Want to date Tan Mo…
The person on the other end of the phone was startled by the straightforwardness of the sentence, her heart rippling with emotion.
Even though they were already married, Xie Qichen mentioned dating—as if breaking free from the legal constraints of their relationship and returning to the beginning, when a man pursued a woman with pure, innocent feelings filled with heart-fluttering excitement.
Tan Mo’s cheeks, soft and pale like dough, flushed red, and she smiled silently, murmuring shyly,
“But didn’t you know that wishes might not come true if you say them out loud…”
The man on the other end chuckled softly.
“I don’t believe in that.”
“…”
“As long as the person concerned hears it, that’s enough.”
Tan Mo was completely flustered by his direct flirting. Afraid her ear pressed against the phone would become too hot if she continued the conversation, she hurriedly changed the subject, “I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going to eat cherries…”
Knowing the girl was shy, he laughed and stopped teasing her, simply replying in agreement.
After hanging up, Tan Mo sat up, reached for the cherries in a small disposable bowl, popped one into her mouth, and her eyes sparkled with joy like scattered stars.
The cherries were sweet, but not as sweet as the feeling in her heart.
Tan Mo felt her emotions from yesterday to today had been like a rollercoaster ride. They had plummeted to the depths, only to soar into the sky again, leaving her overwhelmed with sweetness. It was the kind of happiness that made her delighted whenever she thought about it during filming today.
The “little white rabbit” rolled around happily on the bed, delighted in a place where no one could see.
After calming herself, she went to organize the things Xie Qichen had sent her.
As she was tidying up, she suddenly noticed many small snacks inside—exactly the same as those Tan Yuanzhou had sent her a few days earlier, perfectly catering to her preferences. She had a vague suspicion and was momentarily stunned.
Could it really be this coincidental…?
Pushing her doubts aside for now, Tan Mo turned her attention to the large box of cherries and decided to share some with the show’s staff and guests, since she couldn’t possibly eat them all alone.
After packing several small bags, Tan Mo walked out of her room and knocked on the other guests’ doors. Everyone was surprised to see seasonal fruit available even in the mountains.
Feeling shy, Tan Mo didn’t reveal where they came from, and after delivering them, she quickly slipped away.
Finally, she passed Yu Qiran’s room. Although he was a celebrity, he was staying with them as well.
After a moment’s hesitation, Tan Mo decided to be polite and knocked on his door.
A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing his female agent’s face.
The female agent, who had been discussing work with Yu Qiran, looked surprised at Tan Mo’s sudden appearance, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. She leaned against the doorframe, as if afraid Tan Mo might enter or peek inside:
“Hello, is there something you need at this hour?”
At this hour…
It wasn’t even nine o’clock yet, so it wasn’t really that late, was it?
The agent’s eyes carried a guarded look, as if to say, “Do you know that celebrities’ private lives shouldn’t be disturbed? What are you doing coming to my star’s door this late at night?” Tan Mo felt awkward and belatedly realized her action might have been inappropriate. She stepped back apologetically and explained her harmless intentions,
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask if you’d like some cherries.”
The female agent was momentarily speechless, her tone polite but distant, “No thanks, Qiran doesn’t eat anything at night.”
“Okay…”
The agent quickly shut the door and returned to the room. Yu Qiran, lounging on the sofa playing with his phone, glanced at her,
“Who was it?”
“Just that youngest guest, what’s her name… Jasmine?”
“What about her?”
“She came all the way here to give you cherries this late at night. She’s pretty obvious about her intentions. I told you, wherever you go, you attract young girls.”
Yu Qiran casually stretched his long legs, his eyes narrowing slightly in amusement as he recalled the image of her bright eyes and white teeth. He spoke casually,
“She’s pretty.”
She was naturally beautiful, unlike many plastic-surgery faces he’d seen in the entertainment industry. If she entered the showbiz, she might even become a famous actress.
The agent was unimpressed, “You’re not thinking of doing anything, are you?”
