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◎"Will you miss me?"◎

Today, the driver was driving the same Rolls-Royce that had previously picked up Ning Yuxuan and Tao You from the mall, the one that had left Shen Chipeng and the others speechless.

Xie Zhiyan probably didn't expect things to turn out this way when he bought this car, as he didn't opt ​​for a partition.

There was no armrest between the back seats, and Ning Yuxuan's hand was restrained by Xie Zhiyan, forcing her to look at the man at close range.

My heart was pounding like a drum, and my breathing was erratic.

Ning Yuxuan only held on for a second before looking away.

Xie Zhiyan had only been holding two of Ning Yuxuan's fingers, but now his long fingers slowly moved, enveloping her entire hand.

Then, with a slight pull, Ning Yuxuan fell towards him.

In an instant, Xie Zhiyan's unique aura enveloped her.

Besides his distinctively cold aura, there was also the smell of alcohol.

Ning Yuxuan felt that she was a little drunk.

Was it because of the smell of alcohol on Xie Zhiyan, or because of the two glasses of red wine she drank at the banquet?

Ning Yuxuan couldn't tell; she only felt her body go weak and even wanted to give up struggling.

Just leaning against Xie Zhiyan like this... should be okay, right?

Ning Yuxuan leaned almost her entire weight on the man, her face buried under his shoulder.

Her voice was muffled: "Why are you holding my hand like that?"

Xie Zhiyan did not answer.

His hands were much bigger than hers.

Ning Yuxuan noticed that Xie Zhiyan's palms seemed to be much warmer than before, perhaps because he had been drinking.

His hot palm enveloped hers, his fingers slowly and firmly stroking the back of her hand.

It was as if he wanted to do something to her, but he had to restrain himself, so he could only put all his strength into the hand that was holding hers.

Ning Yuxuan was in some pain from what he was doing.

She buried her head in his body and whispered, "It hurts."

Xie Zhiyan then eased his grip and slowly uttered two words.

"Feel sorry."

Ning Yuxuan was startled by the hoarseness in his voice when he spoke.

She didn't make a sound, feeling the man's forceful rubbing turn into a gentle caress, and a thought inexplicably flashed through her mind—

Why did he only touch her hand?

She was right there in his arms, and he could easily touch her wherever he wanted.

Ning Yuxuan was quickly shocked by her own thought.

What is she subconsciously hoping for?

Ning Yuxuan tried her best to calm her breathing and dared not say anything out of the ordinary.

She was afraid that if she said something, Xie Zhiyan would actually put her thoughts into practice.

Neither of them made any more big movements or spoke, and the car fell silent.

Ning Yuxuan could hear the man's breathing.

It was low-pitched, even somewhat rough.

Actually, leaning against Xie Zhiyan wasn't very comfortable.

His shoulder bones were very hard, as was his chest, and as for the rest of his body…

Ning Yuxuan dared not touch it to verify.

Her posture was also somewhat strange, with one hand being held by Xie Zhiyan, making her whole body appear distorted.

In the past, when Ning Yuxuan wanted to rest in the back row, she would either snuggle up in Ning Fei's arms or rest her head on her mother's lap.

She wouldn't dare do that now; she has to be extremely careful when adjusting her posture.

She was afraid that she might accidentally trigger a certain switch on the man.

But if she stays in this uncomfortable position, she'll probably be sore all over by the time she gets home.

Thinking about having to take a flight to Jiangcheng for several hours tomorrow, Ning Yuxuan felt she couldn't make herself suffer like that.

She called his name cautiously and softly: "Xie Zhiyan?"

The man's voice was deep and slightly hoarse: "Hmm?"

Ning Yuxuan: "Can you let me go now?"

silence.

It felt like an eternity before Xie Zhiyan finally let go of her hand.

Ning Yuxuan silently exhaled and slowly moved herself away from Xie Zhiyan.

When she got up, she didn't dare to lean on the man for support, so she could only use her hands to support herself on the chair.

Extremely cautious, to the point that it's as if they're moving in slow motion.

Xie Zhiyan was probably amused by her cautiousness, and his chest vibrated as he let out a low laugh.

In the dim light, Ning Yuxuan weakly glared at Xie Zhiyan, not knowing if he saw her.

After realizing that the man had no intention of doing anything more to her, Ning Yuxuan's mood calmed down a little.

"Xie Zhiyan..." she began, her tone a mix of inquiry and complaint, "How much did you drink today?"

