Life countdown begins, ice queen bursts into security room

7 PM, seafood restaurant.

Li Cheng ordered without hesitation: Australian lobster, king crab, abalone with scallion oil, scallops with garlic and vermicelli...

"The boss said to order anything today." Li Cheng closed the menu, gestured with his chin to the waiter, and said, "Two dozen ice-cold beers, please."

Zhou Yutong, wearing disposable plastic gloves, was eating half a crab.

She gave a thumbs-up, her words muffled: "Brother Cheng is so generous!"

"What does this have to do with me? It's your brother Fan's money I'm spending." Li Cheng rolled his eyes and picked up a bottle opener to open a bottle of beer.

Shen Nian sat next to Jiang Fan, quietly peeling shrimp.

She peeled one and casually placed it on the plate in front of Jiang Fan.

Li Cheng downed half a glass of ice-cold beer, slammed the glass on the table, and let out a burp.

"Old Jiang, are you really going to make a comedy?"

There was a two-second silence at the table after he said that.

Zhou Yutong put down the crab leg in her hand, and Shen Nian stopped peeling the shrimp.

She turned her head and looked at Jiang Fan.

"You're going to make a movie?"

Jiang Fan dipped the shrimp in vinegar and put it in his mouth.

After chewing and swallowing, he picked up a napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth.

"I have this idea. Let's shoot a low-budget film first to test the waters."

Shen Nian said "Oh" and didn't ask any further questions. She rarely interfered with Jiang Fan's decisions.

From the day she decided to entrust her life to him, whatever he said went.

Li Cheng chewed on abalone and mumbled, "Don't just focus on the movie. The rules for the semi-finals of 'The Voice of China' have changed this week. Zhang Yihan has really gone all out."

"You found out?" Jiang Fan picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Li Cheng wiped his hands with a tissue and moved closer to the center of the table.

"Universal is determined to send Zhang Yihan to the finals this time. Qin Wanhao has hired a vocal coach named Thomas from abroad. This foreigner is very famous in the European and American music circles for his gloomy and melancholic style."

"Mourning music?" Zhou Yutong blinked, putting down the crab leg in her hand completely. "What kind of style is this?"

"It's 'sad'." Li Cheng lowered his voice. "That old fox Qin Wanhao must have pulled some tricks. If the draw is 'sad,' Zhang Yihan will be the star. With that voice, she's best at singing these kinds of lifeless songs."

Jiang Fan leaned back in his chair, tracing the edge of his teacup with his fingers.

"Jiang Fan, have you chosen that 'sad' song yet?" Li Cheng asked, staring at him.

Jiang Fan did not answer.

He looked at the plate of king crab that was still more than half full on the turntable.

"Let's eat first."

Li Cheng opened his mouth, but choked back his words.

The meal took an hour and a half to finish.

After finishing his meal, Li Cheng went to the front desk to pay the bill.

Although it wasn't his money, he still felt a pang of regret for a long time looking at the long string of numbers on the receipt.

The four people parted ways at the entrance of the restaurant.

Jiang Fan and Shen Nian hailed a taxi.

The car window was half open, and the night wind blew in from outside, dispelling the seafood smell from the two of them.

Shen Nian leaned back in the back seat without saying a word, staring at the streetlights outside the window as they flew from front to back.

The traffic lights at the intersection shone on her profile, flickering between light and shadow.

Pushing open the apartment door, Shen Nian changed into those fluffy slippers.

She walked over to the sofa, sat down, and patted the seat next to her.

"come over."

Jiang Fan walked over and sat down, casually taking off his coat and draping it over the armrest of the sofa.

"You're going to make a movie? Why didn't you tell me before?" Shen Nian crossed her legs, turned to look at him, and her tone was unreadable.

"It's still far from settled." Jiang Fan leaned back, crossing his arms over his stomach. "Li Cheng is still working on the license. It won't be finished until next month at the earliest. Casting, location scouting, crew setup—it's all going to be a hassle."

"Are you short of money?"

"We don't lack anything."

Shen Nian ignored him, took out her phone from her pocket, and opened the bank app.

"I still have over ten million in my account." She looked down and swiped on the screen. "I donated some, and transferred several million to my parents. I'll transfer the rest to you."

Jiang Fan pressed down on her wrist.

"I told you, I'm not short of money. Movies are a bottomless pit; you won't see any results from throwing this little bit of money into them. Keep it for yourself."

Shen Nian pushed his hand away.

"Who needs self-defense?" She tapped her fingers rapidly on the screen. "You charge ahead, I can't just keep watching from behind. If I can't help in any other way, can't I at least contribute some money?"

She was very stubborn and typed the password very quickly.

A crisp "ding" sounded.

Jiang Fan's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He took it out and glanced at it.

The bank notified me that 11.2 million had been transferred, even the small change.

Jiang Fan stared at the string of numbers for a few seconds, then tossed his phone onto the coffee table.

"You've emptied our savings, what will we eat now?"

"Eat you then." Shen Nian said matter-of-factly, tossing her phone aside and leaning against him. "Anyway, I'm yours now, so you have to feed me."

"Keep this money and buy some clothes and jewelry. As a girl, you shouldn't be so stingy."

"I don't like those things." Shen Nian hugged his arm. "Having enough clothes is fine. Money is just a string of numbers to me, so I'd rather you take it and try your luck. If we lose money, I'll just take on more commercial performances to support you."

Jiang Fan smiled.

He put his arm around her waist and placed his hand on her back.

Through the thin T-shirt, a thin layer of soft flesh finally appeared on my waist.

It's much better than when we first met; back then, he was so thin he was bony to the touch.

"Okay." He lowered his head, his chin brushing against the top of her head, catching a whiff of shampoo. "I'll let you eat your fill today."

Shen Nian's body stiffened slightly.

"I'm going to take a shower first; I smell like seafood."

Jiang Fan didn't let go; instead, he tightened his arms, holding her firmly in his embrace.

"What's the rush to take a shower?"

Shen Nian's breathing became erratic, and she nudged Jiang Fan's chest.

"Let go."

"Who just said they wanted to eat me?" Jiang Fan lowered his head and whispered in her ear.

The warm breath brushed against her earlobe, sending a slight shiver down her spine.

Shen Nian bit her lower lip and stopped struggling.

Shen Nian nestled in Jiang Fan's arms, listening to his steady heartbeat.

His warm palm slipped under the hem of her clothes and touched her delicate skin.

Shen Nian closed her eyes, her eyelashes casting small shadows on her eyelids.

The sound of breathing was amplified infinitely in the quiet room.

Jiang Fan's fingers unfastened the clasp on her back.

The sofa wasn't spacious.

Jiang Fan pushed the coffee table half a meter away, making a dull rubbing sound.

Shen Nian knelt on the carpet on the coffee table. The carpet had been replaced last week; it was long-pile and very soft.

Jiang Fan's fingers ran through her long hair, down the back of her head to her neck.

Shen Nian's breathing quickened, and she gripped the hem of his shirt tightly with both hands.

"Jiang Fan..." she called his name, her voice trembling.

Jiang Fan pressed her head down, silencing her.