Chapter 395: How shameless!
She suddenly put down the silver spoon, making a slight crisp sound, successfully attracting everyone's attention.
Then, she tried to put on a smile, her eyes were fixed on Mu Nanyan, and her tone became unusually reasonable:
"Nan Yan, I've heard everything about you and Yi Ran. You've been together and apart for so many years, and you've been through so many ups and downs. It's really not easy for you to be together again."
She deliberately softened her voice, as if she were an elder who truly cared about the younger generation.
She paused, observing Mu Nanyan's reaction, and continued in a tone that seemed to come from the heart:
"Now that our relationship is stable and Chenchen is already old enough, dragging it out like this isn't a solution. I think we should just get the remarriage formalities done sooner rather than later. This will give the child a complete family and put everyone at ease."
These words exploded at the dinner table like thunder from a clear sky.
Mu Nanyan's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly stopped, and she raised her head abruptly, her eyes filled with incredible shock, almost suspecting that she had heard it wrong.
Gu Rushuang...actually took the initiative to suggest that she and Lu Yiran remarry?
This was really beyond her expectations!
Not long ago, this Ms. Gu had been belittling and humiliating her in a foreign country, implying with every word that she was not worthy of Lu Yiran and wishing they would never meet again.
How come his attitude suddenly changed 180 degrees and he even urged them to remarry?
This sudden "goodwill" and "recognition" not only did not make Mu Nanyan happy, but instead made her instinctively alert, unable to figure out what intentions Gu Rushuang had hidden behind this.
Mu Nanyan subconsciously turned her head and looked at Lu Yiran beside her.
Then, she turned around and met Gu Rushuang's seemingly warm but inquiring gaze, and a decent but distant smile appeared on her face.
She put down her chopsticks, her voice gentle, but with an unquestionable firmness in her tone:
"Thank you, auntie, for being so thoughtful for us."
She first expressed her gratitude politely, then changed the subject slightly.
"However, Yiran and I... have only just gotten back together, so we both need some time to adjust and adjust to each other again. I'm afraid our current relationship foundation isn't very solid."
She paused, her eyes clear and frank, and continued:
"So, it might be too early for us to remarry. I think we should wait and see until everything is settled. After all, marriage is a big deal, and making a hasty decision would be irresponsible to no one."
These words were reasonable and logical. They saved Gu Rushuang's face and also clearly expressed the meaning of rejection.
However, when Gu Rushuang heard it, it had a completely different meaning!
The forced warm smile on her face froze instantly, and a trace of incredible anger flashed in her eyes.
She agreed? How dare she disagree?!
In her opinion, she had lowered herself and taken the initiative to propose that they remarry. This was already a huge concession and a great honor for Mu Nanyan!
Shouldn't this woman be grateful and agree immediately? How dare she be so ungrateful and refuse him in person?!
How shameless!
A surge of anger at being rejected and despised suddenly rose in her heart, making it almost impossible for her to maintain the mask of "reasonable" on her face.
Her fingers gripping the cup tightened slightly, her knuckles turning white.
The atmosphere at the dinner table, which had just eased a little, instantly dropped to freezing point again, even more solemn than before.
At this moment, under the tablecloth, Lu Yiran's warm and dry palm quietly covered Mu Nanyan's slightly tightened hand and gently squeezed it.
The silent support was like a firm and warm current, instantly dispelling the last trace of uneasiness in Mu Nanyan's heart caused by the rejection.
The two of them turned their heads tacitly, their eyes met briefly in the air, and they exchanged a reassuring smile that only they understood.
Then, Lu Yiran turned his head and looked at Gu Rushuang. His tone was calm but with the same firmness as Mu Nanyan's, and he clearly expressed his position:
"Nan Yan's meaning is what I mean."
He paused, his eyes calm.
"We're getting along just fine the way we are now. We're both getting to know each other and adapting to each other. Marriage will come naturally, there's no need to rush it."
Gu Rushuang looked at the man and woman in front of her who seemed to have formed a united front. Her chest tightened and she was speechless.
She finally understood everything! No matter what she said or did, Lu Yiran would stand on Mu Nanyan's side without hesitation!
She had put a lot of thought into the planning and even made the concession of "agreement", but the result was that the emperor was not anxious but the eunuch was, and the two parties involved were not anxious at all!
