Jian Ran saw the car come to a stop and quickly checked on Pingping and Lele, relieved that they were not seriously injured, so she opened the car door.
She saw their car had veered and hit the guardrail on the side, merely grazing the car in the opposite lane.
Looking up, Jian Ran froze. The other vehicle was a limited-edition Maybach—if they had truly collided, the consequences....
She felt a cold sweat breaking out on her back.
However, seeing the scratch on the other car, she still felt a twinge of pain.
After all, the driver had come to pick them up out of kindness, so she should bear the responsibility. Thus, she walked up to the other vehicle with some nervousness.
Gu Tingjue heard the sound of the brakes and was getting impatient.
He hadn't wanted to come to the airport to pick someone up today, but Jian Rou had called, and his mother had been alerted, so he had reluctantly agreed to come.
And now, he had encountered a car accident, pushing his patience to its limit.
At that moment, he saw a woman alight from the car, and his brows furrowed slightly.
A female driver?
Jian Ran approached and then bent over to apologize.
The driver glanced at Gu Tingjue, uncertain of what he was thinking.
Finally, Gu Tingjue could no longer contain his impatience and opened the car door to step out. His voice was low and devoid of warmth, "Was it you driving the car?"
Jian Ran, seeing the man before her, was taken aback. Why did this man seem so familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before?
That's right, the man before her and Pingping, An'an looked as if they had been cast from the same mold—his presence was domineering like that of a fallen deity, his features chiseled, his dense brows and eyes sharp, and his obsidian-like gaze piercing through, causing an involuntary shudder.
Why did he look so similar? Jian Ran's brows knitted together, filled with confusion.
But she quickly steadied herself and said solemnly, "Sir, I apologize, it was our fault. I will take care of the repair costs no matter how much it is."
She hoped the cost wouldn't be too outrageous.
"Is this a matter of money? Can you measure my time in terms of money?" Gu Tingjue's voice was deep, commanding even without anger!
Only then did he look directly at Jian Ran, and his heart skipped a beat. Her delicate and beautiful features, clear gaze, and graceful demeanor all gave him a very comfortable feeling.
Gu Tingjue had seen all sorts of people, but he had never seen such a pure woman, and she even gave him a faint sense of familiarity.
The devil must be playing tricks on him, he mocked himself inwardly, probably because it had been too long since he was with a woman.
"Sir, then what would you like to do?" Jian Ran's tone was indifferent and distant.
Gu Tingjue, as if moved by some unknown force, said, "Leave me your phone number. We'll contact you when the car is fixed."
In fact, he didn't even know why he had blurted that out. After all, a scratch was a minor issue, and he was not one to haggle over such things.
"Fine," Jian Ran agreed without hesitation.
That suited her best, as she didn't have the time to argue here. Saying that, she took out a pen and paper, wrote down a phone number, and handed it over.
Gu Tingjue accepted the piece of paper with a somewhat playful look.
Then, he watched as Jian Ran turned and hurriedly left.
Watching her retreating figure, the corners of Gu Tingjue's mouth curved into a faint, enigmatic smile. Interesting, no woman had ever treated him this way.
Whatever the reason, this woman had caught his attention.
Jian Ran got back into the car and massaged her temples, then instructed the driver to start the car.
Half an hour later, they finally arrived home.
Lan Lan happened to be busy with something today and couldn't leave, but now that she was finished, she came back immediately to pick them up.
She also booked a private room to welcome them back.
It had been a while since the two had seen each other, and upon meeting, they couldn't help but embrace, with all words left unsaid.
"Ranran, don't leave anymore, settle down here," he said. After all, this is home.
Jian Ran pursed her lips and nodded. "Alright, help me keep an eye out for a house."
"You all can stay at my place, there's more than enough room," Lan Lan generously offered.
"It's still not that convenient, as it's quite far from the company." Everyone has their privacy, and even best friends should maintain some distance.
"Alright, I'll keep an eye out," Lan Lan said, and then turned to look for Pingping and Lele, "Babes, your godmother is back!"
Jian Ran watched and couldn't help but smile; Lan Lan really doted on the three siblings.
And An'an, the darling, would arrive the day after tomorrow.
Jian Ran began to pack her luggage.
Right then, there was today's newspaper on the table.
Jian Ran slowly picked up the newspaper, scanning the content casually, and her lips curved up slightly.
It seems like Jian Rou had done quite well for herself these past few years, now becoming the top actress in the entertainment industry.
Thinking back to everything she and her mother had done to her and her mom five years ago, Jian Ran could hardly hide her hatred.
Suddenly, a photo in the newspaper caught her attention.
In the photo, Jian Rou was getting out of a Maybach, bending over to say goodbye to the man inside the car.
And the man's side profile was captured by the Paparazzi Team.
The man's side profile was strong and angular, his brows exuding arrogance and dominance. He was extraordinarily handsome; at first glance, it was clear he was no ordinary man. The way he looked at Jian Rou was also very tender.
And the headline of the newspaper read in bold, "Jian Rou and her boyfriend's relationship is stable, about to get engaged?"
Jian Ran looked further down. Jian Rou's boyfriend was the CEO of Gu Corporation?
Although she had been abroad, Jian Ran had still heard of Gu Corporation. Especially the head of the household, Gu Tingjue, who was low-profile but commanded respect in the business world, with enterprises spread all over the globe.
How could Jian Rou have climbed up to him? They were two people who had absolutely no intersection or common ground.
She was somewhat puzzled. Looking at the photo again, a ridiculous thought came to mind – didn't this man's side profile look a lot like an enlarged version of her own son?
Preposterous!
How could she have such a thought?
She shook off these strange notions.
Tomorrow was Jian Rou's new drama press conference, and the "surprise" she had prepared was about to make its debut!
....
The next day
Jian Rou was dressed in a bespoke white dress, adorned with expensive jewelry, graceful and dazzling like the stars.
Years ago, she had replaced Jian Ran's identity and threatened with her innocence that one night to gain Gu Tingjue's support. In the entertainment industry, she went from an 18th-tier actress to the top star overnight, with a limitless future ahead.
Now she could really be considered triumphant in life, a true winner.
Today was her new drama press conference, and this drama was tailor-made for her by Gu Tingjue. She was the female lead, and the collaborating director was the renowned Director Zheng in the industry!
Facing the reporters, she lifted a slight smile elegantly and said gently,
"Thank you all for coming. I will also strive to bring better works to the audience..."
"Mommy!"
Before Jian Rou could finish her words, a childish voice suddenly rang out, followed by a fair little figure rushing forward, hugging her leg.
In an instant, the venue fell silent as everyone quietly watched the scene unfold, baffled by the unexpected turn of events.
Mommy?!