Yu Qiran’s eyelids fluttered slightly, and he smiled, “I didn’t say that.”
The agent, exasperated, warned, “Mind your position. So many people are watching you. Don’t you fear she might have ulterior motives? Don’t keep making me clean up after you.”
Yu Qiran continued playing with his phone, his expression unchanged, only a slight upward twitch of his lips,
“She’s just a college student.”
Even if there were something going on, she wouldn’t be able to stir up much trouble.
The agent suddenly recalled overhearing the name “Mr. Xie” downstairs that night but didn’t dwell on it. She ended up just reminding him to mind his behavior,
“You’ve had fewer appearances lately and not many dramas. I know you look down on participating in variety shows with bloggers, but this one is under Kehua Media. You need to show some respect for the sake of securing the male lead role in ‘Next Night’ next month and laying the groundwork for the upcoming slow-paced celebrity variety show. Behave yourself, got it?”
Yu Qiran gave a slight scoff, “Got it.”
–
Meanwhile, after delivering all the cherries, Tan Mo returned to her room.
Her mood hadn’t been affected much. On one hand, she did feel her actions were somewhat inappropriate since they weren’t close and there was a gap in their statuses. On the other hand, she genuinely didn’t care much about Yu Qiran’s opinion, regardless of what they thought of her.
Besides, she was in an especially good mood today.
Humming a tune, she leisurely packed her luggage. After a while, a call came in.
The caller was a staff member from a water purifier brand in the villa, saying it was time for maintenance and asking if tomorrow would be convenient for them to come for cleaning and upkeep.
Since Tan Mo had previously handled these matters, her phone number was listed. After listening, the girl thought she should leave this to Xie Qichen, mainly because she wasn’t in Licheng recently.
She briefly replied to the staff member and hung up, then tried calling Xie Qichen, but he didn’t answer after several attempts.
After a while, Tan Mo hadn’t received a call back from Xie Qichen. Thinking the staff might be in a hurry, she decided to call Wen Cheng.
Previously, Xie Qichen had given her Wen Cheng’s number, saying she could also contact him for urgent matters when he was unavailable in the group.
Tan Mo called, and the other end answered quickly, “Madam—”
“Brother Wencheng, is Xie Qichen still at the group headquarters…?”
After explaining the reason, Wen Cheng said that someone was discussing business with Xie Qichen in the office, so he probably hadn’t seen the message. Wen Cheng asked if he should go in and report, but Tan Mo hurriedly said no, telling him to wait until Xie Qichen was done.
Before hanging up, Tan Mo looked at the snacks on the table and remembered something, “Brother Wencheng, I’m just asking casually, do you know if the food and medicine someone sent me when I was staying at the hotel had anything to do with Xie Qichen?”
Wen Cheng hesitated for a moment and said, “Actually, Madam, those were all delivered by Mr. Xie under Mr. Tan’s name.”
Tan Mo was taken aback, “Ah, so it really was him…”
That explained the strange feeling she had. Even though Tan Yuanzhou cared about her, he wouldn’t know all her preferences. Even that time when the doctor asked if she was allergic to penicillin, those were things Tan Yuanzhou didn’t know. At the time, she was just too unwell to realize it.
Wen Cheng couldn’t help but say, “Actually, Madam, after Mr. Xie argued with you, he went to secretly check on you every night.”
“Check on me?!”
“Yes. He was afraid you might catch a cold or get sick again, so he arranged for a doctor to see you. In the days following your separation, I’ve never seen him so emotionally low. Mr. Xie really cares about you.”
Tan Mo was stunned, a mixture of gratitude and sadness rising in her heart.
Xie Qichen never liked emphasizing what he had done. He always gave her quiet companionship and care, never seeking any return, even when she was unaware of many of his actions.
After hanging up the phone, Tan Mo took a shower and then lay down on the bed, her heart full of things she wanted to share. She couldn’t help but send a message to Ji Shu.
