Chapter 45
“An Xun, what are you doing?” Lu Ya asked, bewildered.
Lin Ran, holding An Xun, realized she was Snowball’s mother. Explaining this would be complicated. They were close in the game, but strangers in reality.
An Xun, however, made a demand: “I want A-Ran to stay here with me.”
“That’s not possible, An Xun. He has his own things to do,” Lu Ya said, looking at Lin Ran warily, wanting An Xun to let go of him. Lin Ran’s gentle appearance made it difficult for her to be harsh. He didn’t seem like a bad person, just someone her son was attached to. How had they even met, with An Xun’s busy schedule?
An Xun, unfazed by her refusal, looked at Huang Zi Yan and decided to use his “child privilege.”
“If A-Ran doesn’t stay, I won’t film,” he said calmly, his words like a bombshell.
Lin Ran: ? What was this sudden escalation?
The crew members stared, turning to Lu Ya. Child actors were unpredictable, but An Xun had always been an exception, professional and mature beyond his years, except for his occasional disappearances. They panicked; if he refused to film, they would have to replace him, losing months of work.
“An Xun, don’t joke! He can stay! I’ll talk to him,” Lu Ya said, thinking An Xun was about to disappear again. Another incident would be disastrous. Her pleading gaze made Lin Ran realize this wasn’t a normal mother-son relationship. And An Xun wasn’t usually this demanding.
An Xun, having achieved his goal, clung to Lin Ran, refusing to let go.
Lin Ran stroked his hair, reassuring him. “Let go a little, okay? I can’t stand up like this.”
An Xun looked up at him, his long eyelashes fluttering, his eyes pleading.
“Aw, don’t look so sad. I’ll carry you,” Lin Ran said, touched, and stood up, holding An Xun. He wasn’t used to carrying children, his hold awkward, but An Xun, instead of struggling, buried his face against his neck. “Demon World” had become reality; A-Ran was here. He didn’t want to let go.
Lin Ran, now the center of attention, said, “Why is everyone looking at me? I just want to check the security footage.” He had been waiting for Lu Ya to request it. As an ordinary villager, he would have been ignored, but with An Xun clinging to him, they couldn’t refuse.
“This room has cameras. Should we check them?” a staff member asked the director.
Huang Zi Yan, hearing this, paled, hiding behind his mother, who realized the situation was bad.
“It’s just kids playing. No need for cameras. It’ll just cause bad blood. Zi Yan has returned the necklace. We can compensate you…” she said to Lu Ya, hoping to resolve this quietly.
But Lin Ran said, “Accusing An Xun of lying without knowing the truth is what causes bad blood.”
“Listen to him. Check the footage,” the director said, surprising Huang Zi Yan’s mother. Many had complaints about the boy’s behavior, but they had tolerated it until now. But with An Xun involved, it was different.
“Mommy… I don’t want to check the cameras!” Huang Zi Yan cried.
“Oh no, he’s crying again!” Jiang Jie groaned, covering his ears, and even Lin Ran frowned, stepping back slightly, glad his cubs weren’t like this.
An Xun, however, looked at Huang Zi Yan, his eyes briefly flashing their demonic, slitted form, silencing the boy instantly. An… An Xun was a monster!
Huang Zi Yan’s terrified silence made the atmosphere tense.
A few minutes later, everyone watched the footage in silence. It clearly showed Huang Zi Yan taking the necklace after Lin Ran had opened his juice bottle.
“He deliberately stole it,” someone said.
Huang Zi Yan’s mother, thinking quickly, said, “It doesn’t prove anything. He was just curious. And how much could a student’s phone charm be worth? We’ll compensate you threefold.”
“I’ve already called the police,” Lin Ran said calmly, holding An Xun.
“The police?! Why?! We can settle this with money!” she exclaimed. Though too young to be charged, a police visit would ruin the boy’s reputation and career.
“It’s an expensive sapphire. And I’m not short of money,” Lin Ran said, wanting justice for An Xun. Seeing her panic, he added, “But if you don’t want this to become public, don’t interfere with my arrangements for An Xun.”
Lu Ya, defeated, agreed, though feeling uneasy.
A few minutes later, as they came out of the room, An Xun ran to Lin Ran, who picked him up.
“Let’s go home for dinner and sleep, okay?” he said, and An Xun nodded eagerly.
Lu Ya didn’t stop them, though her expression was dark.
“Who’s this little guy?” Grandma asked, surprised, seeing Lin Ran with a child.
“Hello, Grandma,” An Xun greeted her politely.
“Such a well-behaved child! Let me see… Lin-zai, he looks familiar…” Grandma said, her eyes crinkling with smiles.
“Shh, Grandma. The film crew is short of beds, so he’s staying with us. It’s a secret. It’s An Xun,” Lin Ran explained quickly.
“An Xun?! The one from TV?!” Grandma whispered, then rushed back to the kitchen to make more food. “Poor child, he must be starving! Those traitors!”
“Huh?” Lin Ran was confused.
“It’s from the TV show,” An Xun explained. He played a young revolutionary who starved to death in the snow, a scene that had moved many viewers.
Grandma seemed to have taken it literally. Lin Ran chuckled.
“Grandma, don’t overfeed him. Make something healthy,” he said, following her to the kitchen.
An Xun, sitting at the table, looked around curiously, memorizing every detail of A-Ran’s home. If this was a dream, he wanted to remember it.
“Why are you spacing out? Try this,” Lin Ran said, offering him a piece of milk cake.
An Xun ate it obediently. It was delicious… Everything at A-Ran’s home was delicious. It felt like a dream.
“Is it good? Why are you so quiet?” Lin Ran asked, amused.
“It’s like a dream. I’m happy,” An Xun confessed, hugging him again.
Lin Ran felt something fluffy against his chin. He looked down. “…Ears!?” Two snow leopard ears were peeking out from An Xun’s hair!
He instinctively touched them, and An Xun, initially startled, then realizing A-Ran was enjoying it, sat still, his ears incredibly sensitive to the touch.
“What’s on his head?” Grandma asked, coming back with the food, reaching for her glasses.
“Nothing, Grandma! Don’t look!” Lin Ran quickly covered An Xun’s ears, and An Xun blushed furiously, his ears refusing to retract.
