Chapter 12 Immersed in it
Chen Ruogu stood up from the sofa only after finishing the last question.

Her slippers rubbed against her feet, and her light footsteps brought up a breeze, showing her casualness.

She took two steps, then turned around again as she remembered something. Her long hair fluttered like silky satin, shining with a gorgeous luster. She tilted her head slightly and said softly:
"How about making fried noodles for you at noon? I bought some fresh greens and made some red bean fermented rice wine. I just put them in the refrigerator to cool them down. It will be perfect to drink them later."

After Yu Huaixi tried the fried noodles at the Dongmen snack stall, he fell in love with the taste and wanted to eat it every now and then.

Although Chen Ruogu is not a highly sensitive mother, she is also worried about food safety issues, so she simply learned to cook for her at home.

Yu Huaixi was used to a life of having everything provided for her, but after traveling through time, she has been slowly changing her mindset. Now she takes the initiative to clean her room, washes her underwear by hand, and helps her mother cook.

Chen Ruogu was tying an apron on herself when she saw Huai Xi going to the kitchen. She quickly stopped her and said angrily:

"It's so hot, don't bother going in. Just sit and wait for a while. It will be quick."

She didn't even give Huaixi a chance to object, she turned into the kitchen and closed the sliding door.

Huaixi looked through the glass and saw her mother's skirt swaying gently with her steps. She was busy in the kitchen with a smile on her face, and her movements were extremely graceful.

In the past, Chen Xiaoniang was gentle and virtuous, while now Chen Ruogu is quiet and elegant. Freed from the shackles of feudal ethics, she is like an unpolished jade blooming with brilliance, so beautiful that people can't take their eyes off her.

Huai Xi suddenly wanted to record this scene. She took out her phone, selected the right angle, secretly took a photo of Chen Ruogu cooking, and posted it to her Moments with the following text:
The dishes my mother cooks with all her heart always make me feel the warmth of home and the feeling of being loved!
There is no technical skill involved in her taking photos, but the lighting and shadow effects are excellent. There happened to be a beam of light hitting Chen Ruogu's hair, making her look like a dream.

Yu Huaixi doesn’t have many contacts in her WeChat address book, and she didn’t pay much attention to them after she sent the photo.

On the other side, after Yu Yuan finished filming the last scene, he was sitting in front of the camera watching the finished film over and over again, discussing details with the assistant director from time to time, until the two of them could not find any flaws and were satisfied.

Han Shuo's trouser legs were rolled up high. He walked over with a lunch box in his hand. He gnawed on his leg and said incoherently, "Old Yu, stop looking and eat your lunch."

Yu Yuan hummed absentmindedly, then turned around and continued to discuss post-production issues with the assistant director. Han Shuo knew his bad temper, so he didn't bother him and finished eating the huge pistol leg in just a few bites.

When Yu Yuan came to his senses, he was chewing bones with a crunching sound. Yu Yuan frowned and said with disgust: "Am I missing your meat? Is there not even any bone left?"

Han Shuo rudely spat out the bone residue from his mouth and said boldly:

"You'll know once you try it. Chef Jiang's cooking skills are really good. He can cook even the big pot dishes so well. This pistol leg is delicious and can be eaten directly as a side dish. Come and try it."

Yu Yuan took the lunch box from his hand, opened it, and saw a fist-sized bowl of brown rice, some vegetable salad, and a huge pistol leg.

Han Shuo shamelessly took credit for it, saying, "Chef Jiang prepared braised beef just for you, but I thought it would be nice to indulge myself once in a while, so I replaced the beef with chicken legs. It smells really good, so hurry up and take a bite."

Yu Yuan was neither greedy nor picky about food. The temperature had been soaring recently and he had no appetite due to the heat. He felt full when he saw the greasy meat, so he picked it up and handed it to Han Shuo.

"If you like it, eat more. I have no appetite."

Han Shuo had a big bump on his nose from a mosquito bite. He scratched it and said:

"Summer hasn't even officially started yet and you're already suffering. Why are you still eating a fat-reducing meal? I'd like to give you more high-quality carbohydrates. It's not good to be too thin."

Yu Yuan didn’t have a strong desire for food. He ate the purple cabbage and said indifferently:

"Just prepare something light, it's up to you to decide."

The filming conditions on the set were simple and there was no need to be so particular. Han Shuo slapped his leg, then opened his palm to look at the dead mosquito and said viciously:

"You drank so much of my blood, and finally got your revenge. Lao Yu, you are so calm, don't mosquitoes bite you?"

Yu Yuan said calmly, "Maybe mosquitoes prefer the smell of oil on your body. The crew has finished filming and we can leave today. You don't have to suffer any more."

