Delta, Haotian breaches defenses: The dam is too deep!

"I can ask whatever I want, but... please don't call me that all of a sudden."

By the end, her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, and even her ears were bright red.

Jiang Chen looked at her, his expression still calm, but there was a faint smile in his eyes.

"So you won't call me that anymore?"

Ye Xingran immediately looked up and glared at him.

"You dare?"

Jiang Chen couldn't help but chuckle softly.

This time, Ye Xingran couldn't hold back anymore. She hugged the red book and leaned back on the sofa, her face still burning. She had been teased about being called "boss lady" in the comments before, and people had made fun of her, but it was just a nickname, a name that was pushed out in the midst of the fun.

But that sound just now was different.

A single, gentle sentence, yet it solidified something truly.

She looked down at the red book in her hand, her lips curving upwards in a smile she couldn't suppress.

Jiang Chen sat down next to her, slowly placed his own book on the coffee table, and then turned to look at her.

"So happy?"

"Are you unhappy?"

"Happy."

"Then how come you couldn't tell at all?"

Jiang Chen thought for a moment and answered very seriously.

"Maybe it's because I have a more stable appearance."

Ye Xingran was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter and collapsed onto the sofa.

"Jiang Chen, you're becoming more and more shameless."

"truth."

"Don't talk to me, I'm going to laugh myself to death."

She said that, but her hand had already reached out and gently grabbed Jiang Chen's sleeve, as if afraid that this happiness was too light and that she needed to hold onto something to make it feel more real.

The living room was quiet.

The night outside the window was deep and dark, with the occasional car headlights flashing past below, casting a small, shimmering light on the ceiling. Inside, only a few warm lights were on, and the water in the cups was still steaming. On the coffee table lay the remaining negatives of ID photos and a few slips of paper that I had casually brought back. It looked messy, but it had a sense of down-to-earth comfort.

Ye Xingran leaned back on the sofa for a while to recover, then suddenly sat up straight.

"Oh, right."

"Um?"

"We haven't taken any photos yet."

Jiang Chen glanced at her.

"Didn't you already have your ID photo taken?"

"That's different." She had already picked up her phone, her eyes shining. "A passport photo is a passport photo, but on a day like this, how can I not take one?"

After saying that, she moved closer to Jiang Chen, her shoulder almost touching his arm, and held up her phone, switching it to front view.

"Smile."

"I'm laughing."

"You call that a laugh?"

"This is it."

"Smile a little more."

Jiang Chen was silent for two seconds, then his lips curled up slightly again, much to his satisfaction.

Ye Xingran stared at the screen for a moment, then nodded reluctantly.

"Okay, although it still looks a bit like I dragged you here to film it."

"It was about the same anyway."

"Say it again."

"Take the picture."

Click.

The image freezes.

The two people on the screen were very close. Her eyes were bright and she couldn't hide her smile. Jiang Chen looked calm, but his eyebrows and eyes were much softer than usual, and even the slight curve of his lips seemed to be reserved for her.

Ye Xingran glanced at it and was immediately satisfied.

"This one looks good."

Jiang Chen glanced at it casually.

"Um."

"I posted it on WeChat Moments."

He said it casually, "Send it."

Ye Xingran paused for a moment.

She looked up at Jiang Chen and suddenly asked a question.

"Aren't you afraid of the trouble?"

She knew, of course, how many people would go crazy once this photo was posted. Relatives, friends, clubs, the livestreaming community, the bullet comments... they would all swarm in, and the excitement would be immense.

Jiang Chen looked at her, his expression indifferent.

"On a day like today, what's there to be afraid of trouble?"

Ye Xingran's heart softened.

She looked down and tapped her fingers lightly on the screen a few times, adding a simple caption.

Please take care of me in the future.

After posting it, she stared at the post for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.

"It's over."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm kind of looking forward to them blowing up."

The moment those words were spoken, my phone started vibrating incessantly.

The first comment was from her mother.

"Okay, stop grinning like an idiot and go to sleep early."

The second one is Song Huifang. Welcome to a vast collection of novels for you to explore!

"very nice."

The third one is Haotian.

