She leaned closer to show Li Xian, "I tied my hair up today, does it look good?"
Normally, her long hair is straight and smooth, and she looks good even without tying it up. Today, on a whim, she tied her hair up in a half-up style, which made her look even more adorable.
Li Xian smiled slightly and held his head, saying, "It looks good. I'll hold it for you so it won't get messy."
He placed a hand on the back of her head: "Like this."
Xu Nuo leaned her head against it, comfortably preparing to close her eyes, when she saw Liu Meixiang turn her head.
With a teasing smile, she mouthed "You're awesome" to Xu Nuo.
Xu Nuo felt it was necessary to change her boyfriend's position in her best friend's eyes, so she introduced him to Li Xian: "Li Xian, this is Mei Xiang, my best friend."
Xu Nuo reached out and poked Liu Meixiang, whose shoulders were trembling with laughter, and winked at her: "This is my boyfriend. What do you think? Isn't he handsome?"
Liu Meixiang almost couldn't help but laugh, and turned around: "Nuonuo's boyfriend, hello, hello."
Li Xian blushed slightly at Xu Nuo's words and politely greeted Liu Meixiang, "Hello."
Looking at it this way, it certainly doesn't seem as fierce as it did at first.
The scenery outside the window rushed by, and Xu Nuo was indeed a little sleepy. She closed her eyes and dozed off for a while. When she woke up, the car had just arrived at Liu Zhao's house.
Liu Zhao was a high-ranking official in Shanghai who lived in the military compound. The military compound houses reflected the strict style of soldiers, with elegant decorations and orderly arrangement.
The car drove all the way to the Liu family's gate.
Li Xian opened the car door and got out, helping Xu Nuo, who was a little sleepy, out as well. He touched her slightly flushed cheeks and asked, "Are you awake?"
Li Xian understands Xu Nuo's lifestyle habits.
Perhaps because of the herbal water, she was naturally more sleepy than others and slept for longer periods of time.
Falling asleep so quickly, it seems you really didn't get a good rest last night.
"Mmm." Xu Nuo leaned against Li Xian, her clear eyes wide open, and mumbled a sleepy reply.
Normally, if Liu Meixiang saw Xu Nuo looking so soft and cute, she would have already gone up and hugged her and tormented her. Unfortunately, Xu Nuo was being held in Li Xian's arms, and she dared not snatch food from the tiger's mouth.
I only dared to ask from the side, "Nuonuo, are you alright?"
Xu Nuo smiled at Liu Meixiang with narrowed eyes, her voice slightly nasal: "Mmm."
Just then, the door opened, and the Liu family's nanny invited everyone in.
The two elderly people from the Liu family also came over. When they saw Xu Nuo, they greeted her warmly. Xu Nuo especially liked Grandma Liu, and now that she knew she was Liu Meixiang's grandmother, she liked her even more.
Grandma Liu was overjoyed to see all her most treasured possessions brought out.
Grandma Liu has lived to this age, and her husband and son are both high-ranking officials. What good things haven't she seen?
Those who sent expensive medicinal herbs and precious jewelry all had ulterior motives written in their eyes. They claimed to be visiting the elderly couple, but in reality, they were all trying to exchange these gifts for some benefits.
She naturally couldn't like it.
Actually, at first, she insisted on inviting Liu Meixiang to her home for dinner because she wanted to help Liu Meixiang make a good choice.
After spending time with him, I realized that this child is truly an excellent person.
The saying "appearance reflects the heart" does not mean that being beautiful necessarily means having a good heart.
Rather, they are kind-hearted, and their gaze towards others is always kind, which makes others feel comfortable to be around them.
If it looks pleasing to the eye, it naturally deserves to be called beautiful.
Moreover, Xu Nuo may not be good at anything else, but she is exceptionally good at acting cute, and when she does, people would want to give her their hearts.
But her coquettishness is only used to build rapport, and she doesn't act unreasonably.
This is quite rare.
Xu Nuo knew that Grandma Liu was coming, so she prepared two gifts, one for Liu Meixiang's mother.
Shen Yinfeng was around forty years old and, like Liu Zhao, worked in the military. She wasn't particularly well-maintained, but her features were kind.
"Meixiang always tells me that her friends are so incredibly good-looking, but I didn't quite believe it until I saw them today. It's no exaggeration."
Liu Meixiang said proudly, "Right? I told you Nuonuo is very pretty."
Grandma Liu couldn't wait to open the balm Xu Nuo made and said with satisfaction, "It smells so good. Oh, don't look down on me just because I'm an old woman. I love making these things. It's just that Mei Xiang is such a child. I used to always tell her to take care of her skin, but she just wouldn't listen. Luckily, now I have Nuo Nuo to keep an eye on her for me."
She gave Liu Meixiang a satisfied look: "Now you're not a black monkey anymore, you look much better."
