Chapter 8

He smiled, recalling how from their first meeting until now, he had memorized all her little habits. Although he never admitted to understanding her unspoken thoughts, it was evident on his face; whether in tears or laughter, there was always her unique flavor. He held her hand to his lips and earnestly told her: "You shouldn't always be cooped up at home; go out for a walk and see the world outside. Whenever there is movement in Longfeng, the streets are filled with advertisements. Modern ladies are most concerned with these things; when new styles come out, hardly anyone is unaware of them. I must tell you seriously: 'You shouldn't always be cooped up at home; go out for a walk and see the world outside. Whenever there is movement in Longfeng, the streets are filled with advertisements. Modern ladies are most concerned with these things; when new styles come out, hardly anyone is unaware of them. This time, there are six styles available; if others buy them, do you think I am the one giving them away? I am not foolish enough to let those women dress like my wife.'

The recent disputes seemed as if they had never occurred; Nan Qin remained an easily moved person. With just a slight concession from him, she willingly compromised. Perhaps he was tough as iron, perhaps he was not good at expressing himself, but at least he still remembered what she liked to eat. She placed her hand in his palm; his hand was very warm, enveloping her and leading her out of the carriage

His shoulders are broad, and the shoulder pads of his military uniform make them appear even more robust. He looked at her silly expression and laughed: "Like Zhong Kui!"

Two people bent over side by side, their beautiful figures reflected in the shop window. Liang Yan, with a fleeting glance, no longer studied the cake, but simply gazed at her hazy smile in the glass. Suddenly, he felt that many things were slipping through his fingers, things he had not grasped before.

Nan Qin smiled slightly and turned to Liang Yan, asking, "What do you think?"

His explanation seems reasonable, and Nan Qin felt a bit petty. For a moment, feeling disgruntled, he said in a low voice: "Drive on, what kind of situation is it to stop halfway!"

The car drove out of the parking lot and onto the street. It stopped when passing by Lao Dachang, and he asked her, "Are you hungry? Shall I go buy you some cake for a late-night snack?"

A flicker of joy rose in his heart, and he certainly noticed the wrist of Qingfei. Could it be that Nanqin had misunderstood, which is why there was such a commotion? He held her hand gently, gazing intently at her, "Nanqin, listen to me, I had reserved this bracelet long ago and have not found the opportunity to pick it up. I have seen the one belonging to Qingfei as well; when this design was released, I chose it from several similar styles, ultimately selecting this one, which has nothing to do with Qingfei's. Are you angry because of this?" He carefully observed her expression, "Is it because of this that you are jealous?"

He is a strong-willed person, and it is already quite surprising that he can choose jewelry for her. When he said he wanted to buy her some snacks, recalling the image of him in military attire holding a cake box, it always felt a bit strange. Nan Qin paused for a moment and shook her head, "No need."

Isn't it? Nan Qin was extremely irritated and did not want to waste words with him. Gritting her teeth, she tugged at the bracelet, but despite her efforts, she was unable to succeed. Suddenly losing her patience, filled with urgency and resentment, she sobbed as she pounded on the car door, "Why can't I take it off! Why! Why!"

The girl, as lovely as a flower, evokes deep affection; however, if left unchecked, trouble will ensue. Fortunately, Nan Jia acted in time, sending Nan Qin away and concealing her whereabouts from Yin Chu. Yet, this cannot change the fact that they once shared mutual affection. Perhaps only a thin layer of paper remains unbroken, and it is this slight barrier that stirs deep concern, is it not? Liang Yan does not know whether Nan Qin truly loves him; he binds her with marriage, yet fears that if their old feelings reignite, she might abandon him. Perhaps only a thin layer of paper remains unbroken, and it is this slight barrier that stirs deep concern, is it not? Liang Yan does not know whether Nan Qin truly loves him; he binds her with marriage, yet fears that if their old feelings reignite, she might abandon him. Thus, upon learning of their secret meetings, he is consumed by jealousy. No matter how much power he wields in Yangzhou, he ultimately cannot control her heart. She has always been somewhat afraid of him; their relationship has never been equal. Now that Yin Chu is divorced, he vaguely senses that his own marriage is also under threat. She has always been somewhat afraid of him; their relationship has never been equal. Now that Yin Chu is divorced, he vaguely senses that his own marriage is also under threat. Bai Yin Chu is merely the president of a small business association; with a mere flick of his finger, he could make him disappear forever. If it comes to that, he would not hesitate to use such extreme measures to resolve the issue.

