MY - 43

Lu Nandu was about to go upstairs to change his clothes.

Liang Sirong, who had been watching him on the phone, asked, “Are you going out?”

Lu Nandu, who had been in a bad mood, was now all smiles. “Yeah.”

Liang Sirong was amused by his childlike behavior and gently asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

“How do I put this?” Lu Nandu hissed. “Not yet.”

The next second, he smiled. “But soon.”

Liang Sirong was also happy, her eyes curving into crescents. “Our A-Du also has a girl he likes.”

But Lu Nandu said, “I’ve had one for a while.”

These were all things Liang Sirong didn’t know. She shook her head and smiled. Kids these days all have their own secrets.

She said, “Then when you win her over, you have to bring her back. It’s so boring for Auntie to be alone. Come back and talk to Auntie.”

Lu Nandu was still sitting cross-legged on the sofa, with one arm on the back of the sofa and one long leg resting lazily on the floor.

He looked at Liang Sirong. “Once I win her over, none of that will be a problem. I’ll bring her home every day for you to see.”

Liang Sirong saw his playful look, pinched his face, and laughed. “You’re a handful. Alright, go on now. Don’t make the girl wait too long.”

Lu Nandu: “No problem. I’ll make anyone wait, but I’ll never make her wait.”

After saying that, he laughed, got off the sofa, and went upstairs with his long legs.

________________________________________

The weather today was so-so. It wasn’t sunny, but there was no rain.

The temperature outside was low, and a cold wind was blowing. Jiang Xi didn’t go downstairs to wait for Lu Nandu.

She had nothing to do, so she leaned on the sofa and played on her phone. Normally, Jiang Xi would only look at her phone for a few minutes before putting it aside, but today, after a few minutes, her eyes felt a little uncomfortable.

She just threw her phone aside and glanced out the window.

The sky was gray.

Her phone rang, and Jiang Xi took her eyes off the window. After a glance at the screen, she grabbed it, answered it, and got up. “You’re here?”

“I’m here,” Lu Nandu seemed to be standing outside the car, and with the sound of the wind, he said, “I’m coming downstairs.”

“Okay,” Jiang Xi walked to the entrance, opened the cabinet door, and took out a pair of shoes. “Wait a moment.”

Her hand wasn’t steady, and the shoe dropped to the floor.

Lu Nandu probably heard the sound and said intentionally, “I’m waiting. Don’t rush.”

Jiang Xi hung up on him expressionlessly.

On the other end, Lu Nandu listened to the dial tone and chuckled a few times. “What a temper.”

Soon, Jiang Xi came out of the community gate. She was stunned when she saw Lu Nandu leaning against the car.

He wasn’t in a suit and tie today; he was dressed casually.

He wore a white hoodie, black pants, and a long black down jacket.

Without the restraint, the rebellious temperament on him was even more obvious.

This outfit reminded Jiang Xi of the old Lu Nandu. He used to be like this, in his youth, never dressing properly and always acting carelessly.

He leaned against the car, his long legs resting on the ground.

Perhaps he didn’t know she was out yet, and he was looking down at something.

Jiang Xi walked over.

But after just two steps, Lu Nandu seemed to have noticed her. He looked up.

Jiang Xi walked closer and asked him, “What are you looking at?”

Lu Nandu said without hesitation, “You.”

Jiang Xi glanced at him.

Lu Nandu laughed. He knew what she was asking and smiled, raising his chin towards his feet. “See? I’m watching ants fight.”

Jiang Xi didn’t even need to look to know he was teasing her. “Have some common sense, okay?” How could there be ants outside in the winter?

Lu Nandu clicked his tongue. “Wasn’t that just to make you laugh?”

He leaned in a little to look at her. “Can you smile for me? Look, you’re not smiling at all—”

Jiang Xi found it inexplicably funny. How childish was this guy?

She pushed his face away with her fingers. “Get in the car.”

Lu Nandu was happy to be rejected and stepped aside.

Jiang Xi opened the car door and got in.

Maybe because she had been indoors for so long, her palm was warm.

The passenger door closed behind her, and Lu Nandu bowed his head, touched his nose, and laughed.

As if there was still warmth on it.

After getting in the car, Lu Nandu asked her, “What do you want to eat?”

Jiang Xi was looking out the window. She glanced at him when she heard that. “I’m treating you to dinner. I should be the one asking you that.”

Lu Nandu said, “I’ll eat whatever you eat.”

Putting other things aside, he was indeed a lovable kid.

