Chapter 26 Cherish your own man
The meal passed in a warm and harmonious atmosphere. Once Lin Li’s parents had made up their minds about the situation, their perspective on Zhou Han shifted; they began to view him with the kind of growing fondness a mother-in-law feels when she takes a liking to her daughter’s partner.
In truth, setting aside the circumstances of Lin Li’s previous marriage—which had been a hasty decision made out of spite—and Zhou Han’s own history of divorce and a six-year-old child, there was little to fault in Zhou Han’s personal qualities. Of course, had their daughter truly loved someone and been cherished in return, they would have accepted the relationship regardless of his background.
After dinner, realizing how exhausted her parents were after a whirlwind day involving a surprise son-in-law and hospital visits, Lin Li decided against taking them sightseeing. Instead, she drove them straight back to the apartment.
Upon returning, Lin Li settled her parents in the living room to watch television while she prepared the guest room. Meanwhile, Zhou Han—who hadn't touched his work all day while attending to the elders—excused himself and headed straight to his study.
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
Once the room was ready, Lin Li’s parents finally rose to retire for the night, as the day’s events had indeed left them quite weary. Lin Li led her parents toward the guest room, but her mother stopped at the doorway. Lin Li turned around and asked in puzzlement, "What is it?"
Glancing toward the study, her mother asked, "Is Zhou Han’s company really that busy? Why is he working such long hours even on the weekend?"
"He’s the boss; naturally, he has to be busier than the average person if he wants to make the company a success," Lin Li replied.
Her mother furrowed her brows and asked, "Does he stay up late every day?"
Lin Li thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, the company is pretty busy."
Her mother’s brows knitted even tighter as she muttered under her breath, "How can his body possibly stand that?"
Lin Li remained silent, a faint smile playing on her lips; that was just how her mother was—always worrying endlessly about one thing or another.
She wrapped her arm around her mother’s shoulders and gently ushered her into the room, whispering, "Mom, don't you worry. He’s strong and healthy. Besides, he does this all the time—he’s probably used to it by now—so there’s no need for you to fret over him."
Hearing this, her mother stopped and turned to look at her with disapproval, gently scolding, "You child—how can you be so unconcerned about his well-being?"
"I..." Lin Li found herself at a loss for words; she stood there blankly, her mouth slightly open, unable to say a thing. Lin’s mother looked at her and said, "That man is no stranger; he is your husband. His shoulders are what you will rely on for the rest of your life. If you don’t care about his well-being, who else will care about yours? A marriage is built on mutual support and love. If you show him genuine concern, he will certainly feel it—there is no way he wouldn't. In return, he will give you just as much care, if not more. Do you understand?"
Lin Li was left speechless; she could only offer an awkward smile and nod, saying, "I... I understand."
Lin’s mother looked at her, sighed softly, and took Lin Li’s hand, patting it gently. "Xiao Li, let me tell you something: your husband is the person who will spend his whole life with you. Don’t leave the chance to care for him to another woman, because that’s tantamount to pushing him into someone else’s arms bit by bit."
"Mom, I... I understand..." Lin Li smiled, though she felt the expression on her face growing stiff; she truly regretted having spoken up earlier.
Hearing this, Lin’s mother finally nodded. Holding Lin Li’s hand, she added, "Later, go make a cup of ginseng tea for Zhou Han. Remind him not to stay up late so often. There is no end to work or money-making, but your health is the most important thing."
Lin Li nodded quickly and chimed in, "Mm-hmm, I’ll go brew him some ginseng tea in a bit and tell him—what’s the point of making so much money? His health is what matters most, after all."
"Mm." Mother Lin nodded with satisfaction. Holding Lin Li’s hand, she added, "Xiao Li, seeing how considerate Zhou Han is toward you puts your father’s and my minds at ease. I don’t ask for anything else; I just want you to promise me that you’ll build a good life with Zhou Han—that you’ll be happy and joyful every single day."
Mother Lin’s words were so touching that Lin Li’s eyes welled up before she even realized it. She squeezed her mother’s hand tightly in return and nodded, pouting slightly as she spoke with a touch of girlish playfulness: "Mom, I will."
Mother Lin smiled knowingly and nodded, reaching out to stroke her daughter’s cheek. "That’s good to hear—that’s good to hear!"