He was acting quite differently than usual.

Hearing this, Xie Zhiyan chuckled again and replied with his eyes half-closed, "Not much."

Ning Yuxuan: "How much is 'not much'? Two cups, three cups?"

Xie Zhiyan: "More or less."

Drinking is inevitable at dinner parties, and he was no exception.

Xie Zhiyan drank a moderate amount, but far below his limit, and not enough to make him drunk.

If he were truly drunk, he wouldn't have been able to control himself just now.

The moment her soft, fragrant body leaned against him, he used almost all his self-control to refrain from embracing her and kissing her forcefully.

Ning Yuxuan looked at the man and felt that he seemed to be slowly regaining his senses.

At least there was no sign that he would lay a hand on her again.

Whether it was to relieve tension or to distract herself and make time pass faster, Ning Yuxuan became more talkative.

She then asked, "So how many drinks do you usually need to get drunk?"

Xie Zhiyan glanced at him sideways, a slight smile playing on his lips: "What, trying to get me drunk? Then you'll see."

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

She was certain that Xie Zhiyan wasn't drunk, but his condition was definitely different from when he wasn't drinking.

Xie Zhiyan would not normally smile like that, much less answer her like that.

Ning Yuxuan's imagination ran wild; now was definitely a good opportunity to get information out of them, but unfortunately, there were more than just the two of them in the car.

But the opportunity must not be missed.

After thinking for a moment, she couldn't help but speak again: "Thank you, Zhiyan."

She called him an unusually large number of times tonight.

He always responded patiently with, "Hmm?"

Ning Yuxuan: "If I fly to Jiangcheng tomorrow, we won't be able to see each other for at least five or six days. If any of us have something to do after the show is finished, it will be even longer."

Xie Zhiyan listened quietly.

Ning Yuxuan pursed her lips, turned around, and moved closer to his ear: "Will you miss me?"

Xie Zhiyan looked over with his deep eyes.

Ning Yuxuan held her breath, suddenly regretting asking the question.

But she still didn't choose to avoid his gaze.

Xie Zhiyan: "Yes."

With just this one word, Ning Yuxuan could detect both helplessness and tenderness.

She thought he would say more, but to her surprise, he was so concise and straightforward.

Ning Yuxuan remained unmoved and simply said "Oh," before turning her head to look out the window.

My heart was already beating incredibly fast.

I completely forgot about the other questions I had originally planned to ask.

Xie Zhiyan suddenly grabbed her left hand.

Ning Yuxuan's hand trembled slightly.

This time, the man's grip was much lighter than before, posing no danger whatsoever; it was more like the way the two used to hold hands when walking side by side on the street.

Ning Yuxuan stopped struggling and let him hold her hand, but her eyes were still looking out the window.

The scenery outside the window is gradually becoming familiar.

Almost home.

...

The car drove into the villa area and parked on the roadside near the house.

Ning Yuxuan glanced at the time as she got out of the car; it was 10:03.

Xie Zhiyan escorted Ning Yuxuan to her doorstep.

The two said goodbye here last night, when she thought they wouldn't see each other again for another week.

I didn't expect the scene to repeat itself so quickly.

Ning Yuxuan: "Then I'll head back now. Goodnight."

Xie Zhiyan hummed in agreement: "Goodnight."

No one took the next step.

Ning Yuxuan outwardly met his gaze calmly, but her mind was racing with thoughts—

Will it be a kiss on the forehead again this time?

If he tries to kiss other places, should she refuse?

Yesterday she said she wanted a formal confession before she would accept anything more intimate.

But now she finds that she doesn't seem to be so resistant anymore.

Just like when we were in the car...

Ning Yuxuan was lost in thought when she saw the man in front of her take a step forward and get closer.

She reflexively slowed her breathing.

The next second, a "click" sound came from behind.

The villa door opened, and Ning Fei's voice came through: "Xuanxuan? Is that you?"

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

When Ning Fei first saw her daughter's back, she finally felt completely at ease.

Then, seeing Xie Zhiyan standing in front of her daughter, Ning Fei stopped in her tracks.

She should have realized that Xie Zhiyan might be the one picking up her daughter since she came home so late.

Ning Fei was just worried about whether her daughter's trip would go smoothly, and it was already late, so she didn't have time to think about anything else.

Hearing what sounded like her daughter's voice at the door, she opened it immediately.

