Chapter 6 The sky was completely dark, the moon…
The sky was completely dark, and the moon hung halfway up the sky.
A car slowly drove into the residential area, its blinding white light shining all the way, gradually revealing the mysterious appearance of the area. The first thing they passed was a circular fountain pool with a ballerina statue on top and a circular flower plate underneath that looked like a giant hand reaching out from the ground.
As you drive along the road, a row of neatly trimmed green trees blend together in the wind, and the car stops in front of a finely cut, streamlined granite building.
The car door opened, and a pair of white suede high heels landed first. Lu Xiao tidied her long hair, which had been ruffled by the wind as she got out of the car. She had a standard oval face, a slender waist, and an exceptionally good figure. Even a camel-colored knee-length coat couldn't hide her perfect figure. Her eyes were deep and bright, as if they had been carved with a knife.
Her beauty is different from Huang Shiyu's. Huang Shiyu's beauty is hidden in her big eyes, while Lu Xiao's beauty is lively and has a playful sweetness.
A female writer once used steamed pork with rice flour to describe Shanghai women: soft, tender, and not greasy, which perfectly describes Lu Xiao.
Lu Xiao quickly returned home, and upon entering, she took off her camel-colored coat and hung it on the coat rack behind the door.
DouDou, who was drawing in the living room, heard a noise and knew that her mother had come home. She ran over and called out to her mother.
After Lu Xiao changed her shoes, she heard the sound and looked at Dou Dou running towards her with a big smile. She reached out and hugged her tightly.
Lu Xiao looked down and ruffled Dou Dou's hair, asking, "How was your day at school, baby? Did you have fun?"
"The little cake the teacher gave us today was delicious." DouDou's happy smile quickly turned down again. "It's just that you and Dad made me wait for too long."
Lu Xiao also felt guilty. She half-squatted down to be at eye level with Dou Dou and said, "Baby, I'm sorry. Have you had dinner yet?"
Children's moods come and go quickly. Hearing his mother's question, he immediately smiled again, "Dad just ordered me a hamburger and fries."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiao frowned slightly. Shen Nanfeng knew that she was most opposed to Dou Dou eating these junk foods, and she even ordered some today. She was about to say something to explain, but she was dazzled by that smiling face and couldn't bear to spoil the child's mood.
I thought to myself, let's just do it this once, because a child's smile at this moment is priceless.
She gently pinched DouDou's nose, stood up, looked around, and found that she didn't see Shen Nanfeng.
Where is Dad?
"In the study."
Lu Xiao kissed the child's forehead. "Okay, go play."
Earlier, when she got into the car, she asked the driver to turn around so she could pick up Dou Dou from kindergarten. Shen Nanfeng sent her a message saying that he had already taken her home, and only then did her uneasy heart feel at ease, as if it had been freed from a sea of suffering.
Lu Xiao entered the elevator, pressed the floor button, and soon the elevator doors slowly opened with a ding. She quickly walked out.
This is a small villa of over 300 square meters, which is her and Shen Nanfeng's marital home. The overall decoration style is warm white. When the weather is nice, sunlight shines in through the geometric glass windows, and you can see the dark wooden floor with flowing light spots.
This is Wukang Road, a historic street in the heart of Shanghai, surrounded by many century-old Western-style houses.
The villa on Wukang Road used to be her dream home, and she had fantasized more than once about living there someday. Now, she has actually moved in.
But fatigue also followed.
The study door was half-open, and a sliver of warm light spilled into the dim room. Lu Xiao knew without guessing that this person didn't turn on the lights.
The first thing Lu Xiao saw when she pushed open the door was Shen Nanfeng, who was working at his desk. A small desk lamp with a warm yellow light was on next to him, making Shen Nanfeng's eyebrows and eyes look exceptionally handsome.
"What are you busy with?" Lu Xiao turned on the light.
Shen Nanfeng narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he was a little uncomfortable with the bright light. He rubbed the bridge of his nose for a while and said, "Handle some cases from today's court hearing records."
She knew that Shen Nanfeng was busy. During the mask period, cases piled up in various places, and many courts were short of staff and had many cases. Some cases were delayed for a long time and were not adjudicated.
Only when the trial deadline was approaching, with the trial management office urging him every day, did Shen Nanfeng have to handle cases during the day and review documents at night.
Shen Nanfeng would sometimes take home and process the records of those publicly disclosed cases or court hearings that had already taken place.
Lu Xiao poured him a glass of water. Shen Nanfeng was a little thirsty, so he took a sip to moisten his throat.
Only Shen Nanfeng usually works in this study, so Lu Xiao placed a water dispenser near his desk so that he could have a good working environment.
This way, you won't have to go downstairs to get water when you're thirsty.
They don't have a housekeeper; they only have a part-time cleaner who comes regularly. Lu Xiao doesn't like having outsiders living with them.
Seeing that he had finished drinking the water, Lu Xiao pulled out the wooden chair in front of her desk, sat down, and had the illusion that she was at work. "Don't give Dou Dou junk food in the future. He's still growing."
