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nOn the way to Orchid Gardens, Su Jianan was bubbling with excitement.

n“Lu Boyan, you must feel very happy to have a mother like Auntie Tang.”

nThat was one thing about Lu Boyan that she was most envious of.

nFrom the moment they got married until now, Su Jianan had kept addressing Tang Yulan as ‘auntie’ like she used to. But in truth, Tang Yulan was waiting for Su Jianan to start using a different honorific.

nLu Boyan frowned. “Su Jianan, we’re already married. My mother is your mother too,” he reminded.

nTo Su Jianan, who had lost her mother at the age of fifteen, maternal love was something extremely precious? Lu Boyan’s words… was he expressing his willingness to share his mother’s love with her?

n“Aww, Lu Boyan. I’m surprisingly touched by your words… Even if it’s just for two years, I’ll treat Auntie Tang like my own mother!” said Su Jianan sincerely. “Thank you!”

n“…” Lu Boyan had only intended to get Su Jianan to start using a different honorific when addressing his mother. As for those complicated meanings behind his words, Su Jianan had read into them on her own. But just like that, she was satisfied?

nHe suddenly did not have the heart to correct her for reading too much into his words.

nTang Yulan had been anticipating their arrival from this morning until now, when she finally saw Su Jianan. She waved her hand cheerfully at Su Jianan. “Jianan, come on in.”

nSu Jianan walked towards Tang Yulan and stopped in front of the old lady. She pursed her lips. “Mother, I’m here to visit you,” she said in a serious tone.

nTang Yulan had been waiting to hear the word ‘Mother’ from Su Jianan for far too long. Now hearing it all of a sudden, Tang Yulan had begun to doubt her own ears. Tang Yulan’s eyes grew wide as she stared at Su Jianan. In that moment, it was as if she felt an overwhelming urge to turn back time by a few seconds just so she could hear it again.

nSu Jianan seemed to be at a loss under Tang Yulan’s gaze. “Mother, what’s wrong?”

nThis time, Tang Yulan could confirm that she had heard it. In a split second, she pulled Su Jianan into her arms forcefully. “Good girl.”

nSu Jianan returned the embrace gently, smiling as she did so.

nA mother’s embrace. To Su Jianan, it was a long time coming. In this world, only Tang Yulan could make Su Jianan relive the feeling of being embraced by a mother.

nAfter a long while, Tang Yulan’s emotions calmed down and she remembered her son. “Where’s Boyan? Didn’t he come with you?”

n“He’s behind.”

nLu Boyan walked in just as those words left Su Jianan’s mouth. Overjoyed, Tang Yulan said, “Today I’ll be preparing lunch for you two! And Jianan, I’ve picked up all my culinary skills from your mom too.”

nSu Jianan nodded in anticipation. “Okay!”

n“Did Boyan tell you that this place is actually our old home?” Tang Yulan’s gaze went around the house in a circle. “Boyan had lived here since he was born until that incident happened. We were forced to leave the country…”

nIn everyone’s hearts, there would always be unspoken scars. For Tang Yulan, those scars were caused by the incident that had happened fourteen years ago. Su Jianan had no intentions of digging up the unhappy memories from Tang Yulan’s past. Smiling, Su Jianan asked, “Really? Then which room did he stay in when he was young?”

nTang Yulan placed Su Jianan’s hand into Lu Boyan’s. “Boyan, why don’t you show Jianan your old room? I’ll go prepare lunch.”

nSu Jianan felt a little uncomfortable and was about to withdraw her hand. But it was as if Lu Boyan had seen through her intent and had been one step ahead when he squeezed her hand tight. “It’s on the second floor. Follow me.”

nHis hand was unlike those of average men, which were dry and rough. When his hand wrapped around her small hand like that, it brought her a strange sense of security.

nBut Su Jianan also knew that Lu Boyan would not be holding her hand forever.

