Huayu: Starting from retirement, sweeping across the domestic entertainment industry

Chapter 226 The Coconut That Creates a Sense of Crisis

The test results came out on the morning of the third day after Liu Haocun arrived in Changsha.

The VIP waiting room of the private hospital was as quiet as a library, with soft sofas and a faint smell of disinfectant in the air.

Li's mother and Liu's mother sat on the sofa, very close together, knees touching, hands clasped together, like two sisters who had known each other for a long time.

Ji Ran leaned against the window, his hands in his pockets, as sunlight fell on the ginkgo tree outside.

He also took leave last night and rushed back to Changsha overnight.

The door opened, and the doctor walked in, holding the test report in his hand, with a professional smile on his face.

"Congratulations, it's been four weeks and all indicators are normal."

She handed the report to Li's mother and gave her a few more instructions—get plenty of rest, avoid strenuous exercise, have regular prenatal checkups, and be especially careful during the first three months.

Li's mother took the report, her hands trembling slightly, but she couldn't suppress her smile.

Liu's mother leaned closer, the two of them heads touching, staring at the incomprehensible data on the paper as if they were looking at something precious.

"It's been four weeks."

Li's mother repeated herself, then turned to look at Li Ran with a hint of reproach in her eyes.

Li Ran didn't say anything, walked over, took the report, glanced at it, and then looked at Liu Haocun.

She sat on the sofa, wearing a loose, off-white knit sweater, her hair loose, without makeup, but her skin was glowing white.

She had her head down, her hand on her lower abdomen, and a slight smile on her lips, lost in thought.

He suddenly remembered what she had said that night: "I need your cooperation."

The coordination was quite accurate.

Liu's mother spoke first, her voice not loud, but the heartache in her tone was unmistakable.

"It's been four weeks! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She looked at Liu Haocun, her eyes slightly red. "This past month has been the most dangerous time. You, child, were still standing on set filming every day. What if—"

She couldn't finish her sentence; she couldn't continue.

Li's mother patted the back of her hand, signaling her to stop talking.

The two mothers exchanged a glance, sighed simultaneously, and then turned to Li Ran at the same time.

The meaning in their eyes was clear: you, as her boyfriend, why don't you pay more attention?

Li Ran felt a little guilty under their gaze, touched his nose, and remained silent.

Liu Haocun looked up at the two mothers, his doe-like eyes showing a hint of embarrassment, but he still defended Li Ran.

"Mom, I didn't know at the time either. If I had known, I would have told you right away, wouldn't I?" Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of coquettishness at the end, as if she were coaxing two overly worried children.

Li's mother and Liu's mother exchanged another glance. The heartache and reproach in their eyes had faded somewhat, but the worry remained.

Liu Haocun is now their darling.

When Li's mother spoke, her tone was so firm that it was as if she were making an unquestionable decision.

"I can't film anymore; I need to take good care of myself for the first three months."

Liu Haocun was stunned for a moment.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

She looked at Li Ran, her doe-like eyes filled with a hint of pleading, a hint of resentment, and a hint of expectation that "you should put in a good word for me."

Li Ran walked over and sat down next to her, simply reaching out to hold her hand without saying a word.

He also didn't want Liu Haocun to take any risks.

Liu Haocun lowered his head, looked at the two people's clasped hands, remained silent for a few seconds, and then nodded.

"What about my scenes?"

She still cares a lot about this role, and besides, this drama is also very meaningful to Li Ran.

Li Ran thought for a moment and then offered the solution he had prepared in advance: "The script can be changed."

Liu Haocun's role is present throughout the story. Her character has a romantic subplot with the character played by Li Ran. Although it's not a major one, it's important for the emotional progression of the entire story.

Now that she can't film, the simplest and most direct solution is to replace the actress—since filming has just started, replacing someone won't be costly.

But he didn't want her to experience the public opinion risks that would arise from changing the actress.

There's only one way left—revise the script.

Li Ran explained her idea: the interview footage that Liu Haocun had already filmed could still be used, and they could say to the outside world that he was a guest host.

The romantic subplot between her character and Li Ran is transferred to other characters without affecting the main storyline or the integrity of the story.

The core of this drama is the story between the five teammates of the SK team. The romance is just a side story, and the LPL has more than one host.

Liu's mother and Li's mother nodded quickly.

"That's good too. Hao-cun doesn't have to take any risks, and the filming won't be delayed."

