With that, the cashier pulled out a photo nearly identical to the one in Wang Fang's hand.

Alright, so she was also a fan of the "Luo Yao and Lin Ran" ship.

Lin Ran stared at the photo, momentarily dazed—so he'd become a celebrity now?

Seeing Lin Ran hesitate to take the pen, the cashier suddenly clasped her hands in a pleading gesture toward the two of them.

"President Luo, Young Master Lin, I'm your fan! Please, grant me this small wish—I know you two will be so happy together!"

Luo Yao's sharp, cold gaze instantly softened.

We will be happy together.

Well said.

Luo Yao took the pen and swiftly signed her name, leaving Lin Ran looking on in surprise. After finishing, she handed the pen to Lin Ran.

"Looks like we won’t need to carry money when we go out anymore. Eating for free across the country shouldn’t be a problem," Lin Ran remarked as he signed.

He placed the photo back on the counter, and the cashier carefully tucked it into a drawer, her eyes brimming with emotion.

"This is amazing! My OTP gave me their autographs—sniff!"

Lin Ran: "How about you make our spicy hot pot first?"

"Oh—right, right! Coming right up, just a moment, please!"

"Remember to make it one big bowl, just a tiny bit of spice. My stomach’s been acting up lately," Lin Ran reminded her.

"Got it." The cashier passed the order to the chef behind her.

Soon, the spicy hot pot arrived—an enormous bowl served with two smaller bowls for sharing.

Lin Ran took the first bite, testing the spice level before nodding in approval.

"Wife, do you know the best way to enjoy spicy hot pot?"

Luo Yao shook her head blankly. She rarely ate this kind of food—today was just a whim to share a meal with Lin Ran.

"It’s… fighting over it."

Lin Ran took away Luo Yao’s small bowl and demonstrated the proper way to eat spicy hot pot.

Two heads leaned over the same large bowl, playfully bumping into each other, their lips curled in sweet smiles.

Heads close as candles burn bright, love lingering in the warmest light.

This little flirtation felt wonderfully intimate, as if they weren’t a wealthy power couple but just two young lovers in the throes of romance.

Lin Ran slurped loudly, alternating between bites of vegetables and sips of broth.

"Wife, eat like this—big bites, big gulps!"

Luo Yao mimicked him, taking in both broth and ingredients at once.

At first, she didn’t feel much, but gradually, the flavors began to bloom on her tongue.

Was this the power of happiness?

This free bowl of spicy hot pot… actually tasted really good.

Lin Ran watched Luo Yao eating with relish, his heart swelling with joy.

Maybe, one day, her anorexia would be cured.

Still, he was relieved. Even at her worst, Luo Yao had forced herself to eat a certain amount—otherwise, she’d be even thinner now.

Between playful head-bumps and stealing bites, Luo Yao kept glancing up at Lin Ran, occasionally scooping a spoonful of broth to feed him.

Every time her eyes met his, Lin Ran felt a surge of warmth.

A meal’s enjoyment isn’t about what you eat—it’s about who you eat with.

The two ate with such gusto that even the chilly air around them seemed to grow warmer.

After finishing, Luo Yao touched her stomach and froze.

How long had it been since she’d felt full?

"Ah-Ran… I think I overate." She wasn’t even sure what "full" was supposed to feel like—her memory held no such reference.

"Eating more is good. I can afford to keep you fed," Lin Ran quipped, flipping expectations on their head.

But Luo Yao didn’t mind. All she heard in those words was sweetness.

Her Ah-Ran wanted to take care of her.

"Then you’ll have to keep feeding me forever."

"Not just feed you—I’ll spoil you rotten."

Luo Yao had changed a lot over the past six months. She was now a woman wrapped in love.

The only thing unchanged was her obsessive possessiveness.

Lin Ran and Luo Yao’s meal cost millions—zero for the food, millions for clearing out the restaurant.

Afterward, Lin Ran escorted Luo Yao back to Luo Corporation.

"I’ll pick you up tonight."

"Okay."

Once Luo Yao disappeared inside, Lin Ran turned to Abu. "What’s the status on that Yu family kid?"

"Not completely ruined. That guy’s something else—from high school to college, he’s preyed on countless girls. He’s into all types, using threats, bribes, drugging, even outright abduction. Rumor has it one girl died resisting him, and the Yu family covered it up."

Lin Ran narrowed his eyes. "Then he got exactly what he deserved."

He’d almost pitied Yu Chengqun earlier, but now Chen Qingtian seemed like a righteous avenger.

And the Yu family, enabling such behavior? Trash, through and through.

Just then, Wu Zhishang called. "Lin, check the trending topics—this is hilarious."

Hanging up, Lin Ran opened social media and was instantly buried under an avalanche of fresh gossip.

Damn, these netizens really have too much free time.

Meanwhile, at Nuanyao Group, Chen Qingtian sat in the president’s office of the film division.

Yesterday, she’d ordered a PR response—with no attempt to hide anything.

Her reputation wasn’t that important. Chen Qingtian loved money, but it wasn’t her life’s priority.

This incident wasn’t just about her personal life—it had sparked a corporate war between the Yu, Ai, and Zhang families against Luo Corporation.

As the catalyst, she couldn’t just sit back and watch. That wasn’t her style.

So in her PR statement, she held nothing back, directly accusing Yu Chengqun and Ai Xianbai of drugging classmates and tagging the Capital Police Bureau.

The authorities couldn’t ignore it, announcing an ongoing investigation.

Chen Qingtian also admitted to the assault, clarifying that the other party had accepted private compensation and wouldn’t press charges.

Finally, she apologized to the public for consuming media attention but stated she had no regrets—she’d protected the man she loved.

The statement sent shockwaves through the internet.

Chen Qingtian was a national goddess, a superstar with admirers stretching from the capital to France. In that moment, countless hearts shattered.

Of course, many also supported her. Celebrities always had fans and critics.

By openly standing by her boyfriend, Chen Qingtian won over a wave of supporters.

Naturally, the internet became obsessed with uncovering the boyfriend’s identity.

With the power of online sleuths, Fang Buxia quickly emerged as the prime suspect.

But when his background came to light? Netizens were stunned.

He’s this… ordinary?