Zuo Mingyang took a few quick steps toward her and said with a smile, “I’m a village official now. I couldn’t make it out there, so I came back to build a career in my hometown.”
Lin Yi’an couldn’t help smiling. “That’s pretty good. You’re back contributing to your hometown.”
“What contribution?” Zuo Mingyang said with a wry smile. “I just couldn’t make it outside, so I came back to scrape out a living here.”
Just as Lin Yi’an was about to reply, her phone rang. She took it out and saw that the call was from Zhou Mingshi. Slightly surprised, she looked at Zuo Mingyang. “I need to take this.”
Zuo Mingyang waved a hand. “Go ahead.”
As Lin Yi’an walked off to one side, she answered the call. “Hello, this is Lin Yi’an.”
Zhou Mingshi’s voice came from the other end. “It’s Zhou Mingshi. Want to have dinner together tonight?”
Lin Yi’an said, “I’m back in my hometown, Changping.”
There was a brief pause before he asked, “When did you go back?”
Lin Yi’an replied, “This morning.”
Zhou Mingshi said, “I have four days.”
Lin Yi’an didn’t understand what he meant and waited for him to continue.
Zhou Mingshi said, “Send me your location. I’ll come over.”
Lin Yi’an: “……”
Zhou Mingshi asked, “Is that inconvenient?”
Lin Yi’an replied, “No.”
Zhou Mingshi seemed to think she was dissatisfied and said, “The wedding is in March next year. I’ll still be very busy with work until then, so we need to get familiar with each other and adjust to living together as soon as possible.”
Lin Yi’an replied, “Okay.”
After ending the call, she sent him her location. Holding her phone, she yawned as she headed upstairs. When the car had arrived at the house earlier, she had already called her parents over there to let them know she’d arrived safely. Now she could finally enjoy an afternoon nap with peace of mind.
Zuo Mingyang’s house was behind hers, and his mother had just called him home.
When Liu Feixia saw her son return, she grabbed him by the arm. “Yi’an’s back. Did you see her just now?”
Zuo Mingyang nodded. “Yeah. I even said hello to her.”
Liu Feixia hesitated before saying, “Who would’ve thought Lin Yi’an would actually find her biological parents? And who could’ve imagined they were a wealthy family from the Imperial Capital? You and her…”
Zuo Mingyang cut her off. “Mom, don’t say it. There’s no chance. She’s a rich family’s daughter now. What are you thinking?”
Even if he’d once entertained a few thoughts, he no longer dared to. What did he have that made him worthy of her?
His looks?
But Lin Yi’an wasn’t someone who judged people by their appearance.
He had met Lin Yi’an’s two older brothers when they’d come here before. They carried themselves with effortless nobility and commanding presence. He had nothing to compare with them. Apart from a face that was pleasant enough to look at, he had nothing. What could he possibly use to win Lin Yi’an’s heart?
The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt.
Liu Feixia lowered her head. “Back then… I shouldn’t have stopped you…”
If only Lin Yi’an and her son had started dating before she found her biological parents…
She shook her head. There was no point thinking about it. The more she did, the more upset she became.
Back then, who in the village had thought highly of Limping Lin? Even though Grandma Lin was the village doctor and no one dared say anything to their faces, who hadn’t gossiped about their family behind their backs?
Their family consisted of the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled. Naturally, she hadn’t wanted her son getting involved with Lin Yi’an. Her family was such a burden that no matter how wonderful Lin Yi’an was, it still wouldn’t do.
As the saying went, fortunes could reverse in ten years. Now, who in the village didn’t envy Limping Lin? He had picked up an abandoned daughter to raise, only for her to turn out to be the daughter of a wealthy family from the Imperial Capital.
Not only had Lin Yi’an’s biological parents built them a large villa, bought Limping Lin a car, and contracted farmland for them, they had also arranged for them to grow medicinal herbs. They had gone from living in utter poverty to becoming one of the wealthiest families in the village overnight. Who could compare with that kind of luck?
Now, it was too late for regrets.
Lin Yi’an slept until after three in the afternoon. As soon as she woke up, she remembered to tell her parents, “Zhou Mingshi is coming over.”
Lin Shuhe froze for a moment. “Who?”
Grandma Lin shot her son a look. “You’re not even fifty yet, and your hearing’s already gone? Zhou Mingshi, our Bao’er’s fiancé.”
Lin Shuhe rubbed his pant leg, his voice stammering. “H… he’s coming? W… what’s he coming here for?”
