After having afternoon tea, Ning Anmiao regained a bit of energy. She picked up her equipment again and started working on her designs.
Although she couldn't go to pick up Yin Yiyan in person, she couldn't miss a single design draft she promised to provide.
Not only couldn't she miss any, but she also had to complete them perfectly with high quality.
As a result, when it was almost time to get off work, Ning Anmiao showed no sign of leaving the company.
Seeing that Ning Anmiao was concentrating on her drawing, Lu Yan looked up at her for a few seconds, then reopened his previously closed laptop.
He'd stay and work overtime with her for a while.
This overtime session lasted until half past ten at night.
Ning Anmiao put down her equipment. The first thing she did was stretch. She involuntarily raised her hand to rub the space between her eyebrows. She felt sore all over, especially her neck.
She'd maintained the same drawing position for a long time just to finish that draft.
"My neck is so sore," she murmured to herself. Then she was about to turn off her equipment. Looking up, she suddenly met Lu Yan's deep, heavy gaze.
"You... Why are you still here?" Ning Anmiao was startled. "Shouldn't you have left work long ago..."
"In your eyes, am I the kind of man who would leave his wife to work overtime in the company while I go home to rest?"
Ning Anmiao was exhausted and too lazy to engage in his sarcasm. She rotated her stiff neck and back from side to side. "I'm done. Let's go home."
Lu Yan nodded slightly. He stood up and walked behind Ning Anmiao, placing his hands on the back of her neck.
"Where does it hurt?" Lu Yan asked in a low voice. As he asked, he applied a bit of pressure, his fingertips pressing on the obviously swollen skin. "Here?"
"Hiss..." Ning Anmiao gasped in comfort. Her back arched slightly as she found a comfortable position. "Yeah, it all hurts."
It was a free massage. She might as well enjoy it.
Seeing her brazenly enjoying the service he'd offered, Lu Yan couldn't help but smile, but he didn't tease her. He just massaged her more attentively.
He could feel that the entire muscle at the back of her neck was swollen.
His Miaomiao was just too hardworking.
"This friend of yours is so important that you even forgot to get off work for her," Lu Yan said in a flat voice, but there was a hint of jealousy in his tone. "How come I didn't know you had such a friend?"
"When have you ever cared about me?" Ning Anmiao lay on the table comfortably with her eyes closed as she replied. "I saw her by chance when I was alone at home before."
"Because of some design-related topics, we chatted a few times. Then we hit it off and have known each other for a long time."
Ning Anmiao answered very comprehensively, but Lu Yan still frowned.
The words "When have you ever cared about me" filled him with indescribable guilt and regret.
"It's not too late to care now," Lu Yan murmured to himself. His fingers gently pressed not only the back of her neck but also the muscles on her shoulders and upper arms.
...
When the massage was over, Ning Anmiao straightened her back, feeling much more relaxed. She felt her neck was much more comfortable. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. It's what I should do."
Lu Yan raised his eyebrows, glanced at her, and didn't say anything more.
"Let's go. Let's go home." Lu Yan stood up, gently patted Ning Anmiao's head, and walked to the switch in the office area. He turned off the lights in the company one by one.
The building, which had had a bit of dim light, suddenly became terrifyingly dark.
Ning Anmiao was a bit afraid of the dark. She immediately took out her phone from her pocket. Just as she was about to turn on the flashlight, someone suddenly patted her on the back.
"Ah!" She let out a startled scream. A familiar voice came from behind her, and it seemed like the person was holding back a laugh. "Coward."
Ning Anmiao: ...
She thought Lu Yan was becoming more and more mischievous.
Why was he interested in scaring people in the dark?
"Boring," she complained disdainfully. She lowered her head and was about to turn on the flashlight when a hand grabbed hers.
"Don't turn on the flashlight. It'll hurt your eyes," Lu Yan said calmly. His voice made her feel extremely at ease. "I'll take you out."
Ning Anmiao looked at the figure in the dark whose direction was almost indistinguishable and actually nodded stupidly. "Okay."
In the darkness, the two groped their way to the elevator.
Since they couldn't see each other, the sense of their souls swapping bodies was significantly reduced.
It seemed that she was just Ning Anmiao, and he was still Lu Yan.
They belonged to themselves and also to each other.
For a moment, Ning Anmiao felt that this was something that had happened many times before.
He'd pulled her through the darkness and towards the light more than once.
He'd pulled her out of trouble, saved her, and led her into a stable world.
Feeling the warmth from the palm of his hand, Ning Anmiao closed her eyes, and her heart started beating rapidly.
It seemed like it had been a long time since they'd held hands.
Even during their relationship, the chances of holding hands were extremely rare.
When the elevator arrived, the lights inside were very bright. She instinctively frowned and quickly withdrew her hand.
"It's too late. Let's take a taxi home," Lu Yan said calmly. He didn't pursue the matter of her withdrawing her hand but just calmly averted his gaze.
"Okay."
Ning Anmiao nodded slightly. Looking at his back as he walked away first, she bit her lower lip slightly.
It felt so awkward.
On the way home in the taxi, Ning Anmiao felt a bit sleepy but tried to stay awake. Her eyelids were starting to droop.
Lu Yan turned his head and saw her struggling desperately against sleep. He couldn't help but curl his lips.
"Lin Chuluo won't choose a career in astronomy," Lu Yan suddenly said. This made Ning Anmiao's sleepiness fade a bit. Her eyes were still hazy as she turned to look at him. "Why?"
"During college, he never intended to pursue a career in the field of astronomy."
Since that basketball game, the relationship between the three of them had become closer.
Although Lu Yan was a cold person, he had a sharpness and vision that ordinary people didn't have.
"The Lin family won't really let him pursue such a nebulous career," Lu Yan said in a low voice. "If he were to inherit the Lin family, he'd be an excellent heir."
"But if he were to pursue a career in astronomy, he'd be an irresponsible rebel."
The Lin family had become prosperous in the past two years. They'd finally accumulated some capital. With the rise of the emerging media industry, how could they possibly let Lin Chuluo pursue astronomy?
That would truly be absurd.
After hearing this explanation, Ning Anmiao tightened her palm and lowered her eyes slightly.
It seemed that in this world, there were too many people who couldn't do as they wished.
"However, he doesn't necessarily have to inherit the Lin family. After all, the Lin family has more than one son," Lu Yan said with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes.