"Son, are you home yet?"

As Li Dongyang walked to the door, his father called him via video call as if he had timed it perfectly.

Li Dongyang clicked to accept the video call and pointed it at his own face.

"Dad, did you wash your feet on New Year's Eve?"

"I had just reached the door when you sent me a video call, and the things were still in my hand!"

Li Dongyang shook the plastic bag in his hand.

"I bought some groceries for tomorrow."

Li Dongyang knew his parents were frugal, and he had planned to eat out tomorrow, but his mother would probably think it was too expensive and wouldn't be willing to spend the money.

So he bought a lot of groceries to avoid having to make another trip the next morning.

My hometown in the county town is not far from Wancheng; it only takes two hours by high-speed train.

My mother said she bought a ticket for tomorrow morning. It should arrive at Wancheng Railway Station at 9 o'clock. From the railway station, it will take 40 minutes by subway to Li Dongyang's place, which means he will arrive at around 10 o'clock.

I just got up, had breakfast, and went to the station to pick up my parents.

"Dad, let me put my things down first before we talk."

Li Dongyang opened the door and placed the groceries he was carrying on the kitchen shelf.

Put some meat in the freezer and some in the refrigerator.

Food that can be placed outside should be placed outside.

The suite felt spacious since he was the only one living there.

Li Dongyang finished cleaning up the dishes, returned to the table, and picked up his phone.

"All packed up?" Li Jianguo asked.

"Yes, it's all packed up."

How's work lately? Any difficulties?

"Oh, by the way, let's invite your teacher over tomorrow so we can all have a meal together."

"They've taken such good care of you, you should be grateful, you know?"

"By the way, did you send the local specialties your mother brought you last time to your teacher's wife?" Li Jianguo asked.

"Yes, I sent it over the next day."

"Call your teacher later and book a hotel for lunch tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll call Lao Si in a bit and ask if the teacher has time."

"Everyone is busy with the Chinese New Year approaching, I wonder if the teacher is working overtime."

"Okay, then you can ask first. Your mom prepared some local specialties and some dried goods for your teacher. Take them over tomorrow."

"You are where you are today because of the care your teachers have given you over the past few years. People should learn to be grateful."

"But I'm not worried about that at all; you know how to behave."

"You should ask about this first."

Li Dongyang: "Okay."

"That's all for now. Your mother and I are going to get things ready."

Li Jianguo hung up the phone after he finished speaking.

Just as Li Dongyang was about to put down his phone, another voice message popped up on WeChat.

"Remember to let your girlfriend know."

"Dad, I've told you so many times, that's not my girlfriend, she's just a tenant."

“I’ll say it again, he really was just a tenant.”

"I don't care if he's a tenant or what, your dad's getting old and wants to have a grandson, you know?"

"My purpose is very clear, do you understand?"

"As for whether she's my girlfriend or not, I don't care about that. I only care about the fundamental issues, you understand?"

Li Jianguo lived up to his reputation as a rogue and scoundrel in his youth, leaving Li Dongyang speechless.

"Okay, I'm not talking to you anymore. Your mom and I need to go to bed early so we can catch the early bus tomorrow morning."

"It's only this late and you're already going to bed?"

Li Dongyang checked the time on his phone; it was only 7:30.

Back in my hometown, it would probably still be dark at this hour!

"Don't interfere in this matter. If you won't let us hold our grandson, are you going to stop us from having a second child?"

"Do you understand the call to action from the nation?"

Li Dongyang: "......"

Type a long string of question marks into your phone.

He's already in his twenties, does his parents really want to have another brother or sister for him?

"Remember to tell your girlfriend tomorrow."

Li Dongyang put down his phone, got up, and went to the bedroom to change his clothes.

Before he had even changed his clothes, his authority was already amplified.

Li Dongyang was helpless.

I'm really busy with work.

I opened my phone, and now it was Xia Nuan's turn.

"What are you doing?"

Li Dongyang: "I just came back from the supermarket."

Xia Nuan: "Are we having guests coming over?"

Li Dongyang: "My parents are coming tomorrow."

Xia Nuan: "Are your uncle and aunt coming?"

Li Dongyang: "Mm."

Li Dongyang recounted to Xia Nuan the main points of his conversation with his parents that evening.

"My dad is pressuring me to find a girlfriend, but where am I supposed to find one in such a short time?"

Xia Nuan: "Do you want some that's already prepared?"

Upon seeing this message, Li Dongyang sent a string of symbols.

"Where is it? I can't see it."

Xia Nuan: "Far away yet right before my eyes."

Li Dongyang: "You're not talking about yourself, are you? Don't joke like that."

"Besides, you're out of town right now, how could you possibly make it in time?"

Xia Nuan: "I was just kidding, don't take it seriously."

Li Dongyang sent a smiling emoji.

"I knew you were joking."

Xia Nuan didn't reply, she just typed a string of symbols.

Li Dongyang, not understanding what this meant, asked in confusion, "What is this thing you sent?"

Xia Nuan: "It's nothing."

"I was just asking what you're doing?"

"Okay, I have to go now."

Xia Nuan turned off her phone after saying that.

Turning his head to look at Li Jing beside him, he said, "Sister Jing, can you help me see if there are any plane tickets for tonight?"

Li Jing blinked and looked at Xia Nuan with some confusion, "The company booked a flight for tomorrow morning, why are you going back tonight?"

"I have something urgent to attend to. Could you check for me first? If you can find a flight, please book it for me and I'll reimburse the ticket price myself. If not, please book the earliest flight in the morning for me."

This afternoon, Xia Nuan finished her last trip with the head office, and the company booked her a ticket back to Wancheng for 10 am tomorrow.

We arrived in Wancheng at approximately 11:30.

"Okay, I'll take a look for you."

"If you have any, I'll book them for you first. If not, I'll book tickets for tomorrow morning."

Li Jing opened her phone app and refreshed the screen. There was a flight that night, but she probably wouldn't make it if she went from the hotel.

"Yes, but I'm afraid there won't be enough time."

"Do you want one for 8 a.m. tomorrow? If there are no delays, it should arrive in Wancheng at 9:30 a.m.

Li Jing glanced at Xia Nuan. Normally, Xia Nuan would sleep until she naturally woke up if she had nothing to do. These past few days, she had been very tired from running around for promotions, and when she didn't have any events, she would usually sleep until 12 o'clock.

8 o'clock might be too early for her.

"How about I book you a flight at 11 a.m.?"

Xia Nuan shook her head, "The 8 o'clock one."

Li Jing's eyes widened. "Are you sure it's 8 o'clock? It takes an hour and a half to get there from the hotel, which means you have to get up at 6 o'clock. What's so important that it has to be at this time?"

Xia Nuan didn't speak, but simply said, "Just book this one flight for me, don't worry about the rest, I'll arrange it myself."

Li Jing felt that Xia Nuan's behavior was a bit strange, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.