Now that things had come to this, Ning Fei cleared her throat: "Zhiyan, thank you for bringing Xuanxuan back."

Xie Zhiyan: "It's what I should do, Aunt Ning."

He paused for a moment and then said, "It's getting late, so I won't stay any longer."

Ning Fei said politely, "It's so late, I'm really sorry to trouble you. Thank you, and please take care on your way home."

Xie Zhiyan smiled and nodded: "No need to see me off, Auntie."

Before leaving, Xie Zhiyan glanced at Ning Yuxuan.

Their eyes met for two seconds, then the man turned and left.

Ning Yuxuan was still a little dazed.

Of course, I wouldn't blame my mother for coming so suddenly; I just felt a little disappointed.

He just left like that.

Ning Fei welcomed her daughter into her home.

Seeing her daughter wearing a strapless evening gown with both arms exposed, Ning Fei touched her daughter's arms with heartache: "Xuanxuan, are you cold on the way back like this?"

Ning Yuxuan smiled and shook her head: "It's summer now, the temperature is so high, how could I be cold?"

Ning Fei asked again, "Is everything alright? You haven't been harassed by anyone, have you?"

Ning Yuxuan laughed: "Mom, I'm just going to a banquet. Why are you making it sound like I'm going to a den of thieves?"

Seeing that her daughter looked relaxed and even had the energy to joke, she must really be alright.

Ning Fei laughed too: "No, Mom is just a little worried about you. Are you hungry? If you are, I'll cook you some noodles."

Ning Yuxuan grabbed her mother's arm: "I'm not hungry at all. I ate a lot before I came back."

After returning home, Ning Fei asked her several questions, but not one of them: whether she had achieved her goal for the trip.

Ning Yuxuan probably knew why.

She pursed her lips, deliberately suppressing the smile on her face, and put on a serious expression.

"Mom," she began, "why don't you ask me how things are going with the supplier?"

Ning Fei's gaze paused slightly.

She first observed her daughter's expression.

The daughter's expression was calm, revealing nothing, but her tone sounded slightly subdued, not like she was excited.

Ning Fei spoke softly, "Xuanxuan, this is the first time you've gone to a banquet alone to discuss cooperation. It happened in a hurry, and the people on the other end are strangers..."

So it's normal if the deal doesn't go through, don't be discouraged.

Ning Fei wanted to comfort her daughter in this way.

After the decision to open the new store was made, Ning Fei never showed any disapproval and always had complete confidence in her daughter in front of everyone.

But in truth, she still had some worries.

After hearing Zhou Lin's account of what happened, and hearing that her daughter had gone to the banquet alone to find Wu Shangdong, Ning Fei became even more worried.

This is the first sudden crisis we've encountered since my daughter started helping manage Huayuan.

My daughter has only held a few short-term jobs since graduation and has never experienced any major setbacks in her career.

Moreover, although Ning Fei had never met Wu Shangdong in person, she had heard some rumors about him before she stepped down from her position and knew that he was not an easy person to get along with.

Therefore, before her daughter returned, Ning Fei had already anticipated that she might be disappointed.

Ning Fei gave a gentle smile, wanting to continue comforting her daughter.

Ning Yuxuan's expression suddenly changed, her eyes curving into crescent shapes. She patted Ning Fei's shoulder and said, "Mom, I was just kidding! It's all settled. The Wu family has agreed to supply us, and the price is even lower than the previous one!"

Ning Fei was stunned.

Ning Yuxuan smiled and continued, "Moreover, Xie Zhiyan only picked me up from the banquet after the deal was done, so you could basically say that I negotiated it all by myself! Mom, isn't your daughter amazing!"

The emotional shift was so drastic that it took Ning Fei several seconds to react.

Ning Fei's face finally lit up with joy: "Really?"

"Of course!" Ning Yuxuan's smile widened. "How could I lie to you about something like this! So, shouldn't you give me a good compliment?"

Ning Fei felt completely relieved.

"Yes." Ning Fei couldn't suppress the smile on her face. "My daughter is the best."

More than the event itself, Ning Fei was happy to see her daughter so excited and joyful.

Ning Fei smiled and said to her daughter, "Would you like to hold me?"

Ning Yuxuan was slightly surprised that her mother had taken the initiative to hug her.

Without further hesitation, she threw herself into Ning Fei's arms: "I want it!"

...

After the celebration, Ning Fei mentioned that she would be flying to visit the set the next day.

“I heard you went to the banquet before, but I didn’t tell you right away,” Ning Fei explained. “I’ve already booked a flight for 10:15 tomorrow morning, landing in Jiangcheng at 12:30 noon.”

“However…” Ning Fei looked at her daughter and said, “If you don’t want to go, or if you want to go later, you can change your ticket or get a refund.”

Ning Yuxuan had already taken off her evening gown and changed into a comfortable nightgown, and poured herself a glass of milk.

“Sure,” Ning Yuxuan replied. “The timing is perfect, let’s do it tomorrow at ten o’clock.”

The hotel supplier issue has been resolved; the rest can be handled by Zhou Lin and Chen Jun.

Knowing in advance that she might be visiting the set this week, Ning Yuxuan had already made all her work arrangements.

Ning Yuxuan took a sip of milk: "So what time do we leave tomorrow? Oh right, I haven't packed my luggage yet..."

Ning Fei smiled and said, "I've almost finished packing my luggage. I've also packed yours. You should check your clothes again to see if you need any replacements."

Ning Yuxuan: "You're all ready so quickly? Mom, you're amazing! No need to change, I'm sure I'll like all the clothes you picked out for me."

She didn't just say that casually; her mother always understood her aesthetic sense.

Besides, she was just visiting the set, so comfortable everyday clothes would suffice; she didn't need to put too much thought into choosing her outfit.

Ning Fei smiled and nodded: "Okay, then we'll set off at eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

The villa area is not far from the airport, and there is a direct highway, so it doesn't take too long to get there.

Ning Yuxuan: "Yes, Mom, you've already talked to Uncle Li, right? Don't forget."

Ning Fei's eyes flickered slightly: "Ji Huai is doing some business nearby tomorrow, and he said he could take us to the airport... But Xuanxuan, if you're not used to it, I'll tell him not to come, and Uncle Li can take us instead."

Ning Yuxuan paused in her act of drinking milk.

If she remembers correctly, the gift that her mother received when she met with the screenwriter today was from Liang Jihuai, right?

The reason given was always the same: "I was running errands nearby and it was on my way."

Ning Yuxuan looked at Ning Fei and blinked: "Mom, Teacher Liang probably has something to do here, or she has someone she wants to see here."

Liang Jihuai was indeed pursuing Ning Fei.

At first, Ning Fei didn't realize that when she met her old colleagues with the director that day, she only felt nostalgic and sentimental, and didn't think of anything else.

Later, Liang Jihuai said he wanted to play a role in a movie, a rather unlikable one. Ning Fei thought he had some kind of relationship with Qin Man or the producer/director, which was why he was willing to take the role as a friend.

However, Liang Jihuai repeatedly asked to meet with her, and although Qin Man or the producer were usually with him, Ning Fei had already noticed something was amiss.

After her divorce, Ning Fei only dated one boyfriend, but she continued to have suitors, and she was already familiar with this kind of situation.

Later, when Ning Fei mentioned in the group that she was going to talk to the screenwriter again, Liang Jihuai sent her a private message saying that he could give her a gift.

Ning Fei thought about it and then didn't refuse.

During the day, Ning Fei and Liang Jihuai had an open and frank discussion.

She doesn't reject his advances, but only if her two children accept him.

Another prerequisite is that one has no plans to remarry.

She doesn't need marriage to provide her with financial security now; marriage involves too much and would only cause trouble.

Ning Fei's words were actually meant to "discourage" Ning Fei from leaving the company.

Unexpectedly, Liang Jihuai not only immediately expressed his complete acceptance, but also suggested that he could take the mother and daughter to the airport tomorrow and meet Ning Yuxuan to get to know her better.

Ning Fei hesitated for a long time before agreeing.

This was the first time she had brought up something like this with Ning Yuxuan.

Although I had prepared myself mentally, I still felt a little uncomfortable.

"Xuanxuan," Ning Fei said, looking at her daughter, "What if..."

Ning Yuxuan had just finished the last big gulp of milk when she put the cup on the table and raised her hands: "I support you, Mom! As long as you like it, I'll support you wholeheartedly!"

Ning Fei was initially a little embarrassed, but seeing this, she was amused: "I haven't said anything yet, why are you blindly supporting me?"

Ning Yuxuan blinked: "Hmm...that's true. Then, Mom, could you tell me in detail?"

Ning Fei had considered many possibilities, but she never expected her daughter to react this way.

