sinovels Chapter 406 Is Wanting a Child Real?
Chapter 406 Is Wanting a Child Real?
Let's put the song aside for now; Lu Ran is getting a bit hungry.
Shen Yuege stood at the kitchen doorway and looked inside. Chen Huixian was cooking, and there was a row of spice bottles on the stove, each of which had been used quite a bit.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
"Braised pork. Isn't my braised pork your favorite? There's also sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and crucian carp and tofu soup. Your dad also asked me to stew the chicken in the fridge, but I said I didn't have time to stew it, I'll do it tomorrow."
"That's enough, that's enough, we can't eat that much."
"We can't finish the leftovers. You've been away for a month, and you probably haven't had many proper home-cooked meals. You have to make up for it when you get back."
Shen Yuege didn't say anything more, leaning against the kitchen door frame, watching her mother cook.
The range hood was very loud, and Priscilla Chan basically had to shout to speak, as did Shen Yuege.
The two of them kept shouting at each other and chatted about all sorts of random things.
Lu Ran and Shen Zhiwei sat in the living room. On the coffee table was tea that Shen Zhiwei had just brewed. The tea soup was bright red and had a fragrant aroma.
Lu Ran picked up the teacup and took a sip. It was Pu'er tea, aged, smooth on the palate, with a rich aftertaste.
"Dad, this tea is good."
"The one you brought last time. You said it was some kind of Icelandic ancient tree tea. I don't know much about it, but I thought it tasted pretty good."
Lu Ran smiled. He had indeed brought a cake of Pu'er tea with him when he came last time, but he had forgotten who gave it to him.
I didn't think much of it at the time; I just thought my father-in-law liked tea, so I brought a cake as a token.
"Please enjoy this tea. I'll bring you more when you're finished."
"No need, no need, this one cake is enough for me to drink for half a year. Don't waste money."
After the two had drunk a few cups of tea, Shen Zhiwei suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Xiao Lu, come with me for a moment."
Lu Ran followed him into the study. The study was small, with one wall lined with bookshelves filled with all sorts of books, mostly related to movies.
On the other wall hangs a movie poster for "Ip Man," which Shen Zhiwei specially framed and placed in the most conspicuous position.
Shen Zhiwei sat down at his desk, took an envelope from the drawer, and handed it to Lu Ran.
"Take a look."
Lu Ran opened the envelope, inside was a stack of photos, all stills and behind-the-scenes photos from the movie "Ip Man".
There are photos of Ip Man fighting, group photos of the crew on set, and a photo of Shen Zhiwei with the actors. The group of people are standing together and smiling happily.
"How's the box office for this movie?" Lu Ran asked.
"Not bad. It's grossed over 500 million in just two weeks."
Lu Ran was stunned for a moment. Five hundred million.
This number wouldn't have been anything special in the previous life, but in this world, very few domestic action films can achieve this result.
No, even in my previous life, this box office performance was still quite impressive.
"What about reputation?"
"The word-of-mouth is good. The rating on TUTU has remained stable at 8.7, and the rating on Douban is 8.4. The feedback from film critics is also good, with many saying that this is the best domestic action film in recent years."
Shen Zhiwei paused, looked at Lu Ran, and his eyes held an indescribable light.
"Xiao Lu, I have to thank you. I couldn't have made this film if you hadn't written it. It's not that I couldn't have made it, it's that I couldn't have thought of these things. Combining elements like Wing Chun, Ip Man, and 'I want to fight ten people' together doesn't produce the effect of 1 plus 1 equals 2, it produces 1 plus 1 equals 10."
Lu Ran was a little embarrassed by the praise: "Dad, please don't say that. You wrote the script, you chose the actors, and you designed the action sequences. I just wrote a story; the real credit goes to you."
Shen Zhiwei waved his hand: "You don't need to be modest. I know whether the script is good or not. If someone else were to film this script, they might be able to make a decent film, but it wouldn't be as good as it is now. Because they don't understand Wing Chun, they don't understand Foshan, they don't understand what people in that era were thinking. I do understand. Because I am from Foshan, I have heard the older generation tell the story of Ip Man since I was a child, I understand him."
Shen Zhiwei paused here, took a sip of tea, and continued, "In your script, Ip Man isn't the kind of aloof, unapproachable hero. He's afraid, hesitant, and powerless in the face of war. But in the end, he still stands up, not to be a hero, but because he feels there are some things he has to do. This kind of character is relatable and resonates with the audience. So the success of this film isn't because I directed it well, but because you wrote it well."
Lu Ran opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then felt that nothing he said would be appropriate.
He had seen these words from countless film reviews in his previous life, but hearing them from Shen Zhiwei's mouth felt different.
