Ye Fan froze for a moment.

She looked at Dudu’s face and noticed he seemed a bit upset.

In a soft voice, Ye Fan said, “Baby, wait for Mommy just a little bit, okay?”

Although Dudu wasn’t very happy, he still nodded obediently.

Ye Fan turned to Yan Xiaoxiao. “Xiaoxiao, practice the points I just explained, all right?”

Yan Xiaoxiao responded dutifully, “Okay, Miss Ye.”

Ye Fan picked up Dudu and carried him to the other side of the room. It was quiet there, with no one around.

She set Dudu down and crouched to meet his eyes.

“Sweetheart, tell Mommy—what’s wrong?”

Dudu looked at Ye Fan, his big round eyes drooping sadly.

He sniffled, his soft little voice full of grievance.

“Someone’s trying to take Mommy away.”

Ye Fan hadn’t expected that to be the reason.

She had been so focused on teaching Yan Xiaoxiao the piano just now that she’d forgotten to talk to Dudu.

Dudu was more sensitive than most kids, which was why he often felt insecure.

Ye Fan’s voice was full of apology. “That was Mommy’s fault.”

She held Dudu’s shoulders gently and said softly, “I was helping the big sister with her piano and didn’t pay enough attention to you.”

“Will you forgive Mommy?”

Dudu pouted and insisted seriously, “Mommy didn’t do anything wrong.”

“It’s just that Mommy is so great, everyone wants to be with you.”

Ye Fan pinched Dudu’s soft little cheeks, feeling like her heart was melting from how sweet he was.

Dudu’s chubby little body flopped into Ye Fan’s arms, his soft cheeks rubbing against her.

He whispered softly, “Baby loves Mommy the most.”

Ye Fan hugged him tightly and added, “Just now, Mommy was only helping the big sister with her piano. There’s no need to worry, okay?”

Dudu blinked his big round eyes and said, “That big sister likes Mommy, and I like Mommy too. So, I’ll like the big sister as well.”

His thinking was simple: if Auntie and the big sister were nice to Mommy, then he would be nice to them too.

Ye Fan pressed her forehead gently against his and smiled. “How is my baby so sweet?”

“Later, you can sit between Mommy and the big sister, and I’ll hold you, okay?”

Dudu grinned happily. “Okay!”

Ye Fan took Dudu’s hand and led him back to the piano.

Yan Xiaoxiao was playing, and the sound of the piano filled the room.

Ye Fan settled down next to Yan Xiaoxiao, with Dudu cuddled close against her. Feeling so near to his mom, Dudu smiled in pure contentment.

When Yan Xiaoxiao finished the piece, Dudu clapped his hands and said, “Big sister, you played so beautifully!”

Ye Fan smiled at Dudu.

Children’s emotions come and go quickly.

Ye Fan added her own praise, “Xiaoxiao, you’ve improved a lot.”

Yan Xiaoxiao looked a bit shy.

“Practice a few more times to get familiar with it,” Ye Fan encouraged. “I’m sure you’ll do great on the exam.”

Yan Xiaoxiao beamed. “Really? I’ll work extra hard!”

After practicing for a while longer, Ye Fan told her to take a short break.

Dudu snuggled in Ye Fan’s lap but soon spotted the candy on the table—it had been brought over earlier by Auntie.

He hopped up, trotted over to the table, and grabbed a few pieces of candy.

Then, with a little bounce in his step, he ran back over to Yan Xiaoxiao.

Dudu looked up at her and raised his hand high.

“Big sister, have some candy.”

Yan Xiaoxiao was taken aback for a moment.

Then she smiled and accepted the candy. “Thank you, Dudu.”

Dudu, still holding a piece of candy, ran back with little pattering steps and threw himself into Ye Fan’s arms.

He held up the candy to her and said in his soft, sweet voice, “The candy’s yummy—this one’s for Mommy.”

Ye Fan took the candy and hugged Dudu’s soft little body tightly, her heart feeling even sweeter than the candy.

After finishing the piano lesson, Ye Fan took Dudu home. Over the next few days, Dudu kept asking to play with Xiaoxiao, so Ye Fan often brought him over to Cheng Ping’s house.

Cheng Ping adored the little one and told Ye Fan she was welcome to bring Dudu over anytime she needed help.

Meanwhile, as Let’s Travel aired, Ye Fan’s outstanding performance on the show sent her popularity soaring.

As a top agent in the industry, Dai Jinshan had clearly seen Ye Fan’s potential.

