—
“An’an, where are you now?”
“The amusement park is about to close.”
Wen Ke’an’s phone buzzed, and she received a message from Jin Ming.
Wen Ke’an glanced at Gu Ting, who was helping her wash her hands, and whispered in reply, “We’ve already left. Are you still in the amusement park?”
“Yeah, but we’re about to leave too,” Jin Ming replied quickly.
The sound of running water filled her ears. Wen Ke’an looked down and saw that her hands were already clean.
However, someone was a bit too rough, and her hands were now slightly red from the scrubbing.
Gu Ting gently dried her hands with a paper towel. After finishing, he looked down and saw the little girl beside him staring at him unblinkingly.
“I’m sorry, really,” Gu Ting apologized very skillfully.
“I don’t want your help anymore,” Wen Ke’an turned her gaze away, “Too much!”
“…”
Final exams were over, and it was finally time to go home for the holidays. Early in the morning, Wen Ke’an had already returned to the dormitory to pack her things. She didn’t have much to take home since she’d been staying at Gu Ting’s place these past few days. Most of her stuff could be brought back by Gu Ting.
This time, Wen Ke’an was flying home with Chu Han. Gu Ting had some things to deal with, so he would be returning later than her.
After getting off the plane, Wen Ke’an saw her parents waiting for her.
Chu Han’s mom had also come to pick her up. Chu Han’s mom was very beautiful and stylish, you’d never guess she was over forty.
“My mom’s here, I’m going over now,” Chu Han whispered to Wen Ke’an.
“Mm, go ahead.”
After Chu Han left, Wen Ke’an walked over to her parents, “Dad, Mom.”
Since the university was far away, Wen Ke’an hadn’t been able to come home often since starting college.
“Why have you lost weight?” Wen Qiangguo looked at his daughter, tears of concern in his eyes, “You must have not been eating or sleeping well out there.”
“I haven’t lost weight, I’ve actually gained some,” Wen Ke’an replied with a smile.
These past few days, Gu Ting had taken good care of her, and she had gained five pounds.
“When we get home, your dad will cook you something good!” Liu Qing took her luggage from her hand, “Let’s go, An’an hasn’t seen our new home yet.”
After buying a new house, Liu Qing decorated it, and they had moved in over a month ago.
The new house was in a new neighborhood with great landscaping, including a small lake in the center with a park around it. They often saw elderly people exercising in the park.
“I heard the city government is moving near our neighborhood,” Wen Qiangguo said with a smile, “and a large mall is also being built.”
“Yes, the more I think about it, the better this place seems. It will probably be even better in a few years,” Liu Qing agreed.
Wen Ke’an just smiled without saying a word.
In a few years, this place will definitely be better. After the city government moved here, a few schools also built new campuses nearby. Anyway, this community is next to several commercial areas and is very bustling. The housing prices in this complex have skyrocketed multiple times.
“We should save more money and see if we can buy a house for our An’an in A City,” Wen Qiangguo said.
“Haha, then our breadwinner needs to earn a lot more money, the houses in A City are very expensive,” Liu Qing laughed.
It was the first time Wen Ke’an had come to the new house, which had four bedrooms and two living rooms—much bigger than their old house. Wen Ke’an also participated somewhat in the decorating process; her room was arranged exactly to her requirements.
Since she hadn’t stayed there yet, her room was relatively empty.
“The bed sheets have already been washed, and we didn’t move anything in your previous room. When you have time, you can check what you need and bring it here,” Liu Qing said from behind Wen Ke’an.
“Okay, I got it. Mom, you should go and rest for a while.”
Wen Ke’an stayed at home for two days. The only downside of the new house was that it was a bit far from her friends’ homes. However, the environment of the community was nice, fitting well with her video style.
When Wen Ke’an went out for morning exercise, she used the time to scout for locations suitable for shooting videos. But before she could start her video project, Gu Ting came back.
Wen Ke’an had just finished her afternoon nap when she heard the doorbell. Initially, she thought her parents had returned, but upon opening the door, she saw Gu Ting.
