"Still acting like a child." Ning Ziqi frowned in displeasure.
Ji Yunhuan handed the coffee in her hand to Ning Ziqi, a beautiful smile curving at the corners of her lips. "Sirui has a close relationship with Xiao Yan. It's understandable that he's so anxious."
Ning Ziqi nodded.
"Leave these matters to them. You don't need to do it yourself." Ning Ziqi pulled Ji Yunhuan's hand and had her sit on his lap.
"You won't let me go to work, and you won't let me do anything either. If this keeps up, I'll soon become useless." Ji Yunhuan's delicate brows furrowed as a hint of sadness crept onto her small face.
"Silly girl, who told you to say that?" Ning Ziqi raised his hand and gently tapped her smooth, fair forehead, warning her not to speak about herself that way.
"You've just gotten pregnant, haven't you? The doctor told you to rest well." Ning Ziqi stroked the top of Ji Yunhuan's head, comforting her in a gentle tone.
"I promise you, after you're three months along, if everything goes well, I'll let you return to the company."
"Really?" Ji Yunhuan's eyes lit up as she asked with delight.
"When have I ever lied to you, hmm?" Ning Ziqi raised an eyebrow, asking the person in his arms in return.
"Alright, I'll definitely take good care of myself."
Ji Yunhuan raised three fingers to the top of her head, making a vow to Ning Ziqi.
"Come on, let me carry you upstairs to rest." Ning Ziqi scooped up the person in his arms and headed upstairs.
Meanwhile.
On the other side.
Yunyue Villa.
Bai Lang looked at Ning Sirui. "Mr. Ning, you can't go upstairs."
"I'm here to see Xiao Yanyan."
"The young master and madam are still resting." Bai Lang looked at Ning Sirui politely.
"I don't care."
Just as Ning Sirui was about to charge upstairs, Lu Siye and Ning Yan came down.
"Xiao Yanyan, how are you?" Ning Sirui stepped forward, grabbing Ning Yan's hand and asking her urgently.
"Did Lu Siye bully you again?"
Hearing those words, Bai Lang's eyes flew wide open.
Lu Siye bullying Ning Yan? Are you sure you didn't say that wrong?
"Ning Sirui, why are you here?" Ning Yan's eyes lit up as she asked excitedly.
"You recognize me?"
Ning Sirui asked in disbelief.
Didn't Big Brother say Ning Yan didn't remember anything?
"You're my big brother." Ning Yan furrowed her brows, question marks filling her head.
What's wrong with her brother?
At this moment, even Lu Siye began to wonder if Ning Yan had regained her memory.
"Why aren't you going to school? If Big Brother finds out, he'll hit you." Ning Yan said quietly from the side, afraid that Ning Ziqi would find out about Ning Sirui skipping school.
Sure enough…
They had been overthinking things.
Perhaps because Ning Sirui hadn't changed much since childhood, that was why Ning Yan could recognize him.
"Hurry and go to school. When you come back, remember to bring me the delicious food from the stalls at your school gate." Ning Yan urged Ning Sirui, and when she mentioned the delicious food at the gate, she couldn't help but lick her pink lips.
"Xiao Yanyan." Ning Sirui's eyes were filled with heartache.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
Ning Yan saw that Ning Sirui's eyes had turned red, tears welling up in them.
"It's nothing."
"Here's a lollipop for you. This is my favorite candy." Ning Yan pulled out her most beloved strawberry lollipop from her pocket and stuffed it into Ning Sirui's hand.
"Thank you, Xiao Yanyan."
"Hurry to school." Ning Yan didn't forget to urge him to go to school.
"Alright, I'm going to school."
How had that little girl become like this?
Ning Sirui's eyes were filled with heartache.
But to keep Ning Yan from worrying, he had no choice but to obediently follow her orders and "go to school."
"Are you still coming to the company with me today?"
Ning Yan didn't hesitate for a second before nodding. "Yes."
Ever since Ning Yan's memories had stopped at age six, she had become especially clingy with Lu Siye, following him wherever he went.
To work, to meetings…
At the company.
Lu Siye's sofa had practically become Ning Yan's little den.
Pillows, snacks, milk tea, and Hostess pies covered the sofa—there was almost enough to open a snack shop.
Whenever Lu Siye refused to buy her something, she would cry right in front of him.
What could he do? Who could blame him when Lu Siye loved Ning Yan so much? He had no choice but to give in.
Besides… she would also act cute. When he wouldn't buy things for her, she'd ask Jiang Huai or anyone else in the office to get them for her.
Everyone knew Ning Yan was Lu Siye's precious heart. When that precious heart started begging them, how could they dare refuse?
And besides, Ning Yan was so adorable in this state.
That day.
