Chapter 51 Returning Home

afterwards.

Lin Yi got up to pour water, but as soon as he stood up, he almost had a close encounter with the ground.

Before Shen Beidao could even get dressed, he rushed over and caught Lin Yi, saying, "I'll take care of him, don't move."

Shen Beidao carried him back to bed, saying, "You need to drink more hot water now, your hands are so cold."

As he spoke, he got up, stepped barefoot onto the floor, and walked towards the small kitchen to boil water.

A moment later, a cup of steaming water was brought over. "From now on, try to avoid going to those kinds of places with your classmates. Staying up late and drinking alcohol are bad for your health."

"You don't want me to go to the bar? Or are you just jealous because you see me with someone else?" Lin Yi took a sip and muttered softly, "Such a position of the main wife, but the magnanimity of a mistress."

"A mistress?" Shen Beidao was taken aback. He put the cigarette he had just taken out back into the cigarette pack. "Sometimes I think being a mistress isn't so bad. You don't have to care about appearances. You can just do whatever you want in bed."

"If I were to find a mistress, I'd have to be the one on top. I used to be!" Lin Yi got more and more excited as he spoke, and looked up as if to suggest that he put Shen Beidao down, but when he met Shen Beidao's eyes, he immediately felt something was wrong.

"Although the counterattack needs to be put on the agenda, I'm tired today, so let's discuss it another day. I need to rest, I have class tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow is Saturday, you don't have any classes all day. You sent me last week's schedule, I remember it very clearly."

Lin Yi: "..."

His lie was exposed to his face, and he was so embarrassed that he could dig his toes out of a three-bedroom apartment.

Shen Beidao's memory is outrageously good, especially when it comes to things about him.

He glanced at his watch. "It's past midnight now, it's the next day. Good morning, darling."

"A new day begins, shouldn't there be a good morning kiss?"

Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine and his heart pounded uncontrollably at the tender yet dangerous way he called him "darling".

He turned his face away: "It's...it's the middle of the night...what kind of morning is this..."

Lin Yi was stubborn, but his body went limp, and the temperature in the room was rising.

A familiar aura of danger was emanating from Shen Beidao, almost completely enveloping him.

"Why doesn't it count? It's already the second day, can you give me a kiss?"

Lin Yi turned his face away, "I don't want to."

He leaned down and kissed her.

The velvet pajamas that Lin Yi had been wearing had slipped off his shoulders at some point, revealing a large expanse of fair skin that still bore traces of the previous night.

The glass, which he had been holding and still had half a glass of water left, was ruthlessly snatched away by Shen Beidao during a kiss.

However, the cup didn't land on the bedside table; instead, it was casually placed on the carpet next to it, making a dull, slight "thump."

The water in the glass sloshed a few times, spilling a few drops that spread into deeper stains on the dark carpet.

But at that moment, no one paid any attention to the cup.

Lin Yi was so captivated by the long and deep kiss that his body could only passively endure and respond to it...

"But I'll get hurt if this continues."

"I will be gentle."

"But no matter how gentle you are, you can't shrink proportionally—"

"Baby, you're a promising prospect..."

"I believe that the baby is very adaptable and will be able to accommodate him perfectly, right?"

Lin Yi buried his head in the blanket, thinking: I wonder if it's easy to get an appointment at the hospital here. I'll have to make an appointment the day before Shen Beidao comes next time!

He now strongly suspects that Shen Beidao has gained weight!

Otherwise, why wouldn't you be able to swallow it?!

—

One year later, at Jiangzhou Airport, at the international arrivals exit.

Shen Beidao stood in the most conspicuous position at the arrival gate, holding a large bouquet of flowers in his hands.

He canceled all his work commitments today, and started dealing with emails and phone calls this morning, just so he could be here on time this afternoon.

His phone kept ringing, and he had to answer it.

"Hello? Professor Shen! Oh no, I should call you President Shen now! Have you arrived yet? Have you picked up Lin Yi?"

"Terminal T3, estimated to be about half an hour away."

Zhang Zexuan chattered on the other end of the phone, "I'm still on a business trip, still on the highway, it'll be another hour and a half to Jiangzhou. You guys eat first when you get to the restaurant, and as soon as I arrive, I'll punish myself with three drinks to welcome our great artist Lin! No need to wait..."

"Hey, hey, hey! I haven't finished speaking yet!"

An argument broke out on the other end of the phone, and Xie Chun interrupted him, "Come over to our house for dinner. I've asked the housekeeper to prepare the dishes. Xiao Zhang will send you the address later."

"Uncle, have you told Lin Yi about this?"

“You brought him here, how can you eat out for his first meal after completing his studies?”

Shen Beidao didn't say anything more, only replied "I understand," and then hung up the phone.

He gazed at the bustling crowd at the exit, pondering how to bring it up with Lin Yi later.

Should we just say we're going to Xie Chun's house?

Given Lin Yi's strong sense of likes and dislikes, coupled with the fatigue of just returning to China and possibly still jet-lagged, he would probably explode on the spot.