"Mom, you’ve had a long, tiring day; go inside and get some rest," Lin Li said affectionately. Mother Lin nodded. Before turning to close the door, she reminded her, "Remember what I just said—go brew a cup of ginseng tea and take it to Zhou Han."
Lin Li nodded with a smile. She watched her mother close the door and retreat into her room, shaking her head slightly. Just as she turned around, however, she was startled by the person standing right behind her. "Gasp!"
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
Zhou Han looked at her with a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. He waited a moment for her to compose herself before stepping forward, taking her hand, and placing the mug he was holding into it. Then, he spoke calmly, "Sorry for the trouble."
Lin Li looked down at the mug in her hand, then back up at him, puzzled. "What... what does this mean?"
Zhou Han’s face, usually stoic and cold, wore an unusually high number of smiles today. Although they were somewhat roguish, this faint smile made him far more pleasant to look at than his usual deadpan expression.
"No need for the trouble of ginseng tea; just a cup of coffee will do," Zhou Han said with a smile, turning to head back toward the study.
Lin Li stood there blankly, holding the mug and watching his retreating figure. It wasn't until he pushed open the study door, ready to step inside, that she snapped out of her daze and called out, "Wait a moment!"
Hearing this, Zhou Han stopped and turned to look at her, his eyes asking what else she needed. Lin Li strode over, stopped right in front of him, and—pointing to the mug in her hand—asked, "What’s this about coffee? I don’t get what you mean."
Zhou Han understood the situation immediately; he smiled at her and said, "Have you already forgotten what 'Mom' told you just a moment ago?" He seemed to do it on purpose, placing heavy emphasis on the words 'Mom.'
Before Lin Li could speak, Zhou Han continued, "Mom said a woman ought to look after her own man, so she told you to brew me some ginseng tea later to help relieve my fatigue."
Lin Li’s eyes widened, her face clearly showing her dissatisfaction and protest. "You—how could you eavesdrop on other people's conversations?"
Zhou Han shrugged. "I just happened to come out; I didn't mean to eavesdrop. Anyway, forget the ginseng tea—I need a cup of coffee more right now. Just brew me a cup of coffee."
"You really don't stand on ceremony, do you? Is that really the kind of relationship we have?" Lin Li was truly exasperated by him and rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Zhou Han smiled and simply said, "I prefer freshly brewed coffee. The beans are in the cabinet above the counter on the left. Also, I take it black—no sugar, no milk. Thanks." With that, he opened the door and walked into the study.
Lin Li glared at the closed door for a moment, then at the mug in her hand. Finally, resigning herself to the task, she carried the mug into the kitchen to brew his coffee.
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
Hearing the voice, Zhou Han instinctively frowned. He reached for his phone to check the caller ID; confirming it was indeed Ling Ran, his voice instantly turned ice-cold. “What is it?”
“Zhou Han, are you really unwilling to help me?” Ling Ran asked over the line, her tone laced with pleading and helplessness. She was truly at the end of her rope; if Zhou Han—the man who had once loved her enough to defy the world—wouldn't help her, then no one would.
Zhou Han let out a cold, derisive laugh. “No.” With that, he hung up the call.
He set the phone aside, but the very next second, it began clamoring again. Unsurprisingly, the caller ID displayed the same name.
A stifling, smoldering anger rose in his chest. He grabbed the phone from the table and, instead of answering, pried off the back cover and removed the battery.
The maddening ringing stopped abruptly. He leaned back in a slump, tilting his head up and closing his eyes.
Ling Ran was his nemesis—his undoing. She was tied to memories he refused to revisit; memories that were too painful, too sordid, too agonizing...
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
Zhou Han didn't move; he remained in that same position.
“Zhou Han?” Lin Li called out again. There was still no sound. Frowning in concern, Lin Li set her mug down on the table, walked around the desk, and called out softly again, "Zhou Han, what’s wrong?"
Seeing that he remained motionless and silent, she reached out to give him a nudge; however, just as her hand was halfway there, the man—who had previously kept his eyes closed—suddenly snapped them open.
Caught off guard and startled, Lin Li lost her footing and stumbled, pitching sharply forward.
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
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