re all human beings! Why can’t you peel it yourself? His fingers are meant for creating art and flipping through scripts—how can you make him peel an orange for you?!”
Before his words even faded, Ye Lin had already finished peeling the orange.
He opened his palm and handed it to her, then calmly replied on her behalf, “If she peeled it, her fingers would turn yellow.”
Yan Zong: “...”
Yan Zong: ???
Yan Zong sat motionless for another half hour before Yan Yuan finally managed to console him.
“Isn’t it better that she’s with you rather than someone else?”
“You’re right,” Yan Zong said. “At least now I can visit more often, right?”
“...”
They had lunch at home. Of course, since Yan Zong was still heartbroken, the meal was prepared by Yan Yuan.
After eating, they chatted and watched a movie together. By evening, Yan Zong reluctantly took his leave.
Standing outside the gate, Yan Zong waved her over.
She thought it might be about Ye Lin again, but as she approached, Yan Zong suddenly turned unusually serious for a few seconds.
He said, “That thing that looked like a wooden stick—it’s actually a painting I brought, specially commissioned for you. Consider it your New Year’s gift.”
She nodded.
Yan Zong cleared his throat and continued, “Also... I think I mentioned this before. Dad doesn’t plan to remarry. Our opinions matter, but ultimately, it’s his decision. Besides, the companies are now managed by our eldest brother and us. He’s retired and living in the place where he first met Mom. I visited him last time, and he seemed to be doing well mentally.”
“Time is long. There were definitely issues in the past, but now that we’ve talked it out, it’s fine. I’m not going to rush you. When you feel like going home, you can go back. If you don’t want to, staying here is also good.”
“After all, when work gets busy, no matter how much we care for you, it won’t compare to how well your husband treats you.”
Yan Man nodded slightly and added, “We’re not married yet.”
Yan Zong narrowed his eyes. “What? Are you trying to freeload off him?”
“...”
Yan Man couldn’t continue talking to him. She waved her hand dismissively and said, “Alright, as you said, we’ll leave the rest to time. Let things take their natural course.”
“You guys should head back soon too. It’ll get dark if you wait any longer. We’re going to sleep as well.”
“Okay. As long as you’re happy—”
Yan Zong turned around and took two steps before suddenly rushing back. “What did you say? Who’s sleeping? You mean... the two of you?”
“...”
Yan Zong whispered, “You’re not married yet. I forbid you from touching him!”
Yan Man sighed regretfully. “But I’ve already touched him.”
“………………”
This night ended with Yan Yuan dragging Yan Zong away.
In the car, after venting his feelings, Yan Zong’s thoughts circled back, and he couldn’t help but mutter, “Damn, I was worried about my idol. Speaking of which, do you think Yan Man is capable enough?”
“Do you think Ye Lin will treat her badly?”
“...”
Yan Yuan: “Are you concerned about your idol or your sister?”
“Can’t I care about both?!”
The car drove farther and farther away. Unable to resist, Yan Zong sent her a message, saying that if there were any problems in the future, she should notify him anytime.
...
Watching the taillights of the car fade into the distance, Yan Man stood still for a moment before finally exhaling deeply.
After the play, she had decided to look entirely toward the future. The past was the past. As Yan Zong said, the rest would happen naturally. When she felt like going home, she could return. If not, staying with Ye Lin was also good.
After all, she now had a home.
Yan Man turned back to look at the hanging chandelier at the entrance. After a while, Ye Lin came out and draped a coat over her shoulders. “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” she shook her head. “Let’s go home.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized that she used to refer to this place as “your house,” but at some point, she had started calling it “home.”
Her... home.
The next day, after resting, it was time for the promotional tour of Floating Life, Old Years .
The roadshow involved preview screenings at theaters, where the main cast interacted with the audience to gauge their reactions and gain insights into the film.
It was essentially a city-hopping marathon, extremely exhausting.
By the seventh screening, Ye Lin’s birthday was approaching.
Though fatigued, Yan Man still planned to prepare an extraordinary birthday celebration for him. After the screening, she asked Bi Tan to stall Ye Lin with an excuse while she went ahead to the hotel.
Whether the crew was wealthy or not, she and Ye Lin’s rooms were separate. Fortunately, she had obtained his room card from Bi Tan and sneaked into his room first.
After meticulously decorating, she took a shower and changed into new clothes.
She had slightly altered the outfit—a bow at the back that would untie with a single pull.
Yan Man practiced twice in front of the mirror. With one tug, the fabric would fall gracefully.
Just as she painstakingly tied the outfit and walked to the table, the door beeped, and the man walked in.
Unaware that she was inside, he walked in while taking off his suit jacket. Just as he was about to hang it up, he saw a lit birthday cake.
At that moment, Yan Man emerged from behind the curtains. Before she could speak, Ye Lin paused upon seeing her outfit.
He murmured, “What are you wearing?”
She thought for a moment. “I think it’s called… Christmas battle armor?”
“I originally wanted to buy something else, but after searching around, this one seemed the nicest and most fitting for the occasion.”
Indeed, it was very fitting.
A deep red velvet dress with white fur trim, accentuating her beautiful neck and collarbone, hugging her curves perfectly.
Ye Lin gazed at her.
Yan Man coughed lightly, recalling the video review she had watched. It mentioned that boyfriends would like this outfit, but she hadn’t paid much attention, thinking all clothes were the same.
But if he liked it, so be it.
Seeing him approach, she quickly said, “We haven’t sung the birthday song yet.”
“Skip it.” He stepped closer.
Yan Man: “What about the candles and cake?”
“Skip those too.”
Only two steps remained between them.
“No wish either?”
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
He closed the distance in two quick strides.
Yan Man leaned against the curtain behind her. “Why tomorrow?”
He lowered his body slightly.
“What do you think?”
But before she could respond, she felt him nuzzle her neck and inhale.
His voice was hoarse. “Did you take a bath?”
“...”
Her scalp tingled. She thought, This kind of foreplay is really killing me…
Yan Man pushed him gently. “You haven’t even asked me what your birthday gift is yet…”
“Mm,” he said slowly, though clearly his mind wasn’t on this topic. “What is it?”
Her heart raced. Guided by instinct, she reached for his wrist and slowly placed it on the bow at the back of her waist. Rising on her tiptoes, she whispered in his ear:
“...This.”
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