Chapter 375: No Talking While Eating and No Talking While Sleeping
At dinner time, warm yellow lights gently enveloped the restaurant, casting a warm halo on the dining table.
Lu Yiran's slender fingers were peeling the shrimp shells flexibly, his movements elegant and delicate.
Suddenly, his fingertips paused, as if he remembered something important - today was supposed to be the day Mu Nanyan returned from a business trip.
He lowered his eyes to glance at his phone. The screen was clean and there were no message alerts.
I was busy taking care of the sick Chenchen all day today and completely forgot about this matter.
But it’s already this late, and Nan Yan hasn’t come back yet, nor has she sent him a message. Isn’t she coming back today?
Lu Yiran gently put down the shrimp in his hand, his Adam's apple moved slightly, and he hesitated for a moment before speaking casually:
"Chenchen, did your mommy tell you when she'll be back?"
Lu Yiran said this with a casual look as he put the peeled shrimps into Chenchen's bowl.
Chenchen was concentrating on the broccoli in his bowl. He looked up when he heard this, his cheeks puffed up, and his big dark eyes were full of doubts:
"Huh? Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
The way he tilted his head in thought was so adorable that even the rice grains at the corners of his mouth swayed.
"When Sister Yan left, she said she would be gone for a month. It's only been a week now. It's still early."
After saying this, he sighed in a condescending manner, with an expression that said, "You adults have such a bad memory."
"A month?"
Lu Yiran froze in place, a hint of surprise flashing in his deep eyes.
He had always thought that Mu Nanyan was on a short business trip, and she hadn't told him that she would be gone for so long...
Mu Nanyan: You didn’t ask...
Chenchen keenly noticed his father's abnormality, his big black eyes rolled around, and suddenly a sly smile appeared on his face:
"Dad, you don't...know?"
There was an unconcealable sense of pride in her baby voice.
The little guy was very happy. It seemed that in Sister Yan's heart, he was more important!
Although he was very happy when I called him dad today, he must not be soft-hearted when it comes to competing for his favor.
Chenchen secretly straightened his little body, his face full of pride that said, "I am Sister Yan's favorite child."
Lu Yiran's expression froze instantly. He elegantly picked up the napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth, pretending to be calm and said:
"How so? Of course I know."
Are you kidding me? How could he possibly admit it? If he said he didn't know, wouldn't that be embarrassing?
Chenchen narrowed his eyes suspiciously, his face full of disbelief:
"Really? Where did Sister Yan say she was going on a business trip?"
Lu Yiran tapped his fingers twice on the table, his brain working rapidly.
He slowly picked up the water glass and took a sip, then answered calmly:
"Isn't it just about going to Paris to attend that...Fashion Week?"
"puff--"
Chenchen almost spit out the food in his mouth. He tried hard to hold back his laughter, and his shoulders trembled:
"Dad, Sister Yan is going to Washington for work, not to attend Fashion Week."
Lu Yiran's ears turned red, but he still maintained his elegant sitting posture and changed the subject without changing his expression:
"Today's shrimp is delicious, eat more."
As he said that, he put two more shrimps into Chenchen's bowl.
Chenchen proudly shook his little feet and deliberately dragged out his voice:
"Oh~ So Dad really doesn't know~"
“Don’t talk while eating and don’t talk while sleeping.”
Lu Yiran frowned, but he couldn't hide the helplessness and pampering in his eyes.
"Eat quickly, you need to take medicine later."
Chenchen stuck out his tongue and lowered his head to eat his meal obediently, but his big, bright eyes still revealed his slight pride.
Humph, although Dad is a very good person, in Sister Yan’s heart, he is still the most important!
Lu Yiran looked at his son's smug expression, feeling both angry and amused.
When Lu Yiran thought that he would have to wait three whole weeks before he could see Mu Nanyan, his fingers holding the chopsticks tightened unconsciously.
This week of separation was already his limit, and now knowing he had to wait another three weeks, he felt a tightness in his chest.
"Chenchen, do you miss mommy?"
Lu Yiran spoke casually, but his voice was a little softer than usual.
Chenchen lowered his head, poking the rice in his bowl with his spoon, and said sullenly:
"I do... This is the first time I've been apart from Sister Yan for so long."
There was obvious grievance in the little guy's voice, and even the strength of poking the rice was a little stronger, as if he was venting a little dissatisfaction.
Seeing this, Lu Yiran raised a meaningful smile at the corner of his lips.
