Chapter 99 Howard Marries and Seizes (1)
Yuan Chunmei was a patient after all, and everyone panicked when she fell down.
Bai Lili calmly directed everyone, "Come on, everyone help! A few female comrades, come with me to send Deputy Section Chief Yuan to the hospital! Uncle Jiang, you and the public security comrades take Meng Junjun to the police station..."
Meng Junjun woke up instantly and screamed in panic, "Mom! Mom, help me!"
Yuan Chunmei, who had fallen to the ground, immediately got up and yelled hysterically, "I'll see who dares to bully my son!"
Everyone: ...
"So, she was pretending to be faint just now?"
"She has such a bad character!"
"I wonder if she really has cancer?"
"That's right. He said he was going to die many years ago, but he's not dead yet!"
"Is he pretending to be sick to win our sympathy and get benefits?"
Yuan Chunmei explained with tears and snot, "I, I really do have cancer! How could I possibly joke about this? I can't let anything happen to my Junjun! A daughter is weak, but a mother is strong!"
Meng Junjun was so scared that he burst into tears, "Mom! Mom, I will never dare to do this again... Don't let the police arrest me!"
He is too naughty. Relying on his mother's favor, he does whatever he wants and does whatever he wants. Sometimes his grandparents couldn't stand it and wanted to educate him, but they were stopped by Yuan Chunmei.
There was no other way. Every time Meng Junjun got into trouble, the elders would scold him, saying things like "When the time comes, the police will take you to the police station," or "You'll regret it when you go to jail."
Now, the "Public Security" is here, and they still want to arrest him?
Meng Junjun was so scared that she burst into tears. "Don't! Don't arrest me! I confessed everything! My mom came home from get off work and told my dad that Aunt Xiao, Uncle Ding and Uncle Ma from her office... wanted to compete with her for the advanced worker title. My mom scolded them for hours at home... My dad was so annoyed that he only scolded my mom behind her back and would not find a way to solve the problem himself. My mom cried because of his scolding."
"So when I went to look for my mom, I stole the keys and handkerchief from Aunt Xiao's shoulder bag and stuffed them into Uncle Ding's coat. I also stole my mom's wallet. After I took the money, I didn't touch the remaining documents and put the empty wallet into Uncle Ma's shoulder bag... Later, none of them were rated as advanced, but my mom was..."
Meng Junjun said in a low voice.
Yuan Chunmei was stunned.
Everyone fell silent, all with an expression that was hard to describe!
Meng Junjun was still young after all, and seeing that no one said a word, he thought that his explanation was not thorough enough, so he continued to cry: "Also, there's more! I, I stole Bai Lili's underwear that was hung in the dormitory and gave it to my dad..."
Bai Lili was stunned. "What?"
She was confused.
Ever since her parents and brother were transferred to the Municipal Party Committee, she no longer takes a shower or does laundry in the unit dormitory. After all, it was a big bathhouse, not private enough, and it was not convenient to wash clothes, so she always went back to her parents' house to take a bath, wash her hair, and do laundry.
The waitress Xiaohong screamed, "It's you! I was wondering why everyone's underwear in our dormitory has been lost! Was it you, a naughty kid?"
Another young female employee heard this and said angrily: "Oh my God! Who taught you this? It's too disgusting! Did your father teach you this?"
Another female colleague, a married woman in her forties who also lived in the female dormitory, yelled, "I was wondering why you even threw my underwear away. It turns out it was you, a little kid!"
Yuan Chunmei widened her eyes in shock and looked at her son in disbelief.
After a while, she asked, "Junjun, why did you... steal Bai Lili's underwear?"
Bai Lili corrected, "Wait! I didn't lose any clothes. Because I only rested in the dormitory, I went back to my own house for all the washing!"
Several female employees present nodded in unison.
This time it was Meng Junjun's turn to be surprised. "What did you say? Those underwear... hung outside your dormitory door, none of them belong to you?"
