Upon seeing Ning Ran's tears, Nan Chen handed her a piece of tissue. “Why are you crying?”
Ning Ran didn't know how to explain why she was crying. She simply felt like doing so.
There were a lot of times when she didn't know why she cried, but she couldn't help it.
Perhaps it was because of the dreadful and cruel past she had experienced and endured, but she couldn't stop
herself from weeping when she returned to the place she once called home.
Or maybe she felt lucky to have the opportunity of returning to the place where she grew up, and the tears that she
was shedding were happy ones.
Regardless of the reason, Ning Ran truly had a strong urge to cry at that moment.
Nan Chen wiped her tears and said, “You'll ruin your make-up if you keep crying, so stop it.”
If he had kept comforting her, Ning Ran probably would have bawled her eyes out. However, his cold demand
stopped her from crying immediately.
After Nan Chen handed Ning Ran the key, she opened the gate.
There was a garden behind the gate. The greenery in the garden was lush, and it didn't look run-down at all. It was
obvious that someone had been there to tidy up and take care of the area before.
The most surprising part was that the floras were the same species planted in the garden back then.
Many years had passed, so it was impossible that those same plants survived until now. It was clear that someone
replanted them.
Naturally, it couldn't be Ning Ziqiang who did it. He wasn't staying there because the house had been mortgaged by
him a long time ago.
“These flowers...” Ning Ran turned around and glanced at Nan Chen with a curious look.
“I hired someone to plant them,” Nan Chen answered.
“But how did you know the same flowers were planted here? You even got all the species accurately!” Ning Ran
couldn't believe her eyes.
“You posted some photos on your page. I showed the experts those photos, and they recognized the species easily.
So, I just hired someone to plant them according to the original layout,” he explained.
It wasn't until then that Ning Ran recalled she had taken a picture of the garden before and posted it on social
media. She still kept those pictures with her. But when did he look through my page and saw those old photos?
Nan Chen seemed to have noticed Ning Ran's doubts and stated, “I merely came across those images by chance.”
“Thank you. That's really thoughtful of you,” she whispered.
“I'm glad you like it,” Nan Chen replied indifferently.
When they entered the house, they were immediately greeted by a familiar scent.
The decorations in the house were almost identical to the times when Ning Ran's mother was still alive. Back then,
after her mother was severely ill, the decorations changed.
The interior was also arranged according to Ning Ran's photo. It was restored to the same state it was during her
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇthappiest times.
Tears began flowing down Ning Ran's cheeks again.
Yet, Nan Chen's expression darkened suddenly as he dashed into the house abruptly.
Ning Ran followed him into the house. “What's wrong?”
“A woman was here before,” Nan Chen responded.
“Huh? Could it be a thief?” Ning Ran exclaimed in shock.
“It isn't. A thief wouldn't use such an expensive perfume,” said Nan Chen.
“Perfume? So you're saying that there's the scent of perfume in this house?” Ning Ran was even more appalled.
“I think so,” Nan Chen replied vaguely.
In truth, he was certain about his answer, as he could still capture the lingering scent of the perfume in the air
despite it being faint.
The person who came here must have stayed for quite a bit, for her scent hasn't completely faded yet.
An ordinary person couldn't have picked up the scent, but Nan Chen could.
Nonetheless, Nan Chen reckoned Ning Ran wouldn't believe him if he told her about it. After all, it sounded absurd.
“Sir Chen, it looks like you're quite sensitive to a woman's scent, huh? As expected from a womanizer like you. I'm
impressed,” Ning Ran said teasingly.
Nan Chen frowned at that. Why did that sound so weird? What did she mean by saying I'm sensitive to a woman's
scent? I'm sensitive to every scent, all right? It's my natural talent!
“Enough with your nonsense.” He spoke coldly.
“Who could it be? Who was here, and why didn't they steal anything?” Ning Ran asked.
Nan Chen shook his head. However, he already had a rough idea of the suspect. He just chose not to say it aloud.
“Should we call the police, then?” Ning Ran inquired again.
“There's no need to. This is an empty house, after all. Besides, we didn't lose anything, and there's no proof that
someone entered before. It's difficult to file a report even if the police are here. Forget it.”
“All right, but are you sure that a woman came here before?” Ning Ran looked at Nan Chen.
“I already said I'm not sure. It's just a feeling.”
“That doesn't count!” Ning Ran sighed and shook her head.
“You're right. It doesn't.” Nan Chen nodded in agreement.
“Let me look around. It's been too long since I last visited this place.”
“Okay. Take your time.” Nan Chen sat down and whipped his phone out to check his emails. Then, he raised his
head and looked at Ning Ran. “Ms. Ning, shouldn't you make me a cup of tea, since I'm technically a guest at your
house now?”
“Sure. But I'm afraid there won't be any tea leaves here because no one is staying here...” Ning Ran answered
before she had a sudden realization. Wait a minute. If Poker Face requested it, it surely means there are tea leaves
in this house.
The water in the water dispenser was fresh, so she reckoned there must also be tea leaves in this house.
