Chapter 73 Tie You Back

The two walked to the parking lot together, and Yan Nian took the initiative to get in the driver's seat.

As his emotions gradually calmed down, Yan Nian suddenly felt his head was empty.

Zhou Ran didn't have any other emotions. As usual, he leaned leisurely on the passenger seat and looked at his phone with his eyelids drooping.

At this time, he would use a special reaction to face her rising embarrassment, but still maintain his normal state.

Yan Nian felt like he was back to square one, and had to start all over again.

It was as if she had returned to the time when she first entered Boya. At that time, she was not quite sure whether Zhou Ran was pretending not to know her to avoid suspicion, or whether he had really forgotten her.

Yan Nian knew exactly how she felt during that time, and she was tormented whenever she saw him. He would even constantly remind her of the bad things that happened in the past.

Carrying the title of a relative every day, facing all the gossip and all the bad rumors about him, she thought she really couldn't hold on.

It just depends on Zhou Ran's attitude towards her.

Over time, she discovered that Zhou Ran had not been cold to her because of the past. Instead, in addition to the relationship between superiors and subordinates, there was another subtle way for them to get along.

Yan Nian thought again about the cake he ordered on his birthday night. When she heard the two people he mentioned, she almost panicked.

Zhou Ran’s answer was “I’m not sure yet, but if she thinks it is, then it counts.”

In addition, Qi Jin and Xue Jiyan did not notice what they said, and she was in a complicated mood at the time, so she only heard some of it.

The general meaning is that after so long, they still miss each other, and the reason why Zhou Ran has been single seems to be because of her.

She didn't take it too seriously, thinking it was normal for them to tease each other and just treated it as a joke.

Later, she spent Zhou Ran's birthday with him, and she wasn't quite sure if the 'she' he was talking about was herself.

That night, from the moment she said 'Happy Birthday' to him, it didn't seem like there was anything wrong with Zhou Ran asking her for a gift again. But now, thinking about it in detail, it seemed like he was creating opportunities for her little by little.

Those details have quietly led them to the present.

Yan Nian thought he had a history of hurting Zhou Ran.

Every time there is a purposeful contact, I am extremely cautious, for fear that if I am not careful, I will destroy the distance that I have worked so hard to close.

"Intern family member? You invite someone to dinner and it's all just based on your imagination?"

Yan Nian was brought back to her senses by his low, laughing voice, and blinked a few times at him.

The word "family members" made her ears feel hot.

Zhou Ran said this with a half-smile, but he was not in a hurry at all.

Yan Nian hadn't started the car yet, but his hands were on the steering wheel, ready to go at any time.

My thoughts were still detached, and I felt a little embarrassed, like a driver who was busy and distracted while carrying passengers: "I'll leave immediately."

Fasten your seat belt, start the car and drive out.

Considering Zhou Ran was working out, Yan Nian suggested, "How about a fitness meal?"

"..." Zhou Ran smiled, "You arrange it."

Zhou Ran enjoyed it, gave her the initiative, and leaned aside to take a nap.

The two of them had a fitness meal. Yan Nian originally wanted to watch a movie, but gave up because he had to go to work the next day. He then sent the man home in an orderly manner.

Thinking about staying in a hotel now, Yan Nian suddenly felt depressed.

After parking the car, I thought about it and decided to tell Zhou Ran about it.

She said that she would tell him the first time anything happened, including her own family matters and old things in the past. After everything was dealt with, she would explain them one by one.

After Yan Nian got out of the car, she boldly grabbed his wrist and said, "Zhou Ran, I have something to tell you."

Zhou Ran stopped, looked at her delicate makeup, and waited quietly.

Yan Nian pondered for a few seconds and said, "I will stay in the hotel for the next week, the same one I booked last time."

Not wanting him to frown at her poor condition, Yan Nian hurriedly explained, "I'll move back after my parents' problems are resolved. The hotel environment is pretty good, and the safety measures are in place. Here..."

"Is this how you do your internship?" Zhou Ran interrupted her rudely.

"Ah?" Yan Nian's expression froze for a moment, then she realized what he was referring to and said with a strong desire to survive, "I had already checked in before I came to find you this afternoon."

Zhou Ran frowned quietly when he heard her specifically divide the time. She meant that this happened before she became an intern family member, and she couldn't be blamed.