Upon seeing the message, Ji Shu called her back. Upon hearing what Xie Qichen had done today, she had a big auntie-like smile on her face, “This guy treats you so well. You mentioned wanting cherries, and he arranged for someone to bring them up the mountain for you. Do you know how much he must love you?”
Tan Mo smiled, “I didn’t expect it either…”
She mentioned the things she had learned from Wen Cheng tonight, and Ji Shu, after listening, couldn’t help but exclaim, “I tell you, Mr. Xie is such a good guy, you can’t even find someone like him with a lantern. He’s definitely a devoted lover. And you said you don’t remember what you talked about last night, he might not believe you, but he’s still willing to comfort you.”
Thinking about something, Tan Mo softly sighed, “Ji Shu, I feel like I’m so silly. Actually, Xie Qichen’s affection for me was quite obvious before, but I didn’t notice it all along. Maybe I did notice, but I didn’t truly believe it in my heart.”
From the beginning of their marriage, many of Xie Qichen’s actions had shown his affection for her—for instance, defending her in front of the Tan family, taking her to the auction gala and spending millions to buy her a necklace, going to Kewu Mountain to find her, staying with her overseas during the New Year, and the countless small things in daily life.
When all these things were added together, they absolutely couldn’t be explained as just a brother’s care for his sister.
Just as Xie Qichen had said, every action of his was telling her he loved her.
And then there was that argument the other night.
He had asked, “Do you think I married you just for mutual benefit?”
She was just too silly not to understand what he meant…
Ji Shu chuckled, “Exactly my point. You need to have more confidence, Momo. You’re not inferior in the slightest. Look, you even managed to captivate the usually aloof Mr. Xie. Besides, the incidents over the past few days can’t be entirely pinned on Xie Qichen. If anything, it’s his fault for not confessing sooner!”
Tan Mo lowered her gaze, her fingers playing with the bedspread, “Yeah, I’m not really angry.”
Thinking back now, she didn’t make it clear on Xie Qichen’s birthday either. Xie Qichen didn’t know about the things she heard at the wedding either. That night, she had been provoked by Tan Zhiwan and lost her temper, taking it all out on Xie Qichen. From his perspective, it was pretty unfair.
There were so many misunderstandings. After he explained everything last night, she was able to understand. This morning, when she said those things, it was just a little act of pettiness to tease him, not expecting him to indulge her.
After their conversation, the two hung up the phone.
Tan Mo lay down on the bed.
After turning over, she opened the WeChat chat window with Xie Qichen and, unable to suppress her longing, sent him a message:
[I’ve washed up and am lying down now.]
On the other side, Xie Qichen had just stepped out of the shower. The man, drying his damp black hair, picked up the phone on the bedside table and saw her message. He thought of a little kitten, playfully extending its milky paw to gently pat him, a smile involuntarily softening his eyes. He tapped the phone a few times.
Tan Mo was waiting for his reply when, unexpectedly, the phone rang. He was calling her directly.
Her heart skipped a beat. She answered after a few seconds, speaking calmly, “Hello…”
“I just got back at nine-something, just finished showering.”
She acknowledged and mentioned the water purifier issue. He said Wen Cheng had already told him,
“These things should be handled by the lady of the house from now on.”
Tan Mo feigned ignorance, embarrassed, “What lady of the house…”
Xie Qichen’s voice was deep, “There’s only one lady of the house, and you know who that is.”
Her heart tingled with a sweet sensation. Tan Mo suppressed the smile in her dimples and replied softly, “Okay.”
“Are you cold at night?” he asked, “Don’t catch a chill and get sick again.”
“It’s fine, not as cold as when I went to Kewu Mountain last time, and I brought thick pajamas this time.”
He gently reminded her to take her nasal allergy medication, and to wear socks if she felt cold at night. He was just as meticulous as always, but now with their changed relationship, it felt even more intimate than before.
Tan Mo felt like a child being taken care of, her eyes and brows involuntarily softening as she snuggled into the covers, obediently replying, “Okay.”