Shen Nanfeng sensed the reproach in her tone, stopped typing, looked away from the computer screen, and looked at Lu Xiao with a hint of helplessness in her voice, "Overprotection will only make children lack resistance. We went through the same thing when we were young, and we're still doing just fine."
“You always have a bunch of grand principles, I can’t argue with you.” Lu Xiao knew this would happen. Shen Nanfeng is indeed a law student. You can’t sway him. On the contrary, his words make you feel that he is very reasonable and easily sway your own thoughts.
Shen Nanfeng didn't intend to argue with her and changed the subject: "Let's not talk about that. How's work lately? I heard you say you've been under a lot of pressure."
Lu Xiao knew he was referring to the new project Huang Shiyu was currently working on: artificial intelligence. For a company that specializes in games, it was indeed too new and too challenging.
"Yes, a little, but it's alright. It's quite challenging."
This is the truth, not just a casual remark.
"Didn't you say you weren't sure if you could handle it?"
"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" Lu Xiao had a feeling that Shen Nanfeng was hiding something from her.
Shen Nanfeng's eyes flickered slightly, and he tactically covered his mouth: "Look, Dou Dou will be starting elementary school next year. My parents are getting old, and we can't let them take care of her. If she falls and hurts herself, that would be a big deal. You wouldn't feel comfortable asking someone to take care of Dou Dou, after all, that incident happened before."
Seeing Shen Nanfeng's evasive gaze, Lu Xiao was both angry and amused, and also a little confused as to why she was suddenly brought up this matter.
The incident that Shen Nanfeng mentioned happened when Dou Dou was seven months old. At that time, Lu Xiao was already working at Speed Technology, while Shen Nanfeng had already finished his paternity leave and was busy with those files every day.
Lu Xiao's parents were busy helping to take care of her older brother and sister's children and couldn't spare the time, while Shen Nanfeng's parents were too old to bother.
In the end, the only option was to hire a postpartum nanny. This nanny was from the same company as the one hired by Shen Nanfeng's colleague, so Lu Xiao was relieved.
Who would have thought that one day, she left a document at home and when she came back to get it, she found her child crying loudly in the bedroom, while the nanny was eating sunflower seeds and watching TV in the second-floor living room.
Never underestimate a mother's rage. After dismissing the nanny, Lu Xiao pulled up the home surveillance footage and compiled a series of evidence of child abuse.
The completeness of the evidence, with its conflicting legal provisions, even impressed Shen Nanfeng, a law student.
"You mean you want me to quit my job and stay home to take care of the kids?"
“I’m not telling you to never go to work again. You can continue working when Dou Dou is older.” Shen Nanfeng looked at Lu Xiao. Under the light, Lu Xiao’s eyes were dark, like a long-accumulated mist. He changed his tone and said, “Xiao Xiao, just do it for me, okay?”
When they first started dating, Shen Nanfeng always called her that, but as time went by, he heard it less often.
So, is Shen Nanfeng trying to use their past relationship to bind her?
Those who once held hands can now turn against each other with swords drawn.
Lu Xiao really wanted to cry.
Their eyes met for a moment, and just when Shen Nanfeng thought Lu Xiao would agree, Lu Xiao stood up, a cold smile playing on her lips, "You're right, so hurry up and quit that lousy job!"
Lu Xiao didn't want to stay here any longer, or rather, she felt it wasn't appropriate for her to be in the same enclosed space as Shen Nanfeng right now; she would lose control and go crazy.
Shen Nanfeng stopped her, "Don't be so extreme. I'm a judge. Do you think I can just resign like that?!"
Lu Xiao stopped and turned to look at Shen Nanfeng, who was sitting upright in the chair. There was a slight anger in her phoenix eyes. "Bullshit! I'm still a shareholder of the company. You're used to controlling others in court, aren't you? You know I hate it when people tell me what to do. Wait until you make more money than me before you talk."
Lu Xiaoping's lifelong motto is that as long as it's not too excessive, she's willing to suffer a little loss and doesn't want to make a fuss over such things. However, if you touch her sore spot, she can argue with you and fight for your rights.
Shen Nanfeng clearly knew Lu Xiao's temperament, but having been in a position of power for a long time, his tone was persuasive, "Okay, let's both calm down. Do you think it's right to compare who makes more money? Is this how you plan to teach your child in the future?"
Lu Xiao almost laughed out of anger at Shen Nanfeng's words. As expected of someone who studied law and dealt with cases year-round, he had developed a complete and clear logic and could always make the wisest judgment quickly. He would find flaws from one point and then guide you, adding powerful words that left you with no room for rebuttal.
"Does that mean we should teach children that the father's job is always more important than the mother's job? Is the mother only suited to be a housewife?"
She stepped back to the door, and the motion-sensor lights in the corridor turned on immediately, their bright white light as clear as day, reflecting a striking brilliance into her eyes.
"Okay, let's leave this topic here and calm down."
The look in Lu Xiao's eyes was a mixture of sadness and disappointment. He wanted to say something, but Lu Xiao had already closed the door, and the noisy street of Wukang Road returned to silence.
All that was left for him was that closed door.
A note from the author:
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