Sweet Games – He Hongshan, WINWIN

An Ran, a 31-year-old woman, is a former campus beauty who has become an entrepreneur in a second-tier city. She's used to waking up an hour early to groom herself, taking showers in the morning, curling her hair, but often ends up feeling irritable. However, for her, being presentable is more important than anything else. Before meeting clients, she always feels a bit anxious and finds relief by putting her hands in a bag of rice to alleviate the stress. Her dream is to become a calm and composed person, even if it means pretending.

Outside, she pretends to be a strong woman, but when she's back home, she switches to a relaxed mode. She's a modern-day two-faced person, strong on the outside but chaotic on the inside. This year marks her third year in a zero-profit business, with her love life on hold. She's always proactive when it comes to challenges, except in matters of love.

A good opportunity isn't just about timing and circumstances; it's about suddenly realizing, at some moment, that you can create miracles. The miracle she wants to create this time is a love development game called "Fragmented Time Boyfriend," specifically designed for single women. She had a busy day, met several clients, but made no progress. In this world, dreams are abundant, but angels are scarce.

As the clock struck 23:00 in the evening, voice actor Heisha officially went online. His voice was always soothing, intertwining with people's earphones. Two seemingly unrelated individuals, however, quietly set the gears of destiny in motion one morning. An Ran woke up comfortably in her bed, only to be surprised to find a stranger in her home. And that man referred to her as "senior."

The story goes back to the day before. An Ran had a dispute with a moving company while she was moving, blocking Yan Yue's way home. Since the argument wasn't resolving quickly, Yan Yue ended up paying the moving fee for An Ran. When he turned around and saw An Ran's face, his heart seemed to stop beating, frozen in place. An Ran thought he knew her, but no matter how much she thought, she couldn't remember where she had seen this handsome guy. Later, An Ran found out that this handsome guy in front of her was not only her landlord but also her fellow alumnus.

Coincidentally, the next day was the alumni gathering. This kind of occasion was something Yan Yue usually avoided, but when he heard that An Ran would also be there, he cleared his schedule. Meanwhile, An Ran was introducing her game "Fragmented Time Boyfriend" to a client named Ms. Lan, but she encountered some difficulties. To make the client believe in her game concept, Yan Yue happened to walk by, and An Ran quickly reached out and held his hand, introducing him as her boyfriend whom she met after designing the game.

Seeing the talented and beautiful couple, everyone cast envious glances, even Mr. Lan became interested in An Ran. However, upon learning that she came from a small company, Mr. Lan's attitude did a complete 180-degree turn. An Ran wanted to catch up with Mr. Lan, but accidentally tripped and fell. The situation became quite awkward, but fortunately, An Ran's good friend Bai Mengyao appeared just in time to help her out of the situation.

Lately, nothing seems to be going smoothly for An Ran. She's already running low on balance just from a bottle of wine. Fortunately, Yan Yue has been with her, paying the bill and even drinking with her. An Ran got so drunk that she forgot her own front door password. Yan Yue, feeling helpless, had no choice but to take her back to his own home. He took care of An Ran throughout the night, and Yan Yue himself was nearly exhausted. After a comfortable hot shower, An Ran finally woke up.

A few years ago, An Ran met a group of colleagues at the company. They dreamt passionately together, faced setbacks together, and started a business together, experiencing ups and downs. But they remained optimistic, carrying ideals and passion, and made it to where they are today. An Ran knew that this wasn't just her dream alone. At thirty, with both career and love being challenging, she secretly vowed to prioritize her career. However, it seemed her career was not going smoothly.

The current office space was still provided by Hu Yingjun's mother. After Mrs. Hu inspected the office once, they started paying rent for it. For An Ran and the entire company, this was like adding insult to injury, but even so, An Ran was unwilling to give up. Fortunately, there's always a way when there seems to be none. A alumnus she met at a previous gathering, Boss Wang, suddenly reached out to her, saying there's an outsourcing project he wanted to collaborate on.

After a busy day, An Ran finally returned to her own little nest. She kicked off her high-heeled shoes and sank into the soft sofa, holding her beloved pillow, finally feeling a hint of life's pleasures. When she felt hungry, she ordered takeout and tuned into her favorite radio station for stories. And what she was listening to was Jiang Shan's radio program. Little did she know, her idol, Jiang Shan, seemed to be a touchy subject for her landlord's younger brother, Yan Yue.

