It was already dark when Xi Jun finally took him home.

So when Lu Chuqing asked her about the progress, Lu Ying herself was filled with emotion when she thought back to that day.

No one would believe it if I told them. Other people's first date is all about their hearts pounding, holding hands, and kissing.

She was held by her boyfriend and cried for a long time, recounting her painful past, and he felt sorry for her for a long time as well.

Then I was sent home.

Back then, when we were talking on the phone, I was asking Xi Jun what she was thinking at the time, since I had told her such an important thing directly.

Then the man replied to her: "Yingying, I really like you, so I can't hide anything from you."

I didn't tell you then, but I couldn't sleep for so many nights afterward. I felt so guilty.

That's why I invited you to my house—to be honest with you about everything.

She was still somewhat shocked to receive the man's answer; she hadn't expected Xi Jun to like her so much.

From that day on, Xi Jun called her Yingying all the time.

Lu Ying found it incredibly cheesy; they were all so old, yet they were still acting like young people, all lovey-dovey.

But Xi Jun wouldn't change. The man said, "I like you. I want to call you more affectionately."

Fine, faced with the man's flushed face, yet his eyes still lingering so intensely on her, she had no choice but to surrender.

After a pause, Lu Ying asked him again, "But after all, that's a big deal. You're just telling me this like this? Aren't you afraid I'll tell others?"

Xi Jun quickly replied: 【I'm not afraid. Even if you tell others, it's because I told you first.】

Lu Ying felt that she was really being captivated by Xi Jun.

This man is really good.

Remembering something, she started typing again, "Does your son know about these things?"

That child's life was so tragic; just thinking about it broke her heart.

Xi Jun, [He knew. His maternal grandmother thought he was bad luck, and since his mother died, she often beat and scolded him, bringing up past events each time.]

Lu Ying did not reply immediately.

She remembered what Lu Chuqing had told her back then: that her upbringing in her previous life was very difficult.

When she heard those words, her heart ached terribly. Although she couldn't see them with her own eyes, they were her precious treasures, and just hearing about them made her extremely sad.

Now that she has learned that her boyfriend's son has had a similar childhood experience, she feels a pang of pain in her heart.

Perhaps it's because I'm a mother, but whenever I hear that something is wrong with a child, I can't help but feel heartbroken, regardless of whether it's my own child or not.

She couldn't help but think that once their relationship stabilized and she and Xi Jun lived together, she would definitely take better care of that child.

Thinking this, several more messages came in on my phone.

Xi Jun: [Yingying, I know it's a bit much to say this now, but I still hope you can be more understanding when you see that child in the future.]

He was abused by his grandmother when he was very young; he was never treated like a human being. For the first few years after I took him in, he neither laughed nor cried, and he hardly spoke. I don't know when he would utter a single word.

[He suffered from chronic hunger, stuffing himself with food whenever he saw it, once even eating so much that he ended up in the hospital. The rest of the time he was like a block of wood, his eyes devoid of any emotion.]

I spent a lot of time communicating with him, but with little effect, until a few years ago when things slowly started to improve. He still doesn't like to talk much and doesn't enjoy interacting with people.

Aside from all that, that child is truly a good child; he excels in his studies, is very self-reliant, and doesn't require much attention.

He also has some ideas; he plans to live alone so as not to disturb you and your daughter. You'll only see each other occasionally. If you don't like him, please be understanding when he's in person, but avoid him afterward.

After reading Xi Jun's message, Lu Ying felt even more heartache for the child.

Even adults can't bear being maliciously abused, let alone such a young child.

When Xu Yiyi committed suicide, the child was not yet three years old, which means that from that time onwards, he had been suffering abuse from his grandmother.

Such a small child suffers so much pain and is so tormented that he has lost all emotion. Any normal person would feel extremely distressed. How could anyone blame him for being bad?

So she typed back, "He's your son. If we live together from now on, he'll be my child too. A family should live together. There's no question of disturbing each other."

Xi Jun replied after a long pause, "Okay."

...

As soon as Lu Linqi finished his exam, Lu Chuqing and the others boarded the bus back to Yangcheng.

Besides the two of them, the two little rascals also went back with them.

Yangcheng and the provincial capital are only a little over four hours apart by car. It was summer, and the children arrived home before it got dark.

Lu Jun and Chai Shuhua had already received the news and had returned home from the city to wait.

When they saw the car parked at the door, several elders went to greet it.

"Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle and Aunt!" Lu Chuqing called out happily.

The three boys behind them called out, "Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle and Aunt (Mom and Dad)."

The elders all happily agreed, their faces beaming with joy.

Lu Chuqing jumped out of the car, hugged her grandparents one after the other, and said in a soft, coquettish voice, "Grandpa and Grandma, Qingqing missed you so much~"

Lu Yongkang and Cai Min patted her shoulder affectionately and said with a smile, "You little rascal, your grandparents miss Qingqing too!"

The two elderly people have had a lot of gray hair in the past two years, and Lu Yongkang has even started losing teeth. Now, when he smiles, all that's visible are An's dentures.

Cai Min's eyesight is also getting worse, and she has to wear reading glasses to see things.

Lu Chuqing cuddled and acted coquettishly with the two elderly people for a while longer before the group entered the courtyard.

Lu Linqi helped her carry her small suitcase upstairs. The two separated in the middle of the main staircase. She pushed the suitcase towards the east room, while the boy pushed it towards the west room.

The elderly couple and Lu Jun and his wife cleaned and tidied the room and blankets, and put the suitcases away. Downstairs, Cai Min called out for watermelon.

The watermelon from the courtyard, soaked in well water for an afternoon, has a natural coolness that is different from that of watermelons placed in the refrigerator.

The children ate watermelon while the elders busied themselves preparing dinner.

After Lu Chuqing took out her phone to let Lu Ying know, dinner was almost ready.

Knowing they were coming back, the elders had already cooked the meal and prepared most of the dishes, so it didn't take long to start eating.

Even though it was just a few children, the meal was still very plentiful.

It was hot, so Lu Yongkang made poached chicken. The chicken was raised on their own and slaughtered fresh, so the meat was incredibly tender and delicious, even without any dipping sauce.

In recent years, the younger generation has not been home often, and Lu Yongkang has stopped raising fish and switched to raising crayfish. When the season comes, he puts up a sign for people to catch and buy crayfish themselves, and he can make a considerable profit in a season.

For dinner, I naturally stir-fried a big pot of spicy crayfish. In case my two younger brothers couldn't handle the spiciness, I also steamed some.

Back then, Lu Chuqing had been craving crayfish for a long time after her rebirth. She ate it twice at a restaurant, and somehow the old man found out and started raising crayfish. Every summer when she came back, she could eat crayfish every meal.

Even so, she still wasn't satisfied. Every year when she came back, she looked forward to this meal.