After chatting for a while, Xie Qichen knew she had a tiring day and was afraid she was too exhausted. He suppressed the longing in his heart to keep talking to her, “Are you tired? It’s about time to go to sleep.”
Tan Mo rubbed her nose, “I’m not tired yet.”
The man chuckled, “Is it because you’re not tired, or because you want to talk to me more?”
The girl’s heart was exposed, her face blushing, she gave a soft humph, “The former…”
Xie Qichen’s smile deepened. Finally, he turned a bit more serious and coaxed her, saying they could talk on the phone tomorrow, not wanting her to talk with him when she was so tired. He wanted her to rest well tonight so she would be energetic for filming tomorrow.
Tan Mo was indeed tired. Hearing him say this, she said, “Then let’s talk tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Her eyes curved into a smile, her voice gentle, “Goodnight…”
The man silently laughed along with her, “Okay, Mo Mo, goodnight.”
–
The next day, the sun rose, illuminating Anhui Mountain.
After a good night’s sleep, Tan Mo finally rested from her recent fatigue and felt energetic.
After morning grooming, Tan Mo went downstairs with MIMI to have breakfast.
As they ate and chatted, they talked about the fun events of yesterday, laughing for a while. Then they saw Yu Qiran entering the dining room.
Dressed in a sweater and trousers, his makeup, hair, and clothes were already perfectly arranged. His black hair and clear eyebrows made him a celebrity who always had to be elegant at all times.
The bloggers continued eating, while Tan Mo finished her soy milk and stood up to go to the food area. As she reached the table, she was about to pour some when another hand reached the thermos first.
Tan Mo lightly touched the other person’s hand, quickly pulling back and looking up to see Yu Qiran beside her.
She felt awkward for a moment, “Please go ahead.”
The man’s deep gaze fell on her face, and he smiled slightly, speaking up, “Shall I pour it for you?”
“No, thank you. I can manage on my own,” Tan Mo politely declined and walked aside to pick up other items first. Yu Qiran watched her flee, avoiding conversation with him. He recalled her bringing cherries to him last night and teased with a smirk.
It was quite amusing.
On the other side, Tan Mo, completely unaware of what had happened, returned to have breakfast with everyone else.
Xie Qichen sent her a message: [Have you woken up?]
Tan Mo: [Yes, I’m having breakfast now.]
Xie Qichen: [Be careful today during filming. I’m also about to start work.]
Tan Mo: [Okay.]
After breakfast, around nine o’clock, the filming for the new day officially began.
Unlike yesterday’s group filming, all the guests were to be divided into two smaller groups today to participate in different activities.
Before the grouping, following the procedure, everyone first participated in a small quiz. The village chief asked questions about the local customs and culture introduced during yesterday’s village tour.
Tan Mo, with her good memory, ended up with the highest score along with Lanmei Zongzi, making them the team leaders for the two groups.
Each of them drew lots and selected two other guests to form their teams, which would then go their separate ways to complete the day’s tasks.
Tan Mo ended up selecting Yu Qiran and Chen Hang. Their task today was to visit the fruit and vegetable farming industry at Anhui Mountain and then conduct a live-stream selling session. The other team had to visit a Hope School in the mountains and prepare ingredients for dinner that night.
After the tasks were assigned, the two teams went their separate ways. Tan Mo and her team of three wandered around and finally arrived at the tangerine picking area on the mountainside in the afternoon.
In the past couple of years, with the continuous progress of poverty alleviation, “technology-assisted poverty alleviation and live-stream selling” have gradually become new approaches to poverty alleviation. Through the new model of “top-stream influencers + geographical landmark products + IP creation,” many places have been able to promote their products nationwide, achieving better and farther sales.
The tangerines of Anhui Mountain are a local specialty. Normally, they are hand-picked by farmers and then transported to the city for sale, which consumes a lot of manpower and resources, resulting in very low profits.
