3. Wife

Before arriving, Yi Feicheng experienced a headache while getting his makeup done and had to pause for quite a while. Liao Sheng initially intended to take him to the hospital, but Yi Feicheng insisted he was fine.

Firstly, it was already late, and the official promotions had been released; going anywhere now wouldn't do anyone any good. Secondly, he was eager to see Jiang Ranyun.

The moment Yi Feicheng said this, Liao Sheng felt utterly hopeless.

It seemed his mind still wasn’t well.

Liao Sheng could only remind Yi Feicheng not to speak or move erratically during the live broadcast and to prioritize work.

“I know,” Yi Feicheng replied.

On the way to the Qingtí Video Company building, Liao Sheng wrestled with whether to inform Jiang Ranyun’s side about the situation. If Yi Feicheng showed no unusual behavior, wouldn’t it be airing their private troubles? But if Yi Feicheng did something reckless...

After much thought, he decided it was better to give a heads-up.

Since their debut, Jiang Ranyun and Yi Feicheng had collaborated frequently. Liao Sheng had Jiang Ranyun’s WeChat as a friend. In the elevator on the way up, he typed out a message and sent it to her directly.

Soon enough, the reply came: it was her assistant, An An, explaining that Jiang Ranyun was already live streaming and it wasn’t convenient to pass on messages.

Liao Sheng was speechless.

Frustrated, but fortunately, he had a sudden idea. He remembered having downloaded some LED screen software on his phone before, capable of displaying large scrolling text.

Before entering the live room, he set it up quickly and walked over behind the camera to the spot closest to Jiang Ranyun, showing her the message.

Jiang Ranyun was originally engaging with the audience on the live screen, warming up the interaction.

This was their first joint live stream in nearly three years to promote their drama, *Flying Birds, Green Mountains*. The show had performed excellently—topping television ratings by a wide margin and breaking multiple online viewing records—making this live stream extremely popular, with comments and bullet screens flying by rapidly.

Then, suddenly, viewers saw Jiang Ranyun look up, her gaze fixed beyond the camera, lingering for quite a while.

Some sharp-eared viewers overheard a staff member whisper, “Yi Feicheng is here.”

“Yi Feicheng? Behind the camera?”

“Is Sister Yun looking at Brother Fei?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Ranran, don’t get too attached.”

“Why was Yi Feicheng so late today?”

“Come on, shipper fans, wake up—they’re just professional partners.”

“Wasn’t Jiang Ranyun recently rumored to be dating Song Zhiyuan?”

“That was debunked; just friends dining together!”

“Some shippers really shouldn’t get so carried away. Just enjoy their characters in the movies and dramas. Why ship the real people? It’s hard enough to enjoy their cooperation; don’t ruin it.”

“Yi Feicheng shines alone; no one can just force their way into the Yi family.”

Then Yi Feicheng’s tall figure appeared on screen.

The bullet screen instantly flooded with his name. Shippers thrilled to see them together flooded the screen with phrases like “Yi Feicheng and Jiang Ranyun,” “Feiran,” and “Sister Yun and Brother Fei, a lifetime of happiness.”

Jiang Ranyun glanced at Yi Feicheng as he approached.

Her eyes subtly scanned him up and down.

Had he been in a car accident? Was that why he canceled the morning magazine shoot? He looked fine—probably no serious injuries…

Wait.

In full view of everyone, Yi Feicheng very naturally sat down beside her.

The live broadcast staff had arranged a wide sofa that could seat three comfortably, or four if squeezed.

Given Yi Feicheng’s usual personality, he would have left a just-right distance between them—not so distant as to seem cold, but never too close to be intimate.

But today, Yi Feicheng sat too close.

His shoulder brushed against hers, his arm touched hers.

The sofa was soft, and Yi Feicheng’s weight sinking down caused Jiang Ranyun to feel herself sink a little as well.

Her mind went blank for a moment.

What was going on?

Before she could react, Yi Feicheng’s clear, gentle voice rang in her ear: “Wife.”

Jiang Ranyun: “?????”

What on earth was he saying?!

---

She turned to look at him incredulously.

Those eyes, normally cold, distant, and polite offstage, now gazed at her with an indescribable tenderness.

“Sorry,” Yi Feicheng whispered, “I’m late. Yesterday…”

He paused. So this was how he felt in front of his wife… The accident had frightened him, and the headache was still severe. He wanted to tell her what happened, to have her… stroke his head.

But for some reason, he found it hard to say aloud, as if embarrassed.

“You’re late,” Jiang Ranyun finally found her voice after two seconds, dazed as if in a trance, “The live stream started ten minutes ago…”

Yi Feicheng was stunned.

It had already started? Then just now…

Looking up at the live stream screen, the comments and bullet screens were going wild.

“Wife??????”

“??????”

“Whoa?!”

“!!!!”

“What did I just hear?!”

“Is Brother Fei declaring his claim because of Ranran’s previous rumors?!”

“Ahhh, so it’s true! The little couple has been secretly dating behind our backs!!!”

“Wife, wife, wife, hehe, wife.”

“Did they really just call each other ‘wife’ right after getting married? Yi Feicheng, you little devil... you’ve been hiding it from everyone all this time!”

“Just announced so casually?!”

“I knew Feiran was real!!!”

It was over.

Liao Sheng wished he could faint right then, but he couldn’t.

He turned and left the live room, calling Jiang Ranyun’s agent to discuss the next steps.

“Yes,” the live stream host spoke at a crucial moment, with great professionalism and calm, “Because the audience was very eager, Ranran started a few minutes early to greet the viewers. Since *Flying Birds, Green Mountains* premiered, it has received rave reviews. The audience has many questions about the characters played by both leads…”

*Flying Birds, Green Mountains* tells the story of a wealthy young lady returning from overseas study and the son of a recently graduated military officer who meet through an assassination attempt at a ball. Initially disdainful of each other, repeated encounters and tests lead them to realize their true identities are not as they appear. Sharing the same ideals and beliefs, they are willing to sacrifice their lives for them.

