Invitation
Half an hour later, the sports car stopped in front of Hanjin Mansion.
A middle-aged woman stood by the roadside, looking anxious and glancing around, repeatedly waving at the taxis parked on the side of the road.
The evening breeze seemed to want to linger a little longer, gently tugging at her dress. The hem of her deep blue dress fluttered like rolling waves on the street.
Gu Nan was taken aback, then waved for Wan Yi to leave. She quickly went to meet him, saying, "Didn't I say I would come to pick you up?"
"call."
Gu Shuping turned around upon hearing the sound, and seeing that she was unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief, her brows finally relaxing a bit.
Before Gu Nan could speak, Gu Shuping grabbed her hand again, lifted her arms, looked her up and down, and said.
"A few days ago, Xiao Ji told me that the young master of the Lu family in Beicheng came over and said that you have a grudge against Young Master Lu. He asked me to advise you to go abroad to hide. What happened?"
Gu Nan frowned: "Didn't he tell you that everything was alright?"
"I told you," Gu Shuping sighed, rubbing the back of her hand. "You're too impulsive; I'm worried about you."
Gu Nan squeezed Gu Shuping's hands back and comforted her, "Don't listen to Ji Yuanyu's nonsense. He can describe a cat chasing a mouse as a three-hundred-round battle between cat and mouse. You don't need to pay attention to him anymore."
"Xiao Xi..."
“Aunt.” Gu Nan suddenly stopped, unusually serious: “My name is Gu Nan. Gu as in your name, and Nan as in the character for nanmu tree, which has no winter or spring.”
After she finished speaking, Gu Shuping's expression froze. After a long while, she slowly shook her head and sighed, then raised her hand and patted Gu Nan's hand lightly without saying anything.
Silence fell for a moment, and the only sound on the way home was the sound of footsteps.
Pushing open the fence gate, a sudden evening breeze brought a few wisps of jasmine fragrance, dispelling the somber atmosphere around them.
"Nannan".
"Um."
Upon opening the door, the interior furnishings remained exactly as they had been before Gu Shuping left.
The blanket on the sofa had clearly not been opened; not even the corners had been touched.
Gu Shuping turned around and glared at Gu Nan reproachfully. Gu Nan liked to take a nap on the sofa, and Gu Shuping was afraid that Gu Nan would get cold after falling asleep, and also afraid that Gu Nan would be too lazy to go upstairs to get it and would catch a cold, so she specially put a blanket there.
The jasmine vase on the corner of the table next to the sofa had been replaced before she left, but it's now dried up, and the potting soil in the planters on the floor below is also showing cracks.
In addition, all the furniture was covered with a thin layer of dust.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the unlined trash can and the empty water dispenser, and I couldn't help but scold softly, "How do you live here?"
She hesitated for a moment in the entryway, then gave up on changing her shoes.
Their eyes met, and Gu Nan guiltily looked away, touching the tip of her nose: "I'm just going back to my room to take a nap. Um... it's not my fault. I live upstairs, and the downstairs is the sheriff's territory."
A black and white kitten came running from behind the bay window, meowing loudly and pawing at Gu Shuping's trouser leg.
Gu Shuping bent down and picked up the cat, laughing and scolding, "The police chief only weighs eight pounds, he can't carry such a heavy pot."
Gu Nan leaned down and bared his teeth at the police chief, who yelled and ran away.
"You."
Gu Nan imitated the police chief, reaching out to tug at Gu Shuping's sleeve: "It's time to pamper me, I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs."
"Okay." Open the refrigerator.
The air fell eerily quiet once again.
"Well……"
"I think I've seen what this plate of dumplings looked like before it went moldy, right?"
Gu Nan quickly brought out the moldy dumplings, ordered the police chief to bring over a garbage bag, threw the plate and dumplings in together to pack them up, and then chased the police chief away.
"No, you've mistaken the dumplings for dumplings."
Her eyes darted around, and she mysteriously pulled Gu Shuping back two steps, whispering in her ear, "The police chief has developed a new habit; he likes to unplug things."
Gu Shuping glanced at her with disdain, clearly not believing her.
"When I go out during the day, it unplugs the appliance. When I come back at night, I plug it back in. After this happens three or five times, the dumplings are ruined." The tone was helpless, as if the user had suffered greatly from the problem.
"Can you explain why the plates were placed in the same position as when I left?"
"Sheriff, I miss you."
?
"If it can unplug and plug in appliances, is it difficult to open a door and set up a spot?"
Gu Shuping said in a complicated tone, "Now I understand why you insisted on supporting the police chief back then."
Gu Nan said solemnly, "The sheriff can't stay. All he does is unpack the refrigerator and stare at the fish tank all day... Uh, are you surprised? Auntie, all your fish have learned to swim on their backs!"
Gu Shuping turned around following her gaze.
A layer of fish floated on the surface of the aquarium, while the artificial rockery and seaweed decorations sat dry and lifeless at the bottom. She sighed and said, "If you say one more word, there won't be any sweet and sour pork ribs tonight."