To make the game more remarkable, Hu Yingjun specifically brought his friend, Heisha, to do voiceovers for the game. An Ran wasn't very familiar with this voice actor, but given the current situation, she had to give it a try. However, she never expected that Heisha was actually her landlord, Yan Yue. Helpless, An Ran had no choice but to collaborate with him. To show her sincerity, she openly declared herself his fan. But this lie was too outrageous, and Yan Yue easily saw through it with a few questions. However, An Ran did know the origin of "Heisha."

"Heisha" comes from the comic "Star-Crossed Lovers," where the knight is named Heisha. But, Yan Yue didn't seem satisfied with this answer. Yan Yue, with a serious expression, finished reviewing the project proposal and provided several modification suggestions. Though An Ran was not happy about it, for the sake of the project, she had to reluctantly promise to make the changes. Seeing An Ran trying hard to please him, Yan Yue suddenly became interested and agreed to cooperate, with the condition that An Ran must genuinely be his fan. To solidify her fan identity, An Ran diligently caught up on Pei Yin's works. Over time, she discovered that this seemingly arrogant youngster wasn't too bad.

Unconsciously, night had fallen. An Ran carefully reviewed the proposal and found that Yan Yue's suggestions seemed quite reasonable. Seeing that a heavy rain was about to come, An Ran urged everyone to go home quickly. She opened the ride-hailing app and was alarmed by the surge pricing. Helpless, she had to call Hu Yingjun, asking him to pick her up. Unexpectedly, what arrived was Yan Yue.

Early in the morning, An Ran woke Yan Yue up outside the door. After eating the steamed buns she brought, Yan Yue regretted it a hundred times. After getting ready, he walked downstairs and found An Ran already waiting. An Ran was a dedicated partner, so naturally, Yan Yue would cooperate with her and act as a dedicated client. However, An Ran's unintentional touch was enough to leave him preoccupied and unable to forget. Throughout the journey, An Ran was very chatty, talking non-stop. In the past, Yan Yue would definitely find this annoying, but this time, he fell asleep surprisingly.

Unconsciously, the car had stopped at the door of the studio. Here, An Ran saw her idol, Jiang Shan, and couldn't help but reveal a fanatical expression. Suddenly, Yan Yue felt a sense of crisis, quickly letting go of Jiang Shan's hand and ushering him away. Yan Yue suddenly remembered the time in the library when a gentle breeze lifted a bookmark from "Star-Crossed Lovers," revealing An Ran's handwriting. So, he named his signature as "Heisha," the "knight" that An Ran liked.

Perhaps everyone has such a person around them - in front of others, she wears one face, and behind their back, she wears another. In public, she portrays the image of a wealthy woman with no financial worries, yet behind closed doors, she haggles over every five cents like a stingy miser. But Yan Yue knows that every penny An Ran saves, in the end, becomes a daily expense on the company's books. If possible, Yan Yue would also like to fulfill some of An Ran's small wishes. So, for the sake of preparing a song for An Ran's game, he stayed up all night.

Early the next morning, An Ran was awakened by a message from Yan Yue. Seeing the music sample, An Ran couldn't contain her excitement and quickly got up to start the day's work. She waited downstairs for a while but still couldn't find a taxi. Coincidentally, Yan Yue passed by, and once again, she managed to catch a ride with him. On the way, An Ran was very attentive to Yan Yue, making him chuckle with amusement. Just when the atmosphere was becoming very friendly, An Ran unintentionally touched Yan Yue's sensitive spot "Jiang Shan." As a result, this little rascal put on a real "face-changing" performance in front of An Ran.

At the company, An Ran was full of enthusiasm, checking the results of her colleagues one by one. However, everyone's dark circles were almost worse than giant pandas', and An Ran felt distressed. She decided to hire another original artist. Unfortunately, the company's finances were strained, so Hu Yingjun had no choice but to once again request help from his mother. At the restaurant, Hu Yingjun tried his best, acted cute and spoiled, and offered full attention. But he was misunderstood by Bai Mengyao, who didn't know what was happening, as a scam artist trying to deceive a wealthy woman, disrupting all of his plans. Seeking revenge on the spot, Hu Yingjun scared off Bai Mengyao's date.

On that day, An Ran and Yan Yue met with Boss Wang, discussing the latest progress on the project. But Boss Wang seemed to have lost the gentlemanly demeanor from the alumni gathering night. He looked like a hungry wolf, ready to devour An Ran at any moment. An Ran could naturally see through Boss Wang's intentions, but for the sake of the project, for the sake of receiving the final payment, she could only grit her teeth and endure.

However, Yan Yue, who was nearby, was unhappy. He didn't understand why An Ran had to work with Boss Wang. An Ran could see Yan Yue's concerns and tried to comfort him, assuring him that she knew what she was doing. Seeing An Ran selling her soul for money, Yan Yue suddenly felt a bit dazed. Was she still the goddess-like person he knew? And there was someone else who shared this thought - Bai Mengyao.

