Chapter 399 Why are you here on a snowy day?
"Um."
Gu Rushuang nodded slightly, and without stopping, walked straight towards the special car waiting outside the airport.
Sitting in the spacious back seat of the car, Xu Nanxing considerately handed over a bottle of mineral water at the right temperature.
The vehicle drove smoothly into the airport highway, and there was silence inside the car.
Xu Nanxing's fingertips unconsciously twirled the hem of her skirt, and she turned sideways, her tone gentle and considerate, as if she was just asking casually:
"Director Gu, why did you come back so soon this time? Are things back home...all resolved smoothly?"
Gu Rushuang leaned lazily into the spacious seat, her voice carrying a hint of weariness from the long flight, yet her tone revealed her usual indifference and sense of control:
"Yiran isn't planning on getting married right now. Who can predict the relationship between young people? Maybe things will just break up on their own, so there's no need for me to get involved."
After she finished speaking, she slightly adjusted herself to a more comfortable position, clearly ending the topic.
"Call me when you get there. I'll take a break."
Xu Nanxing felt a lump in his throat, and all subsequent inquiries were blocked by this unquestionable order.
She had no choice but to suppress her turbulent emotions and responded respectfully:
"Yes, Director Gu."
The car was completely silent, with only the low roar of the engine as the sound.
Xu Nanxing sat upright, but his eyes involuntarily fell on Gu Rushuang, who was resting with her eyes closed beside him.
As time went by, the carefully maintained mask of propriety on her face began to shatter bit by bit, and the suppressed anxiety and sarcasm deep in her eyes could no longer be concealed.
idiot!
She screamed silently in her heart, her nails almost digging into her palms.
If they could really separate so easily, then five years hadn't erased that bond, and their reunion had only made it even more entangled, how could they just break up so easily?!
This is not something that can be solved by just leaving it alone!
Her chest rose and fell slightly, and her facial lines were tense, revealing a ferocious expression that was a mixture of unwillingness, contempt, and a strong sense of crisis.
Gu Rushuang's contempt and abandonment disrupted all her expectations and put her in a more passive and helpless situation.
The vehicle slid silently into the underground parking lot of the Gu Group's headquarters building. The moment it stopped, Gu Rushuang opened her eyes as if she had calculated it accurately. All her previous fatigue was gone, and she regained her usual shrewdness and sharpness.
She didn't even glance at Xu Nanxing, and simply said, "Send the meeting materials for 10 a.m. directly to my office," before pushing the door and getting out of the car. The sound of her high heels hitting the ground was particularly clear and decisive in the empty garage.
Xu Nanxing followed her out of the car and respectfully watched her back disappear behind the exclusive elevator door. All the emotions on his face had long been wiped away, leaving only professional calmness.
However, her heart was far from as calm as she appeared on the surface.
Gu Rushuang's letting go was equivalent to completely cutting off her most convenient and powerful path.
Hoping to use Gu Rushuang to break up Lu Yiran and Mu Nanyan is no longer feasible.
But asking her to give up? Absolutely not.
It seems that we can only think of other ways to deal with them.
——————
Time flows by quietly.
In the following month, Lu Yiran and Mu Nanyan's lives seemed to have returned to a warm normal.
Lu Yiran is still busy with the group's affairs, but he always tries to get off work on time and go home to have dinner with Mu Nanyan and Chenchen.
On weekends, they would take Chenchen to the park, to exhibitions, or simply stay at home and enjoy the quiet time without being disturbed by anyone, just like most ordinary families.
The costumes that Mu Nanyan carefully designed for the dance troupe became famous with the troupe's extremely successful premiere.
The dancers danced gracefully on the stage. Their modern yet graceful and agile costumes complemented the dance itself and became a highly anticipated highlight of the performance.
The praise from the media and the audience poured in, and the name "Grace", the designer behind the scenes, gained unprecedented attention in the circle.
So, during this month, Mu Nanyan's studio became extremely busy.
Inquiries and orders poured in, both from other performance groups and from private clients seeking high-end custom services.
She often buries herself in designs and fabric samples. Although she is tired, her eyes always sparkle with the light illuminated by her dreams.
The DNA test to find the biological father was like a stone thrown into the center of a lake. After causing the initial ripples, it gradually sank to the bottom of the water, becoming a promise that both parties tacitly understood and quietly waited for.