Therefore, the production team had discussed with the local agricultural managers, hoping to conduct a live-stream selling event as an interesting segment of the show, aiming to let more people learn about the local specialties.
When the three arrived at the orchard, the farmers first introduced the tangerines, which were in their harvest season. Thinking she might not be able to say a word during the live stream, Tan Mo carefully took notes.
The first segment required the three of them to experience the tangerine picking, repackaging, and packing process, with each person needing to pack ten boxes.
While Tan Mo and Chen Hang put on gloves, off-camera, Yu Qiran’s assistant approached the orchard manager and said, “Qiran can’t be exposed to UV rays for too long; it causes skin allergies. Plus, he hasn’t been feeling well these past few days. Please excuse him from packing his ten boxes.”
However, the manager said this was a rule set by the production team that everyone must follow. The assistant was unhappy: “Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. If Qiran really gets unwell, who will take responsibility? And most importantly, during the live-stream selling later, with Qiran present, who would worry about not being able to sell the products?”
A disagreement arose between the two parties. Hearing the commotion, Tan Mo walked over and said, “It’s okay. I can pack ten more boxes.”
After all, as the team leader, she would be responsible if the task couldn’t be completed. Yu Qiran’s status was there, and she, being a junior, couldn’t force him to work.
Finally, the orchard manager agreed. Chen Hang said to Tan Mo, “I’ll help you with that later.”
“Thank you, Brother Chen…”
The two went to pick tangerines while Yu Qiran first posed for some shots. He later returned to the shade of a tree, lying lazily and watching Tan Mo working hard in the distance with a disdainful smile.
She was really willing to endure any hardship to get close to him.
After a while, the two finished picking and prepared everything. The three sat in front of the cameras, and the live stream began.
Since it had been promoted on Weibo in the morning, when the live stream started on the D station, a large number of viewers quickly poured in:
[Ahhhh, Brother Qiran, I’m here!]
[Here I am! Finally got to see my brother!]
[Brother actually went to Anhui Mountain for a live-stream selling session to help alleviate poverty. He’s so warm-hearted.]
[Wow, my wife Mo looks so beautiful today.]
[Chen Hang and Jasmine, a dream collaboration!]
The comments rolled quickly, and soon the number of viewers reached millions. Undoubtedly, most of them were Yu Qiran’s fans.
In front of the camera, Yu Qiran smiled and greeted everyone, soon starting to introduce the place they had come to today and the products they were promoting. His tone was gentle: “These boxes of tangerines here were picked by us with our bare hands just now. They’re very sweet. In addition, there are several other local specialties that we’ll introduce to you all today. We hope you can support us.”
[Brother, you’re so hardworking. You’re really thoughtful.]
[Buy, buy, buy! I’ll buy whatever you sell. My wallet is ready!]
[Support the local farmers in earning better profits. If you have money, please support them!]
The three took turns to start the live-stream selling. The first was Yu Qiran.
Since he hadn’t really memorized how to introduce the tangerines, he could only say a few adjectives like “juicy and sweet” for a while. The rest of the time, he joked with the fans, sang songs, and acted cute. However, the fans were particularly supportive, and within half an hour, they had sold 1,500 catties.
Watching from the side, Tan Mo was so nervous that her palms were sweating.
Oh no, she hoped she wouldn’t sell even a single catty when it was her turn…
When it was Tan Mo’s turn, she had already decided to do her best to promote the tangerines of Anhui Mountain.
As she spoke, she suddenly had an idea. She asked the cameraman to follow her to the orchard, giving the audience an in-depth introduction to the tangerines’ growing environment. She also filmed the picking, cutting, and tasting process.
She had already memorized her notes, and with her experience in making food videos, Tan Mo’s ability to describe flavors was particularly strong. The viewers in the live room began to shift their attention from being infatuated with “Brother” to genuinely focusing on the fruit.
[The tangerine peel looks so thin; it seems delicious.]
[These tangerines look better than the ones in my area, and the price is cheaper. I’ll buy two catties to try.]
[When will the order be shipped after purchase?]