To attract Bai Mengyao, An Ran specially showed her the photos of Hu Yingjun's achievements and revealed his family background. This approach indeed worked on Bai Mengyao, and she quickly agreed to come and help. But Bai Mengyao never expected that the "wealthy and handsome" Hu Yingjun, whom An Ran described, was actually the "con artist" she encountered that day. These two couldn't have had a more awkward first encounter, and Bai Mengyao also learned from An Ran that the wealthy woman was actually Hu Yingjun's mother. She recognized that Yan Yue was the "boyfriend" An Ran introduced at the alumni gathering. An Ran quickly explained that Yan Yue had just helped her out that day, and they were purely like brother and sister.

To make Yan Yue continue the cooperation, An Ran resorted to a bold move. She took out the comic "Star-Crossed Lovers" from many years ago, hoping to win his favor. But Yan Yue still didn't understand why An Ran insisted on working with Boss Wang. Was making money really that important? An Ran didn't answer directly; instead, she gave the book to Yan Yue and told him that the adult world doesn't offer choices, and she had to do this. Watching An Ran's dejected figure as she left, Yan Yue pondered deeply. He often thought of the first time he saw An Ran - she was so peaceful and beautiful, like an otherworldly fairy untouched by the mundane world.

I don't know when it started, but even the little things in life can remind An Ran of her neighbor, Yan Yue. One day, An Ran couldn't get the showerhead in the bathroom to work, so she quickly called Yan Yue, but he seemed to have blocked her number. Boss Wang called An Ran, explicitly naming Black Sand for the voice-over. Not only that, but Boss Wang had a lot of demands. However, due to the current financial situation of the company, they could only take on this project. No matter what, they had to grit their teeth and endure.

Seeing that Yan Yue was in a bad mood lately, Jiang Shan strongly suspected that he had fallen for a girl he liked. And he didn't hesitate to share his own years of dating experience. Young women like romance, mature women like warmth. Strong women are internally fragile and actually need care. Girls who seem weak on the surface are often stronger than they appear. So, no matter what kind of woman she is, she has her flaws, and to win her over, you need to understand her completely.

After waiting for a long time, Boss Wang still hadn't paid the final installment, but he kept making many demands for the new project. However, to reassure her teammates, An Ran could only put on a nonchalant front, displaying full enthusiasm to encourage them. She called Boss Wang, but he didn't answer for a long time. An Ran got frustrated, so she decided to go see him in person. However, after waiting for a long time, she still didn't see Boss Wang. His assistant claimed that he was in a meeting. An Ran wasn't willing to give up, and just then, Lan Jie also arrived. So, the long-absent Boss Wang finally appeared. An Ran didn't hold back; right in front of Lan Jie, she demanded the final payment. Finally, Boss Wang gave in and agreed to pay.

Yan Yue had been observing from the balcony for a long time and finally saw the light on next door. But just as he was about to put his hand on the doorknob, he suddenly couldn't figure out the reason he should go see An Ran. After thinking for a while, he found the rent receipt. Seeing that An Ran's ankle was scraped, he quickly went home to get some antiseptic, crouched down, and applied it for her. An Ran felt a bit embarrassed and said she could do it herself.

An Ran took the adhesive bandage, but due to low blood sugar and a fever, she almost fell backward. Yan Yue quickly protected her, pulled her up, and wanted to take her to the hospital. However, An Ran was concerned about her project and refused to go to the hospital no matter what. Yan Yue had no choice but to bring some fever-reducing medicine and sat beside An Ran. Seeing how diligently An Ran worked, Yan Yue couldn't help but smile. He thought back to that day, a gentle breeze blowing, the soft sunlight falling perfectly on An Ran's face. At that moment, his heart seemed to stop beating, and all he saw was An Ran's smile.

When An Ran couldn't hold on any longer, she went to her room to sleep, but Yan Yue didn't just sit idle. He went to the kitchen and prepared nutritious porridge for An Ran. He brought the porridge to An Ran's room and saw the Jiang Shan pillow on her bedside. Angrily, he threw it to the ground. An Ran woke up in a daze and tried to sit up, but she was still weak. Yan Yue quickly caught her from behind. An Ran felt a bit embarrassed and quickly thanked him.

After preparing breakfast for An Ran, Yan Yue also went out and bought a box of duck necks. On the way, he ran into Jiang Shan. Jiang Shan found it quite unusual that Yan Yue, who usually didn't like spicy food, would personally buy duck necks. There was only one possible reason – he was buying them for a girl he liked. Jiang Shan guessed and even thought that the person Yan Yue liked was Bai Mengyao, the one who had come to the company that day. Because of this, he even gave Yan Yue some advice. Yan Yue didn't want to argue, so he didn't refute it and just listened to Jiang Shan explaining how to win over his sister.

