HLnovel Chapter 516 "Infecting the World" - Male Mother (127)
Chapter 516 "Infecting the World" - Male Mother (127)
If her voice were normal, it probably wouldn't have attracted attention, but the change in her voice just now, which she deliberately lowered, caught Lu Liruan's attention.
Zhao Linchuan was completely oblivious, still talking to Lu Liruan about where Fan Zhenxiang had gone yesterday, using his incessant chatter to try to ignore Lao Cheng's influence on him.
But the way he was frantically moving his chopsticks around and eating like a starving ghost gave him away.
Isn't this... still rushing to meet the deadline?
Lu Liruan saw through it but didn't say anything.
Actually, Lu Liruan really wanted to ask him if his senses had diminished after several days, but because Lao Cheng was present, Lu Liruan didn't feel comfortable asking directly.
Zhao Linchuan obviously didn't notice An Tang's difference. Lu Liruan was still giving him perfunctory replies, but her eyes were already looking towards An Tang.
Then Lu Liruan noticed that when An Tang walked back, her eyes met Gao Shiyi's, and the two seemed to be exchanging some information that she didn't know.
Although Gao Shiyi was still the same as usual, Lu Liruan paid special attention and focused her observation, and noticed the small details that she wouldn't normally see.
Gao Shiyi and An Tang each looked themselves up and down several times.
Then he looked at Liao Tingyuan.
Lu Liruan then felt that something might be related to both her and Teacher Liao. But what exactly was it?
Lu Liruan couldn't figure it out.
Although she and Teacher Liao were partners, nothing had happened these days, so Lu Liruan didn't know what was related to both of them at the same time. Was there a task assigned to them? But if that was the case, why did the phone call go to An Tang? Why did An Tang talk to Gao Shiyi but not to her?
Her mind was racing, but Lu Liruan acted no differently than usual.
Because she wanted to see... what would happen if she didn't show anything. Lu Liruan knew, of course, that everyone was a good person, especially An Tang, who had taken good care of her. But Lu Liruan could also occasionally sense that she was the only one detached from certain things. They would communicate with each other, but they wouldn't tell her.
Lu Liruan isn't the type who needs to know everything. She's curious, but she doesn't like to pry into other people's lives. However, this feeling... makes Lu Liruan vaguely uneasy, because she always feels that it's related to her.
Lu Liruan was unaware of matters concerning herself, which made her feel subtly uncomfortable, but she couldn't bring herself to speak up directly. Or rather, Lu Liruan felt that even if she did speak up, she might not get any answers.
Perhaps it was the weather today, or perhaps it was that inexplicable feeling from last night, but Lu Liruan suddenly felt uneasy, and she decided to observe carefully.
What role does Teacher Liao play in all of this?
Was he hiding something from her? Oh... He was definitely hiding something from her. Lu Liruan didn't even need to think to be sure of it.
But what exactly is he hiding? Is it important? Is it related to his past, or to himself?
What exactly is this thing that you're keeping from me?
Lu Liruan felt that she was uncultured and unable to express her thoughts, so she roughly divided them into two categories: whether she would be angry after finding out.
The secret to not getting angry is one type; the secret to getting angry is another type.
"what happened?"
Perhaps it was the subtle changes among everyone that finally caught Zhao Linchuan's attention. He stuffed another mouthful of rice into his mouth and asked in a muffled voice.
"The boss just called and said he needs me to prepare a document later, he needs it urgently," An Tang said casually.
"Oh," Zhao Linchuan replied casually.
After a few seconds, he suddenly looked up at An Tang.
From the change in his expression, Lu Liruan confirmed that... he knew too.
Lu Liruan put down her chopsticks, glanced at Liao Tingyuan, turned around and walked to the sofa to sit down again, lowering her head to play with her phone. When Gao Shiyi walked over to talk to her, Lu Liruan pretended that she was wearing headphones and didn't hear her.
A strange unease crept into my heart...
Gao Shiyi didn't mind. Seeing that she didn't say anything, she sat down next to her and did her own thing.
Liao Tingyuan noticed that Lu Liruan was in a bad mood and was about to come over when An Tang patted him on the shoulder, and the two of them went to the kitchen to clean up the dishes together.
