Chapter 152 Love That Will Never Be Absent

The day before New Year's Day, Lin Yu finally managed to find some time to drive to the guesthouse she and Jiang Chuan were staying at for a quick look.

As planned, they would invite their friends to celebrate the New Year together here this year. To this end, Jiang Chuan and Qi Sheng arrived two days early to do the final touches and purchase supplies and ingredients.

The two had agreed to meet at the guesthouse, but before Lin Yu set off this morning, she suddenly received a call from Jiang Chuan, who said he had to go on a short business trip. He told her to drive slowly on the road and repeatedly assured her that he would be back before midnight to celebrate the New Year with her.

Lin Yu couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but the voice on the phone was full of apology, which softened her heart.

For the past six months or so, everyone has been busy with their own lives.

In order to get home before New Year's Day to take care of his grandmother, Lin Jianguo led his team to work overtime at the company after Christmas.

Qi Sheng's studio received its first project payment a couple of days ago and has already begun planning to expand into the public construction sector next year.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chuan was also in the crucial period of striving for annual performance, and he stayed in the conference room until late at night almost every day.

"It's alright, work comes first," she comforted softly, clearly having grown accustomed to the limited time they'd spent together lately. "I'll wait for you!"

......

As the car wound its way through the mountains and bamboo forests, Lin Yu lowered the window a crack, and a crisp mountain breeze carrying the fragrance of bamboo leaves immediately rushed in.

When the navigation indicated that we were only 500 meters from our destination, a complex mix of emotions, akin to the trepidation of returning home, suddenly welled up inside me.

From taking over in the summer to wrapping up in the winter, although Jiang Chuan would try her best to be present at each stage of the inspection, and Qi Sheng would occasionally share some progress videos with her, the feeling of being there in person was ultimately different from being separated by a screen.

Despite having full confidence in Jiang Chuan's execution ability and Qi Sheng's aesthetic sense, she still couldn't suppress her excitement when the blueprint that had been swirling in her mind for a whole year was about to be presented in concrete form before her eyes.

As the vehicle exited the last stretch of winding mountain road, the view suddenly opened up. Looking at the familiar scenery outside the car window and the row of green-tiled roofs at the end of the road, Lin Yu felt a long-lost sense of belonging.

Unlike her previous stays as a guest, this time she was heading to a home that she and Jiang Chuan had poured their hearts and souls into, a home that truly belonged to the two of them.

After parking the car in the space behind the yard, Lin Yu unbuckled her seatbelt and got out. A cold wind blew in her face, and she instinctively pulled her cashmere coat tighter around herself.

As you walk into the courtyard, you can immediately see Qi Sheng and Cheng Yuan busy at work.

Cheng Yuan was kneeling beside a sunken booth in the courtyard, where a carpet had been laid out. Qi Sheng, injured and unable to do heavy work, stood to the side adjusting the landscaping equipment, occasionally bending down to hand him a tool.

The fractured arm is recovering relatively smoothly. The cast was removed last week, and the doctor said that after wearing the brace for another week, I should be able to move around normally.

"How's it going?" Lin Yu walked over with shaky, small steps, like an inspector, his gaze sweeping around the yard.

Warm yellow LED strips wrapped around neatly trimmed pine branches. The stream in front of the door was diverted into several underground channels, winding through the well-arranged plant landscape in front of the courtyard. The stone path underfoot had also been replaced with a cobblestone surface, just as she had wished.

The scene before her was exactly as she had imagined. As she walked, she couldn't help but look around, her eyes filled with undisguised joy.

Qi Sheng looked up and saw Lin Yu walk in. He gestured with his chin to Cheng Yuan beside him. "The boss's wife has come to inspect."

"Oh, Mr. Lin, it's an honor to have you here." Cheng Yuan turned around upon hearing the voice, stood up while supporting himself on his knees, and smiled as he brushed the dust off his hands. "Please come in, please come in!"

"Thank you all for your hard work!" Lin Yu approached with a smile. "Is there anything else I can help with?"

"It's almost done. I'll go check on how dinner is coming along." Cheng Yuan said, handing the tools in his hand to Qi Sheng before turning and walking into the house. "You two chat."

Qi Sheng took the tools and snorted, "You've got a good sense of timing, showing up only after you've finished all the work." He had one hand in his pocket, his voice as indifferent as ever, but his eyes betrayed a hint of a softening smile.

"Hey, isn't this my disabled but determined older brother..." Lin Yu turned around with a smile and glanced at Qi Sheng's sling arm with concern.

"Your look is quite unique! Has any Spring Festival Gala director contacted you? Want you to star in 'Selling Crutches 4'?"

"What, are you envious?" Qi Sheng wasn't annoyed. He slowly scratched his earlobe with his knuckles and glanced at her sideways. "Want to order one for you too? Let's form a group and debut?"

