Zhao Qingyun glanced at Xu Lai and said, "Something's come up in Heng County, so please don't ask. I'll go back and bring my grandmother over."
He hung up the phone. Xu Lai had already eaten a third of her portion. Seeing that she was using the spoon just right, he didn't say anything, just smiled and picked up his own portion to eat.
After finishing their meal, the two began to discuss what would happen next. They wouldn't be going back to the village anytime soon; at least not until her parents went to work elsewhere.
But she still has businesses there; her oil mill and company are all there, and she can't leave that place.
And her accommodation during this period, although she could stay in a hotel, it wasn't a long-term solution.
Zhao Qingyun kissed her cheek and said, "Wait for me."
He went to the car and got a stack of documents. Xu Lai initially thought he was going to buy something, but he came back with a stack of papers.
She looked puzzled, and Zhao Qingyun showed her the house contract. "I originally planned to tell you after the house was built and the interior was decorated, but now is the perfect time."
Xu Lai flipped through the pages a few times and saw that the location was in Shangxi Village. Connecting this to the land behind the house, she had a vague guess in her mind.
She flipped through a few more sheets of paper, and when she saw the design drawing, there was nothing she didn't understand.
Xu Lai took a while to find her voice, "So the house behind yours is yours?"
Zhao Qingyun corrected her, "No, it's yours."
She turned to the last page and saw that the homeowner's name was hers.
“Xu Lai, I know you can’t bear to leave everything in Shangxi Village, and I know about your career and dreams, so I decided to settle our new house here,” Zhao Qingyun whispered in her ear.
Xu Lai said anxiously, "But this is not fair to you."
Zhao Qingyun shook his head: "I told you not to worry about me. The company in Heng County is just starting out, and I have no interest in the position of heir. Let Zhao Qingxi take it."
“After we get married, you can stay wherever you want. I have two houses in Heng County and two in City B. If all else fails, we can stay in one place for a few months and treat it as a vacation,” Zhao Qingyun said, pinching her soft flesh.
Xu Lai wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed his lips twice, and said, "Thank you for thinking of me so much."
She could sense Zhao Qingyun's attitude towards this relationship; he was approaching it with the intention of spending his life with her.
Zhao Qingyun took the initiative and kissed her. Xu Lai didn't push him away, and he continued kissing her. Xu Lai trembled slightly from his stubble, and he pulled away, saying, "I'm going to shave."
Xu Lai stopped him, "It's okay."
Because her skin was somewhat sensitive and particularly ticklish, Zhao Qingyun made her tremble wherever he went.
Considering her hand, he quickly finished, and Xu Lai was still a little dazed.
"Aren't you still not better?" she cleared her throat.
Zhao Qingyun covered her eyes. "It's okay, I'm going to take a shower."
The two checked out of the hotel the next day, and Zhao Qingyun took Xu Lai to his house in the county. He had arranged for a housekeeping service to clean the house yesterday, and she could move in today.
Seeing that Zhao Qingyun had taken another call, Xu Lai couldn't help but ask, "Do you have something else to do? Why don't you go back and take care of it?"
Zhao Qingyun hugged her and said, "It's okay, I just left in a hurry and didn't tell them. People keep calling to ask where I am."
The two stayed there for a week, and with the Lantern Festival approaching, Zhao Qingyun asked Xu Lai for her opinion, and the two decided to go to City B to celebrate the Lantern Festival.
On the day she was leaving, Xu Lai received a call from her grandmother, "Xiao Lai, are you coming back for the Lantern Festival?"
Xu Lai touched the sofa fabric, her fingers clenched, and then said, "I'm not going back."
Grandma paused for a moment, then asked, "So you're going to stay here all by yourself?"
Just then, Zhao Qingyun came out with a piece of clothing in her hand. Seeing that she was on the phone, she gestured: "Should I bring this?"
Xu Lai nodded, then smiled and said to her grandmother on the other end of the microphone, "Zhao Qingyun and I are going home."
Grandma wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "That's good, it's good that you have somewhere to go."
Grandma was about to hang up when Xu Zhicheng took the phone. He said, "After the holiday, your mother and I went to work. We know you don't want to see us. From now on, when we come back, we'll stay in the county. You can come back to this house if you want, or not if you don't."
Xu Lai hung up the phone immediately. Xu Zhicheng lit another cigarette. He had already lowered his head, but his words were still stiff.
Grandma took the phone back without saying a word; she was still angry with Xu Zhicheng.
Half a month later, Xu Lai returned to the familiar yet unfamiliar place. Ms. Yingqiu took her hand and said, "Let me see, the scar has started to fall off. I remember there is an ointment that won't leave a scar. I'll go buy it tomorrow."
Xu Lai smiled and said, "It's okay, I'll accept it even if it can't be removed."
Ms. Yingqiu held her hand: "I don't have a daughter. From now on, Xiaolai, if you're willing, you can treat your mother-in-law as your mother."
Zhao Qingyun peeled an orange and gave half to each of them, saying, "Then I'm a son-in-law."
Xu Lai couldn't help but laugh. Ms. Yingqiu glanced at him and said, "You can become whoever you want."
During the meal, Aunt Zhang brought out a plate of glutinous rice balls, and Xu Lai couldn't help but ask, "Don't people in the North eat glutinous rice balls for the Lantern Festival?"
Zhao Qingyun paused with her chopsticks, then said, "These two aren't that different, are they?"
Xu Lai thought for a moment and said, "I know the difference isn't that big, but this is B City."
Zhao Qingyun said with a smile, "Have you forgotten that my mother and my maternal grandmother are both from the South, so my father naturally follows the majority."
Xu Lai nodded, agreeing, but she didn't know which side Zhao Qingyun preferred.
After dinner, Xu Lai returned to her room. She didn't know if Ms. Yingqiu knew something, but this time she didn't book a bed in another room, so she had to sleep in Zhao Qingyun's room.
After staying here for a few more days, Xu Yan sent a message saying that her parents had already left, and only then did she prepare to go back.
Grandma Jiang also went back this time, and the three of them returned to Shangxi Village smoothly.
Xu Lai looked at the familiar courtyard. Although she had only been away from home for less than a month, it felt like she hadn't been home for a long time.
She took her suitcase down and stopped at the door, ultimately hesitant to go inside.
Zhao Qingyun settled the old lady's things, put his arm around her shoulder, and said, "Don't be afraid, this is your home. I believe your grandparents won't blame you."
Xu Lai went inside. Her grandmother was tending the fire. Hearing the noise, she ran out to see what was happening.
Seeing that it was Xu Lai who had returned, her grandmother came over, shook her hand, and repeated, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
Xu Lai hugged her grandmother and said, "I'm sorry, Grandma, I made you worry."
Grandma wiped away her tears. During the days Xu Lai had been away from home, she hadn't been able to sleep well. Thinking of her bloodied hands from that day, she couldn't help but shed tears.
Xu Lai was a child she raised herself, and how could she not feel heartbroken seeing her suffer?
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