The naughty child cried loudly, "I'm done for! My dad will beat me to death!"
Everyone was in an uproar——
"Meng Guoqiang is such a hypocrite! But he is actually full of evil intentions!"
"Bah! You are so shameless and hypocritical!"
"He seems so serious on the surface, but I didn't expect him to be this kind of person!"
"Hey, think about it, Yuan Chunmei is not in good health, maybe Meng Guoqiang has already kept a third party outside!"
"Yuan Chunmei is so ridiculous! Her man betrayed her a long time ago, and she is still helping him find another partner!"
"There must be something hateful about pitiful people!"
Just at this moment, Meng Guoqiang stepped into the kitchen with his hands behind his back.
He waited outside for a long time, but never saw Yuan Chunmei bring her son Meng Junjun out. Seeing that it was getting late, he went to look for her.
As a result, as soon as he came in, everyone's eyes were focused on him?
Even the look in his wife Yuan Chunmei's eyes when she looked at him seemed to have lost the attachment and tenderness of the past.
Meng Guoqiang frowned, "Chunmei, let's go!"
He suddenly saw a person and was startled. He quickly greeted him, "Director Lin?" Then he hurried forward and wanted to shake hands with Director Lin.
Director Lin had already entered the kitchen early in the morning and watched the show for half a day. At this moment, he was also staring at Meng Guoqiang with a complicated look in his eyes. When Meng Guoqiang came up, he wanted to shake hands with him...
Director Lin quickly raised his hand, patted Meng Guoqiang on the shoulder twice, and greeted him with a fake smile, "Deputy Director Meng is here to inspect as well!"
To avoid shaking his hand.
Too dirty.
Meng Guoqiang stretched out his hand, but found nothing, and was stunned.
However, Director Lin patted him on the shoulder again... So, it’s okay, this is also a way of saying hello! That is, why does Director Lin’s expression look so weird?
Also, Director Lin said, "You are here to inspect as well?"
This word "也" has a profound meaning!
First of all, was he accusing Meng Guoqiang of being absent from work during working hours? After all, Meng Guoqiang is in charge of the boiler heating and has nothing to do with the kitchen. Secondly, Director Lin clearly told Meng Guoqiang that he came to the kitchen with a mission!
Meng Guoqiang said quickly: "You have something to do first..."
Director Lin smiled and said, "I came here because... there is a distinguished guest coming from Kyoto. Every time he comes, he likes to have some medicinal snacks or something like that."
As he spoke, Director Lin's face gradually darkened. "I didn't expect that the people in our hotel's kitchen were so daring! They dared to send all kinds of messy things up..."
Bai Lili was stunned.
Yuan Chunmei was also stunned.
Meng Guoqiang didn't understand why, so he smiled and said, "Who dares to die? Did they offend the people from above?"
Director Lin asked Meng Guoqiang with a half-smile, "Deputy Director Meng, how do you think this matter should be handled?"
Meng Guoqiang thought, this is none of his business. Although Yuan Chunmei is from the guest house, she is in management, not in charge of the kitchen...
So Meng Guoqiang said with a serious face: "We must follow the rules. Whoever made the mistake will be held responsible!"
Yuan Chunmei bit her lower lip.
Director Lin smiled and said, "Deputy Director Meng, this is what happened. I happened to be there and saw them arguing. I also vaguely knew what happened... So, let me introduce the situation to you?"
Meng Guoqiang finally felt that something was wrong.
——What does it have to do with him? ! What does Director Lin have to explain to him? !
Director Lin pointed at Yuan Chunmei and said word by word: "Originally, Chef Bai Lili was cooking medicinal snacks for the VIP guests, and then Deputy Section Chief Yuan rushed into the kitchen and quarreled with Chef Bai over personal issues... During this process, Deputy Section Chief Yuan threw the snacks that Chef Bai had prepared on the ground..."
Yuan Chunmei's face turned pale and she was about to collapse.
