After midnight

Coming out of the Jiumen, Lin Nuan wrapped her scarf tightly. She didn't wear a coat but a thick sweater. At this time, the warm yellow sun had dispersed its last bit of light red afterglow.

She walked slowly on the path outside Jiumen, not in a hurry to go home. She stared at the occasional fallen leaves floating down from the cold blue sky, and turned into another secluded path. Both sides of this path were planted with tall trees, and even in winter, the treetops were impressive.

She didn't usually take this route home; she turned in here on purpose.

As she thought, something unusual happened when she walked on this path. The fog was spreading, and the further she walked, the thicker it became. In recent days, things around her have been quite unsettled, and various details show that someone is following her. Although she has discovered it, she is willing to pretend that she doesn't know if the other party doesn't want to show up. Now, has the other party finally lost control?

In the thick fog, someone approached quietly. Lin Nuan stopped and stared at the dark shadow vigilantly.

"Lin Nuan, it's me."

An Yan? How could it be him?

"Come with me."

An Yan grabbed Lin Nuan's arm and quickly left the path. An Yan's home in Jiudu had not changed at all. Lin Nuan looked at the familiar decorations and seemed to recall the first day Su Ziling came to this world. At that time, everything she had was still there.

"Sorry, Lin Nuan, there are some things I need to explain to you, so I can only bring you here. Don't worry, I checked this place before I came to find you, it's very safe." An Yan brought Lin Nuan a cup of hot tea.

"Well, thank you."

"Lin Nuan, do you know who is following you?"

Lin Nuan shook her head. "I don't know who it is, but he means no harm. I thought it was him who came to me today. An Yan, you might be exposed."

"It's okay. I'm good friends with you, and everyone knows it. But you, are you really okay?"

"It's okay, you see, I'm fine. An Yan, what you want to tell me about is the July 7th Incident and the May 4th Incident? I have heard a little about what happened to them, but I really don't know what happened in detail." Lin Nuan turned the topic to An Yan.

"Yes, it's their business." An Yan looked at Lin Nuan as she told her the story.

"That's what I thought. The people who came to me these days might have this reason. There will definitely be another dispute." After An Yan finished speaking, Lin Nuan seemed very calm.

Lin Nuan had grown a lot, An Yan knew that. But Lin Nuan had become much quieter even in front of him, and An Yan fell silent.

When An Yan fell silent, Lin Nuan became even quieter. An Yan explained it to her in great detail, but the more detailed it was, the sadder she felt. For July 7, for May 4, and even more for An Yan.

"How is he doing, May Fourth?"

"He went back to the bar. I think he would feel better there." Lin Nuan wanted to be more relaxed, but it seemed like she asked a question that was not so relaxed.

"The 'Black and White' bar, where May Fourth is..."

"Almost no one knows he is there, so the bar will be safe," said Anyan.

Lin Nuan understood. In addition to An Yan, Wu Si was also under the protection of many forces. "I really want to go to that 'Black and White' bar."

"Will have the opportunity next time."

"Yeah." At this point, it seemed that all the words had been said. Lin Nuan nodded and thought.

"I'll go get a glass of water." An Yan said suddenly.

After An Yan left, Lin Nuan leaned back on the soft sofa. She tilted her head and closed her eyes, wondering how things could have come to this point. If she hadn't teamed up with Yin to kill Song Hongtian... Thinking of this, Lin Nuan shook her head and sat up. She didn't dare to think about the past.

"What are you thinking about?" An Yan came back and asked.

"I was thinking that after Song Hongtian died, everything seemed to be out of control."

"An Yan, you opposed Yin and I doing this in the first place because you wanted Ling Yi and the others to have some control."

"Yeah." An Yan said. After a while, An Yan said again: "But it's a good thing that he died."

"It's a good thing. It turns a war involving millions of people into a war involving just you. Mother is right. The 'Son of God' is a person you should not mess with." After all, Lin Nuan still felt distressed.

"It will be over soon." An Yan smiled.

"I hope there will be progress soon on Yin's side."

