While the two were talking, Lin Nannan returned.

She was in a rather good mood because they had received a lot of gifts, including several pounds of pork ribs. Earlier, Grandma had secretly told her that she would make braised pork ribs for her.

She had never had pork ribs before.

So, she was looking forward to it, and her mood brightened. Even the people in the room seemed more pleasant to her eyes.

“Have you finished talking?” she asked.

“Yes, we have!” Since there was no resolution, the conversation was considered finished.

Lin Nannan nodded and said, “Grandma wants them to go outside for tea!”

Lu Heng needed time to think, so Zhang Shengguo and the others were sent outside for tea.

Once they left, Lin Nannan stayed behind. She sat by the bedside and looked at him, asking, “You didn’t actually reach a conclusion, did you?”

Lu Heng looked at her, momentarily unsure of what to say.

Lin Nannan’s keen perception took him by surprise.

When you thought she was calculative, you would find that she was actually quite straightforward—she did whatever she wanted, ate whatever she liked, and acted without much thought.

But when you assumed she was simple, she would hit the nail on the head, pinpointing the crux of a matter—just like when she dealt with He Ye, and now, in this moment.

“I didn’t eavesdrop!” she quickly defended herself upon seeing his expression. “You said you were done talking, but your brows never relaxed. Also, being targeted by people isn’t something that can be resolved in a short time. While the military may worry about you, they won’t keep sending people to protect you indefinitely, right?”

“You understand all this?” Lu Heng asked.

Lin Nannan didn’t mention that she had read about this history before. Instead, she naturally replied, “Of course, what’s there to doubt? Even if they arranged protection for you, with your personality, you probably wouldn’t accept it.”

Lu Heng’s heart pounded wildly.

He realized that Lin Nannan understood him even better than his parents did, even though they hadn’t talked that much.

“You know me that well?” he couldn’t help but ask.

Lin Nannan didn’t want to explain too much, so she gave a vague answer: “I guess you could say that!”

The better she was, the more reluctant Lu Heng was to let her go. He couldn’t help but say, “Nannan, you know there are hidden dangers, and we don’t know when they might strike. Staying with me not only brings you no benefits but also puts your life at risk. You—”

Before he could finish, Lin Nannan interrupted him.

“Are you trying to make me leave?” she asked bluntly.

Lu Heng remained silent, which meant he agreed.

Lin Nannan didn’t get angry. Instead, she poked at the bedding and said, “But I’ve already ruined their plan. If I leave here, would I really be safe?”

Lu Heng’s face immediately changed, and Lin Nannan secretly felt triumphant—Hmph, you think I can’t handle you?

“If you truly want me to leave, I have nowhere else to go. I’ll have to live in the cowshed on the back hill. When that happens, wouldn’t it be even easier for those people to make a move on me?” she murmured, deliberately making Lu Heng even more anxious.

“You are not going anywhere!” Damn it, he had completely forgotten about this possibility.

Lin Nannan looked at him innocently. “But weren’t you the one who wanted me to leave?”

At this point, if Lu Heng still didn’t realize that Lin Nannan was deliberately manipulating him, then he wouldn’t be the once most outstanding Lu Heng.

He took a deep breath and expressed his true feelings. “Nannan, you are amazing—so amazing that I feel guilty. I’m afraid of dragging you down, afraid that you’ll hate this kind of life. But in my heart, I don’t want you to leave. You don’t know how much your presence has added color to my dull life and given me something to look forward to every day…”

Lin Nannan didn’t have romantic feelings for Lu Heng—after all, she had never been in love and no one had ever taught her about it. She simply felt that being with Lu Heng wasn’t a burden, that he gave her plenty of freedom, and that his family treated her well. So, she had never even considered leaving.