Two days later, Ji Ran’s assistant received the small bag of candy sent by Gu Yingying. Following Ji Ran’s instructions, he brought it along when he headed to the office.

He’d already opened the package to take a look. After all, as Ji Ran’s assistant, even if it was a gift Ji Ran had agreed to accept, it was his job to inspect it thoroughly before handing it over. In this industry, you can never be too careful.

Upon arriving at the company, he heard that Ji Ran was practicing in the dance studio, so he carried the candy over.

The assistant’s name was Chen Shen, 26 years old. He’d been working with Ji Ran for six years now. Many fans recognized him, some even affectionately called him “Mama Chen,” which spoke volumes about his importance to Ji Ran.

When Chen Shen arrived, Ji Ran was deep in practice. At Xingtai Media, the walls of the dance studios were made entirely of glass, giving anyone outside a clear view of what was happening inside. A group of Xingtai trainees had gathered, watching Ji Ran with starry-eyed excitement. They couldn’t hear the music, but just seeing Ji Ran’s sharp, fluid moves was enough to get them buzzing with admiration.

“Hi, Brother Chen!”

“Hello, Brother Chen!”

“Brother Chen!”

Some trainees noticed Chen Shen approaching and quickly greeted him. The others followed suit, their voices overlapping in eager hellos. Chen Shen might’ve been “just” an assistant, but he was Ji Ran’s assistant—the one and only center of the blazing-hot group, Solar Flare.

Back when Solar Flare first rose to fame, it was Ji Ran who carried the group, pulling his two teammates into the spotlight alongside him. Even now, Ji Ran’s position in the group was rock-solid. Rumor had it the company had secured a major fantasy IP for him to star in as the male lead, with a jaw-dropping salary of 80 million.

Chen Shen gave the trainees a casual wave. “Hey, everyone. I’m here to find Ji Ran. You guys carry on.”

Over the years, the company had offered Chen Shen opportunities to become a full-fledged manager. He had the skills, the experience—he could’ve easily managed artists on his own but he always chose to stay by Ji Ran’s side.

When he first joined the company, Chen Shen had nothing—no connections, no background. If Ji Ran hadn’t picked him, he wasn’t even sure he’d have lasted in the industry. Now, loyalty ran deep. He was determined to protect Ji Ran, to be the shield behind the shining star.

Pushing open the door to the dance studio, Chen Shen was hit by a blast of high-energy music—the latest track from Solar Flare’s upcoming album. Ji Ran was in the middle of rehearsing the routine.

He held the center spot, not because he fought for screen time, but because neither An Mingquan nor Cheng Muyang wanted to tackle the choreography—it was too tough. The choreographer had no choice but to simplify their moves, leaving Ji Ran with the most complex sequences.

Dressed in a black T-shirt drenched with sweat, Ji Ran’s gaze burned with focus as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, nailing every move with precision. His vivid blue hair was tied up in a small ponytail, the kind of detail that would’ve sent fans into a screaming frenzy if they’d seen it.

Chen Shen knew exactly why this kid had made it. It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t hype. It was relentless effort—more than anyone could see. That effort had carved Ji Ran’s path to stardom, letting him shine on stage like he was born to do it.

And Chen Shen’s role? To walk beside him, shielding him from the storms, clearing the road ahead—making sure Ji Ran’s light never dimmed.

The music finally cut off after another minute. Ji Ran stood still, breath coming in controlled, measured gulps. The intense workout left a flush on his face, not the messy kind of exhaustion, but the kind that reminded people of spring blossoms under clear skies or the soft glow of an autumn moon—radiant, magnetic, impossible to look away from.

After a brief rest, Ji Ran turned and walked over to Chen Shen, taking the bottle of water handed to him. He unscrewed the cap and took a few measured sips.

Performers all had their habits—no one chugged water recklessly mid-rehearsal. The beads of sweat trailing down his neck, the subtle movement of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed, carried an effortless allure. If any fangirl had witnessed it, her cheeks would’ve gone bright red in an instant.

Finishing his drink, Ji Ran handed the bottle back, his breathing steady again.

“I’m going to shower.”

The dance studio had its own shower facilities. Chen Shen nodded, and Ji Ran disappeared into the locker room.

Boys didn’t take long—more like a tactical rinse than a luxurious soak. In no time, Ji Ran was back, hair still damp, and the two of them headed to his private lounge.

“You know, there’s a perfectly good shower in your lounge,” Chen Shen nagged as he trailed behind, arms full of Ji Ran’s things. “You always use the one in the dance studio. Good thing this is our company—imagine if someone snapped a photo of you like that. What would we do then?”

Ji Ran walked ahead, expression blank, completely unfazed by the lecture.

When they reached the elevator, a group of company trainees spotted him. They straightened up instantly, their voices chiming in perfect unison.

“Hello, Brother Ji!”

“Hello, Brother Ji!”

Water droplets still clung to Ji Ran’s damp hair, slipping down now and then, but his face remained stoic as he gave them a curt nod. That was just how he was in public—reserved, distant.

Fans often joked that Ji Ran probably didn’t smile more than a handful of times a year.

“Mm.”

