That afternoon, Wen Ran returned to the villa with two property deeds.
Before leaving Wen Pingping’s flat, she sent him to the door: “Since you’ve decided to marry, talk things through with your boyfriend.”
“See whether their parents come here or ours go there—it’ll be easier to plan the wedding.”
“Don’t worry. Since you want to marry, I’ll support it. You don’t need me meeting him first; this is your life, your decision.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Wen Pingping clasped her hands toward the sky: “Thank heavens, someone finally came to take you away. I’m free! No more abstract art in front of me!”
She shut the door firmly.
Wen Ran drove back to the villa. On the way, he called Shang Ge, who had been messaging him without reply.
“Who’s this?” Shang Ge said.
“Finally a voice!”
“I was wondering why you weren’t replying—painting again?”
“Shang Ge!” Wen Ran’s voice was full of excitement. “I’m marrying Luo Xiao!”
“I just left my mom’s house!”
“My mom approved the marriage too!”
“Ah???”
Shang Ge was stunned. “Mar… marriage????”
“But—”
“Weren’t you chasing him? How did it jump to marriage?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Wen Ran explained, “I like Luo Xiao a lot. If I like him, we should be together. Being together naturally means marriage.”
Silence. A few seconds later, Shang Ge shouted:
“Wen!!! Ran!!!”
“Dating is dating!”
“Marriage is marriage!”
“Are you crazy?! Who marries these days?!”
“Marriage is a grave! You want to sleep in a grave?!”
“Or do you plan to announce in a few months that you’re incompatible and divorcing?!?”
“Ah!!!???”
Shang Ge was in a full-on panic.
Wen Ran didn’t care. He wanted to marry Luo Xiao.
Back at the villa, holding the property deeds, he went upstairs and saw Luo Xiao in the living room on the phone.
Wen Ran approached quickly, wrapping himself around Luo Xiao. Eyes closed, he first felt the broad, warm chest, then opened them and held up the deeds: “Done!”
“My mom approved our marriage.”
“She even said she’d cover the house and car, supporting us.”
“We should sit down and figure out whether your parents come here or we go to them, plan the wedding together.”
Still excited, Wen Ran added: “Do you want to quit your repair shop job?”
“I have a property in the city, perfect location.”
“You could open your own repair shop if you want.”
“Being your own boss means no one’s giving orders.”
Luo Xiao guided Wen Ran to the sofa, sitting down and wrapping him close. “I just told my parents and my brother about our decision to marry.”
“They support it too.”
Wen Ran’s eyes sparkled.
Luo Xiao: “My dad’s on a business trip in M country—he’ll come later. My mom will come soon, meet you, meet your family, and plan the wedding.”
“Sure, that works,” Wen Ran said, eagerly.
Luo Xiao continued: “I already spoke to the repair shop owner about quitting. But you don’t have to give me your property for the shop.”
“I only did repair work temporarily anyway.”
He looked at Wen Ran: “Now that we’re together, marrying, any requests?”
“House, car, money—also anything about my work or life.”
Luo Xiao was candid. He was comfortable discussing practical matters—marriage isn’t just about feelings; house, car, money are concrete realities.
Wen Ran asked back: “Any requests for you?”
“You know my family’s well-off. My mom said she’d cover house and car. What kind of house do you want? If you don’t like this townhouse, we can change. Any style you like, we’ll do it. Cars—you pick what brand.”
Luo Xiao: “Looks like house and car aren’t a problem; either of us can contribute. We’ll decide after both families meet. Also, I probably mentioned, my family has means—parents and brother have money, I can run around too. Don’t carry it all alone.”
“Okay,” Wen Ran nodded. “No rush, we’ll decide after the meeting.”
He wrapped his arm around Luo Xiao, soft voice: “I really like you~~”
“So great, we can truly be together.”
“I can’t wait to live with you~~”
Acting playful, Wen Ran made Luo Xiao’s heart melt.
Luo Xiao leaned down, kissed him, held his hand, slid his palm to his waist, lifting the hem of his shirt, tracing and pressing.
