Chapter 19 A Tangle of Love in the North City 04 Perhaps his luck has run out again…

When they left the police station, Lu Xiuyuan personally saw them off and told his subordinates to take them home.

Lin Tingyue replied politely, "Really, there's no need. It's still early. We can just take the bus."

Lu Xiuyuan didn't expect her to refuse, so he asked her instead, "Where do you live? If it's too far, let Xiao Liu take you there."

Lin Tingyue: "It's right in the Air Force compound, not far away."

Lu Xiuyuan paused for a moment, then his expression suddenly turned serious. "May I ask what your father's name is?"

"Lin Yao."

"..." Lu Xiuyuan was speechless for a moment. He didn't expect it to be such a coincidence. If it were Lin Yao in other places, it might be a coincidence, but there was only one Lin Yao living in the Air Force compound. So he took the car keys from his subordinate and went down the steps. "Alright, I'll take you back myself."

"What's the meaning?"

“Our fathers were comrades-in-arms. If I make you take the bus home by yourself today, you'll definitely get a lecture from my old man. Get on the bus.”

Seeing Lu Xiuyuan take the car keys, open the car door, and get in, Lin Tingyue had no choice but to pull Yu Xingzhou into the car as well.

Captain Lu kept talking the whole way, chatting with the two of them. Perhaps because of his professional habits, he made them feel like they were being interrogated most of the time. But since he was older and more senior than them, they could only keep talking.

After arriving at the compound, the car was parked outside. As the three of them walked, they passed a shop, and Lu Xiuyuan went in to buy some oranges and apples. When he saw the cigarettes, he casually asked, "Uncle, do you smoke?"

The men in the Lin family don't like the smell of smoke, and none of them smoke. Lin Tingyue also hates the smell of smoke, so Yu Xingzhou's fact that he doesn't smoke has already beaten many men. "If you don't smoke, then I'd say you bought this fruit for nothing."

Lu Xiuyuan knew she felt it was unnecessary to spend money, but he still said, "No, it's not good to show up empty-handed."

When they arrived home, Lin Jinwu, who had just returned from leave from the army, opened the door for them. He wasn't familiar with Lu Xiuyuan either, but he still stepped aside to let him in. As soon as they entered the living room, Lin Yao recognized Lu Xiuyuan immediately because Lu Xiuyuan and his father were practically identical.

Lin Tingyue carried fruit and went to the kitchen with Yu Xingzhou, only to find that there was someone busy in the kitchen. It was her sister-in-law, You Susu, who, judging from her figure, should be pregnant.

"Sister-in-law, go and rest in the living room. We'll take care of it." Lin Tingyue took the tea leaves from You Susu and handed the net bag to Yu Xingzhou.

You Susu was somewhat surprised. She had heard her husband say that her sister-in-law had changed a lot after going to the countryside, but seeing her in person still shocked her. At the same time, she was still worried. Her sister-in-law was just like her mother-in-law, never lifting a finger to cook. Even if she did cook, she would be the kind of person who could poison someone. So she didn't leave. "It's okay, it's just making tea. It won't tire me out."

Since the other party wanted to do it, Lin Tingyue didn't stop them. She nodded, made way, rolled up her sleeves, and went to the sink to wash her hands. Then she took out a cutting board, took the apple that Yu Xingzhou had washed, and first quickly peeled the apple without cutting it. Then she broke the apple in half by hand, removed the core, and neatly cut the two halves into small pieces and put them on a plate. Finally, she took out about ten toothpicks from the toothpick box and stuck them into the fruit.

Yu Xingzhou also took a plate, packed the oranges, and the two of them went out one after the other, leaving You Susu stunned.

Lin Tingyue placed the plate on the coffee table. "Captain Lu specially bought this fruit for us."

"Wow, that's impressive. You usually only get this kind of treatment with cut fruit into pieces at big hotels, right?" Lu Xiuyuan said, picking up a piece and tasting it. "It's quite sweet. Uncle and Auntie, please have a taste."

Lu Xiuyuan was a good talker and, as the captain of the criminal investigation team, he got along very well with Lin Yao. However, when the topic turned to his job, the conversation inevitably turned to what had happened that day, and he mentioned Lin Tingyue's excellent skills.