Under Xu Nuo's supervision, Liu Meixiang's skin has become a shade lighter, and her previous sun spots have faded considerably. Her features, which were already considered pretty, have become even more delicate.
Liu Meixiang was a little embarrassed: "Oh dear, Grandma, you always make me put on those things, but they don't make any difference, so of course I don't like putting them on anymore. And Grandma, you never talk to me nicely, you always scold me for being ugly and dark, humph."
Grandma Liu laughed and scolded her, "You lazy brat, you don't use it yourself and you blame me for scolding you? Tell me, what am I supposed to do? Should I praise you?"
Liu Meixiang playfully stuck out her tongue: "Nuonuo is so nice. She always praises me and always applies face masks for me. I can only get my fair skin back thanks to her supervision."
Holding the fragrant and soft Xu Nuo, he sniffed her gently like a puppy: "Nuonuo, you smell so good, can you make me some fragrant things too?"
Liu Meixiang clung to Xu Nuo.
It was fortunate that the three of them were in Grandma Liu's room; if Li Xian had seen them, his face would have turned incredibly dark.
Xu Nuo felt a tickle on her neck from the sniff, and flinched away, giggling, "I gave it to you, it's that body lotion, you can just apply it after each shower."
Grandma Liu also received some trinkets made by Xu Nuo, which she opened one by one with great delight.
Xu Nuo pointed to the small pink bottle: "Grandma, this is shower gel, made with rose essential oil, and it also has a secret formula."
Grandma Liu took a sniff and said, "Mmm, it smells really good."
There's also body lotion and dried flower tea; Grandma Liu loves every single one of them.
The group was chatting happily, and Liu Meixiang's laughter could be heard in the next room.
The next room was a man's world; there were no perfumes or pastries, only a pot of tea brewed by Liu Zhao.
The young man sitting next to Liu Zhao had an outstanding appearance and an extraordinary demeanor.
If it weren't true, even Grandpa Liu would hardly believe that this was a child who grew up in the countryside and never formally attended school.
Grandpa Liu said, "I met your father back then, and he was truly a young man of extraordinary talent."
Li Xian respected Liu Zhao, and naturally held the same respect for the old man: "Thank you, Mr. Liu."
Liu Zhao patted him on the shoulder: "Why call me 'old man'?"
Grandpa Liu laughed and said, "Just like you, Xiao Nuo, call me Grandpa."
Xiaonuo?
Liu Zhao never expected that Li Xian's crybaby girlfriend would be so popular with the old man.
The connections between people are truly amazing.
Because of Liu Meixiang, Old Master Liu got to know Xu Nuo. Having been in officialdom for a long time, he had a keen eye for people.
Because of her relationship with Liu Meixiang and Grandma Liu, she also likes Xu Nuo very much.
When Xu Nuo was mentioned, Li Xian's eyes softened, and he greeted him respectfully, "Grandpa Liu."
Liu Zhao took a sip of tea. "The eldest brother is in Hu Guang. When he comes back at the end of the year, I'll introduce you two. You're five years apart, but I think you'll get along well."
During dinner that evening, Liu Meixiang naturally pulled Xu Nuo to sit with her, and Li Xian sat down to Xu Nuo's left.
Liu Zhao had only met Xu Nuo once, when she was sick and hospitalized and cried loudly while holding Li Xian.
Because of this, he always felt that the child was too spoiled.
Therefore, he paid close attention to this meal.
Xu Nuo eats slowly, taking small bites like a kitten, eating very ladylike, much like Grandma Liu.
Liu Meixiang, having been led around by her, had witnessed quite a few different eating habits.
Liu Meixiang used a serving spoon to scoop a spoonful of sweet and sour fish for Xu Nuo: "Nuonuo, this fish is delicious, you should try it."
Liu Zhao was extremely jealous; even he, as a father, never received food personally served by Liu Meixiang.
Xu Nuo smiled at Liu Meixiang, her eyes crinkling, and her voice sweet: "Thank you, Xiangxiang."
She took a bite, chewed it slightly, and her eyes lit up: "Delicious."
She winked at Li Xian secretly, and Li Xian understood.
Next time I'll make sweet and sour fish.
After the meal, Liu Zhao's opinion of Xu Nuo changed somewhat.
Although she was a bit delicate, she was polite and warm-hearted. She would happily thank anyone who served her food, and she and Liu Meixiang would chat and joke, making Grandma Liu very happy.
This surprised Liu Zhao greatly.
Liu Meixiang is his youngest daughter. She is kind-hearted but carefree and always loves to argue with her elders.
In the past, whenever Grandpa Liu said something to her, she would impatiently put down her chopsticks and leave. This time, Grandpa Liu said to her, "Meixiang, you're not young anymore. Look at Xiaonuo, she's already dating someone. Why don't you hurry up and get things done?"