Han Shuo was overwhelmed when he thought about confronting Fu Juan after he returned. He said bitterly, "It's not easy to go back. Although the change of agent has been announced, Sister Juan still controls all your schedules. She ignored me when I tried to communicate with her. I can't move forward. Can you talk to her first?"

Yu Yuan stared at him threateningly and said in a cold voice:
"If you are not capable enough to do this job, I can replace you with someone else. If you can't even handle a woman, what use is there for you?"

Han Shuo felt a toothache when he heard this. Was Fu Juan an ordinary woman? She was an iron lady who had made a name for herself in the entertainment industry single-handedly.

He had heard that when Fu Juan entered the entertainment industry, she had no resources at all, and she shamelessly squeezed into the set with a few cups of coffee and made friends with others.

She lied that she had business needs and asked for many people's business cards, and then went to the film set to make herself familiar with the faces when she had nothing to do.

It wasn't until a film crew couldn't film because of a supporting actor's failure, and the entire team was anxious to catch up with the schedule and couldn't find a suitable candidate, that she took the opportunity to promote her own artists, and thus opened up a gap.

Not everyone dares to mess with a woman like Fu Juan who is tenacious, bold and smart.

She is Yu Yuan's agent and also a partner in the studio. Han Shuo dared not confront her easily.

Han Shuo felt his nose getting even more itchy after being bitten by a mosquito. Seeing Yu Yuan's resolute attitude, he said with a sad face, "Old Yu, have you really decided to turn against me? Aren't you afraid that Sister Juan will withdraw her investment?"

Yu Yuan closed the lunch box and said calmly, "She withdrew her investment and the company continued to operate as usual. You know, I am not short of money."

After listening to Yu Yuan's explanation, Han Shuo made up his mind. He didn't think Yu Yuan would burn his bridges after crossing them. Yu Yuan's current success was not entirely dependent on Fu Juan. She was just the icing on the cake.

To be honest, Fu Juan did cross the line. Even if it was necessary for her job, she shouldn't have tied people up all the time. What else could she have done this for other than her own selfish desires?
Han Shuo had experienced the ease of working with Fu Juan. Although he was reluctant, he knew that he had to make a choice in the end. He said seriously:
"Since you have made your decision, I will fight with her without any hesitation. I haven't been working for nothing these past few years."

Yu Yuan glanced at him and said sarcastically, "If you were really a good-for-nothing, why would I have supported you for so long? Try to minimize the losses."

Han Shuo nodded slightly. Although Han Shuo could be a little off-key sometimes, he was shrewd and resourceful, so Yu Yuan could rest assured.

After finishing his business, Yu Yuan habitually took out his mobile phone to check his Moments. As soon as he opened it, he saw the photo sent by Huai Xi. The signal was poor in the mountains, and it took a long time for the photo to buffer when he clicked on it.

This photo doesn't look special, but it is full of rich atmosphere and vivid details, which easily attracted Yu Yuan's attention and made him immersed in it.

Han Shuo came back to his senses and found that he was staring at his phone. He moved closer out of curiosity. Yu Yuan immediately locked the phone and asked rudely, "Why are you still here if you don't have anything to do but leave?"

Han Shuo didn't even see a shadow, and couldn't help but complain: "Do you have to be so nervous? I won't lose any meat if I take a look. Are you looking at pictures of beautiful women?"

Yu Yuan ignored him and walked straight towards the nanny car with his long legs and elegant steps. The nanny car was very private and the air conditioner was turned on. After Yu Yuan got in the car, he half-lay down to rest. His phone was unlocked and the photo he had just opened was still on it.

Although Chen Ruogu only showed her side, she was as beautiful as the morning sun. Her smile contained endless tenderness and kindness. At this moment, time seemed to stand still. She was as charming as when they first met.

Yu Yuan couldn't help but make a video call to his daughter, and the phone rang for a long time before he picked up the phone.

Yu Huaixi was unusually calm when he saw Yu Yuan's handsome face again.

She put her phone on the dining table, ate some fried noodles, and then said, "Dad, what do you want to talk to me about?"

She had the same sense of closeness to her father as other girls of her age. Yu Yuan looked at her clear and transparent eyes, which were like a mountain spring and seemed to be able to see through everything.

He cleared his throat and asked gently, "Xixi, what delicious food did mom make for you today?"

Yu Huaixi took a big sip of the red bean wine and said with satisfaction:

"My mother made me fried noodles and red bean fermented rice, which tasted better than those sold at the food stalls outside."

Yu Yuan remembered that when they first got married, they were not well off financially and he did not have much savings, so Chen Ruogu took care of everything at home.

She couldn't even cook rice at first, but now she can easily satisfy her daughter's appetite. After all, he owed her.