The elevator began its slow ascent. In the cramped space, not a single person dared to speak. According to trainee gossip, Ji Ran was notoriously difficult to get along with, so everyone kept their mouths shut, holding their breath as if even that might offend him.

When the elevator finally stopped, Ji Ran stepped out first, Chen Shen following close behind. Only after the doors slid shut again did the trainees release the tension, their hushed voices filling the silence.

“Ji Ran is so tall… and seriously handsome…”

“Yeah, like—perfect from every angle. Not a single bad side. Just one look and you’re done for.”

“I swear, if I were a girl, I’d fall for him too!”

Ji Ran couldn’t hear the trainees’ whispered admiration. He and Chen Shen had already made their way to his private lounge. Once inside, Ji Ran finally sank onto the couch while Chen Shen set his things down on the table, grabbing a few white towels and tossing them over.

“Dry your hair. It’s summer, yeah, but you can still catch a cold,” Chen Shen nagged, slipping effortlessly into his usual mom-friend mode.

Ji Ran picked up a towel and started rubbing his damp hair, his gaze falling on a neatly arranged package on the table. Several small white porcelain bottles sat there, clean and delicate, almost decorative.

“What’s with these bottles?” Ji Ran asked, still towel-drying his hair.

Chen Shen suddenly remembered why he’d come in the first place.

“Oh, right. That’s from the little fan you met the other day. You left my address, remember? It arrived today, so I brought it over. But Ji Ran, seriously—you shouldn’t accept gifts from fans like this. It’s not a good habit. Forget about the value of the gift—this time it’s just some candy, but it’s food. Food, Ji Ran. You can’t just eat things from strangers. What if something happened?”

Chen Shen launched into full-on lecture mode while Ji Ran casually put down the towel, leaning in to pick up one of the small porcelain bottles. He popped it open, tipping a few pink, marble-sized candies into his hand. A light, sweet fragrance wafted up, soft and inviting.

“Brother Shen,” Ji Ran said lazily, “since you brought it over, I’m guessing you already made sure it’s not poisonous.”

Without waiting for a reply, he popped one into his mouth. It was pleasantly sweet, the kind of taste that lingered just enough to leave him satisfied.

Ji Ran was about to grab another candy, but then he remembered Gu Yingying’s note: Only three per day. Reluctantly, he capped the porcelain bottle and glanced over at Chen Shen.

“Brother Shen. keep this with you when we go out. I need to have three of these a day.”

Being an idol meant maintaining a strict physique. Even someone like Ji Ran—this cool, stoic poster boy—sometimes went a whole week eating nothing but salads. But beneath that frosty exterior, he had a soft spot for sweet little treats like these.

The subtle sweetness of the candy hit just the right note, and Ji Ran found himself really liking it.

Since he’d already accepted the gift, he figured it was only polite to thank the fan who’d sent it. Pulling out his phone, he quickly typed a message:

[Ji Ran]: Yingying, I got the candy you made. It’s really good. I don’t have much to give in return, but the company just printed a batch of my photo books and posters. Want one? Send me an address, and I’ll have my assistant mail it to you—with my autograph, of course.

Yeah, that felt good. Just knowing the fan was probably squealing with excitement on the other end made Ji Ran feel oddly satisfied. He didn’t know why, but there was something about this cute girl that felt… familiar. Maybe it was because they both had those bright, peach blossom eyes. Otherwise, why would he feel such a strange sense of closeness to her?

Of course, as an idol, Ji Ran had made himself a promise: No dating before thirty.

Anything less would be a betrayal to the fans who’d supported him all the way.

Meanwhile, Gu Yingying only saw his message after school, sitting in the back seat of her brother’s car. Her heart practically did a somersault. She replied immediately, sending an enthusiastic “Yes!” followed by her brother’s address.

“Miss, your brother is really busy at the company today, so he asked me to pick you up,” Driver Wang said with a polite smile. “He also mentioned that if you get bored at home, I could take you to visit his company. Would you like to go?”

Driver Wang had recently learned that Gu Yingying was Qin Yusen’s biological sister. The thought made him marvel at how fate worked. His workaholic boss—who seemed married to his job—finally had someone else to care about.

“I can go?” Yingying’s eyes lit up with surprise. She’d never expected to be invited to her brother’s company.

“Of course,” Wang replied warmly. “I can take you right now. Though, your brother might have to work late today.”

Yingying thought about it. Going home meant nothing but homework, which she could easily do at the office anyway. She nodded eagerly.

“Then let’s go to my brother’s company! I’ve never seen what it looks like~”

She settled back into her seat, deciding not to disturb Driver Wang with more chatter. Instead, she stared at her phone, her mind swirling with thoughts.

The Magic Mirror said I have several brothers… she mused. There’s Brother Yusen, and now Brother Ji Ran. But what about the others? Where are they?

Yingying frowned slightly. Brother Yusen had always been alone, seemingly searching for family without even realizing Ji Ran might be one of them. But wait… what if Brother Ji Ran was her biological brother but not Brother Yusen’s? What then?

Her head felt like it might explode from overthinking. Finally, she made a decision: I’ll get to know both of them better first. Once we’re closer, I’ll arrange for them to meet. If they’re family, we’ll know right away!

Problem temporarily solved.

=^_^=