47. The bright moon hides the egret.
He is definitely aiming for marriage.
When Shang Xinuan changed into her school clothes and went downstairs, she saw Li Xiran standing in front of the full-length mirror in the living room, putting on his tie.
The two of them have been staying at home most of the past week, wearing loungewear and casual clothes.
Seeing Li Xiran again, dressed in a suit and exuding an elite air, made her heart feel like a feather had fallen from it.
“I’m your boyfriend now. If you really like me, you can come and hug me.” Through the mirror, Li Xiran met her gaze and said tenderly.
The young lady walked over, pressed her cheek against Li Xi's back, and wrapped her arms around his waist.
The man had just taken a shower, and his body still smelled of the shower gel mixed with her unique floral fragrance, yet it did not diminish his refined, noble, and composed demeanor in the slightest.
“Li Xiran, these past few days have felt like a dream to me.” They had been separated for more than four years, from early summer in Shanghai to late autumn in England, and finally stood by each other’s side.
The story that followed was no longer about their regrets, but instead about breathless kisses and wet, trembling bodies.
Li Xiran tied his tie, then clipped on a bow tie with a magnolia flower pattern, and turned to hug the delicate young lady.
He loved to kiss her lower lip, then tease and suck on it with the tip of his tongue. "Does this still feel like a dream?"
To deal with her sudden emotional outbursts, Li Xiran would always use some special ways to change the subject.
"We should head out, or we'll be late."
"Today is clearly my first day of school, what are you doing dressed so smartly?"
Li Xiran held her backpack, his other arm naturally wrapped around her waist. "I suddenly received an email last night. Jiaqi Business School hopes to invite me to give a lecture to Chinese students."
"Hmph, you had a secret from me, and you're only telling me now?" the young lady complained coquettishly.
Li Xiran nodded and leaned close to her ear, "I don't know who it was last night, but they came to cling to me right after I took a shower. My mouth was occupied all night, and I clearly didn't have a chance to say anything."
Their intimacy actually only went as far as kissing.
Shang Xinuan knew that Li Xiran was giving her an emotional buffer and was afraid that she might suddenly regret it, so he wanted to leave her enough room to maneuver.
He loved her, so he wanted her soul to be free.
But in fact, the climax brought about by kissing is no less than that of sex.
"No, this just means we're not in sync enough. Otherwise, I would be able to receive your brainwaves," the young lady said coquettishly, tilting her head back.
“It’s not your fault. There was probably a lot of rain in Cambridgeshire last night, so the signal wasn’t very good.” Li Xiran glanced around and quickly leaned down to give her a kiss.
Almost instantly, a surge of hormones made Shang Xinuan's legs tremble. "Li Xiran, let's find some time to deepen our understanding."
She had a completely lecherous look on her face, as if she wanted to devour him right there in the street.
Li Xiran: "Miss, how come I didn't know you were such an impatient little hooligan before?"
Shang Xinuan: "I used to be more reserved, afraid of scaring you away."
Li Xiran: "Aren't you afraid now?"
Shang Xinuan: "You're right here with me now. If you try to run away, I'll tie you up under the cover of night and take advantage of you."
Li Xiran shook his head and smiled with a mixture of indulgence and helplessness, "I wonder what you've learned in that little head of yours."
“It’s Qiao Xixi. After she found out we were dating, she shared her precious cloud storage with me.” As she spoke, the young lady couldn’t help but blush. “Mr. Li, would you be interested in learning together?”
They had arrived near the school and were surrounded by Cambridge students.
Li Xiran rubbed her head and said in a low voice, "Miss, in the academic atmosphere of the university, you should restrain yourself for now."
Volunteers from the Sino-British Students Cooperation Association were already waiting at the school.
Many classmates had arrived and were greeting each other.
Shang Xinuan wore a white dress with a long knitted cardigan over it. This was a rare simple and elegant outfit for a wealthy young lady, which instead gave her a scholarly air.
The moment she appeared, she instantly became the center of attention.
Both boys and girls were amazed by it.
"Oh my god, that girl is so pretty."
"The man next to her is so handsome, is he her boyfriend?"
"He looks much older than her, so he's probably her older brother."
The sound was neither too loud nor too soft, loud enough for those around to hear, including Shang Xinuan and Li Xiran.
When facing strangers, Shang Xinuan would naturally put on the airs of a young lady, standing obediently beside Li Xiran without saying a word.
"Hello, are you Li Xiran, Chairman Li?" The person in charge of Jiaqi Business School also arrived at this time and recognized Li Xiran at the school gate.
