Ironically, Nuannuan now is indeed the owner of a milk tea shop, so this statent is perfectly reasonable.
An Shanhai felt a bit gloomy as he looked at the wine on the table, "Can I have a drink?"
"You can if you keep company."
"Good, then let's have so."
This man, when struggling to find a topic of conversation, would start drinking.
After all, once the wine is gone, it's all just "drunken words". Treat it as if I never said anything once sober.
After three rounds of drinks.
"At your age, we're not worried about much else, just interpersonal relationships. University is like a small society; people have complex motives, especially in business. As the saying goes, n fear choosing the wrong profession, and won fear marrying the wrong man. You have to be wary of those who are double-dealing."
An Shanhai's earnest advice was for Xu Musen, but also for An Nuannuan.
Especially the last part was for them to see if the shoe fit.
An Nuannuan then lifted her head and suddenly said, "Xu Musen is a really good person, and... he's definitely not the double-dealing type."
An Nuannuan's voice was soft.
If dogs are said to be the most loyal creatures in the world,
then those who dote on them excessively are even more loyal!
Xu Musen was once such a devoted soul.
He pursued Yao Mingyue without looking back for years, and the whole school knew it, since they were childhood sweethearts. Indeed, very few could match his level of focus.
Xu Musen guessed what An Nuannuan was referring to, he felt touched but also a bit frustrated.
Can we not bring up this dark history?
But An Nuannuan didn't care because while Xu Musen was pouring his heart into that girl, she was also secretly paying attention to him...
An Nuannuan spoke, glancing at her father from ti to ti.
The usually simple-minded her was exceptionally serious in this mont.
An Shanhai coughed dryly, "Of course, of course. I'm talking about other people, just a gentle reminder."
An Shanhai still felt a guilty and sowhat pusillanimous sense of obligation toward his daughter.
In the outside world, he was a domineering business tycoon, but at ho, his standing in the family still ca after Nannan's.
"Uncle An, rest assured, Nuannuan has quite a few classmates around her, and we all work, study, eat, and chat together every day. We're all quite happy and won't let anyone bully Nuannuan."
Xu Musen also spoke up.
An Shanhai had seen it yesterday: in that small milk tea shop, Nuannuan and a few classmates were busily and cheerfully engaged.
That scene could not be compared to the happiness his daughter derived from the many gifts he bought for her or the excellent material conditions he provided.
"That's good."
An Shanhai held up his glass; many words seed better kept bottled up inside for now.
Anyway, the two kids hadn't officially breached the subject, he just hoped his daughter wouldn't be shortchanged.
After dinner.
Xu Musen didn't rush to leave but walked around the yard with An Nuannuan and played with the claw machine with An Nannan. Without the vendors secretly adjusting the machine's sensitivity, it was really one grab, one success.
"It's my turn, my turn!"
"Let grab another one for your sister."
"No, no! If you're going to give one, it should be from . Let grab it!"
Xu Musen and An Nannan were like two kindergarten kids fighting over the claw machine.
An Nuannuan sat on the swing chair off to the side, her pale face reflecting a soft glow. The corners of her mouth were always gently curved, as if smiling knowingly.
Upstairs, An Shanhai and the old lady stood by the window, watching the harmonious scene of the three people in the yard.
"What are you thinking now?"
The old lady asked.
An Shanhai exhaled a breath laced with alcohol, "Now it's about seeing what Nuannuan thinks. Judging from today, this young man called Xu Musen has a good personality, but I always feel he's a bit slick, avoiding the important issues and focusing on the trivial. I think we need to observe him more closely..."
He has the look of a smooth talker that could easily sweet-talk girls. Another worthless man.
The old lady smiled, "Between people, the first impression is the most important. When you first t Nuannuan's mother, weren't you dead set on marrying her too?"
An Shanhai touched his nose, "Tis have changed; the kids these days are all too clever."
"Tis may change, but human nature never does. You can take your ti to observe; that's your duty as a father. But as for the kids' matters, let nature take its course."
"But isn't that a bit too hasty? After all, Nuannuan has never had any contact with boys before."
An Shanhai was still a bit worried.
