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For the perfume company's owner, Qin Ran's reason was more than enough. She tilted her head slightly and laughed softly. "I appreciate your honest answer. I believe you didn't lie to me."

The owner saw the sincerity in Qin Ran's eyes when she spoke about her beloved.

Although businesspeople are often natural actors, she trusted that Qin Ran was being truthful.

"Gardenia perfume is one of my proudest creations. Gardenias have been cherished for a long time, and people once believed they held the power of immortality, even thinking that witches used them in potions. I also love the flower's meaning—it symbolizes eternal and steadfast love. When I created this perfume, I hoped that someone would discover its deeper value through its fragrance. Knowing that it has become a part of your love story is another layer of its worth."

The woman stood up from behind the table and extended her hand toward Qin Ran. "Congratulations, you've successfully acquired my perfume company. But you've only gained the rights to run it. I won't stop working on research and development here. You know, I love perfume too much to stop creating new scents."

Qin Ran reached out her hand as well. Although she didn't like physical contact, she genuinely admired the woman in front of her, who was so passionately devoted to her craft.

Their hands clasped together. "I couldn't ask for more."

With their agreement in place, the business negotiations proceeded quickly. Before Qin Ran left the country, the woman gave her a mysterious gift. Inside a transparent glass bottle lay a warm, reddish liquid.

"What's this?" Qin Ran asked curiously, guessing it might be a special perfume. But the woman leaned close and whispered in her ear, "It's a gardenia-scented lubricant. I'm sure it will help make your life with your beloved even more harmonious."

After saying this, the woman winked at Qin Ran. "I'm sure she'll love it. I wish you both a happy life."

Qin Ran was left blushing furiously, unable to explain that she and her beloved hadn't reached that stage yet. If she said that, she'd probably be teased—after all, they had gone to such lengths for each other, yet hadn't even reached that milestone.

Qin Ran wasn't naive enough to think that two women wouldn't need such things. In fact, regardless of gender, lubricant could be a great companion in a loving relationship. Nowadays, many lubricants not only serve their primary purpose but also contain fragrances designed to relax the mind.

As a master perfumer, the woman had likely added some of her expertise to the small gift for Qin Ran.

The woman even made sure it could pass through security, using her company's channels to package the product properly and providing the necessary certificates.

After receiving the lubricant, Qin Ran didn't return to China immediately. Following the principle of "since I'm here," she took the opportunity to inspect some of her overseas acquisitions, reviewing reports with her team. After a week, Qin Ran finally returned to China with Assistant Wu.

The twelve-hour inspection left Qin Ran struggling to adjust when she returned. She spent an entire day recuperating, but even the next morning, she felt groggy when she woke up. Hearing noise from the kitchen at 6 a.m., her first thought was, "It's 6 p.m. back home; Shuman must be having dinner now."

But then she remembered she was back in China, so Yu Shuman was probably up and making breakfast. Yawning, Qin Ran got up, thinking it was awfully early for the housekeeper to be making breakfast. But when she reached the kitchen, she saw a graceful figure busy at work.

Her hair was pinned up and secured with a claw clip, and she wore an apron tied in a bow at her waist over a simple dress. She bustled about in bunny slippers.

Hearing movement, she turned and smiled at Qin Ran. "You're up, junior? I'm almost done, so just wait a bit, okay? You're up early—I thought you'd sleep until eight-thirty."

"Ah… I'm up…" Qin Ran's brain felt like mush, barely able to process the situation, responding to Yu Shuman almost automatically. When she turned around, a spatula was in her hand, and her bangs, damp with sweat from the heat of the kitchen, clung to her forehead.

With Yu Shuman in the kitchen, Qin Ran felt as if the whole place had suddenly become brighter.

Then, realizing she had come out without washing up and was sporting a messy bedhead, Qin Ran, who was very conscious of her appearance, especially during this honeymoon phase of their relationship, let out a shriek and bolted back to her room, startling Yu Shuman.

Realizing what had happened, Yu Shuman couldn't help but laugh softly.

She didn't mind when Qin Ran would return, and continued making breakfast. After finishing up, Yu Shuman took off her apron and sat down in the living room. It wasn't long before Qin Ran, now neat and tidy, emerged from her room.

As they sat down to eat, Qin Ran couldn't help but ask, "Senior, you finished filming?"