The earlier difficulties with the director and production team would have rattled most artists. Faced with that situation, an average performer would have panicked, stuck rigidly to the script, and ended up shouldering the blame—let alone managing to turn things around.

But Ye Fan was different. She handled everything with calm and composure. Dai Jinshan had worked with many artists before, but he had never seen someone with such a steady mindset.

After this incident, Dai Jinshan was even more convinced that Ye Fan’s future was limitless.

With Ye Fan’s rising popularity in the entertainment world, endorsement deals naturally began pouring in.

After screening the offers, Dai Jinshan weeded out those with poor reputations or low visibility and ultimately decided to accept a deal with a well-known fashion brand.

This brand targeted the youth market with a fresh, trendy style. Its male spokesperson was none other than Qi Shu.

Qi Shu was currently the hottest male singer in the music scene.

Although Ye Fan’s rise had been meteoric, her fame still couldn’t quite compare to a superstar like Qi Shu.

The fact that they were chosen as co-spokespeople showed just how much the brand valued Ye Fan.

A few days later, Ye Fan and her assistant arrived at a tall building.

The studio where Ye Fan was shooting the ad was inside, and Qi Shu was scheduled to be there as well.

When Qi Shu spotted Ye Fan, he actually walked over to her and introduced himself. “First time meeting you. I’m Qi Shu.”

Ye Fan smiled. “Ye Fan.”

Qi Shu looked at her with interest.

She looked just like she did on TV—maybe even better in person. No wonder He Han couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Qi Shu said meaningfully, “I’ve seen a video of you playing the violin.”

Of course, he’d only seen it on He Han’s phone.

Qi Shu didn’t hold back his praise. “Your performance was beautiful. Really impressive.”

And he wasn’t just saying that to be polite; Qi Shu was known for being straightforward and sincere.

Ye Fan smiled. “That was just for the show. I’m nowhere near your level.”

Qi Shu was at the peak of his career, known for his mastery of many instruments and for writing and composing all his own songs. Ye Fan had listened to his music before—he definitely lived up to his title as the hottest pop star.

“Qi Shu, are you flirting on set now?” the director teased as he arrived. “Get Ye Fan over to makeup.”

Despite his superstar status, Qi Shu was easygoing and got along well with everyone.

Since entering the industry, Qi Shu had only ever dated one girlfriend, though no one outside knew about it.

After makeup, Ye Fan and Qi Shu stood together in the studio, ready to shoot the commercial.

The ad was meant to showcase vibrant, youthful energy.

Ye Fan followed the director’s instructions, lifting the corners of her mouth into a bright, youthful smile.

But the director frowned slightly. “Something’s off.”

It was hard to pinpoint why. On the surface, Ye Fan’s performance was flawless—her expressions, her movements, everything was thoughtful and precise.

Yet somehow, something about it didn’t quite feel right.

The director was known for being a perfectionist.

Ye Fan reshot the scene over and over, showing no signs of fatigue.

But after an hour, they still hadn’t captured the right feel for the commercial.

At that moment, someone noticed a figure standing in the doorway of the studio.

The noise in the room suddenly quieted.

Qi Shu looked up toward the entrance. All the crew members paused in their work and turned their attention to the same direction.

Without thinking, Ye Fan’s gaze followed.

There, standing at the door, was a man with a cold, distinguished aura—someone who stood out from the crowd.

His expression was neutral, and it was unclear how long he had been standing there or how long he had been watching.

He was there to film a commercial in the next studio, dressed in a sleek black suit that accentuated his tall, lean figure, though it couldn’t conceal the commanding presence he exuded.

It was He Han.

As always, when He Han appeared, every eye in the room followed him.

The director greeted He Han, who nodded in response, then slowly walked over to stand in front of Qi Shu.

Qi Shu raised an eyebrow, his expression somewhere between amusement and sarcasm. “This good friend of mine doesn’t come around often.”

He Han pressed his lips together, shooting Qi Shu a brief, cold glance.

The look was sharp and icy, as if a knife slicing through the air, exposing Qi Shu’s hidden thoughts.

Qi Shu didn’t respond, but instead let a lazy, carefree smile play on his lips.

Tch, men.

He Han’s gaze shifted and landed on Ye Fan.

His cold, authoritative voice echoed through the studio.

It was as if he were speaking only because of Qi Shu, offering her some casual advice.

“Don’t try too hard to follow the director’s instructions. Just do it your way.”

Ye Fan froze for a moment, then the director’s voice broke the silence. “Let’s go with He Han’s idea for this take.”

The lights and equipment were adjusted, and the shoot resumed.