Jiang Shan told Yan Yue that when a girl liked a guy, she wouldn't eat duck necks. Doing so would damage her own image. Although Yan Yue said he didn't believe it, he still took Jiang Shan's words to heart. However, when he returned to An Ran's place, she was in the bathroom taking a shower. Yan Yue felt that it was inappropriate for him to stay any longer, so he left the duck necks and departed. But after returning home, Yan Yue regretted his decision.

Feeling of security is a very elusive yet concrete sensation. Specifically, the premise of a sense of security is having a safety line. Inside the line, there are no restrictions, while outside the line, there's uncertainty. The standards for this safety line vary, and for some, it might be peculiar. Fear of the dark may seem like a plot from an old romantic novel, but some people feel safer with light, safer when they don't see sharp objects, and safer when they can just throw away everything from the past. Once two strangers break through the safety distance, they become uncomfortable, especially in matters of emotions.

Jiang Shan and An Nan brought the project proposal for "Wan Bao Ge," which Boss Wang mentioned before, to the Tian Qi Culture Company. Yan Yue initially didn't want to pay attention, but after flipping through it for a while, he realized something was wrong. The plan on it was exactly the same as what An Ran did. To find out the truth, Yan Yue deliberately went to the Tian Qi Culture Company and planned to confront An Ran. However, it seemed that An Ran was facing some difficulties; Yan Yue tried calling several times but couldn't get through.

The last time Tian Xin went alone to work with Boss Wang, she unexpectedly encountered harassment. A naive girl like her had never encountered such a situation before, and she came back feeling disoriented. An Ran noticed something was wrong and approached her to find out what happened. It turned out that Tian Xin had experienced something unpleasant. Everyone was furious and decided to seek justice for her. They acted on it, each taking on specific tasks, all determined to bring justice for Tian Xin.

Meanwhile, Yan Yue found Boss Wang and coincidentally caught him harassing a young woman. This made Yan Yue even angrier. He approached Boss Wang, grabbed him, and questioned why he had plagiarized An Ran's proposal. However, Boss Wang showed no remorse and instead scolded Yan Yue for meddling, even rudely knocking off Yan Yue's earphones. Suddenly, Yan Yue's senses became blurry; he couldn't hear or see clearly. Just at that moment, An Ran and the others arrived in time. With An Ran's reassurance, Yan Yue finally regained his composure. He presented the evidence of Boss Wang's plagiarism and demanded immediate payment to An Ran, along with taking full responsibility.

This matter quickly reached Mr. Lan's ears, and he greatly admired An Ran's bravery, deciding to collaborate with her. Everything seemed to be heading in a positive direction, but then Pei Jun's sudden appearance shattered An Ran's newfound happiness. She didn't know how to face him, what to say to him; she just instinctively wanted to reject his touch. Pei Jun seemed to sense An Ran's discomfort and stopped, suggesting they meet again next time alone. An Ran didn't respond but gently tugged at Yan Yue's sleeve, sending him a distress signal. Yan Yue received An Ran's message, immediately put his arm around her shoulder, and let her lean on him. Then, in a very assertive manner, Yan Yue pulled An Ran along, walking directly past Pei Jun.

Later, Pei Jun found Bai Mengyao and directly told her that he wanted to win back An Ran and needed her help. In Bai Mengyao's eyes, An Ran and Pei Jun had always been a model couple, so the sudden breakup felt regrettable to her, and she naturally wanted to assist Pei Jun. As for An Ran and Yan Yue's relationship, it seemed to have grown distant due to the incident mentioned during the alumni gathering.

Mr. Lan had high hopes for the "Fragments of Time Boyfriend" project and gave An Ran a chance to propose it. However, voice dubbing was still needed. Hu Yingjun had approached Yan Yue, wanting to continue working with him, but An Ran seemed resistant. On this day, An Ran announced the proposal to everyone, and suddenly Yan Yue appeared, agreeing to collaborate. However, he had one condition: An Ran needed to have full control throughout the cooperation. An Ran had no choice but to agree. In the past, he could only watch as An Ran held Pei Jun's hand and walked away, but this time, he would never let go.

