But if Gu Qingcheng were to bring back a girlfriend, and it was one he was planning to marry… Yun Liuli wouldn"t know how to deal with it.
Lin Nuan knocked on the door and entered. "What are you guys playing?"
Little Candy ran over to Lin Nuan, tugged her fingers, and dragged her into the room. Her voice rang out clearly, saying, "Tuan Tuan"s Mama, come play house together with us!"
Lin Nuan smiled and squatted down on the carpet. Tuan Tuan walked over and sat down next to her, leaning his soft body against her as his lips curled up into a sweet smile.
"We"ll be having dinner soon. Shall we play after dinner?" Lin Nuan reached out her hand to wipe off the sesame that got onto Tuan Tuan"s face when he was eating a sesame cookie earlier.
"Sister Xiao Nuan…" Yun Liuli suddenly spoke up and looked toward Lin Nuan. "I"m not hungry. I don"t want to head down for dinner!"
Yun Liuli smiled at Lin Nuan as if nothing had happened. However, Lin Nuan could guess how tormented Yun Liuli must be feeling. Yun Liuli didn"t want to go downstairs and meet Gu Qingcheng"s fiancée.
"I"ll have Auntie Li bring the dinner to your room…" Lin Nuan said.
Yun Liuli shook her head. "I want to take a warm bath and then go to sleep."
Lin Nuan"s heart suddenly ached after hearing Yun Liuli"s voice that was like the purring of a kitten.
"It"s snowing outside. It"s the best feeling to take a bath on a snowy day…" Yun Liuli turned and looked out the window, speaking slowly.
Lin Nuan turned her head. It really was snowing outside…
It wasn"t snowing when Gu Qingcheng arrived earlier, and the weather forecast didn"t say that there would be snow. Lin Nuan had the feeling that this snow was like the misery in Yun Liuli"s heart.
Lin Nuan took the two children"s hands and led them downstairs. She got a servant to bring bubble bath bombs to Yun Liuli, hoping that she would be in a better mood after taking a hot bath and having a good sleep.
Ruan Anzhi was very quiet throughout the meal. She only expressed her thanks when a servant filled up her gla.s.s of juice, not saying much else.
Lin Nuan looked at Ruan Anzhi and Gu Qingcheng, who were seated together. No matter how she looked at it, the two of them didn"t look like a couple. Lin Nuan felt that it was more like a subordinate attending a dinner appointment with her boss. The boss only cared about chatting with his friends, while the subordinate only cared about the food placed in front of her.
Lin Nuan was slow about things concerning her own love matters, but she was sharp toward others. She lowered her head quietly, looking down at the small mountain of dishes that Fu Huai"an had placed on her plate. Her lips curled up into a faint smile. She was in a good mood as she peeled a prawn and put it on Fu Huai"an"s plate.
Fu Huai"an"s lips curled up upon hearing Tang Zheng"s joke. He saw Lin Nuan"s long and slender fingers, which had been stained with oil, from the corner of his eye. He naturally picked up the napkin next to his right hand, took Lin Nuan"s wrist, and then carefully wiped away the colors that shouldn"t be on her fingertips.
Their small actions between lovers didn"t escape Lu Jinnan"s eyes. He felt that Fu Huai"an had changed…
Both Fu Huai"an and Lin Nuan had changed. Whenever the two of them were together, the surroundings would be filled with the sour scent of love. It was very piercing.
Lu Jinnan loosened his collar and turned to get a servant to pour him a gla.s.s of iced water.
After Fu Huai"an cleaned his wife"s fingers, he put down the napkin, looked in Lu Jinnan"s direction, and said, "Old Lu, make a trip to the United States before the new year."
Silence filled the dining table.
Fu Huai"an didn"t look like he was just struck with the thought. It seemed more like he had it planned out for a long time.
The United States was a place Lu Jinnan had a strong urge to avoid…
Even the term "United States" brought an ache to his heart because someone was there.
