247 — New Year's Eve, Their Alone Time

They spent time reminiscing about the past year and also talked about their plans for the year going forward.

Pei Yueran had agreed to take the shares Li Chuanmo transferred to her, so it followed that she would join the shareholders meeting in the future. She was looking forward to being on his turf and contributing her expertise.

They also spoke about their parents. Li Chuanmo's expression was kept carefully blank as he told her that the woman who gave birth to him was not getting better.

Gong Anwei had sent him a message that her condition was deteriorating in spite of the excellent treatment she had been receiving. The doctor said she might not survive the coming spring.

Although he looked like he didn't care, Pei Yueran could see that the news bothered him a bit, and she shifted closer, enclosing him in a hug which made Li Chuanmo feel better.

No matter what, they had each other.

Pei Yueran then sighed as she recalled her own pending issue. Now that the new year was here, it meant she had to get the matter of her biological family out of the way.

Li Chuanmo guessed at her thoughts and comforted her, "You really should not worry. Think about it, the only thing that would change is probably that you would have your name put in the genealogical record of the Gao family in the Capital, nothing more.

"Sure it might attract some rats and cockroaches, but we will handle them as they come."

Pei Yueran nodded slowly as she thought aloud, "Or could it be that the Gao family would want to make me live with them?"

Because she really couldn't see what else was supposed to change. She had already established a family here, and she neither had plans of clinging to their wealth nor wading into the muddy waters of the Capital. She didn't even have any feelings for this so-called family.

Somehow, she couldn't help but wish she hadn't been found. She felt sorry for Madam Gao, but she loved her life just the way it was.

On the other hand, if what they said was true, then the fact that she was lost was not their fault. For Madam Gao's sake, she was also willing to reconnect with her roots.

Li Chuanmo was still replying to her earlier words, "Even if they want that, I will not allow it. Don't worry Ran'er, I'm here for everything."

"What if that's what I want? What if I want to go and live with them in the Capital?" Pei Yueran asked just to tease him.

Li Chuanmo smoothly changed his tune, "Then I'll just gladly go with you and become their live-in son-in-law. Anyway, you can't get rid of me in this life!"

Pei Yueran laughed softly in amusement. Then suddenly feeling curious, she asked, "Chuan, what was your first impression of me?"

Li Chuanmo's eyes took on a soft light as he recalled, "I thought you looked like a new, very dedicated employee that the company hired. You looked like cotton candy— soft and sweet, but also as if you could be blown away at any moment.

"Until you shook my hand. That firm grip told me that you had a spine of steel."

Pei Yueran teased, "Wow, such a high evaluation. But I thought you would say I looked like a rare beauty."

"Well you definitely did look like a beauty. One rarely seen in a hundred years."

Pei Yueran snorted softly. His words would have been more believable if his eyes were not filled with amusement. As it were, he was obviously just flattering her.

She used her hand to swat at his hand that was currently trailing along the back of her thigh upwards as she spoke about her own first impression of him.

"You struck me as a handsome aristocrat. Your eyes were so beautiful that they looked unreal. I even thought you were wearing contact lenses."

Li Chuanmo's lips turned up in a smile. Looking into her eyes, he asked, "And now?"

Pei Yueran's eyes shone with mischief, "Well, you're still handsome, you still have beautiful eyes, but I now know that you're such a rogue."

A rogue? Really?

Li Chuanmo's eyes darkened dangerously as he drawled, "Well, since you think so, I'll be in the wrong if I don't live up to this reputation."

While saying this, his hand had found its way into her blouse and grabbed one smooth and perfect-sized creamy white treasure.

Pei Yueran quickly slapped his hand away. Once she succumbed to his touch, all her rationality would fly out the window. She couldn't help but think that it was no wonder he liked it when she wore tops instead of dresses. It was for his own comfort ah!

She really couldn't understand his obsession with her chest. Han Lei wasn't a breast lover, so the only time another human being clung to her chest this frequently was the period when she was nursing Han Yichen.

Needless to say, it was nothing compared to Li Chuanmo's current preoccupation.

Suddenly having Han Lei's name pop into her mind startled her a bit. She had not thought of him in a while, mainly because a lot of things had happened in the past few months.

Also, she had spoken to herself before the marriage and decided never to compare the two men or her marriages, so this random thought was unexpected.

Anyway, that part of her life was over. When the person leaves, the tea cools*. Since that was the case, she had to live her current life well.

She was suddenly brought out of her reverie by a sensation that sent delicious shivers down her spine. Looking down, she saw a certain someone working on her chest like a suckling infant.

She didn't even know when his mouth replaced his hand. She must have really been lost in thought for so long, letting this rogue take advantage. But already, her ability to think was fast deserting her.

When he bit down gently, the word "Chuan" burst forth out of her mouth in a delicate tone, making Li Chuanmo raise his head to look at her. His lips glistening, his voice was husky as he said, "It was you that got distracted. I'm just a businessman that loves profit, so don't blame me."

Her words of argument were swallowed back into her mouth when he precluded her and changed his target to her lips.

As soon as he began his onslaught, all unnecessary thoughts, including that of protest were quickly thrown to the back of Pei Yueran's mind.

******

*Once people walk away, the tea becomes cold— Metaphorically, this idiom can mean that one's feelings can become as intangible as an unwanted cup of cold tea once the person it was served to has left (or in this case, passed away).