Chapter 33
Lin Li turned around, rubbing her head, to see Zhou Han standing in the bathroom doorway; he had already washed up and changed into fresh clothes, his hair combed meticulously.
It was only then that Lin Li remembered how her mother had forced her to switch rooms the night before; not wanting to let "someone" take advantage of the situation, she had ended up sleeping on a makeshift bed on the floor.
Rubbing the back of her head, Lin Li climbed up from the floor with a grimace. Once on her feet, she realized her whole body ached terribly—as if she were falling apart—and she felt uncomfortable no matter how she stood.
Zhou Han stood leaning against the bathroom doorframe with his arms crossed, watching her with a look that hovered between a smile and a smirk. "I told you yesterday I didn't mind you sleeping in the bed," he said—his tone clearly suggesting he was amused by her predicament.
Lin Li glared at him and retorted irritably, "Then why didn't you show some chivalry and offer the bed to me?" As she spoke, she walked past him, still rubbing her head.
"Oh, I'm not exactly a chivalrous gentleman," Zhou Han said, shrugging helplessly.
Not wanting to waste any more breath on him, Lin Li walked past him straight into the bathroom and shut the door firmly behind her.
Zhou Han watched the bathroom door—which she had slammed shut with a loud bang—and an irrepressible smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
"Dad, Mom—I feel terrible that you had to get up so early just to make breakfast for us," Zhou Han said, looking at Lin Li's parents with a sincere expression. Mother Lin glanced at him with an amused smile, ladled a generous helping of congee into a bowl, and handed it to him, saying, "We’re all family here—there’s no need to be shy or stand on ceremony."
Zhou Han smiled and took the bowl with both hands. "Thanks, Mom."
Mother Lin nodded with a smile and said, "Eat it while it's hot. Having plenty of congee in the morning is good for the stomachs of people like you who are always out socializing and drinking."
Zhou Han nodded and began to eat.
Seeing his daughter standing nearby, Father Lin smiled and called out, "Xiao Li, come over and have some breakfast."
Lin Li nodded, walked over, and sat in the empty spot next to Zhou Han. She took the bowl of congee her mother had served her and said with a gentle smile, "Thanks, Mom."
Zhou Han ate quickly; he finished his first bowl in no time. Mother Lin served him another, but he didn't finish it quite as fast. When she offered to serve him more, he waved his hand to decline. "Mom, I'm full."
As he spoke, he turned to Lin Li and said, "Lin Li, don't go to the office today; stay here and show Mom and Dad around."
Lin Li nodded; it was rare for her parents to visit, so she really ought to spend quality time with them. After this visit, they likely wouldn't see each other again until the Lunar New Year.
Zhou Han turned to Lin Li’s parents with a slightly apologetic look. "Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. I really should be showing you around and spending time with you, but things have been incredibly busy at the company lately, and I just can't get away. Once this busy spell passes, I’ll definitely take you both out to see the sights."
Mother Lin smiled and shook her head, saying, "Work comes first—work comes first."
Father Lin nodded in agreement. "That’s right; work is important for young people. Besides, we were actually planning to head back today anyway."
"What? Mom, Dad—you’re leaving today?" Lin Li looked at her parents in surprise.
"Why not stay a few more days? Lin Li will miss you if you’re gone; she’s always talking about wanting to go back and visit," Zhou Han added, trying to persuade them to stay.
Mother Lin glanced at Father Lin, then turned back to Lin Li and Zhou Han. She smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, we really only came so your father could get a check-up. Now that the tests show everything is fine, we have nothing left to worry about. You’re both busy with work, and if Zhou Han has to juggle his job while trying to entertain us, he’ll wear himself out. We won’t stay and be a burden. Just come back and visit us whenever you have the time—that’s enough."
"But..." Lin Li started to protest, but Father Lin cut her off.
"Xiao Li, the biggest takeaway for your mother and me from this trip to Jiangcheng wasn't the doctor confirming my condition hadn't relapsed; it was realizing that you’ve found someone as reliable and wonderful as Zhou Han. That puts our minds completely at ease, because we know that even when we aren't by your side, there’s someone there to take good care of you," Father Lin said with a gentle smile.
"Dad..." Lin Li looked at her parents, feeling a pang of self-reproach; she felt like a failure of a daughter, still causing her parents so much worry even at her age.
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
Just as she was berating herself for her shortcomings, she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder, pulling her weight to the side. Then, Zhou Han’s voice sounded right beside her ear: "Dad, Mom, rest assured—I will take good care of Lin Li and give her a lifetime of happiness." His tone was so certain and resolute that no one could doubt his sincerity.
Lin Li looked up at his strong, defined profile. A strange, indescribable emotion stirred within her; she gazed at him intently, struck by how deeply moving—how captivating to her heart—he seemed in that moment.
