Hearing the familiar gentle voice, Ning Anmiao suddenly sobered up a bit, and her eyes snapped open. "Mom? Why are you here?"
Bai Jiaying looked at her daughter with affection in her eyes. "Your dad and I are both here. You're pregnant now, and Lu Yan is always busy with work. Your father and I were worried that he couldn't manage everything on his own, so we came here specially to take care of you."
Ning Anmiao scratched her hair and flashed a smile. "Mom, I'm old enough to take care of myself."
"Of course I know that, but you've got a baby in your belly now, don't you?" Bai Jiaying said with a smile, her eyes falling on her daughter's lower abdomen.
She was still in the early stages of pregnancy, so her belly wasn't showing yet.
But there was indeed a new life growing in there.
A little life that was highly anticipated and loved.
...
The mother and daughter had a heart - to - heart talk. When they walked out of the bedroom arm in arm, they found the two men busy in the kitchen.
Compared with Lu Yan, Ning Zhijing seemed a bit clumsy. He wanted to help but didn't know how, and he would nervously stroke his beard from time to time, looking a bit comical.
"Dad, don't make things worse," Ning Anmiao said with a grin as she walked over. She pointed at the potato he had peeled, which was all pitted. "Each has his own expertise. You'd better leave this job to the professional."
Although Ning Zhijing was a well - educated and refined elder, he was obviously not good at cooking. He was far less dexterous and skillful than Lu Yan.
He took a few steps back and shook his head helplessly. "In this regard, Xiao Lu is really better than me."
Hearing their conversation, Lu Yan just smiled but said nothing. His eyes remained focused on the cutting board in front of him.
He was excellent at knife skills. Every cut was even and neat.
"They say, 'A gentleman should stay away from the kitchen', but seeing you today, it seems that a man who can cook is even more handsome!"
Ning Anmiao said with a smile, winking at Ning Zhijing. Her proud look was really amusing.
Even when she was pregnant, she was still like a child.
The atmosphere was light and pleasant. After they finished cooking dinner together, the whole family sat around the table in harmony.
Just as they were about to start eating, the doorbell rang suddenly.
Ning Anmiao looked up and exchanged a glance with Lu Yan. The latter nodded slightly and put down his chopsticks. "I'll go and check."
With that, Lu Yan walked towards the door and opened it.
There stood Lu Yan's mother, whom they hadn't seen for a long time.
She looked a bit haggard, but still exuded an air of nobility because of her gorgeous clothes and elegant makeup.
"Ayan, I heard that Miaomiao is pregnant?" Lu's mother said loudly, and couldn't help peeping into the room.
As she did so, she saw a warm scene of a group of people sitting around the dinner table.
She looked down at herself. Although she was dressed in luxury, somehow, she seemed a bit out of place and downcast compared to the people inside.
"Yes," Lu Yan said. When he saw it was his mother, his face darkened slightly, but he still maintained basic courtesy. "Do you need something?"
Ning Anmiao also walked over and glanced at Lu's mother. "Have you had dinner? Would you like to come in and join us?"
It was dinner time after all.
When Lu's mother saw Ning Anmiao's face, her expression changed.
She had always thought Ning Anmiao was just a country bumpkin, and her former gentleness and elegance were all pretenses. Now that she knew Ning Anmiao was from the Ning family, she didn't know what to say for a moment.
"I... I won't disturb you," she said, rubbing her hands nervously. "I just thought that Miaomiao was pregnant and might need someone to take care of her, so I thought..."
"No need. Miaomiao's parents are here. They can take good care of her," Lu Yan said coldly, looking as if he was keeping her at arm's length.
Hearing this, Lu's mother's embarrassment became even more obvious.
"I see. Then I won't disturb you. I'll go back first," she said. Before leaving, she couldn't help turning back to give a few instructions. "Miaomiao, you should take good care of yourself and watch your health..."
The moment the door was closed, Lu's mother's words were shut out.
The Ning family elders didn't want to interfere in the Lu family's affairs. They just asked a couple of questions and then didn't mention it again.
After dinner, while her parents were in the kitchen cleaning up, Ning Anmiao gently tugged at Lu Yan's sleeve, her tone filled with dissatisfaction. "You were too cold to your mother just now."
Maybe because she was pregnant and had developed a motherly instinct, Ning Anmiao felt a strange emotion seeing Lu Yan treat his mother so coldly.
Lu Yan lowered his eyes but didn't say anything.
"She wasn't kind to you before, but now you're being so kind and accusing me of my faults, huh?"
His tone was soft, not really blaming her.
Ning Anmiao pouted and explained. "It's not that I'm kind. She is your mother after all, and she even showed concern for me just now. I just feel that..."
"She cares about you because you're carrying the Lu family's heir," Lu Yan said.
Lu Yan was always emotionally detached. When looking at things, he was more rational than ordinary people. "The other good - for - nothing members of the Lu family can't compete with me. Now that I'm going to have a child, she can secure her position in the Lu family more firmly."
Ning Anmiao was speechless. Just as she was about to say something, Bai Jiaying and Ning Zhijing came out of the kitchen, so she had to keep quiet.
At night, after seeing the Ning family elders settle down in the guest bedroom, Lu Yan returned to the master bedroom. The girl on the bed looked up at him.
"Not asleep yet?" Lu Yan knew she had something to say when he saw her big round eyes.
Ning Anmiao looked at him.
"Do you want to talk about my mother?" Lu Yan seemed to have guessed her mind. "Is your kind - heartedness overflowing, and you're planning to persuade me to get along well with my mother?"
Ning Anmiao nodded and then quickly shook her head.
"I don't think your mother was right," Ning Anmiao said in a soft voice. "Everything has a cause and an effect. Do you still remember what the abbot said when we went to the temple before?"
"Everything is predestined. Her past actions, her greed and delusions, have all brought her their due consequences," Ning Anmiao said seriously. "Now she can only cling to her so - called glory and wealth, but she can't get her son's respect or the real respect of others."
Lu Yan said calmly, "You're right."
Seeing that she had convinced him, Ning Anmiao beamed with joy. "So, you don't have to be so cold to her next time. As juniors, we should follow the proper etiquette. Okay?"
Her voice was soft and obedient, making it hard to refuse.
Lu Yan thought for a couple of seconds. "You want me to agree to you?"
Ning Anmiao nodded.
"Then give me a kiss," he said in a commanding tone.
Ning Anmiao paused and rolled her eyes involuntarily. "I'm trying to persuade you to ease your relationship with your mother. Don't be so ungrateful!"
"If you don't kiss me, I'll drive her away next time and tell everyone that it's because my wife and mother - in - law don't get along that I won't let my mother into the house," Lu Yan knew exactly what Ning Anmiao cared about.
Ning Anmiao rolled her eyes in her mind but still leaned over and gave him a fierce kiss.
"Is that okay now?"
"Sure, I'll always obey my wife," Lu Yan replied readily this time.