Zhuang Yan said he didn't care, but she still couldn't let go of her past self. If she could distinguish right from wrong and realize her feelings for Zhuang Yan sooner, and stood firmly by his side without speaking ill of him, could she have gotten closer to his heart like Lu Yan?
Zhuang Yan, who was out shopping, didn't forget to bring back a gift for Lu Yan.
An Xinrong watched as Zhuang Yan stopped at a flower shop and began to carefully select flowers. Zhuang Yan chose several kinds, and the different flowers became harmonious in his hands.
The better Zhuang Yan was, the harder it was for An Xinrong to let go. She put herself in Lu Yan's shoes and thought how lucky she was to have met such a man.
An Xinrong said sourly, "You didn't forget to buy flowers for Lu Yan even after you came out?"
"Love needs to be kept fresh. Occasional little surprises and romantic gestures make her feel more secure, and seeing her happy makes me happy too."
Has Lu Yan done any of these things for you?
"She does so much."
Lu Yan wasn't a particularly romantic person; she just happened to like Zhuang Yan, so she would be happy no matter what he gave her.
Watching Zhuang Yan holding a bouquet of flowers, An Xinrong's eyes welled up with tears again without her realizing it.
Will she ever meet a man better than Zhuang Yan in her lifetime?
......
When Zhuang Yan and An Xinrong returned after shopping, there were only a few staff members in the small house; Lu Yan and the other three had not yet returned.
After taking the things out of the car, Zhuang Yan started cooking.
The rice was cooked. We'd have braised pork ribs with potatoes for lunch today. He simmered it over low heat in the pot, and asked An Xinrong to watch the fire while he cleaned the yard outside and added some firewood to the kitchen.
Since he was inviting people to dinner, he needed tables and cooking utensils, so Zhuang Yan brought bricks and temporarily built a few stoves outside, borrowing tables and benches from his neighbors.
It's impossible for six people to cook a banquet for more than a dozen tables. He's the only one who can cook, and the others would have a hard time even helping out.
Zhuang Yan quickly came up with a solution: find a few staff members who could cook, and if the production team was unwilling to help, then the banquet would not be held.
With the money spent and the groceries bought, the director naturally followed Zhuang Yan's instructions.
...
On the other side, although it was a group of four, they were divided into two teams. Lu Yan and Jiang Ning were responsible for buying seasonings, while Fang Chen and Ling Xuan were responsible for buying meat and ordering ingredients.
Avoiding the cameras, Jiang Ning found an opportunity to speak with Lu Yan.
"You weren't in your room last night. Did you go to see Zhuang Yan?"
Lu Yan nodded. She hadn't deliberately avoided Jiang Ning last night. When she heard no more noise outside, she got up and heard Jiang Ning turning over when she opened the door, so she knew she was still awake.
Aren't you afraid someone will find out?
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Jiang Ning was furious at Lu Yan's indifferent attitude. Suppressing her anger, she said in a deep voice, "You stayed up late at night and sneaked into Zhuang Yan's room. If you were caught on camera, did you think about how much online public opinion would affect Zhuang Yan? Or do you simply not care?"
Lu Yan didn't answer, but instead asked, "Do you know that I funded the investment in this program?"
Jiang Ning was taken aback, then took a breath: "I know you're capable, but can you silence those people online? Have you gone online to see how many people are saying that Zhuang Yan is now a gigolo, that he's being kept by you, a rich woman, by selling his body? Have you gone online to defend him? You're still recording a show, and once it's posted online, your every move will be magnified. Don't take the show's rules lightly."
“If I didn’t take it seriously, I wouldn’t have gone in at midnight and come back before dawn.” Jiang Ning liked Zhuang Yan, so it was only natural for her to think from Zhuang Yan’s perspective.
Lu Yan asked, "Do you also feel that there's too much of a gap between Zhuang Yan and me, and that being together will hurt him?"
Jiang Ning remained silent, which meant she agreed.
Lu Yan chuckled lightly: "You felt that the disparity between our families was too great, which caused you to feel a sense of loss and imbalance, so you left him without a word, right? You thought you were being good to him, but subconsciously you hurt him and yourself. Not everyone is like you, choosing to back down over something like this. I'm not saying you did anything wrong, after all, everyone's thoughts are different. It's just that your actions doomed the two of you to never be together."
Jiang Ning met Lu Yan's cold gaze, her face paling slightly. She cleared her throat and said, "Lu Yan, not everyone is as lucky as you, born with everything and having the money to establish Yi'an at such a young age. I don't have your abilities. I admit I'm insecure and weak, and I'm arrogant, but my love for Zhuang Yan is no less than yours. I raised this question only because I'm afraid Zhuang Yan will get hurt. I know you can protect Zhuang Yan, but can you protect Zhuang Yan for a lifetime? A person's reputation is very important. It's because I've experienced cyberbullying that I know how terrible it is."
If Zhuang Yan doesn't engage in internal strife now, what about later?
Now that he's with Lu Yan, many people don't approve of their relationship and have belittled Zhuang Yan to the point of being heartbroken, let alone Zhuang Yan himself who's caught up in the controversy.
A sense of disappointment can kill all enthusiasm, make people doubt themselves, fall into distress, and feel insecure.
As an actress, Jiang Ning has a strong sense of empathy and is inherently pessimistic, tending to think of things in the worst possible light.
Lu Yan let out a lazy breath and said seriously, "Zhuang Yan has always believed that you are a movie queen who can go abroad and face the world. So please believe in him too. What Zhuang Yan wants has never been my protection. He is not a weak person who only hides and fights internally. He is very strong and will be my equal. He will surpass me."
Jiang Ning's eyes met Lu Yan's unexpectedly. Lu Yan's eyes were bright and sparkling like the starry sky, and her expression was full of pride when she mentioned Zhuang Yan.
This kind of subconscious expression can't be faked. Jiang Ning's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly understood why Zhuang Yan was so determined to choose Lu Yan.
The gap between her and Lu Yan was too great, not in terms of material things, but in terms of their spirit.
Being with someone as confident as Lu Yan should make it difficult to have internal conflicts.
Lu Yan is like a vine that can save lives on a cliff, an oasis that brings hope in the desert.
Zhuang Yan deserves such a good person.
“I’m sorry, I was overthinking it. You’re right, Zhuang Yan isn’t me. He’s overcome so many hardships, and now he’s finally met someone he likes…” Jiang Ning smiled bitterly. “You and Zhuang Yan are a perfect match. I believe you two will definitely make it to the end. As for me… after the show ends, I plan to go abroad. I don’t want to let him down.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
