"Mind your own business."
Nan Yu remained expressionless, but her mood visibly sank, and her emotions were clearly revealed.
Originally, Tan Linyuan had intended to mock her, but when he saw her drooping eyes, he suddenly found it rather dull.
She didn't show the expected anger but was as quiet as still water.
This made it hard to fathom her true emotions and mood.
The night wind was a bit chilly. It was already autumn in Jiangcheng. As the wind blew, leaves rustled down.
Nan Yu took a moment to compose herself, then raised her head, just meeting Tan Linyuan's cold eyes.
Her eyes were as calm as a lake, as if she had come to terms with the fact that her fiancé was having an affair openly.
Tan Linyuan lowered his eyes and said in a normal tone, "Since you know what kind of person he is, in the future..."
"Do you want to sleep with me?" Nan Yu calmly uttered these two words.
Tan Linyuan squinted slightly, trying to confirm if there was any trace of pettiness in her words.
Nan Yu remained calm and repeated the question, "I'm asking, Uncle, do you want to sleep with me?"
Since it was an active invitation, Tan Linyuan naturally wouldn't decline.
However, this time the experience was just so - so.
To put it bluntly, it was rather poor.
The two had been intimate many times, but only this time was she extremely absent - minded.
In the end, Tan Linyuan didn't torment her anymore.
Nan Yu didn't put on any clothes. Her upper body was bare as she leaned against the headboard, showing no sign of embarrassment.
The two had seen each other in the nude so many times that being coy would be too affected.
She asked Tan Linyuan in a flat voice, "Uncle, aren't you going to do it again?"
Tan Linyuan casually lifted his eyelids and said in a cold voice, "You're distracted. It's no fun."
Was she really distracted?
Nan Yu thought to herself. She seemed not very involved just now, which probably dampened Tan Linyuan's enthusiasm.
"I don't want you to be thinking about Shen Yanche when we're doing this either," he casually threw out a sentence, with an obvious coldness in his tone.
"... I wasn't thinking about him," Nan Yu flat - out denied.
But Tan Linyuan had already lost his interest. He got up and dressed. Before leaving, he pointed at the Buddhist beads on the table and said, "Put them on."
Tan Linyuan left, and Nan Yu didn't see him off.
She still maintained the same posture as before, just looking up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Regardless of whether Tan Linyuan believed her or not just now, she really wasn't thinking about Shen Yanche.
As early as the first time she picked up that bright red lipstick, which didn't match her style at all, in Shen Yanche's car, she knew he had a woman outside.
At that time, she thought it was understandable. After all, she was no longer a virgin. Birds of a feather flock together.
Even when she saw that video just now, she actually didn't feel too heart - broken.
One shouldn't be too greedy and always want everything.
Nan Yu needed the Shen family's money to pay off debts, so whether Shen Yanche loved her or would be faithful to her in the future was not within her scope of concern.
But the problem was that it was Tan Linyuan who revealed this truth to her.
This made her feel humiliated.
She had already decided never to see Tan Linyuan again, but he still haunted her, even enjoying her anger.
Because of this, the pride that she had long suppressed would always resurface from time to time recently.
Just like the sarcastic look Tan Linyuan gave her that day: Is this the man you're going to entrust your life to?
She couldn't help but ask herself in her heart: Is this the life you're going to live?
She didn't know the answer.
In front of the muddled fate, no one could give her an answer.
...
When she woke up, the heavy mood from last night had dissipated a lot. Nan Yu got up, washed up, and had breakfast. She sent a message to Wen Ruoyi in advance, briefly explaining today's course arrangement.
She was very serious in class, and Niannian was very talented. Although she was still young and the distance between her fingers wasn't wide enough, with diligent practice, she could play the piano piece smoothly and completely.
This made Nan Yu very gratified.
Although Niannian studied hard, being playful was also a child's nature. She often pestered Nan Yu to watch TV and play games with her.
Once, Nan Yu suggested taking Niannian to the park for a walk, but she strongly resisted and refused to go out.
Wen Ruoyi explained, "Niannian suffered from post - traumatic stress disorder in that car accident. She'll be scared when she sees a car. She hasn't been out for a long time."
She said sadly, "If this child never wants to go out for the rest of her life, who will take care of her after I'm gone?"
After Nan Yu knew the reason, she never mentioned taking Niannian out again and knew better how to get along with her.
As time went by, Niannian became more and more attached to Nan Yu. On the days when she couldn't see Nan Yu, she would count the days with her fingers. Wen Ruoyi joked that Nan Yu should just move in and they would take care of her food and accommodation.
"I wish Nan Yu could be at our home every day," the child had a good memory and easily remembered that day, planting a seed in her heart.
One day, Tan Linyuan came to visit Niannian and even stayed for dinner.
Coincidentally, Nan Yu was also there that day.
At the dinner table, Wen Ruoyi asked about Niannian's progress in learning the piano. Niannian said happily, "Nan Yu is the best teacher. I like Nan Yu the most. I want Nan Yu to be Niannian's aunt!"
Nan Yu almost choked on her porridge. "Niannian, don't talk nonsense."
Niannian blinked her eyes, not understanding the reason. "Doesn't Nan Yu want to be Niannian's aunt?"
Nan Yu suddenly raised her voice. "No!"
Niannian pouted. "Okay."
Wen Ruoyi had a smile on her lips, but her eyes kept sizing up Tan Linyuan sitting across from her, observing his reaction.
However, Tan Linyuan remained unmoved and still ate his meal slowly without saying a word.
Or rather, he seemed not to want to participate in this topic at all.
Since the unpleasant parting that day, Nan Yu had enjoyed a long period of peace. Tan Linyuan didn't bother her anymore.
Even when she went to offer incense and worship Buddha every weekend, she hardly ever saw him.
The topic no longer revolved around Niannian's innocent words. Nan Yu just reported Niannian's recent learning progress to Wen Ruoyi and praised her effort and talent by the way.
Wen Ruoyi nodded gratifyingly. "It seems that Niannian is more talented in playing the piano than in playing the violin."
"Niannian is still learning the violin?" Nan Yu asked.
Wen Ruoyi shook her head with a smile. "She's been learning for about half a year, but there's not much progress. She always seems to be standing still."
Mentioning the violin, Niannian immediately lost her energy. Her little face fell. "But I think playing the violin is not as interesting as playing the piano."
"Teacher Qu has been teaching you so seriously. If she hears this, she'll be sad and cry," Wen Ruoyi said with a smile and joked, "It was your uncle who introduced Teacher Qu. Why do you only like Nan Yu and not Teacher Qu?"
Hearing this, Nan Yu looked at Tan Linyuan again.