"What did the sweet and sour pork ribs do wrong?" Seeing Gu Shuping's feigned anger, Gu Nan raised her hands in surrender, "I'll go buy groceries."
She turned and left the room where she had painstakingly created a harmonious atmosphere.
She had a knack for making her aunt happy.
She is also happy to show her best side to her aunt.
There was a supermarket downstairs, and the supermarket lady greeted Gu Nan warmly, "Nan Nan, your aunt is back."
Gu Nan asked, puzzled, "How did you know?"
The supermarket lady opened the bag: "There are no cigarettes inside."
One stone stirs up a thousand waves.
Ever since she heard the name "Xiao Xi," she has reached into her pocket countless times, only to clutch the cigarette pack inside tightly.
She promised her aunt she would quit smoking and wouldn't pick up a cigarette pack in front of her. She had been suppressing her addiction until now, and once she had a chance to break free, she couldn't continue.
She stepped into the smoking room, and the man next door kindly offered to lend her a light. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, her brow furrowed but the tension in her mind eased slightly.
The smoking room had no windows, and the swirling smoke created a scene reminiscent of a fairyland, allowing one to drift into a trance for a moment.
Suddenly I heard my older brother exclaim in surprise, and when I came to my senses I realized that the cigarette had already burned down to the bottom.
I stubbed out my cigarette and picked up my phone to send a message.
[Check where my aunt went in Beicheng and who she met.]
Go out with a smile on your face.
The supermarket lady kept grumbling, "If I had known that what I said would trigger your craving for cigarettes, I would have kept my mouth shut."
Gu Nan smiled, picked up the bag, and found it was quite heavy.
The supermarket clerk didn't hold back at all and said cheerfully, "Since you're going to smoke, I've chopped the ribs into smaller pieces for you so you don't have to bother when you get home. I also have some dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. I remember your aunt bought them at the beginning of the year, but they probably won't be enough this time. I've also added some rock sugar and seasonings for you."
Gu Nan took out her phone to pay, but after thinking for a moment, she put it back.
Supermarkets are small businesses; other supermarkets wouldn't offer such a large quantity of pork ribs (about two pounds), and they would even help cut them into pieces and add seasonings.
Back when they first arrived in Xuncheng, they were often taken care of by their eldest sister. Later, when their eldest sister was harassed by some thugs, she helped her sister drive them away, and after that, their eldest sister began to treat her and her aunt even better.
She grinned and said, "Thanks. You don't need to cook dinner. I'll bring you some later."
The older sister didn't hesitate: "Okay."
Carrying shopping bags that were twice as heavy as usual, she returned home to find her aunt had already tidied the room. Seeing her return, she said kindly, "Go back to your room and rest. You'll be fine in a little while."
Gu Nan verbally agreed, but didn't move. She leaned against the kitchen doorway, supporting herself on one leg, and stared intently at her aunt's back, her long eyelashes drooping slightly.
Gu Shuping turned on the range hood, glanced back at her, and laughed, "Afraid I'll sneak some food?"
"I'll keep an eye on the sheriff for you."
Gu Shuping casually tossed a piece of minced meat to the police chief and fed it to him, saying, "The police chief wouldn't steal any, but it's hard to say about the police chief's master."
Gu Nan shooed the sheriff away with her foot and walked over with a smile: "You called on me?"
"How could that be? It was made especially for you. The sheriff can only eat the scraps." Gu Shuping smiled, her eyes crinkling with deep wrinkles.
The phone screen lit up, and Gu Nan glanced at it. Her smile froze for a moment. She took a deep breath silently, wrapped her arms around Gu Shuping from behind, pressed her cheek against Gu Shuping's back, and whispered, "Auntie, wait a little longer. We'll be back in Beicheng soon."
The kitchen was filled with steam, the clay pot was bubbling away, and the white noise was disturbing; there was no reply.
Gu Shuping probably didn't hear her whisper clearly.
The sweet and sour pork ribs also lost their flavor.
The phone screen lit up and then went dark again.
[The Lin family held an apprentice-acceptance ceremony, and the aunt stood at the door for a long time.]
[But don't worry, the Lin family head isn't here, and the younger generation doesn't recognize you, Auntie.]
She silently recited in her heart, "Lin Jianye."
——
"Lin Jianye?" Qiu Jingxun stroked the bright red invitation in his hand, puzzled. "Why would he think he deserves to send you an invitation?"
Among the five great families of Beicheng, the Lu family is number one, the Shen family is number two, and if you count further down, you won't find a single family with the surname Lin.
However, while he wasn't considered a prominent family, he was quite popular within the North City social circle.
Qiu Jingxun scoffed. It was common for powerful families to be ruthless, but they disdained to associate with those who were insidious and despicable.
Lu Yushi raised his eyes and turned to ask the butler, "Have you gone to see if J has arrived?"
After the butler left, only the two of them remained in the room. Lu Yushi replied, "Lin Jianye's youngest son is dating Miss Shen."
"The Shen family is truly fearless. What kind of good son could Lin Jianye raise with his character?" Qiu Jingxun sneered. "A traitor who betrays his master and ancestors."
"Knock knock knock".
