An Ran was tickled and laughed out loud: "Brother Junyang."
Lin Junyang clearly felt Mu Xingfeng’s sharp gaze like a blade sweep over him when An Ran called him, and quickly responded: "Little sister-in-law, please spare me. Call me Yang Zi or Fifth, anything will do. Just don’t call me brother; I’d like to keep my life."
"Oh? Who wants your life?" An Ran asked and then turned her head to Mu Xingfeng, challenging him, "Do you have a problem with me calling him Brother Junyang?"
She knew how petty this man could be. Last time, when Sun Wangbei asked her to call him brother, Mu Xingfeng also looked like he wanted to eat someone. But Lin Junyang was different. He had saved her, even though it was at Mu Xingfeng’s request, she still owed him a debt of gratitude that she had to remember. How could she act all big in front of him?
Besides, she was officially Mu Xingfeng’s girlfriend. It was really inappropriate to let someone as renowned as the third of the Five Young Masters of the Imperial call her sister-in-law.
Mu Xingfeng, seeing her little defiant look, had a hint of a smile in his eyes. He reached out to smooth her long, unkempt hair and said sincerely, "No problem at all."
Lin Junyang almost fell to his knees upon hearing Mu Xingfeng’s words. Facing Boss Mu, even if little Tuzi called him Brother Junyang, he wouldn’t dare respond. Who knew when Boss Mu might feel upset about this and hassle him later?
"Hey, little Tuzi, calm down. Although I’m older than you, you’re Second Brother’s woman. We are Second Brother’s buddies, and by rule, we should all call you Second Sister-in-law."
"It’s fine, you call yours, I’ll call mine," An Ran waved her hand nonchalantly.
Lin Ruonan looked at the three people in front of her. There was a time when she desperately wanted to integrate with them, to be as close as they were now. But now, the person she wished to be close to remained as cold as ever, while the tenderness she had never seen was being shown to another woman.
Her hand clenched unconsciously, her nails digging into her flesh.
"This little girl is quite cute, Xingfeng. Aren’t you going to introduce her?" Lin Ruonan adjusted her mood, trying to pull out a smile, and said to Mu Xingfeng.
From An Ran’s tone, she could already tell that back in Nan’an, An Ran hadn’t told Mu Xingfeng about her visit to Longteng Xinyuan. She couldn’t help but give An Ran a long, deep look.
If she were a girlfriend, wouldn’t she have retaliated for her previous intrusion? At the very least, shouldn’t she have questioned Mu Xingfeng about it? When she found An Ran before, it was clear they had no relationship. She clearly remembered An Ran’s ashamed and guilty expression and the apologetic words she said.
If they had gotten together later, wouldn’t An Ran have been suspicious about her mentioning their engagement during the New Year?
As a competent soldier, Lin Ruonan’s perception was exceptional. She didn’t miss a single detail.
This was one more reason why, knowing Mu Xingfeng had a girlfriend, she still came here.
Lin Ruonan deliberately said "little girl" instead of "your girlfriend," and Mu Xingfeng certainly understood. He glanced at the little woman beside him, noticed she had run down barefoot again, and naturally lifted her legs onto his lap, warming her little feet with his big hands.
After doing all this, he looked at Lin Ruonan: "This is my girlfriend, An Ran."
"An Ran, this is Lin Ruonan."
An Ran was still staring at her feet in a daze. Hearing Mu Xingfeng’s words, she quickly nodded, "Hello, Miss Lin, I’ve heard Xingfeng mention you."