Chapter 22: No Longer Restricting Her Movements

The night was as dark as ink.

Xiao Mumu had played at the old residence all day and was clearly tired. As soon as she got into the car, she leaned on her mother and fell into a deep sleep.

Inside the quiet car, there was nothing but the sound of Xiao Mumu’s breathing.

Today’s trip had gone fairly smoothly, and Gu Nanyan felt grateful for her son Xiao Mumu, who always protected her with all his heart.

Her gentle, loving gaze remained fixed on the sleeping little one.

If Xiao Mumu usually looked like Shen Boyan when awake, when asleep, he somewhat resembled her.

“In the future, Yujin Manor will no longer restrict your movements,” Shen Boyan’s deep, magnetic voice resonated in the quiet night. “If you want to visit Lu Wan, go ahead.”

Gu Nanyan lifted her gaze and saw the noble and aloof man with his face turned toward the window. His elegant, smooth profile was so perfectly sculpted that even a carving couldn’t achieve such perfection.

The original owner had been restricted from leaving Yujin Manor because she had been intent on eloping.

Now, the restriction was lifted?

What should she say… thank you?

Gu Nanyan felt a bit strange.

However, Shen Boyan’s action showed that he trusted her more.

After dinner today, she carefully thought back about Lu Wan.

It made her realize that Lu Wan was a pitiful person.

Once, she had been such a good friend to her, but when she became infatuated, Gu Nanyan even blocked Lu Wan.

Unexpectedly, a few years later, Lu Wan was forced to commit suicide by slitting her wrists.

It’s time to go see her.

“I’ll go to the hospital to see Wanwan tomorrow,” Gu Nanyan said softly.

“Mm.” Shen Boyan didn’t look at her, his face still turned towards the window, responding in a deep voice.

The car drove along the highway, and outside the dark window, there was no night view to speak of.

However, the small woman’s delicate face was reflected in the glass.

She always gazed at the child in her arms with such gentle affection, a tenderness that could not be faked.

Two hours later, the car arrived at the Yujin Manor.

Before the car even came to a stop, Gu Nanyan saw Qin Yuwei waiting outside the main house.

Qin Yuwei was still dressed in the same outfit from this morning. Despite the late hour, she hadn’t removed her makeup or changed her clothes.

As soon as the car stopped, she immediately walked over.

“Mr. Shen, you’re back.”

Gu Nanyan got out of the car holding Little Mumu, while Qin Yuwei walked over to greet Shen Boyan.

She looked so eager, almost like a wife waiting for her husband to return.

But Shen Boyan didn’t acknowledge her. He reached straight out to Gu Nanyan. “Give me the child. You can’t carry him.”

“Oh, okay.” Gu Nanyan was slender, and although Little Mumu was only a little over three years old, he weighed more than thirty pounds, so carrying him was tiring.

Once she handed the child to Shen Boyan, he took him and headed straight towards the main house.

Gu Nanyan stayed behind, and Qin Yuwei looked at her expression, saying, “Nanyan, did you have a good time at the old house today?”

Gu Nanyan had offended everyone in the Shen family, so she didn’t expect anyone to be nice to her.

She only went there to take the pressure.

Gu Nanyan understood her implication and smiled faintly. “It was great. Everyone was very warm and kept urging me and Boyan to have a second child.”

Qin Yuwei’s face instantly stiffened.

Her expression visibly darkened, almost to the point of being visible to the naked eye. “Really? It seems they still don’t know that you’ve been married to Mr. Shen for so many years and yet have never even stepped into his bedroom.”

Qin Yuwei’s reminder made Gu Nanyan recall that she had indeed been sleeping in a separate room from Shen Boyan since they got married.

Their relationship over the years had been so pure and clean.

With such a relationship, having a second child would likely take a miracle.

“Things were like that in the past, but who can guarantee the future? Nothing is ever set in stone.” Gu Nanyan said without changing her expression, tossing out her words casually, then turned and walked away, not wanting to bother with Qin Yuwei anymore.

Qin Yuwei stood there, biting her teeth, her eyes filled with hatred and jealousy.

Gu Nanyan, a man as proud and noble as Mr. Shen would never dote on you.

You don’t deserve him!

You’ll never deserve him!

Gu Nanyan entered the main house, and Shen Boyan had just placed Little Mumu into the childs room and was walking out.

When they saw each other, both paused for a moment.

“Well… it’s getting late, Boyan. You should rest early,” Gu Nanyan said, trying to smile, then turned to go upstairs.

“Ho Beiting is not as bad as the rumors say,” Shen Boyan’s low voice came from behind her.

Gu Nanyan turned around, surprised.

Ho Beiting? Wasn’t he the terrifying figure who forced Lu Wan to marry him?

Shen Boyan knew him?

Shen Boyan’s deep, ocean-like eyes stared at her as he spoke: “What people see is just the surface. Some things are beyond their control.”

Having said that, without waiting for Gu Nanyan to ask anything, he walked straight to another staircase.

Gu Nanyan watched him go upstairs, blinking her bright eyes.

Ho Beiting had a notorious reputation outside. If he hadn’t hired more than twenty top lawyers worldwide for his company, he probably would have been locked up by now.

“Not as bad” didn’t necessarily mean “good,” did it?

The next day, after Shen Boyan took Little Mumu to his early education class, Gu Nanyan got herself ready to go out.

When Gu Nanyan instructed the servants to arrange a driver for her, Qin Yuwei’s face lit up with a triumphant smile. “Nanyan, did you and Shen Boyan get divorced? Are you leaving the Shen family?”

Gu Nanyan: “???”

She looked at Qin Yuwei as though seeing an idiot for a few seconds, then smiled faintly. “Qin Yuwei, if you’re having mental issues, you should see Dr. Lin. Stop fantasizing about nonsense all the time.”

Qin Yuwei’s face instantly turned cold.

“Didn’t Mr. Shen forbid you from leaving the Shen family? Have you forgotten? If you leave, Mr. Shen probably won’t let you come back.”

“It was like that before, but it’s not the same now. Qin Yuwei, I’ve said it before—nothing stays the same forever.”

The driver had already brought the car over, and Gu Nanyan dropped the line and got into the car in a graceful manner.

Qin Yuwei stared in disbelief as the car carrying Gu Nanyan drove away from the Shen family.

What was going on?

Didn’t Mr. Shen agree so quickly to let Gu Nanyan come and go as she pleased from the Shen family?

She had stayed with him for four years, taking care of Little Mumu with all her heart, and the only privileges she had gotten were eating meals with Little Mumu and once accompanying him to the old house.

Why had Mr. Shen suddenly granted Gu Nanyan so many special privileges in just a few days?

Not only did he allow her to go to the old house with him, but he also permitted her to come and go freely from the Shen family.

How did Gu Nanyan manage to do this?

Qin Yuwei’s heart was full of unwillingness.

Back in school, she had been the top student, while Gu Nanyan had been the poor performer.

Gu Nanyan had never been better than her.

Why was she receiving so much trust from Mr. Shen in such a short amount of time?

If this continued, would Gu Nanyan really have a second child with Mr. Shen?

What chance would she have?

No, she wouldn’t let that happen.

She had to make Gu Nanyan leave the Shen family.

Qin Yuwei thought for a moment and then turned to find the butler to say that she was going out to buy school supplies for Little Mumu.

She then arranged for a driver and left the Shen family.

The driver, an old acquaintance, drove out of the Shen family, and Qin Yuwei immediately said to him: “Follow the car in front.”