Ji Shiyu was utterly stunned, his face darkening to an extreme degree in an instant. The words seemed to grind out from between his teeth: "Gu Ran!"
Gu Ran wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She lifted her chin, this time with an added touch of provocation: "Hmm?"
"I can be with whoever I want, have kids with whoever I want. As long as it’s not illegal, no one has the right to control me. Even if I had three kids, each with a different father, it’s none of your business."
Ji Shiyu couldn’t take it anymore. Just as Gu Ran was reveling in her bold words, a sudden wave of dizziness hit her.
Ji Shiyu scooped her up by the waist, carrying her head-down and bottom-up, and strode wordlessly toward the underground garage.
It took Gu Ran two full seconds to process what was happening. Realizing she’d been effortlessly hoisted like a ragdoll, she exploded with rage. She thrashed like a fish, kicking her legs and using every ounce of strength to pinch and punch Ji Shiyu’s back.
"Let me go! Let me go! You lunatic, put me down!"
Ji Shiyu remained silent, enduring her blows. Only when she stopped spouting nonsense about "having kids with whoever she wanted" did the suffocating anger in his chest ease slightly.
When her attacks proved useless, Gu Ran frantically pulled out her phone. "I’m calling the police! This is kidnapping! You’re breaking the law! I’ll have the cops haul you away!"
Finally, Ji Shiyu set her down.
Gu Ran’s feet touched the ground, but she staggered back a step from dizziness. Ji Shiyu reached out to steady her.
Brushing away the stray hairs that had fallen over her face during the struggle, Gu Ran was about to give Ji Shiyu a piece of her mind when a dark figure suddenly flashed before her.
Out of nowhere, Ding Ze appeared and threw a punch straight at Ji Shiyu’s face.
The dull thud of fist meeting flesh.
Caught off guard, Ji Shiyu’s head snapped to the side from the impact.
Ding Ze, now standing protectively in front of Gu Ran, glanced back and asked, "You okay?"
He’d been waiting for Gu Ran in the garage but grew impatient when she didn’t show. Venturing out to look for her, he’d stumbled upon her struggling in a man’s grip.
Gu Ran stared at Ding Ze, who had materialized out of thin air, then at Ji Shiyu’s bruised cheek, before meeting Ji Shiyu’s icy gaze. She froze.
Ding Ze took a closer look at the man and noted his annoyingly handsome face. Snorting, he squared up for round two.
Gu Ran finally snapped out of it. Emotionally, she wanted Ding Ze to land a few more punches for her. But logically, she knew that if he tried, things would end badly.
Besides, Ding Ze had only managed that first hit thanks to the element of surprise. In a fair fight, Ji Shiyu would reduce him to dust.
Gu Ran quickly stepped between them, swallowing hard under Ji Shiyu’s stormy glare.
Ding Ze, now confused by Gu Ran shielding him: "?"
"I’ll beat the hell out of—" He raised his fists, ready to charge again.
Gu Ran shoved him back. "Enough."
She turned to Ji Shiyu, nerves frayed, and repeated, "Enough."
"My agent," she added softly, her gaze pleading for Ji Shiyu to let it go.
Ji Shiyu pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, silent, his expression dark as his eyes remained fixed on Gu Ran.
Ding Ze, however, was fired up and unwilling to back down. "How can we just—"
Gu Ran yanked his arm. "Do you want this to end up on tomorrow’s headlines? A lesson’s enough."
Ding Ze: "But—"
Gu Ran: "I’m fine."
She shot Ji Shiyu one last glance before forcibly dragging Ding Ze away.
In the car, Ding Ze finally picked up on the oddity in Gu Ran’s demeanor.
"Why’d you keep stopping me?" he frowned. "Who was that guy?"
At first, he’d assumed it was just some obsessive fan harassing a streamer, hence the immediate punch. But Gu Ran’s interference made him realize their connection ran deeper.
Gu Ran buckled her seatbelt, steadying herself before answering matter-of-factly: "My ex."
Ding Ze let out a low curse.
No wonder. So this was the infamous ungrateful ex.
"Then why stop me from beating him up some more?"
Gu Ran glanced at him and told the blunt truth: "You’d lose."
Ding Ze: "..."
Today, he’d learned that Gu Ran’s ex was far younger—and far better-looking—than he’d imagined.
He’d always assumed the guy was some middle-aged creep in his thirties or forties who preyed on young women.
But faced with that face, Ding Ze could suddenly understand why Gu Ran had once gone as far as trying on wedding dresses for him.
His expression turned complicated. "What did he want with you?"
Recalling the scene, he ventured, "Was he trying to get back together?"
Gu Ran didn’t answer.
Ding Ze: "If he ever harasses you again, just say the word. I’ll punch him every time he shows up."
Gu Ran pressed her lips together. "Thanks."
Ding Ze grinned. "Anytime."
"By the way, that bastard’s loaded, right? What does he do?"
Anyone who could afford to keep a "golden canary" had to have money. After today’s drama, he felt entitled to ask.
At "bastard," Gu Ran shrank into her seat. "He’s... alright. His business is... varied."
Ding Ze scoffed. "So what if he’s rich? Throwing money around doesn’t make him special. Our ‘Universe’s #1 Streamer’ team isn’t scared of him."
"I’ve never been afraid of anyone in my life. Hah."
Gu Ran forced a dry chuckle, remembering how Ding Ze turned into a groveling employee whenever Cat’s Paw’s vice president was mentioned.
Then she recalled how, at the acquisition ceremony, even the VP had kowtowed to Ji Shiyu.
A headache bloomed behind her temples. Sincerely, she repeated, "Thank you."
...
The trip to Beiyi was scheduled for the following weekend.
Gu Ran, who usually lived on takeout, had baked cookies to bring along. She even filmed a vlog of the process, with fans flooding the comments to praise her skills.
Lately, she’d been checking in daily with Ding Ze, relieved to hear he hadn’t been demoted, punished, or otherwise targeted—as if nothing had happened.
In fact, Ding Ze was now in the running for Cat’s Paw’s lead agent position.
The previous lead, Wu Zhen—who managed Meng Miaomiao—had been fired during the recent scandal, leaving the spot vacant.
Candidates had to deliver a presentation, with Cat’s Paw’s executives and VP in attendance.
On presentation day, Ding Ze sent Gu Ran a backstage photo: [So nervous rn]
[This is it. Make or break.]
Gu Ran had full confidence in him: [You got this.jpg]
Ding Ze: [Word is XINBO’s big boss is visiting HQ today. Rumor says the CEO might sit in on our presentations]
[Never met someone that high up before]
[It’s the guy who caught you at the acquisition ceremony]
"From the way he treats you, he seems like a pretty decent guy."
Gu Ran read the message, first looking utterly confused before her mouth fell open in sudden realization.
She hastily dialed a number. "Ding Ze, did you today—"
"Shh—" Ding Ze hushed her on the other end of the line, his voice lowered to a whisper. "I'm about to start."
"Wish me luck."
The call ended abruptly.
Gu Ran stared blankly at the disconnected screen, her lips slightly parted.
Her mind flashed back to the underground parking garage—to the moment Ding Ze had thrown that sudden, unexpected punch at Ji Shiyu.
Her heart clenched.
