Lin Ran raised his voice, unafraid of disturbing Luo Yao sleeping in the villa—the soundproofing there was top-notch.
"Then what are you scared of? Be brave. Who knows, Granny Wang might just say yes. Even if she doesn’t, at least you’ll have tried. At your age, surely you’re not lacking that little bit of courage?"
"Don’t forget how much Granny Wang sacrificed for you back then. Compared to her bravery, you’re nothing but a coward in love."
"A coward in love?" Uncle Fu was stunned, repeating the phrase under his breath.
Finally, it hit him like a bolt of clarity.
Right, right—why was he overthinking this?
Just go for it.
"Lin Ran, I have to say, you’ve really untangled the knot in my heart. Thank you."
Indeed, even Uncle Fu could fall victim to being blinded by his own emotions.
Lin Ran: "Thank me? Just make sure Luo Yao’s birthday is perfect according to my plans—that’s repayment enough. I still need to prepare an amazing gift for her."Uncle Fu gave an OK sign, feeling as if he’d caught some of Lin Ran’s infectious energy.
The two, young and old, had resolved their inner conflicts, and from then on, the two bonds between them grew purer.
Lin Ran returned to the bedroom to find Luo Yao still curled up under the covers. He slipped in quietly, and she coiled around him like a water snake.
"Mmm… Where did A-Ran go? I want a hug."
Lin Ran wasn’t sure if she was sleep-talking or already awake, but he whispered back,
"I was searching for the right way to love you." With that, he turned and gently embraced her, letting her legs drape over him.
"The right way to love you is to love you boldly and without hesitation. All the love I have left in this life is yours."
Hearing his words, Luo Yao’s eyes remained closed, but her heart swelled with joy, her lips curling into a faint smile.
This version of A-Ran was truly wonderful.
And from that moment, Lin Ran changed.
In the future, he would gradually grow into a true male lead.
The night passed without incident.
The next morning, Lin Ran saw Uncle Fu again.
"Uncle Fu."
"Young Master Lin, I hope you rested well."
"I did. Where’s Yao Yao?"
Jiang Feihua answered directly.
"President Luo is working with the assistant team in the office area."
Lin Ran nodded, ate a quick breakfast, and went to find Luo Yao.
Sometimes, he truly wondered if Luo Yao was a perpetual motion machine—never stopping, never slowing down.
But he knew why.
Her goal had always been to crush every enemy and then retire with him.
Lin Ran couldn’t wait for that day to come.
In their past life, Luo Yao had already achieved it—only for him to foolishly throw it away.
Led by Jiang Feihua, Lin Ran and Uncle Fu arrived at the office area—Villa No. 8 of the estate.
Though called a villa, at first glance, it was clearly a modern workspace.
When Lin Ran entered, all the assistants lowered their heads—though inwardly, they were delighted.
Young Master Lin was here to flaunt his affection again. Go on, flaunt away!
He tiptoed behind Luo Yao and playfully covered her eyes.
"Does A-Ran like playing games?"
Lin Ran let go, feeling a bit deflated.
"Boring. You didn’t even try to guess."
"In this world, no one but A-Ran would dare joke with me like this."
Hearing that, Lin Ran’s mood instantly brightened.
What did that prove?
That he was the most special person in her world.
"What an honor."
Just then, Liu Meng reported the day’s schedule.
"President Luo, today we’re inspecting the group’s branch office. Also, we’ve just received an invitation—the Shanghai Business Association is hosting a banquet at the Li Family’s estate at 5 PM. They’ve invited you, and they already know you’re here."
Luo Yao’s itinerary was always confidential. Even the Shanghai branch and the Beijing headquarters hadn’t known she’d arrived the day before.
She had planned a surprise inspection—and to remove a certain woman from the picture.
But if the business association knew, it meant her plans had leaked.
Still, Luo Yao had expected this. If her movements went unnoticed, she’d have wondered if the world had glitched.
She nodded, then looked at Lin Ran.
"A-Ran, are you coming with me today, or staying here to rest?"
"Of course I’m coming with you. Otherwise, in this unfamiliar place, I’d be scared."
Liu Meng: "…Young Master Lin, could you not?"
"Good. I’ll wrap things up, and we’ll head out soon."
Lin Ran glanced at one of the busy assistants and froze, eyes widening.
Looking around, he broke into a cold sweat.
Their work went far beyond typical assistant duties. Some were typing at blistering speeds—even Lin Ran, no expert, could tell.
This was hacking.
Luo Yao’s assistant team was terrifyingly capable.
If you could imagine it, they could do it.
"A-Ran, let’s go."
After quickly finishing her tasks, Luo Yao walked over to him.
Truthfully, she wanted him by her side. The estate had too many maids—and they were all quite pretty. What if an accident happened? She couldn’t risk her home being stolen.
Even if Lin Ran could resist, she’d still feel uneasy.
But replacing them with men? Worse. With her aversion to men, Luo Yao would rather not have male staff at all.
Just having a man near her made her skin crawl.
Lin Ran was an exception. So was Uncle Fu.
Lin Ran was the man she loved—everything about him was endearing, drawing her in.
She adored letting him indulge in every part of her.
As for Uncle Fu…
Though Luo Yao disliked men, she could at least tolerate him without disgust.
That alone spoke volumes about Uncle Fu’s competence—earning a place as estate manager despite her condition.
No small feat.
"Alright."
Just as Lin Ran reached for Luo Yao’s hand, she raised both arms.
"Carry me out."
The assistants didn’t bat an eye. Liu Meng and Uncle Fu merely exchanged a glance. The only one shocked was Jiang Feihua—though she kept her composure.
Wasn’t Luo Yao supposed to be ruthless and ice-cold? This didn’t add up.
As they left Villa No. 8, the assistants kept working—only Liu Meng followed.
"Is Uncle Fu not coming with us?"
Luo Yao: "He’ll stay at the estate."
Lin Ran glanced at Liu Meng, who stood silently with her head bowed.
He didn’t understand why Luo Yao always brought her along.
Weren’t they attending a banquet tonight? If trouble arose, could this woman really handle it?
Little did Lin Ran know—Liu Meng would soon prove, beyond doubt, that Luo Yao’s personal assistant was anything but ordinary.