"Come on!" Lin Yu laughed and gave him a push. "I'm saying, it's almost New Year's again, how come you're still all alone?"

"Not one, could it be half?" Qi Sheng scoffed.

"It seems you didn't even turn a page of 'The Art of Language' that I gave you last year. How about I give you another copy of 'Silence is Golden' this year? Let Jiang Chuan supervise you to finish reading it."

“Sure, and while you’re at it, return the copy of ‘The Thirty-Six Stratagems’ he borrowed from you.” Lin Yu curled the corners of his mouth.

"After all, you've mastered the art of feigning injury! If we keep watching, it might affect your ability to make your presence felt in front of someone."

"You're bullying disabled people, aren't you?" Qi Sheng said with a laugh, but he didn't deny it.

Seeing Lin Yu immediately raise her hands in surrender, he leisurely used his good hand to pull a velvet box from his coat and tossed it to her. "Keep it safe, your sister-in-law specially prepared it for you!"

"Huh?! Sister-in-law! Really?" Lin Yu caught it in a fluster, his eyes wide with surprise. "Could it be that you, in order to save face, staged this all yourself?"

"Is that all you think I'm worth?" Qi Sheng laughed angrily. "To fool you, I'd buy a gift first, then pay for the wedding gift out of my own pocket? Are you worth me going through all that trouble?"

"Otherwise what?" Lin Yu ignored his brother's sarcasm and asked curiously, "Where did you hide your sister-in-law? Why didn't you bring her with you?"

"They're very busy." Qi Sheng's voice was lazy, tinged with a hint of resentment. "Unlike me, a free man, who came all the way here just to let you practice your verbal skills."

"Don't wallow in self-pity, Comrade Qi Sheng!" Lin Yu looked up at his brother's feignedly indifferent profile and gave him a playful pat on the shoulder. "Anyway, congratulations!"

"Alright, go inside and wait." Qi Sheng rarely raised the corners of his mouth, looking at Lin Yu's rosy cheeks from the cold. "I'll tidy up the doorway and come in."

Lin Yu nodded and followed behind him, wanting to ask a few more questions about the details, when suddenly he heard a faint sob coming from the east side of the courtyard.

She paused for a moment, then looked in the direction of the sound. The wooden door to the storage room was ajar, and she could vaguely see a small, furry thing moving through the crack.

"What's that?" she asked in a low voice, pointing towards the wooden door, her tone revealing a barely perceptible anticipation.

Qi Sheng didn't reply immediately, but gently pushed her back. "If you want to know, go see for yourself."

Lin Yu walked over in a few steps, and as soon as he pushed the door open a crack, the two little ones rushed over eagerly.

A long-haired corgi clung tightly to her trouser leg with its short paws, tilted its little face up, and panted with its pink tongue lolling out. Beside it, a gray border collie wagged its tail excitedly and circled around her incessantly.

"My God!" Lin Yu was startled by the sudden enthusiasm and took a half step back. After seeing clearly, his eyes widened and he quickly squatted down.

"These are...your dogs?" She looked up, her eyes filled with surprise. She gently stroked the heads of the two puppies, letting their wet tongues lick her fingertips.

"What are you thinking about..." Qi Sheng's voice came from above. "Of course, it's something your boyfriend bought especially for you."

He squatted down next to Lin Yu and scratched the corgi's chin. "I have a friend who runs a kennel, and he happened to have the breed you wanted, so I took Jiang Chuan to pick out two that he liked."

The puppy obediently lay on its back, exposing its soft belly as he rubbed it, looking completely trusting. "It's not very far along, we can slowly build a bond."

"When did this happen? How come I didn't know?" Lin Yu was stunned for a moment, his fingers unconsciously combing the Border Collie's soft head.

"It was at the end of last month... I can't remember exactly." Qi Sheng thought for a moment.

The Border Collie next to it, not wanting to be left out, came over and gently nibbled on the Corgi's ear with its mouth, playfully shaking its head. Amused by this, the Corgi immediately rolled over and sat up.

The two puppies chased each other and played around Lin Yu, their tails wagging like two little fans.

Lin Yu was amused by them and looked up at Qi Sheng. "You two really did a great job keeping this a secret."

"Is it that I didn't want to tell you? It was your partner who specifically instructed me to." Qi Sheng scoffed lightly, a hint of disdain in his tone. "He said he wanted to give you a surprise on New Year's Day!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu looked at the two fluffy little creatures at his feet and felt his eyes well up with tears.

She never imagined that Jiang Chuan would not only work hard to turn every idea she had for the guesthouse into reality, but he would also take her casual remark about wanting to raise a dog together seriously.

It turns out that he always took her casual remarks as something that had to be done.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh, her voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. "It's a pity he's not here right now, and I don't know if he can make it back before midnight."