He was dressed quite formally today, looking more mature than before.
“Why did you come back already?” Wen Ke’an pulled him inside, feeling the cold from the open door.
“Don’t want me back?” Gu Ting looked down at her and slowly spoke.
“No, no, no,” Wen Ke’an took his hand and pinched it playfully, smiling with sparkling eyes, “Of course, I want you back.”
“Shall we go out for a walk this afternoon?”
Gu Ting: “Where to?”
“Just around the community, maybe shoot a video?” Wen Ke’an asked tentatively.
In such cold weather, Wen Ke’an thought he wouldn’t let her wear so little outside, but she still had a glimmer of hope.
Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Gu Ting said, “Suddenly, staying in and playing sounds pretty good.”
“………”
Gu Ting shamelessly stayed at her place all afternoon until her parents returned, and he stayed for dinner.
Wen Ke’an felt incredibly uneasy during dinner. Her mother knew about her relationship with Gu Ting and kept giving her meaningful glances. Meanwhile, Gu Ting openly served her food without a hint of concealment.
“It’s getting late. Uncle and Aunt, I should go now.”
At nine o’clock, Gu Ting finally prepared to leave.
Wen Qiangguo had enjoyed chatting with Gu Ting and felt a bit reluctant to see him go.
“Come over to visit when you have time. Is your place far? Let me give you a ride.”
Gu Ting had already walked to the doorway and changed into his shoes. He looked up at Wen Qiangguo and said, “No need, Uncle. I have a place here too.”
“Ah?” Wen Qiangguo was surprised. “Is it also in this neighborhood? Is it far?”
“No, it’s not far, just on the ninth floor.” After Gu Ting finished speaking, he glanced at Wen Ke’an.
“…”
Their current home was on the eleventh floor, meaning that the elevator had to go down just two floors to reach Gu Ting’s home.
“Wow, what a coincidence, hahahahaha!” Wen Qiangguo laughed.
Even Wen Ke’an was unaware that Gu Ting had a place downstairs. She was slightly surprised.
Gu Ting naturally noticed her little expression. He looked at Wen Ke’an and asked, “Would you like to come to my place for a bit?”
Wen Ke’an was curious about Gu Ting’s new home. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Wen Qiangguo and whispered, “Dad, can I go downstairs for a while?”
Wen Qiangguo, without any hesitation, happily said, “Go ahead, go ahead.”
Wen Ke’an, without even changing her shoes, put on her coat and went downstairs.
Only after Wen Ke’an’s figure was out of sight did Wen Qiangguo smile and sigh, “Those two kids are getting closer. It’s just a pity that Gu Ting already has a girlfriend.”
“…”
After saying that, he noticed Liu Qing looking at him with a strange expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Liu Qing snorted, turned around, and said, “It’s nothing.”
“…”
About ten days later, it was the New Year. This year, they didn’t go back to their old home but celebrated in their new place.
Not having to face a bunch of relatives, Wen Ke’an felt more at ease.
Kids in the neighborhood were setting off fireworks, and the park was filled with lanterns, a lively and beautiful scene.
It was snowing lightly outside. After the New Year’s Eve dinner, the family went out for a walk.
Wen Ke’an didn’t actually want to go out, as she suddenly felt like a glowing third wheel around her parents.
“It’s really amazing when you think about it. Never thought we would buy a new place and open so many stores,” Wen Qiangguo sighed.
Life had been getting better these past few years, and both of them appeared younger.
“No wonder a fortune teller once told me I have a good fate,” Liu Qing said with a smile as she linked arms with Wen Qiangguo.
Wen Ke’an silently adjusted her scarf, watching her parents’ affection. The old couple engaged in conversation, leaving no room for her.
“Dad, Mom, I’ll take a walk elsewhere and be back soon.” Wen Ke’an, knowing well enough, decided to slip away.
The security in the neighborhood was good, and with lights on in every house and people everywhere, there shouldn’t be any danger.