nThe moment they were upstairs, Su Jianan freed her hand from Lu Boyan’s grasp, acting like it was the most natural thing to do. Then, she began to wander around Lu Boyan’s bedroom, taking in everything. Finally, she came to a conclusion. “Lu Boyan, so your dullness had begun since you were young.”

nSuch a spacious room, yet it contained nothing more than a massive bookshelf and some basic furnishings. The bookshelf was fully stacked with books, leaving no room for any other items. Not even the comic books or magazines that every teenage boy would chase after could be found on the shelf let alone action figures or other game-related knick-knacks.

nLu Boyan’s lips curled in disdain. “As if your childhood bedroom is normal than mine.”

nSu Jianan had never been interested in dolls and stuffed toys. Her only hobby was collecting detective novels and watching anime. Her mother once complained to Tang Yulan that her bedroom was completely different from the bedroom of a typical young girl. At the time, Lu Boyan was also present. Until now, she could still remember the strange look Lu Boyan had given her back then.

nShe feigned an air of confidence by raising her chin and pushing her chest out. “That’s only because my childhood interests and hobbies are a little… special.”

nLu Boyan raised his brows. “So when you’re different, it’s special. But when I’m different, it’s dull?”

n“Ahem…” Su Jianan touched the tip of her nose guiltily. She tried to change the subject by pointing out a – the one and only – box which sat on the topmost level of the bookshelf. “Are all your childhood toys kept in there?”

nAs she was speaking, she reached out to take the box.

nLu Boyan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “The things in that box can never be seen by Su Jianan!” he thought.

nHis long legs allowed him to reach Su Jianan’s side in just two or three strides. He grabbed her hands tight and forcefully pulled her towards him.

n“Ah…”

nAll of a sudden, Su Jianan lost her balance and bumped face-first into Lu Boyan’s chest.

nLiterally face-first – both her lips were now tightly pressed against Lu Boyan’s chest.

nLu Boyan had worn a thin shirt that day, so he could practically feel the softness and tenderness of her lips on his chest. It was as if a hand had reached in and gently caressed his heart. A peculiar feeling began spreading out from his chest.

nHe really wanted to… keep pressing her into him just like this.

nSu Jianan’s tiny face had long since burst into red hot flames. She struggled to her feet and glared at the culprit. “Lu Boyan!”

n“Su Jianan, it’s very rude to touch other people’s stuff without permission.”

nIn just one line, he had managed to stop Su Jianan.

nDisgruntled, Su Jianan pursed her tiny lips. “Fine. I won’t look.” After that, she snorted and slipped out of the room.

nSeeing her form vanishing through the door, Lu Boyan took down the box and opened it. Inside was a photo which had been kept as good as new even after all these years…

nSu Jianan went into the kitchen and saw that Tang Yulan was preparing vegetables. Su Jianan rolled up her sleeves. “Mother, I’ll help you,” she said tenderly.

nWithout waiting for a response from Tang Yulan, Su Jianan grabbed a potato and began slicing.

nTang Yulan smiled. All of a sudden, she remembered something. “I’ll go upstairs to take something.”

nWhen she passed Lu Boyan’s room, Tang Yulan saw him staring at a photo.

n“Probably a photo of his father,” Tang Yulan thought.

nTang Yulan sighed and entered the room. “Boyan.”

nLu Boyan quickly slid the photo back into the box upon hearing his mother’s voice. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

nTang Yulan sat down close to her son. “Jianan’s the one who asked you to come home today, isn’t she? I told you. Jianan is much more sensible than you think. At least she has the heart to come visit an old lady like me.” Tang Yulan smiled happily. “Promise me that you’ll protect her for the rest of your life.”

n“Don’t worry, mom. She’ll never come to harm as long as there’s me.”

nHis eagle-like eyes contained nothing but complete resolve and conviction.

nTang Yulan nodded and patted her son’s hand. “I need to get something from my room.”

