Yanran said sincerely, "Cui Xiaoqiu, it's so good to have you... You're like family to me, you'll never give up on me."
Cui Xiaoqiu: "Silly boy. I asked the kitchen to make you your favorite green bean noodles. Have something to eat first, and the other dishes will be ready soon."
What other dishes are available?
Yanran picked up her chopsticks and started shoveling noodles into her mouth. "Cui Xiaoqiu, peel some garlic for me!"
Eating noodles without garlic is so boring.
Cui Xiaoqiu: "... Okay."
She truly doesn't consider herself an outsider.
That would be excellent.
Yanran said resentfully, "I'll burn those bugs to death!"
Cui Xiaoqiu peeled a clove of garlic for her and placed it beside her, smiling without saying a word.
While eating, Yanran said, "Tell me again about the time I was being controlled."
Cui Xiaoqiu then repeated it.
As Yanran listened, she finished her entire bowl of noodles and craned her neck to look outside. "Why isn't the food here yet?"
Cui Xiaoqiu said, "The roasted lamb chops you like might take a little longer to arrive."
"Okay."
The roasted lamb chops are worth the wait.
"We didn't get to try the grilled squid, but the grilled lamb chops were pretty good."
Cui Xiaoqiu laughed and said, "I originally thought you would never want to mention grilled squid again!"
"Grilled squid is delicious! What does it have to do with squid? It's people's hearts that are bad, not the squid. You promised you'd grill it for me next time. Or how about tomorrow?"
Since neither of them will be going out after this, let's just mess around with them!
Cui Xiaoqiu readily agreed, "I'll have someone go find fresh squid first thing tomorrow morning."
Jiaojiao, who was under the table, rubbed against Yanran's leg.
Yanran smiled and said, "I know, you can't be left out. You did a great job today!"
She chatted and laughed, just like before, showing no signs of the Gu worms affecting her.
Cui Xiaoqiu sincerely admires this.
Even if he were a man, it would be difficult for him to be as open-minded as Yanran.
He laughed and said, "I thought you would be scared, but I underestimated you."
"There's nothing to be afraid of," Yanran said. "Everyone has to die eventually! I'm not afraid of death."
She lived life to the fullest, doing what she wanted to do and eating what she wanted to eat, never suppressing or wronging herself.
What a wonderful way to live! What regrets could there be?
Therefore, Yanran was never afraid of death.
Life is just like that; everyone has to die eventually, sooner or later.
I'm just afraid of not living life to the fullest.
"If I die," Yanran said, "No one needs to cry for me. But my father, mother, and brother will definitely be sad, and you will be sad too... I'm telling you, Cui Xiaoqiu, really, you don't need to. I'm fine, I..."
"Yanran, stop talking." Cui Xiaoqiu interrupted her.
She was open-minded, but he was narrow-minded.
He couldn't bear to hear such words of separation and death.
He doesn't believe in ghosts, Buddhas, or reincarnation; he only believes in this life. Therefore, he wants to be with her for a longer, much longer...
Although Yanran spoke carelessly, Cui Xiaoqiu understood that she was giving her "last words" in case of emergency.
After all, the Gu worms really exist; it's a cruel reality that can't be avoided.
"What's the big deal?" Yanran smiled, poking at the empty bowl with her chopsticks. "Perhaps there's another world where I can thrive anywhere. My mother once said that all good things must come to an end, and even the best of friends may drift apart. But as long as we're doing well, what does it matter where we are?"
Even if they are separated by death, they can comfort themselves and find happiness in their own worlds.
What else can we do?
People always have to make peace with reality.
"If things really don't go well for me in the future, just tell my mother this. I'll be happy anytime, anywhere; don't make me worry about her." Yanran said, though she seemed a little awkward, and pressed her lips together tightly.
"Okay," Cui Xiaoqiu readily agreed.
If this is her obsession, then he promises to fulfill it for her.
"I knew you were the best," Yanran laughed heartily. "I'll return you to your mother then, and for the next marriage, you can go along with her wishes. You two, each make the decision once, and we'll be even."
Cui Xiaoqiu looked at her, her gaze complex. "Are you done?"
Yanran nodded. "Pretty much, I'll just say whatever comes to mind, you've always been here."
"Yes, I've always been here." Cui Xiaoqiu opened her arms. "Can I have a hug?"
Yanran: "..."
Cui Xiaoqiu actually asked for a hug!
Then, let's hug.
She got up and hugged him.
She had expected Cui Xiaoqiu to say something, but he didn't say anything at all. He just held her Jingjing until the old woman came to bring the vegetables.
After dinner, Linlin and Lang Xuan arrived together.
Linlin originally wanted to come by herself, but Lang Xuan insisted on coming along, so she had no choice but to bring her along as well.
Yanran greeted him with a smile, just like before.
Lang Xuan smiled and said, "It's nothing much, I just thought I'd bring you some fruit."
She placed the fruit she had brought on the table.
"It's grapes." Yanran reached out and plucked a grape, popped it into her mouth, and chewed it. "So sweet! Are the grapes here ripe this early?"
"This is an early-maturing variety from the local area," Lang Xuan explained.
Clearly, she was intentionally downplaying the incident, and even didn't want to mention what happened during the day.
Linlin looked at Cui Xiaoqiu.
Cui Xiaoqiu understood immediately and said, "I've already told Yanran about it, and we've discussed a plan..."
When he and she became "the two of us," the feeling in his heart was completely different.
"Come with me first," Linlin said to Cui Xiaoqiu.
Cui Xiaoqiu nodded.
The two were about to leave.
"Oh, brother, this won't do!" Yanran exclaimed anxiously, "How can I leave my sister-in-law alone in my condition?"
Lang Xuan quickly replied, "It's alright, it'll only be a little while."
She tried hard not to make Yanran feel inferior, but unexpectedly, Yanran herself was constantly thinking about it.
"In just a few words," Linlin said, "Your sister-in-law also has something to say to you."
My younger sister is all grown up now, and as her older brother, there are some things I'm always too embarrassed to say.
Fortunately, he got married.
"Alright then, let's get straight to the point."
"Um."
Linlin led Cui Xiaoqiu to the next room.
Lang Xuan then began to "reason" with Yanran: "We're still young, our bodies haven't fully developed, so, so..."
Her face flushed red, and she couldn't continue speaking.
Yanran laughed heartily, "So that's what you wanted to tell me. Don't worry, sister-in-law, Mother taught me long ago; unless I lose control, I won't do that!"
Although Lang Xuan blushed, she still said very seriously, "Don't think about this matter, it might make things better. For Young Master Cui's safety, you must control yourself!"
If the two of them overstep the boundaries, Yuwen Duo will surely punish Cui Xiaoqiu severely!
Yanran: "I hadn't even thought about it..."
"Really not?"
Lang Xuan was skeptical.
Because she herself had thought about it...