"Alright, alright, that's enough." Shen Zhiwei stood up, patted Lu Ran on the shoulder, and said, "Let's go eat. Your mom should be done soon."
The two came out of the study, and Shen Zhiwei's hand remained on Lu Ran's shoulder.
Priscilla Chan came out of the kitchen carrying dishes and saw Shen Zhiwei with his arm around Lu Ran's shoulder. She chuckled and said, "What are you two chatting about? You seem to be having a great time."
"Let's talk about movies," Shen Zhiwei said.
"You can have such a pleasant conversation about movies? Last time you talked about movies, you smashed your teacup, saying the investors wanted to change the ending, and you disagreed."
"That time was that time, this time is this time. It's different."
Priscilla Chan placed the dishes on the table and waved her hand, "Alright, alright, sit down and eat. Yuege, go to the kitchen and bring out the soup."
Shen Yuege responded and went to the kitchen to get the soup. Lu Ran wanted to help, but Chen Huixian stopped him, saying, "You sit down, you're a guest."
"Mom, I'm not a guest."
"You're the son-in-law. A son-in-law is a guest on his first visit, but after that, he's family. But today is your first day back, so you're considered guests."
Priscilla Chan's logic confused Lu Ran, but he didn't insist and sat down at the dining table.
The dishes have been served.
Braised pork belly, sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, crucian carp and tofu soup, and a cucumber salad.
Four dishes and a soup, not many, but each dish was very generous in portion, piled high.
Shen Zhiwei took the two bottles of Moutai out of the cabinet and waved them in front of Lu Ran: "Shall we open one today?"
Lu Ran glanced at Chen Huixian.
Priscilla Chan was serving soup and didn't notice this side.
Shen Zhiwei shook again, and Lu Ran nodded.
Shen Zhiwei smiled, unscrewed the bottle cap, and poured a full glass for each of them.
The liquor is clear and transparent, with a rich aroma, and it bubbles finely when poured into a glass.
Priscilla Chan turned around, holding her soup bowl, and saw the wine glasses in front of the two of them. She sighed, "I knew you couldn't resist. Fine, you've opened them, but drink less. We have to get up early to buy groceries tomorrow."
"Okay, okay." Shen Zhiwei picked up his glass and clinked it with Lu Ran's. "Come on, Lu, let's have a drink."
Lu Ran picked up the glass and took a sip. The wine was smooth and mild, neither spicy nor harsh, and slid down his throat, bringing a warm feeling to his stomach.
Authentic Feitian Moutai is indeed different.
Shen Yuege sat down next to Lu Ran and put a piece of braised pork into his bowl: "Drink less, you have to go to the company tomorrow."
"I'm not going to the office tomorrow. I'll stay home and rest."
"Didn't you say you wanted to keep an eye on URF (Ultra Rapid Fire)?"
"Old Wang can keep an eye on things. It doesn't matter whether I go or not."
Shen Yuege glanced at him, said nothing more, and lowered her head to eat.
Priscilla Chan sat opposite them, watching the two of them with a smile on her lips.
She looked at Shen Yuege, then at Lu Ran, and became more and more satisfied. She couldn't help but ask, "You two, when are you going to have a baby?"
Shen Yuege paused, her chopsticks still in her hand. She looked up at her mother and asked, "Mom, what did you say?"
"I said we should have a child. You've been together for so long, haven't you? Having a child would be perfectly legitimate, saving us from all the speculation outside."
Shen Yuege blushed: "Mom, please stop talking."
"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? You two have been together for so long, your relationship is good, and your work is going well. It's time to get things done. Why keep putting it off?"
Shen Zhiwei chimed in from the side, "Your mother is right. People should do what they're supposed to do at a certain age. Your mother and I are still young now, and we can help you take care of the kids, but we won't have that energy in a few years."
Shen Yuege's face turned even redder. She lowered her head and ate without saying a word.
Lu Ran glanced at her, then at Chen Huixian and Shen Zhiwei, and smiled: "Mom, Dad, you're right. Yuege and I have been thinking the same thing lately."
Shen Yuege kicked him under the table.
Lu Ran didn't dodge, and after taking the kick, he continued, "We'll discuss the wedding arrangements later; we plan to hold it after the New Year."
Priscilla Chan nodded in satisfaction and placed a piece of spare rib on Lu Ran's plate: "That's right. A man should be able to make decisions when necessary."
Shen Yuege kicked him again from under the table, this time even harder.
The meal took almost two hours.
Shen Zhiwei and Lu Ran drank more than half a bottle of Moutai, and both of them were flushed, but they weren't drunk.
Shen Zhiwei's face turned as red as Guan Yu's, and his voice was much louder than usual, but his thoughts were still clear.
Priscilla Chan watched from the side, feeling both happy and worried.