Meng Guoqiang's face was full of shock!
Director Lin continued, "According to what I heard personally, Deputy Director Meng, your wife, Deputy Section Chief Yuan, is deeply in love with you! She actually... wants to find a partner for you?"
Meng Guoqiang was so shocked that his fat face suddenly turned red!
Yuan Chunmei began to sob softly.
When Meng Guoqiang saw that Yuan Chunmei did not refute, he knew that the matter had been exposed. He couldn't help but look at Bai Lili... Seeing Bai Lili glaring at him hatefully, he felt even more ashamed and had to push the blame onto Yuan Chunmei, thinking that since Yuan Chunmei was suffering from a terminal illness, this was a trump card. He and Yuan Chunmei were originally ordinary employees, but because Yuan Chunmei insisted on working despite her terminal illness and was repeatedly rated as advanced, she was promoted to worker.
This time, Meng Guoqiang wants to continue playing this card.
"Director Lin, this is mainly because Chunmei is ill, so she feels insecure. Anyway, I just listen to whatever she says, but I never take it to heart. If I offend anyone because of this, please don't mind."
As Meng Guoqiang spoke, he looked at Yuan Chunmei, his eyes filled with deep love.
Yuan Chunmei turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.
Meng Guoqiang added: "It's not a big deal... Bai Lili, please quickly make another dessert and send it over!" As he said that, he waved at Yuan Chunmei and Meng Junjun as if nothing had happened, meaning: It's okay, let's go!
Bai Lili sneered: "Excuse me, why should I make a redo?"
Meng Guoqiang was stunned. "You did it, didn't you?"
Bai Lili, "Deputy Director Meng, a customer came to order food, and the front desk waiter wrote the bill. I took the bill and I was ready. It was your wife who made trouble and knocked over the snacks I had prepared. Who is responsible for this?"
Meng Guoqiang looked at Bai Lili and answered irrelevantly, "Aren't you and Chunmei good friends?"
Bai Lili felt upset when she heard the word "good friends".
She insisted, "... I am asking you, Yuan Chunmei was at work, knowing that the kitchen was a restricted area and no outsiders were allowed to enter, but she ignored the rules of the company and violated the company rules, disturbing my work with personal issues... and ultimately destroyed the fruits of my labor... Who is responsible for this?"
Meng Guoqiang was angry. "Bai Lili, please don't be so unreasonable! Chunmei has such a good relationship with you, and you send her soup every day. Why did you suddenly become so sarcastic?"
Bai Taotao asked sternly: "I'm asking you, who is responsible for this?"
The whole audience was silent.
Yuan Chunmei sobbed and said, "It's my responsibility."
Meng Guoqiang glared at Yuan Chunmei fiercely.
Bai Taotao didn't even look at Yuan Chunmei, she just asked coldly: "Then how should we deal with this matter?"
Yuan Chunmei's tears flowed down her cheeks. "I, I will pay for it! All the expenses for the ingredients and labor will be mine. If there are other penalties, I am willing to accept them."
"Yuan-chun-mei!"
Meng Guoqiang was stunned for a moment, then he growled Yuan Chunmei's name in a louder voice.
Yuan Chunmei didn't want to pay attention to him, she just bowed to Bai Lili, "I'm sorry, Lili, please... make another dessert and send it to the VIP quickly! I will compensate for all the losses!"
Meng Guoqiang is famous!
On the one hand, he is a man who values money very much. Yuan Chunmei's salary was all handed over to him, and now without his consent, she took the initiative to tell Bai Lili that "she will compensate for all losses"...
On the other hand, he felt that Yuan Chunmei was challenging his authority. Because he has always had the final say in this family. In his opinion, Yuan Chunmei made the decision privately without consulting him, which made him very angry.
"Yuan Chunmei, what's wrong with you?" Meng Guoqiang asked.
