43. The bright moon hides the egret.
◎This is a necessary condition for someone to become your support in the future.
Shang Xinuan's voice was also choked with emotion, because she could empathize with Li Xiran's feelings at this moment.
No one can truly accept the fact that the mother they have been searching for for more than 20 years has already passed away from the very beginning.
The man's back collapsed, like a helpless child.
He couldn't blame anyone else; he could only take all the blame upon himself for the rest of his life.
The word "willful" will be like a shackle, a cage.
In the end, even he began to despise himself.
"Nuan Nuan," Li Xiran said sorrowfully, "Now, I have no secrets from you anymore."
The evil in his heart, the greed that had once surged within his humanity, was finally torn apart and laid bare before Shang Xinuan, dripping with blood.
Those feigned refinement and elegance have become incredibly fragile.
Li Xiran suddenly remembered how he had initially been hesitant to approach the young lady.
It was because her eyes were so pure and clear that they could reflect the darkness that had once existed in his heart.
He also realized that simply having his English pronunciation corrected to the Oxford RP accent wouldn't make him sound like a true British aristocratic gentleman.
In his inner self, aside from fitting the somber mood of London, loneliness and inferiority flowed through his veins.
He felt unworthy of the love he had shown, a love that he had suppressed and dared not confront.
"Warm, will you be disappointed in me? Will you find that all the qualities you like about me are just a facade?"
“Li Xiran.” Shang Xinuan rested her chin on the top of his head, and the man’s dark chestnut brown hair gently brushed against her cheek. “I was also afraid that you would think that I was a shallow person. At first, my liking for you was just admiring your appearance. Your generosity and tolerance towards me always gave me an endless sense of vanity and accomplishment.”
"Have you forgotten that I am also a child without parents? Perhaps there is a mutual understanding and sympathy between us."
Compared to Li Xiran's controversial background, she was not particularly noble.
During the five years she spent with her mother in Paris, the living conditions were even worse than his. She was just luckier; her tragic childhood was healed by her upbringing.
"Human nature is inherently vulgar and selfish, but love gives each other divine light. The vulnerability you showed me, I felt heartbroken."
She loved his refined and cultured demeanor in a suit and tie, and his effortless handling of toasts and drinks at social gatherings.
She was naturally drawn to the restraint and forbearance in his demeanor, and she wanted to shatter the dark clouds that shrouded his heart.
Li Xiran trembled; it was the first time he felt that heaven had indeed forgiven him.
Then a piercing, rapid alarm for an abnormal heart rate suddenly sounded, originating from the iWatch on his wrist.
As his consciousness gradually faded, he felt a shattering pain in his heart. But when he saw Shang Xinuan, he felt that fate was helping him rebuild his heart, which had not been upright enough before.
-
Shang Xinuan sat outside the emergency room, holding Li Xiran's suit jacket, iWatch, and mobile phone in her hands.
A mirror was pushed past her, and she realized that she was dressed in bright clothes and wearing various colored gemstones.
The things she carried that belonged to Li Xiran, even a small cufflink, were made of obsidian.
A business-style phone, its screen lit up and then went out.
Shang Xinuan then discovered that the pure landscape wallpaper that Li Xiran had never changed was the scene from when they first met.
However, she walked very fast that day because she was shy, so the image appears fragmented and blurry.
In the upper left corner of the screen, there is a blurry silhouette of her.
I don't know if it was driven by curiosity or guided by some unknown force.
With trembling fingertips, she unlocked his phone password using the numbers 1201.
December 1st is her birthday.
Shang Xinuan was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but let out a soft, low laugh, "Mr. Li, aren't you tired of restraining yourself like this?"
At this moment, the door to the emergency room was pushed open, and Li Xiran was still unconscious.
The medical staff took him to a ward, while the attending physician stayed behind to discuss his condition with her.
