Chapter 217 - 114: Return to the Capital City

Chapter 217: Chapter 114: Return to the Capital City

Since it was Mr. and Mrs. Zhou’s first time on such a long car ride, Li Xiu didn’t dare to drive too fast. It took them ten hours to get back to the Capital City. Luckily, no one got carsick, or it would have been even more troublesome.

Staring at the huge mansion before them, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou, along with Zhou Huaitai and Zhang Yizhen, were all stunned. ’A house this big... just how much must it cost?’ Li Xiu drove the car directly into the courtyard. Sister Fang had already cleaned up the rear building. No one else was home yet; Sister Fang and the two children hadn’t returned. Zhou Lian led everyone to the rear building while Li Xiu followed behind, carrying the luggage. After such a long drive, they needed to shower and rest, especially since Mr. and Mrs. Zhou weren’t young anymore.

It wasn’t until after they had rested and eaten dinner that Sister Fang returned with the two children. Seeing the car parked in the outer courtyard, Nuonuo and Yanyan broke free from Sister Fang’s grasp and ran gleefully toward the house. As he ran, Yanyan shouted, "Daddy and Mommy are back!"

Watching the two children run into the room, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou looked at them with emotion. When Nuonuo was just a few months old, she had been in their hometown, so they saw her often. She had also gone back once or twice after growing up. But Yanyan had only been back once since he was born, right after his first birthday. It wasn’t just Mr. and Mrs. Zhou who were thrilled; Zhou Huaitai and Zhang Yizhen were also incredibly excited. ’Our aunt and uncle are so good-looking,’ they thought, ’their son and daughter must be gorgeous.’

After cuddling with Li Xiu and Zhou Lian for a while, Nuonuo and Yanyan, prompted by their parents, obediently called out, "Grandma, Grandpa, Big Brother Huaitai, and Big Brother Yizhen!" Seeing how well-behaved Nuonuo and Yanyan were, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou were beaming from ear to ear. Zhou Huaitai and Zhang Yizhen also watched with star-struck eyes as their little cousins snuggled up to their grandparents, acting cute.

The sun was already up when Zhou Lian opened her eyes. She lay in bed, still a little groggy. ’I’m home... Mom and Dad are here.’ She quickly got up and dressed. Just as she got out of bed, Li Xiu walked in quietly. Seeing that Zhou Lian was already up, he smiled gently and said, "Bao’er, you’re awake. Are you hungry? Go wash up and get something to eat."

"Jin Chen, why didn’t you wake me?" Zhou Lian said, a hint of complaint in her voice. ’My parents and nephews just got here, and I slept in. How could I?’

Gently pulling Zhou Lian into his arms, Li Xiu said softly, "Don’t worry. Sister Fang took the children to Professor Xiao’s house, and your parents took Huaitai and Yizhen for a walk around the garden. They all know how tired you’ve been these past few days and that you need to rest. It’s fine."

Hearing Li Xiu’s explanation, Zhou Lian felt relieved. ’They’re my own family, after all. There’s really nothing to be embarrassed about.’ She nuzzled against his chest affectionately and said softly, "Mm, then you must have had a busy morning, Jin Chen."

A pleasant chuckle sounded in her ear. Zhou Lian reached up to rub it, her face flushing. Li Xiu’s laugh was deep and sexy. Every time he laughed like that right next to her ear, she found it hard to control herself. ’You devil,’ she cursed inwardly, then said, trying to cover up her reaction, "I’m a little hungry."

Li Xiu stifled a laugh and said, his voice full of tenderness, "Alright, let’s go eat. I can’t let my Bao’er go hungry!"

Sitting in the dining room, Zhou Lian gently covered her face with her hands, wailing inwardly. ’We’re like an old married couple, but I still can’t withstand this devil’s teasing. It’s so embarrassing!’

The four of them returned from their walk in the garden to the sight of Li Xiu gazing lovingly at Zhou Lian while she ate. Zhou Huaitai and Zhang Yizhen were too young to understand, but Mr. and Mrs. Zhou saw it all clearly. They had gotten a bit hot and thirsty during their walk and had intended to get some water from the dining room, but seeing this scene, they were stuck, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.