Yuan Chunmei looked back at him and said, "Don't embarrass yourself here. If you have something to say, go outside and talk about it. Don't disturb others at work!" As she said that, she walked outside.
Meng Junjun followed closely and gently tugged at the corner of his mother's clothes, "Mom, save me! I, I don't want to be arrested by the police!"
Hearing this, Yuan Chunmei stopped and looked at Lao Jiang. She also recognized that the two uniformed men standing next to Lao Jiang were actually from the security department of the unit.
Yuan Chunmei bowed to Lao Jiang again, "Lao Jiang, I'm sorry... I didn't discipline the child well, and you got hurt. Bring me the medical bills later and I'll reimburse you... I'll also give you the salary for the few days you need to take sick leave."
Meng Guoqiang was even more angry and interrupted her, "Yuan-chun-mei!!!"
Yuan Chunmei turned a deaf ear to them and said to the two security guards: "I'm sorry, the child is still young, I didn't discipline him well enough, and I'm sorry for causing trouble to everyone!"
The two security guards scratched the back of their heads and took a step back.
Yuan Chunmei left with her son.
Meng Guoqiang roared in anger: "Yuan Chunmei, what are you crazy about!"
Yuan Chunmei walked out of the kitchen without saying a word.
Meng Guoqiang wants to chase——
The waitresses Xiaohong, Chen Fang and Sister Tu stopped him and said, "Deputy Director Meng, please stay. We have something to talk to you about!"
"What's the matter!" Meng Guoqiang was still angry and spoke in a very bad tone.
The female employees surrounded him and started to chatter.
"Did you steal our underwear that was hung out in the dormitory hallway?"
"You are still a cadre, how can you be so shameless?"
"Don't deny that your son has confessed. You were the one who ordered it!"
"That's right, what does a kid know? If you didn't ask him to steal, how could he do such a thing?"
"What a beast! Such a pervert!"
"Sisters, he's so stubborn, why don't we call the police!"
Meng Guoqiang was stunned, and felt his face burning!
He finally understood why Yuan Chunmei had that attitude towards him.
"I, I didn't!" Meng Guoqiang shouted in shame and anger, "You! You slandered me! You even believed what a child said? You, you don't talk nonsense! You can't just frame someone without evidence! Is this the attitude you should have towards cadres?"
As he said this, he wanted to run.
Several female employees chased after him angrily.
Bai Lili called the worker and prepared to make another yam cake.
Director Lin came over and said, "Xiaobai, don't be in a hurry. I have something to tell you. Come, let's talk for a moment." Having said that, he did not walk far, but just walked to the side about five or six steps.
White pears have passed.
After Director Lin gave a few instructions, he handed Bai Lili a note and left.
Bai Lili had a complicated expression.
After returning to her post, Bai Lili showed the note to the worker.
The worker took a look and asked, "Are you still going to make the yam cake? Or are you just going to make what's written on the note?"
Bai Lili sighed, "Let's make the yam cake too."
After a busy period, the two of them finally managed to prepare four or five kinds of snacks.
However, it was not the waiters who brought the snacks to the serving table...
Bai Lili carried the lunch box and personally delivered it to the guest room at the Guest House as requested by Director Lin.
She knocked on the door softly, "Hello! Waiter, serve the food!"
Soon, the door opened.
A smiling, well-dressed, silver-haired old lady stood at the door and called out affectionately and joyfully, "Li Li!"
Bai Lili was a little overwhelmed. She handed over the lunch box in her hand and said softly, "Good afternoon, Chief Huo. This is the meal you ordered..."
Mrs. Huo smiled and grabbed Bai Lili, dragged her into the house, and complained: "What are you afraid of! Hua En is not here again! Come on in! Ming Cheng and Ming Yong are here, we have been waiting for you for a long time! Come on in and chat with us!"
Old Mrs. Huo closed the door.
Two little boys, about six or seven years old, ran over and shouted to her happily:
"Aunt Lili! I missed you so much!"