They tacitly agreed not to mention it frequently, but that expectation always existed quietly in the background music of life.
It wasn't until one afternoon a month later, after Lu Yiran finished dealing with an urgent document, that he looked at the calendar and suddenly realized that so much time had passed.
He pressed the intercom button and connected to Song Rui outside.
"Song Rui, come in for a moment."
Song Rui knocked on the door quickly and came in, still looking professional and capable:
"Mr. Lu."
Lu Yiran leaned back slightly, tapping his fingertips on the desk. His tone sounded calm, but there was still a subtle concern hidden deep in his eyes:
"Is there any news from the Haicheng Gene Bank?"
Song Rui's expression immediately became serious when he heard this. He bowed slightly, his tone filled with regret and caution:
"Mr. Lu, I was just about to report to you. The feedback from Haicheng's largest institution, as well as the two other private databases we contacted simultaneously, has come in."
He paused and reported the results clearly:
"I'm sorry, but at the moment... we haven't found any related individuals."
There was a moment of silence in the office.
The sunlight from outside the window filtered through the blinds, drawing long gratings on the floor.
Lu Yiran was silent for a few seconds. He didn't seem very surprised by the result, but the tiny glimmer of expectation in his eyes slowly faded.
He nodded, his voice lacking much emotion.
"Got it. Keep an eye on it. If there's an update to the database, I'll check it again anytime."
"Yes, Mr. Lu."
Song Rui responded respectfully, and when he saw that Lu Yiran had no other instructions, he quietly retreated.
The door closed gently.
Lu Yiran sat alone in the office, his eyes fixed on the bustling city scene outside the window, his brows slightly furrowed.
This result was expected. After all, there are so many people in the world, and finding only a few strands of hair is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
But when I actually heard "no match", the feeling of loss still quietly spread.
He could almost imagine the hint of sadness that might have flashed across Nan Yan's eyes when she learned the news.
He picked up the phone, his fingertips lingered on Mu Nanyan's number for a moment, but in the end he didn't dial it immediately.
Go home in the evening and tell her in person.
He thought, at least he could be by her side and give her a hug.
————
Just after four o'clock, the sky began to turn gray. Outside the window, fine snowflakes drifted silently, covering the streets and roofs with a light layer of silver.
Lu Yiran glanced at the time, finished his work early, and drove to Mu Nanyan's studio.
On the way, he deliberately stopped in front of a familiar flower shop.
The warmth inside the glass window contrasts with the cold outside.
He carefully selected a bunch of fresh pink tulips - which looked particularly precious and warm in the winter.
There are still crystal water droplets on the delicate petals, like a little spring guarded in a greenhouse, and also carrying his silent comfort.
When he appeared at the door of the studio with a bouquet of flowers in his hands and a few snowflakes on his shoulders, Mu Nanyan, who was checking the details of the fabric samples with her assistant, looked up in surprise.
The heating in the room made her wear only a thin sweater. When she saw him and the flowers, a smile brighter than any flower immediately bloomed on her face.
"Why are you here on a snowy day?"
She walked quickly forward and took the flowers he handed her. Her fingertips accidentally touched his slightly cool coat. She lowered her head and sniffed. The unique and elegant fragrance of tulips became even more fragrant in the warm room.
"I'm here to pick you up from get off work."
Lu Yiran naturally put his arm around her shoulders, nodded to her assistant, and carefully helped her take the coat that was draped over the back of the chair.
"The roads are slippery in the snow, and I'm worried."
Sitting in a car with the heater on, the world seems to be isolated from you.
Snowflakes fell silently on the windshield and were quickly swept away by the wipers.
The carriage was filled with the fragrance of tulips and a brief silence.
Lu Yiran held the steering wheel with both hands, gazing at the street scene softened by the snow. After a long while, he spoke slowly, his voice a little lower than usual:
"Nan Yan, the results from the Haicheng gene bank... came out today."
Mu Nanyan's fingers holding the bouquet tightened slightly, as if she had a premonition of something, and asked softly:
"How about it?"
"Sorry, no related matches were found."
He turned his head to look at her, with a hint of barely perceptible guilt in his eyes, as if it was his fault that he failed to help her fulfill her wish.
He quickly added, his tone becoming firm:
"But that doesn't mean there's no hope. I'll think of other ways and continue searching through other channels. There will always be clues."
