"Just take a look, please."
"So you’re the one begging me to look."
Ruan Tang reluctantly opened Xu Lai’s palm, only to see... nothing.
She arched a delicate eyebrow. "Are you kidding me!?"
"What I was holding was all my love for you. I don’t blame you for not being able to see it."
Ruan Tang glared. "Xu Lai, did you come here just to pick a fight?"
"I just wanted to tell you that I really care about you, about your every move. I even worry when you have a tiny fever or a cold."
Xu Lai reached out, wanting to take Ruan Tang’s delicate hands.
But Ruan Tang leaned back, crossing her arms and pouting. "Do you think I’m a three-year-old? That trick won’t work on me."
"What about this, then?"
Xu Lai closed his palm and opened it again. A pure and elegant daisy lay there.
"On my way to the company, I saw this daisy in a flower shop. I hesitated for half an hour over whether to buy it," Xu Lai said earnestly. "But I bought it anyway, thinking you might like it."
Ruan Tang turned her head away, huffing, "I don’t like it."
Xu Lai smiled and snapped his fingers. A simple, elegant vase materialized in front of Ruan Tang, and he tossed the daisy inside.
In an instant, a large bouquet of daisies bloomed within it.
Ruan Tang snuck a couple of glances, her eyes filled with surprise, but her tone remained perfectly calm. "Is that it?"
"President Ruan, don’t be such a tsundere."
Through the half-open door, the secretary’s voice could be faintly heard.
"Close the door, or go to HR, collect your pay, and get out!" Ruan Tang snapped, irritated. That girl was getting bolder by the day, even daring to eavesdrop on her.
The door was gently closed.
Xu Lai walked behind Ruan Tang and began to gently massage her shoulders. "So, honey, don’t be angry anymore."
Ruan Tang squirmed coyly for a moment before... letting Xu Lai continue his massage.
I have to admit, it was quite comfortable.
In truth, Ruan Tang was just angry at her own lack of restraint, and that Xu Lai seemed completely oblivious to the fact she had been diligently practicing her makeup.
After a while, Ruan Tang pushed Xu Lai away. "Enough, enough. Go back to work. I’m not angry anymore."
"Alright then. I’ll take the car. I’ll come pick you up tonight," Xu Lai said, grabbing the car keys.
Ruan Tang didn’t object, lowering her head to continue with her documents.
Once Xu Lai had left, Ruan Tang placed the vase of blooming daisies on her desk next to her computer. She stared at it silently, lost in thought. She was so engrossed that she didn’t even hear her secretary knock and enter.
"President Ruan, he’s such a gentle soul. Why do you always bully him?" the secretary’s voice echoed softly.
Ruan Tang jumped, then said helplessly, "I bully him? He’s clearly the one who bullies me!"
"President Ruan, I really like these flowers. If you don’t want them, why not give them to me?" the secretary said with a grin.
"Go to HR and collect your pay."
"President Ruan, I was wrong!!!"
Xu Lai picked up his wife from the company and then went to the kindergarten to get Xu Yiyi. Coincidentally, he ran into Luo Chu, who was there to pick up her child.
Luo Chu took Ruan Tang’s hand, her voice filled with concern. "I’m so glad you’re okay."
Ruan Tang was completely baffled. What was Luo Chu talking about? She didn’t understand a single word.
Xu Lai, however, knew where Luo Chu’s worry stemmed from. After all, the great battle that had erupted near Mount Haitang the day before had been sensed by quite a few Martial Artists.
"Come on, come on! Yaoyao invited me to dinner tonight. She said she has good news. Let’s all go together," Luo Chu said with a laugh.
"She didn’t invite me!" Ruan Tang raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe she’s afraid your husband will get her boyfriend drunk again."
The group drove in two cars to a very quiet music-themed restaurant.
