Translator: 549690339
When su Yicheng sent Anran to âsincerity constructionâ, it was exactly 8:55. When he went upstairs to clock in, it was exactly 9:00.
He placed his public bag into the cabinet on his desk. As soon as he turned on the computer, the phone on the table rang. It was Lin Li.
Anran reached out and took it. As she organized the information, she said, â &Quot; Your Majesty, youâre calling so early in the morning. What do you want? â
The person on the other end of the phone wasnât as carefree as usual. Today, Lin Li was a little quiet and only spoke after a long while.âAn Zi.â
âWhat?â As if sensing that something was wrong, Anran asked, â whatâs wrong? what happened? â
On the other side of the phone, Lin Li sighed softly, then asked, â back then ... When you found out that mo Fei betrayed you, how did you feel? â The voice was hollow and lacked spirit.
Anran was stunned, and she had a bad feeling in her heart. She frowned slightly and asked tentatively, â âLin Li, whatâs the problem between you and Chengxiang?â
There was silence, so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard. Anran clutched her phone tightly, her brows furrowed.
After a long time, so long that Anran thought that she was no longer next to the phone, Lin Li finally opened her mouth and said, â &Quot; I saw a text message on his phone. It was very intimate and intimate. &Quot;
Anran was stunned. She never thought that Chengxiang would betray her, or rather, she didnât believe that Chengxiang would betray her!
âAre you mistaken? Chengxiang, Chengxiang shouldnât be that kind of person!â They had known each other for almost 10 years. Chengxiangâs character was as gentle and harmless as his appearance. She had seen his kindness and tolerance for Lin Li. To be honest, she really found it hard to believe that Chengxiang would betray her, not to mention that they already had a child. In addition, they were about to get married in a few days. âDid you ask him? He admitted it?â
âNo, I havenât. Heâs on a business trip and forgot to bring his phone home.â He only saw the message because he didnât bring his phone. She didnât believe that Chengxiang was such a person either, but the text message on the screen was indeed irrefutable.
Anran was silent for a while before she said, â Lin Li, I think you should wait for him to come back before you ask him about this. Iâm afraid thereâs some misunderstanding. Youâve been with Chengxiang for ten years. Donât you know what kind of person he is? â You can feel how he treats you. Do you really believe that he would betray you, betray your 10 years of relationship?â
......
There was silence again, and after a long while, Anran heard a low voice on the other end of the phone. It seemed like he was forcing a smile and saying, â &Quot; yes, youâre at work, right? you can go back to work. Iâm fine. &Quot; After that, he hung up the phone.
Anran held her phone and looked at the screen, which had turned black again. She was a little worried. Just as she was about to make a call, there was a knock on the door. She looked up and saw Huang Dexing standing at the door with a smile.
Anran had no choice but to put down the phone again. She stood up and asked, â âDirector, whatâs the matter?â
Huang Dexing raised his hand and motioned for her to sit down. He pulled out a chair and sat down in front of her. She smiled and said, â Special Assistant su sent you here in the morning, right? â
Anran felt a little awkward at his question. She nodded and asked again, â âWhatâs the matter, director?â
âHehe, itâs nothing.â Huang Dexing smiled, but suddenly stopped smiling and said with a slightly serious tone, â âBut you shouldnât have told everyone about your marriage.â
Anran blushed with shame. The speed at which she and su Yicheng got their marriage certificate was simply amazing. How could she have informed him in time? Moreover, there was no plan to hold a wedding or invite guests after the event, so there was no need to say anything.
He laughed awkwardly and said, â âHehe, we, we are all afraid of trouble.â
Huang Dexing nodded with a gentle smile on his face. He seemed to be a little emotional as he said, â Anran, youâve been in the company for more than six years. I can be considered half your teacher. &Quot;
Anran looked at him and nodded. It wasnât just half. When she first came out of school, she couldnât even pass the blueprint, but now, she could design a building and a community on her own. All of this, seriously speaking, was indeed inseparable from his guidance. Although he was sometimes very strict and unreasonable with his words, only a strict teacher could produce a good student! She was still grateful for this.
Seeing her nod, Huang Dexing quickly smiled and said, â âSince youâre considered half a teacher, then since youâre married and are a teacher, you should at least show some appreciation. How about this, Iâll treat you and special Assistant su to a meal at Kailong tonight? Just take it as wishing you a happy wedding.â In fact, this was the purpose of his visit today. Who was su Yicheng? he would be the head of Jiangcheng in a few years âtime! In addition, according to the news, he was likely to take over the technology City case. Before, he had been worried about how to get closer to him, but he never expected him to be Anranâs husband. This gave him a reasonable reason to get close to him. Maybe when the technology City was built, he could get a share.
Anran was silent for a while. Although she wasnât smart, she could tell that he meant to eat. Having been in this line of work for six years, she had seen many such business dinners. Chinese people seemed to always like to talk about things at the dining table, and this was an indispensable part of it. Wine was always the most likely thing to make people put things wrong and say the wrong things.
Seeing that she didnât speak for a long time, Huang Dexing reminded her, â âAn ran?â
An ran came back to her senses and smiled apologetically. &Quot; Iâm sorry, director. Yicheng ... Yicheng is busy today. Iâm afraid he wonât be able to have this meal, but thank you for your blessings. Thank you! &Quot; Although she didnât know how many of su Yichengâs dinner parties she had attended, she wouldnât make any promises on his behalf without asking for his opinion at all. After all, his identity was too special!
Huang Dexing didnât give up. &Quot; I see, â he asked again. &Quot; what about tomorrow? â
âHeâs been pretty busy these days.â An ran said without changing her expression.
