Chapter 46: Forty-Six Fires

What happened outside the film crew was quickly spread online. Regarding Ji Ran’s series of actions, many netizens who weren’t even his fans ended up becoming fans of him; they thought he did very well.

“Whether he gets married or not is Ji Ran’s own business. Everyone should just send their blessings and stop disturbing his life.”

“Hearing Ji Ran say ‘there’s someone at home waiting for you’ made me miss my mom a bit.”

[Even though the fans and media clearly made things chaotic for Ji Ran, he didn’t get angry; his very first words were “Have you all had breakfast?” Ji Ran really handled it well.]

[Compared to some celebrities who ride their partners’ popularity, I think Ji Ran’s wife handled it very well. Since she’s an artist herself—and reportedly not a particularly famous one—she must know the benefits of riding publicity, but she stayed silent and wouldn’t let Ji Ran go public. She probably doesn’t want to be tied up in publicity stunts. Seen that way, she’s pretty great.]

I agree with the comment above. They’ve been married for a while; if the woman wanted to make it public she would have done so long ago. The fact that it’s Ji Ran who now seems more eager to go public actually says a lot.

[Jì Rán’s polite and well-mannered demeanor is really heart-fluttering, and he always speaks up for his wife— that quiet, indulgent affection is truly enviable!]

……

Qi Sixian, sitting in his office, looked at the comments online and immediately abandoned the idea of hiring internet trolls. Judging by the situation, there was no need to waste money. Thinking of the TV drama The Rose of Fire about to air on the satellite channel, Qi Sixian decided to spend the press release budget on that series.

After finalizing the press release with the media company he knew well, Qi Sixian checked Weibo again and laughed as soon as he saw it.

Maybe it was because Ji Ran handled the marriage announcement brilliantly this time—single-handedly turning public opinion about his wife around. Or perhaps someone noticed Ji Ran’s recent popularity and saw an opportunity for profit: a sudden wave of press releases by actresses who’d worked with him before began circulating online, each hinting at a good relationship with Ji Ran while casually promoting their new projects. It was quite the commotion!

Qi Sixian snorted coldly. These people were really opportunistic—when netizens suspected her before, each of them swore up and down that she wasn’t Ji Ran’s wife, but now they swarmed over like flies. It was simply disgusting!

After watching for ten minutes, Qi Sixian rubbed his chin, ready to lend these people a hand and try to fan the flames even higher!

Over the next few days, a flurry of news about Ji Ran appeared online: actress Chen xx claimed Ji Ran had taken the opportunity to touch her hand while filming, star Gu xx said Ji Ran had a crush on her, and up-and-comer Li so-and-so said Ji Ran confessed his feelings to her — as if they were all Ji Ran’s wives.

Those ready-made press pieces were originally being circulated in a small circle, but once they reached Qi Sixian’s hands, they spread across all the major websites. After the story had been out for a while, someone would inevitably step forward to debunk it, pointing out that these people were lying and their real aim was just to ride on Ji Ran’s popularity, regarding her

The so-called evidence they released is just stills or photos that have been misinterpreted due to camera angles.

As a result, netizens didn’t have much goodwill toward these artists who eagerly tried to curry favor with Ji Ran. And when the two were compared, the person with the most say, “Ji Ran’s wife,” remained silent and quiet all along, which invisibly improved the netizens’ impression of her.

Meanwhile, Ji Ran was occasionally asked about marriage on variety shows, and every time he answered, he would show a rare smile, which, in netizens’ words, meant he had happiness written all over his face.

“What do you think is the biggest difference between you after marriage and before?” Once, by an outdoor bonfire, Jiang Yan asked the five male guests present.

Some say that after getting married, you have more to worry about, while others say that having children brings much family joy. But when Ji Ran was asked, his answer made everyone laugh.

“Before getting married, I thought ‘home’ was a house. After getting married, ‘home’ became the two of us. As long as we’re together, anywhere can be home.”

Jiang Yan teased upon hearing this: “Sounds like you’re particularly attached to ‘home’, like you can’t bear to be apart from your wife?”

At this, Ji Ran didn’t feel embarrassed at all, answering with a smile: “A little.”

Just “a little”? Jiang Yan wisely didn’t call him out on it.

Under these circumstances, the production team of “Waiting for You Year After Year” released an official Weibo post, announcing the male and female leads, along with other main cast members, and attached a filmed movie clip.

In the first part of the video, Ji Ran in modern clothing and Yan Duo in ancient costume sit in a pavilion. Outside the pavilion, flower petals rain down. Inside, one person eats while the other watches intently. The person eating slowly looks up, and in that glance, it feels like an eternity. In the latter part of the video, a faintly expressive Ji Ran in ancient costume stands beside a shy woman, while Yan Duo in ancient costume lies pale on a bed, coughing up blood. When she finally closes her eyes, pear blossom petals outside fill the sky.