Although An Ran had long given up on fantasies about love, she couldn't help but anticipate its arrival when a long-lost flutter of the heart emerged. On this day, while An Ran was shopping at the supermarket, she unexpectedly saw Yan Yue. Almost as if her body instinctively responded, the moment she saw Yan Yue, An Ran quickly covered her face and crouched down, completely burying herself among the merchandise. Seeing Yan Yue head towards the checkout counter, An Ran finally relaxed and continued her shopping journey. However, at a certain corner, Yan Yue's face suddenly came into view.

Yan Yue asked An Ran why she was hiding from him. An Ran didn't answer directly but told Yan Yue that adults' matters shouldn't concern children. However, Yan Yue promptly grabbed her, acting so quickly as if to prove that he wasn't a child. Just when An Ran was at a loss, Bai Mengyao suddenly appeared and pulled An Ran away. She was a fan of the An Ran and Pei Jun "CP," so naturally, she couldn't just watch An Ran be with another man.

Later, Bai Mengyao also found Yan Yue, trying to dissuade him from liking An Ran. Bai Mengyao's words seemed to be like a silver needle, piercing deeply into Yan Yue's heart. On that day, Yan Yue was supposed to go to the recording studio for work, but he unexpectedly arrived late. Seeing the gloom on his face, An Ran, who wanted to console him, couldn't find the right words.

At night, An Ran enjoyed some barbecue alone at home, dancing along with the music; it was quite delightful. However, gradually, she began to feel bored. She called Hu Yingjun, asking him why guys suddenly started ignoring people. Hu Yingjun was gaming, just brushing it off with a "annoyed." But hearing that, An Ran felt even more upset. Helpless, she could only search online for answers. And all the opinions pointed to one thing: when a guy suddenly ignores someone, it means he's "annoyed."

On this day, why did Bai Mengyao play matchmaker between An Ran and Pei Jun, intentionally inviting An Ran to a restaurant under her name, planning to give her a surprise and Pei Jun a chance. Unaware, An Ran waited for a long time at the restaurant, only to be met by Pei Jun. She didn't want to continue this discussion, just wanting Pei Jun to say what he needed to say. Pei Jun started with an apology, then presented his thoughts with sincerity and a gentle tone. However, An Ran knew, the reason he came back to find her was simply because he got dumped by someone else.

An Ran didn't want to say much to him, so she got up to leave, but Pei Jun still held onto her. Memories of the past, those moments she had pleaded for him not to leave, suddenly flooded back, that time when he had left without a second thought, leaving an unforgettable silhouette in her memory. But now, An Ran was no longer that little girl begging him not to go. Her tone became somewhat impatient as she straightforwardly said she had nothing more to say. But Pei Jun still didn't want to let go. Just then, Yan Yue suddenly appeared and relieved the situation for An Ran.

Unknowingly, the two found themselves at the entrance of a closed gate, but An Ran didn't want to retrace her steps. Walking out through the gate, An Ran plunged into the darkness of the night, not knowing where she was headed. In the pitch-black night, Yan Yue and An Ran walked along a small path. An Ran suddenly showed signs of retreating, wanting to give up. However, Yan Yue extended his hand, letting An Ran hold onto it. An Ran gathered her courage and lightly placed her hand on Yan Yue's wrist. In the darkness where they couldn't see their fingers, Yan Yue's smile was like a gentle light, illuminating An Ran's frantic and nervous heart. Perhaps it was the warmth from Yan Yue's wrist that gave An Ran confidence, and her steps gradually became more confident. Finally, the bright streetlights appeared before them.

In a few days, it would be Jiang Shan's tenth anniversary since his debut, and to thank his fans, his studio had specially arranged a fan meeting. Jiang Shan wanted to invite Yan Yue to attend, but no matter how he persuaded, Yan Yue refused to agree. It wasn't until Yan Yue accidentally found out that An Ran would also be attending that he readily agreed.

Many times, people are hesitant to easily start a new love, not because they've forgotten the past, but because they fear the pain of separation once again. An Ran might have been touched, but she didn't dare to take that step easily. On the day of Jiang Shan's book club, An Ran covered her whole face tightly, afraid of being recognized. However, unexpectedly, she was still recognized.

As the book club came to a close, Jiang Shan decided to choose two lucky fans for a group photo on stage. And An Ran became one of those lucky fans. Amid the cheers from Yan Yue and the others, An Ran had to take off her sunglasses and mask. Due to their previous work-related interactions, Jiang Shan had always thought An Ran was a loyal fan of Black Sand, so when he recognized her, he introduced her to everyone as a fan of Black Sand. The audience started discussing, wondering when the little princess of the fan group, An Ran, had climbed over to Black Sand.

