Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  “They asked for it!” Little Candy said aggressively with her hands in her pockets.

  Little Candy’s mother slapped her on her face. “Shut up! You’re asking for it! Can you count how many kindergartens have sent you off?”


  Little Candy put her hand on her head and burst out crying again. “Mama is being a bully!”


  Lin Nuan stood behind them. She really felt that Little Candy’s mom was being too aggressive.

  Tuan Tuan was brought out by his teacher. Lin Nuan was wearing a baseball cap. She called out, saying, “Tuan Tuan!”


  As soon as he saw her, he ran over and jumped onto her leg, hugging her. He looked up at Lin Nuan and said loudly, “Mama!”


  She kneeled down and hugged him, kissing him on his fair, chubby little cheek.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t send you this morning. Mom was dozing off!” Lin Nuan smiled softly at him.

  “Come back home to eat dinner, alright?”


  He nodded. Compared to eating strawberry cake, he wanted to sleep with his mama even more in the evening!

  She sensed Tuan Tuan was in a bad mood. She patted his butt, and he stood up straight as he hugged her neck.

  “Mom will sleep with you tonight. Tomorrow when you wake up, I assure you that I’ll be by your side, alright?”


  Tuan Tuan nodded and raised his pinky to make a promise.

  Lin Nuan smiled and cupped his pinky with hers. She called for a taxi near the street as she held him in her arms.

  Little Candy was a distance away and saw them. She felt Tuan Tuan’s mama seemed so gentle. She silently wiped away her tears in envy.

  “Let’s go!” Her mom took her bag and her hand and then walked towards her cheap car.

  …


  Just when Lin Nuan and Tuan Tuan got in the taxi and gave the address, Lin Nuan’s phone vibrated. It was Liang Mulan.

  She recalled Lin Ran saying Gu Shaoting’s parents went to their house to cancel the wedding arrangement this morning. She answered the phone and said, “Mom…”


  “Xiao Nuan, come back right now!” Liang Mulan’s tone was non-negotiable. She could tell she was angry.

  Lin Nuan looked towards Tuan Tuan, who was sitting right beside her and looking up at her.

  Lin Nuan could guess why she was mad; she got married to Fu Huai’an without even telling them.

  Liang Mulan didn’t give Lin Nuan a chance to decline. “You better come back today!”


  Liang Mulan had a good temper and barely got mad. She suddenly sounded intimidating and stern now. Liang Mulan didn’t dare to disagree. “I got it, mom.”


  Lin Nuan hung up and gave the new address to the driver.

  Tuan Tuan nodded obediently.

  Lin Nuan clutched his hand. “Mama will take you to meet mom’s mom. You call her grandmother!”


  Little Candy had one. She’d go on and on about what her grandmother said… He didn’t know that he had one too. He felt excited and said, “Okay!”


  Lin Nuan wanted to call Fu Huai’an to let him know, but she was concerned that he had been busy. As she hesitated, she sent over a text, but he didn’t reply.

  …


  At the Lin Mansion.

  They got off the taxi and walked inside along the shaded path. Liang Mulan and Lin Jingquan already received news of their arrival and stood at the door waiting for them.

  Tuan Tuan held onto Lin Nuan’s finger and looked around in curiosity.

  Lin Jingquan and Liang Mulan stood together at the door. Liang Mulan was wearing a cloak. She had a stern and solemn expression as she looked at Lin Nuan, yet she had tears in her eyes.

  Lin Jingquan had his hands in his pocket. His eyes were tearing as well.

  Lin Nuan grasped Tuan Tuan’s fair, soft, chubby hands. She tried to contain her emotions and said, “Mom, dad…”


  Liang Mulan didn’t pay attention to Lin Nuan and only glared at her. Lin Jingquan, however, nodded.

  Lin Nuan smiled and kneeled down as she put her hands on Tuan Tuan’s shoulders. “Tuan Tuan, this is grandmother and grandfather!”


  Tuan Tuan greeted them then backed into Lin Nuan’s arms.

  He was sensitive and felt they weren’t in a good mood. He felt safer in her arms since he was unfamiliar with it all.

  “Tuan Tuan is it? Come… grandfather will take you to eat some candy!”