Huang Dexing looked at her for a while, then suddenly laughed and said, â &Quot; Anran, do you have any concerns? â
&Quot; director, you must be joking. What could I care about? itâs just that Yicheng has been really busy recently. He always comes back in the middle of the night. &Quot; &Quot; how about this? â Anran said apologetically. &Quot; next time, when heâs free, we can invite the director again. It can be considered as you nurturing and taking care of me over the years. &Quot;
Hearing her say this, Huang Dexing didnât say anything more. He looked at her, smiled, and nodded. &Quot; okay. By the way, howâs the design plan going? weâre going to compare the drafts tomorrow. &Quot;
An ran nodded and replied,âitâll be done after one more day.â &Nbsp;
&Quot; well, show me after youâre done. If you have any questions, just ask me directly. &Quot; Huang Dexing stood up as he spoke. &Quot; alright, thereâs nothing else. You can continue working. &Quot;
Anran nodded and walked him out of the office. Just as she watched him leave and was about to close the door, she happened to meet Xiao Xiao, who was leaning against the door of her office. She glared at her fiercely and turned around. Bang! He closed the door. Anran only felt that it was strange. She didnât even know how she had offended her. She seemed to want to eat her up every time she saw her.
However, she couldnât care less about what other people thought and did. She just treated them as air. Naturally, she didnât want to be angry with air or that illusory thing. She turned around and went straight into the office, sitting back at her desk.
After Huang Dexingâs interference, Lin Liâs phone was already turned off by the time Anran called her back. Frowning, she called Lin Liâs home again. A mechanical and cold voice came from the phone, reminding her that the number she dialed was temporarily unavailable. Anran knew that Lin Li had probably pulled out the phone line as well, and she became even more worried.
It wasnât easy for her to make it to noon. She originally wanted to go to Lin Liâs place because she was still a little worried. Lin Li was usually carefree and didnât think much of it, but when something really happened, her heart was actually quite fragile. Back then, when she had just established her relationship with Chengxiang, not long after, Chengxiang suddenly disappeared for a week without any warning. She didnât know where his family went when she contacted him. That week, Lin Li completely cut off all contact with him. Lin Li lost more than 10 pounds in an instant. She was depressed and didnât even have a human face.
Just as she was getting off work at noon, a call from the construction site came in, saying that there was a problem with the design and that she had to go over to take a look immediately. If the design plan didnât work, it would directly affect the progress of the project. He couldnât wait any longer, so he had to pack his bag and leave. He didnât even close the office door when he left.
The sun was hanging high up in the sky. It was not the hot season yet, but the sun was still shining brightly. When he came out of the construction site, it was already a little over. He was covered in dust, and his throat seemed to be covered in dust. He felt a little itchy and uncomfortable.
Because su Yicheng had sent her over in the morning, Anran didnât drive today. The construction site was close to the suburbs, so there were already very few cars coming and going, and there were even fewer car rental cars.
After walking for a long time, she finally stopped a taxi that was heading back. When the car arrived at the company, it was almost two O âclock. She was famished, so she went to the cafe opposite the company to buy coffee and bread, then directly packed them back to the company.
Ding!
When the elevator arrived, Anran was just about to go in when she saw Ling Lin holding someoneâs arm and walking out, talking and laughing. He looked up and met an ranâs eyes. He called out, â âSister Gu, youâre back from the construction site!â
â Yes, thereâs a bit of trouble over there. Iâve been delayed. â Anran said. As she spoke, she happened to meet the eyes of the woman standing next to Ling Lin. That person was very beautiful, and if one looked at her carefully, she even looked a little like Ling Lin.
The man nodded at Anran with a smile, and out of courtesy, Anran responded with a smile.
â Sister, let me introduce you. This is our companyâs designer and my teacher now, Gu Anran. â Standing between the two of them, Ling Lin gave them a simple introduction. â Sister Gu, this is my older sister, Ling LAN. She just came back from America and came to see me this afternoon. â
Anran smiled and reached out her hand. &Quot; Hello. &Quot;
The beauty looked at her with a faint smile on her lips. She reached out and touched an ranâs hand. &Quot; Hello. &Quot; He looked at Anranâs eyes, which seemed to be searching for something, and there was an indescribable strangeness in them.
Anran retracted her hand and said to Ling Lin, â &Quot; alright, you guys continue chatting. Iâll go up first. &Quot; After saying that, he picked up his bag, coffee, and bread and entered the elevator.
Ling LAN stared straight at her back until the elevator doors closed, her gaze never once leaving.
âSister.â Seeing her sister staring straight at the elevator, Ling Lin asked tentatively, â âSister, whatâs wrong? do you know sister Gu?â
Ling LAN retracted her gaze and smiled at her sister. &Quot; itâs nothing. Letâs go. &Quot;
Ling Lin looked at her sister suspiciously, but didnât say anything more. She turned around and took her sisterâs hand as they left.
Anran returned to her office and was about to open the door with her key, but the door opened before she could push it open. It was only then that she remembered that she had forgotten to close the door when she came out in the afternoon, and that she had been too concerned about it. She went in, put her bag away, and just as she was about to finish her â late lunch, â she opened the drawing on the table out of habit to see if there were any areas that needed to be modified. However, when she opened the drawing, her eyes suddenly widened, and the coffee in her hand instantly fell out. The black and yellow liquid flowed out of the plastic cup. The White tiles on the ground were stained with a pool of sand.
An ran suddenly stood up and looked at the tattered design on the table, her face pale. He pushed his chair and quickly walked out of the office. Standing at the door, he sternly said, â âWho entered my office this afternoon?!â
The people in the hall stopped what they were doing when an ran shouted. They looked at her in a daze, not knowing what had happened.
The office girl looked at Anranâs livid face and couldnât help but ask, â âSister Gu, whatâs wrong? What happened?â
Anran walked to the middle of the hall, glanced at everyone present, and said sternly, â who entered my office this afternoon? â This time, she was really angry. She was so angry that she was about to explode. The drawing that she had been drawing for nearly half a month had been torn apart in just a short while in the afternoon.
Everyone shook their heads. They seemed to be frightened by an ranâs aura, and no one spoke. No one knew what had happened, but judging from Anranâs attitude, it was probably a serious matter.
Anranâs face was cold. &Quot; no one said anything and no one admitted it, right? okay, then Iâll go and check todayâs surveillance footage. &Quot; With that said, he turned around to leave, but just so happened to meet Xiao Xiao, who came in from outside.