"Lin Daiyu is really skilled; she'd be perfect for our criminal investigation team."

Lin Yao, as Lin Tingyue's father, knew all too well how skilled Lin Tingyue was, but he didn't expose her in front of outsiders, saying, "It was all taught by our eldest son."

Lin Jinwu nodded in agreement.

Lu Xiuyuan added fuel to the fire, continuing to persuade her: "I talked to her about this today too. Our criminal investigation team is actually short-staffed. If she's willing to come, she'll definitely be a permanent employee."

"That's great! You should seize this opportunity!" Qi Yin was very optimistic about this job. It meant she wouldn't have to work hard in the countryside of Northeast China, and it was a permanent position.

"I'll think about it." Lin Tingyue couldn't refuse Lu Xiuyuan in front of so many people, so she could only make up this excuse for now.

Lin Yao nodded and said, "We really need to consider it. Girls are different from you men. There's an inherent difference in physical condition, and it will be more troublesome to have children later."

There was a pregnant woman sitting in the living room. Lu Xiuyuan glanced at her and was also a little unsure of what to do. He had originally thought that if Lin Tingyue didn't want to come, he could persuade her parents. So he didn't stay long. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he excused himself, saying that he still had some business to attend to at the bureau, and got up to leave.

After seeing Lu Xiuyuan off, Lin Yao didn't ask Lin Tingyue how her skills had improved. Instead, he carefully inquired whether she was injured and asked Yu Xingzhou to go back to the house and take a good look at her.

"How are you? Are you injured?" After returning to her room, Lin Tingyue took off all her clothes and let the man examine her.

Yu Xingzhou looked her over carefully before helping her pick up the clothes she had taken off. "No, put them on quickly, don't get cold."

"I'm not wearing this anymore, I want to change into my pajamas and lie down for a while." She had been busy all day, visiting the Forbidden City and fighting with thugs, and she really didn't want to move. She just wanted to lie down comfortably for a while.

The man then asked, "Shall I give you a massage?"

"Come on, I'm all set."

Over the past few months, Yu Xingzhou's massage techniques have become much more skilled. Lin Tingyue was so comfortable that she was almost falling asleep. In her drowsy state, she reached out and grabbed the man's wrist, "Okay, stay with me and sleep for a while."

"Wouldn't that be bad? My parents, my older brother, and my sister-in-law are all downstairs." Yu Xingzhou said this, but he had already lain down.

"Then let's wait for them to come up and call us before we get up." Lin Tingyue felt that she had done a great job today, so it wasn't too much to ask her handsome husband to keep her company for a short rest.

Lin Tingyue fell asleep quickly, but Yu Xingzhou couldn't sleep, his slender fingers tracing the outline of the woman's eyebrows and eyes.

Thinking about how Lu Xiuyuan had been trying to persuade Lin Tingyue to work at the Criminal Investigation Brigade all day, his heart was torn apart like a seesaw. On one hand, he rationally believed that this was a good opportunity for his wife to return to the city and avoid the hardship of working in the countryside; on the other hand, he was terrified that his wife might actually choose to stay in Beicheng, leaving him alone back in their once warm home…

After dinner on New Year's Eve, the Lin family went out to set off fireworks and firecrackers, and also took out all the trash in the house.

There wasn't even a Spring Festival Gala yet, so everyone was out and about. Lin Tingyue spotted Xu Xingyi from afar and pulled Yu Xingzhou to take a different route. A new year, a new beginning; nobody wanted to be tainted by bad luck right away.

Yu Xingzhou suddenly asked, "When are we going back?"

"Have you had enough of staying here? If you have, go back soon."

"Not really..." Yu Xingzhou evaded his true intentions, instead trying to gauge whether Lin Tingyue would go to work at the Criminal Investigation Brigade by asking when she would return.

"There are definitely too many people now. Once my second brother gets married, it'll be eight people sharing one toilet, and we'll be afraid the neighbors will hear us if we want to do anything..."