Although the video was only a few minutes long, the visuals were stunning. Ji Ran and Yan Duo’s appearances in costume made netizens even more excited about the film. Everyone expressed that although it seemed like a tragedy, they still wanted to watch it.

[Not to mention anything else, Yan Duo’s looks completely match my aesthetic. I like everything about her, haha. I’m such a face-con.]

[Someone is spreading rumors that Yan Duo is actually Ji Ran’s wife. Looking at them this way, they really do have a couple’s resemblance!]

[Suddenly remembered Ji Ran said in the first episode of “Men’s World” that he had a very pleasant collaboration with the female lead. Well, it’s obvious, he didn’t hide his pleasant feelings at all.]

[This actress Yan Duo is actually quite good. She’s beautiful but never causes trouble, and has liked Ji Ran for many years. If she really is Ji Ran’s wife, it seems not bad, at least I think they make a good couple.]

[I’m going to support this movie at the end of the year, it looks so amazing ahhhhh!]

……

Just as netizens began to accept Ji Ran’s marriage and started looking forward to the movie, “Waiting for You Year After Year” also reached its final scene.

When Sun Yizhou woke from his dream, it was still thundering and raining heavily outside the small building. He was sweating profusely, his eyes filled with sorrow as he looked at Wen Yun standing by the window, her figure ethereal as if she might disappear at any moment, and slowly walked toward her.

“You are Mu Ning, aren’t you?”

The world all said that the Zhao family had a beauty named Mu Ning, whose charm eclipsed past and present, whose face made lotus flowers blush, and that to see her once, one could die without regret.

And that peerless beauty, he had heartlessly betrayed her.

Wen Jun hadn’t heard anyone say her name for a long time. Her heart suddenly ached, she turned back to look at Sun Yizhou, and a tear fell down her face.

“I am.”

At this moment, the man in the long gown was Sun Yizhou, and also Sun Xiuwen.

“I’m sorry.”

A thousand words could only be condensed into this single sentence.

In his past life, at the moment of death, he finally remembered Yun, remembered the solemn vows he had made to her, but it was too late, everything was too late.

Wen Jun smiled and shook her head, “I know, and I don’t blame you.”

Sun Yizhou’s tears fell to the ground. He walked to Wen Jun, reaching out to take her hand, but his hand passed through her body. He couldn’t touch her. Sun Yizhou froze, then took another step closer, trying to embrace her, but still grasped at empty air. His heart jolted in shock. When he had given her the horseshoe cake in the pavilion, he had clearly felt her cool hand, but now, could he never touch her again?

Wen Jun watched Sun Yizhou’s movements, her tears flowing faster. She said with a smile, “Seeing you before I leave, I’m already content. And after waiting for you for three hundred years, I can finally let go.”

Sun Yizhou’s soul trembled as he pleaded, “Can you not leave?”

Sun Yizhou didn’t know where Wen Jun would go, but the finality in her words was something he couldn’t accept.

Wen Jun shook her head: “You will have your own life, your own path, and I too have my own road to walk. So, goodbye, Xiuwen.”

After speaking, Wen Yun slowly disappeared before Sun Yizhou’s eyes, no longer responding no matter how loudly he called.

I don’t know how much time had passed when Sun Yizhou was pinched hard on the philtrum, waking up in pain. When he opened his eyes, he saw someone he hadn’t been able to contact’s classmate.

“Oh my, Yizhou, you’re finally awake,” Tang Xiaowan, who had the same face as Zhihua, looked at Sun Yizhou with surprise, “How did you manage to walk into this forbidden garden alone? And you slept for two hours, no one could wake you up, I was about to call an ambulance!”

Sun Yizhou’s mind was still a bit unclear, as he blankly repeated: “Jinyuan?”

“Yeah, I heard people say this place used to be called Rose Garden, and it was always haunted. No one dared to get close. Just two days ago, a very capable woman cleared this entire place out,” Tang Xiaowan said, pointing to a woman in the distance wearing a light blue improved qipao as she spoke to Sun Yizhou, “That woman, I heard that ghost was also sent away… Hey, Yizhou, where are you going?”

Sun Yizhou quickly ran toward the woman in the qipao. At this moment, he only wanted to confirm one thing. He wanted to ask her if her surname was Meng, if she was the Granny Meng that Jun Zui had mentioned. mankanshu.com

And that woman in the qipao suddenly turned her head, raising an eyebrow as she looked at Sun Yizhou with surprise. That glance inexplicably sent a chill through Sun Yizhou.

Eighteen years later, a beautiful female student pushing a suitcase arrived at the registration desk for new students at N University.

“Classmate, please register here. What’s your name?”

“My surname is Zhao, Wenjun.”

“Oh? Does it mean asking about the clouds in the sky?”

“No, no, it’s ‘Wen Jun’ from ‘Learning calligraphy and asking Wen Jun’.”

