My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 164 Purposeful Liking
In December, the damp, cold air of Chengdu felt like needles, relentlessly seeping into one's bones.

As the year drew to a close, two joyous occasions coincided: the opening of a shopping mall and Sun Yu's wedding. Lu Yuan simply asked Chen Xiaomiao to take a week off from school and bring Lu Yang, who was just three months old, to Furong City.

Zhou Yi went out of his way to pick them up from the airport and arrange everything perfectly, leaving no room for error.

The supermarket chose to open on a Saturday when foot traffic was at its highest.

It had rained the night before, and the ground was wet. The stuffy air was filled with the smell of sulfur from firecrackers.

A huge red archway was erected at the entrance of the shopping mall, with the four gilded characters "Grand Opening" shining brightly in the morning light.

Two long, golden dragon balloons swayed and bobbed in the cold wind, looking both festive and flamboyant.

Amidst the deafening sound of gongs and drums, two lion dances soared and tumbled, attracting layers upon layers of onlookers.

Chen Xiaomiao hugged Lu Yang and huddled in the nanny van. Looking out the window at the bustling scene outside, she whispered to Lu Yuan, "This is quite a spectacle. Anyone who didn't know better would think it was Chinese New Year."

Lu Yuan was testing the water temperature with a baby bottle when he heard this and smiled: "When you open a business, you have to make a good start. The bigger the commotion, the more prosperous your business will be."

"That's true." Chen Xiaomiao nodded, then glanced at the crowd outside and clicked her tongue: "Are all these people here to buy things?"

"Everyone wants to take advantage of the opening promotions, especially since the end of the year is approaching and every household needs to stock up on New Year's goods, and they also want to get some free gifts like eggs and noodles."

Lu Yuan handed over the baby bottle, which was at the perfect temperature: "Look at that old lady in the red cotton-padded jacket. After getting the eggs, she went around to the back of the line. She's very shrewd."

Chen Xiaomiao nodded as if she understood, then lowered her head and focused intently on breastfeeding her son.

For her, nothing in the world could compare to the baby in her arms being well-fed and watered.

When the auspicious time arrived, the host shouted on stage, inviting all leaders and shareholders to come up and cut the ribbon.

Lu Yuan handed his son to Aunt Wang, who had come with him, straightened Chen Xiaomiao's coat collar, and gently instructed, "Don't be nervous. Just stand there for a while, and the scissors will snip it all away."

"I'm not nervous at all."

Although Chen Xiaomiao spoke with a strong voice, her tightly clenched hands revealed the panic in her heart.

She got out of the car with Lu Yuan and was instantly surrounded by countless gazes.

Zhou Yi and Sun Yu greeted Chen Xiaomiao with beaming smiles and personally led her to the center of the stage.

A row of people stood on the stage, all dressed in suits or skirts, each with a polite business smile on their face.

Chen Xiaomiao was wearing a beige down jacket, ordinary jeans and snow boots, with no makeup. Standing in the crowd, she looked like a little child who had mistakenly wandered into an adult banquet, not knowing where to put her hands.

After the host finished introducing the guests with great enthusiasm, he finally handed the microphone to Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi cleared his throat and delivered a passionate opening speech into the microphone, thanking the government and leaders before finally fixing his gaze on Sun Yu with deep affection.

"Finally, I would like to express my special thanks to my soon-to-be wife, Ms. Sun Yu! It is she who has been silently supporting me..."

Sun Yu stood beside her, a blush of happiness spreading across her face.

When Zhou Yi got emotional, his gaze subtly drifted towards Lu Yuan for a moment before returning to his impassioned speech!
The ribbon-cutting ceremony concluded successfully, and Chen Xiaomiao was the first to slip off the stage and quickly dart into the nanny van.

She took her son from Aunt Wang's arms, held him in her arms again, and let out a long sigh of relief.

As if sensing his mother's emotions, little Lu Yang opened and closed his mouth, making a "woof" sound.

The car door was opened, and Lu Yuan bent down and sat down.

How does it feel?