Xiao Xiao looked at everyone and then at her. With a smile, she asked, â âWhatâs this for? You made such a big noise and I heard your voice at the door. What, your status is different now, and your voice is louder?â
Anran looked at her for a long time before she said, â âYou came into my office this afternoon.â There was no doubt in his tone. It was an affirmative attitude.
Xiao Xiao looked at her and swept her big waves. She said indifferently, â âWhy would I enter your office?â
&Quot; you were the one who tore my design. &Quot; It was still an affirmative sentence.
Xiao Xiao had been targeting her all this time, so it wasnât impossible for her to tear up her design.
Upon hearing this, the people in the office were in an uproar, and then they began to discuss in low voices. Everyone knew what design an ran was referring to. Tomorrow was the competition, and an ranâs design had been torn to pieces today. In this situation, the most favorable one was undoubtedly her number one opponent, Xiao Xiao.
Anran, you can eat this thing, but you canât say it. Donât think that you can slander me just because you have a backer now. &Quot; Xiao Xiaoâs face was also stern, and her tone was tough.
âWhether Iâm slandering you or not, you know very well in your heart.â Anran looked back at her. Because of her anger, she couldnât help but clench her hands tightly.
&Quot; I didnât do it. I have a clear conscience. Iâm not afraid even if you check the surveillance cameras. &Quot; Xiao Xiao said firmly, the corner of her mouth half curved up.
&Quot; Iâll definitely look into it. Donât worry about that. The company has to give me an explanation for this. &Quot; Anran said with certainty, â also, I want to give you a piece of advice. When it comes to designing and building, it depends on your brain. Itâs not something that can be accomplished by dressing up, eating, and drinking. If you have so much time to flatter others, or even sell your body, you might as well read more books and read other peopleâs designs. I think it will be more useful for you. &Quot; He looked at her with disdain and turned to leave.
Xiao Xiao blocked her, her face red and green. She was afraid that she had really been stabbed in the heart. She glared at an ran and said through gritted teeth, â âWhat did you mean by that?â
Anran looked at her and said coldly, â &Quot; I mean what I said. Youâre so smart, donât you understand? â
âGu Anran!â Xiao Xiao was so angry that she raised her hand to slap an ran in the face.
While everyone was gasping, an ran raised her hand in the air and caught her hand, then flung it away.
Xiao Xiao lost her balance and stumbled back a few steps before she could lean against the wall to steady herself.
&Quot; I have a good temper, but that doesnât mean Iâll put up with you. I donât owe you anything. In the future, donât try to pull any cheap tricks behind my back. Itâs boring. &Quot; Then, without looking at her again, Anran turned around and went back to her office.
Xiao Xiao was unwilling to give up and wanted to rush forward, but she was stopped by Huang Dexing, who appeared at this time. &Quot; Xiao Xiao! &Quot;
Xiao Xiao turned her head and looked at Huang Dexing with an innocent and aggrieved face. She complained, â âDirector, Gu Anran is slandering me!â
Huang Dexing frowned, looked at her, and said with a cold face, â âCome to my office.â
Xiao Xiao was called into Huang Dexingâs office. After closing the door, he directly pulled out a chair and sat down in front of Huang Dexing.
âDonât you have a brain? why did you provoke Gu Anran? Donât you know her current status? If you make her angry, Iâll kick you out.â Huang Dexing cursed without restraint.
Xiao Xiao looked at him with her lips pursed and her hands clenched tightly.
Huang Dexing glanced at her, picked up the tea on the table, and took a sip. His anger dissipated with the tea, and seeing her aggrieved look, he softened his tone and said, â &Quot; itâs not like you donât know that her status is different now. We still need to use her to get closer to su Yicheng. If you make her angry, will su Yicheng let you off? â
Xiao Xiao turned her head away and did not look at him. His expression was still cold and his hands were clenched tightly.
Huang Dexing leaned back and said coldly, â &Quot; donât think that no one will know that you entered Gu Anranâs office this afternoon just because you removed the surveillance camera. Even if weâre talking about the matter at hand, itâs still your fault. Youâre the one in the wrong first. &Quot;
Xiao Xiao suddenly turned her head and stared at him with wide eyes, as if asking him how he knew! In the afternoon, when everyone was out for lunch, she sneaked into Gu Anranâs office. Before that, she turned off the companyâs surveillance cameras.
Huang Dexing saw through her thoughts and only said lightly, â if you donât want people to know, then donât do it. &Quot;
There was nothing to hide if he knew that she was looking at him. She looked at him and sneered, â &Quot; Hmph, if I donât tear up her design, Iâm afraid that tomorrowâs competition is just for show. Iâm afraid that the director has already decided on it internally. &Quot;
Huang Dexing stood up from his seat, walked around behind her, and put his slightly fat hand on her shoulder. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, â âEven if you tear her blueprint, you still wonât have a chance if I want to marry her.â
Xiao Xiao suddenly turned to look at him, her beautiful eyes filled with anger that could not be hidden.
Huang Dexing pursed his lips and patted her on the shoulder, then raised his head, his hand lingering on her big waves. He only said indifferently, â âIf you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not having her good fortune.â
âI canât accept this. You promised me before that you would let me win this time. How can you change your mind just like that?â Xiao Xiao growled at him.
Huang Dexing let go of her soft hair, turned around, and sat back on the black Leather Swivel Chair. He took out a Gold Card from the drawer and threw it on the desk, saying, â &Quot; this is the membership card for the club you like a lot. Iâve already topped up the money in the card. You can go with it. &Quot;
&Quot; Huang Dexing, what do you mean? are you trying to get rid of me with money? â Xiao Xiao looked at the Gold Card in front of her with anger.
Huang Dexing looked at her and said indifferently without any emotion, â âDidnât you follow me for money?â
Xiao Xiao bit her lip and glared at him resentfully, unable to say a word.
Huang Dexing didnât look at her again. He took another sip of tea, then took the documents on the table and flipped through them seriously, completely treating Xiao Xiao as air.
After! Long time, Xiao Xiao suddenly sneered. Without saying! Word, she grabbed the Gold Card on his desk and left his office. When she left! She slammed the door. &Quot; Bang Bang Bang! &Quot; With a sound, he threw it.