They had said so themselves, what else could she say? Was she going to force them to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau?
A strong feeling of frustration and anger surged in my heart, and my hands under the table clenched a little bit, my nails almost digging into my palms.
If she had known their attitude was like this, she might as well have firmly opposed it from the beginning! She would have saved herself from feeling so frustrated now!
However, after this anger lingered for a moment, another thought suddenly flashed through Gu Rushuang's mind -
Lu Yiran wasn't in any rush to marry Mu Nanyan? This didn't seem like he was in such a passionate love relationship that he couldn't live without her.
Does this mean that their relationship is not as unbreakable as it appears?
Men, after all, are creatures that easily get bored with the old and love the new.
There may still be some novelty now, but when the excitement wears off, maybe he will get tired of this relationship first?
By then, she wouldn't need to do anything, they would just go their separate ways.
This idea was like a dose of cooling oil, instantly calming Gu Rushuang's anxious mood. Even a barely perceptible trace of calculation and expectation flashed across her eyes again.
She slowly loosened her clenched hands under the table, picked up the teacup in front of her, and took a sip, as if the momentary loss of composure had never happened.
"Since you all have your own plans, I won't worry about it anymore."
She put down the teacup, and her tone returned to its previous calmness, even with a hint of detachment.
"You young people, take matters into your own hands."
After this undercurrent of confrontation, the atmosphere at the table fell into a strange "calm".
Gu Rushuang no longer tried to lead the conversation, but only occasionally asked a few polite questions about Chenchen's daily life. Most of the time, she maintained a reserved silence, secretly pondering new possibilities.
Lu Yiran and Mu Nanyan were happy to be alone and focused more on Chenchen.
The little guy seemed to sense the change in atmosphere and gradually relaxed. He would even take the initiative to share the food on the plate with his parents, and occasionally utter a few childish words, which diluted a lot of the awkwardness in the adult world.
The meal finally came to an end in a state of apparent harmony, but in reality everyone had their own thoughts.
After the meal, Gu Rushuang elegantly wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin, then stood up first. Her tone returned to her usual business-like clarity, without much emotion.
"I have a cross-ocean meeting tonight, so I'll leave first."
She didn't look at Mu Nanyan again, but just nodded to Lu Yiran, and quickly glanced at Chenchen, who was obediently letting Mu Nanyan wipe his mouth. Her eyes flickered with complexity, and in the end, she said nothing, picked up her handbag, turned around and left the private room in her high heels.
That straight back still carries an aura that cannot be ignored, but it also reveals a hint of indescribable loneliness and... perhaps even loneliness that she herself has not noticed.
After watching Gu Rushuang leave, Lu Yiran secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Mu Nanyan and Chenchen, his expression instantly softening:
"Let's go back too."
"good."
Mu Nanyan responded with a smile and took Chenchen's hand.
The family of three took the elevator directly to the underground garage.
Sitting in the car, Chenchen felt a little drowsy because he was full, and his little head nodded.
Mu Nanyan carefully adjusted the safety seat for him so that he could sleep more comfortably.
The car drove smoothly out of the garage and merged into the night traffic.
Lu Yiran looked through the rearview mirror and saw Mu Nanyan gazing gently at the sleeping Chenchen. Her profile looked particularly soft and peaceful in the neon light flowing outside the window.
————
The three of them returned to Yuehu Yundi. Lu Yiran carefully carried the sleeping Chenchen out of the back seat, and Mu Nanyan quietly opened the door.
The family of three took the elevator directly to the 23rd floor, and only the sound of soft footsteps could be heard in the quiet corridor.
Lu Yiran carried his son into the children's room, placed him very gently on the soft crib, and carefully tucked in the corners of the quilt.
Chenchen smacked his lips in his dream, still sleeping soundly, with no sign of waking up.
Lu Yiran was relieved and quietly left the room, closing the door gently.
When he came out of the room, he saw Mu Nanyan standing by the water dispenser in the living room to get water.
The warm yellow light outlines her slender back, making her look particularly gentle.
He felt something in his heart and walked over lightly. He naturally hugged her from behind and rested his chin lightly on her neck.
Mu Nanyan felt his warm embrace and the familiar scent on his body. Her body paused at first, then relaxed. She leaned back into his arms and let him hold her.
