Chapter 1

Xu Yuan: Let me tell you, the market for in-car navigation is not good to begin with. Everyone uses mobile navigation, which is fast and convenient. Last year, many similar companies went out of business. What can you change by going there?! Have you forgotten what you studied in university?! Broadcasting and hosting!!

Although it has been many years since we last met, I failed to recognize her just now due to my poor eyesight. However, now that her entire face is fully exposed under the light, it is difficult for her to remain unrecognized. Her hair is still simply styled with short strands, and her face has become a bit thinner. The aloofness and coldness between her brows are even more pronounced than before, and from the tips of her hair to her toes, every inch seems to exude impatience. The delicate glasses perched on her nose inexplicably add an air of asceticism.

In October's late autumn, the twilight gently presses down on the last wisp of dim light with a warm clarity. The sun descends in the west, the fine grass shakes its head, and the mottled poplar forest sheds its leaves indiscriminately, covering the ground like a golden blanket. The evening mist rolls in thickly, and the airport is bustling with activity

Xu Yuan: Are you really going to Xi'an? Are you crazy? Aren't you playing games anymore? What job are you going to?

Few and Xiaoxiao's affair is actually known to her husband. It is said that Few has visited Xiaoxiao's home several times in front of her husband... Yangyuan, considering the child nearby, did not continue speaking, biting his teeth and muttering a few ambiguous words.

Xiang Yuan's eyes lit up, and he became interested

Xu Yuan relentlessly continued to provoke Jiang Xiangyuan: "Anyway, you are both spending time, being together doesn't hinder either of you."

Green light

Xu Yuan impatiently inquired about the enemy situation: "Any news?"

Xi'an

"No more to say, it's time to board, I'm hanging up." Xiang Yuan said lazily, wanting to end the call

Xiang Yuan tightened the collar of her sweatshirt, waiting at the door for the driver to share a ride. The destination she was heading to was Liyang, which was not accessible by high-speed train or airport, so at this time, sharing a ride was her only option

Although she has been retired for many years, such a rare gem is still hard to come by

Did Few announce a relationship with that esports streamer Xiao Xiao? Since you are so familiar with Few, do you know about this news?

Zhou Yuchen is a well-known playboy in the capital circle, changing girlfriends without a second thought. Xiang Yuan instantly wilted, her eyelids drooping in disappointment, not very eager to continue the conversation

This action was fully observed by the driver and the three individuals.

Xu Yuan is aware of this. Let alone thirty points, for an ordinary company, even improving by ten points in a year is quite difficult. The old man is clearly making things difficult for her. As a result, Xiang Yuan immediately agreed.

Having won, we shall now catch turtles in the five oceans

Xiao Xiao currently earns tens of millions annually just from live streaming. Her husband is a salaried employee, and with such a significant disparity in their incomes, it is difficult for a man with a strong sense of pride to accept. They had originally agreed to divorce, but her husband suddenly changed his mind and demanded that Xiao Xiao hand over all her earnings from the past few years and leave with nothing. Xiao Xiao is unwilling to comply, and the two have been dragging out the divorce process.

Yuan silently glanced at the roof of the car, and it seems that this statement is not entirely incorrect

... ...

The jawline is strong and not pointed, exuding a masculine charm. The jawline is smooth and taut, making kissing surely delightful

The friend beside him laughed so hard that he gasped for breath, vigorously rubbing the child's head while educating him, saying: "Xu Chengli, can you stop talking like your brother! Also, how come I didn't know that your brother dislikes a certain type of woman?"

Xiang Yuan woke up late and, after hurriedly completing the check-in process, received a WeChat message from her high school friend Xu Yuan. Even through the screen, she could feel Xu Yuan's burning gossip spirit.

It is Xu Yanshi

He is indeed very aloof, with the corners of his eyes having a slightly greater curve than most, and his eyelids appearing thin. Therefore, when he looks down at others, he does so with an unusual lack of emotion, which can be quite intimidating. However, this is also quite normal; men at this age generally have little patience for children.

The child, harboring a bit of resentment, said to his brother: "It is the kind of woman you dislike the most"

Beijing Airport

... ...

Do not call me anymore, let's communicate through the message in a bottle.

Xu Yuan was aware that not long ago, Xiang Yuan had made a bet with the old man to refuse an arranged marriage. At that time, in a fit of anger, she boldly boasted in front of several board members, claiming she would revitalize the soon-to-be-closed branch in Xi'an. The old man found it amusing; the young girl had never seen much of the world and dared to make such grand claims. He decided to temper her enthusiasm and, with a slap on his forehead, established a wager—if she could increase the company's revenue by thirty percentage points within a year, she would win, and he would absolutely not force her to make any choices.

The child's neck was choked red by the collar, and after a few coughs, he paid no attention. Immediately after, he frowned in displeasure and gave the child a hard knock on the head: "I'll buy you insurance tomorrow if you dare to run into trouble again; if you get killed, I'll be rich."

The man occasionally raises his head to check the traffic lights while using WeChat, the residual light from the street lamps gathers above his head, and for a brief moment, one can vaguely see his face.