"Li Li Li Li! Did you miss us?"
Bai Lili: ...
She put the lunch box on the table and asked Mrs. Huo, "Did you take them to the restaurant for lunch?"
"Hua En was there at noon," Mrs. Huo said, "but he had something else to do, so he went to a meeting after lunch... By the way, you've got off work now, right?"
Bai Lili nodded.
——The working hours of kitchen staff follow the meal times. Lunch is busy from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and dinner is busy from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The chef on duty is on call 24 hours a day, but Bai Lili is not on duty today.
"I'm glad I didn't delay your work!" Mrs. Huo said with a smile, "Hey, come and show me Lili's craftsmanship!"
Open the lids of several lunch boxes and take a look——
The old lady and the two children exclaimed "Wow" in unison!
The three people, one old and two children, all tilted their heads and looked at Lili, their eyes full of admiration and joy.
“Isn’t this too beautiful?”
“Li Li Li Li, are these really edible?”
"I don't want to eat it. I want to keep it and look at it when I miss Lili..."
Bai Lili brought four lunch boxes containing four kinds of snacks: red raisin and yam paste cake, roasted crispy seaweed boat with pork floss, frosted hawthorn, and brown sugar stewed milk in a small bowl.
The yam cake is cut into square pieces, snow-white, fluffy and delicate all over, and is inlaid with bright red raisins, like red roses blooming in the snow. It looks stunning and tempting just by looking at it!
The roasted crispy seaweed boat with pork floss is made with seaweed as the skin, which is pinched into the shape of a small boat and fried directly in a pan to fix the shape. Then spread the custard mayonnaise made from milk, egg yolk and white sugar on the bottom of the boat, stuff a layer of crispy pork floss in the middle, then put a slice of thinly sliced apple, then another layer of custard mayonnaise, and finally pile on the pork floss. Just by looking at the appearance, you can tell that this seaweed boat is delicious!
Frosted sugar hawthorn, as the name suggests, is filled with a whole pitted hawthorn, and the surface is covered with thick white frosting sugar. It tastes sweet and sour, and it is so delicious!
Finally, there were four small fist-sized porcelain bowls with brown sugar stewed eggs. A layer of milk was put on the surface of the stewed eggs, and then they were put into an open flame stove and roasted over high heat for ten seconds. They were quickly taken out, and the surface of the dessert was slightly burnt, exuding a rich and pleasant brown sugar aroma.
Lili took out snacks and desserts and let Mrs. Huo and the two children eat them.
The old people and children praised each portion of food several times before eating it reluctantly.
Lili asked Mrs. Huo, "Have you just arrived in Song City?"
"Just arrived today!" said Mrs. Huo with a smile.
Lili frowned, "It's already the end of the year, and you're still following him here... and going back to Kyoto in a few days? This is too much trouble."
Mrs. Huo said, "We have no plans to leave! We will celebrate the New Year here this year!"
Lili was stunned.
After a long while, she finally reacted and asked incredulously, "You...are spending the New Year here? In the guest house?"
Mrs. Huo smiled and nodded, and then said, "Anyway, there are only four of us at home. Our family is already together, so it doesn't matter where we celebrate the New Year!"
As she spoke, Mrs. Huo's eyes sparkled with shrewdness, "Lili, we are spending the New Year here... It's so boring! We don't know anyone, and we have nowhere to visit relatives... Can we go to your house to play?"
Lili bit her lip and her pretty face flushed.
——How could she not understand what Old Madam Huo was thinking? !
But……
"Let's talk about it later!" Lili avoided the question.
Huo Mingcheng ran over, "Lili! Look!!!" He handed a notebook to Bai Lili.
Lili took it, opened it and saw...
On the page inside, there was a thin, long dry willow leaf, and next to it was a small poem written in childish handwriting:
Spring Breeze and Spring Willow:
you,
From the South,
Warm, soft,
You woke me up softly,
Turn around and run.
