Chapter 017

Luo Yao seemed to see through Lin Ran's little trick.

"Are you really willing?"

"Of course, I am! I can't wait for you to get rid of her and make her disappear from my sight."

Hearing this, Luo Yao finally felt a bit of comfort and began to ponder the sincerity of Lin Ran's words.

Lin Ran gently caressed every inch of Luo Yao's skin, trying to soothe her with his touch, when suddenly he frowned.

"Did you hurt your leg?"

Luo Yao panicked and quickly pulled her leg back. "Yeah... I accidentally bumped it!"

Lin Ran suddenly remembered that Luo Yao had been applying something while he was asleep. Was it scar cream?

How could he not have noticed that his wife was injured?

For some reason, Lin Ran felt a sharp pain in his heart.

Upon closer inspection, he saw that the injury was almost healed, barely visible to the naked eye, only detectable by touch.

Lin Ran didn't feel relieved; instead, he blamed himself for being so careless.

"I'm sorry, it was my negligence. I deserve to be punished. Go ahead, punish me."

Luo Yao's eyes lit up immediately.

"Then I'll punish you by making you take me out to look at the stars."

"Deal."

Under the starry sky, Lin Ran held Luo Yao's hand as they walked to the rooftop garden.

He wanted to have a heart-to-heart with Luo Yao, but before he could say anything, Luo Yao covered his mouth, as if she didn't want him to continue.

She was afraid. Afraid that her vulnerability would be discovered by her beloved, afraid that Lin Ran would worry about her.

The stars are always beautiful because they inspire endless fantasies and dreams.

In the rooftop garden of the villa, Luo Yao was unusually wild that night, until both of them were exhausted and lay together, quietly gazing at the stars.

Lin Ran: "I knew this stargazing wasn't going to be innocent."

Luo Yao: "Do you like stargazing?"

Lin Ran: "I like the stars, but I like you more."

Luo Yao stared at the stars, lost in thought.

"You know, when I was a kid, a big brother once told me that stars aren't beautiful because when dreams shatter, people feel despair."

Lin Ran: "Well, that big brother definitely wasn't me, because I'm younger than you!"

Honestly, why did he feel a little disappointed?

Luo Yao ignored Lin Ran's feelings and continued, "I used to think he was right, but now I might change my mind."

She turned to look at Lin Ran seriously. "Because you are my star. Even if one day you disappear, you'll still be beautiful to me."

"Just promise me, if the dream ever shatters, lie to me for as long as possible, okay?"

Lin Ran: "Then I'll be the brightest star in your sky, one that never fades."

Luo Yao nodded, choosing to believe in this moment.

She extended her hand, adorned with a bracelet, and intertwined her fingers with Lin Ran's, declaring her happiness to the starry sky.

The temperature in the rooftop garden was perfectly comfortable, and even as they fell asleep in each other's arms, it felt just right.

"Darling, if you ever have something on your mind, you have to tell me."

"Okay."

"Otherwise, I'll worry."

"I know."

...

Meow!

A cat's cry woke Lin Ran. He looked around and saw a black cat with blue eyes quietly staring at him.

Lin Ran turned to look at Luo Yao, who was already asleep.

"Shh! Keep it down, don't disturb her rest."

The black cat obediently ran away, leaving Lin Ran puzzled.

Was there a cat in this estate?

The next morning, Lin Ran received news that was neither good nor bad.

Luo Yao was on her period.

"I'll let you off the hook for the next few days. Take it easy and rest."

Lin Ran didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Are you fattening me up to slaughter me later?"

After breakfast, Luo Yao left without hesitation, showing no signs of reluctance. Lin Ran even began to wonder if he had become useless.

Was she just using him and then discarding him?

Woman, you've successfully ignited my anger...

Lin Ran and Wu Zhishang continued working on the company. They spent the morning completing the company registration.

The company was named **Warm Yao Media**.

Its business scope included not only short video production but also live streaming, original music, and TV drama creation.

Lin Ran didn't want to work for others; he wanted a higher starting point.

From hosts to actors, including the operations team and PR team, everyone would be his own people.

After all, having lived a second life, he had an advantage with information—knowing which TV dramas, short videos, and rising influencers would become popular later.

The two of them discussed their next steps, though "discussed" was more like Wu Zhishang being exploited.

Wu Zhishang was in charge of renovations and hiring, while Lin Ran was responsible for slacking off.

Lin Ran: "I'm still in my honeymoon phase with my wife. How can I have time to deal with company matters?"

Wu Zhishang: "How long is your honeymoon phase?"

Lin Ran: "A lifetime."

Wu Zhishang: "Damn it! Just kill me! Why do you get to enjoy your honeymoon while I have to work tirelessly?"

Lin Ran: "Because I'm the boss. If you don't want a salary, you can slack off too."

Wu Zhishang: "Never mind."

Lin Ran's offer to Wu Zhishang was straightforward: a base salary at industry standards, with bonuses tied to performance.

Even between brothers, accounts had to be settled clearly, and Wu Zhishang had no objections to this.

In addition, Lin Ran gave Wu Zhishang 5% of the company's shares. Wu Zhishang didn't want it, but Lin Ran insisted.

Why? Because Wu Zhishang had once cried at Lin Ran's grave.

During lunch, Lin Ran received a call from Xu Kai, the lawyer.

"Mr. Lin, Lin Tianba wants to meet with you in person to discuss the profit-sharing."

Lin Ran could imagine Lin Tianba's current state—angry but helpless, forced to seek reconciliation with Lin Ran.

He could even guess most of what Lin Tianba would say during the meeting.

After completely letting go of familial ties, Lin Ran felt his mind was unusually clear.

"There's no need for a meeting. Just relay my message: have the money ready, and that's all. No further discussion is necessary."

There was no point in meeting; it would only be nauseating.

After hanging up, Wu Zhishang looked at Lin Ran with admiration and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Bro Lin! You've finally stood up."

"What do you mean 'finally'? It's not like I was kneeling before."

"Weren't you kneeling and losing your dignity before?"

"Well... I guess you're right."

A man's dignity isn't earned by kneeling; it's earned by standing tall.

Wu Zhishang: "Let's not talk about the past."

Lin Ran nodded: "You're right. Let's focus on the present. Like how my wife is stunning and even supports the family financially..."

Wu Zhishang: "Damn it!"

Lin Ran: "It's not a plant, you know."

Wu Zhishang was speechless.

"Just wait. When school starts, I'm going to tie my girlfriend to my waist and show off to you every day."

Lin Ran frowned: "You haven't told your girlfriend about the company, have you?"

Wu Zhishang patted his chest: "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten what I promised you. I want to surprise her with our success first. Then I'll buy her whatever she wants."

Lin Ran thought to himself, *Finally, you're the one spreading the dog food.*

I just wonder how many more times you'll be able to do that. Sigh!

After lunch, the two parted ways.

Wu Zhishang never wanted to stay with Lin Ran again; the guy kept feeding him dog food.

Lin Ran didn't want to stay with Wu Zhishang either. What could two grown men even do together?