Lin Tingyue didn't mention work at all, as if she had completely forgotten about it. Yu Xingzhou chimed in with a few words, but finally asked when they were almost home.

"Are you going to work with the Criminal Investigation Division?"

Lin Tingyue pondered for a moment and said, "I haven't decided yet, but the probability of me not going is higher."

He breathed a sigh of relief and continued to ask, "Why?"

"I don't want to inhale secondhand smoke." This reason is actually the least likely, and even a bit far-fetched, but it's a good excuse.

Aside from the reasons she couldn't say, she had also struggled with the decision these past few days. Logically speaking, this job was her old profession. Although the scope of her work in her previous life was different from that of the criminal investigation team, she knew that Lu Xiuyuan valued her skills. To put it bluntly, she was just a compliant knife, and she could do it.

But life presents countless choices, forcing you to decide whether or not to change your previously chosen options.

When she arrived in this world based on a novel, she was dealt a terrible hand by the original owner of the body, desperately trying to plan a path to victory. But now it seems that there is more than one path to victory for her. She can ignore the so-called plot, not rely on Yu Xingzhou as a powerful figure, work diligently in this position, and still live a good life.

However, she had already experienced such days before, and they were nothing new.

Like Qin Hua, she also wanted to do things she wouldn't have dared to dream of in her previous life.

Most importantly, she had already made the promise to take Yu Xingzhou with her, and she would definitely keep her promise, even if Yu Xingzhou didn't know it.

But perhaps because she does more and talks less, things sometimes turn out the opposite of what she wants.

After the Spring Festival, the family was busy visiting relatives and friends, or entertaining colleagues and neighbors who came to pay New Year's visits, so they forgot that Lu Xiuyuan was still waiting for her reply. It wasn't until he called the house that Qi Yin answered.

Lin Tingyue took Yu Xingzhou to stroll around Shichahai. When they returned, it was already dark. As soon as they entered the door, they were met with a glare from Qi Yin.

"You're never home, I can't even find you to chat with."

"Let's talk now, my daughter is all ears."

Qi Yin didn't say anything, but got up and went upstairs. This meant that she couldn't say it in front of Yu Xingzhou, because it probably wouldn't be anything nice.

Lin Tingyue patted her handsome husband, who was still in a daze, and said, "Go cut some fruit and come up to rescue me right on time."

After saying that, she went upstairs, but her back view looked rather desolate.

She followed her mother into her bedroom, where her mother sat upright in a chair, while she sat on the bed.

"What's your opinion on that matter with the Criminal Investigation Team? They're still waiting for your reply."

"Uh... I forgot, I'll call him back now." Lin Tingyue said, getting up to leave.

"What's the rush? Talk to me first." Qi Yin stood up but then pressed her back down, sitting down next to her as well. "Tell me the truth, are you not planning on taking that job?"

Lin Tingyue gave a thumbs up, "No one knows a daughter better than her mother."

"Actually, what your dad said back then made sense. It's not a job that we women can do for a long time. But I heard today that Xiao Lu hasn't found a boyfriend yet."

"...Mom, you haven't taken a fancy to someone again, have you? We don't have another girl in our family who would take him as a son-in-law."

"Why don't you just accept it? Xiao Lu's family is alright, and his dad is your dad's comrade-in-arms. You know each other well. You two work in the same unit, so you can develop feelings for each other. When you get married, you can quit your job and enjoy a comfortable life at home. Isn't that a great thing?"

Lin Tingyue was shocked. "I'm already married, Mom, can't you be a little more sensible?"

“Can’t you get a divorce once you’re married? You don’t need to worry about being a second-time bride. With our family’s status, so many people would love to marry into our family and can’t even get a chance! But you’ve found someone who’s as low as they can get. How are you going to live the rest of your life?” Qi Yin felt aggrieved whenever she talked about this. It wasn’t that she disliked Yu Xingzhou, but the Yu family’s class background was too difficult to deal with. Because of this, the young couple should have held a wedding banquet when they returned to Beicheng, but since Yu Xingzhou’s father was still at the farm, they decided to postpone it for now.

