They stayed at home until noon. At Xu Yiyi’s suggestion, Qian Xiao also tried the Cloud Tofu Delight and immediately choked up. "This is the taste of first love!"
At eleven-thirty, he left both children in Ruan Lan’s care, but Xu Lai was still a little worried. Ruan Lan was actually playing a horror game with the two little ones and their roly-poly pet.
Xu Lai had no choice but to turn to Beibei. "I’m leaving the house in your care."
"Don’t worry," Beibei said, patting his chest in assurance. "I’m the number one swordsman in this sea area and Yiyi’s guardian!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Lai finally felt reassured enough to leave.
Right at twelve o’clock, Xu Lai arrived at his wife’s company.
In just a few short months, Above the White Clouds had become a dark horse among China’s high-end lingerie brands. It had swiftly captured the domestic market and was also expanding internationally. While it couldn’t be called an outright major brand yet, it was constantly striving toward that goal.
Ruan Tang was no longer the laughingstock of East Sea City. Instead, she was gradually garnering countless admiring glances. Ruan Tang herself knew, however, that she had Xu Lai to thank for all of it. If it weren’t for his overt and covert assistance, her company probably would have gone bankrupt long ago from a break in cash flow.
"Boss Lady, you’re here!" the company receptionist waved happily. "President Ruan is in a great mood today! A friend of mine said she’s been watching the clock all morning. Is she waiting for you?"
"Maybe so," Xu Lai smiled and nodded.
Ruan Tang was the big boss of the company. Her husband was nicknamed ’Boss Lady,’ not only because he was so down-to-earth, but also because all the young women at the company rather liked him.
Instead of going into the office, he made a phone call and then waited by the door.
Soon, he saw his wife approaching. She was dressed in a long white dress and high heels, carrying her handbag. Xu Lai keenly noticed that Ruan Tang had put on light makeup, and her cherry lips were accentuated with vivid lipstick. Her vibrant red lips were so tempting he wanted to take a bite.
"Wow," the receptionist exclaimed. "Boss Lady, President Ruan definitely wasn’t dressed when she came in this morning! She wasn’t wearing makeup or earrings either... Is today your anniversary?"
It wasn’t any kind of anniversary.
Ruan Tang rolled her eyes. "You’re so chatty. Don’t you have work to do? Little Li, maybe you should go get some training in the sales department."
The receptionist stuck her tongue out playfully. "The front desk is fine! You two carry on, President Ruan, Boss Lady."
Xu Lai reached out, intending to take Ruan Tang’s handbag. He saw her hesitate for a moment before she quite naturally linked her arm with his. Only then did Xu Lai manage to say, "I was going to get your bag..."
Ruan Tang maintained her composure. "No need."
She just wanted to find a hole to crawl into! That dastardly Xu Lai! Couldn’t he have spoken a little faster? He waited until my arm was already linked with his before saying anything...
They had Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles for lunch.
The two of them spent less than forty yuan. Ruan Tang patted her stomach, satisfied. "I’m so full."
"I just got paid, you don’t have to worry about saving me money," Xu Lai said with a wry smile. His original intention was to treat Ruan Tang to a proper meal, but she had insisted on this place. It did, admittedly, taste great.
"I used to come here all the time with Yaoyao and Luo Chu back in college. The food is especially good," Ruan Tang said softly. "It’s been five years... but the taste hasn’t changed at all." The source of thɪs content is novęlfire.net
She paused, then looked at Xu Lai. "Besides, what’s wrong with getting noodles? Just because you got paid doesn’t mean you can go splurging, does it?"
"True. I have to save up for the bride price. Five hundred million yuan," Xu Lai lamented.
Ruan Tang’s face grew hot.
Her parents’ demands are just too much.
"You don’t need to pay any attention to them," Ruan Tang said, suddenly looking up at Xu Lai. "Yesterday, the company received a thirty-million-yuan transfer from a funeral company in Liu City. Finance called to ask about it, saying it was related to you."
"Mm," Xu Lai said earnestly. "Hold on to it for me. Later..."
"...use it as Yiyi’s dowry later? Okay," Ruan Tang finished for him casually.
"...That’s for marrying you," Xu Lai said, dumbfounded.
Ruan Tang just shrugged.
Xu Lai knew the thirty million was likely gone for good. He sighed helplessly.
Fine, time to start over from scratch... The road to saving five hundred million is long and arduous indeed.
After they finished their noodles, Ruan Tang proactively handed her bag to Xu Lai and linked her arm through his before he could even ask.
"Honey, let’s go check out some bridal shops," Xu Lai suggested.
From the moment Ruan Tang had taken the initiative, he’d already decided on a name for their second child.
"...No! I’m not going!"
"And we’re going just because you say so?"
Ruan Tang pinched Xu Lai’s side. With a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, she said, "Xu Lai, you’re getting rather full of yourself, aren’t you?"
He thinks he can trick me into marrying him with a single bowl of rice noodles? Dream on!
"Yiyi might not say it, but I can feel it as her father. Her biggest regret is never having seen her mother in a wedding dress," Xu Lai said, his voice laced with anguish. "It’s such a simple, innocent wish, and yet you refuse... Ruan Tang, doesn’t your conscience bother you at all?"
She didn’t even stop to think about why her daughter’s wish would be for *her* to wear a wedding dress...
In the end, Xu Lai still managed to coax her into visiting a bridal shop, but she repeatedly insisted that they were just looking, not trying anything on, and definitely not buying!
"Are you two here to look at wedding dresses? Would you like to browse on your own, or would you like me to make some recommendations?" a salesgirl with an exceptionally pleasant demeanor hurried over to greet them with a smile.
"For my wife," Xu Lai said, gesturing with his chin. "Pick out a few of your most beautiful wedding dresses for her to try. Money is no object."
That last part made the salesgirl’s eyes light up. "Of course! This way, please, ma’am."
A dark expression crossed Ruan Tang’s face. We agreed to just look, so how did it turn into trying things on?
But seeing the salesgirl had already eagerly brought over several wedding dresses, she found it impossible to refuse. After all, Ruan Tang also worked in the apparel industry and knew how difficult the job could be...
And so, feeling rather bewildered, Ruan Tang tried on the first wedding dress. It was a white, floor-length gown with a train.
The moment she stepped out of the fitting room, Xu Lai was completely stunned.
But Xu Lai noticed one problem: her earrings didn’t quite match the dress.
He walked over to Ruan Tang, removed the earrings from both her ears, and just as he thought, she looked much more beautiful. He took out his phone and snapped two photos. CLICK! He was very satisfied.
"Xu Lai, you’ve gone too far! No pictures!" Ruan Tang glared at him. If she weren’t concerned about her image in public, she probably would have already lunged at him to snatch his phone.
"Alright, alright, no pictures," Xu Lai agreed, even as he snapped two more. CLICK!
Before she could get angry, the salesgirl brought over several traditional Chinese wedding outfits. Ruan Tang offered her a smile and re-entered the fitting room.
She gazed at her reflection in the mirror and fell into deep thought. Have I been tricked by Xu Lai? It really feels like I’ve been deceived...