Chapter 5

Breakfast was delicious.

Lou Mingran's thoughts wandered aimlessly.

In her previous life, she was a shut-in. After graduating from university, she chose to become a full-time writer. Later, due to issues with her schedule, she moved out of her parents' house and started living on her own. She relied on takeout for her two meals a day, occasionally receiving some support from her parents when her own mother couldn't bear to see her in such a state. But the last time she sat down like this, having a proper breakfast, was years ago.

Back then, she had just moved out and used up all her savings on rent. She took a gamble, wanting to make it on her own. However, her new book failed, and she ended up in a destitute state, unable to even afford a meal. She didn't dare to tell her family, but her mother eventually sensed something was wrong and came over, pulling her up from bed to make a modest breakfast.

Remembering the past, Lou Mingran's nose suddenly felt a pang of emotion, and she quickly stirred the rice porridge in her bowl to distract herself.

Based on the dream she had two days ago, where she switched souls with the original Lou Mingran, although she didn't know the reason behind such an occurrence or whether they could switch back in the future, at least it spared her parents from the pain of seeing their child grow old before their eyes.

As for the present, whether she was Lou Mingran or the other Lou Mingran, since it had happened, she decided to accept it and live a good life.

The ingredients in the refrigerator were limited, and even the seasonings were bought temporarily by her assistant to make the kitchen less empty.

To her surprise, Yan Yunyang turned out to be a decent cook. Although the rice porridge didn't have many seasonings, it was soft and tasty, with the unique fragrance of rice filling her mouth. Lou Mingran drank almost half a bowl in one gulp, and the warm food filled her empty stomach, improving her mood considerably.

Neither of them were talkative people, and they adhered to the principle of silence while eating. So, in the spacious dining room, there was only the faint sound of utensils clinking.

After swallowing the egg in her mouth, Lou Mingran picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a steamed bun to stuff into her mouth.

Having lived alone for so long, there were some habits that were hard to change. Although she might not notice it herself, it was quite apparent to others.

Yan Yunyang, who was slowly sipping his porridge, raised his eyelids and looked at Lou Mingran, who was happily eating across from him.

He didn't have much interaction with his nominal wife, and their times sitting down together for a meal were few and far between. But in his impression, she didn't appear to be someone with a hearty appetite.

Lou Mingran was completely unaware that her eating habits were betraying her. Although the frozen buns were the same, their preparation methods and taste differed subtly. The ones made by Yan Yunyang were clearly more delicious than the ones she casually threw into the microwave.

She ate slowly but efficiently. As she attempted to reach for the last steamed bun with her chopsticks, she suddenly realized something.

There were a total of six buns, and she had already eaten three of them. The remaining one should technically be Yan Yunyang's. Although the size of the bun wasn't large, when it came to appetite, it was like the embarrassment of wearing the same outfit - whoever looked less appealing felt awkward. Moreover, she carried the title of a female celebrity, so she tended to calculate her meals down to the grain of rice. Thinking about trying on a dress later, Lou Mingran reluctantly put down her chopsticks and looked at Yan Yunyang across the table.

He was leisurely sipping his porridge, his beautiful peach blossom eyes lowered, with long eyelashes casting a shadow on his eyelids. As they were at home, he was dressed in a deep blue home outfit, with the sleeves slightly rolled up, revealing firm forearms. His slender and fair hands held a spoon, and sunlight streamed in from the window behind him, enveloping him in a soft glow.

Lou Mingran blinked her eyes and realized that the phrase "good-looking enough to eat" could actually appear in reality.

She unconsciously touched her own face, the smooth touch of her skin bringing her back to reality. Remembering that she now made a living based on her appearance, Lou Mingran sighed silently and finished the remaining porridge in her bowl.

Yan Yunyang noticed Lou Mingran's small gesture and couldn't help but smile, thinking about what had happened in the past couple of days.

His nominal wife had not just one, but two different faces.