Raising her eyebrows at the garden, she remarked that today's children have become like skeletons, so young yet learning to put on a poker face like adults. She reached out her hand and gently pinched the child's nose, saying, "One must respect every kind of snack in the world. If something happened, it would be destined to be trash from birth. You are being very unlovable, you know that?"

Except for Xu Yan, who slightly twitched the corner of her mouth, the others had already laughed uncontrollably

As she walked into the VIP room, she smiled and exposed her: "Feeling very tired? I see you are quite happy reading gossip."

Xu Yuan: Do you remember that time when we were caught in the small grove?

Xu Yuan came to her senses and hurriedly asked: "Where are you going?"

After all, he is handsome; what does it matter if he lacks compassion? The young ladies in the VIP lounge readily provided him with ample justification.

"Is your circle really that wild?" Xu Yuan felt a sharpness, her voice rising to the clouds

Xu Yuan: Be obedient, buy a plane ticket to come back, and apologize to the old man

Lost, went into the industry to shoot films

Xiang Yuan reacted swiftly; before a few people got into the car, she tightened the drawstrings of her hoodie with lightning speed, burying her face inside. In an instant, her entire head was wrapped up. To mask her embarrassment, she elegantly and unhurriedly tied a delicate bow for herself.

Xu Yuan expressed her utter incomprehension, to which Xiang Yuan provided a response filled with grand ambition

Running away from home? The handsome man did not respond to him, but instead slightly furrowed his brows, seemingly a bit displeased. Everyone in the lounge thought he was about to start lecturing this brother who was speaking without restraint. Who would have thought, he merely glanced at the child at his feet with an indifferent expression, the corners of his mouth slightly raised

Why did she bring up this topic

What are you doing, I am a hen

The ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, the thick walls conceal countless sighs of the ages. The ancient city river flows quietly, resembling a ribbon adorned with starlight, winding beneath one's feet. Upon exiting the terminal, the autumn wind howls fiercely, as if it seeks to devour life whole.

The phone vibrated wildly in her pocket. Xiang Yuan took it out and peeked through the seam of her hat. The driver was once again amused by her antics. Xiang Yuan had already given up on herself, as she certainly could not allow Xu Yan to recognize her

She plays games quite well, engaging in various genres such as shooting strategy and tower defense battles. She also enjoys casual games like Candy Crush, including mini-programs on WeChat. She has obsessive-compulsive tendencies, feeling compelled to achieve the highest scores. Her esports account is called Ashers, and she has millions of followers on Weibo. However, she does not participate in competitions or join any clubs, having declined numerous invitations. During live streams, she rarely shows her face and uses a voice changer. Some people criticize her, calling her a transgender person and saying she is unattractive. Despite the years of criticism from haters who accuse her of lacking patriotism, she remains steadfast in her decision not to compete or join any clubs. Recently, she announced her retirement from the scene, leaving her fans infuriated.

Xu Yuan unprecedentedly expressed understanding: "In fact, one cannot blame anyone; it is simply unsuitable. The economic strength is unequal, and divorce is inevitable. Therefore, it is essential to marry someone of equal social standing. I suggest you simply listen to the old man and marry Zhou Yuchen; after all, it is quite difficult to find someone wealthier than you."

The master got into the car and still reminded her: "Little girl, if it's cold, wear more. Why wrap your head? It's late at night, quite frightening."

Until ーー

After hanging up the phone with Yuan, she idly watched the child next to her, who was joyfully shaking his arms and legs on the massage chair. She inexplicably found him a bit adorable, so she reached over to share the snacks on the table with him

Xiang Yuan was playing a matching game in the passenger seat, pulling the hood of his sweatshirt to shield himself from the wind. Hearing some noise, he casually looked up and suddenly froze— it was that annoying little kid from the afternoon.

There is even more精彩.

The child is not very likable, and the caregiver patted his head with some dissatisfaction before getting up to go to the restroom after playing a while of a matching game

Understood. After replying to Yuan on WeChat, I asked the waiter for a bag of chips. Just as I completed the payment, Xu Yuan's urgent call came through.

A tall and slender figure appeared in sight, just after the person finished a phone call. They navigated through the dense crowd and tucked the phone back into their pocket. With no particular emotion, they glanced down at the unruly child, and impatiently grabbed the hat from the back of the child's head, unceremoniously dragging them back.

A man is wearing a clean gray sweater, with a neatly arranged white shirt collar, and an open black windbreaker on top. His hat is loosely and casually placed on his head as he lowers it to send a WeChat message, making his face hard to see. His attire is not particularly refined, rather casual, resembling a clothes hanger. Standing among the crowd at the traffic light, he appears somewhat out of place, standing out like a crane among chickens.

Hearing the voice, she was genuinely angry, and Xu Yuan hurriedly acted cute: "Don't! I was wrong, isn't that enough? But why did you withdraw from the circle? It can't be because of those rumors about account boosting, right? Actually, if you could just explain it to everyone..."

