55. The Moon Hides the Egret
"Shang Xinuan, you really... need a lesson."
When the plane landed at Heathrow Airport, it was already night, and Wilder's car was waiting outside the terminal.
Shang Xinuan didn't sleep well on the plane. She only fell into a deep sleep after getting into the car and resting her head on Li Xiran's lap.
When they woke up again, they had arrived in Cambridgeshire.
Cambridgeshire was covered in snow at dawn, a pristine white landscape.
Wilder said softly, "It snowed throughout the county the day before yesterday, so driving might be difficult from now on. Should we send another driver for Miss Nuan Nuan?"
Li Xiran gently stroked her forehead and heard Shang Xinuan murmur softly, "No need, the snow is too heavy, I'll just walk to school."
Of all the weather, the young lady's favorite is a snowy day, as if the whole world will be covered in white and return to its purest form.
It hadn't snowed in Shanghai for two years, but she still made a special trip to Yijing last winter to see the snow.
"Chairman Li?"
"No need, the snow is too heavy, I'll just walk slowly with her."
If the snowflakes are small, you can even feel the snow falling all over your head and your hair turning black and white in advance.
In any case, as long as it's with the young lady, life will always be vibrant.
-
The first day of the Lunar New Year.
The Cambridge Chinese Students and Scholars Association hosted a Chinese New Year luncheon to comfort overseas students who were unable to return home.
Shang Xinuan called Li Xiran from outside the corridor, "I can't be with you at noon, do you want to come to school and celebrate the New Year with us?"
Since Li Xiran founded a free information website for Chinese, American, and British students at his own expense, he has become a god-like figure in the hearts of these students.
As his girlfriend, Shang Xinuan was also treated as a VIP, and wherever she went, she was the center of attention.
Since no one saw him today, they all urged her to call and invite Li Xiran to celebrate the holiday together.
"You guys have fun, I'm afraid you'll feel uncomfortable if I go." After all, he used to be just a classmate's boyfriend. Now, if he shows up, he'll definitely become the center of attention.
"It's so lonely being alone!" Shang Xinuan pinched the snow on the wooden railing with her fingers. "Then I might as well go home too. There's no reason to leave my boyfriend alone at home during the New Year."
Li Xiran chuckled softly, “Good boy, it’s important to integrate into the group when you’re studying abroad. You are all outstanding individuals, and spending more time together will help you broaden your horizons and build your own network of contacts.”
Looking through the window into the hall, Shang Xinuan realized that all the Chinese students in Cambridge had gathered there today.
Given the young lady's personality, fitting in would be incredibly easy. However, for the past six months, her mind has been entirely focused on Li Xiran, and she has indeed neglected to interact and communicate with her classmates.
"Okay then, I'll spend the night with you when I get home. We'll have a New Year just for the two of us."
"Okay, I'll pick you up this afternoon."
The classroom was well-heated during the afternoon classes.
The girl next to me was already yawning. "Which school is so good that it's packed with classes on the first day of the Lunar New Year?"
By the time get out of class ended, it was already pitch black.
Shang Xinuan lay listlessly on the table, her phone vibrating muffledly a few times; it was the "Warm Home" WeChat group buzzing with activity.
Grandpa: [Happy New Year, my darling Nuannuan! Be sure to check your big red envelope!]
She received a bank transfer notification early in the morning, along with a Shang Group equity transfer document. This was Shang Zun's gift to her after she received her graduate school offer.
Uncle: [My darling Nuannuan, everyone's come to Lupu Beach to set off fireworks for you!]
Aunt: [Video.]
Shang Dan: [Happy New Year, Princess Shang.]
Qiao Xi: [Happy New Year, my dear sisters! The gifts are on their way...]
Snow in a silver bowl: [Happy New Year to Grandpa, Uncle and Aunt, Brother and Sister-in-law!]
[...]
After sending out red envelopes in the group for a while, things quieted down.
At this moment, the professor finally announced the end of get out of class, and Shang Xinuan immediately packed her schoolbag.
On the first day of the new year, she practically ran out of the school.
The sky was twilight, the world was pure white, and a few streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, casting long, broad shadows of the man through the sparse evergreen leaves.
Li Xiran leaned against the streetlamp, gazing intently and gently at the direction of the school gate. The misty, snowy wind ruffled his dark coat, but it didn't prevent Shang Xinuan from spotting him at a glance.
The young lady quickened her pace, and when she was a step away from Li Xiran, she dropped her schoolbag and rushed into his arms.
Their cheeks pressed together, warm and tender.
"Happy New Year." Li Xiran wrapped his arms tightly around her back, his voice low and tender, filled with longing.
The streets were exceptionally quiet on a winter night.
But when Shang Xinuan was on Li Xiran's back, she felt that this mortal world had become a dream.
When they arrived at the apartment door, Li Xiran didn't put her down; instead, he turned his back and unlocked the door.
She was placed on the entryway cabinet by Li Xiran, followed by a deep kiss.
Shang Xinuan accidentally turned off the entryway light while enjoying this beautiful scenery.
Snowflakes were falling outside the window, and the occasional sound of pedestrians trudging through the snow and the deep London accent could be heard.
In this quiet world, she wrapped her arms around Li Xiran's neck, wanting only to kiss him for a long time.
Their foreheads touched, their gazes burning.
Shang Xinan breathed softly, her eyes slightly moist, "Li Xiran, Happy New Year."
The next second, what came into her view was a fragrant and romantic living room, and a table full of steaming Shanghai specialties.
This is the New Year that Li Xiran spent with her in England, a New Year just for the two of them.
It was only after a long time that she realized why Li Xiran had refused to let her attend the banquet hosted by the Chinese and British students.