Jiang Xi: “If I live on air, will you live on air too?”

“Of course.”

Jiang Xi heard his relaxed voice and knew that he wasn’t going to say anything nice next.

Sure enough, Lu Nandu said, “Wife sings, husband follows.”

After saying that, he quickly added, before Jiang Xi could get angry, “Then I’ll decide where we eat.”

Jiang Xi knew how well Lu Nandu could read her expressions. Except for when he was relentlessly pursuing her, he now based everything he said on her mood.

He knew she wouldn’t get angry, so he did whatever he wanted.

She was also too lazy to argue with him. If she had to argue, she didn’t know how many times she would have to.

She hummed. “You decide.”

Traffic wasn’t moving any faster due to the cold weather. It was still busy.

Lu Nandu followed the car in front of him slowly, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

Jiang Xi remembered his outfit today and asked him, “You don’t have to go to the company today?”

Lu Nandu turned his head to look at her when he heard that and nodded. “Yeah, I’m on vacation.”

The light turned green, and Lu Nandu turned his head back. The car slowly moved forward.

He thought of something and asked, “Were you happy this morning?”

Jiang Xi knew what he was asking. “So-so.”

She was definitely happy, but more than that, she felt a sense of relief.

Lu Nandu suddenly said, “You didn’t call me.”

Jiang Xi heard the imbalance in his tone and turned her head to look at him.

Lu Nandu didn’t look at her. He never hid his emotions, which was why the two of them rarely had a real fight in the past.

He said, “You didn’t even tell me about such a happy thing.”

Jiang Xi didn’t expect him to be unhappy about this and found it funny. “Do I need to tell you about something like that?”

She said, “Don’t you search for news about me all the time? How could you not know?”

Lu Nandu wouldn’t really get angry with Jiang Xi. He mumbled, “That’s not the same.”

The sound was quiet, but Jiang Xi heard it.

She didn’t say anything, just smiled, and turned her head to look out the window again.

Soon, the car stopped on a street that Jiang Xi was very familiar with. Even though five years had passed since she graduated, and the place had changed a lot, Jiang Xi recognized it at a glance.

It was a snack street near her university.

Students usually didn’t like eating at the cafeteria, so they would either order takeout or go out. So, this snack street had always been busy. No matter if it was mealtime or not, there were always a lot of people on the street.

It was dinnertime now, and the street was bustling with people.

University students walked in groups of two or three, discussing where to eat.

Jiang Xi, in the passenger seat, looked at the familiar place and finally understood why Lu Nandu was dressed like this today and why he had brought her here.

In the past, when the two of them lived together, Lu Nandu had often accompanied her here.

And back then, every time they went out, it was a date.

Jiang Xi knew what Lu Nandu’s intentions were today. She didn’t say anything else, just opened the car door and got out. “Let’s go.”

The two of them blended in with the young people without any sense of incongruity.

It was as if they were still the same as before, out for a stroll and a bite to eat at dinner time.

Jiang Xi wore a mask. Lu Nandu walked beside her and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

She didn’t know what to eat before, but now that they were here, with so many options, Jiang Xi naturally had something she wanted to eat.

She scanned both sides with her eyes and finally said, “Chen Ji’s Goose Meat Noodle Soup.”

Jiang Xi had always liked to eat the goose meat noodle soup from this place. She didn’t expect that she would still want to eat it after all these years.

Lu Nandu laughed. “You’re still not tired of it?”

Jiang Xi was too lazy to talk to him. She walked through the crowd towards the place.

There were many shops on both sides of the street, and all sorts of smells were mixed together.

Chen Ji’s Goose Meat Noodle Soup had a red sign, no different from any other street food stall in any city.

It was dinnertime, and there weren’t many empty tables left in the shop.

Jiang Xi walked ahead, found a table against the wall, and sat down. Lu Nandu followed closely behind.

The two of them sat down at the folding table. Jiang Xi hadn’t eaten in a place like this for a long time. She said, “It’s so lively.”

Lu Nandu looked up at her from across the table.

Jiang Xi was looking around.

The shop was noisy, with conversations, shouts, and the clinking of bowls and chopsticks.

For some reason, Lu Nandu suddenly thought of the corner of the tattoo on Jiang Xi’s back that was exposed in the photo this morning.

He frowned slightly.

Jiang Xi turned her head and saw his expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

The white walls of the street food stall had turned slightly yellow after so many years of operation. The table was probably old, with some paint peeling off, and the surface always seemed to have a layer of oil.

