Mu Jiu Chen was taken aback, a playful smile appearing on his lips as he asked, "Nuan Nuan, where do you want to sleep?"
Jiang Nuan's eyes flickered, her thoughts racing. Seeing Mu Jiu Chen's teasing grin, she retorted playfully, "With you!"
Mu Jiu Chen was surprised, his gaze deepening. The wolf in him stirred in his eyes. He had intended to tease her, not expecting her to suggest this.
"Alright, Nuan Nuan, I couldn't ask for anything more." His voice was deliberately ambiguous, the upward lilt in his tone making her heart flutter.
Mu Jiu Chen's brows were filled with amusement. He Ming Run had finally brought his beloved home, while he was still left to pine alone in an empty room.
Jiang Nuan: "..."
Her cheeks flushed slightly. She sat on the leather sofa, took off her shoes, and picked up a handful of popcorn.
Seeing her blush, Mu Jiu Chen remained outwardly calm, though a tempest raged within.
He turned on the projector. Jiang Nuan looked back at him, "What are we watching?"
Mu Jiu Chen: "A romance film."
Jiang Nuan slowly turned back, "Romance films are for couples. We haven't even confirmed our relationship yet?" A small sense of pride surfaced in Jiang Nuan's heart.
Mu Jiu Chen gazed at her intently, a smile playing on his lips, "Nuan Nuan, you agreed to watch a movie with me tonight, I thought I had already won you over? You are my girlfriend now, and you hold two more titles: the mother of my child, and my wife."
Jiang Nuan: "..." You sure know how to claim three benefits at once.
"Hmph! You didn't even ask me. Who agreed to that?" Nuan Nuan was upset. She lowered her head and continued eating popcorn, but unfortunately, she had eaten too much earlier and could no longer manage more.
Mu Jiu Chen had asked Chen Feng to prepare a popular romance film.
[Devotion]
The film began with a romantic scene of a couple playing by the sea, accompanied by a beautiful song.
Speaking of which, Jiang Nuan also had a lovely singing voice, but she hadn't had the time to pursue it due to the demands of life.
Mu Jiu Chen sat beside her, his arm around her.
Jiang Nuan looked at him with defensiveness.
Mu Jiu Chen watched her guarded expression with amusement, "Nuan Nuan, you're so skilled in martial arts. Even if I wanted to do something, I wouldn't dare, would I?"
Seeing that he was being sensible, Jiang Nuan didn't say anything more.
She picked up a piece of popcorn and fed it to him. The creamy and corn flavors instantly flooded his mouth.
"Delicious." Mu Jiu Chen rarely ate snacks, but this popcorn was truly excellent. "It's even more delicious when Nuan Nuan feeds it to me herself."
Jiang Nuan: "..." Honestly, nine out of ten sentences he spoke were meant to flirt with her.
Mu Jiu Chen lowered his head, "Nuan Nuan, I want more."
Jiang Nuan fed him another piece. Internally, she was surprised. Unknowingly, she and Mu Jiu Chen could now interact so naturally.
This man was full of sweet talk, yet she didn't find it repulsive.
"Mu Jiu Chen, have you really thought this through? Will you regret it later?" Jiang Nuan wanted to talk to him. Being in this ambiguous state made her nights difficult.
Mu Jiu Chen ate popcorn, his eyes cast down as he looked at her. He told her word by word, earnestly, "Nuan Nuan, does this even need thinking about? You've always been the one I wanted, the only woman I want to marry."
"We knew each other when we were children, you just don't remember. During the years I was away from you, I always kept track of your news."
"The night I met you in the alley, I was planning to look for you the next day to surprise you. I didn't expect us to meet that night. When you were in my arms, I still had my senses. I was incredibly grateful that fate brought you back to me."
"Afterward, I intended to take responsibility for you. I would have explained everything and given you time to fall for me. But you ran away while I was bathing, and you were gone for six years. You covered your tracks so thoroughly that I couldn't find you."
The world was vast, and even with his influence, without a single clue, finding someone in the vast sea of people was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Mu Jiu Chen stood up and walked towards the bedside table. He opened it, revealing a beautiful off-white basket filled with photos that he had asked Xiao Fan to prepare.
He brought it over and handed it to Jiang Nuan, "Nuan Nuan, look, these are photos of you from childhood to adulthood."
Jiang Nuan looked at the beautiful little basket, momentarily stunned.
"Mine?" she asked again, disbelievingly.
Mu Jiu Chen opened the lid for her. Jiang Nuan looked down and saw a photo of herself at eight or nine years old. The little girl's eyes were remarkably bright, but instead of the carefree expression of a child, there was a cold, detached air, hinting at world-weariness.
Jiang Nuan's breathing grew heavy.
She grabbed a stack of photos, looking through them one by one. From childhood to her teenage years, from a shy, tender girl to a graceful young woman, the photos instantly awakened many memories.
She looked at Mu Jiu Chen in astonishment, "Mu Jiu Chen." She called out, then didn't know what else to say.
She was deeply touched. Three days of acquaintance, while not a strong bond, and they were just children then. After half a year, with her being so busy, that memory had become hazy.
She only remembered the young man's smile as particularly handsome and bright when he ate the sour and spicy noodles she made.
"Nuan Nuan, it's delicious!" The young man wasn't very good at giving compliments, and she rarely received them.
They looked at each other and smiled, then lowered their heads to eat the noodles. He slurped his noodles quickly, and watching him eat made her happy.
Besides her grandmother and teacher, he was the first person to eat with her.
Mu Jiu Chen saw her eyes welling up and gently hugged her, "Silly girl, in life, only by encountering love can the heart find its home. During this time, I haven't pushed you too hard. I wanted you to get to know me slowly, to fall in love with me gradually. I don't want to cause you any trouble, lest your love for me turn into aversion."
He understood all of this.
Jiang Nuan didn't know if she had fallen in love with him, but when she heard news about him, she listened attentively. When she saw his messages, she read them carefully. Seeing him, she didn't find him that annoying.
"Mu Jiu Chen, thank you!" Jiang Nuan wrapped her arms around his waist, her gratitude sincere. So, there was indeed someone in this world who cared about her deeply.
Mu Jiu Chen's gaze shifted. After a moment of struggle, he said, "Nuan Nuan, what I want has never been 'thank you'!"
Jiang Nuan quickly let go of him, glaring at him indignantly, "Who was it that just said you'd give me time?"
"Me!" Mu Jiu Chen grinned foolishly.
Mu Jiu Chen pulled her back into his embrace and whispered in her ear, "Nuan Nuan, I know you had a difficult childhood, and your personality is rather reserved. I know all of this. But I really want to tell you, I want to be the person who can fill the void in your heart, and even more so, I want to be the person who can warm you."
These simple words, spoken from the heart, made Jiang Nuan's heart tremble slightly, as if gently nudged by something, filling her heart with sweetness.
Jiang Nuan suddenly looked up at him, her smile radiant, her red lips alluringly moist, "Mu Jiu Chen, I think you're almost there. I don't want to get married too early. I want to have a good romance. So, I agree to be your girlfriend now."