He adored Wen Ran’s body: slender limbs, fair, smooth, firm skin, narrow waist with charming dimples, perky hips—so different from his own rigid build.
Luo Xiao’s hands cupped Wen Ran’s waist, kissed his upturned neck, warm breath brushing against him. “Upstairs? I’ve already tidied.”
Wen Ran, flushed from the kiss, murmured, “Can’t we stay on the sofa?”
Sitting upright, he straddled Luo Xiao, giving a slow, deep kiss like the first time they kissed here.
On top, he felt it: intense, tight, utterly intimate.
…
After catching his breath, Wen Ran headed upstairs, ready to paint again.
Before going up, he suddenly thought of something. He tapped on his phone and handed it to Luo Xiao: “I wasn’t going to show you this… but I’ve been getting these messages.”
“They’re probably from someone around you, someone you know, maybe a colleague.”
“I think you should see them, so you’re not blindsided later.”
Luo Xiao took the phone and saw a series of messages from different unknown numbers, all sending slanderous, fabricated claims about Wen Ran.
Surprised, he snapped photos of the messages on his own phone, kissed Wen Ran on the forehead, and said, “Don’t worry about it. Go paint.”
“There’s food in the fridge if you get hungry.”
“I’m stepping out for a bit, be back soon.”
“Okay.”
Wen Ran silenced his phone, tossed it on the dining table, and went upstairs.
Luo Xiao left the villa, sent a few messages, then took a taxi back to the four-person dorm of his former repair shop.
The dorm was empty; everyone was at work.
At his old workspace, he gathered his belongings from the bed, table, and cabinets, then left.
Just as he stepped outside to hail a cab, his phone buzzed with a message from Luo Feng: 【I’m in C City. Just landed. Meet up?】
Luo Xiao froze, surprised by Luo Feng’s sudden arrival, and called him immediately.
At the same time, Boss Tang arrived at Bumblebee Maintenance. He signaled the others to keep working and approached Ding Yijie, pressing a hand to his neck, teasing, “You’ve got quite the tricks, huh?”
He pulled out a phone from his pocket and pushed it toward Ding Yijie. Ding Yijie turned pale—it was his own number sending those slanderous messages to Wen Ran.
As he tried to cover up, Boss Tang kicked him and yelled: “I took you in as an apprentice, and this is how you repay me? Scheming in my shop?”
Ding Yijie stammered, “I didn’t—”
“No ‘didn’t’! I don’t have your mother!” Tang grabbed a dirty glove and swatted him, yelling, “You think just because you sleep in the same dorm and repair cars like everyone else, you can mess with my brother?”
“You know who Xiao Ge is? He’s the treasure of my family! Without him, my baby brother would’ve been dead!”
“Dare mess with him? You’re looking for death!”
Ding Yijie tried to retreat. Tang chased him, swinging a broom, yelling at him for his stupidity and disrespect.
The shop was quiet; Xiao Qing and Yuan Jun gathered to watch. Tang waved them off: “Don’t look. He’s not one of you. He’s here for my brother’s wedding, maybe helping a bit.”
He kicked Ding Yijie one last time: “Scram! As far as you can!”
Just then, flashy sports cars pulled up at the shop. Shang Ge and his colorfully dressed crew stepped out, clearly troublemakers.
Shang Ge called out: “Which one’s Ding Yijie?”
Everyone in the shop turned toward him.
Ding Yijie stammered, “N-not me…”
Shang Ge glanced at the ID registrations: “Then how come all these numbers are under your name?”
Two of Shang Ge’s men flanked Ding Yijie, escorting him toward Shang Ge.
“Come on, we’re buying you a drink,” Shang Ge said.
Tang waved them off: “I don’t know him; he’s not my employee. Take him.”
Ding Yijie panicked: “What are you doing? I’m calling the police!”
At a five-star hotel in the same city, Luo Xiao entered and immediately spotted someone.
By the window, a man sat alone on a sofa—tall, wearing a crisp suit, immaculately groomed, the picture of a classic elite professional.
“Brother,” Luo Xiao greeted.