Memories gathered once more.
Lu Qingyan bowed his head to press a kiss upon her forehead.
His voice was light and shallow, “Sweet dreams.”
Then he returned to his office chair to bury himself in work.
Come noon, he had called Jiang Nanshu for lunch, taking her out to dine at a restaurant and then leading her back in the afternoon.
She was listless, not even feeling like touching her phone.
“Lu Qingyan, you’re not keeping your word. I don’t want to deal with you anymore,” Jiang Nanshu propped her head up, her tone filled with dejection.
Lu Qingyan didn’t seem to mind much, countering, “Is it unpleasant being with me?”
Jiang Nanshu thought for a few seconds before replying, “Not really. It’s just that you have to work and can’t accompany me all the time, so I get bored.”
Considering Lu Qingyan’s feelings, she couldn’t voice anything that might hurt him.
As expected, Jiang Nanshu’s response cheered him up a bit, and he relented, “Then I’ll call Xu Xi to keep you company.”
Jiang Nanshu, “…”
In the evening, Lu Qingyan had to discuss a cooperation. This time, it seemed that there would be five presidents including Lu Qingyan, and he looked upon the familiar “Dragon Flying and Phoenix Dancing” restaurant.
A favored spot for business dealings among the Beijing Circle elite, it was fairly formal, surrounded by a parking lot full of luxury cars.
It was already seven-thirty when Lu Qingyan arrived.
For that, Jiang Nanshu had dressed up especially.
It was just too bad she hadn’t had proper time to enjoy herself before she aged.
Lu Qingyan was impeccably buttoned up in his shirt, his suit jacket left open, adding a touch of casualness. He stretched out his hand toward Jiang Nanshu, and their hands gripped tightly together.
Lu Qingyan also liked holding hands; he liked the sensation of grasping hold of something.
His eyes were gentle, the same as they were many years before, as he smiled warmly at Jiang Nanshu, “Let’s go in.”
He really wanted to introduce Jiang Nanshu to the public with “my” before her name.
Their private room was on the third floor.
Jiang Nanshu leaned lazily against him, “How long will we be?”
He stroked the loose strands of hair at her cheeks with his hand, “Just the time it takes to have a meal.”
Jiang Nanshu comfortably squinted her eyes, like a cat.
The scent on Lu Qingyan’s body smelled really good.
As long as she didn’t touch upon questions he was reluctant to answer, he was often quite normal.
He wrapped his arm around Jiang Nanshu’s waist as they walked to the private room.
Pushing open the door, the four presidents were already present, each with their spouses, chatting merrily.
Jiang Nanshu quickly scanned the room, raised her eyebrows; several familiar faces among the four couples met her gaze.
The smile in her eyes brightened even more.
Lu Qingyan introduced her directly, “This is my love, Jiang Nanshu.”
Someone quickly stood up, “So you are Mrs. Lu who has recently regained consciousness? Truly a lady of elegance, President Lu even postponed almost half a month’s worth of banquets for you.”
He spoke jovially to ease the atmosphere.
Jiang Nanshu looked at Lu Qingyan in surprise, then smiling at the standing president, “I don’t fully understand business socializing. Ah Yan has taken a lot of trouble to care for me these past days, delaying many matters. Please don’t blame him, Presidents. He is someone who takes work seriously, and working with him won’t be a loss.”
Jiang Nanshu’s words instantly smoothed the mood of those present.
Who’d dare to blame the heir of the Lu Family, with his overwhelming power and wayward nature, able to leave you anxiously bubbling with impatience during a stalled business negotiation, yet never daring to harbor a single complaint? Even if they were frustrated internally, they had no choice but to hold it in.
But Jiang Nanshu had such pleasant things to say.
The others echoed this sentiment, mostly uttering phrases along the lines of, “Following Lu Qingyan has its prospects.”
Lu Qingyan pulled out a chair for Jiang Nanshu, and after she sat down, he took the seat beside her.
Lu Qingyan’s change in demeanor truly astonished everyone.
They were no strangers to Lu Qingyan’s aloofness, treating them like an impassive King Yan, but this was the first time they saw his temperament so gentle. Of course, this tenderness belonged not to them but to his wife.
The sound of cutlery clinking against plates suddenly erupted.
Jiang Nanshu looked over and, with smiling eyes, said, “Su Ran, long time no see.”
Su Ran, her head bowed in slight embarrassment, had lost the youthful charm she possessed five years ago, her eyes now carrying a touch of world-weariness. Nevertheless, her well-maintained face was filled with the hard work of science and technology, unrecognizable from before.
The man sitting beside her, portly and short, was none other than President Wu, who had just stood up. He glanced at his wife Su Ran and then back at the smiling Jiang Nanshu.
With a hint of discontent, he nudged Su Ran, his tone gentle, “Gone mute? Mrs. Lu is greeting you.”
Su Ran’s body trembled slightly before she finally raised her head, her smile stiff, “Nanshu, long time no see. It’s wonderful to hear you are safe and sound.”
“Yes, all thanks to my Ah Yan; he’s the one who saved me,” Jiang Nanshu spoke with a sigh, flinging ’couple goals’ in her words.
Su Ran’s knuckles turned white from gripping too hard, yet she forced a smile, “I’m so envious of you, achieving what you wished for. You two must be happy together.”
Jiang Nanshu almost couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Su Ran’s acting skills seemed to be regressing; her mouth spoke well-wishes for their happiness, but her fingers were tightly clenched.
Her professional smile remained, “Thanks to your kind words, he and I will definitely be happy.”
Lu Qingyan couldn’t tell if she meant those words to provoke Su Ran or if they were sincere.
He chose to believe they were sincere.
So much so that when Su Ran looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, he pretended not to see her, instead merely dealing with the socializing, without straying far from: my wife.
Another couple, barely speaking a word, were Bao Yan and Xu Xingwan.
Xu Xingwan’s feelings towards Jiang Nanshu were complex.
She had originally intended to befriend her.
In the past, she was the first one who got on well with Xu Xi.
Xu Xi, a fervent little sun, brought warmth into her life. Later, because of Xu Xi, she got to know Jiang Nanshu.
Their strongest bond probably formed during the night of the Mid-Autumn banquet, when she joined her support team.
Even though there were only two of them there in support, her and Xu Xi.
But the sight of her performing a sword dance was exhilarating.
Xu Xingwan also longed to be as striking and free-spirited as Jiang Nanshu—unrestrained and living life on her own terms, with no one to dictate her actions.
She envied her like she had never envied anyone before.
Her envy made her even keener to escape from Bao Yan’s side, to go anywhere else, rather than remain as a plaything for him to vent his frustrations.
Perhaps as her resolve solidified, Bao Yan kept a tighter watch on her, preventing her from having any contact with Jiang Nanshu. Later, he, always so domineering, softened his stance, demanding she stay away from Jiang Nanshu, warning that it was a matter of life and death between their families and he wouldn’t allow the Jiang Family to survive.
So there was truly no need for their friendship to exist.
Lest she find herself unable to resist helping a friend out on the streets, like a beacon of saintly compassion, and ultimately getting hurt herself.
Similarly, if it were he who failed, the Jiang Family would never spare him either.
Xu Xingwan was torn and pained inside because, after being entangled with her foster brother for so long, she had… fallen for the man who forced himself on her.
Even though he had never made any promises to her, even when she was merely kept as a mistress in the shadows, she waited for him day after day.
She had betrayed her own principles.