I,
Waking up from winter,
Put on new velvet green clothes,
It's a pity that you have gone far away.
Turning the pages further, there are small wild flowers in summer, wheat ears in autumn, and chrysanthemums in winter...
Xiao Ming Cheng wrote poems for it.
Lili was completely immersed in it, repeating the simple, childish yet charming little poem over and over again. She really liked it.
Xiao Mingcheng's eyes lit up with joy!
Xiao Mingyong was not to be outdone and took a large paper box, "Lililili, come and see my baby, okay!"
Lili said to Xiao Mingcheng, "You write really well! Do you mind if I copy down your poems? I want to read them every day!"
Xiao Mingcheng was so happy that he nodded vigorously.
Lili then asked Xiao Mingyong with a smile, "Okay, Xiao Mingyong, what surprise have you brought me this time?"
Xiao Mingyong straightened his chest and opened the box, "This is the windmill battery I made by myself!"
As he spoke, Xiao Mingyong took out various spare parts from the paper box and assembled them quickly. With a few frantic cranks of a small handle, a tiny light bulb on the end of the windmill began to glow.
Xiao Mingyong said: "I am now generating electricity manually. Put this thing outside. When the wind is strong, the windmill blades will rotate by themselves! When it rotates, it generates electricity, and then the electricity can be stored in the battery..."
Lili exclaimed, "Then this isn't a business with no capital!"
There was a hint of admiration in her eyes when she looked at Xiao Mingyong.
Xiao Mingyong's face was filled with uncontrollable joy. "It's this battery... It's very difficult to find the material. If this material can be more common in the future, our country's rural areas can also install this kind of wind power generation, and every household can use electric lights!"
Lili applauded Xiao Mingyong, "Xiao Mingyong, you must keep up the good work!"
Old Mrs. Huo watched the interaction between Bai Lili and the two children with a smile.
She couldn't help but think of her first meeting with Bai Lili two years ago.
Old Mrs. Huo is in her sixties this year. Her husband was a revolutionary pioneer and progressive person. He died heroically for the organization and the people before liberation.
She has two sons. The eldest son, Huo Huachu, is 40 years old. He was injured in the war before liberation. He could still hold on when he was young, but a few years ago he could not hold on any longer and was sent to Russia for recuperation by the organization.
The second son, Howard, is thirty years old this year. He was married once before, in accordance with his father's last wishes, to the daughter of a political ally. However, the woman was never satisfied with the marriage and had been threatening to divorce for several years... When Xiao Mingyong was two years old, Howard divorced his ex-wife.
Xiao Mingcheng is Huo Huachu's son.
Huo Huachu and his wife have been living abroad, so Xiao Mingcheng has been following Old Mrs. Huo and keeping Xiao Mingyong company.
It was also in this guesthouse that Old Mrs. Huo first met Bai Lili.
She was in a bad mood at the time and sat by the lake to enjoy the scenery and relax. She sat there for too long without noticing and became frozen all over.
Bai Lili also comes to the lake for walks when she is not working.
Seeing that Mrs. Huo looked pale and had black lips, Bai Lili quickly put on her the woolen shawl she had knitted, and called over two other waiters, who helped her back to the room.
Then, Bai Lili made a bowl of strong brown sugar ginger tea and asked the waiter to bring it to her room.
The next day, Mrs. Huo bought a few boxes of crispy candies and gave them to Bai Lili and the waiters who had taken care of her as a thank you gift. But during this process, Lili noticed Mrs. Huo's complexion, and smelled a somewhat unpleasant tone when she spoke.
Bai Lili sent her medicinal soups for several days in a row.
After a few days, Mrs. Huo's stomach problems were cured, her sleep improved, and she no longer felt cold and stiff all over...
The two became friends regardless of age difference.
Old Mrs. Huo returned to Beijing, and within two months, she came back with a pair of little grandsons.
