Chapter 69 Living a Steadfast Life

"You must hold on tight, keep his heart, and don't let him go easily. Listen to me, accept it!"

Then, she sighed softly.

“Your father and I are not very capable, and our abilities are limited, so we can not give you much.”

He paused slightly at this point, his tone tinged with heartache and disappointment.

"If you refuse this small token of my appreciation, I will feel particularly sad."

"Okay, Mom... I'll take it."

Her voice trailed off softly, tinged with a sob.

In this world, only parents' hearts are truly sincere towards their children, without any impurities or ulterior motives.

But she had already made up her mind that once they returned home from the provincial capital, she would find a suitable opportunity to quietly return the ring to her mother.

The sky was not yet fully bright.

By this time, Qiao Wanyin had already gotten up early.

She pulled out the simplest yet most appropriate clothes from her wardrobe.

A blue floral print shirt paired with simple black pants.

She looks fresh and natural.

Her long, black hair fell loosely down.

At this moment, Lin Lian had been waiting for a long time at the entrance of the village.

The morning air was still a bit chilly.

He stood there quietly, dressed in clean old clothes.

A rooster crowed in the distance, breaking the silence.

At that very moment, Qiao Wanyin looked up and walked over.

Lin Li'an spotted her at a glance, his eyes involuntarily brightening slightly, and his face revealing undisguised joy.

At that moment, their eyes met.

Lin Li'an was wearing a clean white shirt and a pair of slightly faded but still neat and crisp military green trousers.

He neatly tucked his shirt into his waistband, making him look exceptionally energetic.

For some reason, the moment Qiao Wanyin saw him, her heart seemed to skip a beat.

She quickly lowered her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze for too long, and asked, "Have you been waiting...have you been waiting long enough?"

Lin Li'an stood still, his expression calm and composed.

"We just arrived, we haven't been waiting long."

As soon as he finished speaking, he naturally reached out and took the luggage from her hand.

"What's in your bag? It's so heavy!"

His brow furrowed slightly, and his voice carried a hint of curiosity.

Seeing this, Qiao Wanyin quickly explained in a low voice, "I didn't bring anything special, just some local products that my mother prepared. It's not good to come empty-handed on the first visit... I felt I had to show my appreciation."

After hearing this, Lin Li'an's tone became slightly more forceful.

"Didn't I tell you not to bring anything? Don't make things too hard on yourself."

He was well aware of the Qiao family's situation.

Especially in recent years, their family has not lived a comfortable life.

Just two years ago, I was even struggling to afford a decent meal.

He knew that the whole package weighed at least several kilograms.

It must have been quite an ordeal for Qiao Wanyin, with her frail body, to carry the entire journey on her back.

Watching her figure, he felt a pang of inexplicable heartache.

"Let's go quickly!"

Qiao Wanyin urged him on, as if changing the subject.

"If we're late, we might miss the bus! We'll have to walk to town to catch it!"

Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed his sleeve.

Actually, what was hidden in this bundle was not the usual local product.

Those were high-quality tea leaves she had painstakingly collected in the space, and two bottles of loquat syrup that she had personally brewed and sealed.

And those two precious pieces of polyester fabric.

The two walked side by side on the road to the town.

The surroundings were quiet and still.

The air in the countryside in the early morning is filled with the scent of soil mixed with plants.

The roadside grass was covered with glistening dewdrops.

From country lanes to the town's bus station, and then to the county's bus station, the two constantly changed modes of transportation, traveling all the way.

Finally, in the evening, they took a bus to a place called "Hongxing Community" in the western part of the provincial capital.

This is the cadre family quarters where Lin Li'an's parents live.

The entire community is quiet, peaceful, and orderly.

Rows of buildings made of red bricks stand neatly.

The roadside is lined with neatly trimmed bushes.

Standing at the familiar alley entrance, Lin Li'an's steps unconsciously relaxed.

Meanwhile, Qiao Wanyin, standing beside her, became increasingly tense as she walked, her heart filled with unease.

When she finally stood at the Lin family's door, Qiao Wanyin unconsciously stopped, lowered her head and straightened the hem of her clothes, and even her palms were secretly sweating.

Lin Li'an glanced back at her, noticing her nervousness, and couldn't help but chuckle and tease, "Relax, Wanyin. My parents aren't monsters, they're not really going to eat you up, are they?"

Qiao Wanyin pursed her lips slightly and said with a hint of teasing, "Be careful your mom doesn't hear you."

Shortly after he finished speaking, the door in front of him was opened.

A middle-aged woman in her fifties slowly walked out from inside.

She was wearing a clean and neat gray suit, well-tailored and without any wrinkles.

Her hair was neatly combed and coiled at the back of her head.

His expression wasn't exactly cold, but it was rather serious.

Qiao Wanyin recognized the woman who had appeared in Lin Li'an's words many times at a glance.

She is Lin Li'an's mother, Su Yufeng.

"Mom, I'm home."

Lin Li'an greeted his mother in a normal tone.

A relieved smile instantly appeared on Su Yufeng's well-maintained face, her eyes filled with tenderness.

"Adong, you're finally home."

However, before the words had even fully landed...

Her gaze inadvertently fell on the young woman standing behind her son.

The moment their eyes met, they involuntarily stopped in their tracks.

Lin Li'an also noticed the change in his mother's gaze, and immediately took half a step forward and took Qiao Wanyin's hand, who was standing next to him.

"Mom, this is my girlfriend, Qiao Wanyin!"

Qiao Wanyin smiled and addressed her naturally and politely.

Hello, Auntie!

The sudden introduction startled Su Yufeng slightly.

Then, she looked the pretty young girl up and down.

"Adong, when did you get a boyfriend?"

A multitude of thoughts suddenly flooded her mind.

This girl is so exquisitely beautiful, is she the kind of person with high aspirations?

Or was she just spending time with her son on a whim?

Is she really able to live a stable life with A-Dong?

As a well-bred young lady from a scholarly family, Su Yufeng has always been extremely well-mannered and calm in handling matters.

Even though a little unease arose in her heart, she still maintained the proper composure on the surface.

She nodded and said to the two of them, "Come in."

But when she stepped aside to invite them into the house, her outward respect subtly revealed a sense of estrangement.

Qiao Wanyin had anticipated this sudden situation and was already prepared, so she didn't take it to heart.

As soon as I stepped inside, my eyes fell on the sofa in the living room.

A man who looked to be in his fifties was sitting on it.

He was slender, dressed in a crisp, dark blue Zhongshan suit, looking clean and neat.