nLu Boyan left Tang Yulan at the door of her room before heading back to his own room. He took another look at that ten-year-old photo before closing the box. After putting the box back in place, he went downstairs.

nSu Jianan was still in the kitchen slicing vegetables. After Tang Yulan found the thing she had been looking for, she entered the kitchen while pulling Lu Boyan with her. In the kitchen, they were both a little taken aback by what they saw.

nSu Jianan had already cut up the meat and the vegetables and had placed them neatly on the plate. The plate had been arranged beautifully as if it were a platter. Even the potatoes had been so evenly cut that each slice was practically equal in thickness. Such knife skills were comparable to those of professional chefs.

n“Jianan…you haven’t taken a course on knife skills, have you?” Tang Yulan asked in a daze.

n“Mom,” Lu Boyan reminded his mother, “she’s a medical examiner.” If Su Jianan could cut up a human body neatly, what was a potato to her?

nTang Yulan felt as if she had just woken up from a dream. “Jianan, I heard that the lady from Chen family had slighted your occupation during the party the other night? Ha. Someday, I’ll invite her over and have her witness your knife skills. I guarantee, the next time she sees you, she’ll be trembling before you and calling you sister.”

nFeeling awkward, Su Jianan did not know how to respond, so she kept quiet. “Looks like my mother-in-law isn’t one to be trifled with,” she thought.

n“Boyan, you don’t have any plans tonight, I hope?” Tang Yulan asked.

n“No,” Lu Boyan answered frankly.

nSatisfied, Tang Yulan smiled before moving to stand beside Su Jianan. “Jianan, why don’t you two stay for the night and head back tomorrow? How does that sound?”

nLu Boyan narrowed his eyes. When Tang Yulan was not paying attention, he hurriedly tugged at Su Jianan so that she would start making up an excuse to turn down the offer.

nSu Jianan was preoccupied with the happiness she was feeling at that moment, so she did not think there was anything wrong with the suggestion. She gave Lu Boyan a strange look. Then, she smiled and nodded. “Okay. I’m free for the next two days anyway.” She just wanted to spend time with Tang Yulan.

nThe situation was beyond saving now. Even so, Lu Boyan remained calm and composed. After all, it was not going to be him that would end up agitated and nervous when the time came.

nTang Yulan put on her apron happily and began to cook.

nPork ribs soup, baked potato with beef, steamed bass, scrambled eggs with chives, and scalded Choy Sum. Soon, all four dishes were served. Tang Yulan allowed Su Jianan to have the first taste. “Try it. See if they taste the same as the ones your mother made. These are the dishes that your mom was best at back then.”

nBack then, Su Jianan’s favorite was her mom’s baked potato with beef. She took a bite of the same dish made by Tang Yulan and found that it tasted exactly the same as her mom’s.

nSu Jianan’s eyes grew slightly warm, though her lips curved into a smile. “They taste alike.”

nTang Yulan smiled. “Then let’s eat.”

nThe moment Su Jianan sat down, she politely filled a bowl of soup and served it to Tang Yulan first. After that, she automatically reached for Lu Boyan’s bowl and began filling it with soup too. “Have some soup.”

nLu Boyan looked at his young wife in surprise. Then, he caught a glimpse of his mother who was sitting on the opposite side of him. There was so much joy in his mother’s smile, so he had no other choice but to give a tiny smile of his own. “Thank you.”

n“You’re welcome.”

nSu Jianan was in a great mood. Every dish on the table was so delicious that it could turn anyone into a glutton. This was probably the tastiest meal she ever had since her mother passed away.

nAfter lunch, fruits were served by the maids. Tang Yulan regarded Su Jianan and Lu Boyan seriously. “Jianan, Boyan, there’s something I’d like to discuss with both of you.”

n“When are you planning to have kids? I’ve thought of quite a few names for my grandchildren.”

nSu Jianan lost control and spit out the water she had been drinking.

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