  Lin Jingquan bent over and waved at the cuddly Tuan Tuan!

  Liang Mulan couldn’t say certain things to her when the kid was here.

  Tuan Tuan looked at Lin Nuan, who nodded. He then hesitated for a moment before walking to Lin Jingquan with his backpack.

  “Let’s go!” He held his hand and walked inside. Tuan Tuan kept looking back at Lin Nuan as they left.

  Lin Nuan stood up and smiled at Liang Mulan. “Mom…”


  Liang Mulan felt a sea of emotions. Images of people clutching Lin Nuan’s hair flashed throughout her head; she couldn’t stop thinking about them. They tortured her until she was in pain.

  She tried to hold back her tears as she clutched her coat. She said with a cold expression, “Mom? You still remember that I’m your mom? Why didn’t you think of me when you went to Iraq? What about when you got married?”


  Liang Mulan couldn’t hold back her tears nor her emotions. She was nearly screaming.

  Lin Nuan felt tears in her eyes as she saw how furious Liang Mulan was. Lin Nuan showed an awfully forced smile and went up to hug her.

  Liang Mulan’s cries made her heart ache…


  Everything she said was out of selfless love and care for her children!

  Lin Nuan drew a deep breath, and she could barely breathe. She calmed herself down and said, “Mom, just hit me!”


  Liang Mulan nearly cried as she heard this. Her body was shaking when she patted on Lin Nuan’s back heavily.

  Lin Nuan bit her lips and said in a crying tone, “It hurts…”


  Liang Mulan gently rubbed where she had just hit her. She couldn’t hold back her tears.

  Lin Ran was watching upstairs the whole time. She felt a mix of emotions.

  She was shocked to see Lin Nuan’s photos from when she was in Iraq!

  She always thought the gap between her and Lin Nuan was those missed ten years when their identities were exchanged. However, those photos made her realize that she didn’t even have the courage to go to Iraq like her!

  She knew Lin Nuan didn’t like Gu Shaoting and only had eyes for Wen Moshen. Hence, Lin Ran felt less hostile towards Lin Nuan and more respect.

  Yet when she heard mother calling Lin Nuan and crying, she hated her to her core again when Liang Mulan said if anything happened to Lin Nuan that she couldn’t live anymore.

  Lin Nuan was their daughter and their flesh, then what about Lin Ran?

  What kind of life was she living all those years? Did her parents ever worry about her? Or feel so sad that they couldn’t move on?

  Shouldn’t they be thinking about how to make it up to her once she came home? Why was everyone crying over Lin Nuan as if they owed her something?

  Ten years ago, Lin Nuan lived the perfect life when she was made fun of, beaten, ostracised, and looked down on. Lin Nuan stole that away from her, so she was lucky. She took the hard road for Lin Nuan!

  Shouldn’t she be the most pitied?

  Lin Ran felt the scene of them hugging was especially ironic and hurtful.

  When Gu Shaoting’s parents left today, Lin Jingquan said to Lin Ran that all parents wanted to see their children getting along together. He wanted Lin Ran to see Lin Nuan as her true sister so they could get along.

  Lin Ran felt resentment build up in her heart. In her hands, she held the contract denoting all the wealth Lin Jingquan passed to Lin Nuan that she rejected. It was hidden behind the sofa arm. Lin Ran was going to be a kind sister to Lin Nuan, just like Lin Jingquan said.

  …


  Liang Mulan had opinions towards Fu Huai’an because of the rumors surrounding him. She called Lin Nuan over adamantly today because she was afraid Lin Nuan didn’t even know what she had gotten herself into.

  After all, Liang Mulan had a decent conversation with Fu Huai’an the last time he visited. She was fine with him, aside from him being a bit older than Lin Nuan.

  Lin Nuan explained everything to Liang Mulan before Lin Jingquan bought Tuan Tuan back.

  Su Manman was Fu Huai’an’s sister, and her real name was Fu Manman.

  Liang Mulan recalled the news on Lin Nuan yesterday; there were ones on how Su Manman defended Lin Nuan on Weibo.

  Liang Mulan wasn’t fond of celebrities before. Their appearance seemed indecent, and they were surrounded by scandals!