Liu Qing smiled and said, “Go ahead, but don’t go too far.”
“I know, I know!”
Wen Ke’an had nowhere specific to go. She sat on the swing in the small park, watching some cute kids gleefully running with sparklers in hand.
“What are you doing?” Wen Ke’an was feeling bored when she received a message from Gu Ting.
Wen Ke’an took a photo and sent it to Gu Ting. “Watching the kids play with fireworks.”
After sending the message, she got no response.
Perhaps he was having dinner at that time.
Just as Wen Ke’an was about to put down her phone, she received another message.
“Look up.”
Wen Ke’an looked up and saw a handsome guy staring at her under a street lamp adorned with red lanterns.
They locked eyes for a while, and Wen Ke’an finally reacted. She happily ran to him and threw herself into his arms.
“Why are you here?” Wen Ke’an looked up at him.
Gu Ting hugged her steadily and pretended to think for a moment before saying, “Just passing by.”
Wen Ke’an turned her head away. “I don’t believe you.”
Gu Ting looked down at her. Today, she wore a festive red cotton jacket and had her hair in a cute bun.
Fireworks shimmered in the sky as Gu Ting gently held her hand. “Happy New Year.”
Wen Ke’an lifted her head and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
She smiled sweetly, “Happy New Year!”
Wen Ke’an hadn’t gone home yet when small snowflakes started falling.
A few days ago, there was a heavy snowfall, and many places in the park still had unmelted snow. In some spots, you could still see little snowmen built by children.
Under the warm yellow lights, you could clearly see each falling snowflake.
“It’s snowing.”
Wen Ke’an reached out and caught a snowflake in her hand.
“Look, this snowflake is so beautiful!”
Wen Ke’an was wearing gloves, so the snowflake didn’t melt immediately.
Gu Ting looked at her, and finally, his gaze rested on her face. “Yeah, it’s pretty.”
Wen Ke’an looked up at the sky and whispered, “I don’t actually like snow much.”
After saying that, she suddenly turned to him.
The young girl stood on her tiptoes, cupped his face with her gloved hands, and looked up at him with a smile.
“But I like watching the snow with you.”
After the New Year, Wen Ke’an’s parents, Wen Qiangguo and Liu Qing, decided to take a longer break from work.
One morning, Wen Ke’an woke up and smelled the aroma of food from the kitchen as soon as she opened the door.
“Smells so good. What’s Dad cooking?” Wen Ke’an asked Liu Qing, who was knitting a sweater for their cat in the living room.
“It’s a New Year food event. Your dad got really into it and started working on new dishes since last night.”
Liu Qing looked at her daughter and laughed. “Breakfast is ready. Go wash up and then eat.”
Wen Ke’an shuffled to the bathroom. After washing up, she drank some milk and ate bread while checking her phone.
A video she posted a few days ago unexpectedly went viral.
Just as Wen Ke’an finished her breakfast, the doorbell rang.
Her parents were in the kitchen, so Wen Ke’an ran to open the door.
“An’an!”
Surprised, Wen Ke’an exclaimed, “Sister Fu Huan!”
Hearing the commotion, her parents came out of the kitchen and were equally surprised.
“Little Huan, come in!”
Fu Huan brought many gifts. “I came home for the New Year and wanted to see you all.”
In recent years, Fu Huan had become a famous food blogger, winning several awards.
Wen Ke’an’s parents, who liked her a lot, insisted she stay for a meal. After lunch, Wen Ke’an took Fu Huan for a walk in the park.
“An’an, this is for you.”
Fu Huan handed her a red envelope.
Wen Ke’an hesitated. “It looks thick.”
“Consider it as my New Year gift to you,” Fu Huan smiled.
“Not at all, not at all.” Wen Ke’an didn’t accept and whispered, “It’s too much.”
Before Fu Huan could speak, Wen Ke’an thought for a moment and asked, “Sister Fu Huan, did you recently invest in a company?”