Grandma Lin snorted impatiently. “Look at you, all flustered. He’s Bao’er’s fiancé. He’ll marry her in the future, which makes him our son-in-law. What are you so nervous about?”
Lin Yi’an smiled and reassured him, “He’s got a good temper. He doesn’t lose it for no reason, so you don’t have to be nervous.”
It wasn’t that Lin Shuhe was afraid Zhou Mingshi would lose his temper. It was just that, considering the state of their family, he and Liu Zhengying felt they were hardly presentable. He was afraid the man would look down on them and, by extension, look down on Bao’er.
Liu Zhengying stood up. “I need to tidy up the house again. And the bedsheets and summer quilts… I haven’t had time to buy new ones…”
Lin Yi’an interrupted her, “Mom, there’s no need to rush. The house is already very clean. We’ll deal with it after he gets here.”
Zhou Mingshi arrived a little after nine that night. They came in two cars and brought a great many things with them, including Zhou Mingshi’s luggage and gifts for the Lin family. The accompanying staff began carrying the items out of the vehicles.
The moment Lin Shuhe saw them, he became so nervous that he couldn’t get a word out. Liu Zhengying was even too intimidated to step forward.
It wasn’t until Zhou Mingshi stepped forward and greeted them as though nothing were unusual that Lin Shuhe finally relaxed a little. “Come in, come in. Everyone, have a seat inside.”
The Lin family hadn’t gone to the Imperial Capital for their granddaughter’s engagement, so Grandma Lin had only ever seen a photograph of her future grandson-in-law. This was the first time she had met him in person.
She quietly observed him. He was as graceful as a clear breeze beneath a bright moon, refined and distinguished. Every movement he made was elegant and measured. Even when he naturally projected authority, he never came across as overbearing. In both bearing and appearance, he was every bit the equal of her grandson, Lin Su.
If she had to point out a difference, Lin Su was a little colder, while her future grandson-in-law was somewhat gentler. But if anyone underestimated him because of that, Grandma Lin was certain they would suffer for it. From his presence and the look in his eyes, it was obvious he was accustomed to giving orders and taking control of every situation…
Faced with a young man like this, Grandma Lin couldn’t help feeling a little worried. Once her granddaughter married him, would the two of them really be able to get along?
After the accompanying staff carried all the belongings into the living room, they prepared to leave.
Grandma Lin tried to keep them. “At least have dinner before you go.”
Standing beside her, Zhou Mingshi said, “Grandma, they have other things to do. There are restaurants along the way, so there’s no need to worry about them.”
Grandma Lin frowned. “How can that be? You’ve come all the way to our home. You should at least have a meal before leaving…”
The group gave them no chance to persuade them further. They got straight back into the cars and drove away.
Assistant Chen stayed behind. Ye Lingzhi asked him, “Does your boss have any foods he won’t eat?”
Assistant Chen replied, “Anything’s fine except cilantro.”
Lin Yi’an looked at Zhou Mingshi and said, “It’s already so late. Let’s just keep it simple. Chicken noodle soup, okay?”
Only then did Zhou Mingshi turn to look at her. “I’ll leave it to Yi’an.”
Lin Yi’an said nothing and turned to walk into the kitchen.
Zhou Mingshi had always eaten lightly in the evenings. After finishing a small bowl of noodles, he set down his chopsticks. Assistant Chen, on the other hand, held his bowl with both hands and ate with obvious relish.
Liu Zhengying watched Assistant Chen eat with a smile on her face. “There’s still more in the pot. Finish that bowl, and I’ll get you another serving.”
Zhou Mingshi said, “Auntie, let him serve himself.”
Liu Zhengying smiled. “It’s fine. I’m not busy anyway.”
Assistant Chen didn’t dare let his boss’s future mother-in-law serve him. He wasn’t that thick-skinned. He quickly said, “Auntie, I’ll get it myself.”
By the time they finished eating, it was already late. Grandma Lin called out to Lin Yi’an, “Bao’er, you and Zhizhi help make their beds. They should get some rest.”
Lin Yi’an replied, “Okay.”
Zhou Mingshi looked at Lin Yi’an and asked, “Bao’er?”
Lin Yi’an paused for a moment. “It’s my childhood nickname.”
When her parents had found her abandoned in the snow, they had held her and said they had picked up a precious treasure. Some of the villagers had joked that they should name her Shibao (“Picked-Up Treasure”), but her parents thought it sounded awful, so they simply called her Bao’er instead.
Zhou Mingshi nodded.
Grandma Lin looked at the two of them with a warm smile before turning and heading back to her room.