Lu Boyanâs so-called destination where nobody could trace them was the Mangrove Nature Reserve not far from the town.
It was a large verdant area where they could see an emerald green river flowing through, and sometimes rare birds flying from the woods with their wings flapping. Walking with the breeze, they could breathe the clean and fresh air which seemed able to cleanse oneâs mind.
Dr. Han had specially reminded them that breathing more fresh air would do good to Su Jianan and the twins she was carrying, which was why Lu Boyan took her there.
In that area, as Lu Boyan said, it was impossible for others to trace them because it was too large and too wide as well, and all that within a few kilometers from them could not escape their eyes. Let alone tracing, Kang Ruichengâs men could hardly find a place to hide themselves there.
After staying there for a while, Lu Boyan received a call from Shen Yuechuan who said, âMu Qi has bumped them off. Now you can leave with Jianan and go anywhere you want. No matter how many guys Kang Ruicheng will assign there, they can do nothing to you.â
Lu Boyan checked the time. It was precisely half past eleven. He turned and said to Su Jianan, âLetâs go to the airport and pick Xiaoxi up.â
Su Jianan nodded and said, âOkay.â
Again, Lu Boyan carried her into the car. Different from the way he usually did, he drove very slowly that time.
Lu Boyan did that on purpose because he wanted Su Jianan to enjoy the scenery along the way.
Outside the reserve area, there were endless mangroves for about six kilometers. It seemed that their car was flashing in green, which he knew could please Su Jianan.
The intention was for the natural scenery to temporarily ease the anxiety within Su Jiananâs heart.
Su Jianan did not disappoint Lu Boyan. After a while, she became completely relaxed, with her uneasiness of being followed going overboard.
An hour later, the car arrived at the airport. Luo Xiaoxi went out from the VIP channel, dressed with a pair of sunglasses and a mask. No one recognized that she was a model, but her charming and flamboyant style successfully attracted everyoneâs attention.
However, Miss Luo had long been accustomed to that. She walked straight toward Su Jianan while looking steadily forward. As she was about to hug Su Jianan, she noticed her swollen belly, so she shrugged and stopped. Then she said, âIf only I had come here with you the other day, I wouldnât be bothering you now.â
âNot at all. There is scenery all the way from here to the island!â Su Jianan held Luo Xiaoxiâs arm and said, âLetâs go.â
âLetâs eat first,â Lu Boyan said, âYuechuan has booked a table at the restaurant.â
Luo Xiaoxi took off her sunglasses and gave Lu Boyan a satisfied look. âSo nice of my brother-in-law. You got it. Iâm hungry!â
Lu Boyan raised his eyebrows slightly and said with an indifferent look, âIt takes more than two hours to get to the island from here. I simply worry that Jianan will be hungry.â
â...â Luo Xiaoxi was speechless, with her lips twitching.
âD*mn it.â She thought, âIâve embarrassed myself!ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âOK.â Su Jianan drew Luo Xiaoxiâs sleeve and said, âSister-in-law, you will get used to him.â
The implication being, that was how Lu Boyan had always been: others were of no account to him at all.
âOh, my God...â Luo Xiaoxi sighed to the sky, and all of a sudden, she missed her Su Yicheng.
If Su Yicheng was there, she wouldnât be ignored like that.
After they reached the restaurant, Su Jianan looked uninterested in ordering dishes at all.
That confused Luo Xiaoxi. When it came to eating, Su Jianan was as fond of trying new food as her, and she had always been the first one to study the menu. Luo Xiaoxi wondered, âWhat made her a changed person?â
She opened her palm and waved it in front of Su Jianan. âYou donât feel like ordering because of the pregnancy, right?â
Su Jianan held her chin with both hands and said listlessly, âItâs no use if I order. Just ask for whatever you want.â
Luo Xiaoxi then realized that Lu Boyan must have asked their chef to take the accustomed recipe there, and as a result, Su Jianan could only have her healthy maternity meal.
Lu Boyan looked at Su Jianan, opening the menu for her and said, âThe chef is on the island. You can eat whatever you want for this lunch.â
Su Jiananâs peach-blossom eyes lit up instantly, and she asked, âReally?â
Lu Boyan said slowly, âYou can also go back to the island and have your maternity meal, as you like.â
âWell, I donât want to do that at all!â Su Jianan picked up the menu and ordered several dishes in one breath. In the end, she handed the menu to Lu Boyan and said with a satisfied smile, âThatâs all.â
Lu Boyan narrowed his eyes and seriously said, âRemember, just this once.â
Su Jianan nodded and said, âI see.â
Seeing her begging eyes, even if she would like to have a meal like that once more, Lu Boyan would be unable to refuse. He touched her head and said, âSugar.â
As a couple-to-be, Luo Xiaoxi and Su Yicheng had been lovey-dovey. While at that moment together with Su Jianan and Lu Boyan, Luo Xiaoxi felt as if she were hopelessly single when seeing their public display of affection.
She regretted going there without telling Su Yicheng. If only she had gone there with him, at least she would not feel hopeless then...
What they ordered was soon served one by one, which were all tough dishes that tasted perfectly, because they had been made of very fresh ingredients. It was truly a feast for Su Jiananâs palate.
