Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  From afar, Uncle Hu saw Lin Nuan exiting from the place. Looking at the raindrop-streaked windshield, he was hesitating whether to go over and fetch Lin Nuan with an umbrella. Then he saw the business suit-clad man with a brooding demeanor standing next to her.

  He didn’t move in the car, afraid his sudden appearance might interrupt Lin Nuan’s conversation. However, he couldn’t help but scrutinize Lin Chen.

  Uncle Hu rarely met anyone with a presence as strong as Fu Huai’an’s, so it was inevitable that Lin Chen merited a second glance.

  Lin Chen’s suit jacket laid unbuttoned. Underneath was a white shirt, no tie, collar button unbuttoned, revealing a sexy Adam’s apple that vibrated slightly when he smoked a cigarette. His tough and slim jawline, as well as his deep-set facial features, exuded an irresistible charm in the smoky air.

  Even though a wide sidewalk separated them, Uncle Hu could somehow feel that the leggy man had striking looks, else there wouldn’t be pedestrians constantly turning their heads for him.

  “I’ve eaten lunch.” Lin Nuan’s stomach still ached a great deal as the effects of the medicine would take at least ten minutes to kick in.

  Lin Chen moved the cigarette away from his lips and looked at Lin Nuan with a deep gaze through the white puffs of smoke.

  Previously, when eating with Liang Mulan at home, the latter was concerned whether Lin Nuan was regularly eating, for her gastric condition would act up if she went hungry.

  With one hand in his pocket, Lin Chen gazed probingly at Lin Nuan, wondering if Lin Nuan was telling the truth about having eaten.

  Having been siblings who lived under the same roof for so many years, Lin Nuan could tell what Lin Chen was thinking from his probing gaze. Hence she added, “I did eat lunch, just not a lot…”


  “I was busy with a meeting at noon and didn’t get to eat. Eat a little with me.” Lin Chen lit up a cigarette, his tone indeterminate.

  Lin Nuan had no plans that afternoon, so she didn’t reject the invitation. She called up Uncle Hu and told him to leave first and meet up at the entrance of Tuan Tuan’s kindergarten later that afternoon.

  Uncle Hu recalled what Little Lu had said and hastened to reply. “Madam, you can continue your conversation with your friend. I’ll come and pick you up when you’re done!”


  Lin Nuan didn’t explain to Uncle Hu that Lin Chen was, in fact, her brother and merely told him that she would call him 20 minutes in advance for the pick-up.

  “Then, Madam, do you need an umbrella? I’ll bring one over to you…” Uncle Hu peered at Lin Nuan and Lin Chen through the front passenger seat window, his heart beating fast…


  He was merely a chauffeur. However, if the mistress of the house were to have an affair with another man and he didn’t clue Mr. Fu in, would an enraged Mr. Fu fire him once the matter was exposed?

  Uncle Hu was deeply troubled about losing his job.

  “Brother, do you want an umbrella?” Lin Nuan cocked her head sideways and asked Lin Chen.

  “There’s one in the car!” Lin Chen replied.

  Upon hearing the word “brother,” Uncle Hu heaved a mild sigh of relief. He had heard of Lin Nuan’s background and knew that Lin Nuan was once the missy of the Lin family. Come to think of it… that must be the CEO of the Lin’s company, Lin Nuan’s brother!

  It was little wonder then that the man exuded an extraordinary aura.

  “It’s okay, Uncle Hu…” Lin Nuan’s reply was courteous.

  “Sure, I’ll get going then. Call me in advance, and I’ll pick you up!”


  After ending the call, Lin Chen made Lin Nuan wait under the roof while he went off to retrieve the umbrella.

  The rain was mild, so Lin Nuan didn’t wait around and jogged a little after him.

  Lin Chen turned his head to see Lin Nuan, who had caught up to him. He took off his suit jacket and sheltered Lin Nuan from the rain with it.

  The duo quickly ran to the car, and Lin Chen opened the front passenger seat door for Lin Nuan to get in.