In the past two years, although Lin Yi would call Xie Chun every now and then while he was abroad, judging from his attitude last month, Lin Yi still had some resentment towards his father.

During Lin Yi's first year of studying abroad, Xie Chun worked in the United States and did not return for a whole year.

It is said that Zhang Zexuan followed his family's arrangements and went to work in a public institution.

I ran into him at a restaurant once and saw that he had a girlfriend with him.

Later, during a summer vacation, Lin Yi returned to China for twenty days, while Xie Chun returned to China to see his son.

As for why Zhang Zexuan has returned to Xie Chun's side, Shen Beidao had no idea.

It was around 7 p.m.

From the direction of the exit, a familiar figure carrying a backpack and dragging a small carry-on suitcase practically ran out.

He spotted the figure holding flowers in the crowd, standing out from the crowd, and his eyes lit up instantly!

"husband--!!!"

"We're finally not in a long-distance relationship anymore!!" Lin Yi buried her face in his neck and rubbed against him. "I don't have to see you through a screen anymore!! I want to be with you every day from now on!!"

Shen Beidao chuckled, holding him firmly with one arm and protecting the bouquet with the other. She lowered her head and kissed the top of his head, her voice gentle: "I just visited you last week, it's only been a week since we parted."

Even so, his tightened arms betrayed his own longing.

Lin Yi kissed him hard, "You have no idea how hard it was for me these past few days while you were gone! I had to work on the school's graduation exhibition, deal with the professors' meetings, pack my bags and handle the lease termination all by myself... I was completely exhausted, both physically and mentally!"

Shen Beidao raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with doubt: "Hmm? I remember that before I left, most of my luggage was already packed and sealed, and even the tags were on. What new things did you buy?"

"Keep it a secret for now! I'll show you when we get back! Come on, let's go get my big box from the roundabout! It's full of treasures!"

He pulled Shen Beidao toward the baggage claim area, his previous fatigue long gone, replaced by the excitement of returning home.

......

Shen Beidao drove Lin Yi to Xie Chun's villa.

Lin Yi bought this villa a couple of years ago, not long after returning to China, and has never been here before.

The two got out of the car, and the nanny who was waiting at the door came forward and warmly took Lin Yi's luggage.

Stepping into the villa, the high-ceilinged hall is spacious and grand, decorated in a modern minimalist style, but it lacks the living atmosphere of a "home" and is more like a high-end club.

Hearing the noise, Xie Chun came out of the living room.

He was still wearing a dark suit, but without a tie, making him look less serious than usual. But...

However, Lin Yi noticed the fatigue on his face and a few gray hairs at his temples.

"Dad, has the company been very busy lately?"

That one word, "Dad," warmed Xie Chun's heart, and the frustration of the past few days seemed to dissipate considerably.

It seems that after two years of experience away from home, my son has indeed grown up, become more sensible, and knows how to care for others.

"I'm a bit busy, but things will get better after this period." Xie Chun waved his hand. "Go wash your hands first and get ready to eat. I asked the housekeeper to make your favorite dishes."

"Hmm." Lin Yi turned around and saw Zhang Zexuan walking out of the toilet, fastening his belt as he went.

"Oh! Son, you're back!" Zhang Zexuan's eyes lit up, and an exaggerated smile instantly spread across his face. "I was looking out the door for ages, just like that old woman at the village entrance waiting for her son to return, her eyes brimming with tears!"

Lin Yi smiled when he saw him, opened his arms and gave him a big hug: "Yes, my good son, your dad is back."

Undoubtedly, true brothers would all want to be each other's father.

"I missed you so much!" Zhang Zexuan hugged Lin Yi tightly, and deliberately patted Lin Yi's back. "Let Dad see you quickly. Did you only eat sashimi in Japan? You seem to have lost weight instead of gaining it."

The two laughed and teased each other, instantly rediscovering their carefree brotherhood.

"Why did you get rescued alone today? Where are Li Rui and Zhou Ziyang?"

"Li Rui came back from his holiday a couple of days ago. Zhou Ziyang and the others went on a trip and said they'd be back next week. They were just showing off their travel photos in the group chat!"

Zhang Zexuan hooked his arm around Lin Yi's shoulder, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "There's another secret you'll never guess!!"

Just then, Xie Chun came out of the bedroom and raised his voice to stop him: "Zhang Zexuan, don't talk nonsense!"

Lin Yi was startled by his father's sudden sternness.

In his memory, Xie Chun was not particularly close to him, but he had never spoken to Zhang Zexuan in such a reprimanding tone.

Because, after all, Zhang Zexuan was his friend.

Zhang Zexuan was also taken aback, and pouted somewhat displeased: "Uncle Xie, what are you doing! What's wrong with me chatting with Lin Yi..."

"Yiyi, come here, here's some wasabi-flavored sushi that you like."

Lin Yi was indeed hungry. He temporarily put aside Zhang Zexuan's gossip and his father's strange behavior, and jogged over: "Where is it? I want to try it! I ate it every day in Japan, and now that I'm back, I'm craving it so much!!"