Huang Dexing wasnât affected at all. He continued to look at the document in his hand with an indifferent expression.
In the office, Anran stared at the tattered design for a long time, and the more she thought about it, the more unhappy she became. Then, she grabbed her bag and left the office. On her way out, she happened to run into Xiao Xiao, who was coming out of Huang Dexingâs office. The two of them looked at each other, and Xiao Xiaoâs eyes looked as if she wanted to eat her up. Anran ignored her and turned around to walk toward the companyâs main entrance. Behind him, he heard the sound of Xiao Xiaoâs office door opening. It closed with a sound.
After leaving the company, Anran called Lin Li, but her phone was still turned off. Thinking of what Lin Li had said on the phone in the morning, she still couldnât feel at ease. She stopped a taxi and went directly to Lin Liâs house.
After standing at the door and ringing the doorbell for a while, Lin Li opened the door in a daze and came out. When she saw her, her face was full of surprise.
âWhy are you here?â She looked at her watch. &Quot; itâs still working hours, right? did your company close down? â
Anran rolled her eyes at her, walked past her, and threw her bag on the sofa. She glared at her. &Quot; you turned off your phone! &Quot;
Lin Li then remembered and said with a smile, â âI forgot to open it, I forgot to open it.â
Anran looked at her and sighed. She pulled her to sit down on the sofa and said, â &Quot; donât think too much. Wait for Chengxiang to come back and ask him properly. Donât think too much. Who knows whatâs going on. &Quot;
Lin Li looked at her and broke into a big smile. Then, she hugged her and said, â âAn Zi, we must be good friends for life.â
Anran was a little confused by her hug, but she still hugged her back and nodded with a smile. &Quot; of course. &Quot;
Lin Li let her go, then said with a strange expression, â âAn Zi, if I said that I made a mistake before, would you not scold me?â
Anran was stunned for a moment, then her lips twitched, and her voice came out from between her teeth. &Quot; no, but Iâll pinch you. &Quot;
The corners of Lin Liâs mouth twitched. Under her slightly fierce gaze, Lin Li finally told her about what had happened in the morning when she had hung up the phone, turned off the phone, and was ready to be alone for a period of time.
It turned out that in the morning, when Lin Li was staring at Chengxiang in a daze, the small theater in her mind was upgrading, the home phone rang. However, she was indifferent. After a long time, the home phone stopped shouting, but the next second, the phone in her hand rang again. It was an unfamiliar landline number. Lin Li numbly pressed the answer button and put the phone to her ear. It was a call from Chengxiang. On the phone, Chengxiang nervously asked her why her phone was turned off and why she didnât pick up. His tone was full of worry. Lin Liâs heart ached when she heard this, and in the end, she couldnât help but ask about the text messages on his phone. Chengxiang was only slightly stunned. Almost without thinking, he explained that the night before his business trip, his phone had run out of battery during a company dinner, so he borrowed his phone to send a text message to his girlfriend. In fact, when he came back, he was afraid that she would overthink, so he had already deleted all the text messages. But he didnât know why the woman sent him another text message. After saying that, he told Lin Li to wait for a while and then directly hung up the phone. Not long after, he called back again. This time, it was a strange manâs voice. He called Lin Li sister-in-law and explained that his phone was not turned on in the morning, so his girlfriend could not find him. She thought that the number yesterday was his other phone number, so she sent it directly. In the end, she was full of apologies and asked for his forgiveness. In the end, Chengxiang took the phone and asked her with a half-smile if she was jealous or overthinking things. Lin Li was holding her phone, crying and laughing at the same time. She couldnât say a word. In the end, Cheng Xiang sighed softly and asked, â Lin Li, am I that untrustworthy for you to trust? â Hearing this, Lin Li quickly shook her head. Even though she knew that he couldnât see it, she still raised her hand very seriously and vowed that she would never suspect him again in the future. In the end, Chengxiang only quietly scolded her for being silly, and then asked if she had eaten and if the child was good.
After hearing this, Anran glared at her. &Quot; I told you. What are you thinking about? â
Lin Li smiled and nodded. She smiled and quickly admitted her mistake, saying, â âIâm sorry, Iâm sorry. Aiyo, I always say that pregnant women tend to overthink things. It turns out that itâs true.â
Anran lay on the sofa. Knowing that she was fine and that it was just a false alarm, she was finally relieved. She closed her eyes and said, â âChengxiang is such a good man. Youâve been with him for ten years, but you still donât know his character. This time, even I feel that Chengxiang isnât worth it. If it were me, I would definitely give you the cold shoulder for a few days and see if you still dare to do it in the future.â
Lin Li knew that she was in the wrong, so she stuck out her tongue playfully. Afraid that Anran would continue to scold her, she quickly changed the topic. &Quot; you didnât go to work this afternoon, or did you come to see me? â
Anran turned her head to look at her, sighed, and then roughly told her what had happened that afternoon.
âDamn, this woman is too cheap, how can she be like this!â Lin Li said excitedly, â the first time I saw her, I felt that she wasnât a good person. With that dress and attire, she was here for work. She was out for sale. She looked like a fox and had a foul smell. &Quot;
Anran let out a long sigh. &Quot; I donât even understand when I offended her. I didnât owe her anything or take anything from her. She always speaks harshly when she sees me. Itâs so strange. &Quot;
&Quot; some people are just that twisted. You canât expect all of them to be normal people. As the saying goes, there are all kinds of birds in a big forest. You canât allow a few of them to grow old. &Quot; Lin Li said sarcastically.
An ranâs lips twitched, but there was no smile on her face.
&Quot; you canât just let this matter go like this. Otherwise, sheâll definitely take advantage of you. You have to investigate it to the end and get the company to give you an explanation. &Quot; Lin Li continued to speak, looking even more excited than an ran.
Investigating was easier said than done. With her relationship with Huang Dexing, he would probably cover up for her.