The old lady laughed, "Don't forget, the little boy who brought Nuannuan a cake six years ago is him. Calculating it... Nuannuan has been thinking of him for six years and watched him for three years in high school. Three years, long enough to see soone clearly. This is already a choice Nuannuan has seriously made."
An Shanhai was stunned, watching the bustling scene of the three people in the yard below, his daughter's joyful happiness reminding him of many years ago when their own family was just as carefree and happy.
An Shanhai was silent for a long while, then sighed softly.
It was ti to leave.
An Nuannuan walked him to the door.
The setting sun hung low, bathing the surroundings in a warm amber light.
```
"Xu Musen, my dad kept asking strange questions today, don't mind it."
An Nuannuan tugged at the hem of his clothes.
Xu Musen smiled, squatted down, and ruffled her hair, "How could I? If it were , and a boy suddenly showed up next to my pretty and cute daughter, I'd probably inquire thoroughly too. It ans your uncle cares a lot about you."
Listening to him, An Nuannuan felt a warm glow inside: "Xu Musen, you're so nice."
"That's because you are nice too. Uncle ca back today, have a good chat with him."
Xu Musen stretched out his hand wanting to pinch her cheek, but then he realized they were at the front door of her house and it might not look good if soone saw them.
Just as he was about to retract his hand, he felt a soft touch between his fingers.
An Nuannuan voluntarily rubbed her tender, white, bun-like cheek against Xu Musen's palm.
For a mont, their eyes t, cheeks flushed pink, and their gaze was clear, yet not entirely innocent.
"Xu Musen, I like being with you."
An Nuannuan sounded as if she was boldly confessing on the spur of the mont.
Xu Musen had already experienced her earnest appearance when driving.
Or maybe it was just the kind of liking friends feel for each other, just as he rather enjoyed fishing with He Qiang.
But at this mont, An Nuannuan's eyes, bathed in the setting sun outside, were earnest in a way that made it difficult to look away.
"Is it friend-like fondness, or..."
Xu Musen asked softly.
"Of course, it's…"
An Nuannuan lifted her gaze, giggled at him, and then suddenly raised her right hand horizontally in front of her eyes and made a 'scissors' gesture.
The unexpected cute act caught Xu Musen off guard.
Before he could ask, a car drove up, Aunt Xiang ca to pick him up, smiling at them: "Nuannuan, I'll take him back to the university."
"Then I'll be off."
Xu Musen felt it wouldn't be proper to continue asking, so he got into the car.
Waving goodbye, An Nuannuan watched his receding figure for a long ti, gently kicking a pebble on the ground with her foot braced on a crutch: "Dummy..."
...
The Rolls-Royce arrived at Hu Hai University.
Getting out of the car under the envious gaze of the gate guards, Xu Musen said.
"Thank you, Aunt Xiang."
Aunt Xiang smiled.
"You're welco."
As she spoke, she took out a black business card from her bag and handed it to him.
"By the way, this is a card Nuannuan's father asked to give you."
Xu Musen took it, feeling the card's tallic texture.
It was simply inscribed with three characters: An Shanhai, and his telephone number.
An Shanhai...
Only then did Xu Musen learn An Nuannuan's father's na.
A thought suddenly occurred to him, it was a na he felt he had heard before...
"I'll be on my way now. Nuannuan was very happy today, keep up the good work."
Aunt Xiang started the car at that mont, laughing lightly and breaking his train of thought.
With that, she pressed the accelerator and left.
Xu Musen stood still.
Keep up the good work?
He rembered the words he had said to An Nuannuan at the doorway of her house.
Is it friend-like fondness?
An Nuannuan didn't answer but made a 'scissors' hand gesture.
For girls, acting cute usually ant 'to get by cutely'.
Not to consent, in effect, ant to refuse.
Xu Musen felt a pang of lancholy as he looked up at the sunset in the sky, still slightly dazzling.
Xu Musen also raised his right hand, making a 'scissors' gesture in front of his eyes.
Suddenly, he paused.
The 'scissors' gesture made with his right hand horizontally, wasn't it just like a ">" sign?
Is it friend-like fondness?
It's > friend-like fondness.
A feeling surged within Xu Musen.
Is it greater than friend-like... that kind of fondness?
```
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