Shen Zhiwei was happy today, but worried that he would drink too much again.
"Alright, alright, stop drinking. You'll have a headache tomorrow if you drink any more."
Shen Zhiwei waved his hand: "The last drink. The last drink with Xiao Lu."
The two clinked glasses and drank their last cups in one gulp.
After dinner, Shen Yuege helped Chen Huixian clear the dishes, while Lu Ran and Shen Zhiwei sat in the living room drinking tea.
After drinking a few cups of tea, Shen Zhiwei felt the effects of the alcohol kick in a bit. He leaned back on the sofa, squinted, and chatted casually with Lu Ran.
"Xiao Lu, how's your game company doing these days?"
"It's alright. Steady progress."
""League of Legends"?"
"Yes. There are several new games in development."
Shen Zhiwei nodded, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "You're a steady person. Unlike me when I was young, I was impulsive and did whatever came to mind, only to regret it later. You're different; you think things through before you act, and once you do, you don't regret it. That's a good personality trait."
"Dad, you flatter me."
"It's not an overstatement. It's the truth." Shen Zhiwei opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling. "I'm at ease with Yuege by your side."
Lu Ran's heart stirred upon hearing this. He knew that Shen Zhiwei wasn't the type to say nice things; he was usually quiet, but became more talkative after drinking, though he rarely spoke so directly and emotionally.
The fact that I said it today shows that I'm truly relieved.
"Dad, don't worry. I won't let Yuege suffer any injustice."
"I know." Shen Zhiwei closed his eyes, his voice softening. "She changed after you got together with her. Before, when she came home, she would go straight to her room after dinner and stay there alone. Now it's different. Now she sits in the living room chatting with your mother, keeps me company while I drink tea, and takes the initiative to talk to me about work. This change isn't faked; she's genuinely relaxed."
Lu Ran didn't speak, but listened quietly.
"When people have something on their mind, they can't relax. I don't know what Yuege had on her mind before, but I knew she was unhappy. Now she's happy, and I can see it." Shen Zhiwei opened his eyes and looked at Lu Ran. "This credit is yours."
Lu Ran opened her mouth, as if to say something, but Shen Zhiwei waved his hand and stood up: "I'm not saying anything. I'm sleepy, I'm going to sleep. You should go to sleep early too."
"Okay, Dad. Goodnight."
Shen Zhiwei patted him on the shoulder, then turned and went into the bedroom.
Lu Ran sat alone in the living room for a while, finished the tea in his teacup, stood up, turned off the light, and went upstairs.
Pushing open the door to Shen Yuege's room, I found that Shen Yuege had already taken a shower and was sitting on the bed in her pajamas, her hair still wet and draped over her shoulders, reading a book in her hand.
Seeing him come in, she put down her book, glanced at him, and said, "What did my dad say to you? He's been talking for so long."
"Nothing much. We just chatted about company matters."
"Just talking about the company? And you talked for over half an hour?"
"We also talked about you."
Shen Yuege raised an eyebrow: "What are you talking about me for?"
Lu Ran sat down next to her, looking at her profile: "Let's talk about how you were unhappy before, and how you're happy now."
Shen Yuege paused for a moment, then reached out and patted his arm: "Stop with the act. Go take a shower, the water's already hot."
Lu Ran smiled, took a change of clothes from the closet, and went to the bathroom.
The bathroom wasn't big, but it was very clean.
On the sink were Shen Yuege's skincare products, more than a dozen bottles of various sizes, none of which Lu Ran recognized.
There was a sticky note on the mirror that read, "Hot water to the left, cold water to the right," in Shen Yuege's handwriting.
When Lu Ran came out of the shower, Shen Yuege was already lying down, the blanket pulled up to her chin, only her head showing.
He turned off the light, got into bed, and lay down next to her.
The bed wasn't big, but the two of them lay on it, shoulder to shoulder, leg to leg.
The curtains weren't fully drawn, and the streetlights outside shone through, casting a pale yellow glow on the ceiling.
Shen Yuege turned over to face Lu Ran, stretched her feet out from under the covers, and pressed them against his calves. Her feet weren't cold; they were warm today.
"Lu Ran".
"Um?"
"Was what you said at the dinner table today true?"
"What did you say?"
"It's...we'll have the wedding after the Lunar New Year."
Lu Ran turned his head to look at her. The pale yellow light from the ceiling shone on her face, making her eyes bright, like two stars.
"real."
Shen Yuege stared at him for a few seconds, then buried her face in the pillow, her voice muffled: "Then it's settled. We'll get it done after the New Year."
"It's settled."
After a long while, Shen Yuege seemed to be mustering her courage to ask:
"Is it true that you want to have children?"
...