"Ms. Shang, please rest assured, Chairman Li's condition has stabilized for the time being. The reason for his coma this time is that his previous knife wound has not yet healed, and he was subjected to severe shock today, which caused his heart to be unable to withstand it. In the future, we should pay attention to avoiding excessive emotional fluctuations and keeping him in a good mood."
"OK, thanks."
Li Xiran remained unconscious for a full day and night.
The young lady once again condescended to take care of him.
As she wiped his hands with a warm towel, she nagged, "Li Xiran, even if you like me taking care of you like this, you can't keep sleeping like this. I'll get angry."
"What man is as frail as you, fainting at the drop of a hat?"
"From now on, I'm going to call you Little Princess!"
No matter how much she muttered, Li Xiran remained calmly with his eyes closed.
Finally, the person who said they were tired sat on the stool by his bedside, their gaze unconsciously drawn to the tattoo on his wrist, unable to look away for a long time.
Li Xiran got his tattoos while studying abroad. Including the designs on his waist, abdomen, and arms, he has three tattoos in total.
If Shang Xinuan didn't know his entire life story, she would find it hard to believe that a person with such a noble and refined appearance would have such a striking tattoo.
Of course, she also remembered the meaning behind each of Li Xiran's tattoos.
The cursive English lettering on his wrist is a way for him to remember his unforgettable mother.
The thorns and sharp blades wrapped around his waist and abdomen represented the adversity he was in at the time, while the raven-black wings on his arms represented his strong desire to break free from his current situation.
Shang Xinuan felt a slight tingling in her nose, thinking that Li Xiran had finally gotten rid of everything at this moment.
In the future, when people mention him, they will only remember him as the head of the Li Group, a well-known and promising young man in Shanghai's business world.
Shang Xinu buried her face in his palm, as if coaxing a child, "Wake up quickly, the sky has cleared up."
Li Xiran's fingers twitched, trembling slightly twice on her lips.
The weather in Shangxi was warm, and it cleared up.
-
Li Xiran's illness alarmed almost the entire Shanghai business community.
He only publicly stated that it was because the overseas project had entered a stable state, and his tense nerves suddenly relaxed, which led to the heart failure.
As a result, elites from all walks of life featured in financial weekly magazines could be seen every day in the VIP ward area.
Later, Shang Xinuan couldn't bear to see Li Xiran having to attend business meetings while he was sick, so she declined all visits.
At the young lady's insistence, he stayed in the hospital for half a month before being discharged.
However, after this period of recuperation, Li Xiran's complexion has changed. His smile, which used to be filled with bitterness, now has a more relaxed and open-minded feel.
And before we know it, there's only one week left until Shang Xinuan's study abroad.
On Monday, Shang Xinuan began packing her luggage for her trip abroad in the walk-in closet.
Faced with the enormous room, she wished she could stuff the whole thing into her suitcase and take it with her.
After all, these were the empires that the young lady had built in various shopping malls and auctions, and it would be hard for anyone to bear leaving them behind.
But just as she was in a daze, Xiao Su suddenly sent her a WeChat message.
Xiao Su: SOS! Help! Chairman Li looks absolutely stunning today!
Xiao Su: I've been with the Li family for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen him wear a suit that isn't black and gray.
In the photo, Li Xiran is wearing a low-saturation green suit.
The material is similar to a wool-linen blend, with a soft, wrinkled feel. Combined with the elegant green color, it gives off a sense of understated maturity and sunshine.
In that instant, Shang Xinuan felt a gentle, refreshing sensation, and she could even hear the unusual movement in her own heartbeat.
She smiled and long-pressed the image to save it to her album.
The next day, Shang Xinuan was shopping with Qiao Xi.
Xiao Su sent another WeChat message.
Xiao Su: I declare that Chairman Li is even more handsome today than he was yesterday!
Today, Li Xiran wore a soft cherry blossom pink outfit, exuding the breath of spring.
He used to possess only the inherent refined and scholarly air, but now he also exudes a relaxed and languid charm.
