st walked past their car. Her heart ached; she’d never seen him look like that before, so focused, even obsessed, until Shu Tinglan’s figure disappeared into the subway entrance, and it was already gr...He was asking Zhu Yuyan this question for nothing. Zhu Yuyan never cared about other people's emotional problems, and was stingy with comfort.

Instead, it was Shu Xiaohe by his side, innocently and playfully asking.

“Dad, what is a scumbag”

Only then did Zhuo Yu'an look at Lu Kuo seriously, with a warning in his eyes: Don't talk nonsense in front of the child.

Lu Kuo turned again and continued to put on his eye mask, remaining silent the whole way.

Upon arriving at his home in Beijing, he learned that Lu YaoYao and Gu Ruandong had arrived a day earlier than him.

He mumbled a greeting to them before returning to his room, completely ignoring how Gu Ruandong ended up at the Lu residence.

Now she finds everything about him annoying, and when he greets her, she turns away and ignores him.

Even the old man noticed something was wrong. The usually most boisterous person had suddenly become quiet, which was unsettling for everyone else.

However, the old man didn't have time to pay attention to him. A big man, when he's sick and injured, he carries it himself. Don't be a crybaby.

On New Year's Eve, the atmosphere was quite awkward due to Lu Kuò's unusual silence and Gu Rúan Dōng's arrival. Among all the men in the family, only Yáo Yáo, the only girl, sat among them. She felt uncomfortable, partly because she remembered last year's scene when Rúan Rúan was also there, and partly because Gu's mother had called her to invite her to celebrate the New Year, but she didn't want to refuse. Moreover, Gu Rúan Dōng stayed at Lu's house without saying a word, which made her feel guilty.

During the evening countdown to New Year's, she sent a message to Ruan Ruan wishing her a Happy New Year and casually asked if she was spending the holiday at her mother's house.

Ruann quickly replied: "Yes, Yaoyao, and Happy New Year to you too!"

Ruan Ruan changed the subject and didn't mention where she was anymore.

She is actually in Beijing, in the house that her grandfather left her.

An old house, long deserted

I thought it would be filled with dust and ice like last year, but surprisingly, the house was very clean, the windows were bright, and the heating was on. It wasn't cold at all.

The heating in this residential complex is turned on uniformly after the payment in November, it's not her who paid for it, so it must be Lu Kuai.

Remembering last year's New Year's Eve, the two of them walked hand-in-hand into this house. In the darkness, they kissed and had an honest conversation. He told her he had a good feeling about her and would try to fall in love with her.

365 days, a whole year, she thought, he must have also tried hard. But maybe love is a kind of mystery. Some people fall head over heels at first sight, destined to be together like Zhuo Yu'an and Ting Lan. Others may never reach that point of being completely smitten, unable to find that irreplaceable feeling, like he did for her.

After that night when she left her mother's house, many things suddenly made sense to Ruan Ruan. If even blood relatives could be like this, how could one expect anything better from others

Now that fireworks and firecrackers are banned throughout the city, New Year's Eve is unusually quiet. The only thing constantly popping up are messages on WeChat, from colleagues and students alike sending their well wishes. Regardless of whether they are mass-sent messages, she carefully replies to each one individually.

His last gaze lingered on the final message, sent precisely at midnight an hour ago by Lu Kuo.

Happy New Year.

Ruan Ruan's hand stopped, uncertain whether he had sent it to everyone or just her.

But no matter what, she didn't want to go back. Even a year of sleeping wouldn't mend their relationship. She said "it's over" and meant it. Letting him go meant letting herself go, she wouldn't drag things out. Even when his name suddenly popped up, her heart still ached terribly.

This is the only message she didn't reply to.

right

Just as I was about to turn off the lights and go to sleep, my phone screen lit up again. It was another message from Lu Kuo.

“Are you at the old house”

Ruan Ruan's heart skipped a beat. She got up and looked down from the window, and sure enough, she saw Lu Kuo standing downstairs. It was late at night, deep into winter, with temperatures dropping to ten degrees below zero. He was wearing a thin coat, standing there in the stillness of the night. As if sensing her presence, she pulled the curtains shut at the same time he looked up.

Ruan Ruan immediately lowered the curtains, turned off the lights, and got into bed, trying to keep her heart from fluttering any longer. But inevitably, lying flat, her heart still beat wildly.

After a while, there was a knock at the door: Ruanruan, open the door.

I came in.

After he greeted, he heard the sound of the lock turning.

Then Ruanruan remembered, he had the keys to her apartment.

Lu Kuo was obviously very familiar with this house. He walked straight to her bedroom door without any hesitation. He didn't turn on the lights, only his shadow could be seen, and he didn't go any further.

Ruannuan hurriedly turned on the bedside lamp and sat up in bed, looking at Lu Kuo with a hint of anger.

This is trespassing.

”

Lu Kuo shook the keys in his hand: "Coming in openly."

”

Give me back the key.

"While saying that, he took out his phone and transferred the money for cleaning and heating bills to him, settling everything."

Lu Kuo opened his phone to see a WeChat transfer from her.

"What's it to you"

"As he spoke, he flicked on the main light in the room and saw the person on the bed. Their face was noticeably thinner than before, lacking any color. He frowned and spoke..."

“Ruan Ruan, let's have a good talk.”

”

He felt it wasn't just a matter of calculating or not calculating, but...

This can't just be swept under the rug.

"It's 1 a.m. now, are you sure you want to talk" Ruanruan thought, only she could tolerate him making such a drama out of everything.

Before in Mori Zhou, there was so much time to talk to her, yet he chose to do it at the start of a new year.

Well, let's talk now.

He couldn't sleep if he didn't talk it out, and he hadn't been sleeping well lately. He didn't understand, their relationship was fine, so why did they just have to pretend it never happened

Ruan Ruan sat up straight, leaning against the headboard, looking intently at Lu Kuo as if she was ready to listen attentively to whatever he had to say.

"I have nothing to do with that female student of yours."

"This is something Lu Kuo cannot accept, being wrongly accused. It's a denial of his character."

At this point, Ruan Ruan also admitted frankly: "I'm sorry, it was my fault. I know you and Mu Han have nothing to do with it."

She lost her mind those days because of Muhan's one-sided provocation and seeing the two embracing together.

"Then you're saying we're over"

This is also where Ruan Ruan needs to apologize: "Lu Kuo, I'm sorry. It's my greed, wanting more, and you can't give it to me. So, forget about it."

”

"What do you want"

Unwavering love.

Now she knows exactly what she wants.

When she uttered these words, she looked at Lu Kuo, her heart beating a little faster. For a moment, she hoped he would respond.

I thought I gave you that, and I went into this relationship with the intention of getting married.

Lu Kuò also confessed honestly.

"That's the problem," Ruan Ruan smiled wryly. "You don't love me. You just happened to settle down, and I happened to appear, fitting your mate selection criteria. I'm obedient and well-behaved, never causing you trouble. That's all. It's not because of love."

”

Lu Kuo was eyes burning into hers."Excuse me, I'm going out." She lowered her head, afraid to meet his gaze, for fear of falling again.Lu Kuo didn't make things difficult for her, he moved to the right a little...