He Han stood to the side, his gaze distant and neutral, with no expression on his face. No one could guess what was going through his mind.

Ye Fan faced the camera, her lips curling slightly into a soft, subtle smile.

Her youthful, simple outfit, combined with her cool and composed aura, gave off an unexpectedly calm yet pristine beauty.

The result was surprisingly striking.

There were plenty of sweet, charming female stars, but few with the aloof, cool elegance that Ye Fan possessed.

Every feature of her face was perfectly sculpted, radiant and beautiful, yet her unique, refined aura softened the brightness, creating a flawless harmony.

Just one glance at her, and it was hard to forget.

Any attempt to add or subtract from her would fail to capture the unique beauty she possessed.

During this shoot, the team was even inspired by this realization.

The theme for next season’s campaign was decided: Be Yourself.

Youth and beauty don’t need a specific theme.

While blindly following trends may reflect popular beauty, it’s far rarer to find and embrace one’s own strengths.

After the shoot ended, Ye Fan noticed that He Han was still standing there.

She paused for a moment, then walked up to He Han.

Ye Fan spoke up, “Thank you for the advice earlier.”

“We’ll be working together again in the future,” He Han replied coldly, his gaze locking directly with hers.

He stared at her, as if searching for a familiar feeling in her face that he had once known.

He Han studied Ye Fan for a moment before suddenly leaning down.

His tall, imposing figure blocked the light from behind, casting a subtle shadow over her.

His cool, crisp presence drew nearer, almost imperceptibly, like a fleeting breeze.

He lowered his voice, the deep tone barely brushing past her ear.

“Pleasure working with you.”

The warmth of his breath lingered, like a cold wind brushing against her, leaving Ye Fan momentarily still.

She gazed into his eyes, repeating his words softly.

“Pleasure working with you.”

Her voice was clear and pleasant, like the gentle sound of raindrops tapping on the heart.

He Han straightened up, and the shadow that had fallen over Ye Fan disappeared.

He didn’t say anything, but as he turned away, a barely noticeable curve appeared at the corner of his lips.

He Han walked forward, a silent smile playing on his face.

While Ye Fan was shooting the ad, Aunt Li had taken Dudu to Cheng Ping’s house.

Xiao Xiao was in the room practicing the piano, Aunt Li was in the kitchen making snacks for Dudu, and Cheng Ping was helping her.

Xiao Xiao couldn’t play with Dudu, and feeling bored, Dudu was eager to run out to the garden.

“Auntie.” Dudu ran over to Cheng Ping, tugging at her sleeve.

Cheng Ping looked down to see Dudu gazing up at her, his large, round eyes shining with clean, bright pupils—more and more endearing the longer you looked at him.

Cheng Ping set down what she was holding and crouched down, gently patting Dudu’s little face. “What is it, sweetheart?”

Dudu pointed towards the garden outside. “Can I go play in the garden?”

Cheng Ping smiled. “Of course you can, Dudu. You can go anywhere.”

Dudu’s serious little face made it hard not to scoop him up and shower him with kisses.

Dudu puckered his lips, repeating what his mom had told him. “Mommy and I talked about it. We need to be polite and not run off randomly.”

Cheng Ping nearly melted from Dudu’s cuteness.

She suppressed a laugh and asked, “Well, did your mommy ever tell you that Auntie really likes Dudu?”

Dudu nodded vigorously. “Yes, Mommy said Auntie thinks Dudu is very cute.”

Cheng Ping pinched Dudu’s chubby little cheek. “Auntie likes you so much, you can treat Auntie’s house as your own. Play however you like.”

Dudu grinned widely. “I want to go outside and see the dragonflies.”

Cheng Ping patted Dudu’s little bottom. “Then go ahead, Dudu. And when you come back, you can have some cookies.”

For some reason, every time Cheng Ping saw Dudu, she felt a deep sense of affection.

It’s no wonder, really—who wouldn’t like such a cute child?

Dudu bounced on the spot a few times, his face full of excitement. He trotted off toward the garden, and Cheng Ping asked tAunt Heid, Aunt He, to watch him closely, making sure he didn’t get hurt.

Today, Dudu was wearing a pair of blue overalls with a cartoon T-shirt underneath.

His little legs moved quickly as he ran toward the garden.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and the temperature was a bit high, but it didn’t affect Dudu’s cheerful mood one bit.

Cheng Ping’s garden was large, filled with all sorts of plants.

It was summer now, and many flowers were in full bloom.

Dudu seemed like he had stepped into a new world. He looked around eagerly, everything catching his interest.

He kept walking forward, mumbling to himself.