Lu Siye went to a meeting, instructing Ning Yan to stay put in the office and wait for him to come back. She wasn't to move. The water had already been cooled—she just needed to open the lid and drink.
Ning Yan agreed readily.
Lu Siye went to the conference room for the meeting.
But unexpectedly, the meeting dragged on for over two hours.
Jiang Huai burst in frantically. "P-President."
"What is it?" Lu Siye's tone was icy, sending chills down one's spine.
"It's the missus… something happened."
The moment those words left his mouth, Lu Siye was already out of sight.
Lu Siye rushed back to the office and found Ning Yan sitting on the sofa, covering her little hand and crying.
Lu Siye closed the distance in a few quick strides and knelt before Ning Yan, his low, hoarse voice trembling slightly. "Yanyan, what's wrong?"
"My… my… my hand got burned." Ning Yan sobbed breathlessly, her small, frail frame trembling gently. One look at her was enough to break anyone's heart.
"I'm taking you to the hospital."
Lu Siye scooped her up from the sofa and rushed out.
It was all his fault. All his fault. He knew Ning Yan was like a child now, so how could he have left her alone in the office?
He was so stupid. Stupid beyond belief.
At the hospital.
Xu Muyan treated Ning Yan's wound. Fortunately, Jiang Huai had brought her in for timely first aid right after she was burned, or the consequences could have been severe.
"Apply the medicine on schedule every day, and it will heal soon." Xu Muyan handed the medication to Lu Siye, instructing him with a serious expression.
Sometimes he genuinely wondered whether Ning Yan and Lu Siye were truly meant to be together.
If it wasn't Lu Siye getting hurt, it was Ning Yan.
Sigh. Those two really were like fire and water—utterly incompatible.
"Honey, it hurts." Ning Yan looked at Lu Siye with tearful eyes. Her eyes, which were usually like black grapes, had become red and swollen, and the tip of her nose was flushed too, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I didn't take good care of you, and that's why you got hurt."
Lu Siye knelt on one knee before Ning Yan, gently blowing on the wound on her hand.
Ning Yan's eyes were red, and so were Lu Siye's. A faint redness tinged the corners of his eyes, and his deep gaze was filled with self-blame and guilt.
He kept murmuring the same three words over and over: I'm sorry.
Nothing but sorry, over and over again.
"Alright, stop blaming yourself. Yanyan doesn't hurt anymore."
"If my husband gives me some soothing breaths, it won't hurt anymore."
Ning Yan looked up and patted Lu Siye's head, telling him not to blame himself so much.
"Okay, let your husband soothe it for you. It's all my fault. I won't ever leave you alone again." Lu Siye held Ning Yan's hand and blew on it gently, his movements extremely tender.
"Alright, let's pinky swear."
Ning Yan extended her pinky finger to make a pinky promise with Lu Siye.
Xu Muyan thought Lu Siye wouldn't do something so childish, but Ning Yan's coquettishness kept shattering his understanding of Lu Siye over and over again.
"Pinky swear."
Lu Siye extended his hand and linked pinkies with Ning Yan, sealing the promise.
"I want to go home." Ning Yan blinked her big, dark, sparkling eyes at Lu Siye.
Lu Siye glanced at Xu Muyan, and only after seeing him nod did he feel at ease picking up Ning Yan and taking her out of the hospital.
Yunyue Villa.
"Young Master, what happened to the Young Madam?"
The moment they entered the villa, Bai Lang noticed the gauze wrapped around Ning Yan's hand. Her originally slender and fair hand had become swollen and somewhat unsightly.
"Yanyan accidentally burned herself. Uncle Bai, could you please have the kitchen prepare some soup?"
Bai Lang quickly nodded. "Of course."
Lu Siye carried Ning Yan upstairs, gently laid her on the bed, and then sat down beside her.
"Does it still hurt?" Lu Siye carefully cradled Ning Yan's hand, his voice low and hoarse as he asked.
"Just a tiny bit."
In truth, it hurt terribly, terribly much, but she was afraid her husband would blame himself, so she had to endure it.
"Good girl."
Lu Siye felt even more pained and guilty.
"Alright, alright. If you watch Boonie Bears with Yanyan for a while, Yanyan will forgive you, okay?" Ning Yan tugged at Lu Siye's sleeve with her other hand, her sweet, soft voice coaxing him.
"Okay."
Lu Siye had specially installed a projector just to make it more convenient for Ning Yan to watch.
And now it really did come in handy.
With her hand injured, Ning Yan became even more fond of acting cute and spoiled.
"Husband, I want to eat strawberries and cherries."
"Husband, I want to eat egg tarts."
"Husband, I want to eat canned fruit."
Husband…
Ever since Ning Yan injured her hand, Lu Siye had practically moved his office home.
Everything was done at home now.
Meetings, documents—all done at home.