The topic change was a bit fast. Fu Huan was stunned for a moment but then replied, “Yes, I invested two million.”
“Does that company still need investment?” Wen Ke’an asked.
Fu Huan thought about it, “As it stands, yes, it does.”
“Can I invest?” Wen Ke’an inquired.
“The company was founded by a college friend of mine and is still in the startup phase, which is not very stable.” Fu Huan said, “Are you sure about this?”
Fu Huan was still a bit worried and added, “It could very likely lose money.”
“No problem,” Wen Ke’an said, “I’ve made up my mind.”
Fu Huan smiled, “Alright then.”
Wen Ke’an had saved up some money herself; she had a bank card where she would deposit any extra money.
She wasn’t quite sure how much was in it, but it was likely around a hundred thousand or more.
Wen Ke’an checked her account balance online. When she saw the balance, she was stunned.
After a moment, she picked up her phone and called Gu Ting.
“Why is there so much money in my bank account?” As soon as the call connected, Wen Ke’an asked softly.
On the other end, Gu Ting chuckled and said, “I saved it up for your dowry.”
Wen Ke’an laughed and slowly said, “Just letting you know, I’m going to use two million.”
“Alright, as long as my wife agrees.”
During the remaining days of winter break, Wen Ke’an was busy with contract matters. The company, being in its startup phase, was particularly in need of funds. Wen Ke’an’s two million, though not a huge amount, was a lifeline for the company.
When it was time to sign the contract, Gu Ting went with her.
The company’s representative was so excited to see them that he nearly cried. They had been struggling to secure investment and were facing some difficulties—this money was a godsend.
Two million was like a timely rescue.
Miraculously, after Wen Ke’an’s funds were invested, the company started to do increasingly well.
In just a year, the platform suddenly skyrocketed.
More and more people are learning about this software and this platform. The platform’s monetization capabilities are also improving.
These days, Wen Ke’an has been consistently posting videos, and it looks like she’s doing quite well. Her follower count has surpassed one million, making her one of the few million-follower influencers on the platform.
Wen Ke’an currently makes videos more for fun. She loves dancing, and through these videos, many people get to see her dance, which makes her quite happy.
The second year of college flew by, and now that finals are over, it’s summer break.
Wen Ke’an has been staying at Gu Ting’s place for a few days and hasn’t gone home.
Recently, Wen Qiangguo and Liu Qing have been out of town, so even if she went home, no one would be there. It felt better to stay directly at Gu Ting’s place.
That evening, Gu Ting came out of the shower and saw her in her pajamas, curled up on the sofa, staring at her phone in a daze.
“What are you looking at?”
Hearing Gu Ting’s voice, Wen Ke’an snapped back to reality. Looking up, she saw Gu Ting approaching with a plate of fruit.
She instinctively leaned into his arms and softly said, “The platform launched an event. Do you think I should participate?”
Gu Ting knew what event she was talking about. He smiled and fed her a grape. “Would you really not participate if I said no?”
After a moment of eye contact, Wen Ke’an suddenly nodded, “True.”
She never really listened to him anyway.
While leaning against him and eating a couple more grapes, Wen Ke’an finally made up her mind. “Alright, I’ll participate then.”
—
Little did Wen Ke’an know, not long after she registered, Xia Yu Group held a midnight meeting specifically about her.
“Has anyone figured out who Lemon is?” asked one of the leaders of Xia Yu Group, who was also Xia Xiangwan’s sister, as she looked around the meeting room.
“Lemon is very mysterious, never revealing any contact information or showing her face,” someone replied.
“Right now, she’s also registered for the platform competition and is Wanwan’s biggest competitor,” Xia Nuan said, glancing at Xia Xiangwan.
Xia Xiangwan seemed distracted.
Xia Nuan knocked on the table and said sternly, “This platform event is crucial for us; we must secure a good ranking.”
“Regarding Lemon, Xiao Li, get in touch with the platform manager and see if she’s willing to sign with us. It seems she doesn’t have a company yet.”
“Alright, President Xia.”
