Wife, please behave yourself.

How far has Chapter 44 progressed?

In the study room.

Anju Nan, the head of the household, was pacing back and forth.

I've walked around that small desk almost ten times already.

The woman's laughter could be faintly heard coming from the tightly closed door.

He recognized his wife's distinctive laughter immediately.

What happened that made you so happy?
Anju South stopped in his tracks.

His temples, which were beginning to turn gray, were a sign of his aging body.

His swift strides possessed a nimbleness beyond his years.

Anju Nan approached the door.

He bent over and pressed his right ear against the door panel.

Listening to the voices coming from outside the study.

I could vaguely hear the voice of a strange man.

Is my uncle not here?

[He's probably doing something in the study. Ignore him and sit down.]

An Junan heard his wife Guo Yan's reply clearly.

His already serious face became even more serious.

His hunched back straightened instantly.

"That wicked woman has left me behind again!"

Anju Nan was a little angry.

As the station director, he was treated like royalty by his employees.

Only his wife, who had been through thick and thin with him for decades, never took him seriously.

He pondered this all night.

He and his wife had made their plans together.

First, she would meet the man her daughter brought home, and then he, as the father, would take the initiative to meet him alone.

The initial planning went very smoothly.

He was already waiting in the study.

But now, they're chatting away outside.

He was left alone in the study.

They didn't take his words to heart at all.

An Junan made up his mind at that moment: once everyone left, he would give his wife a good talking-to.

So that the other party won't be confused about who's in charge of the household.

Standing there, sulking, An Junan suddenly heard someone speaking again.

The straightened back bent down again.

He crouched back down on the door, eavesdropping on the conversation outside.

I should probably greet my uncle first; otherwise, it would be too impolite.

That works too, he's in the study.

What is Dad doing in the study?

Who knows what kind of trouble that old man will cause this time?

【…】

Still slandering!

Anju Nan was really angry.

It's one thing to call him an old man in private, but now he dares to mention it to other people's faces.

There's no time to let him get angry.

The approaching footsteps brought An Junan back to her senses, and she hurriedly moved away from the direction of the door.

Before I could even find a seat, I heard someone knocking on the door.

"Wait a moment!"

In a moment of desperation, he turned around and called out.

You'll regret it as soon as you shout it out.

How could such an inappropriate response come from the mouth of an elder like him?
Thinking of this, An Junan casually picked up an object from the desk and pretended to examine it.

But he started shouting.

"come in."

"Uncle, are you busy right now?"

The study door was pushed open from the outside.

Anju Nan, with his back turned, kept the raised object in the same position, but his gaze was glancing behind him.

Silently turning halfway around, she looked at the figure who had just opened the door.

From top to bottom, and then from bottom to top.

Just based on appearance alone, Anju Nan, who is always picky, barely accepted it.

Although I told my daughter that any man who could breathe would be fine.

But if he were to bring home an ugly woman, he would definitely not agree.

An Zhaoran peeked out from outside the door.

Just as I was about to get a better look at the situation inside the house, my mother grabbed my arm and pulled me back inside.

Looking at the other person in surprise, I only heard Guo Yan's lowered voice.

“Your dad is going to put on airs again. Go in and bring Xiao Liu out in a little while.”

"why?"

"Why else? Your dad has such a bad temper, who else but me can stand it? This is Xiao Liu's first time visiting our house, don't scare him."

"..."

"Go and call your dad out. Tell him dinner is almost ready."

"Oh."

Hearing her mother's words, An Zhaoran did not ask any further questions.

Just as he was about to enter the study, the door slammed shut right under his nose.

The strong wind made her hair dance.

It stood motionless in front of the door.

He stood there, stunned.

"Mom...Dad closed the door."

After a few seconds, An Zhaoran turned around.

Looking at her mother behind her, whose expression kept changing.

He described it softly.

In the study room.

Liu Changcun looked at the man in front of him, who was half a head shorter than him, with surprise.

The speed he displayed in that instant was clearly inconsistent with the image of this middle-aged man with graying temples.

The other person sneered, seemingly enjoying a sense of satisfaction at having avenged a great grudge.

He was also carrying a ceramic bowl in his hand.

Judging from the traces left inside the bowl, it was probably used to hold rice.

Why is An Zhaoran's father holding a bowl?

Upon seeing this, Liu Changcun frowned.

Thinking.

Suddenly I understood.

"Uncle, this bowl in your hand... could it be an old artifact?"

"What?"

"bowl."

Following Liu Changcun's gaze, An Junan looked at his hands.

Looking at that milky white, ordinary rice bowl used in the house...

His eyes suddenly widened.

When did he get his hands on this bowl?