Yu Shuman nodded. "Yes, I got home last night."

Qin Ran couldn't help but grumble a bit, "Why didn't you tell me sooner? I didn't even know you'd finished filming." With everything going on abroad, she hadn't kept up with events back home and hadn't realized Yu Shuman had wrapped up her shoot.

Yu Shuman chuckled, "I did it on purpose. I even told Xiao An not to report that I finished shooting yesterday."

"Why would you do that?" Qin Ran muttered in mock indignation, taking a bite of the soup dumplings. The skin was thin, the filling juicy and flavorful. She wondered which brand Yu Shuman had used because these were particularly delicious.

Yu Shuman didn't take offense at Qin Ran's tone, simply explaining, "I wanted to surprise you. But when I got home last night, I saw you sleeping like a little pig."

The description made Qin Ran blush. "How can you call me a little pig?"

Yu Shuman just smiled and encouraged Qin Ran to eat more, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. She knew that Qin Ran hadn't fully recovered from her trip yet. Although she understood that Qin Ran had gone abroad for business, she still felt a pang of concern. After all, while she enjoyed the resources Qin Ran provided, Qin Ran was the one constantly running around.

Yu Shuman bit her lip, wanting to ask Qin Ran if there was anything she could do to help.

But the question stuck in her throat. She knew there wasn't much she could do to help. If there was anyone who could assist Qin Ran, it was Assistant Wu. Yu Shuman felt that not being a burden and letting Qin Ran handle the situation with the male celebrity was already a big help. How could she possibly contribute?

Qin Ran noticed Yu Shuman's expression and, after finishing a soup dumpling, asked, "Senior, are you okay? Are you tired?"

Yu Shuman shook her head. She wasn't good at lying, nor did she like to. She had always been straightforward, saying what was on her mind, and this time was no different. "Junior, is there anything I can help you with? I feel like I'm always on the receiving end of your help…" She sighed. "It's been like this since before. It seems like I'm always being helped, but I rarely help others."

Qin Ran knew exactly what Yu Shuman meant. It wasn't just about her role as Qin Ran, the CEO of 99 Entertainment, helping her. It also referred to the assistance she received from a "social benefactor" during her most desperate times.

Yu Shuman had really tried to give back, having sent fifty thousand yuan to that account all at once, and continuing to make transfers over time, each with a message expressing her gratitude for the support she'd received and her commitment to repaying the kindness. She wasn't doing this to dismiss the help she'd received or to erase the debt, but rather because she now had the means and hoped that the benefactor would use the money to help others in need.

In other words, except for the clothes and jewelry Qin Ran had given her, Yu Shuman was still essentially broke.

Qin Ran put down her chopsticks and reached out to hold Yu Shuman's hand, meeting her gaze with sincerity. "Senior, you've helped me a lot. It's not just financial support that counts as help. The emotional value you bring to my life is the most precious treasure I have."

Qin Ran spoke from the heart. From the moment she arrived in this world, she had been in a state of indifference, naturally low in desire. But meeting and being with Yu Shuman had given everything meaning.

"Senior, you once sang 'Diamond Cracks' on stage. My favorite line is, 'It's because I met you that I can shine like a bright new star.' That's how I feel too. Because I met you, I've become who I am today."

Yu Shuman squeezed Qin Ran's hand and smiled at her. "Mm…"

This was definitely the honeymoon phase—every breakfast was filled with sweetness. After finishing the meal, Yu Shuman offered to wash the dishes and suggested Qin Ran go back to sleep for a bit. But Qin Ran, like a little bunny following her mother rabbit, clung to Yu Shuman's shirt and refused to leave.

After Yu Shuman finished washing the dishes, Qin Ran even suggested, "Senior, you just got back last night and made breakfast early this morning. You probably didn't sleep much. Why don't we take a nap together?"

Yu Shuman playfully swatted Qin Ran's hand away, considering the suggestion. Qin Ran's eyes were wide and pleading, as if ready to throw a tantrum if she didn't agree. Without her glasses, Qin Ran's eyes looked especially big and watery, with dark circles underneath, making her look pitiful. Yu Shuman couldn't bring herself to refuse. She gently patted Qin Ran's head, her hair soft and comforting to the touch, like stroking a fluffy cat.

Seeing Qin Ran's hopeful expression, Yu Shuman finally relented. "Alright."