Lin Chen nodded. "I'll move there for the time being. Don't tell Mom, lest she makes a fuss of it and gets worried."

"But you've been living at home all along. Now that you suddenly want to move into that condominium, surely there's got to be a suitable excuse, right?" Lin Ran frowned as she pondered.

"The Brocade Condominium is right beside the Lin Corporation. I heard that a subsidiary under the Lin Corporation is planning to list in Hong Kong. It's normal to work overtime before getting a company listed. Why not just say that you're staying at the Brocade Condominium so that it's convenient for you to get to work?" Lin Nuan offered. "I think you might have to go back and tell Mom this!"

Lin Ran paused in surprise and pointed at herself. "You talking about me?"

Lin Nuan nodded. "Brother easily exposes himself when he lies to Mom."

"You make it sound like I lie to Mom often!" Lin Ran couldn't help frowning. "Why don't you go and tell her! I'm the one who's been taking care of Brother. Surely you've got to do something!"

Lin Chen didn't reveal any emotions, but he was astonished to hear what Lin Ran said.

By her words, Lin Ran regarded Lin Nuan as her family. That was why she assigned Lin Nuan responsibilities.

The corners of Lin Chen's mouth raised slightly.

"I'm even worse. The minute my ears flush… the cat will be out of the bag!" Lin Nuan spoke of her dilemma.

Lin Ran was speechless.

Because of her lying to Liang Mulan about wanting to tag along with Lin Chen on his business trip for fun, Lin Nuan had concluded that she was a smooth liar!

Lin Ran glowered at Lin Nuan. "Then what need does Brother have for you as a younger sister?"

"Well, they say able people should do more work!"

Lin Nuan revealed a white set of teeth at Lin Ran as she smiled vibrantly at her… Lin Ran could no longer keep a grim face. She was unable to keep herself from smiling as she turned away to look out the window. "The way you're flattering me…"

Once they got to the Haicheng toll station, Lin Ran parted ways with Lin Nuan and Lin Chen. She was returning to the Lins' home with Lin Chen's secretaries!

Firstly, it was to tell Lin Jingquan and Liang Mulan about Lin Chen moving into the condominium, as well as retrieve Lin Chen's clothes!

Secondly, it was so that Liang Mulan wouldn't see Lin Chen, who had grown much thinner.

When Lin Ran got out of the car, Lin Nuan called out to her!

Lin Nuan got out of the car without even putting on her down jacket, merely grabbing her bag before she pushed open the car door. She hurriedly walked to Lin Ran, pulling out a gift box from her bag and handing it to Lin Ran…

That was the birthday present that Lin Ran had prepared for Lin Jingquan, a fountain pen.

It was snowing outside, and Lin Nuan, who was only wearing a sweater, kept shivering as the winds blew at her.

"Didn't I ask you to give Dad this on my behalf on his birthday?" Lin Ran frowned as she reached out to take the gift box.

"It's not that I didn't give it to him on your behalf, it's that Brother's secretary brought a birthday present that Brother prepared for Dad. Brother prepared your share as well, so I didn't take it out, fearing that they might get suspicious!" Lin Nuan explained. "You had better give it to Dad personally when you get back!"

Lin Ran nodded. "Okay, I got it! You had better get into the car, it's so cold!"

Lin Ran then zipped up her down jacket and turned around to get into the car that Lin Chen's secretary was driving.

Lin Nuan got into the front passenger seat again. Only after she closed the car door and buckled her seatbelt did she start to feel warm.

On the way, Lin Nuan asked Lin Chen what he wanted to eat. Lin Chen didn't have much of an appetite, and the over two-hour car journey had taken a toll on his physique. Hence, he wanted to go back and sleep.

Although Lin Chen didn't stay over at the Brocade Condominium often, there was a part-time cleaner who would go over and clean up the place, so they didn't have to tidy it up.

