Xiang Wan sat down and hugged Lu Mingzhe's head, letting him rest on her lap to avoid eye contact.
After asking a few questions about dinner, Xiang Wan changed the subject.
"Grandma called me today."
"Oh, has it been a few days since she last called? Is she doing well?"
Xiang Wan sighed and said she didn't know.
"She's the type to only share good news and hide bad. She never tells the truth. I can feel that she misses me a lot, but she just won't say it. I suspect she might be feeling unwell somewhere."
Lu Mingzhe lifted his head from her hands, looking concerned.
"That's very possible. She's probably afraid of troubling you, so she wouldn't dare to say if she's feeling sick. Then why do you still have the mood to eat?"
"I called my cousin to check on her. My cousin said it's nothing serious, but I'm still a bit worried. Since it's not too busy these days, I plan to take some time off and go back to see her."
"Xiang Yang's birthday is in a couple of days, and I might not be able to make it, so I'm celebrating it with him in advance today."
Lu Mingzhe suddenly understood.
"But you don't have to leave me alone at home, do you? Celebrating his birthday in advance, it would be more lively with an extra person."
Xiang Wan pushed his head down and gently ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp.
"I already told you, this is the first time we siblings have had a meal alone in so many years."
"After all, it's his 20th birthday, so it has to be a bit special. You can't be everywhere."
Lu Mingzhe rested his head against her stomach, smiling contentedly.
"Only this one time is allowed to be special. No more after this. From now on, you have to bring me along no matter what."
Xiang Wan said, "Mm."
"I'm going back to my hometown tomorrow and will probably stay for a few days. You should return the apartment to your friend."
"You can stay at your brother's place, and I'll have Xiang Yang stay at school."
Lu Mingzhe lifted his head again. "Why is that?"
Xiang Wan said, "Lately, I've been feeling uneasy, staying at someone else's place for free every day."
"Xiang Yang has dormitories at school, so it's not like he can't stay there. When I get back, I'll go to your brother's place with you. It's really not good to keep doing this."
Lu Mingzhe lay back down.
"No need. Anyway, this place hasn't started selling yet. Besides, the Zhan Corporation is a big enterprise. Does it lack one apartment of yours?"
"Whether they lack it is their business, and whether we take advantage is ours. A person can't be so shameless, right?"
"Alright, alright."
Lu Mingzhe didn't dare to argue with her or make her angry.
"I'll listen to my wife, everything your wife says. Do you want me to go back with you? After all, you're pregnant now, what if Grandma has something going on..."
Xiang Wan gently patted him.
"I think you just don't want to go to work. You're always looking for excuses to go out and have fun."
"Xiang Yang can't earn money, and I have a lot of work to do. I'm counting on supporting the family in the future. If I don't work, will we have to eat the wind?"
Lu Mingzhe hugged her waist and gently rubbed his face against her stomach.
"But I don't want to be separated from you. I want to hold you all the time."
Xiang Wan didn't reply to his words. She gently stroked his face with her hand, her eyes fixed on the computer screen.
Since she had decided to lock her heart and love away, such words had no longer stirred any ripples within her.
The next day, Lu Mingzhe wanted to take her to the airport, but Xiang Wan said it wasn't necessary.
"The flight isn't until after ten o'clock. I'll sleep a bit longer, and you should hurry to work."
After Lu Mingzhe left, she took her packed luggage to her car and drove to the second-hand market.
Two hundred and twenty thousand, transfer the money, complete the procedures.
She sent Xiang Yang a final message.
"I'm going to block your phone and WeChat later. The money is in this card, and the password is your birthday. I'll contact you again after some time."
"Study hard, delete your chat history, and remember what your sister told you."
Back home, Grandma was very happy to see her.
Xiang Wan coaxed her, saying she had opened a new studio in Hangzhou, was too busy to manage her life, and was pregnant, hoping Grandma would come to help her.
To cook for her, clean the house, and help with the child after it was born.
Upon hearing that she was pregnant and asking her to help with the child, Grandma was very excited.
"Oh my goodness, how long has it been? Why didn't you tell Grandma sooner?"
"Your little Lu got pregnant before having a wedding. Will their parents laugh at you?"
"Just got pregnant."
Xiang Wan didn't want to say too much. "Just come with me. Work over there is too busy, and I have to leave tomorrow. I can't be away for too long."
Grandma decided to pack her things and leave with her the next day.
In the evening, the grandmother and granddaughter were sitting in the yard chatting when Tang Haichao called Xiang Wan.
He asked if she had returned to her hometown.
"Yes. I plan to go to Hangzhou tomorrow."
"How are you going? By plane?"
Xiang Wan instinctively asked, "Otherwise?"
"Taking other cars is too slow, and transferring back and forth is troublesome. Grandma is old and it's inconvenient."
Tang Haichao reminded her.
"I advise you not to take a plane, nor a high-speed train or train. Don't take anything that might expose your whereabouts."
"Think about it. You left without saying goodbye with their child. How could a man with such strong self-esteem tolerate it when he finds out?"
"They have their ways, and it's easy for them to track your itinerary. If you take these things, what's the difference from not leaving?"
Xiang Wan's heart skipped a beat, and she finally realized.
"Then what should I do?"
"I'll send someone to pick you up by car. We'll take the highway to Hangzhou and won't expose your whereabouts."
"And didn't you say before that you've never been abroad? Take this opportunity to apply for a passport at home. It might be inconvenient to come back later, so prepare more procedures in advance."
"Actually, it's just for when the child grows up and it's convenient to take her out to play."
It had to be said that Tang Haichao's meticulousness was on a completely different level from her own.
Xiang Wan followed his advice. The next day, she and Grandma went to apply for passports for several countries, then waited for his people to pick them up.
This was her first time in Hangzhou. It was huge, and she had no goal, no idea where to settle.
Fortunately, Tang Haichao had made plans in advance and had already rented an apartment for her to move into.
Xiang Wan didn't understand.
"How did you manage to arrange everything here so perfectly?"
"Did you start preparing from the moment I said I wanted to leave Nancheng?"
He told the truth. "It wasn't for you, I was preparing for myself."
"The real estate market in Nancheng is basically saturated, and interior design has become increasingly difficult in recent years."
"After the incident a few days ago, I already had the intention of leaving here."
"Hangzhou is a newly developed first-tier city with a large young population, suitable for entrepreneurship. When you said you were going to Hangzhou, it coincided with my thoughts, and I was quite excited."
Xiang Wan didn't quite believe his words and said directly.
"Tang Haichao, you know, I've never had that kind of feeling for you."
"Moreover, I don't have the energy or spirit for it right now. I don't want you to waste your time and energy on me."
Tang Haichao smiled.
"Don't worry. Honestly, it's really not for you."