Chapter 0280

"It's been so long since we last looked at the stars."

"I'll keep you company."

The two hadn't visited the rooftop garden in ages.

The weather was somewhat chilly now, but the garden maintained its constant temperature, with flowers and plants still blooming vibrantly.

Those that didn't bloom brightly had long been replaced.

As they gazed at the starry sky, Luo Yao suddenly burst into laughter.

Hearing that delightful, silvery sound, Lin Ran felt his heart leap—such was Luo Yao's effect on him.

"What's so funny?"

A nostalgic expression crossed Luo Yao's face.

"Ah Ran, do you remember? That time you set fire to half the plants here and said, 'Even if you brought the rarest, most precious flowers in the world, I wouldn’t spare them a glance.'"

Lin Ran immediately lowered his head, overcome with shame.

Why had he burned the garden? What a terrible thing to do.

"Yao Yao, do you have to keep teasing me about these things?"

Luo Yao smirked. "Ah Ran, embarrassed? Weren’t you the one who said you hated everything here back then?"

Truthfully, those memories weren’t exactly pleasant. At the time, they had plunged Luo Yao into despair—she couldn’t understand why Lin Ran disliked what she had prepared for him.

Back then, she thought he might just dislike the plants, so she replaced them again and again...

But now, her Ah Ran truly belonged to her, and those once-painful memories suddenly felt sweet.

"Someone living in hell can never imagine the beauty of heaven. Back then, I was eating dirt every day, so of course the whole world seemed foul. But now that I’ve tasted the sweetest delicacy, I know the world can be sweet too. So now, I love it all."

As he spoke, Lin Ran admired the exotic plants around them.

"Sweet, huh?" Luo Yao pointed at the rare flowers. "Then tell me which ones you like best. I’ll have them replaced with your favorites."

Lin Ran shook his head. "The one I like most can’t be replaced."

"Impossible. There’s nothing I can’t do."

A playful smile tugged at Lin Ran’s lips. "In this entire estate—no, in the whole world—the only thing I love most is you. Can you turn the world into one giant Luo Yao?"

Luo Yao stared at him, stunned. She had to admit, that answer was beyond perfect.

"Ah Ran, I really can’t tell just how much you love me now. But I adore this life we have. We’ll be happy, won’t we?"

Seeing her earnest expression, Lin Ran’s heart grew heavy.

If only he hadn’t been blind—if only he’d recognized Luo Yao sooner—their happiness wouldn’t have come so late.

"I don’t know how much I love you, because love can’t be measured. But I can promise this: my love for you is almost catching up to yours for me."

Tears welled in Luo Yao’s eyes. In this world, only Lin Ran could move her like this.

Lin Ran continued pouring out his heart.

"They say in love, whoever falls hardest loses. But I won’t let you lose—just as I trust you’d never let me lose. Because I take you even more seriously than my own life."

This was rare for Lin Ran—he usually spoke tenderly, but now, his words carried an unshakable intensity.

And his actions matched.

"Ah Ran... I need to be sure."

"I love you. You’re welcome to confirm it anytime."

Nestled in Lin Ran’s arms, Luo Yao felt happiness wash over her like warm sunlight caressing every inch of her skin.

"Ah Ran, I forbid you from treating your life lightly. Only if you live can I be happy."

"As you command, my lady."

The stars above didn’t speak, but their twinkling seemed to witness this perfect scene.

The flowers and trees around them didn’t speak either, but a pair of blue eyes blinked as if beholding pure bliss—and even formed a strangely human-like smile.

The night passed without another word.

The next day...

Lin Tianba, along with Liu Yuemei and their son, had been on the run, recognized wherever they went.

China had one defining trait: crowds everywhere.

Finally, at a shabby motel, the owner—unfamiliar with online gossip—failed to recognize them.

Lin Tianba managed to check in.

Watching him count out a crumpled stack of small bills, the owner grew impatient.

Who didn’t use mobile payments these days?

"500 deposit. 100 per night. Pay by noon daily or check out. No AC, but heating works. Need hot water? Fetch the kettle from the front desk. Got it?"

Biting back his fury, Lin Tianba nodded. "Understood."

He led his family into the dingy room.

It was barely large enough for a single bed, with almost no floor space. Despite the heating, the cold still made him shiver.

The foot of the bed nearly touched the cramped bathroom—less than a meter apart.

Still, for 100 a night in the capital, having shelter at all was a miracle.

Taking in the squalor, Lin Tianba nearly lost control.

What sin had he committed to deserve this?

He’d once been the head of a billion-dollar empire!

Naturally, his thoughts turned to the architect of his downfall: Lin Ran.

"That ungrateful wretch! What does he think he’s doing? Does he even know how his own father is living now?"

"Publicly shaming me in a livestream—does he have no respect for me? I’ll die from this rage!"

Liu Yuemei had stopped speaking altogether. Her mindset had shifted completely.

She saw now: relying on Lin Tianba for a comeback was hopeless.

If he didn’t fix things soon, she’d leave with their son.

After divorcing him, of course.

As for Lin Jian, he lay on the bed, hollow-eyed.

Since his scandal broke, he hadn’t smiled once.

These past days should’ve been his chance to recover—his acting skills and victim narrative could’ve salvaged his image.

But then Lin Ran dropped a bombshell, leaving him no room to recover.

Two influencer agencies that had reached out earlier had gone silent.

He couldn’t take this life anymore.

"Dad... I’m cold. I’m hungry."

Lin Jian fought back tears. A man shouldn’t cry easily.

Lin Tianba was at his wit’s end too. After paying for the room, he couldn’t even afford food.

"Yuemei, do you have any money left?"

Liu Yuemei shook her head hurriedly.