Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I walked out onto the balcony and answered Chen Yan’s call.

“Nannan, things in Beijing are almost wrapped up. I’ll be back this Friday.”

“Oh. Got it.” I turned around and leaned against the railing. “Chen Yan, I heard you’re keeping a canary in Beijing. Is that true?”

“It is. What, are you interested too?” At least he was honest.

I was so angry I laughed. “Didn’t you used to be… really against that?”

“I didn’t understand it before, but my grandfather and my dad both keep them, don’t they? I think there’s a certain cultural heritage to it.”

For a moment, I was speechless.

No, seriously? Had his mother and grandmother both just completely given up on marriage?

Chen Yan waited a long while, as if he had finally caught on. “Does it bother you?”

How was I supposed to answer that?

I said coldly, “Not at all. As long as you don’t mind getting dirty yourself, just make sure you pick a clean one.”

Chen Yan actually got more enthusiastic.

“That’s just your prejudice from not understanding canaries. By nature, they’re very clean.”

What the hell. Since when had he conducted in-depth research into this industry?

“Chen Yan, I’ll be blunt. Not in the old house in Beijing. If you keep it outside, I won’t interfere.”

He refused to accept that. “The old house is the most suitable place. You never come to Beijing anyway, and when I’m not there, my dad and grandfather can help look after it.”

This was getting a little serious.

What kind of canary was it, that the Chen family was willing to let it cross their threshold?

I didn’t know what to say. Chen Yan asked me what was wrong.

Someone draped a knitted shawl over my shoulders from behind.

“Sister Lin Nan, I’m done playing.”

Meng An was cute, and his voice was clear and pleasant.

He had also switched to the new form of address very quickly.

Chen Yan paused. “Nannan, are you outside?”

Meng An considerately fell silent.

I glanced at Meng An and pulled the shawl tighter around me.

“Chen Yan, bring that thing you’re keeping over. Perfect timing-I happen to be keeping a little puppy myself. You don’t mind, do you?”

Chen Yan froze for a while, his tone rather reluctant.

“Bring it from Beijing to Hong Kong? Isn’t that too much trouble? It might get sick on the plane.”

Fine. I said I was keeping a little puppy, and he didn’t take it seriously at all.

And this canary was way too delicate.

It could get sick from taking a plane?

What, did Darwin forget to include it in the theory of evolution?

“Chen Yan, I’m your fiancée. You can’t hide it from me forever.”

I hung up and returned to the table, only to find that Meng An had won money for me.

His eyes curved with a smile, as if he were waiting for me to praise him.

I was stunned for a moment, then the corners of my lips lifted.

Chen Yan had a point. This was pretty interesting.

Amid my friends’ teasing, I took Meng An away.

In the elevator, we added each other on WeChat.

“All the money you won tonight is yours. Also, this Friday night, dress a little younger. I’m taking you to meet someone.”

Meng An hesitated, then looked at me. “Sister Lin Nan, I’m not in that line of work.”

Ah. So that was it. How awkward.

“Then what do you do?”

Meng An took out his phone. He was an actor from the mainland, and he even had a Baidu Baike page.

So Meng An was a stage name. No wonder it sounded so nice.

“I’m not exactly famous, but I do have social insurance and a housing fund.”

The words “social insurance and a housing fund” felt like a slap to my face.

But I had already said what I said to Chen Yan.

“Just think of it as doing me a favor.”

The elevator dinged.

Meng An held the elevator door open with his hand. “Of course.”

He turned his head to look at me and smiled brightly. “I just didn’t want you to misunderstand me.”