"Yeah." An Yan responded to Lin Nuan.

"That's it, I have to go back. It's dark outside." Lin Nuan felt a tightness in her chest, so she stood up and tried to escape.

"Okay, I'll take you out."

"Lin Nuan, be careful when you go back. If anything happens..." An Yan said to Lin Nuan after sending her out.

"If there is anything, I will definitely contact you. Don't worry about me."

Lin Nuan turned and left. An Yan watched her walk away in the dim night, then closed the door. He simply rinsed the two cups and sat down again. He rarely thought of Lin Nuan, but when he thought of her, his thoughts were uncontrollable, like an unripe fruit, sour and astringent.

An Yan kept this bitter feeling well, he could only taste it alone. Lin Nuan had watched his back countless times and accompanied him here, today he finally watched Lin Nuan's back go away. Lin Nuan grew up with him, but he couldn't continue to accompany Lin Nuan.

Lin Nuan had to face no less than he did, so she became the adult she is now so quickly. An Yan stood up, turned off the lights, and planned to rush back to Xindu. He walked outside and locked the door, but before he had walked far, he heard Lin Nuan calling his name and running back.

"An Yan, your birthday is coming soon."

An Yan lowered his head to look at Lin Nuan. The tip of Lin Nuan's nose was slightly red, and the tone of her voice was so lively.

"Really?" An Yan said this deliberately, and then counted the days on his fingers. "Yeah, it's almost here."

"So how are you going to spend your time?"

"I haven't decided yet." An Yan said honestly, "Maybe I'll just spend some time with Su Ziling and Xiao Su."

"It's your 18th birthday, why are you just celebrating it so casually? Can I join you? Can I go with Lu Li?"

"Of course." An Yan said with a smile, "You are welcome to come."

"It's settled then. I'll bring gifts."

"it is good."

"Goodbye then. You should hurry back to Xindu. The hanging window will be out of service any later."

"Ah."

An Yan watched Lin Nuan walk away again, and turned to walk towards the window. He looked up at the starry sky as he walked, his face gentle. He was in a better mood than before, and he hoped that Lin Nuan could be in a better mood as well.

Not long after Lin Nuan said goodbye to An Yan and entered the city from Jiudong Bridge, the fog suddenly began to gather around her again. This time it couldn't be anyone else, and Lin Nuan's face tensed instantly.

"Master Lin Nuan, my master invites you to a gathering to discuss something important."

"Who is your master?"

"Song Luo, Mr. Song."

Song Luo? Why did he come to see her? Lin Nuan had a headache. She was too tired. She had just come out of Jiu Xiang's place and met An Yan again. She hadn't digested the matter of Qi Qi and Wu Si yet, and now Song Luo was looking for trouble with her.

"Stop gathering more fog and lead the way."

"Yes, Master Lin Nuan, please follow me."

Lin Nuan turned away from the main road that was already lit up at night and merged into the darkness not far away. She met Song Luo in an ordinary house. Song Luo was waiting for her in the living room in his home clothes.

"Did you send the person who has been following me these days?" Lin Nuan looked at Song Luo.

"I sent them, but I can't guarantee that they are all mine."

“Humph, who else could it be except you? I, Lin Nuan, don’t have that much ability.” Lin Nuan said as she pulled out a stool and sat down.

"What would you like to drink? Tea or coffee. We have milk at home."

"Water, thank you."

"Master Lin Nuan, you're welcome." Song Luo stood up and poured a glass of clear boiled water for Lin Nuan.

"Excuse me, Master Lin Nuan, I want to know who thought of using the same method as me to find you?"

"Who knows who might think the same as you and use such a sneaky method?"

"This is not sneaking, it's concealed." Song Luo pointed out seriously.

“Yeah, it’s quite hidden. Maybe I just want to disappear.” Lin Nuan raised the corners of her lips, speaking with a double meaning.

"Well, I won't waste your precious time by beating around the bush. I asked you to come and meet me to express my deep friendship."

"I am married."

"...I think you misunderstood."

"Then don't say anything that could be misunderstood."

