Chapter 1: Return Home

Weibo exploded.

#Mu Zhihan retired from the circle for five years# this term changed from a red 'hot' character to a bold black-red 'burst'.

Boasting that 'even if ten celebrities cheated at the same time it wouldn't crash,' the Weibo client suffered successive defeats, crashing several times within a few hours.

Even the programmers didn't expect this deity to be so formidable; even after leaving for five years, its popularity and heat remained that high.

But they didn't complain, because compared to before, this was just the beginning; fans day by day could shout the sky hoarse.

If we say the fame of all entertainment‑circle stars totals ten points, he alone occupies eight.

His debut work 《Paper Falls Cloud Smoke》 racked up over ten billion views, easily taking the ratings crown, leaving the entertainment circle far behind, making other stars unable to catch up.

No star doesn't want to be like him, but miracles are one‑of‑a‑kind—miracles cannot be copied.

Unfortunately, at the peak of his career, he chose to withdraw from the screen.

In the afternoon, after the server was successfully repaired, Shen Xingman opened Weibo.

Miao Miao unintentionally glanced at her phone, saying, 'You claim you don't like our beautiful person, yet you're always on Weibo looking at others.'

Shen Xingman's expression didn't change: 'No, I'm just casually looking.'

'Yeah, even just casually looking can take twenty minutes.' Agent Qiao Yun also came out to tease.

Shen Xingman: '……' Who the hell spent twenty minutes?

Miss Qiao and classmate Miao are die‑hard fans of Mu Zhihan; if Shen Xingman glances at their husband even a little more, they'll forcibly count her as a fan.

'Sigh, who would have thought that even after retiring he'd still hit the hot searches every few days,' Miao sighed, recalling the painful memory: 'I remember when he first retired, I cried myself to pieces in my room, not sleeping a wink all night.'

Back then, big and small media reported everywhere, causing a sizable stir domestically and abroad; even some fans fainted from crying upon hearing the news.

What's even harder to understand is that after Mu Zhihan left, he completely vanished, as if evaporated from the human world—no airport sightings at all—and even the major domestic paparazzi and marketing accounts were scolded for it.

'If I could just catch one more glimpse of that beautiful person, I really miss him…' Miao Miao pulled out a tissue, eyes welling up, 'We said we'd get all sappy together tonight—you'd better not run off.'

Qiao Yun had no problem with that.

It's just that Shen Xingman always likes to do mischievous things.

'Good for nothing.' She threw three characters at Miao Miao's head without mercy.

Upon hearing that, Miao Miao instantly bristled: 'How am I good for nothing? My husband retiring is practically a natural disaster for a fan‑girl!'

Shen Xingman was about to retort when her phone in hand rang.

The screen showed a WeChat message labeled 【Informant Dog】.

-【Will you come back tonight?】

Shen Xingman paused.

Her first reaction wasn't thinking how to reply, but she face‑palmed in regret: 'Oh, I actually still have a husband.'

She looked up at their recent chat log:

Informant Dog: 【Will you come back?】

Shen Xingman: 【Not coming back】

Informant Dog: 【Today's the weekend, are you free?】

Shen Xingman: 【No free time】

Almost the whole screen was filled with rejections.

Counting the days, she was shocked to discover she hadn't gone home in three months.

That's certainly not a good omen.

About four months since the last scolding, Shen Xingman was chased and lectured by her grandparents for over ten days, ending with her writing a pledge titled 《Visit Home Often》.

Even now, that pledge still lies on the wall at home.

Weighing the pros and cons, Shen Xingman cleared the input box's two characters 'not coming back' and typed an 'mm' instead.

Just as she sent it, a chilling sound whispered into her ear——

'Boss, do you know how much tenderness your little 'mm' has ruined?'

Instantly, Shen Xingman's heart gave a little thump.

She instinctively put away her phone, only to turn her head and see Miao Miao.

A look that seemed ready to devour someone.

Shen Xingman covered her phone, feeling guilty, and asked: 'Did you see all that?'

Miao Miao: 'Otherwise what?'

She swore she had done it on purpose.

Shen Xingman: '……'

'Are you thinking of quitting being a fan?' Miao Miao asked seriously, forgetting that the gorgeous woman before her was her own boss.

Shen Xingman froze.

Come on, I'm not even a fan, okay?

'We said we'd get all sappy together tonight—this is the five‑year anniversary, how could you bear to abandon us and go home alone?'

Shen Xingman gave her a sideways glance: 'If I were here, would you be able to see the beautiful person?'

Miao Miao was even more stunned.

She was frantic like a little cat.

She refused to accept it, demanding an explanation: 'What matter absolutely requires me to go back tonight?'

Shen Xingman pressed her lips, deadpan: 'Well, I have a husband who needs my company.'

Qiao Yun was the first to react, lowering the projector volume and turning to her: 'Is that the clingy plastic husband who keeps nagging you to come home?'

Shen Xingman nodded.

Qiao Yun doubted: 'Didn't you say he died long ago by Daming Lake?'

Shen Xingman touched the tip of her nose: 'Just pretended to be a corpse.'

Miss Qiao: '???'

Miao classmate: '???'

——

——

The setting sun was about to fall but had not yet fallen.

A European-style villa bathed in the sunset, flowers splendid as brocade, unmatched, as if built in the clouds.

This is Jiaoyue Wan, the new home Mu Zhihan gave her.

Not long after he left the entertainment industry, he took over the Mu Clan; netizens mostly knew he was taking over the family business, but they never saw him in person.

It was a tumultuous autumn; the Mu Family was unsettled, he faced enemies on all sides, it was inconvenient to reveal his whereabouts, and his travels were strictly confidential.

Soon after, less than a year later, the winery under the Mu Clan that was on the verge of bankruptcy, under his management, turned losses into profits with surging performance; the precarious private bank also turned danger into safety, achieving performance growth that year.

It seemed every difficulty before him could be easily resolved, and relying on these iron-fisted methods he naturally took the seat of clan head, bringing the family's core enterprises under his control, thus possessing the Mu Clan's realm.

In short, he was not just a charming actor, but a born capitalist.

Shen Xingman took off her high heels at the entryway.

The sky wasn't very late, but today she had just wrapped filming, she was sweating a lot, and she wanted to bathe early.

She walked into the bedroom, took out a dress from the wardrobe, and leisurely walked to the living room's shower.

As soon as she entered, a hazy mist came rushing toward her……

In the bathroom, white mist swirled around the man, mixed with a faint scent of body wash, and sparkling droplets gleamed faintly under the bath light……

Beside her ears was the sound of countless tiny water droplets striking the floor, dense and dense, a small part splashing onto her.

In the hazy little space, she saw an exquisitely beautiful male face……

"Shall we wash together?"

He looked at Shen Xingman leisurely.

"……"

Holy shit!

The door was hot, Shen Xingman quickly flung it away.

Someone: '……'