She turned her head, her cheek almost touching his, and asked softly:
"I haven't seen you move your chopsticks at the dinner table today. Are you hungry? Do you want me to get you something to eat?"
Hearing this, Lu Yiran nodded honestly.
Previously, at that dinner party with a delicate atmosphere, his attention was all on guarding against possible trouble from Gu Rushuang, so he really didn't eat much. Now that he relaxed, the empty feeling in his stomach became obvious.
"Yeah, I'm a little hungry."
He paused, with a hint of expectation and dependence in his voice.
"I want to eat the plain noodles you make."
Hearing this, Mu Nanyan couldn't help but raise the corner of her mouth and looked at him sideways:
"I noticed that you seem to have a special liking for the plain noodles I make?"
Lu Yiran tightened his arms, holding her tighter, his voice low and gentle,
"Well, because the first time you cooked for me, it was plain noodles, so it has a different meaning."
Mu Nanyan was stunned for a moment, and tried to search her memory:
"The first time I cooked for you...was it plain noodles? It was so long ago, I almost forgot if you hadn't mentioned it."
She blinked, then suddenly realized something and her tone became playful.
"That was five or six years ago, right? You still remember such clear details from such a long time ago?"
She deliberately dragged out her tone and said tentatively with a sly smile:
"Mr. Lu, you wouldn't...have fallen in love with me since then, right?"
Lu Yiran was slightly startled by her playful and probing question, and then burst out laughing.
In fact, he couldn't really describe what kind of mood he was in five years ago when he was deep-minded and extremely alienated from emotions.
But at this moment, he just wanted to go along with her and make her happy.
He tightened his arms around her, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and sniffed the faint fragrance of her hair. His voice was muffled, but full of seriousness:
"Maybe. After all... you are the first woman willing to cook for me."
Upon hearing this, Mu Nanyan turned around in his arms in surprise and faced him, her eyes full of disbelief:
"No way? Master Lu, since you were a child, the chefs in your family who were responsible for cooking for you... were they all men?"
But she vaguely remembered that he was raised by Liu Ma when he was a child. How could Liu Ma never have cooked for him?
Lu Yiran looked at her wide-open almond eyes, and couldn't help but lower his head and pecked her lips lightly, then he smiled and explained:
"That's different. Liu Ma is a job, a responsibility. And you..."
His eyes became deep and gentle. He paused, and gently brushed her cheek with his fingertips, speaking in a tender tone:
“It’s thoughtful, it’s unique.”
These simple yet sincere words, like a soft feather, gently brushed across Mu Nanyan's heart.
She understood what he meant and no longer dwelled on the details of the past.
She raised her hand and patted his arm:
"Okay, smooth talker. Go rest on the sofa for a while. I'll make you some plain noodles."
"Thank you for your hard work, Mrs. Lu."
Lu Yiran let her go smoothly, his tone full of doting.
Mu Nanyan gave him a knowing warm smile in return, said no more, turned around, tied on her apron, and walked briskly into the kitchen.
Soon, the subtle sounds of boiling water and chopping green onions could be heard from the kitchen, along with the warm aroma of food gradually emanating from it, which gradually filled this spacious but once deserted apartment and soothed Lu Yiran's heart.
He leaned against the kitchen door frame, quietly watching her busy and focused profile, feeling unprecedented satisfaction and peace.
Soon, the noise in the kitchen stopped.
Mu Nanyan came out holding a simple and elegant white porcelain bowl. The bowl was filled with steaming hot Yangchun noodles. The clear soup was topped with shiny noodles, garnished with green chopped green onions and a hint of tempting lard. It was simple but appetizing.
She carefully placed the bowl on the dining table in the living room, looked up at Lu Yiran who was still leaning against the kitchen door frame, and a gentle curve appeared at the corner of her lips:
"Okay, come and eat it while it's hot."
Lu Yiran stood up, walked to the dining table and sat down.
The familiar and simple aroma hits you in the face, instantly awakening your taste buds and evoking deeper memories.
He picked up the chopsticks, but did not start eating immediately. Instead, he looked up at Mu Nanyan, who was about to sit down opposite him, with a warm and focused look in his eyes:
"Thanks."
These two words contain a meaning far deeper than just a midnight snack.
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