Liang Yufeng's fists clenched tighter. No matter when he heard this question, he would become nervous, even though Lan Lan had discussed this topic with him yesterday.
"I don't want to deceive you," Jiang Wan said. Although she was speaking hypothetically, Lan Lan knew that Jiang Wan had likely already made up her mind. Therefore, she responded with honesty. "Marriage is something that requires careful consideration and time for me. I can't promise that I will definitely marry him, nor can I tell you a specific timeframe. However, I can tell you with certainty that I like him. Even if I don't marry him, I won't date anyone else."
For Lan Lan, this was the greatest consideration she could offer a man. The promise she made to Jiang Wan carried much more weight than what she had told Liang Yufeng yesterday.
What Liang Yufeng truly desired was very little. His entire life, he had only been waiting for her to say, "I only want you." When he finally heard those words, he suddenly felt that whether they got married or not was no longer that important.
After hearing Lan Lan's words, Jiang Wan fell into silence. Liang Yufeng, worried that she wouldn't agree, said to her, "Mom, her attitude is my attitude." His words were filled with protection for Lan Lan.
Jiang Wan suddenly sighed. With things having reached this point, how could she possibly object? "Fine. You two handle it yourselves. If one is willing to be beaten, the other is willing to beat. I won't interfere anymore."
From beginning to end, Liang Yufeng had appeared inseparable from Lan Lan. If they were truly forced apart, Liang Yufeng would likely be even unhappier in the future, which would go against her original intentions.
Lan Lan hadn't expected Jiang Wan to relent so easily. Many of the words she had prepared hadn't even been spoken. In her surprise, Lan Lan stood up, bowed to Jiang Wan, and assured her, "Please don't worry, I will treat him well and never let him suffer any grievances again."
Jiang Wan: "..."
These words sounded like something the man should say. Had their roles been reversed?
She looked at Liang Yufeng. At that moment, he was still sitting quietly on the sofa, his gaze fixed on Lan Lan. The deep affection in his eyes was undeniable, as if the entire world had been occupied by her.
At this point, if she still tried to stop them, would it be of any use?
Lan Lan's willingness to apologize to her and speak her heart out for Liang Yufeng indicated that she had also developed feelings for him. Her son had finally achieved his goal after years of hardship. How could she bear to create more trouble for him?
"I hope you remember your words today and follow through," Jiang Wan finally said, stating her stance and attitude.
However, for Lan Lan, this was enough. She smiled, warmly linked her arm through Jiang Wan's, and said as she used to, "You haven't been back to Nanjiang for a long time, have you? Let us take you out for dinner tonight."
Her hospitality was hard to refuse. When Lan Lan took the initiative, few people could reject her. In the end, Jiang Wan was led out of the villa by Lan Lan and went to the city with them.
Lan Lan chose a private dining restaurant that required reservations. Upon entering, a waiter greeted them and led them to a private room. Liang Yufeng quietly asked Lan Lan, "When did you make the reservation?"
"Yesterday," Lan Lan replied with a smile.
Liang Yufeng asked again, "Are you so sure that my mother would be persuaded by you?"
"Not entirely, but it's always good to be prepared," Lan Lan said. "If Auntie hadn't agreed, wouldn't it still be nice for us to come eat by ourselves?"
In the past two days, Lan Lan had given Liang Yufeng too many surprises. He had never known before that she could consider him to this extent.
Perhaps it was because he had been neglected by her for so many years. However, the more attentive Lan Lan was to him now, the more it proved that she hadn't taken him seriously in the past. Liang Yufeng's mood was complex, and for a moment, he didn't know whether to be happy or to mock himself.
During the meal, Xu Zhengxi called. Jiang Wan invited him to join them. Xu Zhengxi arrived with a dark expression. Hearing Jiang Wan mention she was dining with Lan Lan on the phone, Xu Zhengxi guessed that Jiang Wan had likely relented.
Once Jiang Wan no longer opposed them, there would be no obstacles between Liang Yufeng and Lan Lan. He had never cared about Xu Zhengxi's opinion.
Xu Zhengxi sat down beside Jiang Wan. Lan Lan nodded in greeting. If Jiang Wan hadn't been present, she might not have even acknowledged Xu Zhengxi.
Jiang Wan stated her position to Xu Zhengxi, saying she would no longer object to their relationship. Xu Zhengxi's face darkened further. However, with Liang Yufeng present, he couldn't question Jiang Wan directly, so he turned to Lan Lan and said, "He is no longer the head of Xintai. Are you sure?"
"Certain," Lan Lan replied. How could she not know Xu Zhengxi's intention in asking this? He was still stuck in his own world, believing that she was with Liang Yufeng for the Xu family's money. Did she look like she was short of money?
"Poor couples often quarrel," Xu Zhengxi said. "These words are just spoken. When you can't afford to eat in the future, let's see if you still say them."
"You don't need to worry about that. I'll earn money to support him and make sure he doesn't go hungry," Lan Lan said.
Xu Zhengxi was embarrassed. What was she saying? A woman supporting a man?
Xu Zhengxi looked at Liang Yufeng. How could he not react to such humiliating words? Where was his usual pride and arrogance?
With Jiang Wan's consent, Xu Zhengxi could no longer threaten Liang Yufeng. There was also no point for Jiang Wan to remain in Nanjiang. Therefore, Liang Yufeng took Jiang Wan to his villa and let her stay there for a few days. During this time, he was also planning the route for their upcoming road trip.
Jiang Wan wouldn't be joining them on the road trip, so before they departed, they first took Jiang Wan back to the nursing home.
Their first stop was Linghai City. Summer was a good time to visit the seaside, and the coastal city was also very lively. The journey from Runcheng to Linghai took over five hours. Mai Xuanfeng, in the back seat, was extremely excited for his first outing, bouncing around the entire way as if he didn't know fatigue.
Since the hotel didn't allow pets, they rented a homestay. The owner led them into the room, which was a cozy duplex. It wasn't large, but it had everything they needed.
After a long journey, Mai Xuanfeng fell asleep after eating his dog food. Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng took a shower and then ordered takeout, sitting by the window to eat.
The homestay was by the sea. From the dining area, they had a clear view of the beach. The wind blew the waves, creating a beautiful scene.
With the sea outside the window and Liang Yufeng across from her, they ate lunch and chatted casually. Lan Lan felt more relaxed than ever before. Her previous trips with Yu Ran and Lan Zhong didn't compare to this sense of ease.
At that time, she was on annual leave, a brief escape, and her mind was inevitably occupied with work. Now, she was completely relaxed, with no need to think about arrangements for returning to work.
She suddenly felt that such a "low-ambition" life was also quite good...
Of course, the prerequisite was that the person beside her was Liang Yufeng.
With anyone else, it probably wouldn't have been as enjoyable.