Chapter 112: Can Love Keep You Full?

Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Can Love Keep You Full?

Nan Zhi and Nan Yi had just left when Tao An returned.

He was carrying a small bag of medicine he had bought nearby.

"Sir."

Tao An respectfully handed over the bag, hesitating over whether he should help Lu Shixu bandage his wound.

But after Lu Shixu took it, he simply pulled out the alcohol spray himself and spritzed it on his wrist wound several times.

It was a casual, nonchalant gesture, as if he didn’t care at all.

’The sting of alcohol on a wound...’

Tao An winced just watching it!

’I really don’t know how Sir is enduring it.’

’Could this be what they mean when they say love is all you need?’

Tao An watched as Lu Shixu wiped away the blood and alcohol with a gauze pad, only to leave the wound exposed. He tactfully tried to persuade him.

"Shouldn’t you bandage that? Leaving it exposed increases the risk of infection."

"No need."

Lu Shixu put the medical supplies away and stood up to leave.

Tao An followed close behind.

As they passed the convenience store’s checkout counter, Tao An noticed the items on the shelves.

"Sir, should we buy something for little Nan Yi?"

Lu Shixu stopped and turned back.

Tao An chose his words carefully.

"I was just thinking, little Nan Yi seems rather resistant to you, sir, and things were a bit unpleasant just now. Why don’t we buy some toys kids like and send them over?"

Lu Shixu coolly averted his gaze.

"He said he doesn’t like them."

"Kids always say the opposite of what they mean! No child can refuse a toy when it’s right in front of them!"

Tao An swore confidently, even recounting his experiences winning over his own nephew.

He was truly going above and beyond for his boss’s love life.

Lu Shixu, probably finding him incredibly noisy, gave a reluctant nod.

It was less an agreement and more a chance to let Tao An hit a brick wall.

He seemed to be looking forward to the show.

This only made Tao An choose with more enthusiasm.

He even ran to a nearby shop and bought the latest model of a gaming console.

He thumped his chest, promising with a THUMP THUMP THUMP:

"This will definitely win little Nan Yi over!"

「10 minutes later.」

Tao An, who had stealthily avoided the cameras to present the gifts to Nan Yi, was dumbfounded.

"You... you really don’t want them?"

Nan Yi frowned in annoyance and refused point-blank.

"I don’t!"

No matter how Tao An tried to persuade him after that, Nan Yi kept his lips pressed tightly together, showing no sign of giving in.

In the end, Tao An could only dejectedly carry the large and small bags of toys back to his seat in the main dining area.

Lu Shixu, arms crossed, clicked his tongue when he saw him return.

Tao An hung his head.

"You understand little Nan Yi best, Sir!"

Lu Shixu was unimpressed.

He glanced toward the kitchen but didn’t see the figure he was expecting.

Besides, the meal was more or less over.

Lu Shixu said, "Let’s go."

Tao An paused. "Aren’t you going to wait a bit longer?"

Wait for who?

Nan Zhi, of course.

But Lu Shixu replied with complete nonchalance.

"She won’t come out."

She didn’t come out yesterday, and she won’t come out today.

Lu Shixu knew this better than anyone.

Even though he had forgotten all his memories of Nan Zhi.

But some things were carved into his very bones, practically instinctual.

However, after leaving, Lu Shixu didn’t go home.

He was originally supposed to attend a dinner party tonight, which had been scheduled a month in advance, but he had postponed it at the last minute to eat at Nan Family’s Small Restaurant.

Tao An had already informed the other party’s secretary that Mr. Lu would be late and wasn’t sure when he would arrive, telling the others at the dinner not to wait for him and to start on their own.

But Lu Shixu was the main attraction of the dinner party; almost everyone was there for him.

So, when Lu Shixu finally made his belated appearance, the food on the table was virtually untouched.

Everyone stood up enthusiastically to welcome him, their faces showing no trace of impatience from the long wait.

After a round of flattery and compliments, Lu Shixu took his seat at the head of the table.

Afterward, all conversation revolved around Lu Shixu.

Even though Lu Shixu’s responses were cold and he didn’t once lift his wine glass, no one dared to say a word against it.

The reason was simple: they were all there for personal gain.

Everyone knew Lu Shixu was the hottest commodity in the business world. Just getting connected with him and feeding on the scraps that fell from his table would be enough to sustain them for a long time.

And so, everyone was eager to please, everyone tried to curry favor.

Naturally, some had also set their sights on his single status, coveting the benefits a marriage alliance would bring.

A certain President Chang, who held a mid-tier position among those present, deliberately sought the right opportunity.

He first brought up other topics.

As the conversation flowed, he steered it toward the subject of children.

President Chang very naturally brought up his eldest daughter, named Chang Mu.

Apparently, she had recently been in a minor car accident and was recuperating in the hospital.

In his every word, he praised how outstanding and perfect his daughter was.

Everyone at the table could tell who his words were aimed at.

Unfortunately, Lu Shixu wasn’t listening at all.

He had only one thought in his mind—

’Nan Family’s Small Restaurant should be closed by now.’

’I wonder if Nan Zhi is tired.’

-

"Are you tired?"

Nan Zhi asked Nan Yi.

She gave his little arms and legs a gentle squeeze.

Nan Yi was a bit ticklish and tried to squirm away.

"Mom is more tired!"

Nan Zhi felt alright.

The small bowl of herbal cuisine she had every morning was having a significant effect on her.

She was still tired.

But she no longer felt on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion after a long day.

Nan Zhi wondered if it was her imagination, but she felt her body was recovering much faster than she had expected.

It was gradually approaching the state of the body she had in the Otherworld, which had been maxed out in both health and energy.

This was probably something that couldn’t be achieved with herbal cuisine alone.

’Could it be...’

’A reward for returning from the Otherworld?’

Nan Zhi couldn’t say for sure, but it was a good thing for her regardless.

Nan Yi, on the other hand, was recovering slowly. His little face had only just started to put on a bit of weight.

His arms and legs were so thin that when Nan Zhi held him, she was afraid of hurting his bones.

Yet, the stubborn boy had insisted on helping with work all day.

Nan Zhi felt this couldn’t continue.

"You can’t do this again tomorrow. You need to get more rest."

"I can do it!"

Nan Yi insisted.

Nan Zhi tried to scare him.

"What if you wear yourself out like this every day and don’t grow tall later on?"

Other threats were fine, but those three words—"don’t grow tall"—genuinely scared Nan Yi.

Especially after seeing that man’s long legs today.

"I... I’ll drink more milk."

But his voice became much quieter.

He was clearly losing his confidence.

Nan Zhi said, "Drink more milk, eat more food, and work less."

Faced with his mother’s insistence and concern, Nan Yi finally gave a reluctant nod after a long moment.

Only then did Nan Zhi feel at ease.

Then she recalled the scene she had witnessed at the convenience store through the glass today.

She asked, "Yiyi, do you remember that man we saw today?"

Nan Yi gave a low hum of acknowledgment, then quickly lowered his head.

Lost in her own conflicted thoughts, Nan Zhi didn’t notice this small detail and just asked:

"What’s your impression of him?"

"I don’t like him."

Nan Yi wanted to say he *hated* him.

But to maintain his good-boy image in front of his mom, he reluctantly used a more tactful word.

Hearing this, Nan Zhi wasn’t as happy as she’d expected to be.

Before, she couldn’t wait for Nan Yi to draw a clear line between himself and Lu Shixu.

But now...