Song Luo looked at Lin Nuan's cold face and knew that she had not misunderstood at all.

"I want to cooperate with you." Song Luo said frankly.

"I am very sincere," he added, and then he opened the black wooden box that had been placed on his right hand side.

"I want to develop a piece of land in Xidu without getting involved with the Song family."

"Why not get involved with the Song family?"

“You also know that Song Nan is the head of the Song family now. I don’t want him to know about this project.” Song Luo said as he handed the project plan to Lin Nuan.

Lin Nuan flipped through the pages and read them word by word. "Not only do you not want him to know, you don't even intend to openly allow the Song family to have any capital on this land. Are you going to operate it behind my back?"

"Yes, Lin Nuan, I have already taken this land. It belongs to the future Song family and the future Lin family."

Hearing this, Lin Nuan's head hurt even more. Judging from this plan and what he just said, Song Luo was very ambitious. But Lin Nuan actually hated to think about the future and the consequences of every action, because that required careful consideration of every detail.

"Don't worry about my intentions. This is just a small gift. I just feel that the future belongs to you and me."

"Now we are not just talking about cooperation, but also about other things, right?"

"It seems that you still have doubts about my business plan." Song Luo stared at the glass of water that Lin Nuan had not touched and suddenly said seriously, "I have made a deal with Yin."

Lin Nuan raised her eyes and rolled them. It was undeniable that she was startled for a moment.

"What happened last month wasn't too long ago," Song Luo said. "I think you still remember the massacre at the Song family in early November. My people, Song Kunyun's people, Song Yunpei's people, in short, before Lin Xuanfeng and Lin Changxing died, it was our Song family who bore the brunt of the attack."

Of course Lin Nuan remembered, she didn't dare to forget. She was also very nervous.

"At that time, I made a deal with Yin, hoping to devote all my strength to protect my Song family. Yin did what he promised me, but I don't know what I promised him."

"You promised him without knowing what it was?"

"Yes, I said I would do my best. Although... the result was not satisfactory."

Lin Nuan was silent again, and then she asked: "What did Yin say?"

"He said that what he wants is in the distant future." Song Luo said as he pushed the water cup forward a little.

"Drink some water, it's getting cold. I hope you can trust me."

Lin Nuan picked up the water cup and drank a glass, "Sorry, I..."

"Even children know not to eat other people's food, let alone adults? Especially in the middle of the night, we are alone, a man and a woman, and we are opponents who have never dealt with each other before."

Lin Nuan couldn't help laughing after hearing this, and Song Luo also laughed.

"Later, I seemed to see a path in the fog, and gradually figured out Yin's intention. Yin wanted my promise, but this promise was not for him, but for the future, for someone very important to him. I guess this person is you, and I also guess that this future is your future and mine."

Regardless of Lin Nuan's surprise, Song Luo continued to explain, "I have to mention the Son of God here. He has a close relationship with you and Yin, so I made such a bold guess. Lord Lin Nuan, I don't think the Son of God will let go of the instigator of this series of cases. Do you think I'm right? I never thought of taking shortcuts. In the operation to encircle Eleven, it was Song Nan who stopped you. Maybe there were others, but not me."

"I really didn't expect that the Song family would produce three crazy people in succession. Ha, the Song family is known for producing crazy people." Song Luo stopped talking here. He paused and then continued: "Who will be most useful to me in the future? You. Of course, you are also most useful to me, so I think the future will belong to those of us who want to live well."

"What if you're wrong?" Lin Nuan asked after hearing this long list.

"I bet I was right."

"Really?" Lin Nuan lowered her eyes and stroked the cover of the business plan. She was still undecided. After her parents were gone, every step she took was like walking on thin ice, like stepping into an abyss.

"I've taken the plan. I'll think about it carefully." Suddenly, she thought of something and stood up.

"Please take all of this with you." Song Luo pushed a suitcase of things in front of her. "Please think about it carefully and make a decision as soon as possible."

It was late at night. Lin Nuan left Song Luo's house carrying a suitcase and blended into the flickering streets again.