Lin Nuan and You Nainai went out to buy frozen dumplings while Lin Chen was sleeping…

Lin Chen wouldn't sleep more than an hour during the daytime. Having lived with Lin Chen for so many years, Lin Nuan knew about this.

By the time Lin Chen woke up and stepped out of his bedroom, the aroma of dumplings had filled the entire apartment.

Holding a cup in his hands, Lin Chen saw Lin Nuan standing in the open kitchen with her hair tied up…

Beside the steaming pot, Lin Nuan scooped up a dumpling and, holding a plate underneath, lowered her head to taste if the dumplings were cooked. She ended up scalding her tongue. She bit her tongue and frowned, her long and dense lashes quivering.

Lin Chen took out a bottle of water from the fridge and handed it to Lin Nuan. "Why haven't you left?"

Lin Nuan had just finished the first pot of dumplings when she looked up to see that Lin Chen had brought a bottle of water to her.

Receiving the bottle from him, Lin Nuan took two big gulps, holding back the numb sensation on her tongue as she said, "I'll leave after I see you eat and take your medication!"

"Why don't I see your friend around?"

"You ran out of vinegar, so she went out to buy some…"

"There's vinegar in the fridge, didn't you see it?" Lin Chen's vision swept over the dumplings that had floated to the surface in the pot. He rolled up his sleeves and scooped the dumplings onto a plate.

When Lin Nuan, who had just pulled open the fridge door to retrieve the red vinegar, saw Lin Chen's actions from her peripheral vision, she hurriedly said, "I haven't tasted them to see if they're cooked…"

"If you cook them any more, they're going to dissolve!"

Lin Nuan didn't believe Lin Chen's words. "True or not? You've never cooked dumplings yourself…"

She didn't remember ever seeing Lin Chen cook.

"When I was in college, I frequently cooked dumplings with my roommates in the hostel using a rice cooker!" Lin Chen said.

Lin Nuan nodded by the side.

Lin Chen scooped the dumplings onto the plate in a skilled manner as he asked Lin Nuan, "Have you and your friend eaten?"

"We haven't. You eat first. When Nainai gets back, I'll cook some more!"

Lin Nuan handed Lin Chen the vinegar and told him to eat first.

Lin Chen lowered his gaze as he took the vinegar, his eyes falling upon Lin Nuan's fair and tender wrist. He said, "Go back first! Stop hanging around here!"

Previously, Lin Chen had addressed the elephant in the room, so the two of them couldn't possibly act as if nothing had happened. They couldn't very well continue to be siblings like before.

With Lin Nuan standing before him, Lin Chen couldn't maintain his calm.

Hearing Lin Chen's words, Lin Nuan didn't insist on staying. She nodded. "Okay, then after Nainai comes back, I'll go…"

Lin Chen nodded, sat down at the dining room table, and picked up his chopsticks.

Seeing this, Lin Nuan went to the kitchen to tidy up.

For a long time, she had lived alone and had to do everything herself, so tidying up the kitchen came easily to her.

After wiping the brand-new gas stove clean, when Lin Nuan was washing the cloth, she raised her head to see Lin Chen eating the dumplings in an elegant manner. She set the cloth aside and went to the washroom to wash her hands, preparing to pack up and leave once You Nainai returned.

Lin Chen, who was sitting at the dining room table, heard the soft sound of the bathroom door closing. He slowly set down the chopsticks he was using, his deep gaze growing distant…

The fresh prawn dumpling in his mouth seemed to have lost all taste suddenly, making it difficult for him to swallow it down.

He clearly knew that Lin Nuan was taking care of him like she would a family member, but the surging emotion in his heart felt like it was about to gush out of his chest despite him trying to restrain himself.

The black glass surface of the dining room table reflected Lin Chen's deep-set features. It wasn't so bad when some things were kept away in the depths of one's heart, but once they were said out loud, it gave one the urge to smash a pot to pieces just because it was cracked[1].

He knew that he must never meet with Lin Nuan one-on-one again, to interact with her alone…

[1] meaning to act recklessly because the situation's hopeless anyway

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