Chapter 8 She’s Shy

“Would I bully your wife?” Luo Qingshu asked Lan Xubai defiantly.

Lan Xubai glanced at Lian Nanshu and quickly explained, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” As a mother, being misunderstood like this, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. “You ungrateful brat!”

Lan Xubai didn’t respond. Instead, he leaned closer to Lian Nanshu, watching her face carefully.

Her ears were already red from earlier, and when she heard that line again in her head, her face flushed even more.

“What’s wrong?” Lan Xubai noticed how red her cheeks were and asked with concern, “Mom?”

Luo Qingshu looked aggrieved. “Can’t you tell? Your wife is clearly embarrassed!”

She understood that Lian Nanshu was blushing from what had just been said. Lan Xubai, totally clueless, was wrongly blaming her for it.

After hearing this, Lan Xubai turned to Lian Nanshu again. “Why are you embarrassed?”

Luo Qingshu understood that it was time to give them some space.

“I’m not embarrassed!” Lian Nanshu denied it quickly, but her red face and ears gave her away—she looked like she was drunk.

In her past life, she had always been a top student focused on academics. She had never dated before. Who would’ve thought that after time-traveling, she’d end up as a married woman?

Lan Xubai reached out and touched her face—it felt hot. “Are you running a fever? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“No! I’m not sick!” she quickly explained. His touch made her heart race like crazy—then stop—then start up even faster.

“You still say you’re fine? Your face is burning!” Lan Xubai, ever the oblivious straight man, didn’t consider what his mother might’ve said.

Lian Nanshu blushed harder and looked up at him. The more she looked, the more attractive he seemed. His biceps were well-defined and strong. A man like this gave off a real sense of security. She thought maybe living with someone like him wouldn’t be so bad.

“I’m fine,” Lian Nanshu said, shaking her head.

Seeing her face, Lan Xubai started to panic. “Did my mom say something to you? It’s not what you think!” he explained nervously.

“You misunderstood your mom,” Lian Nanshu said softly, unable to hide the smile creeping onto her face.

“Misunderstood what?” he asked, getting even more anxious.

“It’s just that…” Lian Nanshu couldn’t just blurt it out. As she smiled, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the novel’s female lead, Liao Meimei, was looking in their direction.

Lan Xubai was still looking at her curiously.

Lian Nanshu quickly touched her eye. “I think something’s in my eye… maybe an eyelash?”

“Let me see,” Lan Xubai leaned in to check. The lighting was dim, so he got even closer.

“Can you blow on it for me?” Lian Nanshu asked.

Lan Xubai didn’t think much of it and took a deep breath, ready to blow—when suddenly, Lian Nanshu stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

She even wrapped her arms around his neck.

Lan Xubai’s eyes widened in shock. His hands froze in mid-air, not knowing what to do.

Lian Nanshu, shy after the kiss, let go and buried her face in his chest.

She did it to “get revenge” on Lan Xubai.

In the original book, the female lead, Liao Meimei, had gotten mad at the male lead for not going to the same rural placement as her. In retaliation, she dated another guy. But later, while in the countryside, Liao Meimei grew tired of the guy, drugged him, and set him up with another educated youth. The relationship ended, and after reforms began, she and the male lead reconciled—but his father disapproved of her because she’d been married before and refused to let them be together.

So in a way, this kiss was her way of avenging the male lead.

But after that kiss, Lan Xubai was fired up. He gently moved Lian Nanshu out of his embrace, cupped her face in his hands, and said, “Hmm~” before kissing her back.

Soon, he let go of her too, but his heart was racing.

Lan Xubai hadn’t expected her to be so bold.

“Bro…?” Lan Luobai came out, calling them in for dinner—only to witness the kiss.

“Time… time to eat!” As a young girl, her face instantly flushed red.

Lan Xubai turned around at the sound of her voice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Liao Meimei looking over with a sorrowful expression, her eyes brimming with tears.

Lian Nanshu followed his gaze and studied Lan Xubai’s expression. He was still looking at her.

She felt upset.

Since she was his wife, she decided to go all in with the role.