There was a box of tissues on the table. Lu Nandu took a few and wiped the table for Jiang Xi.

Jiang Xi had originally wanted to say there was no need, but she didn’t say anything when she saw that Lu Nandu didn’t intend to stop.

Soon, the proprietress came over with the menu.

The proprietress was still the same one from before. Her voice was exceptionally loud, and she had a few more wrinkles on her face.

She was wearing an apron and holding a notebook. “What would you two like to eat?”

Jiang Xi had already taken off her mask. The proprietress didn’t notice at first, but when she looked over as she asked, she recognized her.

“Oh,” the proprietress said. “It’s you, little girl.”

Jiang Xi was a little surprised. “You still remember me?”

“How could I not?” the proprietress laughed. “Your face is so pretty. I’d recognize it even in a few years.”

Jiang Xi hadn’t expected the proprietress to still recognize her after so many years.

The proprietress was an outgoing person. After she finished speaking, she looked at Lu Nandu next to her. With another handsome face, the proprietress recognized him immediately. “Isn’t this your little boyfriend from back then?”

Her voice was loud, and some people at the nearby tables looked over.

Jiang Xi was about to say no, but Lu Nandu shamelessly smiled at the proprietress. “Yes, it is.”

Jiang Xi: “...”

The proprietress saw his smiling face and laughed. “Then you two have a really good relationship.”

Her eyes crinkled into slits as she laughed and said to Jiang Xi, “Students these days, as soon as they graduate, they start fighting and breaking up. Last time, a girl came here crying after breaking up with her boyfriend. You tell me, isn’t falling in love a headache?”

Lu Nandu started chatting with the proprietress. “It is a headache.”

“Right?” the proprietress said. “That little girl was crying so sadly.”

Jiang Xi couldn’t get a word in.

She simply gave up and slowly drank her water.

The proprietress asked, “How long has it been since you two last came here? Are you here to revisit the place today?”

Lu Nandu: “Yes.” He also told the proprietress that they wanted two orders of goose meat noodle soup.

“Alright,” the proprietress noted it down and took the menu from the table. “I’ll have it ready for you in ten minutes.”

After the proprietress left, Jiang Xi looked at Lu Nandu. “You’re quite the talker.”

Lu Nandu was getting cocky. “I had to help you cover it up, otherwise the proprietress would have said you were having a terrible time.”

Jiang Xi thought of something and looked at him. “I wonder who’s the reason for that.”

Lu Nandu was stunned.

This was almost the first time Jiang Xi had genuinely complained about him.

Anyone could hear the dissatisfaction in her words, not with Lu Nandu himself, but with the person who ended that relationship.

Lu Nandu hadn’t expected Jiang Xi to say that. He was a little stunned for a moment. “Big sister.”

Jiang Xi wasn’t looking at him anymore and silently took another sip of water with both hands.

Whenever this sensitive topic came up, Lu Nandu didn’t dare to get too close to her. He wanted to hold her hand but didn’t dare, and in the end, he just leaned forward a little.

“Big sister.” He called out to her again.

“I won’t do it again.”

But he seemed to be having a hard time saying it. He opened and closed his mouth for a while and then said something that was completely out of context.

“I’ll be good.”

Jiang Xi looked up at him.

Lu Nandu was also looking at her.

After staring at him for a moment, Jiang Xi said, “Then are you ready to tell me what happened back then?”

Lu Nandu: “I—”

Some things could be said with just a few words, but for Lu Nandu, it seemed incredibly difficult.

He looked like he really wanted to say it, but in the end, he dejectedly lowered his head.

He knew that if he didn’t say it, Jiang Xi would never get back together with him. But at the same time, he also knew that if he did say it, if he could really say it, would Jiang Xi still want him?

Lu Nandu didn’t say anything across the table. His expression wasn’t very sad, but Jiang Xi could see that he was in a lot of pain.

When a person is in a state of depression, the atmosphere around them also becomes gloomy.

Perhaps Jiang Xi herself had gone through a period of darkness. She understood Lu Nandu better than anyone else.

So, she suppressed her desire to know the past and didn’t continue to press him.

She said, “Take your time.”

Lu Nandu was surprised and met her gaze again.

Seeing that he seemed a little anxious, Jiang Xi felt a little bad for some reason.

She knew that if someone had said that to her during the time she was sick, she wouldn’t have felt good, and might even have gotten angry.

But Lu Nandu wasn’t angry with her.