He leaned forward calmly and said in a low voice:
"Then... do you want to go find Mommy?"
"Is it really possible?"
Chenchen suddenly raised his head, his big black eyes lit up instantly, but soon dimmed again.
"Let's just forget it..."
He stirred the food in the bowl and sighed like a little adult:
"Sister Yan is going to work, I can't disturb her, and I still have to go to school..."
Lu Yiran gently rubbed Chenchen's head and coaxed him:
"Didn't you just recover from your cold? You can take a two-day break."
He deliberately slowed down his speech, his voice carrying a hint of temptation:
"Then we can play by ourselves during the day and have dinner together after Mommy gets off work. It won't interfere with her work."
Chenchen bit his lower lip, visibly shaken.
He tilted his head and thought for a while, the light in his eyes growing brighter and brighter:
"So...when are we going?"
"Wait until you're completely recovered from your cold."
Lu Yiran looked at his son's face which instantly fell, and couldn't help but add,
"How about the day after tomorrow?"
"My cold is gone!"
Chenchen impatiently grabbed Lu Yiran's hand and pressed it against his forehead:
"Daddy, touch it, it's not hot at all!"
Lu Yiran felt the normal temperature coming from his palm, but still deliberately put on a stern face:
"You caught a cold this time because your immunity is weakened. Washington is much colder than here. What if you catch a cold again there? Your mom will be worried then."
When Mu Nanyan was mentioned, Chenchen immediately wilted and nodded reluctantly.
He couldn't go see Sister Yan while he was sick. Sister Yan was most afraid of him getting sick.
"So...we agreed on the day after tomorrow?" he confirmed anxiously.
"Well, we'll go there the day after tomorrow morning."
“That’s great!”
Chenchen cheered. He originally had no appetite, but now he took the initiative to order a second bowl of rice and ate it with gusto.
Lu Yiran looked at his son's excited expression, a gentle smile appearing in his eyes.
With Chenchen as his "amulet", he can go to Mu Nanyan with a legitimate reason... Thinking of this, his tense nerves in recent days finally relaxed a little.
————
On Wednesday evening, dusk gradually deepened and the last bit of warmth in the sky disappeared.
Lu Yiran took Chenchen's hand and walked into the VIP channel of Haicheng International Airport. The sound of his footsteps echoed softly in the empty corridor.
"Dad, are we really going to give Sister Yan a surprise?"
Chenchen tilted his little face up, his eyes sparkling with excitement and anticipation.
Lu Yiran lowered his head, his gaze falling into the child's clear eyes, and the corners of his lips unconsciously raised:
"certainly."
He squatted down and smoothed the wrinkles on Chenchen's coat, his tone gentle but serious:
"But you have to promise me that you will behave well and not disturb Mommy at work."
"Got it! I'll send it to you! I promise not to disturb Sister Yan's work!"
Chenchen raised three fingers and imitated an adult swearing very seriously. His childish pronunciation of "swear" as "four" made Lu Yiran laugh out loud.
Considering that Chenchen had just recovered from a cold, and there were no direct flights from Haicheng to Washington, it would take almost a day to travel by civil aviation including the transfer time. It was too troublesome to go back and forth, so Lu Yiran decided to use a private plane.
This way, we can fly directly to reduce travel fatigue, and we can also bring a nutritionist and a nanny to take care of Chenchen throughout the trip, better ensuring his health.
In the cabin, after Lu Yiran and Chenchen had dinner, Chenchen covered himself with a soft blanket and fell asleep on the bed.
Lu Yiran gently stroked Chenchen's soft hair, looking at the surging sea of clouds outside the porthole, and a slight ripple arose in his heart.
During the fifteen-hour flight, both father and son caught up on some sleep.
After waking up, Lu Yiran opened his laptop to deal with the backlog of work, while Chenchen curled up on the small sofa next to him to watch an animated movie. He giggled from time to time at the plot, but covered his mouth for fear of disturbing his father.
In the quiet cabin, time flows quietly.
When the plane landed at the airport in Country M, it was already nine o'clock in the evening.
Before landing, Lu Yiran carefully dressed Chenchen in a thick down jacket, a cashmere scarf, and a woolen hat, and was not satisfied until the child was wrapped up like a little dumpling with only his eyes showing.
The temperature in Country M in December was biting cold, and he couldn't let Chenchen be at risk of catching a cold.
On the streets of a foreign country where the lights were just coming on, Lu Yiran took Chenchen into the special car that had been waiting for a long time.