"You haven't said yet, have you?" An Tang looked at his expression and said with certainty.
Liao Tingyuan paused for a moment: "I don't know how to bring it up with her."
“After telling her, I worried… she would never be like this again,” Liao Tingyuan said in a low voice, his voice tinged with hesitation.
"How is it?" An Tang turned on the tap, and their voices were almost drowned out by the sound of the rushing water.
"I'll never be this happy again." Liao Tingyuan pursed his lips. He thought of Lu Liruan's carefree and happy appearance, and her usual vibrant self, and he couldn't help but find her adorable.
“Actually, in the end it will all be like this…” An Tang sighed, “That’s what I thought of Xiao Qi back then too.”
"She's different from Xiao Qi..."
“How is it different? She’s a few years older than Xiao Qi. Do you really think of her as a little girl?” An Tang smiled.
Liao Tingyuan couldn't put it into words, but he just felt it was different.
An Tang raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself: It's just that you care about one person more than the other. People always think more and worry more about those they care about and are concerned about.
The saying "the deeper the love, the greater the worry" applies not only to the relationship between elders and children, but to all people who love each other.
No matter what kind of love it is...
"I originally wanted Shiyi to talk to her, but I've been..." Liao Tingyuan sighed, "How come it's suddenly like this today..."
“Yes, I didn’t expect him to suddenly say he was coming. There was no warning at all. Actually, it’s related to Sister Fang. She said the research group is very concerned. Although we all think it’s not true, they still decided to come and collect some data. They can also get your data and observe the changes.” An Tang nodded.
"The research group is always bustling around, and the boss has no idea what they're doing all day." An Tang said with a hint of helplessness when talking about the research group.
The research team also maintains a high level of secrecy, so An Tang and the others don't know much about the news. They can only follow the instructions and it's best not to ask any questions.
"Then I'll think of something later." An Tang didn't interfere in the matter between Liao Tingyuan and Lu Liruan. She respected Liao Tingyuan's thoughts as well as Lu Liruan's, treating them equally.
But she did empathize with what Liao Tingyuan had just said.
An Tang still remembers how Xiao Qi used to insist on sleeping with her at night, even though he wasn't a clingy child.
After the lights were turned off, blackout curtains were drawn, making it pitch black.
An Tang heard the little girl's muffled voice coming from under the covers, asking in a tone inappropriate for her age: "Sister, what will happen in the future? What will I become? How old will I live to be?"
An Tang didn't know how to answer her...
Despite being only a teenager, she could feel helpless about the unknown. At an age when her peers were carefree, and although everyone tried their best to take good care of her, she could still feel it and felt lost on her own.
An Tang also found it difficult to persuade her, especially since she was so young.
After a while, Lu Liruan saw her boss, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, come in from outside with a smile. She wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt that he wasn't actually smiling.
But his face was indeed smiling, just like when I first saw him.
Lu Liruan couldn't quite describe her feelings towards her boss...it felt both warm and cold.
Using the adjective "friendly" doesn't seem quite right, but I can't think of any other words.
In short, Lu Liruan felt that it was probably the aura of a leader that made him different from ordinary people! Lu Liruan attributed everything to this. Although when he was lying next to the fish tank, counting his fish one by one to see if any were missing, and calling out the names he had given the fish, he didn't act like a leader at all.
But when he came in today, he didn't go to check on his fish, which surprised Lu Liruan.
"Tsk tsk tsk~"
But then he stood in the corner and teased the quail...
Since the weather turned completely cold, the quail's cages have been moved indoors. To keep them from getting cold, Antang even bought heating pads to surround them when they get cold.
But the boss didn't seem to like the quail that much, because he didn't name it. An Tang did ask Lu Liruan if she wanted to name the quail.
Lu Liruan: ? ?
"After we name each one, when we come back the next morning, will we still be able to tell which one is which?" Lu Liruan asked very sincerely.
An Tang: ...That's true.
After greeting the people in the living room, the boss turned around and went upstairs to take a look.
He didn't seem to mind at all that his subordinates were lounging around on the sofa, doing nothing.
An Tang brought out some cut fruit from the kitchen and followed her upstairs.
Lu Liruan discovered that An Tang had been working part-time as the boss's secretary and assistant, and she didn't know if she received any extra salary.