The only inconvenience was Jiang Huai having to run back and forth between the company and the villa.
During a video conference, Ning Yan suddenly barged in.
"Husband, I can't open it. Can you help Yanyan? Yanyan's hand hurts." Ning Yan ran over holding a bag of potato chips, her obedient, sweet, and soft voice leaving everyone on the video call stunned.
The Young Madam was… surprisingly good at acting cute.
"Okay."
"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" Lu Siye's voice was slightly deep, carrying a tone of doting reproach.
"Hehe, I forgot, that's all." Ning Yan said with a beaming smile.
"Can I sit with you during the meeting?" Ning Yan looked up at Lu Siye with expectant eyes, hoping to get a satisfactory answer from him.
"You may."
Lu Siye picked up Ning Yan and sat her on a chair nearby, then continued the video conference.
President, are you doing this on purpose?
Who holds their wife during a video conference?
Hah! They forgot—wasn't it precisely because Lu Siye wanted to stay with Ning Yan that he wasn't coming into the office?
During the meeting, everyone's attention drifted. Lu Siye's expression darkened, yet he didn't say a single word.
In an instant, the people in the conference room felt waves of cold air—it turned out Lu Siye was angry.
"Meeting adjourned."
He couldn't lose his temper in front of his Yanyan—it would scare her. He'd deal with them later.
Sure enough.
After Ning Yan fell asleep, Lu Siye tore into the company staff one by one.
Indeed, the CEO was still the CEO.
Only when facing Ning Yan did he become so gentle.
Half a month later.
"Yanyan's hand is just about fully healed."
"Then can I be rewarded with new clothes tomorrow?" Ning Yan's eyes sparkled, as if they held an ocean of stars—the entire galaxy seemed to have fallen into her gaze, breathtakingly beautiful.
"Alright, whatever Yanyan says."
The next day.
Ning Yan wore a white dress, lace-trimmed socks, and a pair of white sneakers. Dressed like this, she looked as if she were truly only six years old.
"Honey, does Yanyan look pretty?" Ning Yan spun around in front of Lu Siye.
"Beautiful. My Yanyan is the most beautiful of all."
Lu Siye reached out, took her hand, and led her downstairs.
At the department store.
"Pick whatever Yanyan likes."
Ning Yan nodded happily. "Okay, okay!"
"Honey, I want this one, that one, and that one over there…"
Ning Yan's little hand pointed from one item to the next. The colors she chose were limited to a few—pink, purple, and white.
"Take them down."
"Yes, President Lu."
Even though Ning Yan's appearance made her unrecognizable, the staff still knew who she was—after all, the entire department store was under the Lu Group's umbrella.
Since getting together with Lu Siye, Ning Yan had often worn loud, garish outfits, so everyone had grown used to seeing her that way.
Seeing her like this now, they assumed Lu Siye had divorced Ning Yan and that the woman beside him was someone else entirely.
Inside the fitting room.
"I told you—who could put up with a Ning Yan like that? Sure enough, the CEO divorced her."
"The girl beside him now is sensible, knows how to act cute, and dresses well. Isn't she exactly the kind of ethereal fairy men dream of?"
"Exactly, exactly. If it weren't for Ning Ziqi, she probably couldn't even stay in Yuncheng."
…
Ning Yan listened to the gossiping voices outside, her head slowly drooping, her little face filled with unhappiness.
"Shh, don't listen to their nonsense.
Your husband loves only Yanyan. From beginning to end, it's only ever been Yanyan—no one else."
Taking advantage of Ning Yan's amnesia, Lu Siye spoke the secret he had kept buried in his heart.
Lu Siye never touched women. Rumors said he remained celibate for someone, staying single for years willingly.
And that someone was Ning Yan.
Ever since he came of age, he had been waiting for her—waiting for her to grow up, waiting for her to marry him.
But she never seemed to know, always avoiding him.
He zipped up her dress and led her out.
The female sales clerk rushed forward, showering Ning Yan with praise.
"Madam, you look stunning in this dress—it really brings out your fair complexion."
Ning Yan furrowed her delicate brows. "Oh? So I wasn't fair before? Didn't look good?"
The clerk quickly shook her head, flustered. "No, no, that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
She hadn't misheard—this woman had been gossiping about her just moments ago.
"Call your manager over."
"P-President Lu…" The clerk began pleading with Lu Siye.
"I don't repeat myself."
Lu Siye's hoarse, low voice came through, like a demon from hell, ready to devour her completely.
The treasure he held in the palm of his hand—how dare she speak of her in such a manner? She simply had a death wish.
In just a few minutes.
The manager hurried over in a rush.
"President Lu, I apologize for not knowing you had arrived. My sincerest apologies."
Lu Siye sneered coldly, unwilling to listen to her so-called humble words.