Tang Zheng had just taken a bite of the spare ribs. Hearing the words "United States," he looked toward Lu Jinnan"s darkened face. He looked down and ate his spare ribs.
"Why do I have to go there?" Lu Jinnan picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of his spare ribs, pretending nothing had happened. When he bit down on it, he realized that it was a large piece of ginger that had been dyed into the dark color of soy sauce. It was very spicy.
"Although Ran Chaoqian has already returned to the country, his family is still detained in the United States. Think of a way to bring them back, and let Team Leader Ran have a peaceful new year!" What Fu Huai"an said was a serious matter.
Lu Jinnan nodded. After giving it some thought, he said, "You should be the one to handle this matter, right? Back then, you got to know quite a few political and military figures in the United States. You should be able to handle this better than me!"
When Fu Huai"an heard that, he smiled. "I have to stay at home and accompany Xiao Nuan and Tuan Tuan. You"re single and have nothing to tie you down."
Lu Jinnan was speechless.
Fu Huai"an had used a reason that Lu Jinnan was unable to reject.
Bachelor Lu Jinnan felt that his friends.h.i.+p with Fu Huai"an was going to be overturned. People who had gotten married were really amazing! Being single, he deserved to head to the United States to bring people back when the new year was nearing.
Ruan Anzhi was very surprised to hear the hint of a smile in Fu Huai"an"s voice. She hadn"t expected that a person like him would pull jokes as well!
However, Ruan Anzhi didn"t dare raise her head to look at him. Fu Huai"an"s compelling disposition was something that she had always been afraid of. It was like how she was afraid of Gu Qingcheng…
That day, Bai Jinyu ended up being unable to make it. The surgery lasted for more than ten hours. The patient"s spine had cracked, and Bai Jinyu needed to reattach the patient"s nerves one by one!
As it was snowing, Lin Nuan and Fu Huai"an didn"t get the others to stay after dinner. They were afraid that the roads would be slippery and it would be hard for them to drive.
When they left, Little Candy was already dozing off. Tang Zheng put on her jacket and shoes, then carried her in his arms. The kid leaned against Tang Zheng"s shoulder, her eyes closed.
Tuan Tuan was also starting to rub his eyes and yawn. He leaned in Lin Nuan"s arms, weakly waving his hands to bid Lu Jinnan, Tang Zheng, and the others goodbye.
At the door, after sending Tang Zheng and Lu Jinnan off, Gu Qingcheng said to Ruan Anzhi, "You head to the car first…"
Ruan Anzhi smiled and nodded.
Knowing that Gu Qingcheng had something to say, Lin Nuan looked at Tuan Tuan, whose small head was drooping down from her shoulders. She said, "I"ll take Tuan Tuan upstairs first!"
"Liuli didn"t come down tonight?"
Gu Qingcheng"s words were directed at Lin Nuan.
Lin Nuan looked at Gu Qingcheng"s stalwart and handsome features and nodded. "She probably feels that she might still have a chance if she doesn"t see your fiancée."
He pursed his lips. Gu Qingcheng, who had always been composed, seemed to have a hint of struggle and helplessness in his eyes.
The snow came down, and the hood of the car that was parked outside was already covered in a thin layer of snow.
After a long time had pa.s.sed, Gu Qingcheng nodded. "I"ll make a move first. I"ll still have to trouble you with Liuli. That child hasn"t had a mother since she was young, and I don"t know about the things that girls should know about. I don"t know how to teach her either…"
Lin Nuan understood Gu Qingcheng"s meaning. She nodded. "Don"t worry!"
Although Lin Nuan wasn"t old enough to take care of Yun Liuli as a senior, she was capable of telling Yun Liuli the little things that girls should know about in the capacity of an elder sister.
"After I get married, I plan on leaving Liuli in Haicheng!" Gu Qingcheng held onto a pair of leather gloves, speaking slowly. "I"ve bought a villa, and the renovations will be done in a few days. If you guys have time, help me go over and take a look, then buy things for her that are lacking!"