Yan Yu was furious—after meeting Luo Xiao, he was so angry his whole body ached.
Of course. Of course.
All that talk about suing him for stealing a painting—wasn’t it just about coveting his fame?
Disgusting.
Yan Yu decided there would be no private settlement.
He wanted to see exactly what Wen Ran thought he could pull off.
Using him as a stepping stone?
Aren’t you afraid you’ll get your foot pierced straight through?
A lawsuit, huh?
Public opinion warfare?
Fine. I’ll go all the way with you.
Yan Yu’s family, after all, was no ordinary one. While the internet was still in an uproar, his parents had already found out everything about Wen Ran as fast as possible.
They immediately called Yan Yu, warning him not to act rashly, and said, “That painting you took back then—the guy who painted it was named Wen Ran, right?”
“Do you know who the man he married is?”
“It’s Luo Zhenting, Chairman Luo of Leo Group!”
“I have a friend who knows the younger sister of one of Madam Luo’s best friends.”
“That girl saw the invitation to the wedding thank-you banquet for the youngest son of the Luo family.”
“The names on it were Wen Ran and Luo Xiao!”
Unable to hold back, Yan Yu’s parents snapped, “You could’ve stolen anyone’s painting—why his?!”
“You could’ve bought it outright at a high price! It’s not like you didn’t have the money!”
“And now look—offending the Luo family! Are you trying to drag your father and me down with you?!”
“Impossible!”
The Luo family?
Yan Yu refused to believe it. Wen Ran couldn’t possibly be that lucky.
“How is it impossible?!”
“The invitation listed Wen Ran and Luo Xiao!”
“Whether it’s true or not—go check for yourself!”
Yan Yu did check.
And sure enough, Wen Ran’s husband—who was also his agent and company boss—was really named Luo Xiao.
Luo Xiao.
Luo Zhenting.
Leo Group.
Asia’s richest man.
…!!
…!!!
Only then did Yan Yu belatedly break out in a cold sweat.
Because he understood—if that was really the case, there were countless ways to destroy him, and every single one would be easy.
Yan Yu even began to wonder whether he should struggle at all—or just stop struggling altogether.
But before he could decide or take any action, Wen Ran proved something to him—and to the world.
Wen Ran’s first solo exhibition opened.
Not many works were displayed, but once a painting titled The Traveler was photographed and posted online, it went viral almost immediately, drawing massive attention.
People dug up Yan Yu’s past works and compared them to The Traveler. The conclusion was obvious:
Wen Ran’s paintings were simply better than Yan Yu’s.
This one piece surpassed every painting Yan Yu had produced over the years.
Yes—every single one.
Yan Yu still hadn’t realized one thing: Wen Ran never actually needed anyone’s help to enter the art world.
Fame and recognition were only a matter of time.
Everything happening now was simply because Wen Ran had a partner named Luo Xiao.
Luo Xiao handled everything. Wen Ran only needed to focus on painting.
At a hotel, Wen Ran was painting in the bedroom. In the living room outside, Luo Xiao received a call from Yan Yu’s agent.
This time, the other party’s attitude was extremely humble, his tone softened with pleading as he sighed, “Alright… how can we settle this?”
Settle?
Luo Xiao stood with one hand in his pocket before the floor-to-ceiling window, replying like a seasoned, calculating businessman. “There will be no settlement.”
“With Teacher Yan’s level of fame, it’d be a waste not to use it for Teacher Wen Ran.”
“Besides, Teacher Yan rose to fame back then on Teacher Wen’s Kite Over the Rice Ears, and he’s been popular for years.”
“Now Teacher Wen wants to enter the art world. It’s only right that Teacher Yan contributes a little, don’t you think?”
“Fifty million. Does that work?”
The agent was at his wits’ end.
“Fifty million?”
“Is that a lot?”
Luo Xiao gave a cold snort. “Take that fifty million, grab that thief surnamed Yan, and get lost.”
—
Online debates over whether Yan Yu had stolen Wen Ran’s painting or was being falsely accused raged endlessly. Wen Ran himself—and his exhibition—gained massive attention and popularity.
But in real life, Wen Ran’s routine was simple and unaffected.
At the company, he spent most of his time painting. With Luo Xiao around, he didn’t need to worry about anything else.
Luo Xiao was busy too. The company and studio had just been established, and there was plenty to handle.
Yet no matter how busy he was, he didn’t forget to make things uncomfortable for Wen Ran’s former boss—he poached Sister Lili from Zhou Lanjing with a high salary.