"Mom, you said our family's situation is good now, so even if I find someone bad, would you really let me live a miserable life? Besides, who knows what the future holds? Things can always change." Lin Tingyue really wanted to tell people about the future changes, but even if she dared to say it, no one would believe her.

"You can't live without him?"

"No, Mom..."

Just as Yu Xingzhou arrived at the door with a fruit platter, he overheard this conversation.

His heart felt like it had been struck by a heavy hammer, the pain making him tremble all over. He bit his lip hard to restrain himself from retreating, not daring to listen to anything more, and left in a panic.

Inside the room, Lin Tingyue looked helpless. "No, Mom, our relationship is stable now, and he hasn't done anything wrong. If he treats me badly, I'll leave without you having to tell me. Besides, it's been more than half a month already. Didn't you say before that he was good in every way except for his family background? So, once the family background issue is resolved, won't it be fine?"

"You make it sound so easy. Can you really solve it?"

"Of course I can't solve it, but I have patience and I can wait until the day the problem is solved."

The mother and daughter ultimately failed to reach an agreement, and Qi Yin said helplessly, "Then go and call them back."

"Alright." Lin Tingyue hurriedly got up and went downstairs, but suddenly remembered that the person who was supposed to knock on the door to rescue her hadn't come yet, and the fruit plate was on the table.

Just then, the sound of flushing water came from the bathroom. After a while, the door opened, and sure enough, it was Yu Xingzhou.

"Why didn't you come up just now?" Lin Tingyue asked him softly.

Yu Xingzhou looked at her apologetically, "My stomach suddenly hurts..."

"Did you eat something unclean outside today? Do you need to buy some medicine?"

"No need, it's already fine."

Lin Tingyue didn't think much of it and was in a hurry to return the call. Yu Xingzhou, unlike usual, didn't cling to her and went upstairs to his bedroom.

Thinking that Lu Xiuyuan should be off work by now, Lin Tingyue opened her phone book and called Lu Xiuyuan's home. He answered the phone.

"Have you really thought it through and you're not coming?" Lu Xiuyuan didn't expect that she wasn't really interested in this formal job, but considering that the Lin family could support a family, he could understand.

"Well, my heart isn't in this, so I won't take up this position."

"Alright, I was originally thinking of using your meritorious service to directly promote you to a permanent position, but I can only see if I can apply for some rewards for you."

"Money or goods?"

Lu Xiuyuan laughed after hearing this, "Your family is short of money?"

"No one ever complains about having too much money."

"I'll apply and see, but don't get your hopes up too high."

Lin Tingyue herself understood that it was just a joke, and she would probably only receive a letter of commendation, or at most a water cup and notebook.

When she finished the call and returned to the room, she saw Yu Xingzhou tidying up their clothes.

"So eager to go home? You've already started packing." Lin Tingyue hugged the man from behind, touching his abs and squeezing his chest muscles. Now that he had some flesh on his body, he was no longer a hard skeleton that was uncomfortable to hold. Lin Tingyue liked to touch and hug him whenever she had free time.

"The room was too messy, so I tidied it up." Yu Xingzhou thought he would feel guilty and nervous, but when it came to lying, he felt calm as still water, as if he really just wanted to tidy up the room.

"Okay, you can get ready first, I'm going to take a shower."

Lin Tingyue knew nothing, grabbed a change of underwear, and rushed out of the bedroom.

Yu Xingzhou sighed, then separated their clothes. He didn't have many clothes to begin with, and even after putting them all into his luggage bag, it wasn't full.

When it was time to lie down and rest, Yu Xingzhou pretended to be asleep and tried to minimize communication.

Lin Tingyue didn't think much of it, assuming he was just too tired from playing outside today.

The breathing around him gradually became long and even, but Yu Xingzhou couldn't fall asleep. He didn't dare to move, staring at the darkness in the room with his eyes open, like a black hole in his heart, quiet and numb.

During his time in the north of the city after leaving the countryside, his mood was always fluctuating, filled with anxiety and uncertainty.

He often thinks back to his childhood, when his family was harmonious, his parents doted on him, and everything went smoothly until he was fourteen, when darkness descended and his family fell apart.