“Dragonfly, dragonfly.”

“Butterfly, butterfly.”

But unfortunately, as Dudu wandered around, he didn’t spot a single dragonfly.

Either the dragonfly was flying too fast for Dudu to see, or it flew right over his head. Since Dudu didn’t have eyes on the back of his head, of course, he didn’t notice.

“Dragonfly, dragonfly, where are you? Don’t play hide and seek with Dudu anymore.”

Dudu cupped his little hands together and placed them by his mouth. Through his hands, his soft, babyish voice sounded muffled.

He lowered his voice, afraid of scaring the dragonfly away.

“Dragonfly, dragonfly, come play with Dudu.”

Dudu stretched his neck, blinking his big eyes, his lashes fluttering.

Aunt He, who had followed Dudu outside, couldn’t help but laugh. This little boy was just too adorable.

He wasn’t like other children his age, always crying and throwing tantrums.

Left alone, Dudu could entertain himself for ages.

Aunt He kept a close eye on Dudu’s every move, worried that this small, soft child might lose his balance and bump into something.

Dudu circled the garden and finally spotted a dragonfly.

But before Dudu could get any closer, the dragonfly flew away.

Even so, Dudu wasn’t upset. He turned around and began to circle back from the other side of the garden.

Following the same route, he retraced his steps.

Sweat was forming on his soft, pale forehead, and his little face was flushed, but his eyes were still shining with excitement.

Aunt He, concerned that Dudu might catch a cold after sweating, squatted down and gently wiped his face.

Dudu stood obediently, not moving.

He also politely thanked Aunt He, “Thank you, Granny He.”

Mom had taught him that whenever someone helps, he should always say thank you.

Aunt He smiled warmly. “Dudu is such a good boy.”

Dudu was smiling back at Aunt He when suddenly a man walked in through the front gate.

Dudu’s eyes widened in surprise. He pointed at tAunt Hen with his little finger.

“Why is Uncle here?”

The moment Dudu spotted He Han, He Han also noticed Dudu. When did a little cutie like him appear at the house?

Dudu stared at He Han in disbelief, and his expression made He Han chuckle.

He Han didn’t enter the room but walked straight toward Dudu.

Aunt He followed Dudu’s pointing finger and realized the person approaching was He Han.

He Han nodded slightly at Aunt He before his gaze shifted to Dudu.

Dudu looked puzzled, scratching his face.

“Uncle, why do I keep seeing you?”

The sun was shining brightly, and Dudu’s skin was fair and delicate, making his face look rosy from the sunlight.

Dudu looked up at He Han, pouting with his cheeks puffed out.

He tilted his head to look up at He Han, looking tired from the effort, and the harsh sunlight made him squint his eyes.

“Uncle, you’re too tall, Dudu can’t see you.”

He Han smiled and crouched down in front of Dudu.

“Why are you here?”

He Han ruffled Dudu’s hair, his voice soft and gentle.

Dudu replied in a babyish voice, “Because I came to play with Aunty. Aunty said I could walk around.”

He Han thought for a moment and realized that “Aunty” referred to Cheng Ping.

He then turned to Aunt He and asked, “Whose child is Dudu?”

Aunt He replied, “Dudu is Teacher Ye’s son. Teacher Ye is Xiao Xiao’s piano teacher.”

He Han had heard Cheng Ping mention Xiao Xiao’s piano teacher, but he hadn’t really paid attention.

He hadn’t expected that Dudu was the child of that person.

It seemed that he and Dudu really had some kind of connection.

He Han had been talking to Aunt He earlier and hadn’t noticed Dudu for a moment.

Now, He Han realized that Dudu had stretched out his little hand and tugged at his.

“Uncle, you still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

Dudu quickly realized he had been led into a conversation. Even though it was him who had asked first, Uncle hadn’t said anything, while Dudu had spilled everything.

He Han wondered if Dudu would understand what he meant and was thinking about how to explain it to him.

The next second, Dudu looked at He Han with suspicion.

“Uncle, you’re not stalking me, are you?”

He Han was taken aback and didn’t respond immediately. He hadn’t expected to be labeled as a bad guy by Dudu.

Dudu took a step back, wrapping his chubby arms around his body in a protective stance.

He spoke clearly, each word deliberate: “Mom said there are a lot of bad people in the world. You’re not one of them, are you?”

Dudu’s big eyes quickly filled with tears, his almond-shaped eyes full of hurt. He blinked, the tears hanging from his lashes, ready to fall.

Dudu looked fierce as he accused, “Uncle, do you want to steal me away?”

=^_^=