"If you want to act, wait until the baby is born, and Mom will have the company tailor-make a movie just for you. It's better than being a supporting role for that brat—"

She looked at Liu Haocun, reached out and tidied the stray hairs hanging in front of her forehead, "Take good care of yourself, let Li Ran worry about the rest."

""

Liu Haocun nodded and didn't mention filming again.

Her hand unconsciously rested on her lower abdomen, which was still flat, but she knew that something was slowly growing there.

Li Ran returned to Hengdian the following afternoon.

He walked out of the terminal, where Xiao Chen was already waiting at the exit.

The two got into the car and drove towards the film studio.

On the way, he called Zhang Yimou and arranged to meet at the hotel that evening to discuss revising the script.

-

Zhang Yimou didn't ask any more questions, only said "okay," and then hung up.

At 7 p.m. sharp, Zhang Yimou appeared at the door of Li Ran's room.

The old man was wearing a dark jacket and looked like he had just returned from a film set.

When Li Ran asked for leave, she had already briefly explained the situation to him.

The two sat down on the sofa, and Li Ran explained her ideas for revising the script in detail: Liu Haocun's scenes would retain the already filmed interview clips, and would be promoted to the public as a guest host; her romantic scenes with the protagonist would be transferred to a new character, played by Zhou Ye.

After listening, Zhang Yimou remained silent for a moment, then picked up his thermos and took a sip of water.

"Zhou Ye?" He thought for a moment, "The one who acted in 'Better Days'?"

Li Ran nodded.

Zhang Yimou thought about it again, seemingly mentally imagining Zhou Ye's face as he was placed into the role of the new host, and then nodded.

"Okay, let's do it this way. I'll have someone revise the script. You coordinate with Zhou Ye's team and make sure it doesn't delay the schedule." He didn't linger after saying that.

Li Ran sat on the sofa, stared at the ceiling for a while, picked up her phone, and opened Zhou Ye's chat window.

When will filming for "Heart Protector" wrap up?

Less than three seconds after the message was sent, a video call request popped up on the screen.

He paused for a moment, then pressed the call button.

On the screen, Zhou Ye's face filled the entire frame, with a few dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well.

She was wearing a light-colored nightgown with the neckline slightly open, revealing a section of her collarbone. When she saw Li Ran, the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

"Filming should wrap up in about two weeks, what's up?"

Li Ran leaned back on the sofa, relaxed in posture but serious in expression.

"There's an important female character in 'Glory,' are you going to play her?"

Zhou Ye was taken aback. She tilted her head and looked at him, her eyes showing a hint of surprise.

"Isn't 'Glory' a completely male-dominated drama? The female lead, this 'green tea' character, is just a supporting character. What main female characters are there?"

Li Ran looked at her and remained silent for a few seconds.

"It's the character Cunzi."

Zhou Ye frowned.

It wasn't the kind of wrinkle that looks like you're angry; it was the kind of wrinkle that looks like you're trying to figure something out, like you're solving a really difficult math problem.

"Why did she stop acting? Can her public opinion affect your and Director Zhang's film?" Her tone carried a hint of doubt, as well as a sense of unease that "this matter is not so simple."

For the past few days, she had been feeling vaguely uneasy. She couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong, but she felt as if something was quietly changing, and she stood at a distance, watching those changes happen, yet she couldn't grasp anything.

She didn't know what she had lost, but she knew she had lost something.

It felt like holding a handful of sand; the tighter you squeeze, the faster it slips away.

Li Ran looked at her and remained silent for a moment.

He could have easily made up an excuse about a scheduling conflict, feeling unwell, or having family matters to cover it up.

There are plenty of reasons, and she won't ask any questions or doubt them.

But he didn't.

He didn't want to lie to her anymore.

This kind of thing can be kept secret for a while, but not forever.

She'll find out sooner or later; it's better for him to tell her himself than for her to hear it from someone else.

He took a deep breath.

"Cunzi is pregnant."

The world on the other side of the screen fell silent for a moment.

That silence wasn't stillness; it was suffocation.

Zhou Ye's fingers were still resting on the edge of the phone, without moving.

She stared at him, her large eyes first filled with disbelief, then anger, then resentment, and finally settling on something complex and indescribable.

Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.

After a few seconds, her voice finally escaped her throat, hoarse.

"What?" she asked incredulously at first, then asked in disbelief, "Li Ran, what did you say?"

She wasn't that she didn't hear clearly, she just couldn't believe it.

She needed him to say it again to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

He looked at her eyes, which were gradually reddening, and felt as if something had clenched his heart.