After the book club ended, the friends gathered around An Ran to find out the details. They speculated and guessed, surprisingly deducing that the neighbor's younger brother, who An Ran had mentioned in the group, was Black Sand. For a moment, the discussions almost overwhelmed An Ran. She didn't know how to explain, so she could only awkwardly smile.

In the recording studio, it was just An Ran and Yan Yue. An Ran was lying casually on the sofa, stretching lazily. But when Jiang Shan came in, An Ran immediately sat up straight, feeling restless. Jiang Shan sat down next to An Ran and suddenly mentioned wanting to drink bubble tea. Yan Yue felt a hint of crisis and the first thought that came to mind was to separate Jiang Shan and An Ran, so he asked An Ran to go out and buy it.

After An Ran left, Yan Yue, pretending to be a friend seeking relationship advice, asked Jiang Shan about matters of the heart. Jiang Shan was about to share his thoughts with Yan Yue when An Ran suddenly came back in. Jiang Shan quickly swallowed his words, looking kindly at An Ran. An Ran took out the coffee she had just bought and politely handed it to Jiang Shan. However, Yan Yue quickly grabbed the coffee, claiming he was quite thirsty. An Ran then offered the other cup of coffee to Jiang Shan, but once again, Yan Yue was quicker, not giving An Ran and Jiang Shan any chance to interact. Jiang Shan saw through Yan Yue's intentions and had no choice but to take the coffee and leave.

After their last encounter, Pei Jun had been trying to contact Bai Mengyao, hoping she could help arrange a meeting with An Ran. An Ran felt that this situation couldn't continue, so she decided to meet with Pei Jun to clarify things once and for all. An Ran told Pei Jun that she was actually grateful to him because his departure made her suddenly realize what kind of life she truly enjoyed. An Ran said everything she wanted to say, bid him a final goodbye, then picked up some barbecue skewers, leaving in a carefree manner.

The evening breeze gently blew through An Ran's hair, giving her a sense of tranquility she hadn't felt in a long time. After Yan Yue finished his livestream, he also came to the balcony and asked about what had happened with Pei Jun. An Ran told Yan Yue that when she was younger, she loved wholeheartedly, wanting to invest everything in her feelings, but it ended in a complete failure. In her thirties now, she seemed to have no way to accept another person, or to wait for someone else to accept her. For her, love was weighty, carrying it on her shoulders was a heavy burden.

After everyone's efforts, "Fragments of Time Boyfriend" was finally about to enter the final proposal stage. On this day, Lan Jie brought many gifts that everyone liked. But when An Ran opened her gift, she sensed that something was amiss. At that moment, Pei Jun called, asking if An Ran had received the gift. An Ran was somewhat annoyed and warned Pei Jun not to do such pointless things anymore. After hanging up the call, An Ran looked at the gift, getting angrier, and decided to give it to Bai Mengyao. While they were discussing this, Yan Yue suddenly walked in. An unnamed jealousy surged in his heart, and Yan Yue stubbornly proposed going on strike, causing An Ran frustration.

When An Ran was young, she thought that happiness was all about the bright and glamorous appearance, believing that this kind of love was real. However, she didn't realize that accommodating the wrong person would only lead to more exhaustion. Seven years ago, on a certain day, An Ran searched through her entire wardrobe and finally found a satisfying dress. After carefully dressing up, she planned to wait for Pei Jun in high heels. But just as she was about to leave, Pei Jun suddenly called to cancel the date. An Ran felt deeply disappointed, but could only force a smile and say "okay." And now, she has learned to face past hurts and vanities, admitting that she had misunderstood the essence of love. She suddenly realized that starting anew shouldn't be that difficult.

An Ran was working from home when the power suddenly went out due to unpaid bills. Helplessly, she reluctantly headed to Yan Yue's house. Yan Yue was very pleased and specially prepared a bowl of noodles for her. An Ran finished the noodles quickly but hit a bottleneck in the proposal. Subconsciously, she sat next to Yan Yue and asked for his opinion on the proposal. Yan Yue read through the text on the presentation slides and suddenly felt that something seemed off. Soft voices and ambiguous words lingered in the small space on the sofa. Both of them coughed a few times, then discreetly moved away from each other.

While An Ran was focused on editing the document, Yan Yue cautiously reached his hand behind her. He looked at the side of An Ran's face, and his thoughts went back to many years ago. That was the first time he saw An Ran. The breeze lifted wind chimes, making a tinkling sound. An Ran stood on tiptoe, like the gentle sunlight, gradually melting into Yan Yue's heart.