"Holy shit!!!!!!!!!"

It was followed by a long string of exclamation marks, as if the fingers had been on the keyboard the whole time.

Next up is Qiqi.

"Hello, sister-in-law!!!! I'll greet you first!!!!"

Wang Haoyu's example is even more outrageous.

"Seriously? You guys are way too fast! I haven't even prepared my red envelope yet!"

For once, Chisai was serious.

"Congratulations."

Only two words.

But the more someone is like this, the more seriously they seem to take those two words.

Ye Xingran smiled so hard her eyes crinkled as she looked at the comments that kept popping up. She handed her phone to Jiang Chen.

"look."

Jiang Chen glanced down at the screen, pausing for a couple of seconds on Haotian's "Holy crap" comment, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"He's probably going to make a phone call."

The phone rang as soon as I finished speaking.

It was Haotian.

Ye Xingran burst out laughing and shoved the phone into Jiang Chen's hand. "Answer it."

Jiang Chen pressed the call button, but before he could even speak, Hao Tian's voice boomed from the other end.

"Brother Chen!!! You really accepted it???"

Jiang Chen held his phone further away and said, "Mm."

"Holy crap!!! How did you manage to keep this a secret all along?! Seriously, we were just chatting like that on the livestream yesterday, and today you've already given me the certificate???"

"Didn't you already guess that?"

"Didn't you already guess that?"

"Guessing it and actually doing it are two different things!" Haotian was clearly incredibly excited. "I'm completely stunned, really, my livestream chat is in a state of shock, everyone's spamming the chat!"

You can vaguely hear the chaotic noise coming from his live stream; it's probably a group of viewers making a fuss.

Jiang Chen remained calm. "Then continue broadcasting."

"Why would I even broadcast this! All I can think about right now is you!" Haotian paused, then his tone suddenly became very serious. "But seriously, Brother Chen, congratulations. You two are a perfect match."

After saying this, Jiang Chen paused for half a second, then responded softly, "Mm."

After hanging up the phone, the living room fell silent again.

Messages kept popping up on my phone, and the comments section of my WeChat Moments was already overflowing. But after the initial excitement subsided, a strange calm settled over the room.

It's as if all the excitement is outside; they're simply enjoying their own quiet moments in this small, peaceful place.

Ye Xingran put her phone aside, slowly moved next to Jiang Chen, and gently rested her head on his shoulder.

"Jiang Chen".

"Um?"

"Can we not do the live stream today?"

Jiang Chen turned his head to look at her.

"What do you want to do?"

"I'm not going to do anything," she said softly. "I just want to stay at home."

Jiang Chen looked at her for a few seconds and nodded.

"OK."

"Aren't you going to ask me why?"

"Is that even a question?"

Ye Xingran smiled slightly.

"Too."

The two of them sat like that for a long time.

There were no matches, no trending topics, no versions of events, and none of the people and things that always revolved around them. Only the wall clock ticked slowly in the living room, the night outside the window gradually deepened, but the light inside remained warm.

Looking at the two small red booklets on the coffee table, Ye Xingran suddenly felt that many things seemed to come together here.

She used to think of herself as someone who was very proactive, managing clubs, anchors, negotiating collaborations, and handling pressure—she could handle anything step by step. But only today did she realize that she had always left a space in her heart for someone else.

Now, someone has finally sat down in that spot.

She tilted her head and nuzzled Jiang Chen's shoulder, her voice so soft it sounded like she was talking to herself.

"I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Then don't wake up."

Ye Xingran was startled and looked up at him.

Jiang Chen didn't look at her, but stared ahead, his expression still calm, but the words he spoke were more steady than any lively conversation.

"We'll take it slow from now on."

Those five short words carried a heavy weight.

It was as heavy as a nail, firmly pinning all the drifting emotions into reality.

Ye Xingran's eyes suddenly felt hot.

She didn't say anything more, but leaned back on his shoulder, the corners of her mouth curving up little by little.

The night outside the window was deep, and the wind rustled through the leaves.

The people inside were also very quiet.

But that quiet was no longer empty.

That tranquility only comes after one has found a place to belong.