He just didn't know which face was the real one.

After finishing their meal, assuming the role of cohabitants, Lou Mingran was about to gather the dishes and utensils to take them to the kitchen when Yan Yunyang moved even faster, putting everything into the dishwasher. The machine started making noise, leaving Lou Mingran standing in place, feeling a bit dazed.

To be honest, she didn't know much about Yan Yunyang. After all, he was just a minor character in her book. Since coming into this world, her impression of him had only revolved around him being good-looking and wealthy. But now, it seemed like there was something different about him.

Yan Yunyang turned around and saw Lou Mingran standing there, seemingly lost in thought, with a vacant look in her eyes. He coughed and reminded her, "Don't you have an event today? When are you leaving?"

"Right away."

Lou Mingran pulled out her phone from her pocket and checked the time. It was 8:50 am. The appointment was scheduled for 10 am, and it would take forty minutes to get there from here. Her assistant and driver would come to pick her up in twenty minutes. Scratching her head, Lou Mingran said, "I'll go change now."

She quickly took a shower and put on a lightweight outfit from her wardrobe, knowing that she would have to do her makeup later. She only did a simple skincare routine and picked up a pair of sunglasses from the cabinet. Looking at herself in the mirror, still beautiful and enchanting without any makeup, with her small face and delicate snow-white skin, her slightly damp hair flowing down her back, and exuding an aura with every movement, Lou Mingran narcissistically spun around in front of the mirror before finally coming downstairs.

In just a moment, two more people had entered the living room.

One was wearing a neat and rigid suit, holding several documents and a tablet computer in hand. He was whispering something to Yan Yunyang, who was sitting on the sofa. It was obviously Yan Yunyang's assistant, occasionally sliding the screen of the computer. Without a doubt, this was Yan Yunyang's assistant. The other person was a chubby girl, who seemed to be sitting in the corner of the living room, curled up into a small ball, looking soft.

Zuo Mingran's footsteps paused as he descended the stairs, and he happened to meet the girl's gaze. He immediately recognized who she was.

She was Zuo Mingran's assistant, Mao Mao.

As a popular actress, Zuo Mingran had over a dozen or twenty staff members around her, and Mao Mao was Zuo Mingran's personal assistant, involved not only in work matters but even in Zuo Mingran's daily life. After graduating from college, Mao Mao had been searching for a job everywhere and coincidentally became Zuo Mingran's assistant. At that time, Zuo Mingran was still a newcomer, and Shi Shuangxia was determined to support her, but she was also extremely busy, so most of the time, Zuo Mingran and Mao Mao lived together. Over the years, the staff members around Zuo Mingran changed one after another, but Mao Mao, who initially didn't plan to become a star's assistant, stayed behind. The two had a deep bond, akin to sisters.

However, it was precisely this person who had become the final straw that crushed Zuo Mingran.

Remembering the plot of the book, Zuo Mingran took a deep breath and descended from the stairs.

Seeing her appear, Mao Mao visibly relaxed and hurriedly approached her. "Ran Jie, are we leaving now?"

Suppressing the complex emotions in her heart, Zuo Mingran patted the other's shoulder and smiled. "Let's go."

"Wait." Suddenly, Yan Yunyang, who was talking to his assistant, spoke up, blocking Zuo Mingran, who was about to leave. "I'll take you there."

Zuo Mingran was taken aback, realizing that he hadn't gone to work at this time, probably because he was waiting for her. Waving her hand, she casually said, "It's alright, no need to accompany me. The driver is already downstairs."

Yan Yunyang stood up from the sofa, already changed into a different outfit, also in deep blue but the impression given by the suit and casual attire was clearly different. If the previous Yan Yunyang gave off the feeling of a jade-like gentleman, then the current Yan Yunyang exuded a bit more air of a superior.

Picking up a pair of glasses from the table, Yan Yunyang smiled gently. "Let's go, it's on the way."

