Before Liang Yi could dig deeper into why the engagement was called off and he wasn't involved, Tan Linyuan unceremoniously kicked him out of the meditation room.
Nan Yu stormed out of Changuang Temple in a huff. Just as she stepped off the steps, her phone in her pocket vibrated. She immediately answered it.
Shen Yanche's gentle voice came from the other end. "Yuyu, you're at Changuang Temple, right? My car is across from you."
It seemed that he had been waiting for her outside for a long time.
This further confirmed the fact that the Shen family had been monitoring her all the time.
Nan Yu paused slightly. Her emotions gradually calmed down. She said into the receiver in a normal tone, "I'll come right over."
She put away her phone. When she saw the taillights of the car across the street light up, she walked towards it.
After getting in the car, Shen Yanche first asked about her well - being and then asked if she was hungry and if she wanted to go to a restaurant for dinner.
Nan Yu originally wanted to say that she had eaten vegetarian food in the temple, but when she saw that Shen Yanche had already told the driver the address of the restaurant, the words of refusal got stuck in her throat.
"You must be hungry after staying in the temple for a whole morning, right?" Shen Yanche glanced at her sideways, his tone gentle. "I just came back from the company and didn't have time to eat either. We can have a meal together."
Actually, Shen Yanche wasn't really asking if she wanted to eat. He just wanted to eat now, so she had to accompany him.
Whether she ate or not didn't depend on her.
None of her decisions ever depended on her.
Nan Yu lowered her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. "Okay."
The car drove all the way to Yunjing Restaurant.
"I feel really sorry that I called you here last time but didn't even let you have a bite to eat."
Shen Yanche held her hand as they got out of the car. There was apology in his words. "It's just the two of us today. You can try the signature dishes of this restaurant. They taste really good. I'm sure you'll like them."
Nan Yu nodded woodenly.
Although she hadn't eaten yet, she was sure that she wouldn't like them at all.
From the moment she saw the signboard of "Yunjing Restaurant", she felt her hands and feet turn cold and her vision go dark.
This place made her recall once again that day when she was ridiculed by the parents of the students for leaving early and was forced to play the piano on stage for others' entertainment.
Ridiculously, even the room was the same as last time, and the piano was still there untouched.
It was as if it was mocking her for being at others' mercy back then.
"Do you need me to play a song?" Nan Yu sat down, her eyes dull and her voice floating.
"Of course not." Seeing her pale face, Shen Yanche quickly comforted her. "Last time... it was my dad who did something wrong. I apologize to you on his behalf."
Nan Yu didn't pay attention to what he was saying. Out of the corner of her eye, she only noticed a waiter in a white shirt and black vest sitting in front of the piano. It seemed that he was going to play.
Shen Yanche stroked her hair and said softly, "Let them perform today. Our Yuyu just enjoy the music."
Nan Yu didn't say a word.
During the following meal, she spent the whole time listening to the piano music.
This restaurant had good taste. The piano - playing level of the waiter they hired was first - class. Nan Yu only heard a few stray notes, which was already very good.
She endured and listened, but the scene of that day and Tan Linyuan's calm words "You're quite tough - minded" kept playing in her mind.
She almost shed tears again. Fortunately, she lowered her eyes and quickly wiped them with a tissue.
...
This meal tasted like wax to her, but she still had to force a smile and nod at Shen Yanche, saying that the food tasted good.
This was going to be her life from now on.
This was going to be her married life day after day, year after year, after she married Shen Yanche.
It was her lifelong imprisonment.
...
Halfway through the meal, Shen Yanche casually brought up a topic. "Yuyu, my dad has found another master to choose a date. Let's go and get the marriage certificate on that day."
Nan Yu didn't show much reaction. She just confirmed the date with him, then glanced at the calendar and hesitated for a while. "That day is a Sunday. I have to go to Changuang Temple."
"It doesn't matter." Shen Yanche had already thought it through for her. "On that day, I'll say hello to Uncle in advance and ask him to let you out early."
"Are we going to get the marriage certificate in the afternoon?" Nan Yu then asked another question.
"The master said that dusk is the most suitable time." Shen Yanche was as gentle as ever. "You don't have to worry about anything. Just wait for me to pick you up."
Nan Yu:...
Even though she had never been married, she knew how absurd it sounded to get the marriage certificate in the evening.
Who got married without being happy and rushing to the Civil Affairs Bureau early in the morning to get a good omen?
But the Shen family did the opposite. They insisted on going at dusk, making it seem like they were doing something shameful.
People who didn't know might think it was a second marriage.
Nan Yu didn't understand and didn't bother to understand. Anyway, this wasn't something that could be changed just because she suggested it. "Okay, I remember."
Shen Yanche smiled because of her obedience. Just as he lowered his head and was about to roll up her sleeve, he saw the Buddhist bead bracelet on her right hand.
Shen Yanche couldn't help frowning. "Yuyu, why do you still have Uncle's Buddhist beads? Didn't you return them?"
Nan Yu shook her head and then nodded. "I came to the temple today specifically to return them, but Uncle said that he couldn't wear the broken Buddhist beads anymore and asked me to wear them for safety."
This explanation sounded reasonable. Shen Yanche didn't think much of it. Instead, he said with relief, "It seems that Uncle regards you as one of the family. This is a good thing."
If Uncle let a junior like her wear such precious Buddhist beads, what else could it mean but regarding her as one of the family?
He even happily thought that it seemed that the Shen family's business would go quite smoothly in the future.
Nan Yu saw his joy and didn't say anything for a while.
Even if she was dull, she could see that the Shen family was deliberately trying to get closer to Tan Linyuan and even spared no effort to let her, their future daughter - in - law, build a good relationship with him early on.
However, this plan had failed.
She didn't know if she could help the Shen family build a good relationship with Tan Linyuan.
But she was sure that if the Shen family continued to match - make them openly and secretly, the things between her and Tan Linyuan would be exposed sooner or later.
She decided to start from the Shen family's side.
"Shen Yanche, I think... Uncle may not like me."
Nan Yu lowered her eyes and said softly, "Our auras don't match. We can't even talk for a few sentences. It's better for us to have less contact."
"Don't worry. He's always like that."
Shen Yanche didn't understand her underlying meaning at all. He seemed to know Tan Linyuan very well. "After all, Uncle is a respected figure in Jiangcheng. Of course, he has to keep some distance."
Nan Yu:... You don't understand what I mean at all.
Nan Yu bit her lip. She was going to strike first before Tan Linyuan sold her out. "But Uncle is an unmarried man after all. I'm afraid that getting too close to him will have a bad influence."
She looked up, her eyes filled with worry and hesitation. "... I'm just worried that some gossips will spread and damage the reputation of the Shen family."