She relaxed a lot and gave her daughter a reproachful look: "There's not much to say in detail, it's pretty much what you think."

My daughter is not young anymore. Judging from her reaction just now, she must have already guessed something, so she didn't need to say anything more.

Ning Yuxuan blinked her eyelashes and asked curiously, "What? So Teacher Liang has been pursuing you all this time? When did it start? Could it be—"

She made a face at her mother: "So, all these days you've been saying you're meeting with Teacher Qin and the screenwriter, but you've actually been going on dates?"

Ning Fei found it both funny and exasperating, and reached out to tap her daughter's forehead hard: "What nonsense are you thinking? Mom didn't lie to you. If I said I was going to see someone, then I meant it."

Ning Yuxuan said "Oh," and stuck out her tongue: "It's my fault. I judged you by my own petty standards."

Ning Fei shook her head helplessly.

After a few jokes between the mother and daughter, Ning Fei couldn't help but ask her daughter seriously, "Xuanxuan, are you really not at all in the mood?"

Hearing Ning Fei's question, Ning Yuxuan replied seriously, "I really have no objection. Mom, I believe that with your experience and discernment, you certainly don't need me to make the decision for you. As long as you like it, I have nothing to object to."

Ning Fei smiled and said, "I wouldn't say I like him; we're still in the early stages of getting to know each other."

Ning Yuxuan: "Then Mom, you should really examine him! Oh, I just suddenly remembered something..."

Ning Fei: "What?"

Ning Yuxuan: "I wonder what Ning Shiyue is thinking? Mom, have you decided whether to tell him?"

Ning Fei remained silent.

She hadn't actually planned for her daughter and son to meet Liang Jihuai so soon; it was Liang Jihuai who suggested meeting her daughter first, and this opportunity just happened to be right.

I took the mother and daughter to the airport. It was a short, twenty-odd minutes, not too formal, just enough to get acquainted with them.

But what to do about her son... Ning Fei hadn't fully figured it out yet.

Seeing her mother hesitate, Ning Yuxuan said, "Mom, why don't you leave this to me?"

Ning Fei asked in surprise, "Give it to you?"

Ning Yuxuan: "Okay, I'll talk to Ning Shiyue for you."

Ning Fei was surprised at first, then thought for a moment and said, "...Alright."

She has noticed that her daughter and son are much closer now.

There are some things that are actually more convenient for my daughter to say.

After chatting for a while, the clock was almost pointing to 10:30.

Given Ning Fei's schedule, she should go and rest.

Ning Yuxuan said "goodnight" to her mother and returned to her bedroom.

Looking at his phone, Ning Shiyue sent him a message.

At this point in time, Ning Yuxuan thought he was going to talk to her about visiting the set.

As a result, Ning Shiyue shared a video from a social media platform with her.

Ning Yuxuan clicked on it and saw a marriage proposal video.

The location was a shopping mall. Countless pink balloons fell from the sky, engulfing the crowd. The woman, holding a bouquet of flowers, cried and embraced the man in front of passersby.

Ning Yuxuan frowned slightly.

Regardless of her opinion on the video, why did Ning Shiyue suddenly send her this?

Ning Yuxuan: [Did you share this with the wrong person?]

Ning Yuxuan: [I originally wanted to send this to your girlfriend, but you sent it to me instead?]

Ning Shiyue: [...]

Ning Shiyue: [You know I don't have a girlfriend!!]

Ning Yuxuan: [Then why did you send me this? Do you want me to give you a birthday surprise like this? Balloons are something I can consider, but let me make it clear beforehand, I don't have the money to buy that many.]

Ning Shiyue added six periods.

Ning Shiyue: [No... I wanted to ask, what do you think of this video? Isn't it romantic?]

Ning Yuxuan's eyebrows furrowed even more.

What's wrong with Ning Shiyue?

[Author's Note]

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 23:50:00 on June 27, 2024 and 23:40:00 on June 29, 2024!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Mengmengda, Weiwei, Weiwei, Fangyangdexingxing 20 bottles; can813, icelady, A Miaomiao 10 bottles; Nayouzeru 6 bottles; Lexixi, Sijun, Sanliqingfeng, Aiyou, Jingjinger 5 bottles; Chaoainaigai 3 bottles; Haisen, Yiersansiwu, and Yueyu Youku Quanmou "Zanghai Zhuan" 1 bottle;