Upon discovering each other’s identities, they face crises and begin to cooperate.

They pretend to be a couple, performing a flamboyant romance act in the bustling city to secretly facilitate multiple successful missions.

The show’s writer and director are industry veterans who grasp characters and plot expertly, blending lighthearted humor with heartfelt patriotism.

The host glanced at the bullet screen.

Hmm… hardly anyone was talking about the drama now.

Fortunately, she had prepared reviews collected online beforehand and began asking Jiang Ranyun and Yi Feicheng questions related to the drama, gradually steering the live stream back on track.

On the surface, everything seemed fine.

But all the staff noticed the live stream’s popularity was skyrocketing at an abnormal rate.

After Liao Sheng finished the call with Jiang Ranyun’s agent, Ge Qiuling, he saw today’s trending topics blazing high:

#FeiranIsReal#

#YiFeichengJiangRanyunMarried#

#MyFaveCPIsFinallyPublic#

Haha, it seemed his career might be doomed.

*

When the live stream ended and the equipment was confirmed off, Jiang Ranyun exhaled deeply.

Yi Feicheng sat beside her. Though close, he had behaved properly throughout, with no unnecessary movements.

Still, Jiang Ranyun remained tense.

After all—

After Yi Feicheng uttered those earth-shattering words, Jiang Ranyun realized Liao Sheng’s “memory issues” was a euphemism.

Clearly, the accident had damaged Yi Feicheng’s mind.

A person with a damaged mind couldn’t be fully trusted; who knew what else he might say.

Fortunately, his subsequent behavior was relatively normal.

“Sister Yun,” Assistant An An ran over, handing her the phone. “Miss Ling’s call.”

Ge Qiuling was a well-known agent, having launched many award-winning actors and superstars. She had paused work for personal reasons but returned eight years ago, immediately noticing Jiang Ranyun and signing her. She generously provided resources, and as Jiang Ranyun improved, she no longer needed constant support, allowing Ge Qiuling to focus on other company affairs.

Jiang Ranyun got up, moved aside from the crowd, and answered.

Ge Qiuling got straight to the point: “Liao Sheng told me about Yi Feicheng’s situation. It’s not serious. Cooperate with them for now; I’m on my way.”

“Cooperate?”

“Liao Sheng said the doctor advised not to upset Yi Feicheng and to let him recover gradually. The Yi family isn’t easy to deal with. If Yi Feicheng gets upset and something happens, it’ll be a big problem. Just treat it like working on a drama together for a few days.”

“Oh.” Jiang Ranyun raised her eyelids and glanced at Yi Feicheng, still in the live room. Yi Feicheng caught her gaze instantly, looking straight at her with a gentle smile.

Suddenly, Jiang Ranyun smiled.

She was curious about the expression Yi Feicheng would make recalling this period once he recovered. It would surely be… fascinating. His usually cold, proud, and composed demeanor had never faltered over the years. Seeing him like this was both novel and… amusing.

Hearing her light laugh, Ge Qiuling thought she was frustrated and said, “You won’t be cooperating for nothing. I’ve told Liao Sheng—I know he has some excellent business contacts. We’ll get some benefits this time. This has always been our weak spot; it’s a good chance to improve.”

“Okay,” Jiang Ranyun replied.

She hung up.

Liao Sheng came over and said a few words, looking apologetic, thanking her for the trouble.

Jiang Ranyun smiled.

Just after hearing about Yi Feicheng’s current condition, Yi Feicheng walked over to her.

“Wife,” Yi Feicheng called.

Jiang Ranyun played along, “What’s up?”

Yi Feicheng asked softly, “Did Brother Liao tell you about my accident?”

“Yes.”

“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”

“Okay.”

Yi Feicheng lowered his eyelashes. After a moment, he looked up again, his deep black eyes reflecting Jiang Ranyun’s face. He bowed his head slightly and whispered, “I still have some headache. I want… my wife to rub it for me.”

His gaze bore a hint of vulnerability and an irresistible longing, reminding Jiang Ranyun of a puppy her close friend kept.

She was stunned.

So this was Yi Feicheng’s private style?

They held each other’s gaze for two or three seconds before Jiang Ranyun gave in, her tone softening: “Where does it hurt?”

“Here.”

Jiang Ranyun reached out cautiously, not wanting to be too forceful, and gently massaged the spot he indicated, slightly messing up the carefully styled hair the makeup artist had arranged, making his aura appear more relaxed and gentle.

“All better?” she asked.

“Mm. No more pain.”

Jiang Ranyun withdrew her hand. Suddenly, unexpectedly, Yi Feicheng stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her.

Startled, her heart raced sharply. She blurted out, “Yi Feicheng…!”

Offstage was different from onstage.

In the drama, she was not herself, nor was he himself. Staff always watched them, lights shone for them, cameras focused on them.

Offstage, at this moment, they stood outside the live room at the end of the hallway. The staff had left, the corridor was empty and silent, even the motion-activated lights had gone out.

In the darkness, Yi Feicheng’s breath enveloped her, faintly scented with a cool, subtle masculine cologne.

Just the two of them.

“I almost thought I’d never see you again,” Yi Feicheng whispered. “I missed you so much.”

The lights came back on.

Jiang Ranyun saw Ge Qiuling standing at the hallway entrance.

Seeing the scene, Ge Qiuling was momentarily shocked, silently making a “I can’t bear to watch” expression, mouthing to Jiang Ranyun, “Waiting for you outside,” then turning and walking away.

Jiang Ranyun was speechless.