168: Verbal thanks

After leaving the room, Chen Mengyao and Chen Xuening, the sisters, quickly followed Lu Chen to Gao Xuewei's room.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows and adding a touch of dreamlike color to the entire manor.

At this moment, Xiao Xi was squatting in a corner of the garden, concentrating on playing with her Barbie doll.

She was wearing an exquisite pink princess dress with layers of ruffles, like a blooming flower, adorned with sparkling star patterns that glittered under the sunlight.

A white ribbon was tied around her waist, forming a beautiful bow, perfectly outlining her slender waist.

Her hair, smooth as silk, was carefully braided into two pigtails, also tied with pink bows that swayed gently with her movements.

Her rosy cheeks were like freshly peeled eggs, smooth and delicate, flushed with a healthy glow.

Her large eyes were like clear lake water, bright and lively, and her long eyelashes, like butterfly wings, seemed to tell endless tales of innocence with every blink.

Xiao Xi was playing happily when she inadvertently looked up and saw Lu Chen's figure.

Her eyes instantly lit up, and her already lively big eyes were filled with surprise, like fireworks suddenly blooming in the night sky.

She abruptly stood up, casually dropped the Barbie doll in her hand, and, like a joyful fawn, skipped and hopped towards Lu Chen.

Her tiny feet made a "tap-tap" sound on the grass.

Running up to Lu Chen, Xiao Xi unhesitatingly threw herself into his arms, like a coquettish kitten, rubbing against him, and said in a soft, sweet voice:

"Lu Chen Gege, you're here!"

Lu Chen's face showed a doting smile, and he reached out to gently stroke Xiao Xi's head; her soft hair slipped through his fingertips, feeling incredibly comfortable.

He smiled and replied, "Yes, Xiao Xi. Where's your mother?"

Xiao Xi raised her hand and pointed to the room with her chubby little finger, saying in a childish voice, "Mama is changing clothes in the room."

Lu Chen nodded slightly, his gaze shifting to Chen Xuening beside him, then he said to Xiao Xi, "Look, I brought you a little friend."

Chen Xuening hid behind Chen Mengyao, only revealing half of her small head, with a hint of timidity in her eyes.

She secretly sized up the little girl in the beautiful princess dress, feeling both envious and a little scared.

Lu Chen bent down slightly, pulled Chen Xuening out from behind Chen Mengyao, and softly said, "Xuening, this is Xiao Xi. You two might even go to the same school in the future."

Xiao Xi's eyes sparkled with excitement when she saw Chen Xuening.

In this large manor, she had never had a playmate her age. Now, seeing Chen Xuening was like discovering a Treasure Trove.

She enthusiastically walked forward, took Chen Xuening's hand, her face beaming with a brilliant smile, and said, "Hello, Xuening! My name is Xiao Xi, let's go play together!"

Chen Xuening was startled by Xiao Xi's sudden enthusiasm and instinctively wanted to pull her hand back.

But Xiao Xi's hand held hers tightly, and the warm touch gradually made her relax.

She looked up at Xiao Xi's sincere smiling face, and the fear in her heart slowly dissipated.

Xiao Xi pulled Chen Xuening's hand and skipped and hopped towards the other side of the garden, saying as she ran, "Xuening, I'll show you my favorite flowers, and I have lots of fun toys!"

Chen Xuening, being pulled by Xiao Xi, stumbled a little, but a shy smile had already appeared on her face.

She secretly glanced back at Chen Mengyao, her eyes full of anticipation for the unknown playtime.

Chen Mengyao looked at her sister Chen Xuening's increasingly cheerful smile, and her heart couldn't help but warm slightly.

She turned her head, looked at Lu Chen, and softly said, "Thank you, President Lu."

Lu Chen smiled faintly, a hint of playfulness and teasing flashing in his eyes. He deliberately leaned closer to Chen Mengyao and said,

"Then how do you want to thank me? Just verbal thanks?"

Chen Mengyao was slightly stunned, her cheeks instantly flushed, spreading from her cheeks all the way to her earlobes, red like a ripe apple.

A hint of panic was revealed in her eyes, and her hands unconsciously twisted together, at a loss for words.

She really hadn't thought about how else to thank Lu Chen besides verbal gratitude.

Just as Chen Mengyao was at a loss, Lu Chen's body suddenly leaned a little closer.

Chen Mengyao was startled and instinctively took a step back.

Unexpectedly, her foot accidentally stepped on a stone hidden in the grass, and her body instantly lost balance, causing her to fall backward.

Chen Mengyao's eyes were filled with terror. She subconsciously wanted to grab something to steady herself, but there was nothing around.

Her heart rate accelerated sharply, as if it would burst out of her throat, her mind a blank, only thinking that she was definitely going to fall now.

Just as she thought she was about to fall heavily to the ground, a strong hand firmly wrapped around her waist.

Chen Mengyao's heart jumped, and her body instantly stiffened.

She slowly opened her eyes and found herself tightly held in Lu Chen's arms.

Lu Chen's embrace was warm and firm, giving Chen Mengyao a sense of security she had never felt before.

She could clearly feel Lu Chen's strong heartbeat, a sound that seemed to possess a magical power, gradually calming her previously flustered heart.

Lu Chen lowered his head slightly, his lips close to Chen Mengyao's ear, and softly said, "How can you be so careless? If you fell, my heart would ache."

Upon hearing these words, Chen Mengyao's cheeks became even redder, almost dripping with blood.

Her eyes were filled with shyness and panic, not daring to look directly into Lu Chen's eyes, she could only lower her head slightly and whisper, "I... I didn't mean to..."

Lu Chen looked at Chen Mengyao's shy appearance, the corners of his mouth curving slightly into a faint smile.

He gently helped Chen Mengyao stand upright, but his hand did not leave her waist; instead, he continued to gently hold her, saying, "Be careful next time, okay?"

Chen Mengyao nodded slightly, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz: "Okay."

Lu Chen looked at Chen Mengyao's adorable appearance, and a wave of tenderness surged in his heart. He gently released his hand and said, "Alright, let's go see the children."

Chen Mengyao finally breathed a sigh of relief. She straightened her clothes, trying to calm her emotions.

Then, she and Lu Chen walked together towards where Xiao Xi and Chen Xuening were playing.

At this moment, Xiao Xi and Chen Xuening were sitting on the garden swing, happily swinging.

Xiao Xi giggled as she swung, her laughter clear and melodious, echoing through the garden like silver bells.

Chen Xuening also gradually relaxed, her face beaming with a brilliant smile, her eyes sparkling with joy, completely different from the shy and timid little girl she was just moments ago.

Chen Mengyao looked at her sister's happy appearance, her heart filled with gratitude.

She turned her head, looked at Lu Chen, her eyes full of tenderness and gratitude, and said, "President Lu, thank you so much for making Xuening so happy."

Lu Chen looked at Chen Mengyao, a gentle glint in his eyes, and he softly said, "You're welcome, as long as you all are happy."