Dudu followed Aunt Li to the children’s dining area. Ever since she had shown up, his little heart had been thumping nervously, worried that she might notice he had been talking to a stranger.

Aunt Li placed Dudu in a child’s seat, setting a small bowl in front of him on the table.

“Dudu,” she called softly.

Startled, Dudu immediately looked up, his round eyes wide open, not even daring to blink. He thought she had found out.

This made Dudu look just like a startled little hamster.

Aunt Li pushed the bowl a bit closer. “The food isn’t hot anymore. Dudu can eat now.”

Dudu let out a tiny sigh of relief. Without needing any urging, he picked up his little spoon and scooped up a bite of rice, bringing it to his mouth.

His movements were clumsy, but he held the spoon steadily. Before Ye Fan came into his life, Dudu had always needed someone to feed him.

Thanks to Ye Fan’s patient training, he could now eat on his own.

Ye Fan wasn’t the type to spoil him—though she indulged him in many other ways, she was determined to nurture his independence.

With his cheeks puffed out as he chewed, his little face moved with each bite, making him look exactly like a chubby hamster enjoying a meal.

Aunt Li kept reminding Dudu to slow down and eat carefully, worried he might choke.

After the meal, she got ready to take him home.

But Dudu quickly tugged on her hand. “Grandma, you forgot—we have to give Mommy her present!”

His expression was anxious, afraid he wouldn’t get the chance to give Ye Fan the picture he had drawn himself.

Thanks to his reminder, Aunt Li suddenly remembered.

“Dudu, you’re amazing! Good thing you said something—I almost forgot!”

Aunt Li adored Dudu as if he were her own grandson. In her eyes, everything about him was perfect.

Dudu wrapped his arms tightly around Aunt Li’s neck and grinned, revealing a neat row of tiny baby teeth. The dimples on his cheeks became even more prominent.

“I’ll always remember things about Mommy,” he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world—so sweet and earnest.

Aunt Li detoured to the supermarket to buy him a few kinds of drawing pens. As soon as they got home, Dudu refused to nap; he insisted on finishing his drawing before going to sleep.

Most kids his age couldn’t sit still for long—they’d be running around in no time.

But for the sake of giving Ye Fan his gift, Dudu sat quietly at the table for a long time. Clumsily holding a pen, he focused on his drawing.

The once-blank sheet of paper gradually began to fill with color.

Dudu didn’t press too hard with the pen, so his lines came out wobbly and uneven—but it was easy to see that every stroke was filled with love for his mom.

…..

The next day, Ye Fan returned from Austria.

No sooner had she landed than Dai Jinshan called and summoned her to the company.

He reassured her that once Let’s Travel aired, their team would monitor public opinion and, based on how the show was edited, respond strategically to counter any backlash from the production team.

Ye Fan had performed well on the show, and as the episodes aired, it was only a matter of time before she gained more fans.

After leaving the company, Ye Fan didn’t waste a single minute. She headed straight home—she hadn’t seen Dudu in so long.

When she opened the door and stepped inside, the house was quiet. Dudu was probably still napping.

Since Ye Fan wasn’t sure exactly when she’d be back, she hadn’t told Aunt Li the specific time.

Ye Fan stepped inside, slipped off her shoes at the entryway, and walked in.

Just as she looked up, she saw one of the bedroom doors open—Aunt Li had heard the noise and come out to check.

A moment later, a small figure appeared behind her.

Dudu stood with his tiny hands resting on the doorframe, staring at Ye Fan in surprise.

He had just dreamed of his mom while napping—and now, waking up to find her actually there felt unreal.

In the next second, tears welled up in his eyes, and he burst into loud sobs.

He ran toward Ye Fan as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Ye Fan quickly set down the things in her hands and caught him in her arms as he threw himself at her.

When Dudu’s soft little body leaned into her, Ye Fan finally felt the emptiness in her heart over the past few days begin to fade.

He was crying hard, tears falling in heavy drops onto her clothes, his whole face scrunched up and tear-streaked.