"What are you looking at? You're all smiles." Qiao Xi was picking out clothes when she turned around and saw Shang Xinuan standing there staring at her phone and laughing. "My God! Is my uncle going to work at a company or at the peacock enclosure in the zoo?"
"How beautiful!" Shang Xinuan said, showing Qiao Xi the green suit she wore yesterday.
"It's beautiful, indeed." Qiao Xi suddenly seemed to remember something, laughing so hard her whole body trembled. "But pink is so delicate, how old is he now!"
"You don't understand the charm of mature men wearing pink."
“But why do I feel like my uncle’s color scheme is so similar to yours?” As she spoke, Qiao Xi zoomed in on the photo Xiao Su had taken. “Very good. After being trained by the young lady, he even has accessories now.”
A silver ring inlaid with blue and orange gemstones represents a fierce desire to suppress its flamboyance, yet an undeniable sharpness.
"So sexy!" Qiao Xi concluded, "She's a perfect match for Miss Rainbow Candy."
"So, are you and my uncle together or not?!"
"not yet!"
Qiao Xi gave her a thumbs up, "Keep him on his toes a bit, I want to see what other crazy tricks the old peacock has up his sleeve."
For the next week, Xiao Su reported on time every day.
A popular post titled "Learn to Dress with Miracle Ranran" even appeared on the Li family's internal network.
When she learned that Li Xiran would also accompany the Shang family to send her off to London, the young lady was quite worried that he would come dressed in flashy pink.
So when she saw him appear wearing a dark blue shirt and beige jeans, only God knows how much relief the young lady felt.
"You yourself are nervous about him wearing pink!" Qiao Xi mocked.
"Then you wouldn't wear a maid outfit out of my brother's bedroom, right?" The young lady retorted immediately, not to be outdone.
Qiao Xi gritted her teeth, "How did you know!"
Shang Xinuan said in a low voice, "The merchants don't even try to be more discreet about erotic pajamas. I'm blushing just looking at them."
Qiao Xi took a deep breath and sneered, "Heh, you'll have this experience someday too."
"What was it like?" Li Xiran walked straight towards her, carrying a bunch of [unclear - possibly referring to a type of cigarette], and asked abruptly.
"It's nothing," Shang Xinuan interrupted, "The flowers are beautiful!"
"The Freud Rose suits you very well." Li Xiran gave the young lady a light hug and whispered, "I wish my little girl a successful study abroad experience."
-
The Shang family's private plane finally arrived in London after a twelve-hour flight.
However, Cambridge University is located in Cambridgeshire in eastern England, so the group had to change vehicles to continue their journey.
The journey was long, but thankfully the beautiful scenery characteristic of England soothed the soul.
Cambridgeshire had just experienced a light drizzle that morning, and the lingering morning mist after the rain made the place incredibly tranquil.
Compared to central London, it appears more antique, tranquil, and leisurely.
Small boats occasionally glide by on the Cam River, while people stroll along the banks and others play the saxophone on the water.
This scene inevitably evokes Xu Zhimo's poem: "The golden willows by the riverbank are like brides in the sunset; the green duckweed on the soft mud sways gently in the water; the pool under the elm shade is not a clear spring, but a rainbow from the sky; crushed among the floating algae, it settles like a rainbow-colored dream."
"Nuan Nuan, this place is so beautiful," Qiao Xi exclaimed. "I'm even more excited than you for the next two years of studying abroad."
Shang Xin looked out the car window, her feelings indescribably complicated.
As early as when it was confirmed that she would come to Cambridge, Shang Zun began to make arrangements for her food, clothing, accommodation and transportation after she started studying abroad.
Shang Zun bought a small apartment for the young lady in the closest place to the school, and renovated it and added new furniture according to her preferences.
Considering that Shang Xinuan had never done any housework since she was a child, a nanny was arranged to take care of her daily life.
Also, considering that she doesn't like to have too much contact with strangers, they chose a local person who only comes to clean and cook when Shang Xinuan is in class.
Just when everyone thought Shang Zun had done enough detail, they opened the door and discovered...