He reached out and gently pinched his son's chubby cheeks.

“I can’t quite put my finger on it…” Chen Xiaomiao shook her head. “It just… it felt weird, like I wasn’t feeling right. Even though everyone was very polite to me, with so many people watching, it was like watching a monkey show.”

Chen Xiaomiao had grown accustomed to staying in her own little world, taking care of her husband and child.

"dislike?"

"Ah."

"Then we won't participate in these kinds of occasions from now on."

“Okay!” Chen Xiaomiao nodded immediately.

In the evening, after putting Lu Yang to sleep and handing him over to the nanny, Lu Yuan and Chen Xiaomiao went to stroll around the central square of Furong City, planning to eat and shop at the night market.

Since giving birth to her son, Chen Xiaomiao hasn't been able to completely relax for a long time.

It's a rare opportunity to get out of town, and I wanted to eat as much as I wanted, but I was worried about affecting my breast milk. So I only dared to have a small taste of the local spicy and pungent foods and could only eat some light and sweet ones.

Sun Yao accompanied the two.

Sun Yao now considers herself half a local of Furong City, and she took Chen Xiaomiao's arm and chattered away as a tour guide.

"Sister-in-law, try this sugar-coated glutinous rice cake. It's crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and very sweet!"

"Sister-in-law, don't go to that fruit salad place. It's just a trendy internet-famous shop that rips off tourists!"

Chen Xiaomiao held a glass of freshly squeezed sugarcane juice in her hands and was chewing on a freshly cooked braised pork belly pancake with preserved vegetables in her mouth. Her eyes were not enough to take it all in, and her mouth was too busy to keep up.

Lu Yuan followed behind the two women, carrying Chen Xiaomiao's coat and some snacks he had just bought, looking just like a follower.

Finally, Sun Yao's legs were sore from walking that she suggested finding a place to rest.

The three of them turned into a nearby coffee shop.

Chen Xiaomiao slumped contentedly in the booth, continuing to munch on her snacks.

Lu Yuan's gaze fell on Sun Yao in front of him.

After leaving the night market, the girl's excitement faded, and she was listlessly poking at the ice cubes in her cup with a straw, clearly preoccupied.

"Your sister is getting married soon, it's such a joyous occasion, why does she look a little unhappy?"

Sun Yao stopped moving.

"Cousin, to be honest with you... I don't really like that Zhou Yi."

"Why?" Chen Xiaomiao looked up when she heard this, her mouth still stuffed with meat, and asked indistinctly, "He...he's not good to your sister?"

“No, not at all.” Sun Yao shook her head. “He’s very good to my sister, but it’s a bit… fake. I always feel like he does everything with an ulterior motive, and he doesn’t genuinely like my sister.”

Lu Yuan chuckled upon hearing this: "Don't overthink it. Your sister will definitely have a good life after marrying him."

Zhou Yi does have a purpose in doing things.

For example, his heartfelt confession on the ribbon-cutting stage today was meant for Sun Yu, but it was also meant for Lu Yuan.

But he's a smart man, and his purpose is out in the open, which actually puts people at ease.

Lu Yuan also felt that Zhou Yi knew how to manage a marriage properly.

Sun Yao still pouted and muttered softly, "When he looks at my sister, his eyes are full of calculation."

He's nice to my sister because she's your cousin, and he's nice to me because of our relationship.

This kind of goodness is too impure.

"As long as your sister knows what's going on," Lu Yuan said calmly. "The kind of person Zhou Yi wants connections and resources."

As long as your sister can act as his public face, he'll treat her like a goddess.

In daily life, sometimes this kind of stable, clearly defined security is more reliable than some vague, intangible affection.

Sun Yao was stunned for a moment before muttering indignantly.

"Anyway, I will definitely find someone who truly likes me in the future."

As she spoke, her gaze swept between Lu Yuan and Chen Xiaomiao, and she began to flatter them with a cheerful smile.

"Just like how you treat your wife, brother!"

　161 got in, I'll wait until tomorrow, sorry.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)