"Hello, I am." Li Xiran shook hands with him politely.
"So he's the guest lecturer our college was talking about yesterday! I'm so excited!" Li Xiran is a renowned figure in both the architecture and finance and business worlds.
In addition, his graduation from MIT made him a legendary figure among British and American students.
"I'm so envious. It's a pity our college has a formal dinner tonight, otherwise I would definitely ask you to look at the handsome guys."
"I'll take your picture."
The young lady took her backpack and said sourly in Shanghai dialect, "Chairman Li is so charming."
Li Xiran raised an eyebrow, tucked the stray hairs that were messy on her forehead behind her ear in front of everyone, and then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "The eyes of the people around us have never left Miss. In terms of charm, Miss is the better one."
Their unusually intimate gesture looked like a kiss to anyone who saw it.
Even the envious and excited tones around them turned into regret and disappointment. "So they really are boyfriend and girlfriend. How come all the outstanding ones are already taken?"
"I hate it!"
"I hate it too!"
Li Xiran stared into Shang Xinu's eyes, a wicked smile on his face. "Satisfied now?"
This move demonstrated sovereignty to both sides.
"I'll pick you up from school after I finish my speech."
-
Li Xiran stayed with Shang Xinuan in Cambridge County for half a month. On Friday afternoon, he received a call from Chen Ti, who said that there were some construction sites in Shanghai that he had to personally inspect.
Shang Xinu lay on the sofa with her head on his lap, her little mouth almost pouting to the sky.
"Send me the information first, and I will return to China on Monday or Tuesday."
After hanging up the phone, the young lady sat up and silently flipped through her textbook.
"You're holding the book upside down." Li Xiran leaned in and hugged him from behind. "I have to go back for two days. There are some important things that I need to take care of myself."
Shang Xinuan couldn't concentrate on her textbook at all, and after being exposed, she simply tossed it aside, saying, "Yes, yes, work is very important."
Even when he was being stubborn, Li Xiran laughed and said, "Miss, if I don't go back soon, the Li family will change hands, and I still need it to support you."
“...”
"I chose to come back on Monday or Tuesday, because you have a lot of classes on those days. You'll find out I'm already back by the time you hand in your assignment."
The young lady leaned back and snuggled back into Li Xiran's arms. "Then please go and come back quickly."
"Yes, sir!"
Li Xiran's flight was in the early hours of Monday morning. When Shang Xinu got up and went to open his bedroom door, she found that he had already left.
She lost interest and told the nanny not to come and cook for her today, as the young lady didn't like eating alone.
That evening, a formal dinner was held at the college, and by the time she returned home, it was already dark in Cambridgeshire.
If Yu Jiayue hadn't been by his side, the desolate, deserted streets would have taken on an eerie feel.
In a foreign land, she began to miss her family back in Shanghai.
I just couldn't make the call because of the time difference.
Upon arriving at her doorstep, she said apologetically, "I'm very tired today, so I won't invite you in."
Yu Jiayue nodded, "Get some rest, goodnight."
Unable to exchange any more pleasantries, Shang Xinuan pushed open the door to go home. Looking at the empty living room, she sighed heavily.
Recalling those days, at this time, Li Xiran would have already walked to the door to greet her, or to take her home together.
She kicked off her high heels and shuffled upstairs in her slippers.
Just as she was taking off her jewelry to prepare for a shower, she discovered that her jewelry box had been opened and a Harry Winston aquamarine ring was missing.
She had planned to wear it that morning, but considering the college dinner that evening, she opted for a simple platinum band instead.
Loneliness and exhaustion left her no time to think. After a quick shower and skincare routine, she collapsed onto the bed to watch the security camera footage from the doorway.
Then, feelings of grievance and a lack of security began to spread.
After a while, she picked up her phone from the bedside table, tapped the pinned profile picture, and sent a voice message to Li Xiran.
Silver Bowl Filled with Snow: [Li Xiran, I miss you so much. You weren't home today, so I didn't come back during the day, and I discovered that the ring I bought for my birthday is missing. I just checked the security footage and found that the nanny came by with a man at noon, and they stayed for fifteen minutes before leaving.]
Snow in a Silver Bowl: [I'm a little scared...]
She sent five voice messages, each nearly a minute long, before realizing it was 4 a.m. in Shanghai.
After that, any slight movement would immediately put her on alert.
That helpless, lonely fear began to spread slowly and unchecked.