After a while, Gao Shiyi's phone beeped with a message. She glanced at it, got up, and went upstairs.
Lu Liruan didn't look up, pretending not to notice, but she was actually watching out of the corner of her eye. There was no sound in her headphones, and the screen was muted.
Did the boss want to see them about something?
Lu Liruan stretched and took the opportunity to look at Liao Tingyuan.
Liao Tingyuan was still on the other side of the table, using clean kitchen paper to wipe away the water stains he had just wiped off, as meticulously as ever.
Lu Liruan felt that the boss's return was related to An Tang and Gao Shiyi, but she was not sure if it was related to Liao Tingyuan... She couldn't tell anything from Teacher Liao at all.
Lu Liruan couldn't help but want to ask Zhao Linchuan, since he seemed to be the one who couldn't keep his mouth shut the most. But when she turned her head, she found that Zhao Linchuan hadn't even played the game. He was nervously tapping the screen with his fingers, and when he looked at her, a look of desperate tension appeared on his face.
Lu Liruan: ...
It seems like he hasn't noticed anything at all lately.
"Why don't you go upstairs and stay for a while?" Lu Liruan suggested.
"Huh?" Zhao Linchuan turned around blankly, then mechanically got up and walked upstairs.
Lu Liruan looked at his robotic back and didn't know what to say.
Where should we begin our attack?
They all look like impenetrable fortresses.
“Um…” Lu Liruan coughed lightly, turned her head, looked at Lao Cheng who was staring blankly on the sofa, and finally couldn’t help but speak.
Old Cheng didn't ignore her. Lu Liruan had also noticed these past few days that Old Cheng wasn't the kind of unruly, free-spirited artist who was like a wild horse. Although he did seem a bit fanatical at times, feeling that no one could appreciate his art, he would intermittently give art speeches.
But in normal times, he's actually quite... kind.
But hidden beneath his gloomy exterior, no one paid attention to this kindness.
Just like now, although he didn't say anything, he was indeed asking Lu Liruan with his eyes what she wanted to say. Although his gaze looked sinister, Lu Liruan still felt his response to her.
Lu Liruan and An Tang didn't know how to start the conversation, and now, looking at Lao Cheng, they were even more at a loss for words.
"Um... well... oh well, never mind, it's nothing." Lu Liruan finally shrunk back dejectedly.
Old Cheng showed no curiosity whatsoever and made no attempt to question her. Instead, he sat back down and continued to conserve his energy.
Lu Liruan sat back down as well, realizing she had really lost her mind.
Just as he was pondering this, Gao Shiyi came downstairs, and Lao Cheng's previously unfocused gaze immediately followed her.
It was as if someone had pressed the start switch on the robot.
"Don't you have any work to do today?" Gao Shiyi asked, glancing at her watch.
"I finished painting it last night." Old Cheng took the fruit Gao Shiyi handed him, stuffed it into his mouth without any expression, and it was impossible to tell whether he thought it was delicious or not.
"You go..." Gao Shiyi started to say something, but stopped halfway through.
He turned to Lu Liruan and said, "Liruan, could you go and deliver an urgent document later?"
"There are some things I need to explain to the other party when I go..."
After listening, Lu Liruan thought to herself, "This job really shouldn't be asked to Lao Cheng."
If Lao Cheng were to actually handle it, Gao Shiyi would probably have to record these conversations on her phone beforehand, and then have Lao Cheng play them for the other party once they arrived.
Thinking about this, Lu Liruan found it somewhat amusing.
When should I go?
Lu Liruan has also done a lot of work delivering documents during this period, and now she has mastered it with ease.
"You should leave at three o'clock, the boss is in a hurry." Gao Shiyi checked the time.
"Row."
An Tang came downstairs with a sealed file bag in her hand and handed it to Lu Liruan: "Go straight home after you've delivered it. It'll be past closing time if you come back now."
Lu Liruan looked at the still-falling rain outside and thought to herself that her second pair of shoes would get wet too. When would this rain finally stop?
A short while later, the owner came downstairs and walked to the fish tank.
An Tang gave Lu Liruan a wink, and Lu Liruan quickly stood up.
They headed out the door.
Because recently, several of the boss's beloved fish have died...