The gaze of the "Immortal" fell squarely on Ryan's face again.
She had always been curious about Ryan.
When the internet exploded with the story of Ryan and Kabi being childhood sweethearts, it rocked the entire domestic entertainment industry.
Especially for actresses like Yang Mi and Zhao Liying. They didn't know Ryan personally, but they knew Kabi and Qingmei well—and through them, they came to understand Ryan.
This woman—an influential figure in both Chinese entertainment and Hollywood—felt left out. Kabi had fallen in love, Qingmei had fallen in love, and she… she felt like she had nothing.
In Hollywood, female stars can fall in love as they please. But it's not quite the same in China's tightly controlled entertainment world.
Yet Kabi and Qingmei—both top-tier singers and actresses—had all fallen for Ryan.
She couldn't help but wonder: What was it about Ryan that made them fall for him?
Was it just his ridiculously good looks?
The immortal's gaze once again locked onto Ryan's face.
"Oh my god! He's so handsome! Like, devastatingly handsome—right down to his ankles!"
"Wearing this formal British-style plaid suit… he's the perfect mix of elegance and gentleman. Though the fabric's thick, so it's hard to tell if he's fit underneath."
But in those viral videos—he was fast, agile, dodging bullets. That kind of strength required serious physical prowess.
Her thoughts were a mess.
Who would have thought that the "fairy sister" of countless Chinese fans—an iconic beauty—was actually just a girl who had never truly fallen in love?
From what she heard, everyone assumed she was too pretty to chase. People believed she was always being pursued—so no one actually made a move.
Her little gestures went unnoticed by Ryan.
To him, Kabi and Qingmei were beautiful. But this fairy-like woman? She matched his aesthetic even more closely.
Just as she looked at him again, Ryan spoke directly.
Caught off guard, the immortal's face turned beet red.
"Oh my god, why am I blushing like this?!" she screamed internally.
"I can handle being calm on stage. So why am I panicking in front of Ryan?"
"Liu Yifei, pull yourself together!"
She took a deep breath, straightened up like a proud phoenix, and said coolly:
"Hmm? Don't you think I'm pretty, little brother?"
Ryan chuckled. "No way. I thought the icy goddess was kind of… cute."
That hit a nerve.
"I don't mind being called beautiful," she huffed, "but I refuse to be called cute!"
She pouted, biting her lip like it was no big deal.
Ryan just shook his head and smiled. Having just spent time with Qingmei and Kabi, he could tell—this fairy was something else entirely.
"What's with the head shake?" she snapped, slightly annoyed.
"Fairy sister," Ryan teased, "you're just a jealous little girl at heart, aren't you?"
That did it.
She stood up abruptly, marched right over to Ryan, and stared down at him.
The moment she got close, Ryan could feel her radiating heat—like warm coals.
That warmth was… oddly comforting. It made him want to lean in—but also made his heart race.
Her fiery pride melted in an instant.
She wanted to retreat, but in her panic, her left foot tripped over her right.
She fell—straight into Ryan's arms!
"Oof! That hurt!"
Her shoulder hit something rock solid.
"Why are you wearing a bulletproof vest?!"
The immortal looked up at Ryan indignantly.
"My shoulder is swelling!" she snapped.
Pure. Soft. Flawless skin.
Ryan's eyes darkened.
"I'm not wearing a vest," he said quietly, his throat bobbing.
She blinked in confusion. "What? But your arms are so hard…"
He smirked. "It's just muscle."
Instinctively, she pressed her hand to his chest… and gave it a little squeeze.
Her eyes widened. There was genuine surprise—and a tinge of amusement.
He really isn't wearing armor… It's all muscle! Damn, I underestimated him!
Wait a minute, Liu Yifei—what are you doing? The longer you stay in his arms, the more tempted you are to touch his abs!
From her eyes, Ryan saw a fox-like grin spreading across her face.
He gently took her small hand in his.
She blinked in surprise, blushing all the way to her neck.
She tried to speak, but couldn't even muster a twitch.
Her body trembled. She didn't understand what this moment meant for Ryan—but it meant something.
Suddenly, Ryan pulled her into a tight embrace.
The unshakable goddess froze.
"He… he's hugging me?!"
Why? Does he like me? But we just met… and he's still entangled with Kabi and Qingmei!
But he didn't let go.
And her body temperature spiked.
His warm breath blew against her ear—and her ears turned red.
The immortal was no fool. She knew exactly what was happening.
Just stay still. He'll calm down.
But she had underestimated her own allure.
Tell me—what man can hug Fairy Sister Liu Yifei… and remain calm?!
But Ryan was different.
Or was he?
The snake had broken through the heavenly gate.
Her eyes filled with reluctance.
"Hey! I haven't even confessed yet!"
Immortal beings like her skipped all the usual steps—flirting, dating, courtship—and jumped straight into life's biggest turning point.
Time to shed the girl label for good!
Meanwhile, a white wolf in a holographic invisibility cloak silently watched over Ryan. It only disappeared after confirming that Ambassador Sun had returned safely to the embassy.
Upon returning home, Ambassador Sun immediately reported to his superiors.
The foreign minister brought the matter to the state council's highest levels.
"Even Xiao You's learned and dedicated!"
"The homeland will never forget his contributions!"
"He asked about the 'Falling Dragon' event in Yingcheng. Give him the files."
As a result, the dusty archives of a secret bureau revealed documents from as far back as the Republic of China—investigations from the presidential office in Nanjing, post-PRC research, and later inquiries by the special bureau itself.
The files were digitized, encrypted, and sent to Ambassador Sun's personal terminal.
After decrypting them, he printed a hard copy and messaged Ryan:
"You may now review them at the embassy."
But such top-secret documents could only be viewed within embassy walls.
If leaked, they could shatter long-held assumptions.
Ryan, however, had no time to read them just yet.
"I want water…"
Curled under a blanket, the immortal looked pale. She sighed and called Ryan.
"I want those thorny strawberries…"
"Oh, you little strawberry butt."
Ryan muttered to himself that he had no one to blame but himself—he brought this on.
He never imagined that the same fairy who debuted at age 15, starred in the Gold Powder Family, and enchanted countless viewers… had never once fallen in love.
Until now.
She had always protected herself.
But the immortal could only endure so much. Her life had room for desire now.
Seeing her pale face made Ryan feel a twinge of guilt and heartache.
Seeing him come when called made her heart flutter with warmth.
There were no confessions, no grand declarations of love…
But the outcome was clear.