Jiang Rong brought her Alaskan Malamute today. Bathing a dog is a major undertaking, so Lan Lan and Jiang Rong sat down at a dessert shop next to the pet store. Jiang Rong animatedly chatted with her about Gu Song.
After Lan Lan had played matchmaker for the two of them last time, Gu Song sent his mother's Border Collie to the school Jiang Rong recommended. Due to their pets, their contact gradually became more frequent. According to Jiang Rong, the two were even going to a dog trainer together tomorrow. From Jiang Rong's tone, it was clear she was very happy.
For men and women interacting, happiness is the primary principle. Lan Lan didn't worry about Jiang Rong getting hurt or taken advantage of like Liang Yufeng might have. She simply asked, "Have you tried to gauge Gu Song's attitude?"
"I've probed a little," Jiang Rong said. "I asked him if he liked younger people, and he said he was open to it. Does that mean I have a chance?"
Jiang Rong only lacked dating experience, not that she had never dated before. It wasn't that she was overly optimistic, but Gu Song's attitude towards her was decent. He replied quickly to their chats. If he had no interest in her at all, he wouldn't be like this.
Jiang Rong wasn't afraid of embarrassment and told Lan Lan her thoughts. Lan Lan agreed.
Although Gu Song was loyal to his friends, he wasn't this enthusiastic about women. If he had no interest, he wouldn't reply instantly or meet with Jiang Rong so frequently. After getting Lan Lan's affirmation, Jiang Rong couldn't help but overthink, "Sister-in-law, do you think he's only treating me this way because of Brother Yufeng?"
Lan Lan's attention was caught by the word "sister-in-law." "What did you call me? Say it again."
Jiang Rong: "...Sister-in-law."
Lan Lan burst out laughing. For the first time, she found the address so pleasant to hear.
Seeing Lan Lan laugh like that, Jiang Rong found it novel and curious. "So you have such childish moments too."
Just one address could make her so happy. It seemed that no matter how mature or rational a person was, they would become childish when in love.
"It's the first time someone has called me that. It sounds so good," Lan Lan didn't hide her joy. "What were you asking me just now?"
Jiang Rong had to repeat her question. Lan Lan immediately denied it. "Of course not. If he wasn't interested in you, no one's favor would matter."
With Lan Lan's words, Jiang Rong felt much more at ease. "Then I'll try to probe deeper the next time we meet."
Lan Lan felt that Liang Yufeng underestimated Jiang Rong. She wasn't a girl who would be overly eager without any strategy. Although she lacked experience compared to Gu Song, she knew how to play the game and was patient. There was no need to worry about Gu Song completely dominating her.
After chatting about Gu Song for a while, Jiang Rong then asked about Lan Lan's wedding.
Lan Lan had previously participated in Lin Mei's wedding preparations and knew how grueling the process was. Now that it was her own, it was even more tiring. Customizing wedding dresses, wedding rings, and taking engagement photos – any one of these was a physically demanding task.
Lan Lan wasn't particularly interested in taking engagement photos, but Liang Yufeng seemed to have an obsession with them. He even personally contacted a very famous photographer. Seeing his expectant gaze, Lan Lan couldn't bear to disappoint him.
The photographer Liang Yufeng booked was a special contributor to fashion magazines, often photographing celebrities. The price for a set of photos was as high as six figures. Their shooting location was in a villa district in Nanjiang. Before the shoot, Lan Lan, Liang Yufeng, and the photographer discussed the shooting plan, and they finally decided to bring Mai Xuanfeng along.
Mai Xuanfeng held significant meaning for the two of them. In a way, she was a witness to their relationship and a part of their family.
Lan Lan personally prepared all the outfits for the engagement photos. There were four sets in total, not many, but each was meticulously matched. Even the photographer praised her taste.
But no matter how good her taste was, it couldn't withstand the fatigue of the shoot. Although it wasn't as grueling as a studio shoot, after a full day of shooting, Lan Lan's back and waist ached. Even Mai Xuanfeng, who usually had boundless energy, fell asleep on the way back.
The gratifying thing was that the quality of the finished photos was quite good. Lan Lan got a few satisfactory raw photos from the photographer. Her favorite was the "family photo" of her in a wedding dress, Liang Yufeng in a suit, and Mai Xuanfeng in a lace skirt. Lan Lan set the photo as her phone wallpaper.
While waiting for the traffic light, Liang Yufeng happened to glance at the photo and said, "Mai Xuanfeng is so cute."
Lan Lan immediately became displeased, feeling both annoyed and amused. "Yes, yes, she's cute. Go be with her then."
Liang Yufeng: "..." He still wasn't accustomed to her being jealous and momentarily forgot how to appease her.
The light turned green, and Liang Yufeng started the car. He saw Lan Lan turn her head towards the window and asked, "Are you angry?"
When he didn't get an answer, Liang Yufeng explained, "I didn't mean it that way."
Lan Lan: "You did mean it that way. What you said was true; men reveal their true colors right after marriage."
Liang Yufeng: "It's because Mai Xuanfeng was in the middle, and I saw her first. I'm sorry."
He wasn't angry at Lan Lan's "unreasonable behavior" and was even happy, as he rarely saw her like this.
Lan Lan wasn't truly angry with him. It was just a playful jest, and she knew when to stop. Mai Xuanfeng had been raised by her, after all.
During the wedding preparations, Yu Ran and Lan Zhong stayed in Nanjiang. The couple lived in Lan Lan's apartment and would come to Liang Yufeng's villa during the day to have meals with Lan Lan.
Liang Yufeng had previously promised Yu Ran and Lan Zhong that he would choose a pet dog for them. In early October, Jiang Rong's friend's kennel had two-month-old Alaskan Malamutes. After Liang Yufeng showed Yu Ran photos, Yu Ran particularly liked one. Therefore, Liang Yufeng took some time to bring the Alaskan Malamute back from the kennel, temporarily keeping it at the villa.
When it was brought back, the Alaskan Malamute was less than two months old and seemed "petite" in front of Mai Xuanfeng. The puppy was incredibly cute, fluffy like a little pig, and especially endearing when it rolled on the ground.
Yu Ran's heart melted, and he eventually named it "Tang Yuan."
Tang Yuan was a gray-and-white puppy, round and carefree. The day after arriving, it had already befriended Mai Xuanfeng.
Lan Lan's apartment didn't have dog supplies, so Tang Yuan was kept there during this period. Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng also got a taste of life with a second child in advance.
Although Tang Yuan was small, it showed no less spirit when arguing with Mai Xuanfeng. In recent days, the most common activity for Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng was resolving the conflicts between the "siblings."
One evening, Mai Xuanfeng and Tang Yuan started arguing over a toy. The two dogs were growling at each other, and eventually, they came to Lan Lan for resolution.
Lan Lan lost her patience and directly took the toy away. "Neither of you gets to play with it. Go to that corner and stand facing the wall for a time-out."