Some of Tan Mo’s fans commented: [To be honest, I feel like my wife really prepared well for this live stream. She’s so professional.]
[Jasmine, are you good at everything except cooking? Lol]
With Tan Mo’s recommendations, both her fans and regular viewers placed many orders. After a while, a comment asked: [Can I place a bulk order?]
Seeing the comment, Tan Mo asked, “How many do you need? If you want to purchase in bulk, we can send you the orchard manager’s phone number through the backend. You can contact them directly to discuss.”
Tan Mo sent the message and continued the live stream for a while before returning to where Yu Qiran was sitting.
Next, Chen Hang and several local farmers began introducing and promoting the agricultural products. A staff member reported that nearly a thousand catties had been sold just now. The female assistant smiled at Yu Qiran: “It’s still the celebrity effect that works best. Brother Qiran, your first live-stream selling ability is so strong. You’re amazing.”
After a while, the orchard manager came over joyfully to tell them that someone had watched the live stream, thought the tangerines were especially good, and directly placed an order for two thousand catties in one go.
“This year, we finally have hope for the sales of our tangerines. The villagers’ efforts have finally paid off!”
The manager expressed gratitude to them. Upon hearing this, the assistant smiled at Yu Qiran: “Brother Qiran, it must be one of your wealthy big fans. They’re so supportive of you.”
“Thank you so much…”
Yu Qiran smiled slightly: “It’s nothing. It’s just that the tangerines are good, and I did only what I could.”
Hearing this, Tan Mo didn’t say anything.
A few hours later, the live-stream selling finally ended.
They achieved extremely high sales and were a great success.
After a day of hard work, the sky quietly darkened.
The three returned to the mountaintop, where the other three had already prepared dinner, waiting for their return.
Seeing that Tan Mo and Chen Hang’s hands were slightly injured from working with the bamboo baskets for too long, the other three felt heartache for their hard work.
As the youngest, Tan Mo was the most cherished, so everyone brought her water and band-aids. Tan Mo smiled and said it was okay. Although she looked delicate and tender on the outside, no one had expected her to be able to endure such hardships.
After sitting in a row at the dinner table, Yu Qiran, as usual, sat in the middle. The director said they had promised the audience a small live stream now.
When the live stream started, Yu Qiran added dishes for everyone, his face beaming with smiles as he chatted and joked with several bloggers, completely different from his usual aloof and indifferent demeanor.
By now, everyone understood that some celebrities still had a certain image to maintain.
However, the others were too lazy to say anything and just made casual jokes on the surface.
After dinner, everyone stopped Tan Mo from taking on the heavy task of cleaning up. She then thought of cutting some fruit, and coincidentally, Yu Qiran also wanted to help. The two went together.
Walking forward with the live stream camera following Yu Qiran, the two chatted casually, and the atmosphere remained harmonious.
Unexpectedly, some fans in the comments became unhappy:
“Who is this girl? Why has she been talking to Qiran all day? So annoying.”
“Yeah, during the afternoon live stream, she kept smiling at my brother, looking like a fan girl.”
“Desperate to become famous? Is she going to latch onto every famous guy that comes along?”
“Can you guys please watch your language? Who’s your top idol? Does Jasmine even need to ride on his popularity on the D station? Are all her fans dead?”
“Didn’t you feel like Jasmine was always sticking close to Yu Qiran? Can’t you stop imagining things in your head?”
Tan Mo didn’t notice what the comments were saying. Finally, after cutting the fruit and distributing it to everyone, she finished her task.
Just after finishing, Yu Qiran’s female agent suddenly approached Tan Mo:
“Teacher Jasmine, could you come here for a moment, please?”
Tan Mo was taken aback. Seeing her turn away, she followed.
Walking out of the camera’s view, Tan Mo asked in confusion: “Is there anything I can help with?”
The female agent looked at her, half-smiling: “Teacher Jasmine, could you please keep some distance from Qiran?”
