NFBE Chapter 500 "Infecting the World" - Male Mother (111)
Chapter 500 "Infecting the World" - Male Mother (111)
Chapter 500 "Infecting the World" Male Mother (111)
Lu Liruan wanted to say that she used to work night shifts often, and she was always alone going back and forth without any problems. Everyone around her who was about the same age was doing the same thing.
Her intention was to reassure Liao Tingyuan not to worry about her.
But under Liao Tingyuan's gaze, Lu Liruan didn't finish her sentence...
What Liao Tingyuan wanted to express was not how strong she was, how independent she was, or how she could safely go home late at night on her own.
Liao Tingyuan was simply saying that he was very worried about himself...
No matter how old he is, or whether others take care of him, his worry stems from his concern for himself.
Lu Liruan pursed her lips, smiled, and stopped talking about how she used to be. She took a step forward, grabbed Liao Tingyuan's sleeve, and shook it gently.
"Then ask me next time!"
"I'm worried that if I text or call you while you're out having fun, it might affect your mood."
Liao Tingyuan almost laughed.
He did consider asking Lu Liruan why she hadn't returned by this time.
I wanted to call Antang again to ask her what she had taken the little girl to do.
But if he calls An Tang when they're together, and Lu Liruan finds out, the girl might find him even more nagging... or think he's too nosy.
To be honest, Liao Tingyuan sometimes feels that his thoughts are no different from those of some parents.
But that's exactly how he treated Lu Liruan.
Whether it's the difference in personality or the age gap, it's inevitable that his way of caring for Lu Liruan will be mixed with a bit of the kind of care that comes from an elder... although Liao Tingyuan is very unwilling to admit it.
Liao Tingyuan was worried that Lu Liruan would think he was meddling too much.
He felt these were not things he should worry about; he had no right or qualification to concern himself excessively or interfere in her life.
Liao Tingyuan was worried that the little girl would feel disgusted by this.
If Lu Liruan knew Liao Tingyuan's thoughts, she would only widen her eyes and ask, "Huh? How could that be?"
Although Lu Liruan did not demand that others care about her or take care of her.
But if someone else is willing to do this, willing to take the initiative, to put in effort and emotion, Lu Liruan will only feel flattered.
These were precisely what she lacked during her upbringing.
What she lacked, things she might not have cared about or taken for granted when she was young, she would not take for granted when she got them from others as an adult; they would only leave her feeling somewhat lost.
But I was happy inside.
This care, in particular, came from Liao Tingyuan.
Lu Liruan didn't know what kind of feelings she should have for him, but at this moment, Lu Liruan knew for sure.
I'm very happy that Teacher Liao cares about me...
Just like now, Lu Liruan couldn't help but smile.
"No, Teacher Liao, you're just concerned about me, and I don't want you to worry about me like this!" Lu Liruan said earnestly.
"Look, it's already this late, and you're still not asleep!"
Liao Tingyuan raised an eyebrow, sensing that Lu Liruan's words implied: "For someone your age, not sleeping at this hour, you must be exhausted..."
Liao Tingyuan wanted to say that he simply has a healthier lifestyle, not that he has reached an age where he must sleep because he has reached the point where he should have a healthy lifestyle.
But no matter how you explain it, this statement is a bit strange.
Liao Tingyuan sighed softly, "Okay, I'll call you next time."
Lu Liruan had noticed that the lights were still on upstairs, so she knew that Liao Tingyuan must be waiting for her and came up to tell him.
And so, they went back into the house.
But Lu Liruan was too familiar with this place. She had lived here for quite some time and knew every corner of the house like the back of her hand.
Sitting on the sofa felt even more comfortable than being at home.
Since we're already here...
Like Lu Liruan presenting a treasure, she picked out the two best-tasting snacks she had bought and placed them on the table. She also heated up two cups of milk for herself and Liao Tingyuan.
Anyway, tomorrow is a day off, so what's wrong with staying up late tonight?
After finishing my snacks and returning to my room, it was already past 2 a.m.
After washing her face, Lu Liruan stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself in the dressing mirror. Even though it was already this late, her face still showed a cheerful and energetic expression.