As expected, Ning Ran opened the fridge and saw a packet of black tea leaves in the corner where they usually
store tea leaves. It was her late mother's favorite tea.
She scooped a spoonful of tea leaves into a teapot and brewed it before placing it in front of Nan Chen. “Although
this isn't how black tea is usually brewed, I hope you'll still drink it as it is.”
Nan Chen nodded in acknowledgment.
After serving him some tea, Ning Ran came to her room.
The desk, the chair, her old dolls, and the posters on her walls remained the same.
The curtains were new, but they had the same color and pattern as the old ones.
Nan Chen had hired someone to restore this entire home to its original state, including every little detail. It was as if
it was a project to restore a historical building,
Ning Ran sat on the chair in front of the desk and felt like she had returned to the happiest moment in her teenage
years. Suddenly, the memories hit her like a truck, and she could no longer hold back her tears.
She used to spend countless nights doing homework on this desk while waiting for her mother to come home.
Ning Ran's mother was too busy and seldom return home early. Sometimes, Ning Ran would sleep first when it was
getting too late. However, her mother would tiptoe into her room to see her.
Sometimes, Ning Ran's mother would help her to adjust the blanket, and other times, she would caress Ning Ran's
hair tenderly.
Whenever Ning Ran's mother came home early, she would prepare some fruit for Ning Ran. She would also
prepare a glass of warm milk and watch Ning Ran drink it.
The mother-daughter duo would chat for a while. Ning Ran would tell her mother about what happened at school,
and her mother would listen attentively before expressing some opinions.
It was such a blissful time that Ning Ran took it for granted.
Back at present, Ning Ran sat in the room alone for over ten minutes. Nan Chen didn't interrupt her.
After getting tired from all the crying, she wiped her tears and exited the room. Then, she entered her mother's
bedroom.
She learned that the relationship between Ning Ziqiang and her mother had already been broken a long time ago
since they always slept in different rooms.
The room she was in belonged to her mother.
It looked familiar, but Ning Ran had never actually observed the room seriously before.
Things were not the same anymore, and many people had left. Ning Ran's mother had passed away long ago, and
this was the first time Ning Ran inspected the room.
There was a calligraphy painting hung on the wall in front of the bed.
Usually, calligraphy paintings were hung in the living room. It was seldom hung in the bedroom.
The painting contained a line of beautifully handwritten cursive words. The words read, Eternal love between us
two.
There was no signature, stamp, or date written on the calligraphy painting. Only those few words were present in
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmthe painting.
She scooped o spoonful of teo leoves into o teopot ond brewed it before plocing it in front of Non Chen. “Although
this isn't how block teo is usuolly brewed, I hope you'll still drink it os it is.”
Non Chen nodded in ocknowledgment.
After serving him some teo, Ning Ron come to her room.
The desk, the choir, her old dolls, ond the posters on her wolls remoined the some.
The curtoins were new, but they hod the some color ond pottern os the old ones.
Non Chen hod hired someone to restore this entire home to its originol stote, including every little detoil. It wos os if
it wos o project to restore o historicol building,
Ning Ron sot on the choir in front of the desk ond felt like she hod returned to the hoppiest moment in her teenoge
yeors. Suddenly, the memories hit her like o truck, ond she could no longer hold bock her teors.
She used to spend countless nights doing homework on this desk while woiting for her mother to come home.
Ning Ron's mother wos too busy ond seldom return home eorly. Sometimes, Ning Ron would sleep first when it wos
getting too lote. However, her mother would tiptoe into her room to see her.
Sometimes, Ning Ron's mother would help her to odjust the blonket, ond other times, she would coress Ning Ron's
hoir tenderly.
Whenever Ning Ron's mother come home eorly, she would prepore some fruit for Ning Ron. She would olso prepore
o gloss of worm milk ond wotch Ning Ron drink it.
The mother-doughter duo would chot for o while. Ning Ron would tell her mother obout whot hoppened ot school,
ond her mother would listen ottentively before expressing some opinions.
It wos such o blissful time thot Ning Ron took it for gronted.
Bock ot present, Ning Ron sot in the room olone for over ten minutes. Non Chen didn't interrupt her.
After getting tired from oll the crying, she wiped her teors ond exited the room. Then, she entered her mother's
bedroom.
She leorned thot the relotionship between Ning Ziqiong ond her mother hod olreody been broken o long time ogo
since they olwoys slept in different rooms.
The room she wos in belonged to her mother.
It looked fomilior, but Ning Ron hod never octuolly observed the room seriously before.
Things were not the some onymore, ond mony people hod left. Ning Ron's mother hod possed owoy long ogo, ond
this wos the first time Ning Ron inspected the room.
There wos o colligrophy pointing hung on the woll in front of the bed.
Usuolly, colligrophy pointings were hung in the living room. It wos seldom hung in the bedroom.
The pointing contoined o line of beoutifully hondwritten cursive words. The words reod, Eternol love between us
two.
There wos no signoture, stomp, or dote written on the colligrophy pointing. Only those few words were present in
the pointing.