When Ye Fan walked through the door, Dudu had still been asleep—maybe it was some kind of sixth sense, or maybe just luck—but the moment he heard the door close, he suddenly woke up.

Still groggy from sleep and a little cranky, the instant he saw Ye Fan, he completely broke down.

His sobs came in hiccupping gasps, and Ye Fan’s heart ached at the sight.

“Mommy… Mommy…” he choked out between tears, “why did you take so long to come home?”

Ye Fan’s heart felt like it was shattering as Dudu cried—she showered him with kisses, over and over again.

Her eyes turned red with emotion as she carefully held his little body close.

Still cradling him, she stood up and slowly spun around the room, gently rocking him and whispering comfort.

“It’s Mommy’s fault,” she murmured softly. “I shouldn’t have been away for so long.”

With every word, she placed another kiss on Dudu’s tear-streaked face.

Dudu rubbed his cheek against hers, his tiny body still trembling with quiet sobs.

“Mommy promises,” Ye Fan said, wiping the tears from his face and gently patting his back, “I’ll never be gone that long again.”

After a little while, Dudu finally began to calm down. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, his eyes lit up.

“Mommy, I made a present for you!”

His voice was still thick with tears as he looked up at Ye Fan, his big eyes shimmering with emotion.

Ye Fan smiled gently—so different from the cool, composed image she showed others.

All of her tenderness was reserved for Dudu.

“Really? Where did you put the present, sweetheart?”

Dudu asked her to put him down—he wanted to show her himself.

But the moment his feet touched the floor, he immediately grabbed Ye Fan’s hand with his tiny fingers and held on tight, unwilling to let go.

Ye Fan crouched down and followed Dudu into the room.

Dudu walked over to his little bed and carefully picked up a drawing.

He had been so afraid of losing it that he kept it right next to him while he slept.

Ye Fan simply sat down on the floor and placed Dudu on her lap.

Together, they looked at the gift he had made for her.

On the small sheet of paper, there weren’t many lines or details.

But Ye Fan could clearly tell—Dudu had drawn the two of them together.

In the small room, it was just Dudu and her.

Ye Fan pressed her face against Dudu’s head, the comforting scent of milk lingering on him.

She hugged him tightly and whispered softly in his ear.

“Sweetheart, remember, Mommy loves you the most.”

……….

Later, Dai Jinshan asked Ye Fan to come to Hua Rui for a meeting. When she arrived, he was already sitting inside.

Ye Fan took a seat, and Dai Jinshan handed her a script.

“Take a look at this script. What do you think?”

Ye Fan glanced down at it and read aloud the title of the show: “Shen Xiang.”

Dai Jinshan spoke up. “This is a big male-centric drama about a group of men caught up in a power struggle. The male lead has a lover, a lost princess named Yao Guang.”

Ye Fan quickly skimmed through the script and then looked up. “You want me to play Yao Guang?”

Dai Jinshan nodded. “As you can see, the focus of this drama is on the men, but Yao Guang, as the male lead’s lover, still has a fairly important role.”

“In a male-driven story like this, the attention will be on the male lead, which is why top actresses tend to avoid taking on this kind of role.”

“But that doesn’t mean others won’t consider it,” he added, glancing at Ye Fan. “From what I know, several artists are already interested in the part.”

Ye Fan paused thoughtfully before speaking. “So, the competition is pretty fierce.”

“I think you’re a perfect fit for Yao Guang,” Dai Jinshan said. “You should give the audition a try.”

Ye Fan understood that the audition would be challenging, but as long as she gave it her best effort, that was all she could do.

A few days later, Ye Fan arrived at the audition location. The assistant told her to wait a moment as there were others auditioning inside.

Ye Fan waited patiently.

After a while, the door opened, and several people walked out. The assistant looked at Ye Fan and said, “You can go in now.”

Ye Fan stood up and was just about to push open the door when she overheard a man’s voice, his tone laced with a hint of frustration.

“These candidates don’t quite fit the role of Yao Guang.”