“”
After Wen Ke’an started her summer vacation, she felt bored, so she signed up for a baking class with Chu Han. This course was held offline and was conveniently located just downstairs from their home.
In the morning, Wen Ke’an and Chu Han finished shooting a video, and in the afternoon, they went to attend the class together.
By the time the class ended, it was already around five or six in the evening.
Wen Ke’an instinctively looked toward the large tree in front as she walked out. Sure enough, she spotted a familiar figure. He was wearing a comfortable sports top today, which made him look quite youthful.
“Why did you come back so early today?” Wen Ke’an jogged over to Gu Ting, smiling as she asked.
“There wasn’t much to do today,” Gu Ting replied, looking down at her. He naturally took the items she was holding.
Chu Han had already been picked up by Xie Huaiyan, so Wen Ke’an held Gu Ting’s hand as they prepared to go home.
“Let me tell you, something really interesting happened today,” Wen Ke’an said mysteriously as they reached the gate of the community.
Gu Ting smiled and asked, “What happened?”
“I received a message from the staff of Xia Yu Group this afternoon. They want me to sign with Xia Yu,” Wen Ke’an said softly.
“But then I suddenly remembered, I still have a contract.”
“Someone from Xia Yu contacted you?” Gu Ting frowned slightly and said softly, “It’s probably because of the platform competition.”
“I think so too,” Wen Ke’an nodded.
“But more than one company has sent me invitations,” Wen Ke’an looked up at him, holding his arm and laughing. “So you better treat me well, or I might just run away.”
Gu Ting suddenly stopped walking, couldn’t help but laugh gently, and asked in return, “Have I not been good to you before?”
Wen Ke’an, in a good mood, squeezed his hand and said seriously, “It’s actually been quite good.”
—
Originally, it had been a good day, but as soon as Wen Ke’an got up in the morning and finished washing up, she received a message from Chu Han.
“Damn, An’an, look at the comments on your video. Why are there so many trolls!”
After seeing the message, Wen Ke’an opened the comments to take a look.
Yesterday everything was fine, but today there’s a flood of haters.
It’s pretty obvious someone is targeting her.
Wen Ke’an calmly finished reading the comments, her mood unchanged.
She had expected this. It must be because Summer Entertainment Group saw she was unwilling to sign a contract, so they changed their tactics.
She had witnessed such things many times in her previous life. Summer Entertainment Group’s tricks were nothing new.
Wen Ke’an directly closed the comments and continued doing what she needed to do.
But while she was fine in the morning, by the afternoon she couldn’t get out of bed.
Her period suddenly came, causing her unbearable stomach pain.
When Gu Ting came home and opened the bedroom door, he saw her lying on the bed with a pale face.
Gu Ting’s heart seemed to stop for a few seconds.
Seeing him come in, Wen Ke’an softly reassured him, “I’m fine, it’s just my period.”
It must have been the ice-cold watermelon she ate yesterday that caused today’s pain.
“Did you sneakily eat something cold yesterday?” Gu Ting walked to the bedside and gently placed his hand on her stomach.
His hand was warm and particularly comforting.
“Yeah.” Wen Ke’an didn’t dare to look at him and softly responded.
Gu Ting held her in his arms and gently massaged her belly. When he saw she was feeling a little better, he quickly went to the kitchen and brought back a cup of brown sugar water.
“Come on, get up and drink this,” Gu Ting gently coaxed her.
After some effort, Wen Ke’an gradually felt better and her stomach wasn’t hurting as much.
Gu Ting applied a heating pad for her and she started feeling much more comfortable.
Her forehead was covered in sweat. Gu Ting reached out to tidy her hair, looking down at her, and asked softly, “Any other orders, my master?”
Wen Ke’an patted the bed, looked up at him, and whispered, “Come over and keep me company till I fall asleep.”
Then she added with a smile, “My little servant.”
Gu Ting knew she was doing it on purpose. His deep black eyes stared at her for a moment, then he gently lifted the blanket, smiled, and said slowly, “Alright, master.”