  Yet this time, Liang Mulan felt a liking towards Su Manman as well as movie star Shi Hanchu.

  Once she explained, Liang Mulan felt a lot less guarded towards Fu Huai’an. However, she was still concerned Fu Huai’an would mind Lin Nuan being in love with Wen Moshen in the past. Hence, she was worried about Lin Nuan.

  Liang Mulan had the typical kind of concern and worry parents had for their children.

  Tuan Tuan held Lin Jingquan’s favorite warm jade in his hands. It was special, and the color was well defined. An unadulterated jade like this was quite rare.

  Tuan Tuan held it tight and leaned into Lin Nuan’s arms as he showed it to her. “Mama! Look…”


  Before Lin Nuan could tell him to be careful with it, Lin Ran came over. She came downstairs with the file Lin Jingquan gave her under her arm and passed it over to Lin Nuan right in front of her parents.

  They smiled genuinely and asked Lin Nuan to take it. She hesitated then took the file with no plans to take it away.

  Lin Jingquan felt guilt towards Lin Nuan that he didn’t tell Liang Mulan… his brother Lin Jinghui could come out safely only because of the information Fu Huai’an provided!

  Coincidentally, Lin Nuan married Fu Huai’an afterwards. Hence, Lin Jingquan thought that Lin Nuan married him in order to save him.

  …


  Lin Chen came back early in the afternoon upon knowing Lin Nuan was called back home by them.

  When Lin Chen entered the door, he saw Lin Jingquan and Liang Mulan next to Tuan Tuan, helping him with homework. Lin Nuan was peeling oranges on the side, smiling as she looked in Tuan Tuan’s direction once in a while.

  Under the warm lights, Lin Nuan was looking down and wrestling with the orange. Her smooth strands of hair fell off her ear. Since she didn’t want to dirty her hand, she used her pinky to sweep it behind her ear. She looked in Liang Mulan’s direction intermittently, her clear, pretty eyes emanating a water-like softness.

  Lin Chen changed into his cotton shoes and tried to walk quietly towards the door of the living room. He unbuttoned his suit with his slender fingers and kept it in his arm with one hand in his pocket. His usual serious expression was now softened.

  Liang Mulan mentioned to Lin Chen a while ago that she wanted him and Lin Nuan to get married. He had a dream then…


  They had a child, and he would see the same scene he just saw every day he came back from work.

  His parents would accompany their grandchild to do homework, Lin Nuan would prepare fruits for her family, and then she would spot him first and say casually, “you’re home”, and their kid would dash across the room and ask him to lift him up!

  In the dream, Lin Chen was smiling throughout.

  “Brother… you’re back!”


  Lin Nuan saw Lin Chen at the living room door and called out.

  Tuan Tuan heard and looked towards Lin Chen.

  His tall figure stood in the living room lights. His white collared shirt was eminent and made his figure and features appear defined.

  “Yes!”


  Lin Chen walked into the kitchen and put his suit on the chair arm. He took off his tie and smiled as he saw Tuan Tuan staring at him with his huge eyes.

  “Are you staying for dinner?” Lin Chen asked.

  Lin Nuan nodded.

  Lin Chen also saw the gossip online regarding Lin Nuan’s trip to Iraq.

  Lin Chen knew about Lin Nuan’s experience in Iraq. That was why he let his classmate Lu Hanzi offer to counsel her.

  Even so, when he saw the photos of Lin Nuan in Iraq, Lin Chen couldn’t help but feel hurt for her. His eyes were wet as he stood on the porch late at night, chain-smoking a box of cigarettes.

  He didn’t know Lin Nuan was married, but he guessed that the kid must be Fu Huai’an’s.

  Lin Chen sat on the sofa and asked Lin Nuan, “So only you and the kid are coming?”


  “Yes!” She nodded. “Huai’an should still be busy.”


  Lin Chen wanted to smoke, but when he saw Tuan Tuan’s huge eyes staring back at him, he decided not to.

  Liang Mulan said, “When can you get married and give us some grandchildren? People as old as I am already have grandchildren running about, yet you don’t even have a partner! You’re testing your father and me when you don’t even bother to see the girls we’ve introduced to you!”