“Eh?” Tan Mo was puzzled.
“You know Qiran’s popularity. There are many people paying attention to him. However, he is currently focusing only on his career and cannot be in a relationship or involved in any rumors. If you’re trying to use him to raise your profile, we’d rather not be part of that.”
Tan Mo: ??? What is this about?
“Excuse me, when have I ever tried to use him to raise my profile?”
“Don’t blame me for speaking harshly, Teacher Jasmine. I can see your little intentions at a glance, and I can understand. But during the show, please be mindful of your behavior. Didn’t you see many people cursing you in the comments today? I’m saying this for your own good. Know your place and don’t bring trouble upon yourself.”
Although the agent smiled, her words were full of sarcasm. She mainly thought Tan Mo was a college student and looked easy to bully.
Although Tan Mo didn’t know what was going on, she felt genuinely confused by such words and her expression turned cold:
“I don’t quite understand what you mean by my intentions. I have no intention of riding on any hype. It’s just because of the show filming, and we are partners. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have any connection at all. You don’t need to be so wary of me here. Moreover, as a celebrity’s agent, do you know how to communicate with others on behalf of your artist? Hasn’t anyone taught you how to respect people?”
The agent was taken aback, not expecting to be confronted by a blogger. Her face fell, and she turned away directly.
After all, they were filming a show. She knew that if she got into a conflict with a guest, it would also bring shame to Yu Qiran.
The agent returned to Yu Qiran’s side, angry and warned him to keep some distance from Tan Mo, fearing that someone might start stirring up rumors.
Yu Qiran lazily leaned back in his seat, eating fruit with a smile: “It’s okay. This way, it also increases her popularity. If we really create some rumors together, she wouldn’t lose out, right?”
After all, she seemed willing.
Using her to stir up some hype and then clarifying later wouldn’t affect him.
…
In the evening, after dinner, today’s filming ended.
Tan Mo felt physically and mentally exhausted. Returning to her room, she was about to wash up when she unexpectedly saw a lot of private messages popping up on her phone.
Glancing through a few, she found they were from Yu Qiran’s rabid fans attacking her.
They told her to stay away from Yu Qiran and stop riding on her brother’s popularity, and so on.
Tan Mo: ??
Her face was full of confusion.
Although Tan Mo knew that being a public figure would bring various judgments, having such a big accusation suddenly thrown at her head was truly absurd.
How had she schemed to approach Yu Qiran…
Could her simple expressions and actions really be deliberately twisted and interpreted into something else???
Sometimes, online violence is like this.
Tan Mo slumped, although she didn’t want to dwell on it, her mood was still affected.
After taking a shower in the evening, she lay on the bed and received a message from Xie Qichen:
[Finished with work?]
She lowered her eyes, typing a few words: [Yes.]
Soon, the other end called, and she answered. The other person asked if she was tired today and what she had done.
She lifted the corners of her mouth, lying on the bed, sharing the happy things with him: “Not tired. I had a lot of fun today. Guess what? This was my first time doing a live-stream selling. I sold so many tangerines. I didn’t expect myself to have the potential to be a salesperson…”
Xie Qichen laughed and listened carefully as she spoke. Hearing the man’s steady and gentle voice, Tan Mo felt like she had returned to a warm harbor.
Correspondingly, fatigue and grievance were also magnified. Her thoughts involuntarily drifted to what had happened tonight as Tan Mo chatted with him. After a while, she couldn’t help but softly call his name, “Xie Qichen…”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
Love and longing surged upwards, overpowering reason. Tan Mo blinked back the stinging in her eyes and softly voiced her feelings, which eventually melted into just four words:
“I really miss you…”
She couldn’t help it. She missed him so much. After hanging up the phone, Tan Mo still didn’t mention the injustice she had endured.
It wasn’t because she regarded him as an outsider and was unwilling to share, but because she knew that he, being miles away, would certainly be angry and worried about her, yet unable to do anything.