Xiao Mingyong and Xiao Mingcheng were well educated by Mrs. Huo and got along well with Lili. They spent a very happy week together, and then Mrs. Huo took the children away.
Since then, they have been coming to Song City every two to three months, staying for about a week each time...
Thinking of this, Mrs. Huo smiled and said, "Lili, time flies so fast! In a blink of an eye, we have known each other for two years!"
Lili's expression changed.
Yes, in a blink of an eye, she and the Huo family have been living together for two years.
In the past two years, she had been so relaxed and comfortable with Old Lady Huo, Xiao Mingcheng and Xiao Mingyong...
It would be great if Howard didn't exist.
But--
Bai Lili sighed.
A year ago, Howard came with Mrs. Huo and her two children.
Bai Lili keenly felt that Old Lady Huo seemed to be trying to arrange a marriage?
Want to match her up with Howard?
Bai Lili immediately asked her boss for annual leave and left.
result--
Mrs. Huo did return to Kyoto with her two children, but Howard made a surprise comeback!
Bai Lili was caught by him.
He was quite frank and said to her: "I know it's quite presumptuous of me to say this, but I still hope you can give me a chance to finish what I want to say... I'm busy with work and have very little time to spend with my mother and two children, but in the past year, they have mentioned you almost every day, and have taken every opportunity to go to Song City to see you..."
"So, Comrade Bai Lili, can you... accept my proposal?" Howard asked directly.
Bai Lili blushed.
Howard continued, "I was divorced once before. Mingyong is my ex-wife's child... My ex-wife has gone abroad and married someone else. Mingcheng is my brother and sister-in-law's child, but they are not in the country. Mingcheng also needs my care... But I really can't take care of them..."
"Comrade Bai Lili, I hope you can seriously consider dating me. I admit that I don't know you, just like... you don't know me, but if you are willing, we can get married as a prerequisite, get along with each other, and get to know each other. Do you... agree?"
Bai Lili shook her head desperately and ran away.
Bai Lili didn't know what Howard was thinking, and she didn't want to guess.
She could almost anticipate her parents' attitude.
——Song Zhi had lived in their home for three years, and his parents knew everything about him, his character, his family situation, etc. And Song Zhi had already expressed his desire to marry Taotao three years ago. But her parents just didn't agree. The reason was that Song Zhi's father was the commander-in-chief of Nandu. Her parents were afraid that Taotao would be bullied after marrying Song Zhi, and the family would not be able to help her.
Later, Taotao won a place in the workers, peasants and soldiers student program, and her parents gave in.
Now Howard...
His family background was no worse than Song Zhi's. Most importantly, Song Zhi had a prominent family background, but he himself did not engage in politics but scientific research. But Howard is different. He is already a deputy ministerial level cadre at a young age!
He is also divorced and has a son!
Parents would definitely not agree with such a candidate.
Lili is not against marriage, but she loves her family first. If Howard is a person who can never pass the test of her parents...
She wouldn't even consider him.
Besides, as he said, she didn't know him anyway. And the reason why he wanted to get along with her was out of consideration for his family.
Howard is quite upright.
After talking to Lili that time and being rejected...
He never expressed any inappropriate words or actions to her again.
However, in the past, Mrs. Huo would bring her grandchildren to Song City for a week-long stay every two months, and now Howard would follow them every time.
At first, Bai Lili was not used to his presence.
Later I gradually accepted it.
——He was busy with work and only had meals with his mother, son and nephew three times a day. But at this time, Bai Lili is usually busy in the kitchen and we can't meet each other.
Only in the afternoons, when Mrs. Huo took Mingyong and Mingcheng to the lake to play with Bai Lili, would Huo Huaen occasionally appear.
He was very silent and always just looked at and observed her silently.
Later, Bai Lili gradually relaxed and was no longer reserved in front of him. She played with Xiao Mingcheng and Xiao Mingyong however she wanted, and chatted with Old Madam Huo however she wanted...