It was Chenchen's first time in Country M. Seeing the buildings on the streets that were different from those in China, he excitedly leaned on the car window to look out, and the white breath he exhaled created a small hazy patch on the glass.
But excitement could not defeat fatigue after all. After a short while, his little head began to nod, and he finally fell asleep leaning on the seat.
Lu Yiran gently adjusted the angle of the seat, covered him with a blanket, and brushed his fingertips across the child's warm cheek.
The crystal chandelier in the hotel lobby cast down brilliant light. Lu Yiran carefully carried the sleeping Chenchen to the front desk.
Chenchen slept soundly in his arms, breathing evenly.
He booked the presidential suite.
After entering the room, Lu Yiran gently placed Chenchen on the bed in the second bedroom, his movements extremely gentle.
He carefully tucked in the corners of the quilt and dimmed the main light, leaving only a warm yellow night light emitting a soft halo at the head of the bed.
Standing in front of the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, Lu Yiran glanced at his watch: 10:30 pm.
By this time, Nan Yan should have returned to the hotel.
I wonder what she's doing now? Is she...thinking of him too?
A strong impulse almost pushed him to knock on her door immediately, but in the end, reason prevailed.
Going over now would be too rash. It might even disturb her rest. What's more...
He turned and walked into the bathroom, letting the warm water wash away the dust and fatigue.
When he came out wrapped in a bathrobe, his eyes fell on the open suitcase beside him. He walked over and hung up all his clothes.
He was originally planning to pick up a set to wear, but his movements suddenly stopped.
What should I wear to meet her?
His slender fingers brushed across a row of neatly ironed shirts, finally stopping on a smoky gray silk shirt.
He remembered that Nan Yan had given him a suit of this color before, and she smiled and said it suited him very well.
I think... I'll like it, right? He thought, took out the shirt, and matched it with a light grey suit jacket and dark trousers.
After changing his clothes, he bent down and carefully buttoned his cufflinks, put on his watch, and finally stood in front of the mirror to tidy himself up.
The man in the mirror stood tall and straight, with a barely perceptible hint of anticipation between his eyebrows.
He nodded slightly, finally feeling it was appropriate.
Picking up the phone, he pondered for a moment, and finally sent a message:
【Have you slept yet?】
The screen lit up quickly, and her reply popped up almost without delay:
【Not yet, what’s wrong? 】
Lu Yiran's fingertips hovered above the screen, and he had an idea in an instant.
He typed the next line calmly, as if he had just suddenly remembered an insignificant little thing.
I just got off the phone with my partner in Country M. They'd like to invite me to visit them sometime. Are you comfortable living there? Which room? I'll keep it as a reference for my next visit to Country M.
He sent this seemingly casual yet carefully prepared message, his heart beating steadily and strongly in his chest.
The screen lit up quickly, and Mu Nanyan's reply was simple and direct:
I stayed in room 3208 of the Carlton Hotel. The hotel was nice, but the pillows were a bit too high.
Mu Nanyan didn't think much about it. After all, Haicheng was more than 10,000 kilometers away from Country M, and it was impossible for Lu Yiran to suddenly appear in front of her. It would not matter if she told him the room number.
Lu Yiran's eyes were fixed on those four numbers - 3208.
A smile of triumph mixed with strong anticipation almost broke through his usual mask of calm.
He forced himself to suppress the upturned corners of his mouth, and his fingertips moved quickly, continuing to play the role of the person who was far away across the ocean and only asked by chance.
If your pillow is too high, call room service to send a softer one. Don't stay up too late and go to bed early.
He ended the conversation decisively, fearing that he would reveal his emotions if he continued for another second.
Everything must return to normal before she notices anything unusual.
【I understand. I’ll go to bed later.】
The moment the phone screen went dark, the room was so quiet that I could hear my own breathing.
Lu Yiran turned around, and the huge floor-to-ceiling window reflected his current figure - a carefully groomed man with a light in his eyes.
Without any hesitation, he picked up the room card and opened the door of the suite slowly, fearing to wake up Chenchen who was sleeping soundly in the inner room.
The thick carpet in the hallway absorbed all sound, and his steps were quick and steady.
The elevator descended silently, the numbers kept jumping, and every floor it descended seemed to be beating against his accelerated heartbeat.
"bite".
The elevator door quietly opened on the 32nd floor.
The quiet corridor was empty, with only the wall lamp casting a warm glow.
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