&Quot; this kind of person must be taught a good lesson and let her know that weâre not easy to bully. Letâs see if she still dares to mess with us in the future. &Quot; As Lin Li spoke, she turned her head and looked at Anranâs indifferent expression. She was a little resentful and said, â &Quot; Gu Anran, donât be soft-hearted again. Being kind to your enemy is being cruel to yourself. She saw you being like this, so sheâs riding on your head. &Quot;
Anran glanced at her and smiled bitterly. &Quot; how can I pursue this? I donât have any evidence, and no one saw her enter my office and tear up the drawings. Even if I know that the person is definitely her, what can I do? â
Lin Liâs eyes widened, and she said after a while, â &Quot; if we canât do it in the open, then weâll do it in the dark. Why donât you give me her phone number? Iâll give her a call and warn her. Iâll let her know that weâre not without people here. &Quot;
Anran looked at Lin Li unhappily-not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She asked, â &Quot; how come I didnât know that you joined the underworld? you even called to warn and threaten me. &Quot;
Lin Li looked at her smugly and said, â âYou donât say. I still have the aura of a domineering elder sister. I might really be able to scare her.â
Anran politely declined and only said, â just take care of the baby. Itâs good enough that you donât let your thoughts run wild. Also, when you have time, read more books and programs that are helpful for prenatal education. Watch less idol dramas. Theyâre not nutritious, and donât poison my future goddaughter. &Quot;
&Quot; itâs a son, Gu Anran. How many times do you want me to say it? itâs definitely a son in my stomach. &Quot; Lin Li emphasized again, her expression very serious.
Anran smiled weakly, but since pregnant women shouldnât get angry, she could only go along with her and say, â âAlright, alright, whatever you say, alright?â
Lin Li proudly raised her head and said, â &Quot; letâs go. To celebrate the fact that my marriage is still a happy one and to comfort you for being disgusted by the B * tches in the company, letâs go out for a big meal. &Quot;
Anran looked at her and shook her head. She didnât have any appetite now. Even though she hadnât eaten lunch, she didnât feel hungry anymore. She was really full from anger.
âHey, donât be so negative. Eating can make people excited. Why donât you just treat it as accompanying me? without Chengxiang here, I donât know what to eat for dinner.â
At night, Anran suddenly remembered that she had promised in the morning that she would cook at home that night and had specifically asked su Yicheng to get off work and come home earlier. She raised her hand to look at the time and saw that it was already past four o âclock. It was probably about time to go to the supermarket to buy some groceries and then go home. She suddenly turned her head and asked Lin Li, â do you have any recipes at home? â
Lin Li was stunned for a moment before nodding. &Quot; Chengxiang bought it before. &Quot; She was a glutton, and Chengxiang doted on her. In order to satisfy her invincible stomach, he had even gone to the bookstore to buy basic recipes and follow them.
âLend me your capital first. Make it simple, donât make it too difficult.â An ran said.
âUm, what are you doing?â Lin Liâs taste.
âYou canât always let people eat my tomato dongmian. Do you think everyone treats you like Chengxiang? donât let your imagination run wild and donât know how lucky you are.â
Lin Li stuck out her tongue, went into the study, took out the recipe, and handed it to Anran. She winked at Anran suggestively and said, â âIt seems like the two of them have a good relationship. Theyâre even willing to wash their hands and make soup for him.â
An ran glanced at her and took the recipe, a faint smile on her lips. Then, she took the bag on the sofa and put the recipe into it. She got up and said, â &Quot; just make do with it tonight. I have something on tonight, so I wonât be accompanying you. &Quot;
âHa, if youâre going home to cultivate your feelings, then we wonât delay any further.â Lin Li said. She suddenly thought of something and continued, â &Quot; by the way, Zian, you should get ready to have one too. Itâs said that the older a woman is, the greater the risk of having a child. Besides, if you get pregnant now, we can be in-laws after you have a daughter. We can be even closer, and we wonât have to worry about the problems of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. How good is that? â
Anran blushed slightly and said in an unpleasant tone, â &Quot; I donât want to be closer to you. Youâre definitely not a good mother-in-law. Youâre gluttonous and lazy. &Quot; After she finished speaking, she smiled coyly and left under Lin Liâs protest.
He hailed a taxi and went straight to the nearby supermarket. In the car, he flipped through the menu in preparation for what he needed to buy later.
Finally, he decided on a few dishes that didnât look too complicated and wrote down the ingredients he needed to prepare later. As soon as he got off the car, he went to the fruit and vegetable area of the supermarket.
She pushed the shopping cart and put the ingredients into it one by one. When she reached out to the big eggplant in the box, another hand suddenly reached out to the eggplant. The two of them held the two ends of the eggplant at the same time and were slightly stunned. They looked up at the same time. Anran looked at the person in front of her and was stunned.
The man looked at Anran and couldnât help but be stunned. Then he smiled and said softly, â âMiss Gu, we meet again.â
Anran came back to her senses and smiled at the man. &Quot; what a coincidence. Does miss Ling live nearby? â The person she met was none other than Ling LAN, whom she had met in front of the company elevator earlier in the afternoon.
Anranâs little head thought quickly. She had read Ling Linâs information and remembered that Ling Lin didnât live in this area.
âYup,â Ling LAN nodded. She seemed to see Anranâs confusion and said, â âI moved out alone, so I donât have a home.â
âOh.â Anran nodded with a smile and handed her the eggplant she had just taken. She asked politely, â âDo you want to buy some groceries for dinner?â
Ling LAN smiled and nodded, then said teasingly, â âYes, Iâm living alone. If I donât do it myself, Iâm afraid Iâll really starve.â
âHehe.â Anran smiled and picked up an eggplant from the basket that looked pretty good and put it in the shopping cart. âItâs like this when you live alone.â
Ling LAN smiled as well. The two of them pushed the cart and walked side by side.
&Quot; Linglin is still young. If thereâs anything wrong with the way she does things, please forgive her, miss Gu. &Quot; Ling LAN said gently.
Anran only smiled politely. &Quot; Linglin is very smart. &Quot; She didnât say anything else, but the more she looked at Ling LAN, the more familiar she felt. It was as if she had seen her before, but she couldnât remember where.