However, many people had a more difficult life than him. Even after he went to the countryside, his grandparents worked hard so that he could focus on his studies until he graduated from high school.

Occasionally, he would hear villagers gossiping about his bad luck and misfortune. Gradually, he also felt that he had been too lucky in the past and had used up all his good fortune, leaving only hardship behind.

Until he met Lin Tingyue.

She was very different at first than she is now. The first time she approached me to discuss cooperation, she was arrogant and handed me a large banknote. I felt as if I was being controlled by something when I took the banknote, but I regretted it when I got home.

But after one night, she seemed like a different person, constantly talking about marrying him, forcefully invading his stagnant and lonely life.

Lin Tingyue loved to laugh and liked to make him laugh. She liked cleanliness and tidiness, always folding her blankets into perfect squares. She liked to compliment his good looks and enjoyed eating his cooking...

The once quiet house was now filled with laughter and new memories, and these scenes flashed through his mind like a fleeting glimpse, finally settling on the trembling and helplessness he felt as he stood outside the door today.

He thought that perhaps his luck had run out again.

On days when she doesn't have to work, Lin Tingyue also likes to sleep in late. She often doesn't wake up until seven or eight o'clock, and only gets up when the sunlight shines brightly through the curtains.

The Lin family did not have the habit of forcing their children to get up and eat breakfast. Even Qi Yin would sleep in late. So when Lin Tingyue woke up and found no one beside her, she simply assumed that Yu Xingzhou had gone out to buy breakfast as usual.

She slowly went downstairs to wash up and clear her head. When she came out, she saw that the dining table was empty and Yu Xingzhou had not returned, so she went back to the bedroom.

Lin Tingyue opened the wardrobe, picked out a sweater and put it on. Just as she was about to close the wardrobe door, she suddenly felt uneasy.

It seems like something is missing.

She reopened the closet door, and a large space was now empty on the side that was originally next to the women's clothing. Yu Xingzhou's clothes were gone, as were the other closet. Even one of the luggage bags was missing.

Lin Tingyue belatedly reached into her wallet. The wallet, made from a calendar, felt noticeably thinner in her hand, and its weight instantly dispelled her drowsiness. Several dozen yuan notes were missing, just enough to buy her train and bus tickets home, with some left over for a meal at a state-run restaurant.

She knew Yu Xingzhou must have left quietly, but she didn't know why. In a panic, she put on her socks and pulled up her pants, trying to recall everything that had happened yesterday.

Perhaps Yu Xingzhou's strange behavior started after they returned home. They had agreed to have someone bring fruit up to interrupt his mother's lecturing, but Yu Xingzhou didn't come. Since arriving in Beicheng, the two had been inseparable; he always wanted to be with her. Last night, when she called, he wasn't waiting downstairs. When she returned to the room, she found him packing clothes. These clothes were neatly arranged in the closet, so why was the room a mess?

Facing the empty room, as if she could still see Yu Xingzhou picking up his luggage, Lin Tingyue sat back on the bed, feeling utterly exhausted. Suddenly, she felt a pang of regret; something was clearly amiss, yet she hadn't paid any attention.

But there's no time for her to sit here and regret; she needs to find him as soon as possible.

Her father had already left by then, and since she didn't have a car, she had to ride a bicycle. She quickly went downstairs, grabbed the bike lock and keys, and left without even putting on her coat or tying her hair up.

"Little sister, where are you going?" You Susu had just returned from buying breakfast. In the cold winter, her breath was visible in the cold air. Lin Tingyue, with her hair disheveled and wearing only a sweater, was about to leave on her scooter when You Susu asked her anxiously, "Why are you wearing so little? You'll catch a cold."

"I'm in a hurry to find someone, sister-in-law, I'll be going now."

"Then ride slowly, there's ice on the road..."

The sounds behind You Susu gradually faded away, and the syllables could no longer be heard. The chains of the old bicycle meshed together under Lin Tingyue's feet, the spokes spinning rapidly, and the rubber wheels crushed the broken ice and snow on the road. She didn't care whether there was ice on the ground or not; she just wanted to see Yu Xingzhou as soon as possible.