Chapter 233 - 230: Li Jincheng’s Romance

Chapter 233: Chapter 230: Li Jincheng’s Romance

Zhou Lian smiled at Li Xiu. The villagers never shied away from gossiping about others, and she had gotten an earful on their way here. She just hadn’t expected them to hold Li Xiu in such high regard.

Gently ruffling her hair, Li Xiu said softly, "That’s only because I’m doing fairly well. If I couldn’t even put food on the table, Bao’er, do you think they’d still have such a high opinion of me?"

"That’s true. The tongue is a sharp sword; it’s always been that way. ’Everyone gets talked about, and everyone talks about others.’ You really see things clearly, Jin Chen," Zhou Lian remarked with a small, wistful smile.

A wry smile playing on his lips, Li Xiu looked at Zhou Lian and said teasingly, "Bao’er, I’m not sure I deserve such praise. I’ve been through all of life’s storms, separations, and even death. If I couldn’t even see through something as simple as this, I’m afraid you’d have every right to call me a blockhead!"

She shot him a glare, her face flushing crimson. ’This man... calling himself my husband over and over again. He just isn’t happy unless he’s teasing me, is he!’

Zhou Lian’s reaction was met with a hearty laugh from Li Xiu. ’My wife really is modest. We’ve been a married couple for two lifetimes, yet the slightest bit of teasing makes her as bashful as a new bride. Little does she know, it’s that very reaction that tempts me to tease her more, just to see her face flush like a peach blossom!’

After dinner, Li Xiu had Sister Fang take Yanyan to get a bath and go to sleep. He and Zhou Lian needed to wait for Grandma Li to return.

A pot of clear tea sat between them as they lay cozily on a lounge chair beneath the moonlit grapevine trellis. Zhou Lian glanced at Li Xiu beside her, feeling a little helpless. ’There are two lounge chairs, yet this man insists on squeezing onto one with me.’ She looked up at the full moon. It was the middle of the month and the weather was clear, with the bright orb hanging against the dark curtain of the sky. Zhou Lian said softly, "It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to just lie outside and leisurely watch the moon like this."

He turned his head to look at Zhou Lian in his arms. He knew she was in a rare, sentimental mood, so he played along. "You’re right. Forgetting our past life for a moment, just in this one, ever since we got married, we’ve been busy raising the children, busy earning money, busy with your studies... it feels like we’ve rarely had time for this kind of peace. Thinking about it, maybe we don’t need to rush so much. We’ve been ignoring the scenery along the way. Bao’er, you’ve finished your studies, I’m slowly stepping back from the company, and the kids are growing up. Don’t you think it’s time we adjusted our lifestyle?"

Hearing Li Xiu’s words, Zhou Lian looked at him, intrigued. "What kind of adjustment did you have in mind?"

After a moment’s thought, Li Xiu looked at her tenderly and said slowly, "Bao’er, what if we took a few days off each month? We could drop everything and just go out, the two of us. Or we could do just this—hold each other, watch the moon, and talk. No interruptions, no trivial matters to worry our minds. What do you think?"

"That sounds wonderful, but the kids are still so young!" Zhou Lian said, a hint of helplessness in her voice. ’We can’t just go out and have fun and leave the children behind!’

He gave a resigned smile. ’I knew she’d say that.’ His eyes shifted thoughtfully as he said gently, "They’re not that little anymore. Besides, we wouldn’t be gone for long. We could just wander around Capital City. It’s the sentiment I’m after."

Zhou Lian considered this for a moment. "That’s true," she said softly. "Yanyan will be starting school next year. We’ll have more opportunities then."

He sighed, resting his forehead in his hand. ’Great, now she’s pushed it off until next year.’ Li Xiu looked at Zhou Lian tenderly and whispered, "Bao’er, you have to learn to let go, bit by bit. Yanyan is a boy. We need to let him learn to be independent. You can’t coddle him the way you coddle Nuonuo!"

Zhou Lian scoffed, giving him a teasing look. "Coddle Nuonuo? Who’s the one coddling her, Jin Chen? You or me?" ’She’s delicate, I’ll give him that, but *coddled*? Does this man even know the meaning of the word? Nuonuo was sleeping in her own bed by age two. She could take care of herself from a very young age. Li Xiu even secretly taught her to look after her mother. And *this* is what he calls coddling!’

Li Xiu cleared his throat, looking a bit guilty. He leaned in and murmured in Zhou Lian’s ear, "The only one I’ll ever coddle is you, Bao’er. As for our daughter, she has to learn to be independent and take care of herself. Otherwise, how could we not worry when she’s grown and leaves us!"

Zhou Lian was stunned by his twisted logic. ’How shameless can a person be to say something like that? That’s his daughter! His own flesh and blood!’

With a slight cough, Li Xiu said nonchalantly, "I know she’s our daughter, but we can’t follow her around forever. In this world, girls are often in a more vulnerable position. Only by becoming strong herself can she avoid being harmed by the outside world."

"Alright, you have a point," Zhou Lian said softly, giving up on the argument. "See? I never contradict you when you’re disciplining the children."

’That’s because I never discipline the children in front of you,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, with how much she dotes on them, she’d definitely jump in to defend them.’ But Li Xiu was smart enough not to say this out loud. Instead, he whispered, "Of course not. That’s why everyone says my Bao’er is so wise and reasonable!"

She rolled her eyes at him but snuggled closer into his embrace, resting her head on his chest. "You and your sweet talk," she said lazily. "By the way, Jin Chen, what time are we heading back to Capital City tomorrow? I’m starting to miss our daughter."

"Let’s leave early. I miss her too. I just wonder if Nuonuo misses us," Li Xiu said, his voice a low murmur. He had raised his son and daughter with his own hands. Of course he was missing them terribly after not seeing them for several days.

"Big Brother!"...

Hearing the voice, Li Xiu gently released Zhou Lian and got off the lounge chair. He looked at Li Guo, who had just pushed the door open, and wearily wiped a hand over his face. ’Doesn’t this brat know how to knock?’

Pushing past his brother, who was blocking the doorway, Li Bao helped Grandma Li inside. He glanced at his sister-in-law on the lounge chair, then at his older brother standing beside her. Li Bao shot his own brother a knowing, wry smile. ’This kid is so used to not knocking; it’s about time he learned a lesson!’

"Grandma, you’re back." Li Xiu stepped forward to support Grandma Li’s other arm, smiling.

His gaze fell on Li Bo, who was trailing at the very back, peeking his head in. Li Xiu couldn’t help but frown. ’What’s with these two? One is blockheaded and reckless, while the other is cunning and worldly. Aren’t they a bit too extreme? Can’t their personalities just meet somewhere in the middle?’

Grandma Li looked at her grandsons and smiled, pleased. She then glanced at a smiling Zhou Lian and said softly, "I’m a little tired. You boys can chat. I’m going to head back to my room and rest."

As she watched Li Xiu and Li Bao help Grandma Li to her room, Zhou Lian suppressed a smile. She looked at her two younger brothers-in-law, who were staring at the floor, not daring to meet her eyes. "Come and sit," she said gently. "Your older brother and I are heading back to Capital City tomorrow. It’s been so busy these past few days that I haven’t had a chance to talk with you both. Now that you’re here, let’s chat. Li Guo, you have your college entrance exams next year, and Li Bo, you have your high school entrance exams. Tell me what you’re both thinking."

Li Guo and Li Bo exchanged a look and sighed. Li Bo said, "You first, brother."