Her expression was lively and happy, and even Lu Liruan herself could see that she was in a very good state.
I don't know what will happen in the future, or where things will go...
But at this moment, Lu Liruan felt that there was no one happier than herself.
There could be no better day than this.
If I could, I would love for things to stay this way forever.
Lu Liruan sighed inwardly.
Although she appears carefree on the surface, Lu Liruan is indeed somewhat pessimistic deep down.
It is shaped by life experiences and past events.
While she was happy, she couldn't help but wonder if this kind of life would really last forever.
Is it really impossible for anything bad to happen?
What should I do to prevent everything from falling from such a high place?
Lu Liruan tried hard to banish this thought from her mind, but in the end, she could only fall asleep with it in mind.
When it was time to go to work on Monday, An Tang walked up to Lu Liruan and asked in a low voice, "Did Tingyuan wait for you that day?"
"How did you know?" Lu Liruan asked curiously.
An Tang raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself: I'm so much older than you, and I know Liao Tingyuan's personality quite well, so of course I can guess right away.
Actually, before An Tang went to the movies with Lu Liruan that day, she also wanted to call Liao Tingyuan to tell him.
Otherwise, given his meticulous nature, he probably won't give up until he sees the girl safely home tonight.
Actually, An Tang wasn't worried about anything else, but rather that if Lu Liruan went home too late, Liao Tingyuan might be unhappy with her.
But then I thought again, Liao Tingyuan isn't that kind of person at all...
An Tang simply didn't believe that he would lose his temper with Lu Liruan.
Sure enough, judging from Lu Liruan's expression, she didn't.
An Tang never really thought that Liao Tingyuan had a particularly good temper.
Although this person always appears calm, they are definitely not the type to easily accommodate others or have a very easygoing personality.
This is something that everyone can see for themselves.
This was the first time An Tang had ever seen him so accommodating to a young girl's every request.
Occasionally, you can even see a hint of kindness in him...
Of course, An Tang couldn't say this to either Lu Liruan or Liao Tingyuan; she could only keep it to herself, sometimes wanting to laugh.
A few days later, when only a few of them were in the office, Fan Zhenxiang returned.
Lu Liruan originally thought that Fan Zhenxiang and that girl were both from this unit, but that they had gone on a business trip a while ago.
But after Fan Zhenxiang reluctantly sat back down on the sofa, being watched by Liao Tingyuan, he was forced to do so.
The girl who had been smiling quietly to the side finally stood up.
In a very soft and pleasant voice, she spoke to Lu Liruan: "Hello, my surname is Gao, Gao Shiyi. This is our first meeting. I'm here on a business trip."
After Gao Shiyi finished speaking, she glanced at Liao Tingyuan and nodded with a smile.
Liao Tingyuan returned her gaze gently in response, as if the two were exchanging a silent, yet mutually understood, understanding.
An Tang looked at Lu Liruan with some worry, only to find that the little girl's attention was still on Fan Zhenxiang.
At this moment, Fan Zhenxiang was staring intently at Lu Liruan, as if waiting for the right moment to strike up a conversation with the young girl.
The little girl clearly had a conflicted look on her face, as if to say, "Stay away from me, don't come over and talk to me..."
They didn't even notice the small interaction between Liao Tingyuan and Gao Shiyi.
It seems they don't know yet...
An Tang sighed silently, feeling that Liao Tingyuan's actions were not very good.
When Lu Liruan withdrew her attention, she vaguely felt that the atmosphere in the room seemed a little strange.
But I can't quite put my finger on what's strange about it...
Gao Shiyi, like her name suggests, exudes a calm and scholarly aura.
Lu Liruan felt a sense of peace and tranquility when she was by her side.
Gao Shiyi is also very easy to talk to, making her seem approachable and easy to become friends with.
She's here on a business trip to take care of something very important, and she'll be staying in the office for the next few days.
Before long, he was with An Tang and Lu Liruan.
Gao Shiyi seems to have a lot of knowledge about plants.
She said that when she was a child, her grandparents raised many different kinds of potted plants, as well as many precious and difficult-to-cultivate flowers and plants.