Hearing footsteps, Li Xiu looked up at the four people in the doorway and smiled. "Father, Mother, you’re back. Please, come in and cool down. I’ll pour you some tea."

Hearing the commotion, Zhou Lian, who was in the middle of eating, looked over at them with her chopsticks still in her mouth and greeted them softly.

As he poured the tea, Li Xiu heard Zhou Lian’s soft, sweet voice and saw her slightly dazed expression. He smiled gently. ’Looks like my wife has finally let go of her worries!’

Mrs. Zhou looked at her daughter, who had obviously just woken up, and had half a mind to say a few words. But then she glanced up at her son-in-law, who was pouring tea with a smile, and she held her tongue. ’If I scold my daughter in front of him, he’ll surely rush to her defense,’ she thought. ’Oh, well. As long as they’re both happy with it, I won’t be the bad guy!’

Li Xiu and Zhou Lian spent the day showing Mr. and Mrs. Zhou and the boys all around the inside and outside of the main courtyard. They decided to save the garden for another day. Besides, they had already taken a brief tour that morning, and it was too hot to do much more. They could always explore it more slowly later.

「Two or three days later」

Li Xiu, who had been out for half the day, returned and said, "I’ll take your parents to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow. I’ve already pulled some strings to make the arrangements."

Mr. and Mrs. Zhou were taken aback. They were perfectly fine, not sick at all. Why go to the hospital for a check-up?

"It’s just for peace of mind!" Li Xiu said gently. "Please, Father, Mother, just go and get checked. Bao’er has been worried about you, Father. Isn’t it better to have a check-up and confirm everything is fine? It will put her mind at ease."

Mr. Zhou considered it for a moment. He glanced at his wife, then at his daughter. Seeing the mix of anxiety and hope on her face, his heart softened instantly. He looked at his anxious, hopeful daughter and said gently, "Alright. Your mother and I will go for a check-up. We’ll get to enjoy the kind of treatment only high-ranking officials receive."

Seeing Zhou Lian’s happy expression, Mr. Zhou also smiled faintly. ’This daughter of mine is truly lovable,’ he thought. ’She’s been sensible and well-behaved ever since she was a little girl. Now she has both a son and a daughter, and she’s married a man who treats her like a precious treasure. Of my five daughters, she is the one living the best, happiest life!’

Li Xiu then took two school enrollment certificates from his pocket and handed one each to Zhou Huaitai and Zhang Yizhen. They would be able to use them to register directly and start attending classes when school began.

「Two days later」

When they received the hospital reports, they learned that Mrs. Zhou was in excellent health, but Mr. Zhou had a slight heart condition. However, because it was discovered early, it wasn’t a major issue. Hearing this result, Li Xiu let out a huge sigh of relief. ’As long as it’s not serious, it’s fine. It’s fine. Otherwise, my wife would have been heartbroken and sad again.’

When Li Xiu returned home with the reports, he saw Zhou Lian pacing back and forth in the hall of the outer courtyard. His expression softened as he quickly got out of the car and walked over. He pulled her into his arms and said in a soft, low voice, "Bao’er, don’t worry. Your mother is perfectly fine, and your father’s condition isn’t serious. The doctor said we caught it very early, so it’s not a big problem. It can be managed with medication."

Zhou Lian looked up at Li Xiu, her eyes wide with urgency. "Really? Did the doctor say it’ll be fine with just medication?"

"Yes, medication will be enough. We’ll just have to be careful. Bao’er, it’s going to be okay. Don’t worry, really. The doctor said it’s not a big problem!" Seeing her like this, Li Xiu’s heart ached for her, and he quickly soothed her in a gentle voice.

"That’s good... that’s good," Zhou Lian murmured, but she couldn’t stop large tears from rolling down her cheeks. Her father’s death in her past life had left a deep scar on her heart. She had always believed he had died so suddenly because he was overcome with worry about her. Otherwise, how could he have passed away all of a sudden with no illness or warning?