After who knows how long, Yan Yue was already lying on the sofa, fast asleep. An Ran carefully covered him with a blanket and decided to use his bathroom without asking. But somehow, she slipped in the bathroom. Her cry woke Yan Yue up, and he quickly rushed over to ask what happened. An Ran hurriedly said she was fine, and Yan Yue awkwardly walked away. Yan Yue sat on the sofa with a pillow in his arms, constantly swallowing saliva, looking extremely nervous.

Not long after, An Ran appeared in a pink towel, revealing her alluring bare skin. She gently adjusted the loose strands of hair in front of her face, seemingly toying with Yan Yue's heart. An Ran told Yan Yue that her home still had no power, and since he was already asleep, she took the liberty to use his bathroom. Yan Yue adjusted his emotions, trying to keep calm. He turned away, but all he could see was An Ran in an oversized T-shirt. Yan Yue felt embarrassed, as if he wanted to find a hole to hide in, and had to change the topic, asking how An Ran's injury was. Although An Ran said the wound wasn't severe, Yan Yue still got up to find some medicine for her.

On the day of the proposal meeting, An Ran's team was well-prepared and able to handle any questions from Pei Jun. Mr. Lan also grew to appreciate An Ran more, and he was very optimistic about the "Fragments of Time Boyfriend" project. However, Pei Jun was demanding, stating that he needed to see the internal test data, and the data must be above eighty percent. This data was a significant challenge for An Ran's team, but she was willing to accept the challenge.

After the proposal meeting, a few people had dinner together. Bai Mengyao couldn't figure out what had happened between Pei Jun and An Ran, causing them to be so confrontational today. With everything at this point, An Ran had nothing to hide, so she told Bai Mengyao about all the events from the past.

Back then, An Ran could be considered the school's gifted student. She introduced her works enthusiastically in front of everyone, radiating dazzling brilliance. But Pei Jun's appearance made her hesitate and become cautious. Initially, when they got together, An Ran felt happy. However, as time passed, An Ran suddenly felt that perhaps she wasn't the only one in Pei Jun's heart. And the reality proved that her suspicion wasn't baseless. Pei Jun left, went with another girl, taking her art and her soul. With Hu Yingjun's company and encouragement, An Ran finally emerged from that failed relationship. She regained the smile on her face, but it was no longer as confident as before.

Many years ago, everyone said An Ran was beautiful, but Yan Yue felt that she is even more beautiful now than when she was young. He couldn't wait to let An Ran know that compared to her appearance back then, he loves her current, heavily burdened soul even more. In a place where An Ran can't see, Yan Yue also wants to hold up the umbrella to shield her from wind and rain.

During the final sprint of preparing for the internal testing version, everyone was extremely busy, but they were more fulfilled and satisfied than ever before. With everyone's collective efforts, the internal testing finally officially went live. However, their hearts didn't relax, and they were even more anxious than during the busy days. An Ran messaged Yan Yue, filled with anticipation for the internal testing results. Seeing Yan Yue's encouraging emojis, An Ran became even happier and laughed heartily with her friends.

On the other end of the screen, Yan Yue made a decision - he was going to confess his feelings. When he first met An Ran, Yan Yue was curious why the former goddess had changed so much. Slowly, the new An Ran still made Yan Yue's heart race. Later, when An Ran said she didn't want to date, Yan Yue decided not to disturb her. But recently, he learned about many difficult and bitter things from An Ran's past, making him even more empathetic towards her. At this moment, he can't remain indifferent; he wants to protect her.

Yan Yue prepared a lavish dinner and dressed in a well-ironed suit, making himself look like a mature gentleman. When he heard the knocking on the door, he adjusted his attire and then contentedly opened the door. Seeing that it was the An Ran he had been waiting for, he couldn't control the smile on his face. Seeing the table full of delicacies, An Ran was pleasantly surprised, never expecting that this little rascal in front of her could cook Western food. The sight of the delicious meat was so tempting that An Ran dug in without hesitation. She suddenly noticed the suit Yan Yue was wearing and couldn't help but compliment him on how good he looked in it. Yan Yue blushed with happiness from the praise.

The atmosphere was just right, and Yan Yue was about to express his love to An Ran, but at that moment, news of the internal testing results came in. The data had reached 82%, and An Ran cheered and was overjoyed. However, Pei Jun called and poured cold water on the excitement, feeling that there were issues with the testing results. Despite the high praise rate being over 80%, the number of participants didn't meet the standard, so the internal testing results of "Fragmented Time Boyfriend" couldn't fully explain the situation. Finally, Mr. Lan decided to give An Ran a second chance. Pei Jun also suggested to An Ran that if they wanted to succeed with this game, they needed to focus on voice acting, and the best choice was Zhou Qing.