Tan Mo felt it was okay. After all, she was an adult now, and she knew how to regulate her emotions. After talking with him on the phone, the gloom in her heart gradually dissipated.
Finally, letting go of all her fatigue, Tan Mo lay down flat and fell asleep peacefully.
The next day, the sun rose early.
It was another sunny day.
After a good night’s sleep, Tan Mo quickly adjusted her mindset and was no longer as depressed as she had been the day before.
She had come to realize that, after all, becoming a public figure meant facing various judgments from all sides. There was no need to care about everyone’s opinions, because it was impossible to please everyone. As long as she could live up to the expectations of her fans who liked and supported her, that was enough.
Even if Yuci Ran’s fans attacked her again, what could they do? Just unplug the internet cable, and they couldn’t hurt her at all.
She was still a vibrant little jasmine flower!
After getting up, Tan Mo washed up, got dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast.
Just as she reached downstairs, she heard a lively sound from the hall outside the guesthouse; the production team and the entire creative crew were already there.
Meeting Ou Tian, Tan Mo heard her excitedly whispering, “Today, the production team received a last-minute notice saying that a major investor would come to the filming site for an inspection. The person is already on their way up the mountain, and everyone is rushing to prepare. It’s so sudden.”
Seeing how seriously everyone took it, Tan Mo knew the person must be quite influential. “Has he arrived already?”
“Yeah, he should be here very soon.”
Just as she was speaking, a voice came from outside, “The car has arrived, the person is here!”
The director, producers, and others hurriedly went out to greet the visitor, finding a black car parked at the village entrance.
Then the rear door of the car opened, and a pair of exquisite black high-end leather shoes stepped out.
The man slightly bent to get out of the car and then stood straight.
Curious, Tan Mo walked out casually and glanced outside, seeing long, straight legs wrapped in dark trousers, fingers fiddling with the buttons of his suit jacket, an expensive watch on his wrist, exuding a strong aura of composure and solemnity.
Looking further up, the man’s sharp facial features were softened by the sunlight, his eagle-like eyes slightly raised, revealing a shrewdness and cunning.
When Tan Mo focused on the man’s face, she was abruptly stunned—
Xie Qichen?!?!
Seeing Xie Qichen, the director and producers hurriedly stepped forward to shake his hand and greet him, “Hello, Mr. Xie. I’m director Li Haotian…”
The director smiled as he spoke, “Thank you for supporting our show. You said you came early this morning; the timing was too rushed. Originally, we could have arranged staff to come down the mountain to pick you up.”
The man’s face bore a noble and reserved expression as he spoke in a calm voice:
“No need for trouble. I happened to be coming here these two days to discuss several collaborations with Anhui Mountain. Director Chen, you’re too polite.”
“No, no…”
Xie Qichen was welcomed inside and shook hands with several key people. Finally, as introductions continued, the director casually mentioned when he noticed Tan Mo:
“This is one of our guests.”
At this moment, Tan Mo was still frozen in place, not yet recovered.
She stared blankly at the man she had longed to see day and night, suddenly feeling as if she were in a dream.
Everyone was about to invite Xie Qichen inside when, unexpectedly, the man suddenly reached out his hand towards Tan Mo and spoke gently:
“Teacher Xiao Moli.”
Everyone around was taken aback; so Xie Qichen knew her?
Meeting Xie Qichen’s gaze, Tan Mo absentmindedly extended her hand, which was immediately grasped by his warm, dry, broad palm.
He held her hand steadily, and instantly, a tingling current coursed through her.
Xie Qichen’s eyes fixed on Tan Mo, his gaze full of tenderness and softness, as he spoke leisurely:
“Actually, coming here today isn’t entirely about business—”
“It’s also to see my wife.”
Everyone was taken aback, clearly shocked.
Wife? What wife?!
The man glanced down at Tan Mo’s stunned gaze, lifting the corner of his lips. His smiling voice was low, reaching only her ears, responding to her words from last night:
“It’s been a few days, actually, I couldn’t control missing her either.”
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