Chapter 0187

Luo Yao spoke coldly, "It doesn't matter. I'll protect A'Ran. If I fail and he dies, I'll die with him. But if you think you can threaten me using him, you're mistaken."

She then turned her gaze to Lin Ran, who nodded in agreement.

"Did you hear that? My wife and I are on the same page. If you dare lay a finger on her, I'll end you and then join my wife in the afterlife."

Luo Wushuang frowned.

He had to admit, Luo Yao was a woman whose mindset differed from ordinary people.

But why was Lin Ran acting the same way?

No—Lin Ran was faking it.

He had collaborated with Luo Wuyou before, and the intel he provided was genuine.

According to the records, Lin Ran had repeatedly tried to break free from Luo Yao. Only recently had he started acting like he loved her. There was only one explanation.

A person couldn’t suddenly fall in love with someone they once despised. Therefore, Lin Ran was afraid of Luo Yao—everything about him was an act.

I, Luo Wushuang, am truly a genius.

Luo Yao said, "However... I’ll give you one chance. I’ll let you go."

Luo Wushuang’s eyes darkened. After a long pause, he asked, "Really?"

"Of course."

Luo Wushuang smirked. "So you do care about this man. I don’t understand—does family mean nothing to you?"

Luo Yao scoffed. "What are you, compared to my A'Ran? You’re not even worth a fraction of him."

"Damn it!" Luo Wushuang nearly lost his composure. Her words weren’t vulgar, but they cut deep.

After shooting Lin Ran a sharp look, he vanished from the estate.

Once Luo Wushuang was gone, Lin Ran asked, "Do you actually trust him?"

"No."

"Then why let him leave?"

"Because he has something I want, but he won’t give it to me."

Truthfully, what Luo Wushuang held wasn’t absolutely essential. What Luo Yao truly wanted was Lin Ran’s safety—she just wouldn’t admit it out loud.

Even if Luo Wushuang’s threats might be empty, Luo Yao wasn’t willing to gamble.

She had faked an injury to lure him out, and though she’d countered his move, she couldn’t kill him.

The entire plan had failed.

At least she now knew who the real enemy was.

"Wife, you’re not doing this because you’re worried about me, are you?"

Luo Yao met Lin Ran’s eyes. "Maybe. But I’ve also said—if we die, we die together."

Lin Ran spread his hands. "Of course. We agreed."

"A'Ran."

"Yeah?"

"I... love you so much." Memories of Lin Ran flooded Luo Yao’s mind, and she felt an overwhelming urge to devour him whole, as if only then could they truly become one.

Her love had always carried danger.

Lin Ran smiled. "I know. No one in this world loves me more than you do."

Lin Ran’s love for Luo Yao wasn’t just for this lifetime—it spanned past lives and histories. It was a love woven with devotion, adoration, indulgence, gratitude, guilt, and protection.

And, of course, her body.

Lin Ran had long since surrendered to it. Though imperfect, his love was utterly sincere.

Luo Yao lowered her head, her heart heavy.

If she had dealt with Luo Wushuang today, their enemies would have dwindled, bringing them one step closer to their dream of a peaceful retirement.

"Yao Yao, do you think your uncle will come after me?"

Luo Yao gave him a puzzled look. "Why would you think that? I doubt he’ll make a move anytime soon. He must know how thoroughly I protect you."

Lin Ran figured she was right.

"Then tomorrow, I’ll head to the company for a meeting. If you don’t want to come, you can wait in your office."

"Alright." Luo Yao knew Lin Ran was using this as bait to draw Luo Wushuang out. Touched by his courage, she remained vigilant.

As night fell over the world, Capital University’s centennial celebration also reached its grand finale.

Chen Qingtian volunteered to perform a dance, reigniting the buzz around the short drama.

Overnight, the internet exploded. By the next morning, the top ten trending topics were all about Lin Ran.

[1. Luo Yao’s Husband.]

[2. Fake Young Master, Real Green Tea—Lin Jian.]

[3. Shocking Revelations: The Incest Expert—Lin Jian.]

[4. A Stepmother’s Depravity—Moral Collapse or Human Corruption?]

[5. The Ultimate Betrayal: The Abandoned Child—Lin Ran.]

[6. Chen Qingtian and Lin Ran’s Connection—What Is the Chen Family?]

[7. The Man Behind Suran Group & Nuanyao Group—Lin Ran’s True Identity.]

[8. The Century’s Worst Father—Lin Tianba.]

[9. Capital University’s Centennial: The Principal’s Meme-Worthy Expressions—A Once-in-a-Lifetime Show.]

[10. Nuanyao Media’s Short Drama Premieres This November.]

This time, Lin Ran’s identity had been completely exposed—more thoroughly than when Su Jianguo had publicly backed him.

Netizens were stunned to learn how much hardship he had endured.

At least he had risen now. Just being Luo Yao’s husband alone meant he could strut anywhere in the world.

And with his numerous hidden identities surfacing, the hype propelled Nuanyao Media’s short drama to unprecedented pre-release numbers, single-handedly elevating the short-drama market beyond its current standing.

That same day, Lin Ran returned to the company, bringing Uncle Fu along for safety.

As the head of Nuanyao Media, this was his first time attending a pivotal meeting.

"Charging for it? Who said we’re charging for the short drama?"

The executives were baffled.

"If we don’t charge, how do we make money?"

Lin Ran signaled Wu Zhishang to present the original proposal. Soon, everyone realized just how brilliant Lin Ran was.

"Gentlemen, the profit model was planned from the start. Since this morning, countless brands have reached out for collaborations. So, we’re reverting to traditional monetization."

"First—ads. We’ll insert commercials before and after episodes. Our production costs are low, so ad revenue alone covers expenses. Just this morning, multiple brands already contacted us."

"Second—platform licensing. We’ll sell distribution rights... Third—shopping conversions... Fourth—live-stream promotions. Our hosts are top-tier... Fifth—VIP early access..."

"Beyond these, there’s untapped potential. Building this IP will grow our fanbase, securing future projects and landing our actors better endorsements."

The more they listened, the more awestruck they became. From the very beginning, he had everything mapped out.

At this stage, short dramas lacked a fixed profit model, yet Lin Ran had devised a viable strategy—with one key difference: free viewing.

After all, audiences already invested time. Asking for money too?

Capital could afford to be shameless, but not unprofitable.

Lin Ran could afford to forgo profit, but not his principles.