With Lili efficiently taking over part of the workload, Luo Xiao finally had time to focus on other serious matters.
Just like that, Wen Ran and Luo Xiao went from being a proper married couple to full-on work partners, building their small shared venture together.
Both Wen Pingping and Ju Yaoxin were overjoyed.
Wen Pingping thought: Wen Ran can finally paint seriously again—good, good, good!
Ju Yaoxin: Luo Xiao finally isn’t a drifter anymore—he’s got a real career! Tears of joy!
Hand in hand, the two moms beamed.
Wen Pingping: It had to be Luo Xiao!
Ju Yaoxin: All thanks to Ranran!
Together: This marriage was worth it—so worth it!!
In high spirits, the two moms sent their precious sons more money.
Then the two of them grabbed their phones and went online to wage keyboard war against Yan Yu.
YearsLikeASong: Thief bro’s paintings are ugly.
ChanelForever: Shameless—stealing your college roommate’s painting.
YearsLikeASong: “Famous painter,” my ass. Paints worse than an elementary schooler.
ChanelForever: Teacher Wen Ran’s work is better than Thief Bro’s—universally acknowledged.
Yan Yu’s fans fired back online: Your paintings are ugly! You clowns are just jealous of our brother!
Careful—you haters will get doxxed!
Our brother can archive everything you say and send you straight to court and jail!
YearsLikeASong: Oooh, so scary~ bleh~
ChanelForever: Whatever. This lady has a legal team—court doesn’t scare me.
[A legal team? Did you even graduate elementary school?]
ChanelForever: [Photos][Photos][Photos]
My money’s enough to hire a hundred thousand hitmen to send your thief bro straight to heaven~
…
And so Wen Pingping and Ju Yaoxin resumed their daily online battles, phones in hand, spraying Yan Yu’s fans nonstop.
When they couldn’t out-type the youngsters, they posted luxury flex pics instead, driving their opponents insane.
Do you people have no professional ethics in online arguments?! If you can’t win, you just flex your wealth?! Who taught you how to use the internet?!
Being this rich is infuriating!!
Unexpectedly, Wen Ran’s group of friends also showed up online.
When Shang Ge, Lu Wenwen, and the others saw these two middle-aged-sounding usernames fighting with such ferocity, they jumped in too:
That’s right! Teacher Wen Ran’s fans have both taste and money!
Sister Ruge! Sister Chanel! Don’t be afraid!
We’ve got your backs—go ahead and flex your wealth till they’re mad! Leave the rest to us!
Charge—!!
That day, Wen Ran proved his strength with his paintbrush.
The company opened an official Wen Ran Studio account on a short-video app.
That day, the studio livestreamed Wen Ran painting—from start to finish.
The camera focused on his profile, his hand holding the brush, and the canvas.
The stream ran for hours. Wen Ran painted for hours.
At the start, the comment section flew by with doubts and heated discussion.
But as the livestream went on, all of that disappeared, replaced by walls of:
Holy shit. Amazing. Insane.
Soon, another voice emerged online: why not have Wen Ran and Yan Yu livestream together and repaint Kite Over the Rice Ears?
Who was right and who was wrong—the court of public opinion, and judges with eyes, could decide for themselves.
Netizens loved the idea. Wen Ran Studio responded immediately: anytime.
Yan Yu’s side fell silent.
Public opinion flipped instantly.
Wait—why isn’t Yan Yu responding at all? He’s a legit painter, isn’t he? Why doesn’t he dare prove himself? What’s he guilty of?
…
At the company, Wen Ran painted alone in the studio, fully focused. On a different floor, in the CEO’s office, Luo Xiao was busy with work as well.
Wen Ran didn’t agonize over every painting. To be a professional artist—with fame, quality work, and commercial value—required immense effort.
He was already on this path, and he was working hard for it.
The future wasn’t guaranteed, but at least the road beneath his feet—he would walk it step by step. And the brush in his hand—he would hold it steady, not betraying himself.
Luo Xiao was working just as hard. Nearly thirty before he truly started a career—one in a field he knew nothing about.
He needed to learn, prepare, explore, and keep pushing forward and upward—like setting out on another long trek.
Wen Ran came out of the studio and headed downstairs.
At the stairway, he ran into Sister Lili.
Sister Lily spotted him and said, “President Luo is in his office.”
“Okay.”
Wen Ran smiled at her.
At the general manager’s office, Wen Ran didn’t knock. He lightly turned the handle and pushed the door open.
His head and gaze slipped in first. Just as Wen Ran caught sight of Luo Xiao in a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, flipping through something, Luo Xiao suddenly lifted his eyes and looked straight at him.
