The Overnight Chosen Wife: Darling, Kiss Me Deeper

"Yes. I feel lucky." Li Yuming smiled brightly. The thought of a toddler running all over the house and calling her 'grandma' brought joy into her heart. And to think that all because Xia Hanchen had convinced her daughter into the wrong side, she had almost missed out on the joy of being a mother and a grandmother.

Neil couldn't help feeling a little jealous when he saw how happy Li Yuming was. "You have a long streak of good luck coming your way. You must have done a lot of good deeds in your life. Perhaps it's a blessing from the heavens for your kindness? My only baby was taken away from me."

She couldn't help feeling a little sympathetic when she recalled how the kids had explained Ruby's past. Neil had brought her up all these years while knowing that she was not his and that some day, she might reunite with her biological family. "She is still yours. You brought her up and she loves you so much." she said in consolation.

"I used to think that my Lanni would no longer love me when she got a boyfriend but she still loves me as much. Luna is getting more clingier by the day despite being engaged and expectant." When she realized that she had forgotten her manners and sounded like she was bragging about her daughters, she smiled the awkwardness away. "The point is, it's evident that Ruby takes it as she has two fathers. When she gets married, she will have three fathers—she is very fortunate, since some people only have one or two, or none."

"You are right." Neil was happier.

Sighing in relief after having to offer solace to a grown man, Li Yuming decided to catch up with some acquaintances.

"Li Yuming." Neil called before she could get two steps away.

"Yes?"

"Congratulations on your daughter's achievements. I heard that the ban on Luna's company was lifted." Neil spoke up when she turned to face him.

She smiled in return. "The child likes to do everything on her own and play around here and there." Although her words were meant to be modest, she couldn't hide how proud she was of her daughter.

"My Ruby is still so useless. She still doesn't know what she wants." Neil commented, but from his tone, he was not mad at her. Instead, it was evident that he was ready to indulge her until she found what she wanted and focused on it.

"Haha. No she isn't." Li Yuming laughed.

...

"Babe, I need you to do me a favor." Lin Jian sought Ruby when the banquet ended and she went to the balcony to take a breather.

She ignored his form of address since she was starting to get used to it. "What do you need?"

"Could you be the cover model for Oracle Beauty magazine next month?"

She frowned at his absurd request that came out of the blue. "I'm not a model." She reminded him.

"I know. But Lanni recommended you." He responded as he looked at her pleadingly. "Besides. Not only professional models can grace the covers of magazines. You are a unique beauty and would look amazing no matter what magazine cover you took."

"Enough brown nosing. I'll think about it." She knew that if she said no, the man would pester her every day for at least a whole week. Since she was not ready to be bugged at every turn, she might as well give him a vague answer and buy herself some time to make a decision after thinking through everything that involved it. Of course, she also had to ensure that the shooting would not clash with her class schedule or else it would be a pain in her neck.

"I knew you would not say no to your handsome, beloved boyfriend. Thank you, babe." He kissed her cheek excitedly.

"Hold on." She took out her phone to give Lanni a call.

"Lanni, you recommended me to be the cover model of Oracle Beauty magazine?" She wanted to know what the other woman was thinking.

In Li Yuming's villa, Lanni had just taken a bath and was sitting on the couch in comfortable cotton pajamas as she answered the call. Hearing Ruby's question, she rolled the pen she was holding as she answered. "You had initially submitted your application for Tian Yu Media but I was yet to send you the contract when I was fired. Why not send it now on behalf of a subsidiary of Lin Media Group?"

Ruby thought it made sense. "Then I'll do it for you." that, and the fact that her boyfriend had specially requested it. She no longer had a reason to say no to it. "When will the photoshoot be held?"

"I don't know yet. I will confirm it with the photography team and let you know about it." She promised.

"Lanni, why aren't you sleeping yet?" Li Yuming asked as she glanced at Lanni disapprovingly from the staircase.

"I will soon." She promised. She was trying to find as much information as she could about Qiao Linyou so it would be easier to befriend her.

Li Yuming silently made her way into the kitchen, only to return a few minutes later with a glass of warm milk to give to her.

"Thank you." Lanni's heart melted as she took a sip, then she frowned slightly when she realized that her mother had added some sugar to the milk. "Mom, are you trying to make me sleepy?"

"Drink up with your mouth shut. Don't stay up for too long." Li Yuming reprimanded her with a stern glare and Lanni could only drink it through a laugh. It had been so long since Li Yuming used a strict tone on her and only after hearing it again did she realize that she had missed it.

…

The following day.

Perhaps because she had spent the night in her old room, Lanni slept so soundly that it was already 10am by the time she woke up and sleepily wobbled into the bathroom.

She freshened up and checked the time, luckily she was not late for the meeting she had set up with Ah Chen and his fiancée.

"Mom, I'm going somewhere." She kissed Li Yuming's cheek as she grabbed an apple from the kitchen.

"Breakfast is almost ready." The latter turned, wondering where Lanni had to rush so fast.

"I'm sorry, I have to miss it. I'll be back for dinner later." She suggested compensation and made her way out of the kitchen, in time to see the housekeeper heading towards them with a bouquet of flowers almost large enough to cover her face.

"Who are those for?" Li Yuming was just as perplexed as Lanni. She knew that Xiehan would not send Lanni flowers since he knew that she did not like them. Did Xingyu send them to Luna?

"Madam, it's for you." The housekeeper struggled to hold the white roses that were still fresh, so Lanni stepped forward to take them from her hands.

The housekeeper's words finally sunk in. Did she just say that the flowers were for Li Yuming? Not only that, but she also handed over the small gift box that had been covered by the bouquet.

Li Yuming was surprised too. Although it was common for her to receive gifts and flowers from her fans, they usually only sent them whenever she attended events since they did not know her address. Had her address been leaked? She curiously opened the box and found that it was a jade bangle along with a red gift card with instructions stating that she should redeem her gift from any store of a famous jewelry brand.

"Uh mum,... Do you have an admirer?" Lanni asked at the side, she had been peeking as her mother opened the box.

"You naughty child." Li Yuming frowned at her then realized that the signature on the card was accompanied by the name Neil Chan.

"Flowers and jewelry…" Lanni's voice trailed as she giggled.

"Did you just say that mum has an admirer?" Luna, who had just entered the kitchen due to hunger, asked in shock when she overheard the astonishing piece of news.

"Your sister is silly. It's Ruby's father. He is only thanking me for the gift I gave him." Li Yuming explained, then instructed the housekeeper to find a vase for the flowers, and resumed preparing breakfast when the timer chimed.

"Aw, what a bummer." Luna sulked and yawned.

It took a few seconds for Li Yuming to realize what she meant and when she did, she turned in shock and grabbed a spatula to hold it up threateningly. "You bad children. Get out of here."

What did these two think about every day? It seemed like they were too idle lately.

The girls laughed and rushed out of the kitchen, but that did not stop them from secretly sneaking glances at each other and thinking about how great it would be if their mother found love once again.