The knocking interrupted Qiu Jingxun's cursing. He glanced at Lu Yushi, who was pretending to be asleep with his eyes closed, and called out, "Come in."
Gu Nan, dressed in a baseball uniform with large sunglasses covering half her face and her hair in a messy bun, swaggered in through the door and sat down right next to Lu Yushi without any hesitation, patting him on the shoulder.
"Hey bro, how have you been lately?"
Qiu Jingxun stared in disbelief and quickly pulled the person up.
Gu Nan: ?
"First come, first served. If you need anything, you can pay extra to settle everything."
Do you know who he is?
Gu Nan rubbed her chin and smacked her lips, saying, "It was confirmed last time that she's not mute."
"He is..."
Lu Yushi glanced over indifferently, and Qiu Jingxun swallowed back the words he was about to say.
Gu Nan watched the interaction between the two, a faint smile playing on her lips. Before she could speak, her gaze fell on the open invitation on the table, and she froze slightly. She quickly adjusted the curve of her lips and read, "My father is Lin Jianye... a member of the Lin family."
Qiu Jingxun suddenly raised his voice: "Don't insult people!"
"Did Lin Jianye step on your kidney? No, no, why are you getting so worked up?"
"Who would want to collude with the Lin family? Why didn't God strike him dead with lightning?"
Gu Nan laughed: "I didn't expect you to have such a strong sense of justice. Since we share the same values, I'll let you cut in line."
Qiu Jingxun glanced at Lu Yushi's displeased face, said no need, and pushed the door open to leave.
The door closed, Gu Nan sighed, and turned around: "Long time no see."
"Didn't we just meet?"
The sound fell silently to the ground.
Lu Yushi calmly shifted his gaze to her eyes, which seemed to be filled with sharp blades, cutting through all tangible and intangible barriers and reaching the depths of her heart.
A sudden tremor ran through Gu Nan's heart. She raised her hand and touched the tip of her nose, realizing, "Oh right, I wonder who that person is. How dare they impersonate me? That's too much."
Lu Yushi chuckled softly: "What, you can't beat her?"
But his eyes were clear, without any joy in them. His angular face seemed to be enhanced by the curve of his lips, as if spring had come to his side. The morning light strolled behind him. He sat there, aloof and noble, yet leisurely and self-satisfied, able to control the situation effortlessly.
There was a faint rustling sound of fabric in the room, Gu Nan thought to herself.
Stay calm.
The more alluring, the more dangerous.
The more dangerous something is, the less you should approach it.
But you can try it out first!
Gu Nan stood up and slowly walked towards Lu Yushi. She stopped in front of him, looked down at him, and sighed.
"A gentleman uses words, not fists; after all, I'm a good person."
As she spoke, she leaned down, their breaths mingling, and she was torn between her own thoughts and her own mind.
If I were to kiss him...
Before the two thoughts in her mind could decide the winner, Lu Yushi suddenly exerted his strength. After a moment of weakness, the two of them were reversed. Lu Yushi pressed on her shoulder and looked down at her face.
Her bun was completely loose, half of it was pressed against her back, and the other half fell on her shoulder, entwining with Lu Yushi's hand.
Her hair was cold. She turned her head and pressed her shoulder and neck against Lu Yushi's hand, transferring her body heat.
"I don't mind."
"I told you, this is the last time, you'd better not go too far." Lu Yushi's cold eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze sharp, his tone warning, "No matter what your purpose is."
Gu Nan gestured to her curvaceous figure, "Are you insulting me, or are you impotent?"
Lu Yushi released her, unmoved by the provocation: "You should have heard that someone impersonated my fiancée, and you should also know what happened to her."
Gu Nan pouted, silently straightening her clothes, thinking to herself, "Is it possible that I'm the one who gets all the benefits but no consequences?"
From this perspective, Lu Yushi can be considered her lucky star.
What to do when your little lucky star gets angry? You can only coax him.
“From the moment you walked in, you’ve been staring at me. Who knows if you’re interested in me? A hypnotist’s job is different from others. I need you to completely trust me and follow my guidance step by step to explore the depths of your mind and identify what is truly influencing your subconscious. If you don’t trust me, I can’t give you suggestions, or even if I do succeed, I won’t achieve the effect I want.”
After she finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Lu Yushi's dark eyes were deep and unfathomable. Sunlight streamed behind him, casting a silver halo around him that blended seamlessly with his cold demeanor, like a candle melting ice.
"I will trust you."
Gu Nan snapped her fingers: "But that brings up another issue."
Lu Yushi narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly displeased that she wouldn't stop.
She smiled nonchalantly and said slowly, "Excessive idolization of hypnotists can have significant side effects, such as difficulty adapting to real life and a tendency to develop feelings for the hypnotist. You know, being liked by others can cause me a lot of trouble."
When she looked directly at Lu Yu, her usually calm face seemed to soften slightly, as if she were angry.
Lu Yushi looked indifferent and slightly lifted his eyelids: "Between us, you won't have this kind of trouble."
"Don't make any promises you can't keep." Gu Nan took off her sunglasses.
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