Wen Ran smiled immediately and walked in. “You’re busy? I was thinking I’d take a look—if you were busy, I wouldn’t disturb you.”
“I’m just looking through a brochure for an art exhibition,” Luo Xiao said casually, then stood up and came out from behind the desk.
When he got close, Luo Xiao leaned in and kissed Wen Ran on the lips.
“Why did you stop painting?” Luo Xiao asked. “Tired?”
“I wanted to go out for a walk.”
“Are you busy?”
Wen Ran suggested, “If not, want to go wander around a bit?”
“Let’s go.”
Luo Xiao immediately took Wen Ran’s hand.
Their company was in an industrial park, and once outside there was a wide road running through it.
There was a shopping plaza nearby. Hand in hand, chatting as they walked, they might buy ice cream that Wen Ran liked, or stop by the coffee shop Luo Xiao favored.
Yet just a few months earlier, back in the summer, one of them had merely been an abstract painter drifting around aimlessly every day, while the other was nothing more than a traveler hiking everywhere as he waited to attend a wedding.
One brief intersection. One instant of eye contact. A sudden spark.
After that single second, everything changed.
Wen Ran could paint again now. Lately he’d produced many works, pouring all his focus into them.
And yet he’d also fallen in love with going everywhere together with Luo Xiao.
Maybe soon. Maybe in a few months. Maybe next year. He would set off again with Luo Xiao.
He wanted to see more places with him.
Or perhaps one day he’d fall in love with hiking or rock climbing too.
He was looking forward to it.
When it came to the future, he was filled with endless, beautiful expectations.
As for Luo Xiao, he was taking on a completely different kind of “journey.”
It was because of Wen Ran that he had stepped into this field at all.
There was still so much he didn’t understand. He was still learning, and it would likely take a great deal of time and energy.
But that was fine. With Wen Ran by his side, he was more than willing to settle down and try.
He treated it as yet another challenge in his life.
In the future, he would move forward hand in hand with Wen Ran.
Or perhaps he would set new challenges for himself.
Or maybe, at thirty, he’d try once more to summit K2, a peak with no small degree of difficulty.
But all of that was for later. There was no rush. Slowly, step by step.
For now, he was newly married. He’d rather just hold Wen Ran close and savor their sweet married life.
At night, in the bedroom, Wen Ran used a paintbrush dipped in pigment to draw all kinds of cartoon figures on Luo Xiao’s bare body.
Sometimes Wen Ran lay across his chest to paint, sometimes sprawled over his back. As the brush brushed against him, Luo Xiao felt ticklish and couldn’t help laughing.
Ding!
Suddenly struck by an idea, Wen Ran’s eyes lit up. He looked at Luo Xiao and suggested, “Let’s draw an elephant! There’s already a ready-made trunk!”
Luo Xiao: ?
Very quickly, laughter and playful noises spilled out of the bedroom.
“Come on, let me draw it. Don’t be stingy.”
“Husband. Husband.”
…
Shang Ge’s living funeral was finally held.
Thanks to Wen Ran and Lu Wenwen and their circle of besties who loved buying luxury goods, the theme color of Shang Ge’s funeral was Hermès orange.
All their friends from the circle—both close companions and fair-weather buddies—were invited, along with family members.
But lying there in a white wedding dress, makeup flawless, eyes closed, Shang Ge still couldn’t hold it together.
Because—
Because! Wen! Ran! And! His! Daddy! Bro!
Had hired ten male models with huge chests and eight-pack abs!!
Male models!!
All of them shirtless!!
Surrounding him!!
Shang Ge couldn’t suppress the grin tugging at his mouth—especially when one of the models grabbed his hand and placed it on a cool yet wonderfully firm set of abs.
Then his other hand was taken and placed on another model’s abs…
Shang Ge opened one eye, then the other, glanced left, glanced right, thinking to himself:
Wen Ran!!!
You truly are my good brother!!!
I will support you and Daddy Bro for life!!!
For life!!!
Standing amid a sea of Hermès orange, Shang Ge—still in his wedding dress—held a microphone in one hand, raised the other high, and shouted, “Music! Let’s get wild!”
As the music started, everyone began to move to the beat, including the shirtless male models.
Amid the wild atmosphere, Wen Ran met Luo Xiao’s gaze with a smile.
Luo Xiao lowered his head and kissed Wen Ran’s lips.
By now, he was fully used to urban life in C City.
Maybe one day he could even become an abstract artist himself?
【End of Main Text】