An Youcai wiped away his tears and nodded.
"Alright, since you’re willing, Dad respects your choice."
He turned his head and looked at Mu Xingfeng, his eyes unusually solemn, "I respect you as a member of the Guard Team. Today, I entrust my daughter to you. I hope you live up to your uniform and the badge on your hat. If I find out that you’ve done anything to wrong Ran, I’ll hold you accountable, even if it costs me my life."
Mu Xingfeng was still immersed in An Ran’s words. She said she was willing; she chose him over the father who had raised her for over ten years.
Hearing An Youcai’s words, Mu Xingfeng nodded slightly, equally solemn and authoritative, "I think you won’t have that chance."
An Youcai nodded, then sat back in his seat and waved his arm, "You may go."
An Ran looked at him and felt as if An Youcai had aged ten years in an instant.
Was it an illusion? She suddenly felt that leaving the An family had genuinely saddened An Youcai.
Seeing the little one’s expression, Mu Xingfeng feared she might change her mind. He held her shoulder, said goodbye to An Youcai, and walked out of the café.
An Youcai watched their backs as they embraced, his eyes flickering, lost in thought.
"An Ran won’t suffer following him."
A woman’s voice sounded from behind. An Youcai turned around, about to get up, but upon seeing that face, he sat back down. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖•𝗇𝗲𝘁
"Doesn’t Mr. An recognize me?" Song Yu walked up to An Youcai and sat down directly.
"You... are you Yuzhu?"
The woman before him was elegant and distinguished, exuding a noble aura, her face adorned with exquisite makeup. Yet, An Youcai recognized that she was Xia Yuzhu, his former companion from their rural days.
The woman smiled and shook her head, "Xia Yuzhu is dead. The one before you now is Song Yu, the owner of this café."
The woman was graceful and charming, her smile as radiant as ever, yet to An Youcai, it was terrifying.
"Xia Yuzhu, what do you want?" An Youcai asked.
"Mr. An, don’t be so nervous. It’s broad daylight. What could I possibly do? I just want to ask, that girl earlier, your foster daughter, is she her child?"
Song Yu had heard about An Ran’s visit and wanted to come and see her. Although their previous relationship had been merely professional, Song Yu genuinely liked the girl.
She hadn’t expected to see An Ran with An Youcai.
It made sense. An Ran and An Youcai both shared the surname An. How had she not realized?
But when she’d looked into An Ran’s background, she was only 20. Could it be she was overthinking? But seeing An Ran’s eyes, she felt it was more than a coincidence.
So she decided to meet An Youcai, despite risking exposing her identity.
"Her child? That child died at birth. Don’t you know? I have other matters to attend to, so I can’t stay to reminisce," An Youcai hastily got up to leave after saying this.
Song Yu watched An Youcai’s hasty retreat and raised an eyebrow, seemingly in a good mood.
Mu Xingfeng took An Ran out of the café. Once in the car, before he could even turn around, he felt a force collide into him.
An Ran tightly hugged him, her little head buried in his chest.
This was supposed to be what I had planned to do, right?
Since the beauty had fallen into his arms, he naturally wouldn’t refuse, placing his hand around the girl’s waist.