Muffled sounds came from outside the bedroom. Jiang Yan thought it was Nan Yan tidying up, so she lazily rolled over and got up, noticing a pile of new clothes placed beside the bed.
The packaging had been removed and the tags taken off, but the clothes hadn't been washed yet. Jiang Yan had no choice but to wear Nan Yan's pajamas as she went to the wardrobe to find his everyday clothes to wear.
Just as she stood up in her slippers, her legs suddenly went weak, with a distinct sensation coming from the top of her thighs. Jiang Yan fell back onto the bed, which had endured long periods of exertion and let out a pitiful "creak."
This sound, which Jiang Yan had been forced to hear many times that morning, automatically conjured up scenes that made her blush and her heart race.
As she was about to support herself on the bed to stand up, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps coming from outside. She immediately lost the will to move, flopping back down and calling out angrily, "Nan Yan! This is all your fault!"
The footsteps stopped abruptly, as if witnessing some impossible event. The flowing air seemed to freeze, and Jiang Yan's heart suddenly began to race, unconsciously gripping the bedsheet she was clutching.
If it were Nan Yan, he might have said, "Yes, yes, it's all because I'm too amazing." Or he might have used that teasing, lingering attitude to help her up directly. In any case, he wouldn't have responded with this eerie silence.
Because whenever she spoke, Nan Yan always responded.
But at this time, the only person who could come and go freely here... Jiang Yan had lived here for so long, she only knew of one person.
Startled into speechlessness, she maintained her half-sprawled position on the bed, slowly turning her head like a robot, and then met the gaze of a shocked woman.
Eyes filled with helpless embarrassment and despair met eyes brimming with disbelief, excitement, and joy. The air seemed to start flowing again.
True to her nature as Nan Yan's mother, Nan's mother quickly recovered and immediately expressed her concern, "Oh my, did you fall? Are you hurt anywhere? Can you get up? Would you like auntie to help you?"
Hearing this, Jiang Yan stood up straight immediately. She hesitated for a moment before calling out "Auntie." It was her first time encountering such a situation, especially when she wasn't even properly dressed. She was beyond embarrassed.
Nan's mother, however, didn't seem to feel that way. Knowing that Jiang Yan wasn't in a convenient state, she quickly explained the situation and apologized tactfully, "Oh dear, it's my fault for barging in without giving you any notice. You should rest now, I won't disturb you anymore. Next time I come, I'll let you know in advance. I'm leaving now, take good care!"
The string of words exemplified the polite and friendly manner of an upper-class lady, though the smile on her face was about to overflow.
Oh my, that lazy son of hers had finally amounted to something, he even found a daughter-in-law! Oh, that young beauty was so fresh and pretty, such a good-looking girl. That rascal probably didn't know how to be gentle, the poor girl's skin was covered in red marks...
Nan's mother happily sent a message to her rascal son, informing him that she had visited and met his wife, and that she was planning to go home and find the jade bracelet for her daughter-in-law, waiting for an opportunity to give it to her.
...
As soon as Nan Yan saw the message, he knew something big had happened. He wasn't worried about his mother's attitude at all, as she had already labeled him as an older bachelor. Having a daughter-in-law would make her overjoyed.
However, he remembered that the sheets in the laundry basket hadn't been washed yet, there was an unnamed small box in the trash can, and there was no air freshener in the bedroom... The latter was because Jiang Yan was still asleep when they arrived, and she didn't like strong scents.
He could imagine how mortified Jiang Yan must be feeling.
Nan Yan bought pistachio and cherry ice cream and hurried back, only to be greeted with a pillow beating. It was his own fault for being too lazy to clean up the room afterward.
...
The matter of retiring from the entertainment industry had been on the agenda for a long time, and it finally came to public attention, much to Nan Yan's anticipation.
Nan Yan wrote his own farewell message, a long and emotional piece that brought tears to the eyes of fans who had followed him all along. Then, he suddenly changed the tone!
"Your brother has a wife now! I'll be spending the rest of my life with my wife. I hope all you single dogs find happiness like your brother soon!"
The fans' hearts skipped a beat as they read this, and then they cried even louder: "Experiencing two shocks in one day, waaaah... First the retirement, then the relationship announcement, waaaah..." It was like being force-fed dog food.
But Nan Yan had gone off to enjoy his freedom. His fans, who were somewhat similar to their idol - lazy and carefree - mostly recovered after a few days.
However, there were still people sharing their emotional experiences on Weibo, saying things like: "Nan-ge's departure makes me feel like dying. Someone as excellent as Nan-ge is probably like a fleeting glimpse, appearing once and forever etched in my heart."
"He's so dazzling, and I'm so ordinary. Perhaps it's destined that we can't keep the ones we like, but if we keep a few more, we might be able to hold onto someone!"
"Sisters! Come and see my new idol! Absolutely gorgeous, with abs even harder than Nan Yan's! Let's enjoy life together!" (Screaming at the top of her lungs)
