He was nearly amused to the point of laughter by her!
“I thought you’d gotten lost. You still know how to enter my door?”
He Canglan leaned lazily against the back of his chair, frowning with a casual expression.
In his left hand, he held a phone; in his right, a cigar. Wispy smoke curled between his slender fingers, like long threads of unbreakable longing held in his palm.
Yet the spool of these threads was firmly grasped by a fragile young girl.
Lan Die heard the double meaning in his words and pondered the tone, which clearly carried an annoyed reproach.
Unconsciously, the corners of her lips lifted into a slight smile, something she hadn’t even noticed herself.
“Where did you go?” Her voice carried a soft, submissive tone.
“To the ends of the earth!” Hearing her voice, He Canglan’s anger didn’t subside; instead, it felt like oil poured on fire.
“Alright, let’s not talk now. Nannan is calling me!” Lan Die had already seen He Nanzhi coming out to look for her.
“I’ll deal with you when you get back!” He Canglan spat out these words fiercely, finally feeling a bit more at ease.
Looking down, certain parts of him were indeed cooperating, strained to the point of nearly bursting.
Lan Die quickly hung up the phone. His last sentence made her ears burn and her heart race.
She knew He Canglan was angry, and she understood it must be because she hadn’t contacted him during his two-week disappearance.
But what reason did she have to contact him?
Lost in thought, He Nanzhi had already walked over. “Lan Die, come, let’s continue dancing.”
Lan Die quickly composed herself. “Let’s go, Nannan. I’ll teach you a secret to keep your toes from getting tired!”
He Nanzhi adored Lan Die.
Lan Die guided her in ballet and taught her art-related courses. In between, the two would quietly share their little secrets.
“Lan Die, was the one who bought you sanitary pads last time your boyfriend?”
“No!” Lan Die denied it earnestly and firmly.
“He’s quite handsome and has the demeanor of the men in our family.” When He Nanzhi mentioned the men in her family, her eyes shone with admiration and pride.
Lan Die lowered her gaze and pursed her lips. “What kind of demeanor do the men in your family have?”
“Led by my grandfather, my father, and my uncle—they’re all exceptional. There’s nothing they can’t do. They’re incredibly capable and reliable…” He Nanzhi chattered on endlessly.
Lan Die absolutely believed this.
But what exactly did this family do? She couldn’t even figure out He Canglan, let alone anyone else.
Noisy voices came from outside. He Nanzhi glanced out and rolled her eyes slightly. “Seriously, my uncle isn’t even home, and they still come so often!”
Hearing He Nanzhi’s words, Lan Die followed her gaze and saw a dignified noblewoman accompanied by a woman in her twenties.
The woman appeared beautiful and elegant but carried the pride and arrogance of a well-bred lady from a prominent family.
She had long wavy hair and wore a well-tailored cheongsam dress, standing tall and graceful.
Su Wan’s voice came from outside the door. “Nannan, we have guests. Come out and greet them.”
He Nanzhi pouted, looking displeased. “I’m in the middle of a lesson. I don’t have time!”
“Since when has Nannan become so diligent? Having lessons even on a Sunday!”
Wang Shuyi walked over upon hearing the commotion. Seeing Lan Die beside He Nanzhi, she paused slightly.
When did a woman with such looks and grace appear in the capital?
Lan Die’s peerless beauty, the graceful curves accentuated by her ballet attire, and her ethereal, otherworldly aura stirred the seeds of jealousy deep within Wang Shuyi’s bones.
She felt an unpleasant and stifling sense of being overshadowed.
“Is this the specially hired tutor?”
Wang Shuyi glanced at Lan Die, her words calling her “teacher,” yet the prejudice in her bones was unmistakably written on her face.
“She’s my friend!” He Nanzhi took Lan Die’s hand. “Her ballet dancing is amazing—no one in the entire country surpasses her!”
A blush spread across Lan Die’s face. He Nanzhi’s protective intent was too obvious.
There were always others more skilled; how could she possibly be unrivaled nationwide?
Still, she said nothing. In these conversations, it was clear she had no place to interject.
She looked at Su Wan, who had just entered. “Nannan has finished today’s lesson, so I won’t disturb you any longer.”
“Lan Die, I don’t want you to leave. It’s lively at home today, and we’ve even invited a Kunqu opera master to perform in the afternoon. Stay for lunch, won’t you?” He Nanzhi held Lan Die’s hand, adamantly refusing to let her go.
Su Wan smiled. “Since Nannan likes you, Miss Lan, why not stay and join us for lunch? You can spend a little more time with Nannan. Is that alright?”
Seeing Su Wan’s sincere invitation and He Nanzhi’s persistent grip on her hand, Lan Die felt that refusing further would be overly affected, so she agreed.
“I’ll take you for a stroll around. Lanting Garden was designed by the renowned modern architect Liang XX. What was that ancient poem again?”
Lan Die smiled. “Just as one despairs of mountains and rivers, another village appears amid the willows and blossoms!”
“Perfect!”
He Nanzhi gave a thumbs-up, took Lan Die’s hand again, and was about to head outside.
“Take your sister Shuyi along.” Su Wan stopped the two who were about to dash off.
He Nanzhi paused. “Alright, let’s all go for a walk!”
Though Wang Shuyi said nothing, her heart was pounding. The daughter of the He family’s eldest son was indeed difficult to handle—she lacked nothing, sweet words had no effect on her, and she seemed utterly impervious.
Still, as the niece of He Canglan, she had to swallow her pride and curry favor.
Wang Shuyi immediately put on a smile and followed them.
As the three were boating in the lake pavilion, admiring the lotus flowers, the butler’s voice rang out loudly: “The eldest and second masters of the He family have returned!”
Immediately, a row of people emerged, standing respectfully on either side of the main entrance hallway.
In the main hall, Cui Mujin, accompanied by noble ladies and Su Wan, gracefully stepped out to welcome them.
Such grand pomp and ceremony! It hardly felt like the modern era, more like stepping back into the solemn atmosphere of ancient times.
Lan Die sighed inwardly. Beside her, He Nanzhi whispered:
“It’s my dad and uncle! Grandpa must be busy again—he hardly ever returns.”
Lan Die looked up and saw two black Hongqi cars driving in through the gate. The cars themselves were unremarkable, but the license plates sent a jolt through her heart.
As a native of the capital and a daughter of a wealthy family, she naturally understood the meaning those license plates represented.
Two attendants respectfully opened the car doors.
The man who stepped out of the second car made Lan Die’s heart surge uncontrollably.
Dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, the man was impeccably proper. Every gesture and smile carried an imposing aura, a reserved and steady demeanor, and a sense of distance.
She could hardly imagine how such a proud, domineering, dignified, and upright man had pinned her in the shabby stairwell of an old residential building, kissing her until she could barely breathe.
Perhaps her gaze was too focused, for He Nanzhi, standing nearby, leaned in with a playful grin:
“Lan Die, that’s my uncle. He just returned from abroad at the end of last year. So many socialites are vying to marry him—isn’t he handsome?”
As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Wang Shuyi beside him, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
Lan Die quickly averted her gaze and murmured softly, “He seems nice.”
…