Chapter 51 Mother Comes to the Door
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Huo Nanchen went to the health center to see patients as usual.
Lin Xili spent the morning reading professional books in the original laboratory that Huo Nanchen used to set up on the second floor.
She stretched, closed the book, and felt a bit stuffy, so she decided to go for a walk. It just so happened that she hadn't really seen the winter in the small town yet.
Going down to the first floor, the electric scooter she bought six months ago came into view in the corner of the living room.
To her surprise, the car body was spotless, clearly having been wiped clean.
She inserted the key to check the battery level, which showed full charge – the battery was fully charged.
A warm current quietly flowed through my heart.
In this family, there is always someone quietly taking care of everything, without being ostentatious, yet meticulous in every detail.
She put on gloves and wrapped the off-white cashmere scarf around her neck; the soft touch warded off the winter chill.
Recalling the dazzling fireworks of last night, and Huo Nanchen's gentle face amidst the flickering flames, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
Pushing my electric scooter, I was about to leave when two uninvited guests suddenly appeared at the door.
"Lin Xili!"
A familiar voice rang out, still devoid of any emotion.
Lin Xili stopped pushing the cart, looked up, and when she saw who it was, the warmth that had just surged up vanished, and her face turned pale.
Standing at the door were Song Yuan and Lin Junsheng.
The two were dressed in luxury brands, which was out of place in this simple town. Song Yuan's face showed undisguised annoyance and impatience.
Lin Junsheng remained indifferent, as if nothing concerned him, needless to say, Song Yuan had come with him.
"Why are you here?" Lin Xili's voice was a little hoarse.
Song Yuan, wearing high heels, stepped straight into the house.
The sharp heels struck the tiled floor, making a piercing sound.
Her brows furrowed as her gaze swept across the entire living room.
"How did we get here?" she asked back.
"If we don't come, how long do you plan to stay in this godforsaken place?"
She looked around. "Where's Huo Nanchen? We're here to talk to his family."
"You must get a divorce as soon as possible and get it done during the Spring Festival!"
Another divorce left Lin Xi feeling utterly cold.
She knew that her mother's trip was solely for this purpose.
Seeing her silence, Song Yuan continued to offer her a bargaining chip: "Don't you like doctors?"
"The son of the president of Xiangjiang City Hospital, a well-known surgical expert both at home and abroad."
“What makes him a young talent that he's not better than Huo Nanchen, that country doctor? As long as you get a divorce, Mom will arrange a meeting for you right away!”
Lin Junsheng stepped forward and echoed, "Xi Li, you've always been sensible and obedient since you were little. Listening to your mother is for your own good; this place isn't suitable for you."
Lin Xili did not respond immediately, but instead set up the kickstand on the electric scooter.
She took a deep breath, raised her eyes, and met their gaze directly: "I will not get a divorce. I made that very clear on the phone last time."
"Not getting a divorce?"
"What are you after? Huh? Just to live in these two dilapidated floors? Because this place is poor and backward?"
Song Yuan glanced disdainfully at Lin Xili's car parked next to her.
"You drive a luxury car in Hong Kong, but here you ride this kind of electric scooter that offers no shelter from the wind or rain?"
"What kind of car do I drive in Hong Kong?" Lin Xili suddenly laughed.
Are you sure I'm driving a luxury car?
"You bought your brother and sister a million-dollar sports car."
"What did they buy for me? A new energy vehicle worth over 100,000 yuan."
Song Yuan's face stiffened, then she retorted, "You work at the Justice Bureau, isn't it for your own good that you drive a cheap car?"
Lin Xili smiled wryly: "Before I started working at the Bureau of Justice, did you remember my birthday two months ago?"
Song Yuan was speechless, and it was undeniable that she had indeed forgotten her daughter's birthday.
I had no choice but to forcefully change the subject: "Let's not talk about this. Xi Li, can you please stop being so love-struck!"
"What can Huo Nanchen, a country doctor with no connections, do to help you?"
"A mere thyroid doctor!"
"You're in the forensic department now. If you want a promotion in the future, do you think you can get it without connections?"
"Relying solely on your own abilities? Be realistic!"
Lin Junsheng chimed in, "Xi Li, I know you hold a grudge against us."
"But now the real estate industry is in decline, and the Lin family is in a difficult situation."
"You need to consider your entire family; your marriage isn't just a matter for you alone!"
“Family?” Lin Xili repeated the word softly.
Hearing this now, she felt only utter irony.
"Where was my family when I was jilted by the Xu family in Hong Kong because of my hyperthyroidism and became the laughing stock of the entire circle?"
"When you felt I had disgraced the Lin family and wanted to get rid of me like a burden by quickly handing me over to a divorced old man, where was the family?"
"Now you're thinking of using your family to tie me down?"
She looked at them, her eyes cold and resolute: "I'm sorry, I can't bear this burden."
"You can go back now, I won't get a divorce."
"You!" Song Yuan was trembling with anger, pointing at Lin Xili's nose, about to unleash a torrent of curses.