It's wrong to blame her.

Yan Nian tried to keep her tone calm: "It's only been a week, it's been quick."

Zhou Ran's eyes showed displeasure, and he asked, "When will this be resolved?"

Yan Nian said softly, "It's almost there."

"Yan Nian." Zhou Ran called her.

Yan Nian looked at him blankly, and Zhou Ran's eyes turned several degrees colder: "You know what? I want to tie you up now and let you go after your family's affairs are resolved."

I was afraid of scaring her, so I didn't speak in a serious tone, but I said it with gritted teeth.

"..." Yan Nian stared at the pair of cold eyes in a daze.

How could such violent thoughts arise?

Zhou Ran suppressed this thought, and returned to a normal tone as he asked her, "Just one week?"

Yan Nian then nodded: "Yeah."

Zhou Ran: "Promise?"

Yan Nian said in embarrassment: "I can't guarantee it."

Zhou Ran didn't know what was going on in her family, and he couldn't interfere. What he wanted wasn't what she wanted.

Everything depends on her willingness.

Zhou Ran tried his best to suppress the irritation in his heart and looked at her with a cold expression.

Yan Nian tried to explain: "I will go home in a week. I just need some time now."

A week of transition was enough. Yan Qilin had already agreed to leave the house, and if Xu Yiqing didn't sign, she couldn't keep hiding.

Zhou Ran's expression softened as he instructed, "Lock the door when you stay at the hotel. Don't open it if someone knocks, okay?"

He added, "Except me."

Yan Nian was caught off guard, and her heart suddenly warmed up. She nodded and said, "Yes, I will pay attention."

Zhou Ran stared at her hand on her wrist. Yan Nian followed his gaze and her hand seemed to be stuck there, and she didn't take it away for a long time. She paused for more than half a minute, and the vague ambiguity entangled in the air.

Yan Nian's head began to buzz and he slowly let go of his hand.

She is still in her internship period and needs to exercise restraint.

Yan Nian changed the subject: "Hurry up and go up. I'm leaving now. I'll pick you up tomorrow."

It was only a few hundred meters away. Zhou Ran nodded and watched the person go out of the stairs and go upstairs.

Yan Nian arrived at the hotel room and sent a message to Zhou Ran: [I'm here, good night.]

Zhou Ran did not reply to the message.

Yan Nian packed up and went to wash up. When she came back, she dried her hair while checking her phone for messages.

Zhou Ran just replied with a "hmm".

Yan Nian scrolled down and found that Xu Yiqing had sent her many messages ten minutes ago.

There were also missed calls from my uncle and Xu Ke.

Her uncle's family should all know what's going on in her family.

Yan Nian opened Xu Yiqing’s WeChat chat interface.

See the latest one: [You don’t want your mother anymore, right? ]

The messages above were all negative, so Yan Nian switched them out and looked at other ones.

Mu Chen: [Let’s get together tomorrow night?]

Yan Nian stopped wiping her head to reply, but just as she finished typing, Xu Ke called.

The phone nearly fell on the carpet, and she exhaled before picking it up.

Xu Ke asked anxiously, "Nian'er, where have you been?"

Yan Nian replied: "I'm in the hotel."

Xu Ke asked: "Which hotel?"

Yan Nian knew that she was asking on behalf of Xu Yiqing and said, "Sister, don't ask anymore. I will go home."

Xu Ke sighed: "Okay! Then I'll come to see you tomorrow night."

Yan Nian decided to tell her about Mu Chen: "Sister, Senior Mu Chen asked me to get together tomorrow night."

The phone immediately fell silent.

Yan Nian didn't know what the conflict was between Xu Ke and Mu Chen. They used to be inseparable friends, so it wouldn't be to the point where they stopped contacting each other.

A few days ago, she mentioned Mu Chen to Xu Ke, and his reaction was always strange. Yan Nian asked hesitantly: "Did you and Senior Mu Chen have a conflict?"

Xu Ke sighed again and answered irrelevantly, "I know. I may not have time tomorrow."

His expression changed faster than the weather. Yan Nian asked, "But aren't you going to come see me tomorrow?"

Xu Ke perfunctorily said to her, "That's all. I'm a little sleepy, so I'll go to sleep, Nian'er. Be careful out there. I'll tell my second aunt that you're safe."

“…”