Jiang Xi looked into his eyes and said two more comforting words: “No rush.”

Perhaps because of those two sentences from Jiang Xi, Lu Nandu let out a sigh of relief.

He adjusted his mood quickly and was soon talking to Jiang Xi normally again.

The noodle soup came quickly. Jiang Xi didn’t like to talk while eating, and Lu Nandu didn’t bother her either.

After they finished eating and left Chen Ji’s, it wasn’t dark outside yet.

A few girls were talking as they walked out of a nearby bubble tea shop.

“It’s going to rain soon.”

“Hurry up, let’s get back to the dorm. We didn’t bring umbrellas.”

The girls laughed happily. “Hurry back, or we’ll get soaked and have to take a shower.”

They walked away, laughing and joking.

Jiang Xi looked at their backs, then looked up at the sky. The clouds were heavy, and she heard a low rumble of thunder.

She said, “It looks like it’s going to rain soon.”

Lu Nandu: “The rain won’t come down for a while.”

Jiang Xi looked at him sideways, her eyes clearly skeptical.

Lu Nandu saw what she meant and said, as if it was a serious matter, “I’m serious. I promise you.”

He added, “I promise you won’t get caught in the rain.”

He was trying to use every minute to be with her.

Jiang Xi looked away. “What do you want to do next?”

Hearing her agree, the corners of Lu Nandu’s lips curved into a slight smile. “Get some taro milk tea.”

His taste hadn’t changed after all these years.

Jiang Xi looked around. The old bubble tea shop was gone and a new one had opened.

She took the lead and walked over. “Let’s go.”

The bubble tea shop was just across the street, and there were people coming and going. The two of them walked over.

Lu Nandu had basically never drunk bubble tea or similar drinks since he returned to the Lu family. Jiang Xi was the same; she didn’t drink them much either.

Lu Nandu ordered two cups of taro milk tea from the server.

About a minute or two later, the bubble tea was handed out. Lu Nandu took it and gave a cup to Jiang Xi.

They didn’t know where to go. Jiang Xi slowly drank her tea. “Let’s go home.”

Lu Nandu: “Let’s walk around a bit more.”

Seeing him walk forward, Jiang Xi followed.

However, as soon as they stepped onto the road, it started to pour.

Large raindrops hit the cement road. The crowd on the road was in a panic and quickly scattered to find shelter.

The sky was getting darker.

A cold raindrop hit Jiang Xi’s forehead, and she frowned slightly. The next second, she was pulled away by Lu Nandu.

He enveloped her from behind, put his arm around her shoulder, and ran towards the eaves.

Soon, the two of them were under the eaves. Perhaps because Lu Nandu had instinctively protected her, Jiang Xi wasn’t wet anywhere.

But there were a few small round dots on Lu Nandu’s dark black down jacket.

Jiang Xi took her eyes off him and looked at the rainy road. “Didn’t you say the rain wouldn’t come down for a while?”

Lu Nandu had obviously just made that up. He simply wanted to spend more time with her.

He clicked his tongue. “I miscalculated.” But the corners of his lips couldn’t help but turn up.

Jiang Xi gave him a light, dismissive look.

Lu Nandu suppressed his smile.

The rain was very heavy. Even standing under the eaves, some raindrops would hit her face.

Jiang Xi was about to turn around to face away from the rain when a warm down jacket suddenly covered her.

The air around them was too cold, and a slight gust of wind, mixed with the man’s body heat, blew on her face.

Jiang Xi was stunned.

Lu Nandu was practically hugging her. Jiang Xi was wrapped in his down jacket, and the man’s chest was right in front of her.

The raindrops were all blocked by his down jacket.

She looked up at him. “What are you doing?”

Lu Nandu looked down at her, his eyelashes long and thick, and his black eyes reflected her face.

He smiled. “I said I wouldn’t let you get rained on.”

“So not a single drop is allowed now.”

The side of the down jacket against her face was slightly warm, and for some reason, Jiang Xi felt her face getting a little hot.

She looked away.

The only sound around them was the rain, everywhere.

They stood there for a few minutes, but the rain didn’t seem to be letting up.

A few raindrops fell on Jiang Xi’s coat. She looked down, stared at the raindrop on her sleeve for a few seconds, and then wiped it away with her hand.

Later, the rain didn’t last long. It came quickly and left just as quickly. Even so, Lu Nandu’s down jacket was soaked.

He couldn’t wear a wet jacket, so Lu Nandu took it off, leaving only a white hoodie.

