Chapter 567 Extra - Making My Presence
That day at the zoo, after seeing the adorable national treasures, Lu Nange's forehead was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
Almost at the same moment, a bottle of mineral water with the cap unscrewed was handed to me.
The light overhead softened, and a large parasol blocked the direct sunlight.
"Thank you, Brother Yan." Lu Nange took the water, tilted her head back and drank a few mouthfuls. The cool water slid down her throat, and the summer heat dissipated considerably.
She turned to the tall, upright man beside her and said earnestly, "Brother Yan, you really don't need to be with us every day. You should focus on your own business and not spend all your time around us."
Hearing this, Gu Wan nodded hurriedly: "That's right, Brother Yan, my brother and Brother Ci have been so busy lately that we haven't seen them at all."
Logically speaking, since you manage such a large group, you should be busier than them...
Before she could finish speaking, her arms were suddenly tightened and firmly "locked" in place.
Wen Qing and Luo Xingyou had somehow gotten close to each other, one on the left and one on the right. Wen Qing's expression was calm as usual, but his gaze was fixed on Lu Beiye, who was holding Xiao Yingtao's hand. His voice was gentle.
"Ah Ye, didn't you mention yesterday that you wanted to try that popular handmade ice cream place online? You specifically mentioned the pistachio and rice flavors."
Lu Beiye was intently watching the panda cub munching on bamboo next to him.
Being suddenly called out, she gave a somewhat bewildered "Ah," then nodded: "Yes, that's right, I want to eat the pistachio flavor."
Luo Xingyou immediately chimed in, raising her chin at Gu Wan, who was being "held hostage."
"Wanwan! You know where that shop is, right? Come on, come on, take us there quickly! Let's go now, before it gets crowded!"
Gu Wan: "Huh? Go now? The store is just around the corner... Nan Nan, how about we go buy it together first?"
"No need!" Luo Xingyou said decisively, "Nannan has taken up a good spot under the shade of this tree. Otherwise, when there are more tourists, it will be hard to find a place to rest. We'll just go buy it!"
Gu Wan looked around, seemingly seeing no need to "reserve a spot": "This spot is unnecessary..."
“Use it!” Wen Qing had already turned to Lu Beiye and Xiao Wenying, who was obediently holding his hand. His voice was gentle but carried a hint of unquestioning authority.
"Ah Ye, hold Little Cherry's hand and come with us. Let's go choose your favorite flavors, and pick one for your older sister too."
Lu Beiye glanced at his sister and hesitated, "Sister Wenqing, shall I stay here with you? You two can go shopping."
Lu Nange also felt there was no need to separate: "Yes, let's go together..."
“Really, there’s no need.” Luo Xingyou interrupted her, with a perfectly good reason: “Nannan, look, we’re the only place with shade here, so you and Yan-ge can just take up a spot here.”
Ah Ye, you're in charge of taking good care of Little Cherry, and you also need to help us decide what flavors Nan Nan likes best!
Lu Beiye thought for a moment and nodded, "Okay. Then, sister, I'll be right back. You said yesterday you wanted to try the rice flavor, can I choose that for you?"
Lu Nange nodded: "Okay, thank you, Aye."
Lu Beiye then looked at Chi Yanzhou: "Brother Yan, what flavor do you want? The same as my sister's?"
Chi Yanzhou glanced lightly at Lu Nange and nodded: "Yes, same. Thank you, Aye."
Luo Xingyou and Wen Qing exchanged a knowing look, and then half-pushed, half-carried Gu Wan, who hadn't fully realized what was happening.
"Nan Nan, Yan Ge, wait for us! We'll finish this quickly and be right back!"
After Luo Xingyou finished speaking, the group disappeared into the crowd heading towards the ice cream shop.
Lu Nange blinked, watching their almost "escaping" figures, and said with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "What's wrong with them? They're acting so strangely today."
"Maybe you're in a rush to eat ice cream?" Chi Yanzhou's expression remained unchanged as he took out a tissue from his pocket: "Wipe your sweat."
Gu Wan, who had been "stood" up in front of the ice cream shop, looked at the dazzling array of ice cream scoops in the glass window and asked, "Sisters, what were you two doing just now?"
Wen Qing didn't answer immediately, but first said gently to Lu Beiye, "Xiao Ye, take Xiao Yingtao inside and see which one she likes."