Qi Sheng squatted down beside his sister and gave her a meaningful look. After a pause, he changed the subject. "Have you decided on a name yet?"

Lin Yu gently stroked the Border Collie's back, and the little guy comfortably squinted its eyes, letting out a contented purr. "An older brother and a younger sister, although we're not related by blood, we're family from now on."

After a moment's thought, she smiled and said, "Let's call them Mifa and Xido!"

"What the heck? It's so tongue-twisting!" Qi Sheng frowned.

"What do you know?" Lin Yu retorted with a smile.

This was the first game Jiang Chuan gave himself. Although he had already completed the main storyline, it still held many important moments and sweet memories between the two of them.

Nowadays, naming two puppies after characters from the show is like projecting the beauty of the virtual world onto a romantic bond in reality.

Mifa is gentle, kind, and has a healing quality, while Shido is confident, optimistic, and full of energy. The two little ones will begin their new life in this family with these names.

"Whatever, it's not like I'm the one yelling every day!" Qi Sheng stood up and patted the fuzz off her coat. "Let's go inside and have some hot soup."

He walked ahead and pushed open the door of the guesthouse. Warmth greeted him, as if he had stepped into another world.

The fireplace in the living room was burning wood, and the flickering flames reflected on the decorative painting in the center of the room, a gift from Yao Fangfang and Lin Jing for their opening.

The image shows two figures running hand in hand across a summer grassland, their backs to the viewer, strikingly similar to Lin Yu and Jiang Chuan who once watched the sunrise on Chenluo Mountain. Jiang Chuan specially commissioned an antique wooden frame for it, which, illuminated by the firelight, exudes a warm and nostalgic feel.

The long dining table in the center of the living room was already filled with various dishes, and the air was filled with the aroma of mutton soup and cinnamon.

Cheng Yuan stood at the table setting out the tableware, while Cheng Shizheng took off his apron and came out of the kitchen. Qi Sheng walked to the corner, squatted down, and added shredded chicken jerky to the two puppies' food bowls.

Mifa and Xiduo immediately came over when they smelled the aroma. He rubbed their heads and teased them with a smile, "Like mother, like son. You two are just as greedy as your mother."

At the same time, Yuan Jie and Zhang Hengyuan pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing the scene inside, Zhang Hengyuan smiled and nudged Yuan Jie with his elbow. "Better late than never, we're in for a treat now."

As he spoke, he naturally walked towards Lin Yu and handed him the glass of red wine. "Wishing Mr. Lin a prosperous business. This is just a small gift, nothing more."

Lin Yu greeted his two new friends with a smile and introduced them to each other. After some pleasantries, everyone gradually sat down around the dining table.

Lin Yu held the warm soup bowl, surrounded by the lively conversation of her friends at the table. Yet, amidst this joyous atmosphere, she once again found herself unable to stop missing Jiang Chuan, even though they had only parted ways the morning before last.

She shifted her gaze from the dining table, glancing around at her surroundings. Although the overall structure hadn't been drastically altered, the subtle changes in the furnishings revealed traces of their life together.

The cushions on the sofa were picked out together while they went shopping on the weekend, the ornaments on the coffee table were brought back from a small shop they stumbled upon during their travels, and even the books on the bookshelf next to the dining table were books that the two of them often read.

Every detail reveals Jiang Chuan's meticulous thoughts and heartfelt companionship.

She lowered her eyes, but finally couldn't resist. She took out her phone, opened the pinned chat window, and sent him a message: "When are you coming back? We're almost finished eating!" She added a cat-shaped emoji with its chin resting on its hand.

While waiting for Jiang Chuan's reply, she was stroking the ring on her middle finger, lost in thought, when Zhang Hengyuan smiled and handed her a glass of red wine.

"Hey, fill the glasses! Come on, everyone, let's raise our glasses and hear what our boss lady has to say!"

Lin Yu had no choice but to place the darkened phone screen face down on the table, stand up, take the wine glass, lightly place his fingertips on the stem, and raise the glass to face everyone.

"Then I wish our guesthouse a grand opening, and I also wish everyone good health and all the best in the new year."

"How could you forget about yourself?" Cheng Yuan chimed in with a laugh. "Aren't you going to wish our boss and his wife a sweet and lasting marriage?" This remark drew laughter from the entire room.

The wine glasses clinked lightly, the fire in the fireplace burned brightly, and the firewood crackled. The aroma of mutton soup still lingered, and the rich fragrance of red wine lingered on the tongue.

At that moment, Lin Yu suddenly understood that the so-called home is never a specific place, but a period of time spent together.

She smiled and took a sip of wine, a warmth slowly spreading from the bottom of her heart. She knew that this was not just the completion of a guesthouse, but the prelude to countless warm years to come for them.

Here we have each other, friends, family, the changing seasons, the warmth of everyday life, and love that will never be absent.