  Closing the car door, Lin Chen walked around the front of the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. He took off his suit jacket and casually tossed it into the back seat, reminding Lin Nuan, “The seatbelt…”


  With the mineral water bottle, wallet, cell phone, and pillbox still in hand, Lin Chen had edged closer to Lin Nuan to fasten it for her before she had a chance to do it herself.

  “What do you want to eat?” Lin Chen fastened the seatbelt, signaled a left turn, and asked as he turned the wheel.

  “You have yet to eat at such a late hour, so let’s go for something light. How about Imperial Uncle’s Cafe? It’s nearby, at Sunshine Plaza, which is at the intersection of Renmin Road and Qujiang New Road. There’s also an underground parking lot there, which makes it convenient to park…”


  “Okay!”


  Lin Chen’s car quickly joined the line of vehicles on the road.

  …


  Because of the heavy rain, car headlights had been turned on, and the shops lining the road were also brightly lit.

  Lin Chen parked the car in the underground parking lot and took the elevator up to the cafe with Lin Nuan.

  Because it was way past the usual peak lunchtime, there were few people in the cafe.

  Lin Chen and Lin Nuan were seated in a private dining room with French windows, and a waiter soon filled their cups and handed over the menu.

  After a few sips of warm water, Lin Nuan’s gastric pain eased, and she started to feel hungry.

  She did eat very little at lunch with Old Madam Fu.

  Lin Chen casually flipped his suit jacket over the back of his chair, took out his cigarettes and lighter, and said to Lin Nuan, “You decide what to order…”


  Lin Nuan ordered according to Lin Chen’s usual preferences—several dishes, shrimp dumplings, porridge, as well as the soup of the day.

  The waiter exited the room. Lin Nuan’s phone rang; it was a WeChat message from Bai Xiaonian.

  ‘Bai Xiaonian: How did it go? Did Fu Huai’an’s maternal grandmother make things difficult for you?’


  Lin Nuan lowered her head and sent a reply to Bai Xiaonian’s message.

  ‘Lin Nuan: Not exactly, I’ll fill you in on the details in a bit.’


  Lin Nuan heard the sound of Lin Chen flicking his lighter and put down her phone. She couldn’t hold herself back from saying, “Brother, go easy on the cigarettes.”


  Lin Chen reached over for the ashtray with the cigarette between his fingers and tapped the cigarette ashes into it, saying, “Lin Ran has left the Lin family.”


  Lin Nuan was just about to wipe the cutlery with a napkin, but upon hearing that, her hand shook. She looked towards Lin Chen. “She argued… with the family?”


  Lin Chen’s deep-set eyes gazed into the distance. He shook his head. “No fight, no fuss this time around, just a quiet departure…”


  “Did something happen?” asked Lin Nuan.

  That day, after Lin Nuan left, Liang Mulan and Lin Jingquan couldn’t stop praising Lin Ran about how she was all grown up. Early the next morning, at the dining table, Liang Mulan was talking to Lin Jingquan about Old Madam Lin’s upcoming birthday banquet. She was talking about how Lin Jingquan and Lin Jinghui’s recent close shave with disaster called for a grand celebration to drive away the bad luck.

  Lin Jingquan nodded in agreement.

  Liang Mulan recalled how Lin Ran and Lin Nuan were getting along and couldn’t resist suggesting to Lin Ran, “Ran Ran, now that you’re all sensible and grown-up, let’s invite Nuan Nuan over for granny’s birthday banquet this time around. It’d be nice to have a family get-together, what do you say?”


  Lin Ran didn’t utter a word but continued drinking her millet porridge with her head lowered.

  Liang Mulan laughed awkwardly and continued, “Never mind, since you don’t want her over, let’s not do it then! Mum will be accompanying you to try on your gown in the afternoon. Let’s make an adjustment for the last time if need be.”


  For the rest of the meal, Lin Ran didn’t speak another word. Only after finishing her millet porridge did she dab her mouth with a napkin and speak up. “I don’t care whether Lin Nuan attends granny’s birthday banquet at all…”