Five minutes later, her WeChat rang with a video call. The moment she answered, she saw a sleepy-eyed Li Xiran.
He was leaning against the headboard when he saw her, and his expression immediately changed. "Why are you crying, sweetie?"
Shang Xinuan's eyes welled up with tears, and her voice choked with sobs, "I'm so scared, I want to go home so badly."
She began to regret choosing to study abroad, believing that a child who loves home should stay within the confines of their family.
"Sweetie, listen to me." Li Xiran comforted her to calm down. "Go get some heavy things like stools to block the door, and check the doors and windows again, both the first and second floors."
"Don't make a fuss about the lost jewelry until I get back, and don't say anything to the nanny to probe her. Just protect yourself, okay?"
Shang Xinuan's lips trembled as she sobbed repeatedly.
“You should go to sleep now. You have a big lecture with your professor tomorrow, so you need to be well-rested.” Li Xiran knew she was preoccupied and that if she kept thinking about this, she would only suffer from insomnia again. “I won’t hang up. I’ll just listen to what you’re saying.”
"OK?"
After a long and stressful day, and feeling down, Shang Xinuan listened to Li Xiran's gentle and low coaxing, and when she opened her eyes again, it was the next morning.
She still told the nanny not to come over to cook today, and then hid until evening before going home.
Just as she reached her front door, she saw the lights on on the first floor.
This made Shang Xinuan shudder instantly. When she tried to call Li Xiran, she found that her phone had automatically shut down due to low battery.
Helpless and frightened, she stood on the other side of the road, praying for divine intervention.
Just as she was feeling utterly helpless, the door was opened.
Li Xiran put on his coat as he walked out.
His expression was not very friendly, and he held the phone receiver to his ear, probably making a call to someone.
Shang Xin sniffed, and the moment she saw him, tears welled up in her eyes.
“Li Xiran!” she shouted.
Li Xiran looked up at the sound, his previously furrowed brows relaxed, and he quickly ran towards her.
"Oh my god, you scared me to death." She was immediately pulled into a warm embrace, and he gently comforted her from behind and the back of her head. "Why didn't you go home?"
Shang Xinuan never expected him to come back early. Her grievances turned into tears as he comforted her, and she sobbed, "I saw the lights on on the first floor and thought it was the nanny."
Li Xiran hugged her tighter, his heart breaking. "After you fell asleep, I took the next available flight back."
He watched her toss and turn restlessly in her sleep, and he lost all reason and composure to sit in his office listening to the shareholders shift the blame.
“Let’s go home.” He bent down and carried the person on his back. “I’ve already fired the nanny, but I didn’t mention the lost jewelry.”
After all, he was in a foreign country and would be studying here for two more years. He didn't want any accidents to happen.
"After that, we won't hire a nanny anymore. You can teach me how to cook."
Li Xiran opened the door with a smile, "With me, Miss doesn't need to know these things."
He was abandoned by Angela Chan at Wan Gong No. 1 for decades. Later, when he went to study in the United States, he also lived alone in a rented house.
He had no nanny to take care of him, and even had to catch up on his studies while taking over the work of the European part of the Li family.
"But you still have to work, won't you be very tired?" Shang Xinuan was carefully placed on the sofa by him, and he comforted her by holding her in his arms.
"Baby, this is something we can easily manage. You just focus on your studies, and I'll take care of everything else." He said, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Li Xiran, it's good that you're here." As long as he's here, she's not afraid.
“Honey, I’ve been here all along.” Li Xiran patted her back and told her what he had done since returning to Shanghai.
"You went to see your grandfather?"
“When we officially start dating, we should visit him in person and make a commitment to him.”
Li Xiran promised Shang Zun that no matter how Shang Xinuan viewed the relationship, he was absolutely aiming to get married.
"I also took care of something else." He handed the card on the coffee table to Shang Xinuan.
"Who is this?" It was a business card with a phone number on it.
"While you were sleeping, I thought about it all night. Two years is a long time, and I can't guarantee that there won't be any unexpected changes in my work situation, so I prepared a private jet and a whole crew just for you."
His tone was calm and even, like the most ordinary conversation.
They concealed all the complicated procedures and expensive crew fees.
“Li Xiran…”
Li Xiran hugged Shang Xinuan, whose voice was gradually choking up, feeling heartbroken beyond measure. "Nuan Nuan, it's dangerous to suppress yourself in a foreign country. I just want my little princess to do whatever she wants."
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-06-01 23:52:58 and 2023-06-02 23:49:28!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: yao期许 and 一二四1瓶;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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