Lan Yan said calmly, “You might have already forgotten, or it might not matter to you, but I still want to clear things up for myself. That night, when I spoke to you alone, it wasn’t to hit on you. I wanted to tell you that you adding me as a friend was out of politeness, and me accepting was too. We could delete each other.”
Yuan Qianyun was stunned for a moment.
Lan Yan didn’t care about her reaction. She finished speaking and walked away.
“Sorry.” Yuan Qianyun’s voice came from behind her. “At that time, I was just unhappy with Chen Boyu, not… I know you and Chen Boyu have already broken up.”
Lan Yan paused slightly. “It’s fine.”
After breaking up with Chen Boyu, Yuan Qianyun was just a stranger to her. There was nothing more to talk about. Lan Yan nodded and continued walking forward.
Who would have thought Yuan Qianyun would follow her? She seemed to know it was too forward for acquaintances, but she couldn’t hold back. “My relationship with Chen Boyu’s older brother is heading toward an agreement to divorce too.”
Lan Yan didn’t know what to say, so she stayed silent.
In her impression, Yuan Qianyun was a strong, decisive woman, but at that moment, she showed a rare bitter side. She shouldn’t lack friends, but perhaps she felt that once they left this exhibition hall, they might never meet again in this lifetime, making Lan Yan the perfect person to confide in.
“…I found out I have some issues with my ovaries. If I want to get pregnant, I need hormone treatments to stimulate ovulation, and even then, it’s not guaranteed. I don’t want to risk my health on futile attempts… And obviously, for a family like the Chen family, having children is non-negotiable.” Yuan Qianyun shrugged. “Chen Boyao and I fell in love freely. I thought even without kids, it wouldn’t affect our relationship. I was too optimistic.”
Lan Yan was speechless with surprise. “…What about adoption?”
“Bloodline is what matters.”
“…It’s the 21st century now, isn’t it?”
Yuan Qianyun laughed. “Maybe the Chen family follows a different calendar.”
Lan Yan laughed out loud too.
“Breaking up with Chen Boyu was a very wise choice. Those brothers might not be bad people, but it’s hard to completely escape the environment you grew up in. I put a lot of effort into Chen Boyao, but in the end, he still sided with his family.” Yuan Qianyun looked at her and apologized sincerely again. “I’m truly sorry. At that time, I fell into habitual thinking too.”
“I already said it’s fine.”
Yuan Qianyun pulled out her phone. “Want to add each other on WeChat?”
Lan Yan smiled. “I think not. We probably won’t cross paths much in the future. Maybe we’ll run into each other in some museum someday, and we can tour the exhibits together then.”
Yuan Qianyun gazed at Lan Yan. “…Chen Boyu missing out on you is his loss.”
“I think so too.”
Yuan Qianyun laughed again. “So, can we tour the exhibits together today?”
“If you need a semi-amateur guide.”
Without a doubt, Yuan Qianyun was a great exhibition partner—attentive enough and curious enough.
They wandered until five o’clock, when the museum closed.
At the museum entrance, Yuan Qianyun had a car pick her up, and they parted ways. They didn’t add each other on WeChat, respecting the fleeting nature of their encounter.
Lan Yan pulled out her phone, opened WeChat, and remembered that someone had been blocked.
She wasn’t willing to unblock him, but just then, a new text notification popped up at the top.
【Liang Jingchuan: Trouble the young lady to cross the street.】
Lan Yan looked up. Across the street, a familiar black SUV was parked on the roadside.
Her phone vibrated again.
【Liang Jingchuan: If you’re unwilling, just stand there. I’ll turn around.】
With extreme reluctance, Lan Yan walked to the roadside, waited for the light, and crossed the pedestrian crossing.
The driver’s door opened. Liang Jingchuan got out, went around to the passenger side, opened the door, and held it for her as she got in.
She was afraid of getting zapped by static if she opened the door herself, so this actually helped her out.
She bent down and got into the car, suddenly realizing that Liang Jingchuan might have known about her static-prone constitution and opened it for her on purpose. Her face immediately fell.
Liang Jingchuan returned to the driver’s seat and started the car.
He glanced over. Not surprisingly, she had a sour expression.
But she wore a white rabbit-fur top that made her skin look snow-white. The fluffy clothes gave her a completely harmless vibe.
Lan Yan lifted her eyelids slightly.
Liang Jingchuan stared at her too much. She worried for her personal safety, but she really didn’t want to talk to him, so she endured it.
Around six, they arrived at the hotel. They waited in the lobby for a bit until Lan Junwen and Liang Xiaoxia arrived.
Liang Xiaoxia looked at Lan Yan and immediately noticed the white crossbody bag slung over her shoulder—this bag was versatile; with a long chain, it became a crossbody.
She was delighted. “Yanyan, you’re carrying this bag.”
Lan Yan smiled and nodded.
“Can I take a photo?”
Lan Yan generously turned sideways.
After the photo, everyone took the elevator upstairs to the restaurant.
They found seats and went to get food.
Lan Yan took some seafood and returned to the table. Liang Jingchuan was already sitting there.
Her seat was on the inside.