The air after the rain was fresh, but it was bitingly cold.

As the two of them walked towards the car, Jiang Xi asked, “Aren’t you cold?”

Lu Nandu: “Not really.”

Seeing that they were almost at the parking lot, Jiang Xi didn’t say anything else. It would be warm in the car.

After getting the car, Lu Nandu drove her home.

It gets dark early in winter, and with the rain, it was getting dark quickly, and the streetlights were on.

The school was a distance from Jiang Xi’s home, so it was much faster with a car.

But Lu Nandu clearly didn’t want to send her home so quickly. The car was moving much slower than usual. Jiang Xi pretended not to notice and didn’t say anything.

Finally, they lingered until they reached her house. Jiang Xi didn’t want to stay long.

“You should go back. I’m going in too.”

Lu Nandu: “Wait.”

Jiang Xi’s hand, which was on the door, pulled back. She turned her head to look at him. “What is it?”

“When will I see you next?”

Even though they weren’t officially together yet, today had been a full-fledged date for Lu Nandu.

Aside from not getting handsy.

Jiang Xi said, “Maybe the next time I pay you back for a favor.”

Lu Nandu: “...”

“Alright,” she went to open the car door. “I’m going in.”

Lu Nandu grumbled a little.

Jiang Xi found it funny and didn’t say anything else, just turned and went upstairs.

________________________________________

Lu Nandu’s work was indeed busy.

After only one day of rest, he flew to the UK the day after tomorrow.

When Lu Nandu wasn’t around, Jiang Xi had a lot of peace and quiet, but it was also a little too quiet.

On this day, Tong Yun called her at home and told her to come to the company.

Jiang Xi had almost no work in the previous period because of the scandal. Some jobs that had been finalized were snatched by other companies before the contract was signed.

So for almost a month, Jiang Xi had no work other than participating in one event.

Jiang Xi drove to the company. When she got to Tong Yun’s office, as expected, Tong Yun was going to talk to her about some work matters.

A few days had passed since the plagiarism scandal was clarified, and the discussion about it online was still high.

Many people were demanding that Jiang Xi’s former university thoroughly investigate the professor, Ren Shenghai.

Jiang Xi sat down in a chair in front of Tong Yun’s desk.

Tong Yun was on the phone, probably solving a problem for another artist. She hung up five minutes later.

She turned to look at Jiang Xi and asked, “Why didn’t you say anything when you came?”

After saying that, she walked back to her desk, took out two scripts from a file, and handed them over.

“Take a look. These are two dramas I’m planning to take on for you.”

Jiang Xi used her fingertips to pull them over.

She took the one on top first and flipped through a few pages.

Tong Yun leaned back in her chair, her hands clasped in front of her. “This is a popular IP. They’re currently casting and are interested in working with you.”

In the past, Jiang Xi would have had a hard time competing for even a supporting role in a popular IP like this.

Tong Yun said, “This time it’s for the lead role.”

Jiang Xi flipped through it. It was a modern drama, a sweet, romantic, and uplifting urban story.

She hadn’t filmed a modern drama since she entered the industry. Tong Yun said, “Before, there were no good modern scripts that came our way. This one is good. Although the theme isn’t new, it’s popular.”

Nowadays, whether in the business world or the entertainment industry, people care about what’s popular.

These scripts were seeking Jiang Xi out because her popularity had skyrocketed recently.

After saying that, Tong Yun talked about the second script. “The other one is a period drama. The theme is quite new, and the script is good.”

Jiang Xi didn’t say much. She just flipped through the scripts and listened to Tong Yun.

Tong Yun said, “These are the two we’re currently in contact with. I’m letting you take a look first. In a few days, if there’s any news, you should prepare to join the crew. Haven’t you rested enough recently?”

Jiang Xi: “It’s been okay.”

Tong Yun said to her, “You really don’t have any ambition at all.”

She probably had other things to deal with. After giving her the main instructions, Tong Yun said, “Alright, take the scripts home and read them.”

Jiang Xi left Tong Yun’s office and took the elevator downstairs.

When she got to the lobby, she suddenly saw a security guard rushing towards her. “Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Xi stopped and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I wanted to come and tell you to be careful recently,” the security guard gestured towards the door. “Do you see that? That boy has been waiting here for the past few days. He won’t leave.”

Jiang Xi followed the security guard’s finger and saw Ren Fei squatting outside by a flowerbed.

He was squatting by a flowerbed outside the company, looking down and smoking a cigarette.