Hearing Zhou Han’s confident words, Lin Li’s parents exchanged a smile and nodded. "We know you will," they said. It was precisely because they knew it that they felt at ease.
"Dad, Mom, please stay a few more days," Zhou Han said, glancing at Lin Li. "She really hates the idea of you leaving."
Lin Li’s mother smiled and teased, "If you stay by her side and cherish her, she won't mind you leaving so much." She added a knowing, playful look at her daughter as she spoke.
After all, the night before, she had specifically gone to stand outside their bedroom door for a while after they had gone inside; she had only returned to her own room after hearing strange sounds coming from within.
Having been through that stage of life herself, she understood perfectly well what those sounds in the dead of night implied. So, upon returning to their room, they discussed the matter with the old man. Lin Li and Zhou Han were newlyweds, after all, and it was only natural for young people to be swept up in passion; the presence of the two elders in the house would inevitably make things a bit awkward.
Knowing their daughter’s touchy nature, they decided on the spot to head back to their hometown today. They had originally come to Jiangcheng for medical treatment—and not only were they now healthy, but they had also gained such a wonderful son-in-law. They had truly come out ahead, so they certainly shouldn't overstay their welcome and get in the couple's way.
Hearing this, Lin Li hurriedly pushed away Zhou Han, who was hugging her, and looked at her mother's little face, which immediately turned red. She said a bit coquettishly, "Mom! What are you talking about?" After saying that, she turned around and glared at Zhou Han fiercely, blaming him for doing these strange and misleading actions. His appearance was really a little awkward.
Zhou Han looked at Father Lin and Mother Lin opposite, smiled and shrugged helplessly.
Lin Li’s appearance made Mother Lin misunderstood. She was convinced that Lin Li was embarrassed, so she smiled and said, “Still shy with your parents...”
“Mom!——” Lin Li protracted her voice and said with some disapproval: “That’s not what you said.”
Looking at her childish look, the other three people all laughed. At this time, it was no longer important.
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
Although Zhou Han and Lin Li both expressed their hope that Father Lin and Mother Lin could stay a few more days before leaving, Father Lin and Mother Lin did not want to disturb their lives and insisted on going back today.
The ‘father-in-law’ and ‘mother-in-law’ were leaving, and Zhou Han had to see them off even if they were busy. So after breakfast, after Father Lin and Mother Lin had packed their things, Zhou Han and Lin Li drove them directly to the station.
Compared with the thousands of miles apart, Lin Li's hometown is not too far from Jiangcheng, but it takes eight hours by car. Zhou Han was worried that the two old people would be too tired after such a long drive, so he suggested that they take a plane back. The plane only takes an hour to arrive, and he asked Assistant Xu to check the flight. It happened that there would be a flight directly to Lin Li's hometown in two hours.
At first, Lin’s father and mother Lin did not agree, because they thought the air tickets were expensive, but with the persistence of Lin Li and Zhou Han, they finally changed their route to the airport on the way to the train station. As for the air tickets, Zhou Han directly called Xu Teshu to book them, and sent them directly to the airport later.
Lin Li was sitting with her parents in the waiting hall, while Zhou Han went to the airport gate to wait for Assistant Xu to deliver the plane tickets.
“Mom, why are you in such a hurry to go back?” After arriving at the airport, Lin Li was still a little unwilling to give up, hoping that her parents could stay for a few more days.
Mama Lin smiled and patted her hand, "It's good to go back. You can chat with the neighbors. If you stay in Jiangcheng, there won't be anywhere to go. You also have to work, so you won't have so much time to spend with us. Besides, seeing how kind Zhou Han is to you and the Zhou family's parents, we have nothing to worry about."
Lin Li had a grimace on her face and said somewhat reluctantly: "You guys stay and stay with me for a while. When you go back, I won't be able to go back to see you until the Chinese New Year."
“You silly, you still look like a child.” Mother Lin smiled and touched her head.
Lin Li sighed softly, leaned forward and hugged her mother, put her on her shoulders and whispered: "Mom, I will miss you."
Mother Lin nodded and said nothing. She only reached out and patted her back repeatedly.
Father Lin sat aside with a faint smile on his lips.
"Lin Li?" Just when Lin Li was holding her mother with some reluctance, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind her.
Lin Li let go of her mother and turned around. She saw a well-dressed lady holding a bag standing aside. Seeing her turn around, she smiled lightly and said, "It's really you." Her tone was neither salty nor light.
Seeing the person behind her clearly, Lin Li only frowned slightly, nodded towards her, and said expressionlessly: "Auntie."
Father Lin and Mother Lin, who were sitting nearby, also recognized her and frowned, looking a little unhappy.
The person who came was none other than Cheng Xiang's mother, who almost became Lin Li's mother-in-law.
----- please read the translation from https://irisatdusk.blogspot.com/
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