The two of them left the supermarket with large shopping bags. Anran originally wanted to say goodbye to her at the entrance of the supermarket, but she didnât expect to find out that she actually lived in the same neighborhood as her, and in the same building as her. However, she lived on the 18th floor, while she and su Yicheng lived on the 10th floor.
The two of them walked toward the neighborhood hand in hand. On the way, an ran smiled and said with some emotion, â âWhat a coincidence, I didnât expect us to live so close.â
&Quot; hehe, I think miss Gu and I are fated to meet. &Quot; Ling LAN turned to look at Anran and said, â âDo you remember that weâve actually met before?â
Anran was stunned. &Quot; have you really seen him before? â She couldnât remember, but she felt that her face was very familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.
&Quot; it was in front of a washroom in a shopping mall. I went in and you came out. We accidentally bumped into each other. &Quot; Ling LAN smiled gently.
After she said this, Anran suddenly remembered that afternoon when she went to the courtyard to meet her in-laws, she had gone to the mall to buy a scarf and had indeed run into a classical beauty. &Quot; so itâs you. Jiangcheng is really small! &Quot; To be able to meet like this, it was really fate.
âYeah, itâs really small.â Ling LAN looked at her and smiled meaningfully.
The two of them entered the building at the same time, and while they were waiting for the elevator, it happened to ring. It was a call from su Yicheng.
âAre you off work? do you need me to pick you up?â Su Yichengâs voice was gentle and soothing to the ear.
Anran smiled faintly. &Quot; no need. I came back earlier today. Iâm almost at the door now. &Quot;
âDoes that mean Iâll have food to eat once I get home?â Su Yicheng chuckled on the other end of the phone.
&Quot; um, then you can drive slower. Iâm a newbie, so I probably wonât be able to move fast. &Quot;
âThen Iâd better drive faster, maybe I can help you.â Su Yicheng said in a relaxed manner.
&Quot; drive slowly and be careful on the road. Youâll have a chance to help out when we get back. &Quot; An ran reminded him. When driving, the most important thing was to pay attention to Traffic Safety.
âWait for me,â After that, su Yicheng hung up.
An ran held the phone with a smile that she didnât even notice.
âIs he your boyfriend?â Ling LAN asked.
My husband, â Anran said, nodding.
Ling LAN nodded in understanding. She smiled and didnât say much.
The two of them entered the elevator together. As the elevator slowly rose, Ling LAN suddenly turned her head and said to Anran, â Anran, can I call you Anran from now on? â
Anran was stunned. Although she found her words a little strange, she eventually nodded and said, â âOf course you can.â
&Quot; then you can call me Ling LAN in the future. We all live in the same building. If you need anything, you can come and find me. &Quot; Ling LAN said with a smile.
âYes, sure.â An ran nodded.
Ding! Ding!
The elevator arrived at this time. Anran smiled at her and walked out. She didnât notice that the smile on Ling Lanâs face disappeared the moment the elevator door closed.
When su Yicheng returned, he saw that the kitchen was in a mess. Vegetables, cracked eggs, fresh meat, and many other ingredients filled the entire Azure countertop. A recipe book was placed flat on the bar counter, and there were some unwashed vegetables in the sink.
An ran stood in the middle of the kitchen with a knife in her hand. Her eyes were fixed on the carp on the anvil, which still had its mouth open and was jumping down from time to time.
Su Yicheng couldnât help but feel amused by this scene, but he also felt an indescribable satisfaction in his heart. &Quot; an ran, â he called in a low voice.
Only then did Anran snap out of her daze. She turned her head and saw his half-smiling face. She was a little stunned, not knowing when he had come in. âYou, youâre back.â
âDo you need any help?â Su Yicheng took the initiative to ask when he saw that the kitchen wasnât ideal.
Anran smiled, a little embarrassed, and nodded. The situation was beyond her expectations, and it seemed that she really couldnât handle it.
Su Yicheng smiled as he placed his briefcase on the low table in the living room, took off his suit jacket, and placed it on the sofa. He tugged at his tie with one hand and unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt with the other, then walked toward the kitchen as he undid it. He looked at the menu on the bar counter and smiled helplessly.
Anran was a little embarrassed by his smile. &Quot; I, I havenât really cooked before. &Quot;
Su Yicheng smiled and didnât say anything. He walked toward her, step by step.
Anran didnât know what he wanted to do, so she backed away step by step. In the end, she was forced to the corner where the refrigerator was. Behind her was the refrigerator, and in front of her was him. Anran had nowhere to retreat to. She couldnât help but swallow her saliva and say, â âW-w-what do you want to do? w-why donât you just go out? I-I should be able to handle it by myself. Although itâs a little slow, you can go to the study to read some documents first, or watch TV in the living room. I, Iâll try to be as fast as possible.â An ranâs voice trembled as she spoke, and even her words were incoherent.
Su Yicheng didnât say anything, but he smiled and moved closer to her.
Anran thought that something was going to happen, and after her âresistanceâ failed, she closed her eyes and prepared to accept âreality.â Anran closed her eyes tightly for a long time, but the kiss she expected didnât come. Instead, she heard su Yichengâs low sneer. Someone reached over to her waist and undid something behind her, then removed something from her neck.
Anran suddenly opened her eyes and saw su Yicheng looking at her, trying to hold back his laughter. He looked like he had âinternal injuriesâ, and he was holding the apron that had been tied to her just now.
Anranâs small face blushed slightly, and she was shocked to realize that she had been played. She was a little angry from embarrassment and reached out to push him away, but he stopped her. Su Yicheng leaned over her and pressed his entire body against hers. With a smile on his lips, he deliberately asked, â âWhat were you looking forward to? Are you looking forward to my kiss?â
Anranâs little face blushed even redder, and she secretly scolded him for being cunning. She would never admit it, and she said stubbornly, â âNo, no, youâre overthinking it.â
Su Yicheng laughed even more wildly, reached out, and wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing them closer together. He smiled slyly and said, â âAm I overthinking? werenât you waiting for me to kiss you just now?â
An ran turned her head in a fit of pique. &Quot; No. &Quot; Her face was as red as a ripe apple.
Su Yicheng chuckled. He found her stubborn and awkward look rather adorable.