Wasn't this what we used for dinner yesterday? How did it end up in your study?
That old woman! She didn't even bother to clean herself up beforehand!

"Cough cough."

They have rich inner thoughts, but appear calm and collected on the surface.

An Junan raised the bowl in his hand, held it high, and responded in a serious manner.

"Made in the official kilns during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty."

"The stamp on the bottom of that bowl..."

"What stamp?"

An Junan paused in his holding of the bowl, then saw the writing on the bottom of the bowl.

[Jingyang Town]

The tableware made in Jingyang Town is famous throughout the country for its low price and reliable quality.

"..."

"..."

In the small study, two men looked at each other in bewilderment.

Anju Nan took another step and came to the desk.

He gently put down his rice bowl and quietly pushed it behind the pile of books.

It's covered up.

"Xiao Liu, is it alright to call you that?"

"Of course, Uncle."

"Then let me ask you, when did you meet my Ranran?"

Changing the subject, An Junan looked at the other person with a sudden serious expression.

He stared at Liu Changcun, paying close attention to the other's micro-expressions.

As long as this kid in front of me dares to talk nonsense.

He would definitely notice it at a glance.

Hearing the natural shift in rhetoric, Liu Changcun, who was prepared, smiled.

"We were in the same class in high school, and that's when I first met her."

"You go to the same school as my Ranran. What's your name?"

"Uncle, my name is Liu Changcun."

"Liu Changcun?"

Upon hearing the name, Anju Nan felt that it sounded somewhat familiar.

He frowned and pondered, feeling as if he had seen it more than ten years ago, and also as if he had seen it recently.

The most recent one is...

Anju Nan's eyes widened as she remembered.

"That script from the station, what's it called... The Temptation to Go Home? Did you write it?"

"Yes, to my shame, I currently run a bookstore, and I created this in my spare time. I asked your daughter for help, which is why we reconnected."

Anyone with some experience can tell at a glance whether someone is lying.

However, the truth is mixed with lies.

Lies become the truth.

Observing Liu Changcun in front of him, 56-year-old An Junan scrutinized the other party.

Seeing the man's calm demeanor, she didn't notice the falsehood in his words.

"Indeed, it's a reunion from the past; you and Ranran are destined to meet."

He sighed.

An Junan looked at Liu Changcun, who was smiling in front of him.

He took two steps forward.

Raise your arm and gently pat the other person's shoulder.

Like any elder, he offered words of encouragement.

"Young man, I have high hopes for you."

"Thank you for your approval, Uncle."

"If you encounter any problems in the future, feel free to come to the station to find me."

The hand resting on her shoulder clenched slightly.

Feeling these young and strong arms.

An Junan revealed a forced, insincere smile.

He opened his mouth and asked in a calm tone.

"By the way... how far have things progressed between you and Ranran?"

----------

"Hahahahaha."

A laugh that sounded like someone who was very wealthy rang out.

At the dinner table, An Junan was very satisfied with Liu Changcun sitting next to him.

After two small cups, his face was slightly flushed.

Raising his hand and squeezing the other person's strong arm, it's like a father-in-law looking at his son-in-law, becoming more and more satisfied the more he looks.

Through a brief chat, he gained a basic understanding of Liu Changcun.

Running a bookstore allows her to write screenplays in her spare time.

She used to attend the same school as her daughter.

Most importantly, they've only just progressed to the point of holding hands.

Liu Changcun was very much to Anju Nan's liking.

Although they weren't extremely wealthy, they were still self-reliant.

His educational level is average, but his speech is impeccable.

An Junan was very satisfied. After leaving the kitchen, he no longer had his usual serious demeanor.

His beaming smile made the mother and daughter beside him feel completely unfamiliar.

As a wife, Guo Yan rarely saw her husband be so kind to someone he was meeting for the first time.

As a daughter, An Zhaoran rarely saw her usually stern father smiling all the time.

He quietly watched Liu Changcun in front of him.

How did he manage to get along so well with his parents?

Looking at the man in front of him, who was using tea instead of wine and coaxing his father to drink alcohol.

Looking at Liu Changcun.

An Zhaoran suddenly became curious.

Compared to his school days, Liu Changcun's personality has changed significantly.

Unlike before, he was no longer taciturn, nor did he have the aloofness that kept people at arm's length.

Warm-hearted and talkative.

This is completely different from the image she remembered.

It's like... a completely different person.

Looking at Liu Changcun, who was almost getting his father drunk.

Listening to the other party's elaborate explanations.

It was rare for both parents to be so happy.

His arrival seemed to bring life to this stubborn and dull home...

It has regained its vitality.

　Thank you to [Whose Name Was My Name] for the generous donation!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)