Mu Nanyan listened quietly. When she first heard the news, a hint of loss did flash across her eyes, like the fleeting snowflakes outside the car window.
She turned her head and saw Lu Yiran's slightly furrowed brows and his eyes, which were always deep and sharp but now full of apology, and her heart softened.
She reached out and gently placed her hand on the back of his hand that was resting on the gear. Her voice was gentle and calm, with the open-mindedness of someone who had experienced many hardships:
"It's okay, Yiran. Really."
She even smiled a little.
"Actually, I was somewhat mentally prepared for this outcome. It's not easy to find someone in such a huge crowd."
She looked at the falling snow outside the window, her tone calm but clear:
"Anyway, I've been going through this for so many years, I've gotten used to it. Maybe... he and I just lack that little bit of father-daughter affection. It can't be forced."
Her comfort only made Lu Yiran feel more compassionate.
He took her hand in his backhand, interlocked his fingers with hers, and squeezed hard.
"If fate isn't there, we'll just work harder. Leave this to me, don't overthink it. Now, let's go pick up Chenchen first."
"good."
Mu Nanyan nodded, withdrew her gaze from the window, and fell on his resolute profile. The insignificant loss in her heart had long been replaced by the warmth and sense of security given by the people around her.
Snowflakes were flying outside the car, but it was warm as spring inside.
Whether or not the biological father is found may not be that important anymore.
What’s important is that in this cold winter, she has found someone with whom she can spend her life together and weather the ups and downs together.
The car drove steadily towards Chenchen's kindergarten, and the wheels made a slight squeaking sound as they rolled over the thin snow.
When we arrived, the school bell had just rung and the children came out like a flock of happy birds.
Chenchen immediately saw the car parked in the familiar location and his parents standing next to the car.
His eyes lit up and he immediately ran over with his little schoolbag on his back. His little face turned red from excitement and the cold air.
"Dad! Mommy!"
He rushed over, first hugged Mu Nanyan's legs, then turned around and hugged Lu Yiran, full of energy.
On the way back, Chenchen completely turned into a chatty little boy, completely getting rid of the timidity he occasionally had in the past, and became extremely cheerful.
He sat excitedly in the child safety seat, gesticulating and telling interesting stories about kindergarten.
"Today the teacher praised me for drawing the fattest snowman!"
"Xiao Nuan said his dad is taking him skiing this weekend! Dad, can we go too?"
"Mommy, you know what? Xiao Nuan said she loves the strawberry cookies you make the most! I said my mommy can cook anything!"
His childish talk filled the entire carriage. His logic was wild and his expressions were rich and exaggerated. From time to time, he made Mu Nanyan and Lu Yiran burst into laughter.
Mu Nanyan tilted her head, listened with gentle eyes, and responded from time to time.
Lu Yiran looked through the rearview mirror at the mother and son interacting enthusiastically in the back seat, with a smile on his face.
Chenchen even improvised and sang the Christmas song he had just learned in kindergarten today, the lyrics of which he had changed beyond recognition. He sang out of tune with a sense of righteousness, which made Mu Nanyan laugh so hard that she leaned against the car window, and Lu Yiran also laughed out loud, which was a rare occasion.
It was snowing outside the car in the cold winter, but it was warm like spring inside the car, full of laughter and joy.
The car slowly drove into the residential complex and stopped in the underground garage.
Chenchen couldn't wait to unbuckle his safety buckle, and like a bird out of a cage, he held his father in one hand and his mother in the other, chattering and skipping all the way to the elevator.
"Mommy, can we have that warm mushroom soup tonight?"
"Dad, can you help me build a new rocket Lego later?"
The elevator slowly rose, and the mirrored door reflected the figures of a family of three standing close together. Chenchen was still talking, and Mu Nanyan and Lu Yiran smiled at each other, with tenderness in their eyes.
When I opened the door, a warm breath hit me in the face, dispelling the coldness on my body.
The warm light in the entrance hall lights up automatically, illuminating this cozy little world.
"I'm back!"
Chenchen shouted loudly, kicked off his little boots skillfully, put on furry slippers, and was the first to run into the living room.
Mu Nanyan bent down and carefully hung up the coats that the two of them had taken off. Lu Yiran naturally took the tulips from her hand, found a simple and elegant vase, poured in clean water, carefully arranged the bouquet, and placed it on the coffee table in the living room.
That touch of soft pink instantly adds a touch of vivid warmth to the entire space.
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