"Did you prepare all this by yourself?" On the table, her favorite Shanghainese dishes were neatly arranged.
Shrimp and sea cucumber, Songjiang calcium fish, osmanthus pork, eight-treasure chicken, Fengjing braised pork hock, and fermented pork offal.
There were even Wufangzhai pastries airlifted from China.
"I knew long ago that I wouldn't be able to spend the Chinese New Year in China, so I secretly practiced for a long time." It's quite something for a big boss like him to hire a Shanghainese chef from across the world to live in London and secretly prepare for more than a month.
"Li Xiran, if you keep spoiling me like this, you'll never be able to shake me off." In this world, besides her family's unconditional love, she could never find anyone who loved her more than Li Xiran.
"Really?" Li Xiran propped himself up on his arms and pulled her into his embrace. "It seems we need to step up our efforts and reserve Miss's next life in advance."
He said he couldn't bear to let anyone else love her.
When he was with her, he wished that there were endless cycles of reincarnation in this world, so that he could love her for thousands and thousands of years.
-
After the New Year, Li Xiran became even busier.
He smoothed out the entire network of relationships in London, and the Li family's business development entered a full-scale development phase.
From time to time, domestic and foreign delegations would come to Li Xiran for business negotiations.
He doesn't like bringing people home, and he privately protects that apartment as their home, keeping the separation between public and private matters very clear.
Occasionally, after Shang Xinuan leaves school, he can be seen sitting with some people in a Chinese teahouse near the school gate, discussing business.
He always manages to create a lively and comfortable atmosphere, making the group of people seem like they're just having a casual chat.
She would never disturb him, but would instead sit in the gazebo of the coffee shop across the street, doing her homework while waiting for him.
Perhaps the two have developed a unique rapport, allowing them to resonate with each other even when they are not in the same space.
When Li Xiran finished and stood up, he shook hands with everyone to say goodbye.
Shangxinuan also finished her assignment and clicked submit.
She finished the last sip of her latte, and the van outside the teahouse started up and drove away.
Li Xiran then strode toward her, adjusting his cufflinks with a refined air.
“Dear Mrs. Li, let’s go home.”
Shang Xin smiled and handed him her handbag, then took Li Xiran's arm.
It was an ordinary day, yet it was so vivid.
However, when Li Xiran was busy for too long, the young lady would occasionally feel dissatisfied. In particular, she waited for him to finish his meeting and go to sleep for three consecutive days, but in the end, she was the only one who fell asleep alone while holding her phone.
On this rare weekend, Shang Xinuan originally wanted to take Li Xiran to Peterborough to make up for the neglect she had been given during this time, but she had to postpone it because he had to attend a meeting.
Shang Xinuan sat in the dressing room, sulking, and finally her gaze fell on the polka-dot gift box in the wardrobe.
Those were sexy lingerie that Qiao Xi had given her before. After Li Xiran tore one piece to shreds, she almost forgot about the other one.
The design features a traditional Chinese sheer fabric, with only a few small flowers embroidered on the bodice, barely concealing the bright red color.
The back tie connects to the hem of the skirt, which is faintly visible below the navel, and a strand of hair falls loosely by the temple, making her look charming and alluring.
She leaned against the study door and beckoned to the person in front of the computer.
Li Xiran was in a video conference when he saw her, and his earlobes turned red instantly.
He coughed dryly while silently turning off the camera.
He then waved to Yanli at the door, signaling her to go back to the bedroom and wait.
The young lady frowned and bared her bare feet into the last of the tranquil places.
She leaned against Li Xiran's desk, her soft, slender white hand just touching Li Xiran's Adam's apple as it bobbed up and down.
Li Xiran's voice trembled slightly, then he covered it up with a cough, and helplessly put his finger up to shush.
The young lady leaned forward and bit his fingertip with her red lips.
Her slender waist was fully exposed to the spring breeze.
Li Xiran's hands trembled as he pressed the voice button twice before finally turning it off.
"Young Miss, fifteen minutes will be enough." He gently caressed her waist with his hand, his expression full of tenderness. "Ten minutes!"
Shang Xinuan shook her head and slid down from the table to sit on his waist and hips. "It said it can't wait that long."
The young lady's smooth fingers hooked around Li Xiran's shirt collar, her fingertips brushing against his chest skin, amplifying all her senses at the same time.
The man's whole body began to heat up, and in retaliation, the hand on his waist moved to her buttocks and pinched them hard.
"My little darling," Li Xiran's voice was both helpless and indulgent, "you're really driving me crazy."
The rustling of metal zippers was perfectly masked by the departmental reports, and even the dampness was swallowed up by the crowd.
As Li Xiran gazed into Shang Xinuan's glassy eyes, which were filled with misty tears, the veins on his neck suddenly bulged.
"Are you sure you don't want to wait ten minutes?" The threat was low and slightly provocative.
"Not even a second longer." She felt that those ten minutes would surely be exchanged for a lonely, deep sleep.
Upon hearing the answer, Li Xiran let out a soft chuckle and immediately unplugged the power cord.
At the same time, all the documents on the desk were swept to the ground by Li Xiran.
Shang Xinuan then realized that things were starting to slip out of her control; the cold, hard desk was pressed against her back.
One of her knees was also trapped in Li Xiran's arms, and the suffocating feeling of the deep kiss exceeded her usual limits.
Li Xiran hunched over, every movement of his seemed like revenge, or perhaps compensation.
He was no longer as gentle as before; when his hand landed on her buttocks, there was a crisp, clean sound in the empty room.
Even her voice trembled as it grew increasingly fierce, "Shang Xinuan, you really... need a lesson."
A note from the author:
There will be red envelopes in the comments section for those who missed yesterday's update!
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