After get off work, the two went straight to Quanjude.
This shop is very close to their hospital, only a ten-minute walk away.
The restaurant was quite crowded. Li Chu ordered a whole duck, a side of crispy pork, and stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar. He also asked for a duck carcass soup and rice as his main dish. He added two bottles of Beibingyang soda, and that was it.
It cost a total of three yuan and fifty-six cents plus food coupons. Ding Qiunan watched as Li Chu handed the money and coupons to the waiter, her face twitching with heartache.
He kept muttering, "This is too much. This costs too much. I can't eat like this again."
Li Chu chuckled inwardly, but said aloud, "Isn't this a special case since we're starting to date today? It won't happen again in the future."
After all the dishes were served, the two began to eat and chat.
Li Chu put a piece of meat in Ding Qiunan's bowl, looked at her and said, "Qiunan, what are your plans for the future?"
Ding Qiunan was taken aback. Yes, she only had three months left in her advanced studies and would be returning to the factory. Although both were in Beijing, they were still quite far apart, so she couldn't possibly travel there every day.
He said helplessly, "I don't know what to do either. Tell me your thoughts first."
Li Chu picked up a pancake, rolled up some duck meat, and handed it to Ding Qiunan, then said, "What I mean is, I'm trying to find a way to transfer you to the main factory. What do you think?"
After swallowing what she was eating, Ding Qiunan nodded and said, "It would be great to be transferred to the main factory, but my father might not be able to help. He already owes someone a favor because I was able to come out for further studies."
"It's alright, there's no rush. You still have three months left in your studies, so we can figure it out slowly." After saying that, Li Chu chuckled and said, "What's more urgent now is when you're planning to let me meet your parents."
Ding Qiunan's face flushed red instantly: "You... what nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean they're your father-in-law and mother-in-law?"
"Hey, it was bound to happen sooner or later."
The two chatted and laughed as they finished their meal. Afterwards, Li Chu wanted to go to the movies with Ding Qiunan, but Ding Qiunan felt that there were other people in the dormitory and it would be inappropriate to go back late.
Li Chu had no choice but to send Ding Qiunan back.
As they approached the hospital entrance, Li Chu tugged at Ding Qiunan's arm, and the two stood facing each other.
Li Chu's face suddenly turned serious as he looked at Ding Qiunan and said, "Qiunan, although I asked you this afternoon, I still want to ask you again: You agreed to be with me, are you sure you've thought it through? This is a lifelong commitment."
When Ding Qiunan heard him ask that, although she was a little shy, she still mustered up her courage to look Li Chu in the eye and said, "Li Chu, I can tell you for sure that I have made up my mind. I want to be with you, and I feel that this is a lifelong commitment."
A big smile spread across Li Chu's face. "Then arrange a time for me to meet your parents."
Ding Qiunan didn't avoid the topic. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I'll have a day off the day after tomorrow. I'll go back home and tell my parents first. Then we'll discuss a time, and I'll take you to see them next time."
"Okay!" Li Chu reached out and shook Ding Qiunan's hand. "Alright, you can go in now."
"Okay, you should go back early too. I'm going in." After saying that, Ding Qiunan turned around to go into the hospital, but then stopped and looked back at Li Chu.
"What's wrong?" Li Chu asked.
Ding Qiunan pursed her lips, turned her head to look around to make sure no one was paying attention, then turned around, walked over and hugged Li Chu, quickly let go, and then darted out like a rabbit, running into the hospital.
He ran for twenty or thirty meters before stopping, then turned around and waved to Li Chu before heading towards the dormitory area at the back.
Li Chu was a little confused. "I was actually forcibly hugged. Tsk tsk, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage."
She stood there watching Ding Qiunan walk away until she was out of sight before preparing to go home.
Li Chu strolled back along the roadside, his mind still replaying the feeling of that fleeting moment of separation. He couldn't grasp it with one hand; it was confirmed.
As I walked into the alley and approached the courtyard gate, I saw an old man pacing back and forth with his head down. Near the gate, an old man was playing chess with someone, and several people were watching. On the other side of the gate, several older women from the courtyard were doing needlework and chatting.
Li Chu walked over and called out to the old man who was still pacing around, "Grandpa, what are you doing?"
Upon hearing Li Chu's voice, the old man quickly looked up and said, "Little Chu, you're finally back." He then grabbed Li Chu's arm and pulled her into the yard, saying as they walked, "I don't know what's wrong with your aunt today; she didn't even get to eat."
"Don't rush, don't rush, grandpa, I'll go with you to take a look." With the old man pulling his arm, Li Chu couldn't even go to the restroom. He could only follow him to the Intermediate People's Court first.
Ever since Yi Zhonghai learned that his wife might be pregnant, he has become much more attentive to the older woman.
Upon entering the old man's house, he said, "Xiao Chu, please sit down first. Your aunt is lying in the inner room. I'll go and call her out."
Li Chu sat down and looked around the house. He could tell that the older woman was really hardworking; the house was tidy and clean.
An older woman came out from the inner room, followed by an older man. "Xiao Chu, thank you so much. You just got back and your uncle dragged you here. I told him it was nothing and he just needed to rest, but he insisted on coming to find you," the older woman said apologetically to Li Chu.
“It’s no trouble at all, ma’am. Please sit here and let me take a look at you.”
He reached out and started taking the pulse of an older woman. After a while, Li Chu put his hand down, looked at the older woman, then at the older man, and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Grandpa and Grandma." He then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to them.
When the elderly couple heard Li Chu say this, they immediately understood what had happened. They looked at each other, and their faces visibly began to turn red.
Seeing this, Li Chu quickly said, "Auntie, calm down, you must calm down. You are an elderly pregnant woman now, you mustn't get too excited, it's not good for your health."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman quickly forced herself to calm down, saying, "Yes, yes, I need to calm down. I can't get agitated."
"Auntie, follow me. Take a deep breath and then slowly exhale. Yes, just like that."
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