Chapter 646 On Edge
After dinner, the children played while Ning Ran and Lu Jingyuan chatted in the little garden.
It was a fine night in Livingsfill. It was not cold, and the weather was just lovely.
To everyone’s pleasant surprise, they could even see the moon shining brightly in the sky that evening.
Lu Jingyuan took out some fruit wine she had made for the guests.
It tasted sweet and refreshing, but Ning Ran felt the wine tasted familiar after the first sip.
She recalled drinking the same wine when she and Nan Chen and were in Lightspring. They had a meal at a romantic restaurant in the old mansion they visited.
The wine they drank at that place tasted more or less like the one Lu Jingyuan had served.
Ning Ran had her guard up instantly. It occurred to her that Nan Chen had admitted to her that he had once gone to the same restaurant with another woman.
It even seemed that Nan Chen had such a fond memory of that woman that it felt as though she were his first love.
Don’t tell me Lu Jingyuan is the woman who went to that restaurant with Nan Chen. Her children look a lot like Dabao and Erbao too. I can’t be wrong…
“What’s the matter? Do you not like the taste? How about I let you try another wine?” Lu Jingyuan asked when she saw Ning Ran staring blankly into the air.
Ning Ran quickly snapped out of it. “I’m good. I like it. Did you make this yourself? You’re so talented.”
“It’s easy making something like this. I usually make this when I’m free. It’s just something I do to fill up my time.” Lu Jingyuan smiled.
Ning Ran smiled back at her. “That’s good. You’re good at everything. Where’s your husband? Is he also in Livingsfill?”
The truth was that Ning Ran had already found out from Cheng Xiangyun that Lu Jingyuan was a single mother, but she still asked Lu Jingyuan about her husband because she was suspicious.
Lu Jingyuan smiled at her question and just shook her head.
Her response meant a lot. Lu Jingyuan did not want to explain the situation, nor did she want to continue the conversation.
However, Ning Ran was so overtaken by her curiosity, especially after she had tasted the wine, so she continued, “Is he not in Livingsfill? Then where is he?”
It was rude for Ning Ran to pursue a topic the host did not wish to continue, but because she was dying to know if Lu Jingyuan’s children were related to Nan Chen, she insisted on asking.
The answer meant a lot to her, and she simply had to find out.
Lu Jingyuan was taken aback when Ning Ran asked the question again.
“He is not with us. The children have never seen him before. Actually, this is not something I feel comfortable talking about. Why don’t we talk about something else?” Lu Jingyuan replied, smiling politely.
Ning Ran suddenly felt embarrassed. Since Lu Jingyuan had made it clear that she did not wish to continue the conversation, Ning Ran could only drop the topic.
“I’m sorry. I thought the kids were cute and got curious about their father. I shouldn’t have asked,” Ning Ran said with a rigid smile.
Lu Jingyuan shook her head. “It’s okay. I understand your curiosity.”
“I’m curious because I bring up the kids myself too. I’m a single mother as well. In fact, I gave birth to them when I was abroad. I didn’t even know who the father was at that time, so I really understand how hard it is being a single mother. That’s why I got interested in your family. I hope you don’t mind,” Ning Ran explained.
Lu Jingyuan was stunned when she heard that. She stared at Ning Ran, making her feel uneasy.
“It’s true. I’m not lying,” Ning Ran assured.
Lu Jingyuan nodded. “I believe everything you said. I knew you were someone with a story. To be honest, I don’t know who the children’s father is either.”
Ning Ran was in for a shock this time. She had told Lu Jingyuan about her not knowing who the father was simply because that was what she had gone through.
It was not Ning Ran’s intention to elicit any information from Lu Jingyuan, but her sharing somehow encouraged Lu Jingyuan to also open up about her own encounter.
What a coincidence! It’s as if everything is meant to be.
Despite what Lu Jingyuan went through, Ning Ran was certain that, unlike herself, Lu Jingyuan would never fall prey to someone else’s trap and accidentally get pregnant.
After all, Ning Ran did not believe that someone else would experience the same thing as her.
“But how did you get pregnant?” Ning Ran blurted out.
Again, Lu Jingyuan smiled and shook her head.
Obviously, she did not want to relive the details of her experience.
Ning Ran could understand her feeling. After all, what happened concerned her privacy, and it was definitely not something one could talk about with just a few sentences.
“Whatever it is, I understand you’ve had it hard. I hope everything goes well for your family.”
“Thank you. You too. By the way, where’s your husband? What does he do?” Lu Jingyuan asked.
Ning Ran immediately saw the chance to test the waters, so she took out her phone and looked for Nan Chen’s photos.
“He’s the kids’ father.”
Lu Jingyuan took her phone and glanced at the photos. Her face froze for a second.
“He’s very handsome. He looks familiar, though.”
Lu Jingyuan’s reaction did not go unnoticed by Ning Ran, for she had had her eyes on Lu Jingyuan’s face the moment she passed the phone.
Lu Jingyuan’s reaction was not drastic, but neither was it expected.
Anyone who saw a photo of a stunning man would be astonished or amazed, but Lu Jingyuan’s reaction was more than that.
Doubt clouded Ning Ran’s heart. Do they know each other?
“His name is Nan Chen. He’s the CEO of Nanshi Corporation in Flower City,” Ning Ran said, still observing Lu Jingyuan, but the latter did not seem perturbed.
She simply nodded and replied, “He has a graceful aura. He’s handsome too.”
Her reply sounded as if she had never seen Nan Chen before.
In fact, she sounded as if she had never even heard of him before.
Ning Ran was perplexed. Her color changed when she saw the photo, but she didn’t sound as if she knew the man. Nan Chen is not that famous, so it makes sense that she doesn’t know him. But if he’s really a stranger to her, why did she react that way? Is she trying to act as if she doesn’t know him?
Ning Ran was having second guesses. To her, Lu Jingyuan did not seem like someone who would put up a front.
Indeed, I can’t judge a book by its cover. Some people may look harmless and innocent, but deep down, they can be evil, just like Ouyang Qing. But it’s okay. I have nothing to fear even if Lu Jingyuan is putting on an act. I’ll just arrange for Nan Chen to come here and meet her. I don’t believe they’ll continue faking it when they see each other. Even if they do, I’m smart enough to see through them. I’m not stupid!
Ning Ran felt relieved at the thought.
“What about I ask him to join us for a meal when he comes to Livingsfill? He must be glad to meet someone like you,” Ning Ran suggested with a smile.
“It’s okay. Socializing is not my thing.”
Ning Ran did not expect Lu Jingyuan to turn down her offer, and that put her on edge again.
Why does she not want to meet Nan Chen? I get that she’s quiet and prefers having her own space, but meeting him is no harm. She doesn’t have to refuse my offer.
At that point, Ning Ran found it hard to convince herself that there was nothing fishy going on, but she had no proof, so she could not come to any conclusion and could only accept Lu Jingyuan’s answer as it was.
“All right, then,” she said, smiling rigidly.