The clerk behind the counter took a packaging box, holding a stainless steel clip in hand, and with a Shanghai accent, said: "Before closing in the evening, we have discounts, the more you buy, the more cost-effective it is. Our walnut cake sells very well here, and we also have small squares of whipped cream and raspberry cheesecake, with a crispy crust and delicious flavor. Would you like to each have a portion?"

It is strange that the mechanism cannot be opened, the 24K gold item is indeed soft, the bracelet has almost been deformed by her squeezing, yet it cannot be removed no matter what.

Nanquin was filled with endless melancholy, the world of pastries was suffused with a sweet and rich fragrance. Unfortunately, she arrived late and could only choose from a limited selection. The decor of this shop was quite nice, with countless small mirrors hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the room with the soft glow of three delicate lamps. She leaned over the glass counter, deliberating between two types of puff pastries, one filled with peanut butter and the other with fruit jam, pondering for a long time, unable to decide which one to buy.

The splendid banquet has finally come together, "Which one do you prefer?"

The mist was cool, and her pearl shawl did not cover her adequately, allowing the chill to seep into her limbs. He took off his coat and draped it over her, the buttons glimmering under the light. She recalled that not long ago, Yin Chu had done the same; at that time, she felt extremely uncomfortable. However, the difference with Liang Yan was that she was familiar with his scent, and within it, she felt safe. She removed the shawl and tossed it into the car, her smooth arms slipping into the sleeves, reminiscent of her childhood when she would wear adult clothes and stand in the yard singing old operas, evoking a sense of childhood whimsy. She recalled that not long ago, Yin Chu had done the same; at that time, she felt extremely uncomfortable. However, the difference with Liang Yan was that she was familiar with his scent, and within it, she felt safe. She removed the shawl and tossed it into the car, her smooth arms slipping into the sleeves, reminiscent of her childhood when she would wear adult clothes and stand in the yard singing old operas, evoking a sense of childhood whimsy.

Nan Qin listened to his words and felt that he was utterly unreasonable. The car felt like an isolated island, and she found no place to escape. She despised his use of power to oppress others, especially such inexplicable venting of anger. With her head lowered and silent, she caught sight of the bracelet on her wrist, and the intertwining feelings of sorrow and anger surged within her, causing her eyes to sting. She struggled to suppress her grievances, attempting to unfasten the clasp of the bracelet, while saying: "It is your right to deal with whoever you find displeasing. However, I hope you will not target Yin Chu; he is a good person and has never done anything to harm you. The situation between us has reached this point not because of anyone else. Ultimately, you know the reason yourself."

Nan Qin, however, automatically ignored his words, extending her hand in front of him, pleading with a humble demeanor, "Liang Yan, please help me open it, I do not wish to see it"

She couldn't help but sigh; they had been married for a year, yet they each lived their own lives without ever having an open and honest conversation about their feelings. Perhaps they should never have gotten married. When the two of them were together, apart from endless arguments, there were very few moments of warmth, making it a truly terrible marriage. She looked at him through the rearview mirror; he covered his mouth and nose with one hand, the knuckles of his fingers clearly defined, concealing all of his expressions.

"You didn't eat properly in the evening; you'll be hungry in the middle of the night." Visiting the cake shop is nothing; he has even bought chestnuts on the street, but she simply doesn't know. He opened the door and got out of the car, hesitated for a moment, leaned in and asked, "Do you want to go together? There are many flavors inside, and you can choose what you like to eat." Nan Qin had not yet nodded when he quickly walked around to open the door for her and extended his hand, saying, "A Tianjin snack restaurant has opened on Hengzhou Road. I heard from Rao Liang that the chef's cooking is very authentic. I have a military parade in a couple of days; once I'm done with that, I'll take you to eat there." He thought for a moment, "Duck tongue and radish soup, the one you used to love."

This was the first time he had seen her in such a frenzy. He hurriedly reached out to grab her hand, only to discover that her face was frighteningly pale. She was still struggling, and he was taken aback by her intensity. He exerted force to restrain her, feeling uneasy himself, and sternly questioned her: "Is it so unbearable to wear the things I gave you? Do you have to destroy them to feel relieved?"