It wasn't until she was inexplicably pulled into the garage that Zuo Mingran realized the true intention behind Yan Yunyang's actions. Yan's mother's return to the country was already a settled matter, but the fake marriage couldn't be hidden just by living together. After being married for a year, the number of times they appeared together could be counted on one hand. The news of their marriage falling apart had already spread throughout the internet. If they both appeared now, it would not only shut people up, but also alleviate Yan's mother's suspicions.

With this thought, Zuo Mingran felt more at ease. Yan Yunyang opened the passenger door for her, and Zuo Mingran softly thanked him before getting in.

Yan Yunyang was the one driving, and his assistant had her own car. Mao Mao stood a few steps away, staring at Zuo Mingran as she got into the car, her hand clenched into a fist by her side.

"Oh, what's going on? Where's Ran Jie?" The driver's exclamation pulled Mao Mao out of her complicated emotions, and she put on a sweet smile, opened the car door, and cheerfully said to the driver, "Ran Jie has someone to send her, we'll follow behind."

Inside the car, Zuo Mingran quietly observed Yan Yunyang driving through the rearview mirror.

Golden glasses shielded the captivating peach blossom eyes, his thin lips pursed. With no one else around, sitting on either side, neither of them intended to speak. Despite being less than thirty centimeters apart, a distinct aura of separation, like the Chu-Han divide, emanated between them.

They quickly arrived at the agreed location. Although today was just going through the motions, many media outlets had been alerted and had gathered outside the gate, hoping to get first-hand information.

The driver was about to follow the old routine and enter the garage from the nearby side road when Mao Mao spoke up from behind, "Let's follow Ran Jie."

The driver didn't understand, but Mao Mao was Zuo Mingran's personal assistant, the most influential person besides Shi Shuangxia and Zuo Mingran. So he responded and followed the car in front, stopping at the entrance.

The media at the entrance had been waiting all morning. Since the stars were all riding in chauffeured cars, they hadn't realized at first when a black car arrived. It was only when someone spotted Zuo Mingran sitting in the passenger seat that they exclaimed in shock, catching the attention of the others.

"Zuo Mingran? Who's that person next to her?"

"The driver? Doesn't look like it."

"Seems to be Zuo Mingran's husband, Yan Yunyang, the CEO of Yan Group!"

"What the hell, weren't they supposed to have divorced and not appear together? This is big news."

...

Seeing the camera lens extended towards the car, Zuo Mingran knew that Yan Yunyang's goal had been achieved. The bodyguard next to her quickly formed a human wall in front of the car door, and as Zuo Mingran turned to the side, her hand just about to touch the handle, she heard Yan Yunyang gently call her name.

"Ranran."

Zuo Mingran was so scared by the word "ranran" that her hand trembled. She turned back quickly. Yan Yunyang smiled, and the tenderness in his eyes almost overflowed. He took Zuo Mingran's hand and placed it on his lips, kissing it tenderly. "Go home early," he said softly.　　Zuo Mingran: "..." Oh, shit.　　Just listening to the sound of the shutter outside, Zuo Mingran could guess what the popular microblog would be about.　　It's rude to come without returning.　　Smiling wryly, Zuo Mingran lifted his sunglasses and, facing Yan Yunyang's gentle gaze, leaned sharply towards him, while extending a finger to lower the glasses he was wearing on his nose. The two men gazed into each other's eyes.　　A fresh and elegant fragrance entered Yan Yunyang's nasal cavity. She looked at Zuo Mingran, who wore a sly smile. Their breaths fluttered against each other's faces, like feathers fluttering lightly across.　　"Only in this way can we be qualified," Zuo Mingran laughed.　　A flash went off and someone quickly captured the moment. The woman in the picture has a beautiful face and is smiling as she leans on the man, as if telling him a joke. The man looks at her tenderly and lets her playfully take off his glasses.　　They are really a couple in love!