She glanced at the opposite side, where Lan Junwen and Liang Xiaoxia had placed their things. Switching seats would be inconvenient, and going to another table would invite questions.
Liang Jingchuan drank his lemon water as if he hadn’t seen her.
Lan Yan gritted her teeth. “…Move over.”
Only then did Liang Jingchuan stand up with a smile.
Lan Yan walked inside and sat down. Liang Jingchuan pushed the plate in front of him toward her, then turned and went back to the food area.
The plate had fruits and desserts—things she liked, or would like.
Soon, everyone finished getting their food and returned.
With the holiday started, everyone was in high spirits and chatted freely about all sorts of topics.
Liang Xiaoxia looked at Liang Jingchuan, who sat across from her. “A-Chuan, I want to ask you something.”
From childhood, whenever Liang Xiaoxia called “A-Chuan,” it was rarely good news. Liang Jingchuan had developed a conditioned reflex.
“…What is it?”
Liang Xiaoxia said, “Don’t get mad when I say it. I’m just asking your opinion, not forcing you.”
“You say it first.”
“I have a classmate whose daughter is a few years younger than you. She just finished her master’s in the UK and came back. I’ve seen her photos—she’s very pretty… If you’re willing, can I set up a dinner? It won’t be just you two; my classmate and I will be there too.”
Liang Jingchuan restrained himself from looking at Lan Yan’s reaction. “…They suggested it?”
“Yeah… You’ve met my classmate. You might have forgotten, but back in middle school, when we went to East City, we ate at her house once.”
“Auntie Xie?”
“Right.”
A cup was gently set down on the table. As Liang Jingchuan turned his head, Lan Yan stood up and said softly, “Excuse me, I need to get more grapefruit juice.”
Liang Jingchuan stood up. Lan Yan walked out. He glanced at her face—her expression was perfectly calm.
There was freshly made beef something-or-other. Lan Yan waited for a portion, refilled her grapefruit juice, and returned to her seat. The matchmaking topic was already over.
No one in the family was a big eater. If the meal vouchers hadn’t been complimentary, this meal wouldn’t have been worth it.
Lan Junwen and Liang Jingchuan had both driven, so they should have split into two groups naturally.
But in the parking garage, Lan Yan followed behind Lan Junwen.
“Your stuff is still in my car,” Liang Jingchuan said.
Lan Yan stopped and looked at him speechlessly.
He knew her logic: first rule was not to cause trouble in front of adults. So he had her pinned openly.
Liang Jingchuan looked perfectly upright. After a subtle standoff, Lan Yan walked toward him.
She walked quickly and unwittingly overtook him.
He laughed helplessly from behind. “Wrong way.”
She stopped, turned around, and caught up to Liang Jingchuan, already wanting to kill him.
Fortunately, from getting in the car to pulling up at the neighborhood gate, he didn’t provoke her anymore. He was as quiet as a dutiful private driver.
The car entered the neighborhood and found an empty spot—home had only one parking space, so the other car had to park flexibly.
Lan Yan reached for the door handle. It wouldn’t open.
She pressed the button above the handle and pulled again. Still locked.
“It’s locked.”
Lan Yan whipped her head around to look at him.
Liang Jingchuan rested his arm on the steering wheel. “I turned down the meeting.”
Lan Yan stayed silent. She figured Liang Jingchuan knew her expression said, “Why should I care?”
“Yes, it has nothing to do with you. Anyway, you wouldn’t care if other women entered my life, moved into my house, ate the food I cooked…” He paused. “…Used my used bath towel.”
Lan Yan’s eyelid twitched.
Liang Jingchuan looked at her and continued unhurriedly, “…hold hands with me, kiss me, get into bed…”
“Shut up.”
Liang Jingchuan feigned surprise. “Looks like you can somewhat understand how I felt imagining you getting into bed with Chen Boyu in the room next door.”
Lan Yan didn’t know what reaction was appropriate now. He was banking on her worrying about his safety. She wasn’t indifferent to him, so he was growing reckless.
But she knew the sudden suffocation she felt wasn’t from anger.
“…What exactly do you want?” Lan Yan looked up at him, her gaze sharp and cold. “Choices can just be ignored completely? Can you respect my will?”
Liang Jingchuan straightened up, unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned in suddenly, grabbed her wrist with one arm—his thumb pressed against her pulse. “First, you have to make me believe that’s your true will.”
His voice trailed low, but his breath drew closer.
The last word was barely audible, his breath right there.
Lan Yan instinctively held her breath. Those approaching cold, clear eyes made her heart skip a beat.
Her pulse was about to betray her. She yanked her hand free, yanked the door handle hard.
It opened.
When had he unlocked it?
As if he’d predicted she’d flee.
Lan Yan didn’t care. She shoved the door open and jumped out, hearing Liang Jingchuan’s voice from the dim driver’s seat: “You really did leave something. You dropped it at my place last time. In the trunk.”
Lan Yan couldn’t remember what she’d left. She hesitated, then went to the back.
She pressed the button, and the trunk lifted.
A huge bouquet of white roses lay there quietly, wrapped in white packaging like a handful of pure, light new snow.
She slammed the trunk shut.
But whether she took it or not, she’d seen it, known it. The goal was achieved, wasn’t it?