Anran felt very uncomfortable in his embrace. She turned her head and was about to ask him to let go of her, but as soon as she turned her head, his face pressed down on her, and he accurately kissed her lips. All the words of protest and dissatisfaction were swallowed by him. His hands caressed her back, and his lips sucked on hers. He kissed her very quickly and passionately, without the usual gentleness. An ran was a little moved by the kiss. She slowly raised her hands and wrapped them around his neck.
âDing! Ding! Ding-â
The doorbell rang at this moment, disturbing the couple who were hugging and kissing.
Anran suddenly came back to her senses and pushed su Yicheng away. Her face was so red that it was almost bleeding. She gave him a reproachful look, then turned around and tidied up her clothes that had been messed up by su Yicheng.
Su Yicheng chuckled, his mood becoming very happy because of the kiss just now.
Ding! Clang-clang!
The people outside obviously didnât know what had just happened inside. The doorbell continued to ring.
Anran was even more annoyed by his laughter. She rolled her eyes at him and rebuked, â âHurry up and open the door.â
Su Yicheng nodded happily and walked toward the door with his apron in hand. He didnât even care that his shirt was a little wrinkled from the passionate kiss just now and reached out to open the door. The smile on his face disappeared the next second when he saw the person outside the door. He looked at the person outside the door coldly, and the coldness instantly replaced the joy.
Outside the door, Ling LAN was dressed in casual home clothes. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, and she stood there with a smile on her face. She looked at su Yicheng, her eyes unblinking.
Anran tidied up her clothes in the kitchen, patted her still-hot face, and listened to the movements outside. At first, she was afraid that someone would come in and see her in this state, which would make her feel awkward and at a loss. However, after hearing no movement for a long time, she couldnât help but feel a little confused. She shouted at the door, â Yicheng, who is it? â
Upon hearing this, su Yicheng, who was outside the door, finally came back to his senses. He looked at Ling LAN, who was standing at the door, and raised his voice to say to Anran, who was inside, â âOh, Iâve got the wrong person.â After he finished speaking, he reached out to close the door.
Just as su Yicheng reached out to close the door, Ling LAN, who was outside the door, used one hand to block the door from closing.
Su Yicheng stared at the woman in front of him. He didnât understand what this woman was trying to do, but in order to not cause Anran any more trouble, su Yicheng didnât intend to let her in. He was about to ask her to leave.
As if Ling LAN had predicted his intentions, she was one step ahead of him and entered the room, shouting, â âAnran, are you there?â
Hearing this, su Yichengâs eyes suddenly widened and he stared at her in a daze.
As if she felt his gaze, Ling LAN turned around and looked at su Yicheng. The corners of her mouth curled up into a faint smile, and that smile seemed to be provoking him.
Anran heard this and came out of the kitchen. She saw Ling LAN and su Yicheng standing at the entrance, looking at each other. An ran was a little surprised as to why she had come to her door at this moment. They werenât really friends, so an ran felt that it was a little too fast for them to enter the house like this.
âLing LAN?â An ran wiped her hands and walked toward her.
Ling LAN turned to look at su Yicheng, then turned to look at Anran. She smiled and walked over to Anran, saying jokingly, â âHehe, your husband thought I was a bad person just now.â
Anran smiled apologetically at her, then turned to look at su Yicheng and introduced him to her, â âYichen, this is our colleagueâs older sister, Ling LAN. Ling LAN, this is my husband, su Yicheng.â
Ling LAN turned her head to look at su Yicheng and said, â &Quot; Anran and I just met at their company today. I didnât expect to see you again at the entrance of the community. I also didnât expect you to live in the same community as me. Jiangcheng is really small. &Quot; As she spoke, she reached out to su Yicheng and said, â âWeâre all neighbors from now on, so please take care of me.â
Su Yicheng stared at her for a long time, and in the end, he only nodded at her. He reached out and touched her hand gently. Without saying a word, he walked directly back to Anranâs side. He reached out to hold an ranâs waist.
Su Yichengâs sudden action made Anran feel a little uncomfortable, and her face turned a little red. She glanced at su Yicheng, then smiled at Ling LAN and asked, â âLing LAN, whatâs the matter?â
Ling LAN smiled and stuck out her tongue at her playfully. &Quot; I was just about to make dinner when I remembered that I ran out of soy sauce at home. I didnât want to go to the supermarket downstairs, so I thought Iâd come to borrow some from you. &Quot;
Anran nodded in understanding. &Quot; wait a minute. Iâll get it for you. &Quot; Then, she turned around and went into the kitchen.
At the entrance of the living room, Ling LAN and Shu Yicheng were standing face to face. Su Yichengâs brows furrowed slightly, and he looked very displeased. In a voice that only she and he could hear, he asked in a low voice, â &Quot; why are you so conflicted? I thought Iâd already made myself clear last night. &Quot;
Ling LAN smiled and turned to look at him. Using the same volume, she said, â âIf I say that all of this is just a coincidence, would you believe me?â
Su Yicheng looked at him, clearly not believing what she had just said.
&Quot; alright, â Ling LAN said with a smile. &Quot; I just wanted to give both of us another chance. &Quot;
âImpossible!â Su Yicheng rejected her immediately. &Quot; Ling LAN, donât force us to stop being friends. &Quot;
Ling LAN was stunned. She looked at him and was about to say something when she saw Anran come over with a bottle of soy sauce. She smiled again as if nothing had changed before Anran left.
âHere, for you.â An ran handed her the soy sauce.
Ling LAN took it and smiled apologetically at her. &Quot; âIf you give me the entire bottle, what will happen to your family?â
&Quot; itâs fine. We still have some. You can use them first. &Quot; An ran said.
Ling LAN nodded and thanked him. Before she left, she smiled at su Yicheng, nodded, and then turned to leave.
Anran sent her out, and when she closed the door and turned around, she saw su Yicheng sitting on the sofa in the living room in! Daze. A cigarette had appeared in his hand, and he was taking out! Lighter from his pocket. Bang Bang! The spark in his hand flickered slightly, and white smoke filled the air around him.
