Chapter 116 Understanding Silence
It was five o'clock in the morning, before dawn.
Lin Xili woke up on time with the help of the alarm clock, but Huo Nanchen was no longer in bed beside her.
She got out of bed and heard noises coming from downstairs.
In the kitchen, Huo Nanchen was preparing breakfast.
"Awake?" He didn't turn around. "Go wash up first, the porridge will be ready soon."
Lin Xili responded and turned to go upstairs.
As she passed the children's room, she gently pushed open the door. Huo Xining and Huo Xiyu were already dressed and packing their small suitcases.
The two children worked quickly and efficiently, putting away the books, art supplies, and souvenirs they had bought in town.
"Good morning, Auntie." Huo Xiyu greeted her politely as soon as she saw her.
Huo Xining looked up, a hint of reluctance on her little face: "Auntie, are we really going back today?"
Lin Xili walked over, squatted down to be at eye level with her: "Yes, we have to go back now. We need to focus on our studies. We can come back again when we have time."
The little girl nodded vigorously, her eyes shining again: "Okay!"
When I finished washing up and went downstairs, breakfast was already on the table.
"Is everything packed up?" Grandma Huo asked Lin Xili as she walked into the restaurant.
"Okay, that's about it." Lin Xili sat down at the dining table. "Grandma, do you need any help with your things?"
"No need, I've already packed everything." Grandma Huo waved her hand and sat down on the other side of the dining table. "I'm old, I don't have much stuff, just a few changes of clothes."
After the meal, the cleaning work officially began.
Huo Nanchen was responsible for sorting and processing the remaining ingredients in the kitchen and delivering them to the neighbors.
Lin Xili was responsible for checking up and down the stairs, turning off the water and electricity valves, putting away items that easily collect dust, and taking down the sheets and blankets to wash and dry them.
Although she doesn't know when she'll be able to return, she hopes the building will remain ready for immediate occupancy.
At eight o'clock in the morning, everything was packed up. Most of the books on the second floor had already been packed into cardboard boxes, a total of thirty boxes. The logistics company that Huo Nanchen had arranged arrived on time to transport these books back to his new home in Xiangjiang City.
Huo Nanchen then took out a dust cloth from the storage room and began to cover the furniture.
Lin Xili helped pull the corners of the cloth, and the two worked together seamlessly. Soon, the sofa, electric scooter, tables and chairs in the living room were all covered with snow-white dust cloths.
Finally, there was the car. Huo Nanchen drove the SUV to the front of the small building, wiped it clean, and then drove it to the parking lot. He and Lin Xili then pulled open the huge dust cover and covered the car completely.
Returning to the front of the small building, Lin Xili felt a little reluctant to leave. "I don't know when I'll be able to come back next time."
"Come back whenever you have time; this will always be home."
As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Qing's voice came through: "Xi Li, Dr. Huo, are you ready?"
Wen Qing was still standing outside the door with that big backpack on her back. Behind her was her father, Uncle Wen, who was driving a seven-seater minivan. He was getting out of the driver's seat and waving to them with a smile.
"Uncle Wen, thank you for your trouble." Huo Nanchen stepped forward and took Wen Qing's suitcase.
"No trouble at all, it's on my way." Uncle Wen laughed heartily, then called into the house, "Grandma Huo, are you all packed? Let me help you with your luggage!"
Grandma Huo came out with a smile, carrying only a light handbag: "That's all, it's not heavy. Nan Chen has already loaded everything else into the car."
Uncle Wen still took the bag and turned around to help Huo Nanchen carry his luggage.
Just before getting into the car, Lin Xili took out a red envelope that she had prepared in advance from her bag, walked quickly to Uncle Wen, and stuffed it into his hand without saying a word: "Uncle Wen, thank you and Aunt Wang for your help these past few days. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."
Uncle Wen quickly declined, saying, "This is no way! It's all my duty."
"If you don't accept it, we'll be really embarrassed to trouble you again next time."
