Xiang Wan already knew everything after all that fuss. Was she deliberately teasing him?
Hearing that his sister didn't object to their relationship, Xiang Yang was thrilled. Without even changing his slippers, he dashed off to find Chen Jiaojiao.
After they left, Lu Mingzhe looked at his gentle wife, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He sat on the sofa and patted his thigh, beckoning Xiang Wan, "Come here."
Xiang Wan didn't move. "Alright, I've been messing around with him for so long, it's getting late. I'm too tired, let's go to sleep."
"What do you mean you're tired? Talking to your brother doesn't tire you, but talking to me does? I'll hold you, you don't need to do anything. Come here."
Xiang Wan went over and sat on Lu Mingzhe's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Their heads rested together.
Lu Mingzhe praised her, "How can you be so good? You're only thinking about making up for the engagement banquet for others, but what about yourself? It's been so long for us, and you haven't received anything."
Indeed.
Xiang Wan felt guilty for not giving anything to Chen Jiaojiao, but she herself had nothing.
Yet, she felt content and wanted nothing.
"I don't think I need anything. I have you, I have Nian Nian, I have Grandma, and now seeing my brother have everything, I'm incredibly satisfied. What else could I possibly wish for?"
"How can that be called wishing? You deserve everything other women have."
Lu Mingzhe said, "Don't worry. My mother has known she was wrong for a long time and has been wanting to ask for your forgiveness. She wanted me to arrange for you to meet and apologize in person, but I never agreed."
"How about this, I'll talk to her these next couple of days. She'll make up for all the proper courtesies you deserve."
Xiang Wan pulled her head away from his, as if startled, shaking her head vigorously.
"I'm not joking, A Zhe. Actually, I don't care about those things at all. I don't want anything."
Seeing her strong reaction, Lu Mingzhe slowly dropped his smile.
"So, you're still holding a grudge against my mother? You don't want to forgive her?"
Xiang Wan said it wasn't like that.
"To be honest, I've never hated her. If it were me, and the son I painstakingly raised was snatched away by a woman so different from him in every aspect, I would also feel uncomfortable."
"I simply don't want anything. I don't want to waste my time dealing with all those trivial matters. I just want to be with you, and with Nian Nian, simply and peacefully."
Xiang Wan, rarely acting spoiled, hugged his neck and swayed.
"Promise me, okay? I can go back and have dinner with them, but please don't let your mother apologize to me, and don't go through with those ceremonies. I can't handle it, and I don't want to handle it, okay?"
"But..."
Lu Mingzhe still felt uneasy. "Don't you feel any regret?"
"As long as you are true to me, I will never have any regrets."
Lu Mingzhe loved his wife even more. He kissed her cheek. Xiang Wan urged him to go to sleep, but he wasn't tired yet.
Holding Xiang Wan, he looked at the furnishings in the house and asked if she remembered the scenes from when she, Xiang Yang, and the other sibling lived there.
Xiang Wan remembered.
"Do you still want to live here? If so, tell someone to bring Grandma back tomorrow."
Xiang Wan shook her head again.
"I want to settle in Hangzhou from now on and visit here occasionally. You won't think I'm selfish, will you?"
For her, Nan Cheng wasn't her home, and neither was Hangzhou.
But at least Hangzhou was a place where she could start anew.
If they stayed in Nan Cheng, Lu Mingzhe had many friends and many complicated relationships.
He might have to spend a lot of time socializing, and Xiang Wan didn't want their peaceful life to be disturbed.
Lu Mingzhe didn't ask for reasons. Hearing her words, he nodded in agreement.
"Anyway, the house won't run away if it's left here. We'll live wherever you say you want to live. Then let's live in Hangzhou."
Xiang Wan grew to like him more and more. "Thank you, husband."
"Is that all the thanks you're giving? Just a dry thank you?"
He tilted his head to meet Xiang Wan's gaze, and Xiang Wan kissed him on the lips.
"Is that okay?"
"No. You weren't like this in this house before."
His words brought a flood of memories.
Xiang Wan knew what he meant and playfully hit his shoulder.
"Nian Nian is still in the room."
"She's already asleep. What does she know?"
"But..."
"We'll go to the second bedroom. Come on."
Lu Mingzhe carried her to the guest bedroom.
Looking out from the huge floor-to-ceiling window, half the city's scenery was visible.
A year ago, they worried about life and their future in this house. Now, they had everything, and their hearts were full.
Life is truly marvelous.
Lu Mingzhe began here. Xiang Wan was a bit afraid of heights, so he had her turn her back to the window.
As they neared the end, Xiang Wan sensed something and reminded him that he hadn't prepared anything and to be careful.
Lu Mingzhe was careless. "We're open and honest now. What's there to be careful about? If we conceive, we conceive."
"Don't be silly, Nian Nian is less than a year old..."
"It takes you a year to get pregnant. By the time the baby is born, she'll be two."
"Can't I have a break? Pregnancy is so hard."
However, it was too late.
Xiang Wan hit Lu Mingzhe, accusing him of premeditation. Lu Mingzhe simply continued without end.
"Since you've accused me of this crime, let's make it official. Come with me."
Xiang Yang suppressed the urge to share the news with Chen Jiaojiao immediately, enduring it all the way to the hotel.
After waiting for two or three hours, Chen Jiaojiao was already quite impatient.
The door opened, and seeing him enter with an excited expression, she deliberately put on a cold face.
Xiang Yang apologized to her.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know I'm late and kept you waiting, I'm sorry. But I have good news to tell you."
"What good news?"
"Kiss me first, and I'll tell you after."
Chen Jiaojiao was about to hit him, but Xiang Yang grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.
"Today is our wedding night, are you sure you want to quarrel with me?"
With that sentence, Chen Jiaojiao couldn't be bothered to argue about anything else.
Life is short; why dwell on unhappy things?
The two got down to business.
After a passionate encounter, Chen Jiaojiao lazily remembered that he had good news to share.
Xiang Yang hugged her. "It's boring to just say it directly. Guess."
"Did the play you mentioned last time get finalized?"
"It's not that."
"Your salary is going to increase for your next project?"
"It has nothing to do with money. Why are you always thinking about money? Guess again."
Chen Jiaojiao couldn't be bothered to guess.
"I'm exhausted. We haven't seen each other for so long, and you come back making me guess all sorts of things. I'm not guessing. Say it or don't."
Xiang Yang coaxed her.
"Okay, okay, no guessing, no guessing. If you don't want to guess, that's fine. We'll go out for dinner tomorrow."
"You're treating. Where are we eating?"
"My sister's place."
"Are you crazy? You think it's not awkward enough for me to be with your sister? You think I haven't had enough jokes at my expense?"
"No one is making jokes at your expense. My sister already knows. She said she's inviting you over tomorrow to represent our Xiang family and make up for your engagement banquet."
Chen Jiaojiao was as if struck by lightning. She froze, her eyes wide, her mouth agape. After a few seconds, she finally reacted.
"They all know?!"