The news of Gu Ye announcing his retirement from the entertainment industry instantly caused an uproar online.
Everyone was incredulous, thinking it was a joke, while some believed it was a publicity stunt.
The most shocked were Gu Ye's fans.
They flocked to his account to leave comments and rushed to the company's account to demand answers.
Another half hour later, Gu Ye released a three-minute farewell video he had recorded.
"Thank you all for your companionship over these years. The mountains are high and the road is long; we part ways here. I am heading towards the next chapter of my life's journey. I wish you all a brilliant life as well."
Simultaneously, the company's account announced the termination of his contract and posted a message of well-wishes.
Only then did everyone have to accept that this was actually real.
Gu Ye's phone was flooded with inquiries from past collaborators and friends in the industry, all of which he replied to one by one. He also posted the same farewell message from his social media on his personal social feed.
He then proceeded to clear out all his previous posts on social media.
After all these actions, everyone finally realized, "Wow, this guy is actually serious."
"Retiring is retiring. Maybe when he runs out of money, he'll come back to cash in."
"I bet he'll make a comeback within three years."
"By the way, did he get into some trouble and had to retire?"
...
Jiang Mo was outside the courthouse after submitting some documents when she saw the push notification on her phone.
The group chat with her girlfriends was also buzzing with discussion.
Li Wan'er: "Our Brother Ye is something else, cutting ties without a hint of nostalgia."
Zhang Qingqing: "...Somehow, I feel like he suddenly became really cool at this moment. I kinda want to stan him now."
"How dare you! Are you saying our Brother Ye wasn't cool before?" Li Wan'er clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
The group continued their playful banter.
Looking at the various trending posts and discussions online, mixed with all sorts of gossip and rumors, she shook her head. Rumors were truly terrifying.
She sent a message to Gu Ye: "Are you okay?"
"I'm perfectly fine," Gu Ye replied, lounging on the recliner in his living room, basking in the sun. "Today, I basically quit my job."
Jiang Mo hesitated: "You're not sad at all?"
Gu Ye: "Ask any overworked office drone. Who's sad when they quit their company job?"
Jiang Mo muttered to herself, but your job is different in nature, isn't it?
"How about having dinner together tonight? I'll cook for you?" Gu Ye suggested on a whim.
"You cooking? Do you even know how?" Jiang Mo was skeptical.
Gu Ye replied: "I can't do anything too complicated, but simple dishes are within my ability."
Like making steak with pasta, a salad, some fruit, paired with red wine, and setting up the right ambiance.
Jiang Mo: "Alright then. I'll let you know when I'm almost off work."
After finishing the chat, Gu Ye noticed a few new likes on his social feed post.
He tapped to see a neat row of likes, all from his grandpa, mom, and dad.
Gu Baotian even sent a voice message in the family group chat: "Let's happily celebrate. This kid is finally off the TV screen."
"Okay, Dad, let's add a couple more dishes for dinner. Son, are you coming home to eat tonight?" Su Yunjin tagged him.
Gu Ye: "...I have plans. Not coming home for dinner."
Planning to showcase his skills that evening, he had already ordered the best ingredients online in advance.
After the ingredients arrived, he first holed up in his study, busy for several hours.
When the time was about right, he went to the dining room.
First, he followed online guides to set the mood: a nice tablecloth, fresh flowers, scented candle holders, etc.
Then he strolled into the kitchen, timing his preparations based on when Jiang Mo was due to return.
Worried about Gu Ye, who had never set foot in a kitchen before, potentially wrecking the place, Jiang Mo headed straight for the kitchen after changing her shoes at home.
She saw two appetizers already on the dining table, and they looked quite presentable.
"You did a good job with the presentation," Jiang Mo praised, walking up behind him and peering over to see what else was coming.
Gu Ye grinned. "Of course. You can trust my culinary skills. Just wait and enjoy the meal."
The cat also wandered into the kitchen. Jiang Mo scooped up Mimi and carried her out.
Gu Ye's voice followed from behind, "The packages in the living room, they're all things I bought for you. See if you like them. There are clothes I bought for you in the walk-in closet too."
Curious about what he bought, Jiang Mo grabbed scissors and opened the pile of boxes in the living room.
It was like opening blind boxes. Inside, she found pajamas, various skincare products, cosmetics, and so on.
Moving to the walk-in closet, she saw a number of designer ready-to-wear pieces for women, occupying nearly half of the space.