After the two children were attracted by the dazzling array of flavors in the shop window, pointing and gesturing on tiptoe, she turned to Gu Wan and asked, "You really didn't notice?"
Luo Xingyou smiled maliciously: "Haven't you figured it out yet? Yan-ge's demeanor isn't that he's not busy; he's taking advantage of the fact that no one else is around to frantically make his presence felt by Nan Nan's side."
"No way?" Gu Wan's eyes widened slightly, but then she touched her chin and carefully recalled the events of the past few days.
"Hiss...now that you mention it, it's true."
Handing her water, holding an umbrella, and carrying her bag are standard practice. Anything Nan Nan glances at a few times will inevitably be in Yan Ge's hands by the time they get home. So... Yan Ge likes Nan Nan?
Luo Xingyou and Wen Qing spoke almost in unison, their tone carrying an air of knowing certainty and a hint of teasing: "That's right!"
Gu Wan: "No, Nan Nan is still too young, I don't agree!"
Wen Qing: "I think Xiao Chi doesn't seem to be planning to break the ice for the time being!"
Luo Xingyou: "Wanwan, besides Yan-ge, who else in this world do you think is worthy of our Nannan?"
Wen Qing: "At least Xiao Chi is someone I know well enough to know his background."
Gu Wan: "That does make sense..."
Just then, Little Cherry came bouncing back: "Mommy."
Wen Qing: "A-Ye, Little Cherry, have you decided what flavors you want?"
Little Cherry: "Mommy, I want strawberry flavor! With rainbow candy!"
Lu Beiye: "Sister Wenqing, I'm sure I want pistachios and rice! Double balls!"
In the distance, under the shade of the trees, the noise seemed to be separated by a layer.
Lu Nange took the water handed to her by Chi Yanzhou, took a small sip, and instantly felt the summer heat dissipate.
Chi Yanzhou stood right next to her, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, just the right distance where he could take care of her at any time without making her feel pressured.
Sunlight filtered through layers of leaves, casting dappled, swaying shadows on his shoulders, much like the focused and tender gaze he gave her as she looked at him.
During this time, besides Chi Yanzhou who was always by her side, Gu Qi, He Zhuo, Ji Xian... would occasionally squeeze out time to accompany Lu Nange and her group for a stroll.
The entourage attracted attention wherever they went, and the news spread like wildfire through Beijing's high society circles.
"Have you heard? Recently, there has been a new family surnamed Lu in the capital."
"Lu? Which Lu? I've never heard of him before."
"Tsk, you're so out of touch."
"The giraffe's deer isn't a long-established local family, but his background is incredibly powerful. He's the son-in-law of the Sang family."
"The Sang family's background isn't exactly..."
"Besides the Sang family... they also have the Chi, Shi, Gu, and He families behind them."
The old masters of the Chi and Shi families have spoken, and the Gu and He families are also showing a close relationship, both openly and subtly.
Most importantly, it's important to see who's following them around: Chi Yanzhou, Gu Qi, He Zhuo, Shi Xu... These top figures among the younger generation are practically hanging around the Lu family every day.
The attitudes of the younger generation often reflect the true attitudes of the family, and this carries significant weight.
"So mysterious? What's its origin?"
"The exact origins are unclear. But one thing is absolutely true."
A while ago, some ignorant young man from the Qin family said some frivolous and vulgar things to that young lady from the Lu family at an auction.
At that time, the young masters of the Chi, Gu, and Shi families happened to be present. They showed no courtesy whatsoever, making people feel embarrassed and unable to save face on the spot, without showing any mercy.
That wasn't the end of it. The next day, several of the Qin family's key partners withdrew their investments, and banks also began pressing for loan repayments.
In just three days, the once-powerful Qin family was forced to close down in Beijing, their fortunes extinguished. The move was swift, precise, and ruthless, leaving no room for retreat.
"I've vaguely heard about this too. Now everyone knows the truth. The key is the Lu family's children, especially that little girl. She's truly the apple of their eye, the apple of their eye, and cannot be touched."
Those with younger relatives in the family must repeatedly remind them to be polite when they encounter them, and to avoid them if possible; that's always the right thing to do.
"Do you have any photos? I need to send them to all the kids in my family so they can recognize me and make sure I don't run into any trouble."
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