It was truly not his intention to speak such sharp words to her, for he cared deeply, and he was on edge. There were also some concerns he could not articulate; he did not know whether Bai Yinchun had been honest with her, and that was what frightened him the most. Nan Jia was both absurd and cruel; the phone call she made to him before leaving revealed matters she had long concealed. The reason for sending Nan Qin abroad was not primarily because he discovered her secret affection for Bai Yinchun, but rather because it was Yinchun that truly unsettled her. He was usually very busy, but for some unknown reason, he began to linger at home. The reason for sending Nan Qin abroad was not primarily because he discovered her secret affection for Bai Yinchun, but rather because it was Yinchun that truly unsettled her. He was usually very busy, but for some unknown reason, he began to linger at home. He bought clothes for Nan Qin, took her out to eat and watch movies, and the most fatal mistake was that one day he forgot to lock the drawer he always kept locked, which surprisingly contained photos of Nan Qin.

He carefully observed her expression. Although he was still preoccupied with the content of the conversation he had with Yin Chu, it seemed that they had not discussed matters too deeply. He let out a sigh of relief, mocking himself for his own anxiety, realizing that he too had experienced such a day of unease. Earlier, he had drunk a bit too much, and his head was spinning; now, as he calmed down, it felt as if he could think normally again. He reached for the ignition, and the car started but remained stationary, only the sound of the engine rumbling could be heard.

She murmured with difficulty: "There is too much to eat, and it will spoil if left there"

Liang Yan stared at the smiling face, somewhat dazed, and replied blankly: "All of them."

Nan Qin was trapped; the fog was so thick. Did he send someone to follow her? Although she was sitting upright and composed, being watched like a spy was a great humiliation to her. With a cold expression, she leaned back in her chair, feeling unprecedented dissatisfaction towards him, yet still not wanting him to misunderstand. She patiently told him: "We didn't say anything. He divorced Nan Jia, and it is only natural for me to show concern."

He said he is not afraid, "There are many people in the family, and if we can't finish it, we can just give it to the servants."

His gaze made her feel embarrassed; unable to avoid it, she could only slightly turn her head and slowly blush.

The cake shop operates in such a way that fresh pastries are baked at every time slot, but after 6 PM, they basically stop production, ensuring that everything made that day is sold out by the end of the day, as cakes do not keep well overnight. When they entered, many of the trays were already empty. Nanqin leaned down to look into the display case, where only a few boxes remained. The edges of the boxes were clipped with clips, and upright in the clips were paper tags with lace borders, sequentially labeled with names such as Peach Crisp, Rum Cake, Peninsula Cookies, and Napoleon. When they entered, many of the trays were already empty. Nanqin leaned down to look into the display case, where only a few boxes remained. The edges of the boxes were clipped with clips, and upright in the clips were paper tags with lace borders, sequentially labeled with names such as Peach Crisp, Rum Cake, Peninsula Cookies, and Napoleon.

With a cold gaze, Liang Yan observed for a while before saying: "Are you implying that the fault lies with me?"

Her eyes sparkled as she cast him a sidelong glance, a mix of reproach and complaint. Liang Yan felt somewhat dazed; the scene before him was too rare, with passersby drifting by, shrouded in mist, far away in the distance, while only she remained before him. He gazed at her intently, unable to articulate the feelings swelling within him. His thumb repeatedly caressed the back of her hand, and her gentle demeanor exuded a calm beauty. Like a handful of water, it splashed over him, pouring into his heart. If they were to stand like this indefinitely, it would not be without merit, he thought somewhat naively. Ultimately, he steeled himself and turned his face towards the glass door beneath the neon lights, "Let’s go in; I wonder what remains at this hour."

Liang Yan stared at her, his gaze cold and piercing. "Even on a foggy day, you can run into someone. Do you take me for a fool? You two had an agreement, didn't you? Bai Yinchun, just after regaining his freedom, is already restless, insisting that I deal with him. In that case, I will not hold back."

Nan Qin waited for a while before turning his face to look at him. He had his eyes downcast, and from the side, his eyelashes appeared long and thick. It seemed he had something to say but found it somewhat difficult to express himself. He furrowed his brows and thought for a long time, but in the end, he decided against it. The banquet had concluded, and cars began to catch up one after another. Only then did he gather his spirits, shift gears, and the car started moving again.

Nan Qin was determined not to cry, but when he touched her sore spot, she couldn't help it. Was it really a misunderstanding on her part? How could it be such a coincidence? They were old acquaintances; could they really be so in sync about the things they bought? She turned her face away, "No, don't make wild guesses."

She remained silent and said, "You love peanut butter." Her slender fingers pointed to one of the boxes, "Let's go with this one!"