In the quiet room, his voice was soft, intentionally drawn out, as if to deliberately entice her.
Wen Ke’an gently coughed, pretending not to hear anything, and silently turned her head away from him.
During these past few days, Wen Ke’an had been feeling unwell, and Gu Ting had been by her side all along.
Wen Ke’an had completely forgotten about the video incident until Chu Han reminded her to check it out again.
To her surprise, the internet was now flooded with inexplicable insults and all sorts of strange and baseless negative information about her.
Some even claimed that she had improper values and an unwholesome lifestyle, branding her as a college girl being kept as a mistress.
After reading all this, Wen Ke’an’s first thought was, “Why does Xia Yu Group always use the same few reasons to ruin people’s reputations?”
In her previous life, she had been slandered in exactly the same way, with identical fake accusations.
Naturally, such issues did not bother her much. She was so indifferent that she even planned to explore the newly developed live-streaming feature of the platform in her free time.
She wasn’t sure what she clicked on, but after fiddling with the app for a while, Wen Ke’an realized she had inadvertently started a live stream.
The function was still not very well-developed, so there weren’t many viewers.
Within about ten minutes, her live stream had attracted over a hundred people.
Unsure of what to say, Wen Ke’an curled up on the sofa, eating fruit and watching the comments roll in.
She didn’t show her face, adjusted the camera to a suitable angle, and set the phone aside.
There were probably some hired trolls in the chat, as many comments were intentionally critical of her.
“You are being kept by a man now, but no one will want you when you get older.”
Upon seeing this baffling comment from a troll, Wen Ke’an read it out loud, paused for a moment, and softly replied, “You seem to think a lot about it. I haven’t thought that much.”
“Judging by your pictures, you don’t even look that good. I wonder how you managed to get someone to keep you. When will I find a rich, handsome, and blind person to keep me?”
Reading the comment expressionlessly, Wen Ke’an then sincerely suggested, “Why don’t you go take a nap?”
Wen Ke’an’s tone remained calm, even gentle, without a hint of anger.
The audience members who originally came to curse her were suddenly amused by her words.
“Hahahahaha, this little girl is way too interesting.”
“So funny, using such a gentle tone to roast people.”
“Why does this mysteriously feel kind of cute? No, I clearly came here today to scold her!”
Wen Ke’an sipped on her yogurt while glancing at the bullet comments.
She suddenly found that live streaming was quite fun, and she was getting better at interacting with the audience.
More and more people were joining the live room, with over a thousand viewers now.
“Who usually does the housework in wealthy families?”
Wen Ke’an glanced at Gu Ting who was tidying up clothes on the balcony, and then exaggeratedly sighed, “Of course, I do the housework. But it’s okay since my sponsor is so rich, it’s only right to serve him.”
Gu Ting, who was doing laundry on the balcony: “”
Just as she finished speaking, the yogurt Wen Ke’an was holding started to leak, with a few drops landing directly on her ankle.
Wen Ke’an couldn’t lower her head—if she did, she might reveal her face.
She looked at Gu Ting with a pleading gaze.
Gu Ting naturally understood her. He walked over, picked up a pack of wet wipes from the coffee table, and squatted in front of her, saying softly, “Lift your foot.”
The live room went crazy at his words.
[Bullet comment] “Whoa, did I just catch a glimpse of a very handsome man?”
[Bullet comment] “Girl, be more confident! Drop the ‘seems like’!”
[Bullet comment] “Why is there another man in your home, won’t your sponsor get jealous?”
[Bullet comment] “OMG, OMG, OMG! Who is that? He’s quite considerate!!”
“Who is he?” Wen Ke’an read the bullet comment with no emotion.
After reading it, she turned her head and smiled at him.
At this moment, Gu Ting, who was still wiping her ankle, paused slightly. He was actually curious about how she would introduce him.
Under Gu Ting’s gaze, she blinked and slowly said, word by word, “My sponsor.”
“”