He said in a hoarse voice: "If you like it, eat more. It's the time for growth. Don't follow others to lose weight."

Yu Huaixi originally had a physique that made it hard to gain weight. She would practice health-preserving techniques every night. Her metabolism was so good that she didn't need to lose weight at all.

"I'm not from the entertainment industry. I don't rely on my face and body to attract attention. Being fat or thin doesn't matter. Being healthy is good enough."

Chen Ruogu sat opposite her daughter and just listened to them talking without saying a word.

Yu Yuan shook his head and laughed, thinking that his daughter was still young and it was not the time for her to pursue beauty.

"You're right. Good health is the most important thing. Where is your mom? Is she still busy in the kitchen?"

Yu Huaixi raised her head and glanced at her mother. Her movements were so big that Yu Yuan also saw it.

Chen Ruogu couldn't just ignore it, so she had to turn the phone toward herself. After adjusting her expression, she asked, "Have you had lunch?"

Chen Ruogu didn't know what to say to him. It was inevitable that a couple would feel unfamiliar with each other after not being together for a long time. Even if they wanted to get along well, they had to have suitable topics to talk about.

Yu Yuan said in a gentle voice: "I just ate. How is the renovation of the old house going?"

Before Chen Ruogu could have a headache, Yu Yuan took the lead in finding a topic and said:
"The walls have been built, and the electrician has re-laid the circuit. Everything is proceeding according to plan, and the clinic will be completed soon."

Yu Yuan said considerately, "Should the clinic hire a few nurses to help? And we need to find a reliable nanny to do the housework at home. You can't cook for Huaixi every day. The fumes are too harmful to her skin."

Yu Huaixi looked like he was enjoying a good show when he heard this. Chen Ruogu said calmly, "There's no rush for these things. We need to find someone we like. The house hasn't been renovated yet, so we still have time to choose."

Yu Yuan hummed and took the initiative to report:
"I have finished filming the play and will be returning to the company tonight. I have many announcements to attend later. I may go back to my home in Shanghai for two days. I may not be able to visit you in Wanling."

Chen Ruogu was relieved to hear him say that. She said in a brisk voice:

"It's okay. Huaixi is taking cram school lessons recently, and I also have to go to the driving school to learn how to drive. We are all busy, and we may not have time to accompany you when you return to Wanling."

Yu Yuan's memory was still stuck on Chen Ruogu's hysterical accusation against him. He could doubt everything, but he would never doubt Chen Ruogu's feelings for him. He just thought she was comforting herself when she said that.

"In addition to the endless announcements, the company's affairs are also a bit tricky. I need time to properly resolve them. I will be back with you and Huaixi by the end of the year at the latest."

Chen Ruogu didn't know what he was thinking. No one had ever urged him to come back. In fact, the later he came back, the happier Chen Ruogu was. But this thought could only be kept in mind and could not be expressed out loud. She agreed, "That's good. You can spend the New Year with us at home."

Chen Ruogu made another excuse: "Huaixi has to go to her teacher's house for English tutoring this afternoon, so I have to accompany her. She doesn't have much time for lunch break, so I can't continue chatting with you."

Yu Yuan was a little disappointed. He really enjoyed chatting about family matters, but his daughter's studies were more important. He said in a low voice:

"Okay, be safe. If it's inconvenient to travel, hire a driver."

Chen Ruogu politely declined, "It's better to live a low-key life in a small city. Once I get my driver's license, I can drive myself and won't let your daughter suffer any grievances."

Yu Yuan felt the change in Chen Ruogu more intuitively. If it were in the past, she would have opposed it fiercely and her words would have been sharp and piercing.

He couldn't tell whether the current changes were good or bad, but there was always an inexplicable sense of bitterness and melancholy in his heart.

"Okay, follow your own ideas. If you encounter problems that you can't solve, call me."

Chen Ruogu agreed without hesitation. If he really had something to do, who else could he turn to except Yu Yuan?

After the video was hung up, Yu Huaixi couldn't help but sigh: "He didn't cherish it when he should have, but he didn't know that missing it would be forever."

Chen Ruogu smiled calmly and said meaningfully:
"Marriage requires both parties to make changes and compromises to continue. Don't over-glamorize that dead end. It may hurt both parties and be even more miserable than it is now."

Yu Huaixi thought about these words carefully and found them to be quite reasonable. After all, she was young and too naive.

After dinner, Huai Xi went back to her room to take a nap. After Chen Ruogu cleaned up the kitchen, he took a nap on the sofa.

Teacher Huang’s home is quite far away and the class time is quite long.

Chen Ruogu was worried about Huai Xi going alone. If something unexpected happened on the way, she would have nowhere to cry, so he decided to accompany her.

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(End of this chapter)