However, Yan Huan did not want to eat. She had not noticed it until now, but she came to a realization the reason it was meat instead.
“Eat,” Seeing Yuan Huan’s puppy dog eyes, Lu Yi told himself that no matter what, he would not compromise this time. She had to eat more meat to nourish herself since she had gotten much thinner recently.
Yan Huan could only open her mouth and swallow the steak that he fed her.
It did not taste too bad. In fact, it was actually quite delicious. However, Yan Huan was really not a big fan of meat, so she only felt that the taste was average. She would probably have preferred the taste of some boiled vegetables over this expensive steak.
She finished the whole steak under the force-feeding of Lu Yi. Thankfully, the steak tasted quite good, or else it would have been dreadful to finish such a big slice of meat.
Lu Yi drove his car to the parking lot. From there, he held Yan Huan’s hand as they went for a slow stroll to aid digestion.
It was a pity to look back now when they were already married for more than a year, but Yan Huan had known Lu Yi for 12 years, while Lu Yi had only known her for four years. It had been four years with hundreds of days and nights, going round and round, but in the end, they still ended up together.
Yan Huan finally understood why Lu Yi mentioned that they would not be having their meal at home. Once they arrived home, their breathing started to become so heavy that even the surrounding air felt like an aphrodisiac of sorts, a type of air that they could not get enough of.
The saying that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ was one in which they had both experienced plenty of times before.
It embodied a kind of intensity that was beautiful in its own way and was an irresistible feeling that came with blushing cheeks and racing hearts.
Yan Huan was already asleep. She had not slept so well in a long time. Lu Yi looked at the time and noted that it was almost two o’clock. He still had to go to work the next day and once this busy period was over, he would finally have the time to accompany her wholly and without distractions.
When Yan Huan woke up, it was already past nine in the morning. Back then when she was filming, she used to wake up around six in the morning. Nowadays, she slept entirely for too long.
She took her purse and left to get some groceries to make some food for herself. Just as she came back, her phone in her purse rang. She fetched it to see that it was a call from Luo Lin.
“Sister Luo, what’s the matter?” She took her groceries to the kitchen as she got on the phone.
“Hmm, there’s a problem.” Luo Lin was still in her hometown which was far away from Sea City. Yet now, she had received such big news that it was as if the world was trying to fool her.
“You have to attend the Sea City Local Spring Gala.”
“Next year?” Yan Huan single-handedly took out all the vegetables from her bag. Is it a thing now to book for events a year in advance?
“No, it’s this year.”
Luo Lin took a deep breath, almost gritting her teeth as she spoke. How was this even possible? How could they not notify us in advance? Heck, there wasn’t even a planned rehearsal time and they just wanted her to go there, was this some sort of practical joke?
Moreover, it was the Chinese New Year. She was not able to spend much time with her parents in a single year and this was her first time spending the Chinese New Year at home, but now that they were suddenly notified to attend this year’s Local Spring Gala. She would have to attend if Yan Huan attended since she was her manager. However, most importantly, there was no rehearsal. At worst of all, they would offer them a few days to get used to it. This was a straight-up joke.
“You should prepare yourself, I’ll arrive at your place tomorrow morning.”
Luo Lin estimated her timing. If she departed in a while and drove Yan Huan’s car back, it would not take her more than a day’s time.
“That’s not necessary.” Yan Huan took all the vegetables out from the bag and arranged them in the kitchen.
“Turn them down for me. Just tell them I’m not available for any appointments.”
Yan Huan did not want to be all over the place during the Chinese New Year. She had rushed through all her movie shootings before the festival just so she could spend the Chinese New Year with Lu Yi. She would accept whatever jobs on usual days, but during the Chinese New Year, she wanted to be with family.
“You really want to decline it?” Luo Lin asked in slight disbelief.
It was such an amazing opportunity, yet Yan Huan had turned it down just like that. Did she not feel sorry for the wasted opportunity?
“Yes, decline it.” Yan Huan did not feel like it was a pity. She had expected to be in the Spring Gala sooner or later but that was a problem to deal with in the future. This year, she just wanted to stay in.
Alright then. Luo Lin felt that she made the right decision turning down the event this year too. After all, it was too rushed and she did not know if anything bad would happen and might affect Yan Huan’s image.
Yan Huan got off the phone and started washing the vegetables. She was not worried about any issues with the broadcasting company since Luo Lin was more than capable of settling it for her, or else she would not have been fit to be her manager anyway.
Truthfully, Luo Lin was a very successful and intelligent manager. Initially, Yi Ling would have become a golden-standard manager as well, but Yan Huan thought that she could not count on Yi Ling for the rest of her life. So, she had switched Yi Ling’s identity as a golden-standard manager to her baby’s godmother. Perhaps in the future, Yi Ling would revolve around her soon-to-be-born child.
Just like that, Yan Huan would travel to Lu Yi’s place every day, not by car but by public transport. Of course, the guards learned to recognize her after some time and no longer locked her out anymore.
She usually went at noon and came home with Lu Yi in the afternoon. Lu Yi would probably only have a break on New Year’s Eve.
They only managed to squeeze in time for New Year’s shopping the weekend before New Year’s Day. She bought a set of red jade accessories for Ye Shuyun and had looked for a contemporary artist for Lu Jin, collecting over 30 sheets of calligraphic masterpieces that she had requested others to collect over the past year. They were actually not worth much now, but after the death of the calligrapher next year, his masterpieces, especially the most recent ones, would shoot up in prices like crazy. Every single one of his masterpieces was going to be invaluable in the future. She believed Lu Jin would love it, moreover, there were so many of them. It was definitely enough for him to boast to his comrades about them. Yan Huan knew that Lu Jin liked calligraphic masterpieces, so there was no better option than to give him something near and dear to his heart.
As for Ye Shuyun, she favored precious jewels and stones. Just like many other women, she also enjoyed dressing up youthfully and fashionably. Of course, all women were the same, they adored everything beautiful and pretty and of course, they would never admit that they were growing old.
Lu Yi opened the big box in the house that Yan Huan had ordered. He opened the cover to reveal rolls and rolls of calligraphic masterpieces. Taking one of them out, he realized that it was the artwork of Mr. Shen Junru.
“How come you purchased so many of these?”
Lu Yi counted them and noted that there were over thirty pieces of artwork. “Why? Are their prices going to appreciate?”
