Lan Yu Xi’s nose stung, and she squeezed his hand tightly.
The four years she was gone, she hadn't had it easy, but he had it even harder.
“It’s all in the past,” Lan Yu Xi looked up at the white clouds in the sky. “Things will only get better for us from now on.”
Nan Xiao smiled and nodded, “They will.”
They certainly would!
Lan Yu Xi swayed their clasped hands, pointing to the basketball court ahead, and said with a smile, “That’s your stage. Every time you step on it, all the girls in the school run to watch you.”
“No matter how many there are, I can always spot you among them at a glance.”
“Your words are getting sweeter. Have you been stealing our daughter’s lollipops?”
Nan Xiao smiled and kissed her lips. “How can a lollipop be as sweet as your lips?”
Lan Yu Xi pushed him away with a laugh. Fortunately, no one was around at the school. Otherwise, she would have been too embarrassed to face anyone.
Nan Xiao chuckled and led her to the library. “I lost my temper with you here once. Do you remember why?”
Lan Yu Xi pouted. “Of course, I remember! That was the first time I helped someone deliver a love letter for you. You didn’t even look at it and cursed me out. I was so angry I didn’t sleep with you that night. As it turned out, it was a stormy night with thunder and lightning. I was scared to death.”
Nan Xiao ruffled her hair. “I stayed outside your window all night. As soon as you ran out, you would have seen me. But you didn’t.”
Lan Yu Xi paused slightly. “No wonder you had a fever the next day.”
Their hands clasped even tighter.
They had only walked around the school once, but because there were so many memories belonging to them here, they stopped and started, and the circuit took nearly an hour.
“Are you hungry?” Nan Xiao asked softly, seeing that it was getting late.
Lan Yu Xi smiled and nodded. “A little. Let’s go eat first. When we have time next, we can visit the classrooms.”
“Okay. After visiting the classrooms, I can also take you to the amusement park we used to go to.”
“That amusement park is still there?”
“It is.” With him around, how could her memories disappear?
The two walked hand in hand to the school gate. After greeting the security guard and the gate opened, they walked hand in hand towards the street with the noodle shop.
Nan Er followed them quietly in his car.
Ying rubbed his chin, staring at their retreating figures for a long time before asking in a muffled voice, “Nan Er, has your master been stimulated by something recently? Why do I think he’s a bit abnormal?”
Nan Er raised an eyebrow. *Your* master is the one who’s been stimulated! *Your* master is the abnormal one! KuAiδugg
*Ptooey!*
No, Ying’s master was his Nan family’s matriarch. He couldn’t say that!
“When you get married, you’ll know why my master is acting abnormal,” Nan Er replied grumpily. He took care of everyone’s wives, but you were left out. Can you be normal about that!
Ying raised his nearly foot-long index finger and pointed it at his nose. “Someone like me can get married? Are you blind!”
“What kind of person you are, we are all the same. By the way, the matriarch is hosting a matchmaking event and asked me, Nan Yi, and Nan San to go. What about you? Do you want to join?”
“No!” Ying refused decisively. He used to live a life on the edge, and he was used to a life without worries. If he found a woman and had attachments, he wouldn’t be able to protect the matriarch properly.
Seeing his resolute refusal, Nan Er said no more.
At seven o’clock, Nan Xiao and Lan Yu Xi finished their meal outside and returned home hand in hand.
As soon as they entered, they saw An Cheng and An Zheng Dao sitting in the living room.
An Cheng stood up quickly upon seeing them return. “President Nan, Mrs. Nan, you’re back.”
Lan Yu Xi smiled and withdrew her hand. “I was planning to let your family gather for a few more days before seeing you, but I didn’t expect you to come first.”
Nan Xiao glanced at Lan Jin Song, Ling Yun, as well as his parents and Aunt Ling, and asked in a deep voice, “Where is Xiang Nan?”
An Cheng’s face stiffened, and he instinctively looked upstairs.
Nan Xiao frowned slightly. This Xiang Nan was becoming more and more unruly! His father and brother were here, and he was hiding upstairs, leaving his father, his sister, and brother-in-law to keep them company.
Lan Yu Xi gently scratched his palm.
Nan Xiang Nan was not an unreasonable person. He must have his reasons for doing this.
Nan Xiao sighed softly, greeted An Zheng Dao, and sat down with Lan Yu Xi opposite the An father and son.
After sitting down, Lan Yu Xi observed An Zheng Dao. Although he was over seventy, he was still quite healthy.
It was just that his three sons didn’t resemble him at all. An Qian, on the other hand, resembled him more.
An Zheng Dao avoided Lan Yu Xi’s gaze and looked up at Nan Xiao.
“Patriarch Nan, I actually came back this time to have my eldest and third sons acknowledge their ancestors. But they are all grown up and very opinionated; not one of them is willing. It’s just a formality, to write their names in the family tree, and then they can go about their business as usual. I don’t understand why they are reacting so strongly. I’m old now, and my words don’t carry much weight. I’ll have to ask you to help persuade them.”
Nan Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly. “This is your family matter. It’s not appropriate for me to force them.”
Just that curtly refused?
Lan Yu Xi sighed inwardly, then looked at An Zheng Dao, who had a grim expression. “Mr. An, if they are really unwilling to join the family tree, perhaps their children could join instead? This way, it won’t hurt the harmony between you and your sons, and your wish will be fulfilled.”
An Zheng Dao looked at An Cheng with great distress. Of his three sons and one daughter, his profligate wife had either abandoned or given away two sons, leaving only this one. As for his daughter, she would get married sooner or later, so she wasn’t truly part of the An family.
An Cheng patted his father’s hand. “Dad, no matter what their surname is, they are all your sons. I think you should consider Madam’s suggestion.”
An Zheng Dao sighed heavily. “Alas! It seems that’s the only way. It’s all that woman’s fault for doing so many things behind my back. Otherwise, how wonderful it would be if our family were all together.”
Nan Zhen Ting took a sip of tea. “Even if they don’t want to change their surname, your family is still whole, Old An. Don’t dwell on it. The more you dwell on it, the further they will drift away from you.”
An Zheng Dao nodded with a dejected face.
Seeing his father nod, An Cheng said, “Dad, it’s getting late, we should be going.”
An Zheng Dao seemed to realize this and stood up quickly.
Lan Yu Xi immediately stood up and saw them, father and son, out.
“Mr. An, An Cheng, when you have time, let’s have a meal together.”
An Cheng smiled and pointed to Villa Number Four not far away. “Anytime. We are temporarily staying with my elder brother.”
“Then how about tomorrow evening? Let’s get together.” Lan Yu Xi said, calling Nan Yi to drive the father and son away.