Lan Lan frowned. Was it her imagination, or did Liang Yufeng seem rather… coy? He clearly wanted to stay, having orchestrated his appearance before Yu Ran and Lan Zhong with a calculated move, anticipating that Yu Ran would invite him to stay for dinner. Yet, once the invitation was extended, he turned to seek her opinion, as if he were the one being bullied.
Annoyed by his behavior, Lan Lan replied curtly, "Whatever you want."
This attitude was a stark contrast to Liang Yufeng's seemingly "sincere" demeanor. Yu Ran couldn't help but chide Lan Lan, "Why are you treating Xiao Liang like that? Don't bully him."
Lan Lan felt even more exasperated. She wished she could list all the ways Liang Yufeng had pressured her and then ask Yu Ran who was actually the one doing the bullying.
As Yu Ran and Lan Zhong went to the kitchen to unpack the takeout, Lan Lan glanced at Liang Yufeng and mocked him, "Mr. Liang, your acting skills are Oscar-worthy."
Liang Yufeng: "Hmm?"
Still pretending not to understand? Lan Lan gave him no chance to respond. "Weren't you quite the actor in front of my parents? You made it seem like you were a bullied little wife."
Liang Yufeng answered a question with a question, "Where's my gift?"
His gaze was fixed on her suitcase, clearly indicating that the opened suitcase contained the souvenirs she had brought for others.
Lan Lan: "Heh, there's none for you."
After he had wronged and harmed her, he still expected a gift? Was there such a thing as good fortune in this world?
Liang Yufeng: "Oh. Then I'll ask your parents. They must have prepared something."
"Mr. Liang, have you been drinking a lot of green tea lately?" she quipped, otherwise why would his every word reek of it?
While they were bickering, Yu Ran and Lan Zhong called them for dinner. Lan Lan stopped tidying and went to the kitchen. The aroma of the takeout made her even hungrier.
Although Liang Yufeng spoke little in front of Yu Ran and Lan Zhong, he could seamlessly pick up on whatever they said, ensuring no conversation fell flat. It was evident that both Yu Ran and Lan Zhong were fond of him.
This was not surprising; Liang Yufeng, with his reserved nature, few words, and straightforward demeanor, had always been popular with elders.
Fortunately, Yu Ran and Old Mr. Lan were not traditional parents. Otherwise, they might have been trying to arrange her marriage with Liang Yufeng by now.
"Does Xiao Liang have a girlfriend?" Just as Lan Lan thought this, she heard Yu Ran inquiring about Liang Yufeng's "private life." Lan Lan immediately looked at Yu Ran, wondering if her own mother was trying to embarrass her by being so curious about Liang Yufeng's personal matters.
Before Lan Lan could warn Liang Yufeng, he had already replied, "Not yet."
Lan Lan's first instinct was to call him shameless, but then she reconsidered. What he said wasn't entirely wrong; he didn't have a girlfriend, but he did have a fiancée.
"Is he busy with work too?" Yu Ran said, "No wonder you and Lan Lan became friends. You're both very career-driven."
Lan Lan: "..." Could the intention to set them up be any more obvious?
Whether Liang Yufeng picked up on it or not, he humbly replied, "My personality isn't great, I'm not very likable."
"How can that be," Yu Ran said, "I think you're quite good. Don't be so self-deprecating. You just haven't met the right person."
Lan Zhong also chimed in with comfort, "When it comes to relationships, suitability is most important. When I was young, my personality wasn't great either, but we got married and lived very happily."
With that, Lan Zhong looked at Yu Ran, and Yu Ran looked back at him. They didn't hide their affection for each other at all. Lan Lan had grown up in such an environment, accustomed to being showered with affection from her parents, and was unfazed by it.
However, this was an experience Liang Yufeng had never had. He had grown up by Jiang Wan's side and had no idea what a harmonious family atmosphere should be like, nor how loving parents interacted daily.
In that moment, he suddenly understood why Lan Lan was never tied down by love, why she always said that love was not a necessity in her life.
It was because she already had enough love. She had grown up enveloped in affection. Only those who lacked love would see love as a lifeline, amplifying the meager affection they received from someone else, treating it as solace and salvation.
From university until now, his feelings for Lan Lan had been driven by this mindset. His expectations were never met by her, and with each disappointment, he couldn't help but blame her. Yet, she had done nothing wrong and had never intentionally hurt him.
Including their breakup back then, she had merely followed her heart. She didn't care about others' opinions of her; if she didn't love him anymore, she didn't.
Liang Yufeng pondered these thoughts, his gaze subconsciously drifting towards Lan Lan. His peripheral vision remained fixed on her. Yu Ran and Lan Zhong, having experienced life themselves, saw Liang Yufeng looking at Lan Lan while discussing relationships and became even more certain that his feelings for Lan Lan were not platonic.
Logically, parents shouldn't interfere so much. They had never interfered in Lan Lan's relationships before. However, this time, Yu Ran, uncharacteristically, spoke up for Liang Yufeng.
Before bed, Yu Ran came to Lan Lan's room. After a brief chat, Yu Ran steered the conversation towards Liang Yufeng. "Xiao Liang seems to have deep feelings for you. Has he been pursuing you all these years?"
Lan Lan didn't know how to answer.
Yu Ran continued, "You haven't had a boyfriend for the past two years either. Why not consider Xiao Liang? You've never tried this type before, perhaps it might suit you if you give it a try."
"He's only had dinner with you two a couple of times," Lan Lan said, half-amused and half-exasperated. "How can you be so sure he's not a scumbag?"
"If he were a scumbag, would you let him in?" Yu Ran countered.
Lan Lan was momentarily speechless. Yu Ran had a point. She had possessed a keen eye for judging character since childhood, which was why no scumbags had ever appeared in her life.
"If he had character flaws, you wouldn't have given him the chance to pursue you for so many years," Yu Ran reasoned. "Your allowing him to pursue you is already an affirmation of his character. I'm not forcing you. You work all day; dating could be a way to relax. It's not like I'm insisting you marry him."
"Actually, he and I can't really be considered dating." Lan Lan explained her relationship with Liang Yufeng to Yu Ran. While she didn't make everything explicit, Yu Ran, as an experienced woman, couldn't possibly misunderstand.
"How long has it been?" Yu Ran asked. "When your father and I saw him last time, it started then, right?"
"Nothing escapes Madam Yu's eyes," Lan Lan said, giving Yu Ran a thumbs-up.
Yu Ran didn't condemn Lan Lan for this kind of relationship. Instead, she told her, "So, it's been over two years? That's a miracle. To have a man exist by your side for such a long time."
Lan Lan: "..." It truly was a miracle, a miracle of power. Liang Yufeng used her work to pressure her, leaving her no choice but to compromise.
"The fact that you've been together for so long shows he must have his merits. You can give it a try," Yu Ran said. "If it doesn't work out, you can part ways amicably. Xiao Liang doesn't seem like the type to pester you."
Lan Lan felt like laughing even harder. Liang Yufeng, parting ways amicably? Impossible!