After spending three days at home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yu Shuman had to return to the set. Although the holiday coincided with the extended National Day break, the film crew didn't plan on giving the staff that much time off. So, Yu Shuman packed her suitcase and prepared to leave. Qin Ran, who had joked about "claiming" Yu Shuman's mother as her own, suddenly felt too shy to stay with Yu's family once Yu Shuman was gone.
However, this time, Qin Ran didn't retreat to give the mother and daughter space. Yu's mother held onto her hand and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to treat me like your own mother? You can't just run away."
Qin Ran instantly realized that Yu Shuman must have outed her, causing her to cast a playful, accusing look at Yu Shuman, who only responded with a mischievous smile.
"Come on," Yu Shuman teased. "My mom can be a little naggy, but sometimes it's good to listen."
"She's not... too naggy."
In front of Yu's mother, Qin Ran couldn't bring herself to agree that Yu Shuman's mother was overly chatty. Besides, Qin Ran didn't think she was annoying at all. In her past life, she had never experienced someone fussing over her like this. Her own mother was a high-powered businesswoman who would never take the time to hold her hand and gently nag about the little details of her life. All her mother wanted was for her to succeed, to live up to the family's expectations.
But now, as Yu's mother held her hand, Qin Ran could feel the warmth and roughness of her skin. She couldn't even remember what her own mother's hands felt like, though she was certain they were soft and delicate, entirely different from the hands holding hers now.
Qin Ran realized she much preferred these hands.
With warmth in her eyes, Qin Ran listened as Yu's mother rambled on, telling her to take care of herself, reminding her to dress warmly since the weather was getting colder, and even offering to help financially if she needed it. Yu's mother reassured her that she shouldn't feel embarrassed asking for help because she and Yu Shuman were practically family. She also advised Qin Ran to focus on her studies but not overwork herself, to prioritize her health above everything else, and to avoid rushing into internships. She ended by saying that they should both come home for the New Year, promising to prepare thick blankets for them.
Yu's mother kept talking for so long that Yu Shuman finally glanced at the time and gently intervened. "Mom, we know, we know. It's time for us to head to the gate."
Reluctantly, Yu's mother sighed and said one last time, "Make sure you both come home for the New Year!" She finally let go of Qin Ran's hand, waved goodbye, and watched as they headed to the gate.
Yu Shuman pulled Qin Ran along toward the boarding area. Although Qin Ran was still feeling the heaviness of farewell, her heart was filled with warmth. In her previous life, Qin Ran had never thought of separation as something to be sad about. She was always surrounded by assistants and staff wherever she went, and her parents were too busy with their own lives to send her off at the airport.
Having grown up with such distance from her parents, Qin Ran had never understood the pain of saying goodbye—until she met Yu Shuman. Every separation now brought a pang of longing in her chest. Even bidding farewell to Yu's mother now filled her with a sorrow she had never felt before.
But Qin Ran didn't view this newfound sadness as a weakness. Feeling sad about farewells was a normal part of being human. To her, it signified that she was no longer just a tool, but a whole person.
She followed Yu Shuman to the film set and spent the entire National Day holiday watching Yu Shuman work. But soon, another farewell loomed, and Qin Ran found herself sulking the night before, clinging to Yu Shuman.
Yu Shuman comforted her patiently and whispered in her ear, "When I finish filming, let's go on a trip together."
Qin Ran's eyes lit up with excitement as she asked, "Where to?"
Yu Shuman smiled. "By then, it'll be really cold, so let's go somewhere warm. Let's go to the beach and have a nice, long vacation. I haven't been to the beach much, except for that one time when I went for a photoshoot and sent you some seafood."
Qin Ran remembered that clearly, and the thought of a beach getaway with Yu Shuman filled her with anticipation.
The next day, when they said goodbye again, Qin Ran's sorrow was lessened by her excitement for their next reunion. She began dreaming of all the ways they might meet again—at the airport, at a seaside hotel, or perhaps Yu Shuman would return to Beijing first to rest before they set off for their adventure, pulling along oversized suitcases and leaving everything behind to enjoy the sun and the sea.
They could visit a beach in China, though the crowds might be an issue, or perhaps a private beach overseas. Qin Ran could even buy a secluded stretch of coastline where it would be just the two of them.
Buoyed by her daydreams, Qin Ran said goodbye and returned to Beijing, immediately diving into plans for their beach getaway. But, as always, not everything could go according to her wishes. She hoped that one day, Pei Qi, Ling Miaohan, and the richest man would all disappear quietly from her life, yet they always seemed eager to make themselves known.
This time, the disturbance came from the impending auction of land, which had entered the stage where the prospective buyers were being reviewed. The other parties had caught wind of Qin Ran and Zhao Er's plan to bid on the property. Land in Beijing, even in the outskirts, was extremely valuable, and one of the plots up for auction was a commercial zone—a rarity these days. Most of the land being sold now was for residential purposes since too much commercial development could hinder a city's growth.
The commercial plot in question covered 100,000 square meters, with a planned building area of 130,000 square meters, and a starting price of 5.2 billion yuan.
The government didn't require the payment to be made in full, knowing that few companies had that kind of cash flow. However, even the down payment was enough to scare away many real estate companies. Despite this, several wealthy companies remained interested, with Zhao Er knowing of at least twelve competitors.
However, in recent times, the richest man had been stirring up trouble for various companies, causing many to back out of the auction. But despite all the interference, the auction would proceed as long as there were at least three bidders.
The richest man didn't seem to realize that this time, it was Qin Ran and Zhao Er behind the bidding, assuming instead that their old rival, the real estate queen, was pulling the strings. As a result, the man's tactics became more underhanded, even sending people to cause trouble on the real estate queen's development sites.
Qin Ran had asked if the real estate queen needed help, to which the woman had responded with a hearty laugh. "What, you think I can't handle a little nuisance like this? I've gotten to where I am today by taking every step myself."
Qin Ran shrugged and dropped the subject.
Before the auction, Zhao Er had already secured budget approvals from both the real estate queen and Qin Ran. Despite knowing that Qin Ran had considerable wealth, they were both taken aback when Qin Ran casually mentioned, "I'm prepared to put up 5 billion yuan in cash."
At first, they assumed this included post-auction development costs, and though 5 billion was a hefty sum, it wasn't impossible given their company's scale. But then Qin Ran added, "This is just for the auction. Afterward, I'll invest more. No matter how much you contribute, I'll double or triple it."
Both Zhao Er and the real estate queen frowned in unison. They didn't shy away from Qin Ran's financial might, but they were left wondering: what was she really after?
As a business partner, Qin Ran had always been transparent. She laughed and explained, "Relax, it's just like I said before. You handle construction, Zhao Er handles management, and I... I'll handle the money. We'll split the profits equally."
Qin Ran's nonchalant tone sounded almost playful, prompting Zhao Er to ask the first question. "But if Qin Ran is throwing in so much, what are you getting out of this?"
They were both seasoned businesswomen. While making money was the bottom line for them, Qin Ran's approach seemed too generous, and it wasn't clear how 99 Entertainment could benefit.
Qin Ran smiled. "I just want to piss them off."
Even the real estate queen was stunned. "That's it?"
"That's it."
Zhao Er and the real estate queen exchanged puzzled looks before breaking into amused smiles. "Well, I wish I had the luxury to burn money like that," the real estate queen chuckled.
They weren't doubting Qin Ran's sincerity because soon after, contracts were signed, and Qin Ran covered the entire deposit for the auction. By the time the auction came around, they were brimming with confidence.
On the day of the auction, Qin Ran didn't attend the event in person. She left it to Zhao Er, fully trusting in her capabilities. Sure enough, shortly after the auction ended, Qin Ran received a phone call from a triumphant Zhao Er. "Mission accomplished, Qin Ran! We won the bid."
"All thanks to you, Zhao Er."
"Ha, don't be modest. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the resources to go head-to-head with the richest man."
In the background, Qin Ran could hear Zhao Er's staff egging her on to host a celebration banquet, so she said, "I won't hold you up any longer. Enjoy your victory party."
"I'll treat you to dinner sometime."
After hanging up, Qin Ran set her phone aside just as Assistant Wu entered the room with a livestream recording of the auction and related documents. Wu reported, "The final price was 7.5 billion, much higher than the expected 5.7 billion."
Qin Ran nodded, not surprised. She briefly reviewed the documents before asking Assistant Wu to order lunch, then turned her attention to the auction video. The camera was positioned at a wide angle, showing the auctioneer and the backs of the bidders. Qin Ran quickly spotted Pei Qi—he stood out in a room filled with older executives, as did Zhao Er.
Her gaze lingered on Pei Qi, watching as his confident posture crumbled into anxiety when he realized he had lost.