So these succulents were not difficult for her.
She observed how An Tang and Lu Liruan cared for the plants and offered some suggestions.
Once, when Lu Liruan returned from getting something outside, she saw An Tang frowning and talking to Gao Shiyi.
Gao Shiyi's expression also seemed somewhat strange.
Lu Liruan couldn't hear what they were saying, so she asked, "What are you talking about?" while placing the takeout bag she was holding on the table.
When the two men saw her return, they didn't react for a moment and immediately shut their mouths.
Lu Liruan looked at the two of them with some confusion, and inexplicably felt that what they were talking about must be related to her...
And you have to say it behind your back.
So what exactly are they talking about?
Lu Liruan looked at An Tang with a questioning expression.
An Tang saw the little girl's nose wrinkling and explained as she unpacked the takeout bag, "Shiyi asked me when the boss would be back. She needs the boss's signature to do this job, but she hasn't been able to contact him for the past few days."
“I told you I couldn’t get in touch with him either. The last time the boss came back was around the time you saw him.”
"Where did the boss go?" Lu Liruan was easily diverted from the topic.
“How would I know…” An Tang rolled her eyes.
"He's always elusive, and he has absolutely no sense of responsibility," An Tang complained from the bottom of her heart.
“I still have several documents here waiting for him to sign. I can’t get in touch with him, but that’s normal. He often goes missing for several days at a time. Besides simply not being able to reach him, he might also be in some other space.”
"Huh? Our boss... also needs to go on missions personally?" Lu Liruan asked in surprise. Why is he so eager to lead from the front?
"No." The two of them were amused by her reaction.
"Sometimes, in areas where no space has ever been discovered before, newly discovered space requires the personal confirmation of leaders from several units to confirm that the place should be included in their jurisdiction in the future."
"But generally, in areas where space has never existed before, the first spatial reaction is not a serious matter. In fact, it's usually just a matter of unclear boundaries that need to be defined, so there's no danger." An Tang explained to her, and Lu Liruan was hearing this knowledge for the first time.
"Don't worry, for people of their rank, being in command is more important than going on missions."
An Tang seemed to remember something and softly added, "Otherwise, things will fall apart again like they did back then."
Lu Liruan didn't doubt whether they were lying to her.
After all, there are two people involved, so there's no point in lying to yourselves.
Lu Liruan genuinely believed that this was what they were talking about.
"Oh, by the way, someone else is coming in the next couple of days. His abilities are quite interesting," An Tang said with a smile.
"Interesting?" Lu Liruan's curiosity was piqued.
"What? Is it something magical? Or something particularly surreal?"
Actually, no matter whose ability it is, if you think about it carefully, it's all quite surreal.
Lu Liruan felt that she had been exposed to too many surreal things these past few days...
I've reached a state of numbness; I believe whatever people tell me.
Lu Liruan felt that if anyone tried to deceive her at this time, she would be very easy to be fooled.
At this point, even if someone tricks you into buying health supplements, you might actually believe in their miraculous effects.
After all, what is there that we can completely disbelieve?
No one tricked him into buying health supplements; on the contrary, Fan Zhenxiang has been bringing his guitar to the office every day for the past few days.
Lu Liruan had assumed that since he played the drums, he must also have some knowledge of the guitar.
It turned out he had only been learning guitar for a short time, and Lu Liruan, who was in her office upstairs, could hear the chaotic guitar sounds coming from below.
"Sister Tang, look at this succulent on my table, doesn't it look a little wilted?"
An Tang leaned closer to take a look, then thought to herself that she didn't really know and hadn't paid much attention.
Then, Lu Liruan let out a long sigh and said to the succulent plant, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid... Even if we hear noise, we must be strong and not die easily!"
An Tang: ?
Suddenly, the shrill guitar music downstairs stopped abruptly, and after a few seconds, a pleasant melody drifted into my ears.
Lu Liruan and An Tang exchanged a surprised glance and walked downstairs.
On the stairs, I saw Liao Tingyuan sitting on the sofa, holding the wooden guitar that Fan Zhenxiang had used as a noise generator, his eyes lowered, playing it calmly.