"Who's so rude?" A calm yet authoritative voice came from behind.
"They came to our door on the first day of the Lunar New Year, shouting and advising other people's children to get a divorce?"
Everyone turned around and saw that Grandma Huo was already standing at the door of her house.
She was carrying a cloth bag; she had just returned from listening to an opera.
The kind smile that usually graced her face vanished, replaced by an oppressive aura emanating from her, the kind of presence one often exudes in those in positions of power.
Even Song Yuan and Lin Junsheng, who were used to seeing all sorts of things, were momentarily stunned.
Song Yuanqiang calmed herself down and looked at the old lady in front of her again.
An old woman from the countryside possesses such extraordinary grace.
This temperament is exactly the same as Huo Nanchen's; she must be Huo Nanchen's grandmother.
She cleared her throat: "You must be Huo Nanchen's grandmother? I am Lin Xili's mother."
"I think it's necessary to talk to you."
“When Xili married your grandson, it was without our parents’ consent.”
"So, strictly speaking, this marriage is invalid."
Grandma Huo slowly walked into the house, her gaze calmly landing on Song Yuan's face.
She said calmly, "Xi Li agrees, my grandson agrees, and the marriage certificate issued by the State Civil Affairs Bureau also agrees."
"That's enough."
She paused, then continued, word by word.
"In our Huo family, Xi Li is our lawfully wedded granddaughter-in-law."
"This will always be her home, as long as she wants it."
"It's not up to outsiders to tell us what to do and how to get a divorce."
Grandma Huo emphasized the word "outsider" very heavily.
Song Yuan's face flushed red and then turned pale; she had never expected this old lady to have such an imposing presence.
"Grandma Huo, put yourself in her shoes. With your family's circumstances, which family would be willing to let their daughter marry into this family and suffer?"
She added, "Otherwise, Nan Chen wouldn't have gotten married at the age of twenty-eight."
Grandma Huo glanced around her living room, then her gaze fell on Lin Xili.
She saw the stubbornness that was being forced in the child's eyes.
She turned back to Song Yuan and said, "My family is well-off, at least we have enough to eat and wear, and we know how to care for her."
And you?
Her eyes sharpened.
"I have never seen any wealthy family that would dislike their children because of a minor illness."
“You, you…” Song Yuan was so angry that she couldn’t speak.
Seeing this, Lin Junsheng quickly stepped forward to ease the tension: "Grandma Huo, please don't misunderstand, we're just concerned about Xili..."
"Concerned?" Grandma Huo interrupted him, her voice icy.
"On the first day of the Lunar New Year, he went to his daughter's house and forced her to get a divorce."
"I've lived this long, and this is the first time I've ever seen anything like it."
She ignored the two men's unpleasant expressions and walked straight to Lin Xili's side.
She patted her arm gently, her voice regaining its usual loving tone.
"Xi Li, it's alright, Grandma's here. No one can bully you."
This simple sentence is very light.
But it suddenly broke open all the tightly locked gates in Lin Xili's heart.
The hard shell she had been maintaining shattered inch by inch at this moment.
My eyes suddenly reddened, and a rush of heat shot into my nasal cavity.
She nodded forcefully, her throat choked with emotion, unable to utter a single complete syllable.
"grandmother……"
Grandma Huo shielded her behind her, then turned to Song Yuan and Lin Junsheng and told them to leave.
"Please leave, gentlemen."
“Our Huo family’s village is too small to accommodate such a great figure as you.”
"It's the Lunar New Year, let's not make things unpleasant here."
Song Yuan was so angry that her chest heaved violently. She wanted to say something, but Lin Junsheng pulled her back.
Lin Junsheng could tell that with this tough-looking old lady around today, they would definitely not get any advantage.
If we continue making a scene, it will only attract the attention of the villagers and make things even more embarrassing.
"Fine, very well!" Song Yuan's face turned ashen as she glared fiercely at Lin Xili.
After saying that, she turned and left angrily in her high heels.
Lin Junsheng glanced at Lin Xili with mixed feelings, sighed softly, and followed.
The courtyard finally returned to silence.
Grandma Huo turned around and looked at Lin Xili.
She finally couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and they rolled down her cheeks in large drops.
Grandma lovingly pulled her into her arms and gently patted her back.
"Silly child, why are you crying?"
"Remember what Grandma said: as long as Grandma is here, as long as Nan Chen is here, no one will be able to bully you."
Lin Xili nestled on her grandmother's warm shoulder, tears quickly soaking the old woman's clothes.
This time, the tears were not from grievance or sadness.
It's more like a sense of relief after a dam has burst.
A sense of belonging and security.
She cried for a long time until her sobs gradually subsided.
She shyly lifted her head from her grandmother's arms, her face a mess.
Grandma Huo took out a tissue and gently wiped away the tears on her face. "It's okay to cry it out."
"When Grandma came back today, she specially went to buy some pastries from the old-established shop at the east end of town."
"It's very sweet."
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