Sun Yizhou, nearly forty years old, stood under the tree, smiling as he looked at the young woman. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes didn’t make him look old; instead, they carried a hint of eager anticipation.

Eighteen years had passed, but in the end, he could still be like he was three hundred years ago—becoming her teacher, becoming her lover. And this time, he would never fail her again.

When the shot was finished, with Director Zhong’s call of “Cut!”, all the actors and staff on set cheered excitedly. “Waiting for You Year After Year” had finally wrapped up filming!

In the evening, after the wrap-up dinner, Yan Duo returned to the hotel and looked at the luggage Fang Fang had packed for her. She felt an emptiness in her heart. Her schedule after the completion of this drama was already packed, and she had long been mentally prepared, but after filming actually ended, Yan Duo felt a strong sense of reluctance.

When Ji Ran came downstairs, he saw Yan Duo sitting on the bed, holding her face in a daze. He walked over, patted her head and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Yan Duo still kept her head down, “I’m so reluctant to leave, I don’t want to go.”

“Is it the film crew you’ll miss, or me?”

Yan Duo remained silent.

She couldn’t bear to ask Yun, and even less could she bear to part with Ji Ran. According to her schedule, it would be difficult for her and Ji Ran to meet in the next three months. She had long been accustomed to having Ji Ran by her side, and the sudden departure left a huge void in her heart.

Ji Ran looked at her and said, “If you can’t bear to leave the film crew, there’s nothing I can do. But if it’s me you can’t bear to part with, I think I can solve that.”

Yan Duo looked up in confusion, “How will you solve it?”

The reflexive question had long exposed what was on Yan Duo’s mind.

Ji Ran sat down, put his arm around her shoulders and replied, “I’ve already finished most of my work this year. From now on, if you miss me, I can fly to see you anytime.”

Yan Duo’s face lit up with joy, “Really?”

“Really.”

After her moment of joy, Yan Duo’s smile faded as she looked at Ji Ran with confusion. “There are still several months left this year. Why are you taking a break so soon?”

In Yan Duo’s impression, Ji燃 had never taken such a long break from work. What was going on now?

Ji Ran held her hand and said, “You’ll have even more vacations in the future.”

Yan Duo was startled, “What do you want to do?”

From Ji Ran’s tone, Yan Duo actually detected a hint of retreat. Was he thinking of leaving the entertainment industry?

Ji Ran pressed Yan Duo’s head against his shoulder and said with a smile, “I’ve had this plan since marrying you last year. I’ll only film one movie in the next year or two and spend the rest of the time by your side. So, in the future, you’ll have to support me.”

Yan Duo’s feelings were complicated, so Ji Ran’s idea of semi-retiring was because of her?

After the immense happiness, a hint of guilt rose in Yan Duo’s heart. Ji Ran’s reduced work in the future would probably sadden his fans the most. But when she thought about the stomach problems and rheumatism Ji Ran had developed from years of irregular diet and sleep schedules due to constant filming, Yan Duo couldn’t bring herself to say no.

Every industry in this world has its own difficulties and hardships, but in Yan Duo’s opinion, Ji Ran started enduring hardships too early. Given his family’s financial situation, he shouldn’t have had to suffer like this. Thinking of this, Yan Duo couldn’t help but blame his hypocritical brother.

“Sure, I’ll support you! Let me tell you, I have plenty of money now, supporting you is no problem at all.” Yan Duo said, patting her chest.

Yan Duo wasn’t a girl who spent money frivolously. Besides necessities, she didn’t have many other expenses, so with the various remunerations she had received over the past year plus the money her family and Ji Ran had transferred to her, she had an eight-figure deposit in her hands. Moreover, her acting fees were visibly increasing, so even if Ji Ran didn’t work in the future, she could support him.

Looking at Yan Duo’s instantly happy face, Ji Ran felt that he still preferred to see her innocent smile, so he didn’t mention that the money he earned was completely enough for the two of them to spend for the rest of their lives, deciding to keep living off her: “That’s good, then can you also support three or four more children in the future?”

Yan Duo finally understood that Ji Ran was deliberately teasing her, she Looking at his belly, she stroked her chin and said, “If you can father three, four, or five children, I’ll raise them!”

Ji Ran flopped onto the bed, striking a carefree pose as he looked at Yan Duo and laughed, “How about we try tonight? I think I can do it!”

Seeing Ji Ran so shameless for the first time, Yan Duo felt as if a whole new world had opened up — was this really her genteel idol?

— This was just asking for it, begging to be fucked!

So Yan Duo didn’t hold back either. With her fingertips she “played piano” on Ji Ran’s stomach through his clothes and asked with mock seriousness, “Is that where babies come out of?”

Before Ji Ran could answer, Yan Duo’s fingertip moved downward, continuing to play. “Or here?”

Ji Ran let Yan Duo fan the flames on him, taking it as foreplay, until a chill ran beneath him, and only then could he no longer hold back.

“No, you can go in and out there. Do you want to try?”