The apartment is fully equipped with everything from large electrical appliances to small daily necessities like slippers.
There's a snack cart by the coffee table, exclusively for the young lady, and even baby bump protection strips are pasted on the edges and corners.
The unknown fear of living alone, along with the longing for Shang Zun after their separation, suddenly began to brew from this moment.
The young lady clung to Shang Zun, repeatedly confirming that he couldn't stay with her for a while.
"How about I come and keep you company after Grandpa finishes his work?"
The young lady pouted and said, "Grandpa's work is never finished. By the time you're done, I'll have already graduated."
“If your grandfather doesn’t earn money, how can he buy you luxury goods?” Shang Zun pointed to the walk-in closet in front of her bedroom. “The clothes and jewelry of our princess alone are enough to buy two or three small apartments like this.”
“But all I want is my grandfather.” Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were slightly red. “I’ve never been this far from home before.”
"Then what should we do? We can't just stop you from studying and have Grandpa take you back again." Shang Zun teased in a low voice, "Xi Ran will be staying in London for a while. With him taking care of you, wouldn't that be happier than having Grandpa with you?"
“It’s different. No one can compare to Grandpa.” The young lady was still angry and, no matter what, she only wanted Shang Zun to accompany her.
"When Nuannuan gets married, does she mean she has to take her grandfather with her?"
“As long as my grandfather is with me, I will take him with me wherever I go.”
Shang Chenxi was passing by when he overheard the grandfather and grandson talking. "Then I advise you to give up on that idea. I also need my father to be with me."
"Bad uncle!"
"Alright, Miss, your classmate's family is already waiting downstairs."
Yu Jiayue and she were both admitted to Cambridge, to the same college, and in the same class, so their families arranged to have dinner together.
Shang Zun gently rubbed the young lady's flushed face. "Then you should wash up and get ready again. We'll wait for you downstairs."
After Shang Zun came downstairs, Li Xiran, who had been standing at the door, came in.
Shang Xinuan sat on the bed, and Li Xiran knelt in front of her, his large, warm hands stroking her palms as he said, "Grandpa must be with you. Can't someone else be here?"
"It's my first time away from home~" the young lady said in a soft, coquettish voice, as if she were pleading, "I heard that after six o'clock here, there's no one on the streets. In Shanghai, nightclubs don't even open at six o'clock."
Upon hearing this, Li Xiran frowned and pinched the tip of her nose. "Nightclubs? The security situation abroad is not as good as in China. Don't have such dangerous ideas."
"..." Shang Xinuan immediately looked at him with a wronged expression.
"Alright, Miss, I've put aside my work for half a month. I'll stay here with you for two weeks to help you get used to things."
Shang Xinuan's nose suddenly stung with tears; she felt like she was a little too lucky.
Her grandfather helped her settle all the details, while Li Xiran put aside his work, which he always valued more than his own life, to accompany her.
"Li Xiran, let me tell you. If you keep spoiling me like this, you'll spoil me rotten."
Li Xiran patted the young lady's back, his voice low and deep, gentle to the bone, "Within the legal framework, I want to maximize profits; that's the rule of the game for businessmen."
"But by your side, Miss, I need to bring you happiness and joy; this is a necessary condition for becoming your support in the future."
A note from the author:
I haven't been updating regularly lately because I've hit a bottleneck; emotionally charged content is quite draining.
I'm afraid that Lao Li won't be liked because I personally feel that he's not a perfect male lead from the very beginning, and he even has his own inferiority complex and timidity.
The writing style is rather melancholic and depressing, since I often cried while writing.
I'm eager to get into a romantic relationship and have designed many sexy storylines, which I'm really looking forward to presenting to everyone. But I also want to give them natural emotional developments, because no one can immediately forgive a past hurt.
But barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'll be writing about their steamy, erotic scenes this week!!!
Objectively speaking, you guys liked this story, right...?
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Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-05-27 20:16:43 and 2023-05-29 03:04:14!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: ahf 1;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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