Liu Meixiang glanced at Xu Nuo with a worried expression, then said to her grandfather, "Grandpa, I know you mean well and want me to find a good man to marry, but I haven't met one yet. When I do, I'll definitely bring him back for you to see, so you can give me your opinion, okay?"
Grandpa Liu was surprised that he wasn't met with a cold shoulder when he urged his granddaughter to find a partner for the first time: "Really? What about that guy from the Chen family..."
Liu Meixiang shook her head, mimicking Xu Nuo's tone: "Grandpa, I've met that guy from the Chen family, and I really don't like him. Please don't force me to have dinner with him. If I meet someone I like who also likes me, I'll definitely bring him back for you to judge. Nuonuo said that those scumbags can fool us young girls, but they definitely can't fool the eyes of elders. But we agreed that this is about my lifelong happiness, so you must consider my happiness and evaluate people fairly and impartially. If he's good, he's good; if he's not, he's not good, understand?"
Grandpa Liu couldn't resist Liu Meixiang's obedient way of speaking to him, so he immediately nodded: "Of course, of course, Grandpa just hopes you can find someone reliable who will love you."
The meal was enjoyed very much.
When they left, Shen Yinfeng gave the two a lot of things to take back with them.
Shen Yinfeng said, "Xiao Xian, you should come to our house more often when you have time."
Ke Wei met Cheng Liyan through Liu Zhao, and Shen Yinfeng met Liu Zhao through Ke Wei, which is why she chose to join the army after graduation.
Therefore, she and Liu Zhao share the same feelings for Li Xian.
After the two left, Shen Yinfeng said, "Li Xian suffered so much in his early years. It's a blessing from heaven that he found such a partner."
After spending time together, Liu Meixiang felt that she had made the right choice in dating Xu Nuo. Li Xian treated Xu Nuo like royalty, taking care of her like a child, even when it came to drinking water and serving her food.
"I originally thought Li Xian and Nuonuo would be a bad match, after all, they are too different."
Grandma Liu laughed and said, "What do you know? A husband and wife should be one gentle and one firm, one soft and one tough. If they are both soft and sweet, or neither of them smiles, how can they live together?"
Liu Meixiang nodded: "That's true. Nuonuo is such a likable girl, I'm sure Li Xian's grandfather will like her very much too."
Liu Zhao and Shen Yinfeng exchanged a glance, their eyes both conveying the unspoken message: That's not necessarily true.
Ke Chongshan has always prioritized his own interests, and he may not care whether Xu Nuo is good or bad.
But he must be extremely concerned about Xu Nuo's family background.
To be honest, Ke Chongshan did intend to arrange a marriage between Li Xian and the Lu family.
The meaning of the last dinner was self-evident. After Li Xian and Liu Zhao returned from Beijing, Ke Chongshan invited them twice more, but unfortunately Li Xian declined to stay for dinner, citing other commitments.
Ke Chongshan had no choice but to say, "He said Mr. Liu gave instructions."
Lu De'an expressed his understanding: "Mr. Ke, have you heard any rumors?"
Ke Chongshan's brow twitched: "My Xiao Xian did say that I could secretly invest some private businesses if I had spare money."
Lu De'an smiled with satisfaction: "Old Ke, it seems that Lieutenant General Liu really treats your grandson as one of his own. I've also heard some rumors that those who used to crack down on speculation and profiteering are no longer being arrested."
Ke Chongshan suddenly realized and continued, "Yes, Mr. Liu values me highly, he's so busy he doesn't even have time to eat."
Li Xian, who didn't even have time to eat, rushed home to cook for Xu Nuo.
In just over ten days, two major conferences were held in Beijing, leading many to speculate that the policies might soon change.
Several new private restaurants have sprung up in the streets and alleys in a week, and the black market is no longer as well-hidden as it used to be.
Moreover, a plot of land in the northern part of Shanghai was purchased by a foreign businessman named William, who is reportedly planning to build luxury apartments.
As soon as Xu Nuo came out of the shower, Li Xian immediately opened his eyes.
His furrowed brows immediately relaxed, and he pulled her into his arms, gently resting his head on her shoulder.
Xu Nuo hugged his shoulder tenderly, her voice soft like a spring breeze soothing his fatigue: "Waaah, you've exhausted my Li Xian."
Li Xian chuckled and looked up: "I'm not tired, but you've lost your house."
Xu Nuo didn't care: "That wasn't mine to begin with, and the house is a fixed asset. Selling it will give you more liquid funds. Besides, once William's house is built, half of it will be mine."
Li Xian nodded, gently brushing his nose against her cheek: "It's all yours, you're the boss."
Xu Nuo nodded with a smile: "Yes, I'm the major shareholder, and you're the poor little guy working for me."
This was actually a joke, but Xu Nuo never expected that all the projects Li Xian purchased and invested in would have her name, Xu Nuo, listed as the shareholder.
Later, she belatedly realized that she had become a major shareholder in a large corporation.
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