She pulled her hand from Lan Xubai’s and walked into the house ahead of him.

Lan Luobai saw this and followed his gaze to Liao Meimei. Putting two and two together with her sister-in-law’s reaction earlier, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her brother. “Two-timing much? Disgusting~” she muttered.

Lan Xubai caught strays from all directions.

With a look of distaste and scorn, Lan Luobai turned and went inside—she was going to comfort her sister-in-law.

Liao Meimei was also called in to sit down for dinner. There were many guests today, so they had three tables.

Lian Nanshu walked to the table where Lin Manyin was already sitting.

“Xiaoshu~ Come sit here by Grandpa Lin! And Dabai, you come too,” the old man said warmly.

As soon as Lan Xubai entered, he walked toward Lian Nanshu. But before he could sit down, the old gentleman called him over to the main table.

Everyone turned to look at the young couple.

“Come on over,” Grandpa Lin waved again. “It’s rare to have the two of them together. This old man wants to chat with them properly.”

Aside from Grandpa Lan, Grandpa Lin was the oldest one here—and it was his birthday.

Three tables weren’t too many, and everything was still within budget.

“Come now?” Lan Xubai’s father, Lan Xiongan, also waved them over.

Lan Xubai placed his hand on Lian Nanshu’s waist and gently guided her to the main table.

Old Mr. Lin sat next to Old Master Lan, who waved for the couple to sit beside him, his smile uncontrollable. Since they had arrived, he hadn’t even spoken properly—he was just too happy.

“I say, this rascal didn’t even step into the house after coming home. Turns out his heart was already with his wife!” Though he spoke as if complaining, he was clearly very pleased with his granddaughter-in-law.

“Granddaughter-in-law, come sit next to Grandpa. You, go over there~” Old Master Lan looked at Lian Nanshu with increasing fondness. Lan Xubai could only switch seats with her, helplessly.

“Looks like the old master prefers his granddaughter-in-law over his grandson—poor Dabai’s going to fall out of favor!” joked Lin’s mother as she came out with a plate of dumplings, teasing Lan Xubai.

“Hahaha…!” Everyone burst out laughing.

Lian Nanshu’s face, which had just started to return to normal, blushed even more under everyone’s gaze. Lan’s parents, watching the scene as the elders, felt a bit sorry for their child, but since no one meant harm, they didn’t interfere.

“Everyone, sit down and eat. You must all be starving!” Old Mr. Lin understood that Lian Nanshu was a shy girl.

Everyone began to sit and eat. Lin Manyin sat at a table with the children, while Lin’s father and mother sat at another table to host other guests. At Old Mr. Lin’s table sat his old comrades-in-arms, who got very animated reminiscing about the past.

Lian Nanshu stayed silent the whole time, quietly eating with her head down. Scenes like this—she hoped she wouldn’t have to be part of again.

Old Master Lan noticed Lian Nanshu wasn’t speaking to his grandson, even though it was his grandson who kept picking food and peeling shrimp for her. She, in turn, gave the shrimp to the old man.

“You don’t like shrimp, Xiaoshu?” Old Master Lan asked softly.

“I’m not picky. I eat everything,” Lian Nanshu replied.

He looked down at the bowl of shrimp, pushed it in front of her, and said, “Grandpa can’t eat this much. You have it.”

Lian Nanshu wanted to refuse, but Old Master Lan shook his head, signaling her not to.

“Thank you, Grandpa.” Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, she picked one up and ate it.

The old men continued chatting.

Lan Xubai kept adding food to her bowl.

“I can’t eat anymore,” Lian Nanshu said, already feeling stuffed from the extra helpings. Only then did Lan Xubai stop.

“You eat these,” she said, transferring some food from her bowl into his. Her action drew quiet smiles from everyone watching.

At the other table, Lin’s parents also noticed Liao Meimei’s gaze constantly falling on Lan Xubai.

“Nanshu’s eating the most today—her husband’s love is going to stuff her to bursting!” Lin’s mother whispered jokingly to Lin’s father.

Lin’s father instinctively turned to glance at them.

“They really are a perfect match,” he couldn’t help but praise the couple.