Taking advantage of Lin Yi running away, Xie Chun walked to Zhang Zexuan's side and patted his shoulder lightly, saying, "Don't say things carelessly, especially today."

"Hey!!" What did I say?

Several people took their seats in the spacious restaurant.

The table was set with Japanese food, which Lin Yi liked, as well as authentic Jiangzhou local dishes and exquisite Cantonese dim sum, clearly showing that thoughtful preparation had been made.

Lin Yi was used to being frugal when he was away from home, so he was still a little unaccustomed to it.

Zhang Zexuan sat down next to Lin Yi and said, "I haven't finished talking about what happened earlier. Zhou Ziyang said he's getting married at the end of the year. Guess who he's marrying?"

"Huh? Getting married?"

Lin Yi was picking up a piece of salmon sashimi when he heard this. He subconsciously glanced at Shen Beidao, who was eating quietly beside him, and asked, "He just graduated not long ago. Who is he with?"

"Zhao Qing." Zhang Zexuan uttered two words, looking with satisfaction at Lin Yi's eyes widening instantly.

"Holy crap?! Zhao Qing?!" Lin Yi was so shocked he almost choked on his wasabi, coughing several times. Shen Beidao calmly handed him a glass of water. "The two of them?! When did this happen? They kept it a secret for a long time!"

"It is said that after graduation, Zhao Qing went to work in a small fourth or fifth-tier city in the hometown of her ex-boyfriend, Hao. After two months there, she found out that he was a complete mama's boy who listened to his mother in everything. Zhao Qing suffered a lot of grievances."

"Once, they had a really bad argument, and the man even pushed her. You know Zhao Qing's temper. It was three in the morning, and she just grabbed her suitcase and stormed out the door!"

"The coincidence is that Zhou Ziyang was sent by the company to intern at that city's branch at the time. Our Sister Qing was cold and scared on the street, and she was looking through her contacts but didn't know who to call. When Zhou Ziyang received the call, he found out the location and drove there in the early morning without saying a word. He picked up our Sister Qing and drove for more than ten hours overnight to take her home."

"And then what?" Lin Yi listened intently, forgetting even to eat.

"Later? Later, when Zhao Qing's parents found out what had happened, they were terrified and thanked Zhou Ziyang profusely, often inviting him to their home for meals."

"Later, Zhou Ziyang performed well at work and was transferred back to the Jiangzhou headquarters. He gradually got in touch with Zhao Qing more, and before long, they even met each other's parents last month."

Zhang Zexuan slapped his thigh: "These two really kept it a secret! Just a few days ago, they were strolling hand in hand in the scenic area near my house when I happened to go out to take out the trash. I caught them red-handed, and that's when they confessed!"

"Sister Qing said that when it comes to men, you can't just look at their appearance; you have to see if they have a heart and if they love her."

Lin Yi nodded, still eating. "Zhao Qing is actually a bit like you. She seems carefree, but once she sets her mind on someone, she'll give her whole heart and soul without reservation. It's just that sometimes, being too willing to give makes her vulnerable to getting hurt."

Shen Beidao silently put another piece of his favorite sweet and sour pork ribs into Lin Yi's bowl.

Zhang Zexuan leaned closer to Lin Yi, draped his arm over the back of his chair, and blinked as he asked, "You also think I'm a particularly trustworthy and devoted man, right?"

Lin Yi was gnawing on a rib when he nodded in agreement: "Yeah, you may be a bit frivolous at times, but you're definitely serious when it comes to relationships. But don't envy Zhou Ziyang. Fate can't be rushed; what's meant to be will come."

Zhang Zexuan was waiting for these words!

"What if they've already arrived?"

Lin Yi stopped chewing, turned her head to look at him, her eyes full of curiosity: "Who is it? Do I know them? Are they our classmates? Or a new colleague at your workplace?"

Zhang Zexuan raised his hand and pointed towards the head seat at the table: "He's sitting over there!"

Lin Yi looked in the direction he was pointing—

Shen Beidao's chopsticks stopped in mid-air.

Xie Chun took a sip of red wine.

Lin Yi's gaze, however, bypassed Xie Chun and landed not far behind him, on the person who was carrying a bowl of soup out of the kitchen—

The nanny was wearing an apron, had a kind face, and was about fifty years old.

"Xuanzi, that auntie seems quite kind, but isn't she... old enough to be your godmother? Wouldn't that be... a bit inappropriate?"

Zhang Zexuan: ...? ? ?

Xie Chun: …………

Shen Beidao silently put down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth, concealing the almost uncontrollable upward curve of his lips that he had been trying to suppress for a moment.

The air suddenly became eerily quiet.

(End of text)

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Author's note: This chapter concludes the story, corresponding to Zhao Qing's actions in the first chapter, creating a closed loop.

Sometimes we may be like supporting characters in a book, summarized in just a few words, but they are all the protagonists of their own lives.

The bonus chapters will feature sweet everyday moments, Lin Yi's entrepreneurial journey, Shen Beidao's supportive side, and his persistent desire to reciprocate the relationship (lol).

Thanks for following! I actually wanted to write more, but I'm really done. See you in the next book!