"Liu Haocun is pregnant, she's four weeks along."

Zhou Ye's eyes widened instantly, and his usually bright eyes now seemed to be brewing a storm.

She opened her mouth, wanting to curse him, to question him, to smash her phone, to pour out all the words she had been holding back.

But she didn't. She just looked at him, for a long time.

So long that Li Ran thought she would hang up the phone any second, so long that he could hardly bear that gaze.

"Are you telling the truth?" Her voice suddenly softened, as if she had finally accepted the fact.

Li Ran nodded seriously. "Cunzi and my mother are currently resting and recuperating at our hometown."

Zhou Ye's mouth opened and closed, then opened again, like a fish thrown ashore, trying to breathe but unable to find water.

After a long silence, she spoke, her voice unusually calm, so calm it was unlike her usual self.

"I've taken the role." She paused, as if confirming something with herself. "And, I need to—"

She didn't finish speaking, but Li Ran knew what she wanted to say.

She needs time, needs to be alone for a while, needs to suppress those surging emotions, and needs to figure out what to do next.

She looked at him, and the anger and grievance in his big eyes were gone, replaced by a quiet, heartbreaking weariness.

"Goodnight," she said.

Li Ran nodded. "Good night."

The screen went dark, and the call ended.

Li Ran stared at the line "Call duration 04:32" for a while, then turned the phone over and placed it face down on the coffee table.

He knew they would explode once they found out.

Others might not react as strongly, but Zhou Ye and Tian Xiwei would definitely be furious, especially Tian Xiwei, whom Li Ran doesn't even know how to tell her about it.

As for Zhou Ye, she wasn't worried at all about whether Tian Xiwei would win over Li's mother, because she knew Li Ran from the beginning that only Li Ran's thoughts mattered.

And now Liu Haocun is pregnant.

Zhou Ye's mind is in a mess right now.

It's not the kind of chaotic jumble of thoughts, but the kind of chaotic jumble where you can't remember anything and don't want to think about anything.

She closed her eyes, then opened them, then closed them again, over and over, as if she didn't know which of the two actions to choose.

She recalled Li Ran's expression when he said "Cunzi is pregnant." She knew that face too well; she knew it so well that she could read every subtle change in his expression.

His eyes held guilt, panic, but even more so, anticipation—the gentle, bright, and undisguised light of someone about to become a father.

That light wasn't for her; it was for the child in Liu Haocun's belly.

Li Ran was different towards her before. It wasn't just words like "You are the most important person to me," but something she could feel.

The way he looked at her, the patience he showed her, and the time he spent on her were all a little more than with others.

She never cared how many people were around him, whether it was Zhang Jingyi, Tian Xiwei, Wang Churan, or Zhang Ruonan.

She was only jealous to impress Li Ran.

Because those people cannot shake her position.

She was his first love, the first person he fell in love with in college, and the most important chapter of his youth.

This identity is irreplaceable.

That's what she thought.

But it's different now.

Liu Haocun was pregnant with his child.

A child is nothing other than blood, a continuation of lineage, and the beginning of a man becoming a father.

He was no longer just her boyfriend, no longer just Tian Xiwei's boyfriend, no longer just Zhang Jingyi's boyfriend; he would be the father of someone's child.

This identity is much heavier and more burdensome than "boyfriend".

She didn't know if the child in Liu Haocun's belly would change their relationship.

What she feared was not losing him, but losing that feeling of being "favored".

She rolled over, picked up her phone, opened her contacts, found the name "Xiao Hu," hesitated for two seconds, and then pressed the button.

The phone rang a few times before being answered.

"Uh... what's wrong, Coconut?" Hu Lianxin's voice was sleepy, as if she had already lay down.

Zhou Ye opened his mouth, as if to say something, but found that his throat was blocked by something and he could not make a sound.

She took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Xiao Hu, Liu Haocun is pregnant."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Hu Lianxin's voice was much clearer, and questions kept popping up from the receiver.

"She's pregnant? With Li Ran? How long has she been pregnant? When did this happen? Where is she now?"

Zhou Ye closed his eyes and answered each question one by one.

"If it's not Li Ran's, then whose is it? It's been four weeks, we just found out. It's currently in Changsha, with Li Ran's mother."

She paused, as if organizing her thoughts or suppressing something, "Li Ran told me."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Hu Lianxin seemed to be processing the news, or perhaps thinking about what to say next.

"So what do you think?" she asked.

Xiao Hu was also very scared. Would Li Ran kick them all out for the sake of the child?