Chapter 8: Missing Him, Missing Him

Gu Nanyan angrily pointed at the back door. “Don’t ever let me see you again, or I’ll hit you every time I do!”

When she saw that He Yunrui had completely disappeared, she finally threw the stick in her hand to the ground.

Just as the stick hit the ground, the night lights in the apricot blossom forest, which should have lit up earlier, finally flickered on.

The once dim apricot blossom forest suddenly became as bright as daylight.

Footsteps approached from behind. Gu Nanyan turned around and saw a maid standing respectfully under the light. “Young Madam, please head to the dining room for dinner.”

Gu Nanyan feigned surprise and cautiously asked, “Has BoYan returned?”

“Yes, the young master is already waiting in the dining room.”

“Good, I’ll go right away.”

Gu Nanyan quickly clapped her hands and tidied her clothes before hurrying toward the main house.

When she arrived at the dining room, she saw that Shen Boyan, Xiao Mumu, and Qin Yuwei were already seated at the table.

Shen Boyan was in a formal suit, still looking cool and aloof, with no sign of anything unusual.

It was Qin Yuwei, however, whose face displayed a mix of emotions, especially when she looked at Gu Nanyan, her eyes filled with confusion and resentment.

She had liked He Yunrui for so many years; how could she suddenly stop loving him?

At first, she thought it was just an act, but after seeing how decisively Gu Nanyan acted today, she realized that Gu Nanyan truly didn’t love him anymore.

There was a set of utensils beside Shen Boyan, and Gu Nanyan sat down next to him.

Qin Yuwei sat directly across from her. Seeing the various expressions flashing across Qin Yuwei’s face, Gu Nanyan smiled at her with a hint of satisfaction.

Qin Yuwei, furious, lost her appetite and only ate a few bites of her meal.

Just as they were nearing the end of dinner, Shen Boyan’s phone suddenly rang.

Qin Yuwei and Gu Nanyan’s gazes turned toward him almost simultaneously.

Only Xiao Mumu continued eating quietly, seeming to enjoy the meal. He ate like a little rabbit, never stopping.

The dining room was quiet. After Shen Boyan answered the phone, the voice from the other end could be heard by everyone at the table.

It was Shen’s mother, her tone full of eager expectation: “Ayan, it’s been so long since you brought Mumu to the old house. Hasn’t he grown taller? Your father, your grandmother, and I all miss him very much. Can you find some time this week to come visit?”

Listening to his mother, Shen Boyan remained expressionless, but a faint glimmer passed through his deep eyes.

He paused for a moment, then replied, “Okay.”

“Really? Ayan, since you’ve agreed, I’m going to tell your grandmother! You can’t let her get her hopes up for nothing!” Shen’s mother said happily.

“Okay,” Shen Boyan responded succinctly, hanging up the phone.

After the call ended, the table fell into a moment of silence, each person lost in their own thoughts.

It was Qin Yuwei who broke the silence first: “Young Master Shen, Xiao Mumu has recently learned many new poems and improved his painting skills. But he’s still a child, lacking self-discipline. If I accompany him to the old house, I’ll make sure to show your parents his progress. I’m sure your grandmother will be very happy.”

Well, Qin Yuwei was openly suggesting she accompany Shen Boyan to the old house.

Gu Nanyan couldn’t help but put down her knife and fork, giving Qin Yuwei a sarcastic smile. “You want to go with him to the old house? What’s your status? Do you think I, as his mother, am dead?”

“You…”

Qin Yuwei was stunned into silence, and Gu Nanyan turned to Shen Boyan, her eyes reddening. “Bo Yan, only today did I realize how foolish I was in the past. Now, I truly want to be a good mother, a good wife, and make up for all the mistakes I’ve made. If possible, I hope you can give me a chance to apologize to my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and grandmother.”

Shen Boyan didn’t speak, silently sipping his water.

Qin Yuwei looked at Gu Nanyan with mockery. Had she forgotten how she offended the Shen family?

She had offended every member of the Shen family; how could she possibly have the face to go?

“Dad…” Xiao Mumu, who had stopped eating at some point, looked up with his clear, innocent eyes at Shen Boyan. “Is Mommy coming with us to Grandpa and Grandma’s house?”

Shen Boyan looked at his innocent son and tightened his grip on the water cup.

After a moment, his expression softened slightly, and his deep voice asked, “Do you want her to come?”

“Mm,” Xiao Mumu nodded earnestly.

At that moment, Gu Nanyan felt a complicated mix of emotions in her heart. It wasn’t happiness, but a sense of bittersweetness.

Her eyes were actually red.

The original owner had always been an unqualified mother, so much so that she hadn’t even glanced at her son for years.

But Xiao Mumu… easily forgave her. He bore no grudge for her past neglect.

Was this the bond of blood?

“Little Mu Mu… don’t you want Teacher Qin to go with you?”

Qin Yuwei became a bit flustered and quickly looked at Little Mu Mu to ask.

Little Mu Mu refused to respond and lowered his head to continue eating.

Qin Yuwei, enraged, clenched her fingers into a tight fist under the table.

This ungrateful little brat!

She had spent so much effort raising him over the years, and spent more time with him than with anyone else. Yet in his eyes, she was still not as good as Gu Nanyan, who had given birth to him but never raised him!

“Let’s talk about it later.”

Shen Boyan didn’t make a decision, casually tossing out those three words before continuing to eat.

Gu Nanyan looked at Little Mu Mu, feeling warm inside.

Regardless of whether Shen Boyan would let her go to the Shen family this time, Little Mu Mu’s actions had deeply touched her.

She was starting to like this child more and more.

After dinner, Shen Boyan took Little Mu Mu to the children’s room.

Father and son were having rare bonding time, and Gu Nanyan didn’t want to disturb them every time, so she sat in the courtyard, looking at the stars.

Shen Boyan’s private estate had a prime location, and sitting in the courtyard, she could look up and see a sky full of stars.

Gu Nanyan sat under a magnolia tree, lazily stretching out her hand to count the stars, one by one.

Suddenly, Qin Yuwei walked over from the darkness. “Nanyan.”

Instantly, Gu Nanyan lost interest. She glanced at her coldly and leaned back in her chair. “What do you want?”

“We’re good friends, of course, I’m here to keep you company,” Qin Yuwei said as she sat next to Gu Nanyan, a fake smile on her face.

“Friends? Qin Yuwei, are we really friends?” Gu Nanyan couldn’t be bothered to pretend anymore. She looked at her disdainfully and asked.

Qin Yuwei’s smile froze on her face.

Of course not!

How could a fool like Gu Nanyan be worthy of being her friend.

“I don’t know why you’ve become like this, but Nanyan, I don’t want to be enemies with you.” Qin Yuwei still had an innocent expression.

Gu Nanyan snorted disdainfully, too lazy to even look at her. She tilted her head back to gaze at the sky full of stars and spoke lazily, “Is that so? Since you don’t want to become an enemy, then you should leave the Shen family on your own.”