"Mama, why is your face so red? Are you sick?"

The small voice of Nannan came from the phone.

This made Meng Wantang, who was already filled with shame, want to dig a hole and crawl into it even more.

"No, no, it's nothing, Mommy just feels a bit hot." Meng Wantang quickly fanned her face with her hand and glanced guiltily at Qin Chuan.

But when she met Qin Chuan's gaze, she quickly looked away.

The usually confident and poised woman showed a rare shy expression.

She thought she was being discreet, but unexpectedly, Nannan's voice came again: "Mama, you're embarrassed."

"No, no, kids shouldn't talk nonsense."

Meng Wantang quickly looked up and denied it.

"Mama, when you lie, your nose will grow long!" Nannan reminded her in a mature tone.

"Don't talk nonsense, hurry up and do your homework." A guilty Meng Wantang urged.

"I've already finished my homework. I want to chat with Daddy," Nannan pouted.

Meng Wantang cast a resentful glance at her: "Daddy has work to do. Once he's done, Mommy will have him spend time with you, okay?"

"Oh."

Nannan pouted, her doll-like face full of disappointment.

Seeing her like this, a flicker of guilt passed through Meng Wantang's eyes.

Because of her identity, she already had little time to spend with her daughter.

Being from a single-parent family, her daughter's affection was already halved.

The combination of both made Meng Wantang's heart feel heavy.

She had thought about leaving this world behind.

But in the world of the Jianghu, it was hard to extricate oneself.

If she abandoned everything in the Tiger Hall, she might not even survive a day.

After hanging up, Meng Wantang had the driver stop the car by the roadside, got out alone, and looked at the bustling cityscape before her, letting out a long sigh.

"Mr. Qin, I'll have the driver take you back. I want to take a walk alone." Meng Wantang forced a weak smile.

Qin Chuan was a bit worried.

Chu Hualong's people could appear at any moment.

The Titan's body was handled by Meng Wantang, and Slim Monkey and Coiling Tiger could be watching somewhere.

Qin Chuan took out his phone and checked the time: "I'll walk with you, it's safer."

Meng Wantang smiled and shook her head, then patted the bag in her hand: "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"Alright, be careful then," Qin Chuan reminded her.

Meng Wantang nodded, then turned and walked onto the sidewalk.

The twilight stretched her silhouette longer and longer.

"Outside the long pavilion, by the ancient road, the fragrant grass..."

Humming a nursery rhyme, Meng Wantang walked in a straight line along the pavement.

She spread her arms, like a flying bird, keeping her balance, and past memories flashed through her mind like a montage.

From her first encounter with the Red Dragon Association to becoming a core member, then becoming a Hall Master.

The man in her memories became increasingly blurred.

Instead, Qin Chuan's image would occasionally flash in her mind.

Gradually, Meng Wantang became a bit absent-minded, and accidentally tripped over a protruding brick below.

But just as she was about to fall, a pair of strong and firm arms caught her steadily.

In that moment of lying in someone's arms, Meng Wantang felt a long-lost sense of peace, a feeling she yearned for.

When she focused, she found it was Qin Chuan, who had been appearing in her thoughts multiple times just now.

"You... you were following me?" Meng Wantang was slightly surprised.

"I've been following you all the way," Qin Chuan said with a shy smile.

"Does that mean I just..."

Meng Wantang suddenly recalled her childish actions earlier, and her face turned a deep shade of red with embarrassment.

"I didn't hear anything, I absolutely didn't hear you singing a nursery rhyme," Qin Chuan said awkwardly.

"You, stop saying that!"

Meng Wantang playfully scolded him, her blush spreading rapidly, even her fair neck wasn't spared.

Embarrassed, she quickly wriggled out of Qin Chuan's embrace, turned her back to him, and tried to calm her emotions.

But no matter how deeply she breathed, the fluttering of her heart from a moment ago lingered in her mind, stubbornly refusing to dissipate.

Grrrr...

At this moment, Qin Chuan's stomach rumbled, having not eaten dinner yet.

The sound made Meng Wantang burst into laughter.

Qin Chuan scratched his head awkwardly; he couldn't help the rumbling of his stomach.

Just then, Meng Wantang turned around, her eyes fixed intently on the somewhat naive Qin Chuan.

She looked so deeply that it felt mesmerizing.

Qin Chuan, ten years younger than her, was sunny, handsome, simple, and innocent, making one want to protect and cherish him.

Unconsciously, Meng Wantang's maternal instincts were stirred up.

"Silly child, if you're hungry, just say so. Come on, let big sister take you out to eat." Meng Wantang initiated the offer, changing how she addressed Qin Chuan.

"Hall Master Meng..." Qin Chuan instinctively wanted to refuse.

"Don't call me Hall Master Meng anymore, call me Sister Meng or Sister Wantang." Meng Wantang originally wanted Qin Chuan to call her 'Wantang' directly, but upon reflection, she thought it sounded too intimate and dismissed the idea.

Without giving Qin Chuan a chance to refuse, she took him to a nearby newly opened barbecue restaurant and ordered a table full of meats and a few bottles of beer.

"Come, have a drink with sister," Meng Wantang actively raised her glass.

Qin Chuan nodded, clinked glasses, and downed his beer in one go.

In the hot summer, a glass of cold beer quickly dispelled much of the heat.

"Ah..."

Meng Wantang made a content face without worrying about her image, then grabbed the skewers and began to feast.

At this moment, she shed the grandeur of a Tiger Hall Master, becoming more spontaneous like an ordinary person.

A rare indulgence.

"Eat up, why aren't you eating?" Meng Wantang held a skewer and pushed it toward Qin Chuan's mouth.

Qin Chuan felt a bit overwhelmed and surprised at the generosity.

"Why, can't I be a normal person for once?" Meng Wantang jested.

"No, not at all. I just think it's nice," Qin Chuan laughed.

In life, there are already enough unsatisfying things, and putting oneself in shackles is just self-torment.

Being an ordinary person is so wonderful, greedy for money and lust, acting freely.

"Come on, I can only be a normal person for the duration of this drink, so I'll cherish it." Meng Wantang raised her glass again.

This time, Qin Chuan responded proactively.

At a small table for two, they shared embarrassing childhood stories, and the alcohol served as a catalyst for emotions, drawing them closer together.

With each glass of beer, Meng Wantang's pretty face soon flushed red.

By the end, she could barely walk straight.

Qin Chuan called her driver to take her home.

When they reached Meng Wantang's home, it was already 9:30 PM.

Nannan had already been lulled to sleep by the nanny.

Qin Chuan intended to have the nanny help Meng Wantang into the house, but Meng Wantang held onto his neck and refused to let go.

"Mr. Qin, could you carry Miss Meng to her room? She might feel better lying down," the nanny suggested.

Qin Chuan smiled wryly, then mustered up the courage to carry Meng Wantang to her bedroom.

Yet, even when he laid Meng Wantang on the bed, she showed no intention of letting go.

Just as Qin Chuan was at a loss, the seemingly unconscious Meng Wantang suddenly said to the nanny, "Auntie Huang, you can go to bed now, and close the door."

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