She walked towards the VIP room holding a bag of chips, and only after getting on the escalator did she leisurely answer the phone

Xu Yuan could not help but let out a gopher-like scream: "What the hell, that Xiao Xiao is having an affair while married, is the child really Few's?"

Xiang Yuan found a massage chair to sit down, with the phone wedged between her ear and shoulder, tilting her head as she rustled and opened a bag of potato chips, saying: "I got pregnant before the New Year, and by now, I probably am about to give birth. In the backstage of the invitational tournament, Few invited us to dinner, and we all know what it means, keeping it a secret."

The child, feeling unconvinced, made a face at her, a slight gesture of defiance

The plane arrives in Xi'an at 8 PM

As soon as the person approached a little closer, she was taken aback

Xu Yuanmei complained animatedly: "Isn't it your circle that is chaotic? Ever since you announced your withdrawal from the circle a few days ago and it trended, everyone has gone crazy trying to grab the headlines. Things like substitute gaming, infidelity, domestic violence... The onlookers like us are also very tired, you know?"

Rest assured, if your brother, that scoundrel, were capable of being in a romantic relationship, I would be able to marry my goddess Ashers. With that mouth of his, anyone who dates him is bound to be unfortunate. Although many women are lining up to be unfortunate..." A friend half-jokingly nudged that person, "But your brother is determined to 'marry' into a wealthy family."

The good-looking child glanced at her and said coldly: "I do not eat junk food"

Fateful entanglement, oh fateful entanglement

When mentioning Down, Xu Yuan is a name that feels long-lost. In the present context, this name may seem somewhat unfamiliar. However, for the older generation of Warcraft players, this name is akin to a divine presence. Just watching him compete can send shivers down one's spine. Yet, he rarely participates in competitions; the only match he ever took part in was while wearing a mask, leaving everyone unaware of his identity and origin. It is said that many clubs have extended invitations to him, all of which he declined. Down merely responded nonchalantly, saying: "My ambitions lie elsewhere."

All the people in the car

Xiang Yuan: Do you still remember Xu Yanshi?

... ...

Before long, the master returned with three individuals, to be precise, two men and a child.

Xu Yuan is a self-media editor. Due to her connection with the garden, she possesses an abundance of gossip from the esports circle, but she does not dare to write about these trivial matters on her public account. Instead, she can only indulge in casual conversations with friends: "Is Xiao Xiao really pregnant?"

This is truly wonderful

As night falls, the streetlights illuminate in layers, casting a milky white glow reminiscent of fluffy cotton candy. The night scenery along the roadsides outside the car window is unexpectedly prosperous

Not only women pay attention to bone structure, but men do as well. A good bone structure, standing upright and clean, is very attractive

"Why are you so gossipy?" She lowered her head and smiled

It is indeed a biological brother

A group of people is waiting at the traffic light with their luggage. A child, not very obedient, is stretching his body, trying to run the red light, his face flushed and neck thick. The short man behind him is unable to hold him back at all, displaying an expression of anxious urgency, wanting to hit him but not daring to do so, while looking around with a worried gaze.

The crowd continuously surged this way, coming one after another in an unbroken stream

Xu Yuan relentlessly dug into her past: Why did you suddenly bring him up? He transferred schools later, right? If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have broken up with Feng Jun back then. You say you are a femme fatale, dating Feng Jun while seducing his good friend, causing their brotherhood to fall apart. Xu Yanshi is also quite despicable, undermining his good friend's relationship! Tell me! What exactly did you do that night in the small grove! You say you are a femme fatale, dating Feng Jun while seducing his good friend, causing their brotherhood to fall apart. Xu Yanshi is also quite despicable, undermining his good friend's relationship! Tell me! What exactly did you do that night in the small grove!

I simply do not want to play anymore. Back in the day, when Down did not participate in competitions, there were not so many complaints. Why has it become a case of playing on behalf of others when it comes to me? Although I am reluctant to admit it, in this day and age, it is much easier for men than for women

Not long after, the child's guardian returned. The man was wearing a light gray sweater, with the collar of his white shirt neatly turned down at his neck. He appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a tall and well-proportioned figure. His features were characterized by typical English eyebrows and a prominent nose, and his short, neat black hair accentuated the clean and smooth contours of his face, giving him a very handsome and striking appearance. There was a hint of subtle aloofness at the corners of his eyes as he chatted with a friend. The child gently tugged at the man's sleeve: "Brother."

The car was parked by the roadside, less than ten meters away. Xiang Yuan, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn't help but scrutinize that person.

Xiang Yuan decided to feign death using her impoverished Cantonese.

This story is purely fictional, with some country names and place names fabricated, and no prototypes. Some elements may differ from reality; those who seek historical accuracy should refrain from entering.

Hurry up, hurry up!

The child raised his chin and said: "It's the kind of unfortunate woman who plays games while snacking and loves gossiping. Bro, if you ever choose a woman like that as your girlfriend, I will run away from home."

The two were interrupted, and the man glanced down briefly, speaking in a soft voice: "Who gave it?"