Lu Boyan ladled soup into a bowl, the placed it right by Su Jiananâs hand and said, âBe careful, itâs hot.â
The soup was served in a boccaro casserole, giving off a wonderful aroma. Su Jianan had never seen a dish like that, so she leaned in with curiosity and asked, âIs it? Iâd like to try it now.â
Lu Boyan had to cool down the soup for Su Jianan. She kissed his cheek with a smile and said, âThank you, honey.â
â...â Without a word, Luo Xiaoxi edged her chair away to protect herself from the lovey-dovey couple.
After the meal, the three returned to the island.
Shen Yuechuan had arranged a room for Luo Xiaoxi. She dragged her suitcase in, threw it on the floor and then sprawled on the large soft bed.
Su Yicheng and she had gotten everything ready for their wedding, and they were simply waiting for their wedding day.
However, that was when she had wanted to escape.
Perhaps owing to her parents, she had thought little of getting a marriage license. However, she knew that once they invited their relatives and friends over to their wedding, they would really enter into a marriage.
After that, she could no longer do whatever she wanted, because she would have a family, to which she would have to shoulder responsibilities.
She wasnât afraid of getting married, but she was afraid of her responsibility.
Indeed, she couldnât accept the entire scenario of marriage, pregnancy and then delivery as calmly as Su Jianan did.
She felt uneasy.
With those in mind, Luo Xiaoxi bounced herself out of bed. After tidying up her baggage, she took a nap. Then Su Jianan went to ask her to enjoy their low tea at a café.
When they reached the café, Luo Xiaoxi found that there were only Su Jianan and her. She asked in bewilderment, âArenât Yunyun and Youning on the island? Where are they?â
âIâll call them here later,â Su Jianan said, âI need to have a talk with you.â
â... I know what you want to talk about.â Luo Xiaoxi took a sip of coffee, then she shrugged and said, âI donât know why.â
Luo Xiaoxi was not the sort of timid person who would easily run away from trouble. Seeing her like that, Su Jianan didnât know how to begin their talk.
Su Jianan sighed and said, âForget it. Just take your time and figure it out. It will be OK.â
Even if Luo Xiaoxi couldnât figure it out, Su Jiananâs brother would help her with it.
Luo Xiaoxi bit her fingernails and asked, âJianan, were you like me before marrying Boss Lu?â
âAt that time...â Su Jianan tried to recall and said, âAt that time, I was too happy to breathe. How could I fill my head with nonsense like you do?â
Luo Xiaoxi said, â...You won.â
Realizing that there was nothing to talk about with Luo Xiaoxi, Su Jianan decided to give up. Then she called to ask Xu Youning and Xiao Yunyun there, for she thought that when they gathered together, there would be endless topics.
As the sun set, Shen Yuechuan ran over to them. He knocked on the window from outside and said, âWeâre going to play beach volleyball. Is there anyone who wants to join us?â
Luo Xiaoxi rolled up her sleeves and said, âYes!â
She was just wondering where to abreact her feelings!
They quickly gathered at the beach, while Su Jianan could not join them, she stood by with Lu Boyan while she watched them play.
Not long after, her phone rang, and the caller ID showed that it was Su Yicheng.
As soon as she answered the phone, Su Yicheng asked, âIs Xiaoxi with you on the island?â
â...Yes.â Su Jianan gave Lu Boyan a confused glance and said on the phone, âDidnât you know that she came over?â
âShe didnât tell me.â After a pause, Su Yicheng asked, âHow is she now?â
âSheâs playing volleyball with Yuechuan and the others.â Su Jianan could only try her best to ease Su Yicheng, so she said, âTake it easy. Sheâs fine.â
After a silence, Su Yicheng said, âJianan, please put Boyan on the phone.â
Su Jianan did as he asked and handed the phone to Lu Boyan, who just replied âohâ and hung up.
She asked at once, âWhat did my brother say?â
âHe asked me to take care of Xiaoxi.â
âIâm wondering,â Su Jianan said, feeling rather confused, âYesterday when Xiaoxi told me that she would come, I asked you to call my brother. But not until now does my brother know that Xiaoxi is here on the island. Why?â
âWell...â Lu Boyan murmured for a while, then he raised his eyebrow and asked, âDo you think I was in the mood to call your brother last night?â
What happened the previous night flashed through Su Jiananâs mind, then she flushed and lowered her head immediately.
She shouldnât have blamed Lu Boyan for that. She had herself to blame.
Lu Boyan held Su Jianan and sat down with her, then he said, âYour brother has experienced a lot since the establishment of the Cheng An Group to its listing. And he has gotten through all that. Now itâs just a piece of cake to him. You can say he will get it right.â
âNow I can only believe that my brother can do it.â Su Jianan looked at the energetic Luo Xiaoxiâs on the beach and said, âI think that I know Luo Xiaoxi well, but I donât know why she is like this. Maybe only my brother can solve this problem.â
âForget it.â Lu Boyan placed his palm on Su Jiananâs belly and said, âThink about something else, or our babies will be unhappy like you.â
Su Jianan looked at her belly, smiling unconsciously. âAfter two months, they will meet us.â
Two months...
Lu Boyan couldnât help smiling as well.