When Xu Yaoyao’s boyfriend, Liu Beiming, saw Xu Lai, he was taken aback for a moment. Although he had met Xu Lai at his sister’s wedding yesterday, they hadn’t spoken. He took the initiative to greet him, "Director Xu."
Xu Lai nodded. "Wine Immortal."
At that, Liu Beiming suddenly lost all interest in talking to Xu Lai.
During dinner, the two little ones, Qian Xiao and Xu Yiyi, sat obediently in their seats, quietly eating while watching their mothers and aunts chat.
Back in Haitang Court, Ruan Lan had just finished a happy bath. Wrapped in a towel and lying on the sofa, she glanced at the clock in confusion. "It’s seven o’clock. How come my brother-in-law and the others aren’t back yet? Don’t tell me they’re eating out."
"They wouldn’t!" Ruan Lan muttered, her stomach rumbling with hunger.
After all, she had skipped both breakfast and lunch, all in anticipation of the magnificent feast tonight.
I’m really looking forward to it. Hehehe.
「Back at the dinner table.」
Xu Yaoyao held her boyfriend’s hand and suddenly announced, "I’m getting married soon. You two have to be my bridesmaids."
Luo Chu and Ruan Tang’s faces lit up with surprised delight.
Luo Chu thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Ruan Tang and I are both married. According to the customs in my hometown, we can’t be bridesmaids."
"I’m not married," Ruan Tang protested, raising her hand.
"Your daughter is already five years old. Who’s going to believe you’re not married?" Luo Chu said, speechless.
Ruan Tang couldn’t help but shoot Xu Lai a glare.
"I don’t care! If you two aren’t my bridesmaids, then I’m not getting married!" Xu Yaoyao declared with a straight face. These were her two best friends, past and present. As for customs and traditions, she couldn’t care less.
"Oh, don’t say that," Liu Beiming said in a panic, clasping his hands together. "Ladies, I’m begging you, please help us out..."
"Fine," Ruan Tang agreed crisply.
"I’ll have to see. What’s the date?" Luo Chu said hesitantly. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NoveIＦire.net
Only Xu Lai knew that she was a Martial Artist. It was normal for her to be away on business for a month or two. If she made a promise she couldn’t keep, it would damage their friendship.
"Luo Chu, you’re such a flake! Look at Ruan Tang!" Xu Yaoyao scolded playfully. "I was even going to ask you two to be my daughter’s godmothers. Looks like one is enough."
"You’re pregnant!?" Ruan Tang and Luo Chu were shocked once again.
"I just got the pregnancy test report today. I’m one month along," Xu Yaoyao said, beaming with happiness.
It was only then that Ruan Tang noticed that most of the dishes ordered were vegetarian, and the greasier ones were placed far away from Xu Yaoyao.
"For the baby’s sake, I’m in." Luo Chu pointed at Qian Xiao and Xu Yiyi. "And we even have a flower girl and a page boy ready."
"They truly are a golden boy and a jade girl!" Liu Beiming praised.
"Hehehe." Qian Xiao beamed, happy with the compliment.
Xu Lai raised an eyebrow. Why does this little brat look so smug?
A meal that was supposed to be a friendly catch-up had somehow turned into a wedding planning session. Never mind Xu Lai, even Liu Beiming, the groom, had no say in the matter.
The three women were a drama in themselves, chattering away over their drinks and giving the two men a headache.
After Qian Xiao and Xu Yiyi finished eating, they ran outside the restaurant to play. Xu Lai followed to watch them, and Liu Beiming came out shortly after. His first words were, "Thank you."
"Nan Wei told me you’ve been taking good care of her. Thank you," Liu Beiming said earnestly.
The authorship on the paper was a secondary concern; the transmission of medical knowledge was an immense treasure for any physician.
"It’s a small matter. Don’t worry about it," Xu Lai replied with a light laugh.
Liu Beiming nodded, and the two fell silent, watching the children play.
About an hour later, the three women finally emerged from the restaurant together.