He had already seen three of the actresses who had auditioned. Some of them weren’t pretty enough, but Yao Guang was supposed to be a great beauty, so they couldn’t possibly play the part.

Others were good-looking, but lacked the right kind of presence.

The assistant director furrowed his brow and sighed. “The role of Yao Guang is definitely hard to pull off.”

The assistant director was feeling frustrated. He couldn’t figure out which actress could capture the kind of presence required for Yao Guang. It seemed this audition would go on for a while.

Just then, the assistant spoke up. “Assistant director, Ye Fan is here.”

The assistant director looked up.

Ye Fan stood at the door, her skin as white as snow, her neck slender and graceful, with an ethereal, cold elegance.

The assistant director’s eyes lit up. “Ye Fan, why don’t you go try out the makeup?”

Ye Fan’s presence was different from the others—perhaps she could truly embody the role of Yao Guang.

The scene for the audition was set during the fall of Yao Guang’s kingdom, where she was captured by the enemy and imprisoned. For this scene, a pale, fragile makeup look was needed.

The makeup artist studied Ye Fan’s face carefully. Her features were delicate, her complexion fair, and her aura serene. Just by looking at her, it was clear that Ye Fan already had the essence of the character.

The assistant director had dismissed the previous actresses after only a brief look, not even allowing them to try on the makeup.

The makeup artist understood why the assistant director had chosen Ye Fan.

She first applied a base to Ye Fan’s face, then used a dark foundation to create small, delicate scars. Ye Fan’s flawless skin made these imperfections stand out even more.

Once the makeup was finished, the makeup artist had Ye Fan change into the costume. When everything was ready, Ye Fan stepped out of the makeup room.

Everyone turned to look at her. The moment their eyes met Ye Fan, they couldn’t help but hold their breath.

Her hair was dark as ink, her skin as white as snow, and her lips were perfectly shaped, touched with a hint of crimson.

Her features were cool and distant, with no trace of warmth, like a graceful and refined painting.

But everyone felt it—this was the lost princess Yao Guang, renowned across the land for her beauty.

Just a simple glance from her, and you would be captivated by her beauty.

For the role, Ye Fan was dressed in a pristine white prison uniform. The oversized garment enveloped her slender frame, making her appear even more delicate.

Her complexion was pale, her hair slightly tousled, and there were a few scars painted across her face. Against her snow-white skin, the marks were strikingly clear.

But Ye Fan didn’t appear the least bit disheveled.

She stood tall, her eyes calm and bright, with a hint of defiance in them.

Just like Yao Guang, though imprisoned, nothing could break her proud spirit.

The moment the assistant director saw Ye Fan in makeup, he knew—Ye Fan was exactly the Yao Guang he had envisioned.

From an appearance standpoint, no one seemed more suited for this role than Ye Fan.

…..

It was unusual, though, that the male lead never came during the auditions for the female roles.

For some reason, news of Ye Fan’s makeup test had leaked.

The casting director received a phone call, and a few words were exchanged on the other end.

As the staff in the room chatted, amidst their disorganized voices, Ye Fan faintly caught a sentence.

“The actor playing Shen Yuan will be coming in soon.”

Ye Fan didn’t pay much attention to it. She lowered her head, focusing on the script to get into character.

A minute later, there was a knock at the door.

The door swung open, and footsteps mixed with voices came rushing in.

For some reason, the noisy room instantly fell silent.

Ye Fan stopped what she was doing and looked up.

Her gaze met He Han’s. His dark eyes were deep and cold.

Ye Fan paused for a moment.

He Han stood there, dressed in a simple black outfit, with intricate golden thread embroidery in the shape of serpents, giving him an air of solemnity and authority.

The light in the room was soft, gently falling on He Han and casting a faint glow around him.

His usually cold demeanor took on a touch of clarity, a trace of aloof elegance.

He Han slowly lowered his gaze, glancing at Ye Fan.

His eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained calm.

So this was him—the cunning, ruthless, and unpredictable Prime Minister…

Shen Yuan.

=^_^=