My Aloof Husband Can't Stop His Devoted Affection-Chapter 250 - 246: I’ll come, it’s fine

Chapter 250: 246: I’ll come, it’s fine
Watching her walk ahead, a scene seemed to flash across Nan Jiayan’s mind. He lowered his gaze and couldn’t help but chuckle. It took a while before he started to follow her with his long strides.
As they exited the hotpot restaurant, the night breeze swept in, carrying the piercing chill of midwinter. Lu Shishu took a deep breath and didn’t feel cold; instead, she felt refreshed. She shook her body as a voice came from behind, "Are you cold?"
"Not cold." Lu Shishu replied without looking back or pausing her stride, her voice casual.
"Shi Shu, are you taking a cab back? I already called one, Yun Xi also called for a designated driver, and Cen Jin has her husband!" Seeing Lu Shishu approach, Yu Feici glanced at Nan Jiayan by her side and asked, half-jokingly.
"I need to pick up some things at a nearby supermarket. You guys go ahead, I’ll take a cab back later." Lu Shishu replied with a light smile, "The things Cen Jin sent me are still at your place. I’ll come by tomorrow when I have time to pick them up."
"Alright." Yu Feici nodded. Just then, her phone rang — a call from the driver she had booked. After she checked the license plate of the approaching car in traffic, she waved goodbye to them and got in the car.
"My driver is here too, see you next time!" After Yu Feici left, Yun Xi’s designated driver also arrived on a small electric scooter. She waved to them, threw a charming glance, and left immediately.
As they all left, Cen Jin turned to Lu Shishu, "Shi Shu, what do you need to buy? Shall we go together? I happen to need to pick up some things too for my home."
"Sure!" Lu Shishu readily agreed, "There’s a supermarket just ahead." She paused, her gaze drifting to Nan Jiayan beside her, contemplating briefly before she smiled slightly and asked with a few hints of mockery, "Director Nan, heading straight back, or joining us for a stroll?"
"Since Lu the Painter is extending such a gracious invitation, I dare not refuse. In fact, my fridge at home does need restocking." Despite Lu Shishu’s sarcastic tone, Nan Jiayan pretended not to notice, smiling as if he were basking in a gentle spring breeze, fully showcasing his thick-skinned nature.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Lu Shishu, Cen Jin, and Jiang Baizhou watched his self-satisfied demeanor, their lips twitching in speechless exasperation.
"It seems like the only thing unchanged about you is your arrogance and your thick skin, but it seems that compared to seven years ago, it’s even thicker now." Lu Shishu thought he would refuse, especially since she spoke in a deliberately acerbic tone. Yet, surprisingly, his face was thick enough to pretend not to understand the true meaning behind her words and actually agreed, provoking a surge of anger in her. This was the first time she had felt angry at him since their reunion. Usually, she harbored a subdued, world-weary demeanor, refraining from harsh words and without much enthusiasm for socializing.
"You’re too kind." A hint of deeper meaning flickered across Nan Jiayan’s eyes as he visibly noticed the shift in her demeanor, his smile growing broader.
Her showing anger was better than the former indifference. It seemed that the tactics from before were still the most effective.
In the end, Lu Shishu walked ahead with Cen Jin’s arm in hers, while Jiang Baizhou and Nan Jiayan followed behind, a half-arm’s length apart. Jiang Baizhou gave him a sidelong glance, "Your thick-skinned tactics are becoming more and more at ease."
Nan Jiayan turned his head slightly to look at him, letting out a light laugh that sounded quite desolate, "It’s just a last resort."
Indeed!
What else could he do now?
The way she is now is probably something he caused himself. He didn’t know what her mood was like or what she went through after he left. But ultimately, it was something he owed her. Now that he’s back, hoping to make amends and win her back, it’s not that easy. She’s a very strong-willed and tough-hearted person, something he deeply understood seven years ago.
After the four of them arrived at the supermarket, Cen Jin and Lu Shishu each took a cart and began discussing what to buy.
Jiang Baizhou and Nan Jiayan, like bodyguards, followed behind them. Watching their laughing and chatting figures, Nan Jiayan suddenly aligned it with the image in his mind, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, "Come to think of it, we used to do grocery shopping like this quite often, them in front, us behind, only that...."
Seeing him pause, Jiang Baizhou knew what he meant, "Time passes, and things change."
"Indeed!" Nan Jiayan chuckled self-deprecatingly and lowered his gaze.
"Hey, Jiang Baizhou, can you push the cart?" When they reached the snack aisle, Cen Jin suddenly turned and said.
"Sure." Jiang Baizhou readily agreed, walking over to take the shopping cart from her.
Lu Shishu happened to be comparing two types of chocolate on the shelf. Both her hands were off the shopping cart as Nan Jiayan exchanged a look with Jiang Baizhou. Jiang Baizhou squinted his eyes and raised his eyebrows, a gleeful expression on his face.
Nan Jiayan chuckled helplessly and made a gesture. Only then did Jiang Baizhou nod in satisfaction, lightly coughing, and smoothly took Cen Jin’s hand, "Cough, didn’t you say a couple of days ago that you wanted to eat Hami melon? Let’s buy fewer snacks, we still have some at home, let’s check out the fruit section first."
"Huh?" Cen Jin blinked, slightly confused. She did mention wanting to eat Hami melon a couple of days ago, but she also wanted to buy snacks. However, since they still had some nut snacks at home that hadn’t been finished, she put the pack of cookies she was holding back in the cart, nodded, "Okay, then I’ll buy two, and we’ll also need some grapes and strawberries."
"Mhm."
"Shi Shu, I’m heading over to the fresh fruit section, what about you?"
"Go ahead, I’ll be here a bit longer, and I’ll catch up with you soon." Holding two boxes of chocolate, Lu Shishu looked back at Cen Jin.
"Alright, if you don’t see us, give a call, okay?"
"Sure."
Watching Cen Jin and Jiang Baizhou leave hand in hand, Lu Shishu shifted her gaze back and was about to put both boxes of chocolates into the shopping cart, when she suddenly realized Nan Jiayan had quietly moved beside her, even managing to take control of her shopping cart.
Seeing the snacks she picked in the cart, Nan Jiayan chuckled but remained silent.
Lu Shishu noticed and couldn’t help but arch her eyebrows, her face devoid of its usual soft smile, "What’s so funny?"
"Nothing, just thinking, after all these years, you still love chocolate so much." Nan Jiayan slowly raised his eyes, looking at her with a deep smile.
It was then that Lu Shishu noticed that many of the snacks in the cart were chocolate-flavored, and she couldn’t help but be startled, her expression shading slightly. She placed the two boxes of chocolates back in the cart, reaching to retrieve the items she had picked, but Nan Jiayan made no move to hand them over, saying with a smile, "I can handle it."