&Quot; whatâs wrong? â an ran walked over to him and asked. &Quot; whatâs wrong? ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Su Yicheng shook his head, smiled at him, and simply said, â âIâm suddenly addicted to smoking.â With that, he took another deep breath.
Anran looked at him and felt sad. After a while, she said, â âIâll go wash the vegetables first.â Then, he turned around and walked toward the kitchen.
She knew that he was lying. He was not addicted to smoking. How could a person who usually did not even have the smell of cigarettes be addicted to smoking? She didnât know what relationship he had with Ling LAN, but he thought that they should know each other, even if they wanted to pretend not to know each other.
Su Yicheng watched as she walked into the kitchen and then got busy on the glass counter. He took another deep puff of the cigarette to let the nicotine numb his nerves. In fact, he hated cigarettes and even hated the smell of smoke on his body. But at this moment, he was unusually eager for the pleasure brought by cigarettes. It was like a person in a dry desert without a drop of water. His lips were so thirsty that they cracked. At this time, in the sand in front of him, he found a kettle left or abandoned by predecessors. There was not much water in it, but even if it was a drop, it was what he wanted at this moment.
Pa! Pa-pa-pa!
The kitchen knife fell to the ground, and then Anran gasped. &Quot; F * ck! &Quot; She stood there with her hands clasped, her brows tightly furrowed.
âDamn it!â He shouted. Su Yicheng cursed in a low voice, then abruptly threw the half-finished cigarette in his hand into the ashtray on the low table, got up, and walked toward the kitchen.
He quickly pulled an ranâs hand over and saw that an ranâs index finger had been cut a big way. At this moment, fresh red blood was gushing out, and it was a shocking sight.
âHow could you be so careless?â His eyes were full of worry, and his tone was reproachful. He pulled her to the living room, found the first aid box under the TV cabinet in the living room, and disinfected the wound with iodine. The tweezers accidentally touched Anran, and she gasped. Su Yicheng glanced at her and asked, â does it hurt? â
An ran pursed her lips tightly, endured the pain, and shook her head without saying a word.
Su Yicheng continued to dip the cotton ball in iodine and disinfected her wound again, but this time, his movements were obviously much gentler.
Su Yicheng was very professional in bandaging the wound. He disinfected it, applied medicine, and wrapped it with gauze. Every step was on point, and even the final gauze was wrapped beautifully, just like the professional nurses in the hospital.
Anran watched as he helped her bandage her wound and then tied the gauze into a beautiful knot. She couldnât help but ask, â âDid you often help others bandage their wounds?â
Su Yicheng glanced at her, then put the iodine and other things back into the first aid kit as he said, â &Quot; my mother used to be a nurse in the military hospital. My father used to get injured during exercises, and my mother treated his wounds. At that time, I would stand beside him with the first aid kit. After watching for a long time, I learned how to do it. &Quot;
Anran nodded in understanding, then stood up and prepared to return to the kitchen.
âWhere are you going?â Su Yicheng called out to her.
Anran turned her head and innocently said, â uh, prepare dinner. &Quot;
Su Yicheng sighed. She really dared to say it, and his tone was a little serious as he said, â âAre you going to cut your own meat for me to eat for dinner?â
&Quot; I ... I was just careless, â an ran argued, blushing.
Su Yicheng shook his head helplessly, then stepped forward and pulled her back to the sofa in the living room. He said seriously, â sit here. Iâll call you when dinner is ready. &Quot;
&Quot; Iâm sorry. &Quot; Anran stood up and wanted to say something, but su Yicheng pressed her down heavily. With a stern face, he said, â âSit.â After saying that, she took the apron and put it on. Then, she turned around and went into the kitchen.
Anran looked at him as he busied himself in the kitchen with his back to her. What was his relationship with Ling LAN? Ling LAN!
Wait, as if she had recalled something, she suddenly remembered that she had received a call at noon a few days ago. The womanâs voice on the phone was also so soft and gentle, and she had asked her to pass on a message to su Yicheng. She still remembered that the message was like this: â my surname is Ling. Please tell him that Iâm back. &Quot; She also said that she wanted to see him.
Then, was Ling LAN the girl with the surname Ling who had called a few days ago?
An ran sat on the sofa, her thoughts drifting away.
Just as Anran was thinking about it, she suddenly heard someone call out to her, â Anran? An ran?â
When she came back to her senses, su Yicheng had already rushed out of the kitchen, made dinner, and was calling her over to eat.
âWhat were you thinking about just now? I called him a few times, but he didnât respond.â Su Yicheng asked.
Anran didnât know what to say. She just smiled at him, shook her head, and said, â nothing. I was thinking about work. &Quot;
âDo you have any problems with your work?â Su Yicheng asked casually. He went into the kitchen, took two bowls of rice from the rice cooker, and placed them on the bar counter.
Anran shook her head and didnât tell him what had happened in the office that afternoon. âI can solve it myself.â Then, he sat down on the high chair in front of the bar. There were a few dishes on the bar counter that looked and smelled good. There were braised eggplant, braised carp, stir-fried water spinach, steamed meat with eggs, and two bowls of white rice. It looked very homely, but it was also very appetizing.
Anran looked at him in surprise and disbelief. &Quot; you ... You made all of this? â An ran didnât expect him to know how to cook. Although she hadnât tried it yet, it looked good, so the taste shouldnât be too bad.
Su Yicheng handed her the chopsticks in his hand, then turned around and poured the corn spareribs soup out of the pot. He used a spoon to scoop a bowl for Anran and handed it to her, saying, â âDrink the soup before you eat.â
Anran nodded in a daze. She held the soup and sipped it with the spoon. The sweet corn and the meaty pork ribs gave the soup its unique taste. It was light and not greasy.
&Quot; MMM, itâs very good. Your cooking skills are very good! &Quot; An ran was not stingy with her praise.
Su Yicheng smiled faintly, but then he suddenly thought of something, and the smile on his face froze. In the end, he only said lightly, â eat. &Quot; Then, without looking at her, he lowered his head and continued eating.
Anran noticed the change in his attitude. She glanced at him and didnât say anything else. She lowered her head and ate quietly.