Uncle Wen glanced at his daughter beside him, and Wen Qing smiled and nodded: "Dad, please accept this, it's Xi Li's token of appreciation."
After some polite refusals, Uncle Wen finally accepted the red envelope, his eyes slightly red: "You kids... Alright, get on the train now, don't miss the high-speed rail."
As the car drove onto the county road, the town grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, eventually disappearing behind the hills.
Huo Xining pressed his face against the car window, staring in that direction until he could see nothing at all.
“They will come back,” Huo Nanchen suddenly said.
The little girl turned her head and nodded vigorously: "Yes!"
At the high-speed rail station, Uncle Wen helped them unload their luggage from the train, gave them some more instructions to be careful on the road, and then drove away.
At 5:30 p.m., the high-speed train arrived in Xiangjiang City on time.
Stepping out of the train carriage, the unique hustle and bustle and sense of speed of the city hit you right in the face.
Huo Nanyu was already waiting at the exit.
He was dressed casually today, which made him appear even more gentle and refined.
"Grandma, Nan Chen, Xi Li." He greeted them, his gaze first falling on Grandma Huo to make sure she was in good spirits before turning to the two children, "Xi Ning, Xi Yu, did you have fun?"
"I'm happy!" Huo Xining nodded vigorously, then added, "But I also miss my dad."
Huo Nanyu smiled and squatted down, pulling the two children into his arms, one in each hand: "Daddy missed you too."
After exchanging pleasantries, Huo Nanyu looked at Huo Nanchen and Lin Xili and said, "Nanchen, take Xili back to the old house for meals more often when you have time."
Huo Nanchen nodded.
Grandma Huo held one child's hand in each hand and waved to them: "Nan Chen, Xi Li, come home for dinner whenever you have time."
"Okay, Grandma, please take care of yourself." Lin Xili stepped forward and gently hugged the old woman.
Watching Huo Nanyu leave with the elderly and children, merging into the crowd at the station, Lin Xili suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.
Wen Qing also said goodbye at this moment: "Xi Li, Dr. Huo, I'm going back first too. See you at the station tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow." Lin Xili hugged her. "Please thank Aunt Wang and Uncle Wen for me."
"Thank you all, no need to be so polite." Wen Qing smiled and waved, then left with her suitcase.
The Justice Bureau dormitory is located on the other side of the city.
Pushing open the door, a familiar scent rushed towards me. It had only been a few days since I left, but it felt like an eternity.
The room was still as clean as when I left, and the blue plumbago on the balcony was still thriving.
Huo Nanchen carried the luggage into the house, while Lin Xili immediately went to the pot of blue plumbago and touched the small blue flowers with her fingertips.
"Are you tired?" Huo Nanchen's voice came from behind.
Lin Xili turned around and saw him walking towards her.
After a long day of travel, he looked a little tired, but his eyes remained clear.
"A little," she said honestly. "My back is a bit sore."
Huo Nanchen walked up to her and gently placed his hands on her waist: "Let me give you a massage."
His hand pressure was just right, his fingertips gently pressing on her waist, easing the tense muscles.
Lin Xili closed her eyes comfortably, almost letting out a sigh.
"We'll all be going to work tomorrow," she said softly.
Returning to Hong Kong means returning to the daily routine of leaving early and returning late, and returning to the state of striving for one's career.
"Mm," Huo Nanchen replied, his hands still moving. "I'm going to a medical training course tomorrow, which is expected to last a week."
Lin Xili's body stiffened for a moment.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
Huo Nanchen also stopped what he was doing and looked down to meet her gaze.
This is a signal that he is about to leave again temporarily, to fulfill the responsibilities of his other identity.
She couldn't ask for any information; he said a week, so she waited a week.
A silence spread between them, but it was not an awkward silence; rather, it was a tacit and understanding silence.
After a long silence, Lin Xili finally spoke softly, "Okay."
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