Although the test results were somewhat unsatisfactory, no one was willing to give up easily. If one attempt didn't work, then they'd try again. Everyone did their best and finally raised the popularity of "Fragmented Time Boyfriend," with the number of testers exceeding ten thousand. An Ran lay in the starry tent prepared by Yan Yue, dancing with joy. And the good news kept coming; the next morning, many voice actors openly endorsed "Fragmented Time Boyfriend" on social media, and even the hardest to invite, Zhou Qing, made an appearance.

An Ran thought this was the result of Hu Yingjun investing heavily, but she didn't expect it was actually Yan Yue's "simple effort." Touched, delighted, and satisfied, An Ran felt extremely happy at this moment. And the behind-the-scenes hand that caused this result, last night, watched others' confession clips and personally decorated An Ran's balcony, seeking no return.

People often use a hundred reasons that shouldn't be together to fight against that moment of heart-pounding, but they forget that love, in its essence, is about following the voice within oneself. Just like Darcy, braving the rain to chase after Elizabeth, telling her those three words, "I love you." Gathering the courage, pouring out the overflowing love from one's heart, regardless of the outcome, Yan Yue wanted to tell An Ran that she is the one he's chosen in his heart.

The number of participants has reached the target, and now it's all up to fate regarding the positive rating. Hu Yingjun saw that everyone had put in so much effort and let them go rest. An Ran also appreciated Hu Yingjun's efforts and decided to invite him for a drink. They both drank to their heart's content, and it was only then that Hu Yingjun remembered Yan Yue and Bai Mengyao. When Yan Yue arrived, An Ran was already so drunk that she couldn't think straight. Yan Yue also forgot that he was brought by Hu Yingjun to play the game, so he hurriedly sent An Ran back home. Bai Mengyao, arriving and seeing this scene, couldn't help but suspect that Hu Yingjun intentionally got An Ran drunk. As An Ran's good friend, she naturally wanted to seek revenge on Hu Yingjun.

The two got into the spirit of drinking and started talking about the past. Many years ago, Bai Mengyao was a girl who wore glasses, didn't know how to dress herself up, and lacked confidence in everything. Until one day, she saw An Ran's paintings at an art exhibition and met An Ran. An Ran had a friendly personality, and she and Bai Mengyao shared many common topics about painting. After just a few words, they became fast friends. From then on, the two were almost inseparable and often painted together. An Ran was like an elder sister, providing Bai Mengyao with lots of encouragement and help, helping her gradually regain her confidence and become the vibrant Bai Mengyao of today.

Meanwhile, Yan Yue had escorted An Ran back home. Looking at her sleeping face, Yan Yue couldn't help but remember the various experiences they had together in the past. The words "I like you" just slipped out involuntarily. Although An Ran didn't hear it, Yan Yue felt very content in his heart. The next morning, An Ran woke up in bed, feeling dizzy and overwhelmed. However, the words from Yan Yue the previous night were still echoing in her mind.

As she was thinking, there came a knocking on the door. An Ran got up to check, and to her surprise, it was Yan Yue. An Ran instinctively tidied up a bit before slowly opening the door. Faced with Yan Yue's invitation, An Ran seemed a bit at a loss, casually making up some words to brush it off. But Yan Yue realized that something seemed off with An Ran. He approached her and asked if she heard what he said last night.

An Ran snapped back to reality and quickly shook her head, saying she hadn't heard. But under Yan Yue's scrutiny, she felt a bit guilty and quickly lowered her head, avoiding eye contact. Yan Yue gently embraced An Ran's shoulders, making her face him. He looked into An Ran's eyes and solemnly told her that he likes her. As soon as he said the words, he turned and left, leaving a bewildered and unsure An Ran behind. If she said she wasn't moved, that would be a lie, but at this moment, An Ran truly didn't know how to respond to Yan Yue, nor was she sure if she should accept him.

Bai Mengyao had arranged to meet with An Ran and was open about her intention to pursue Hu Yingjun. Under Bai Mengyao's persistent questioning, An Ran also shared what happened last night. However, in her current state, she genuinely didn't know if she was moved, and she was afraid to easily accept a new relationship. However, at this moment, news came in that Yan Yue had been in an accident. An Ran received the message and rushed to the hospital, only to see a woman crying and yelling at the bedside. At that moment, An Ran felt like the entire world was about to collapse. But Yan Yue's voice suddenly sounded in her ears. An Ran disregarded everything and rushed toward Yan Yue, embracing him tightly, fearing that he might truly disappear.

It was also at this moment that Yan Yue understood An Ran's heart. He finally said those words, "I like you," clearly in front of An Ran. An Ran pondered for a moment, then decided to hold Yan Yue's hand, nodding in agreement.