It started about half a year ago. Howard would write her a letter every month. There was only one sentence in the letter:
[Bai Lili, I still insist on my own ideas. Could you please consider me again? Howard. 】
Every time, Lili would tear up the letter as soon as she received it...
Until a month ago, Bai Lili received another handwritten letter from Howard.
There was one more line in the letter:
【White pear,
I'm sure you're the one I've been waiting for.
Next month, I will take time to visit your home and explain the situation carefully to your parents, hoping to get their consent and blessing.
Howard. 】
Thinking of this, Bai Lili could no longer stay still. She looked at her watch and saw that it was almost time to go back to the kitchen to prepare dinner, so she stood up and said to Mrs. Huo, Xiao Mingyong and Xiao Mingcheng, "Okay, it's almost time, I have to go..."
The old and the young are reluctant to part with her——
"Oh, there's still half an hour left, sit for a while longer!"
"Li Li, can you tell me more about those stories that Anko wrote?"
"Lili, can you play another game of chess with me?"
Bai Lili felt restless for no reason.
——She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, what would happen if Howard came back?
"I, I'd better go back early. I still have a lot of preparations to do. I'll come to see you tomorrow!" said Bai Lili.
Mrs. Huo had no choice but to say, "Okay, okay, then you go and get busy first... By the way, you don't have to go to work every day during the New Year, do you? When you're not working, why don't you come and play with us?"
Of course Lili is willing to get close to Old Lady Huo and Xiao Mingyong and Xiao Mingcheng.
But when I thought that Howard might be there too...
Bai Lili had no choice but to lie, "We'll talk about it later. It depends on what my parents think... maybe I'll have to go back to my hometown during the Chinese New Year!"
Old Mrs. Huo's eyes lit up even more. "Oh! That's great! We've heard about Ruyi Village all the time, and we've wanted to see it for a long time...but I don't know if we have the honor to do so."
Bai Lili: ...
“Crack—”
Someone lifted the door handle and pushed the door open.
——It was Howard.
He was tall and handsome, wearing a black woolen jacket and a gray and white checkered wool scarf around his neck. His face didn't look very good, and he looked extremely domineering.
Bai Lili took a step back for no reason and stared at his scarf, feeling that it looked familiar. Thinking about it carefully, it seems that she knitted an identical one for Xiao Mingyong and Xiao Mingcheng last year?
Mrs. Huo complained to Howard, "Why did you come back just now?"
Xiao Mingyong jumped three feet high, "Dad! Dad! Dad! Our family is finally complete!"
Xiao Mingcheng, "Uncle, you're finally back! If you don't come back, Lili will run away..."
Bai Lili suddenly felt something was wrong: Why did she feel like...she had fallen into a wolf's den?
Howard stared at Bai Lili for a while and asked in a low voice, "Are you leaving?"
Bai Lili only felt that his eyes were extremely sharp, which made her feel guilty for some reason.
She felt a little scared, so she lowered her head and said "hmm".
"I'll take you there." He said calmly.
Bai Lili, "No, no... Grandma Huo, I'm leaving."
Old Mrs. Huo, "Why call me grandma! I'm not that old, call me Mama Huo!"
——Yes, when she first met Lili, she liked to hear Lili call her Grandma Huo in her sweet voice. But it’s different now. If we call her grandma, she and Lili will be of the wrong generation!
Bai Lili: ...
"Commander Huo, I, I'm leaving first." Bai Lili said, then waved to Xiao Mingcheng and Xiao Mingyong, lowered her head, walked quickly past Huo Huaen, unlocked the door and went out.
She had already closed the door.
But Howard followed out.
Bai Lili was extremely embarrassed, "Minister Huo, you..."
"Just call me Hua En." Howard said concisely.
Bai Lili: ...
Just, so nervous!
She took a deep breath and said, "Goodbye, Minister Huo!"
Having said that, Bai Lili turned and walked away, her steps quick and hurried, hoping in her heart that he would understand her refusal from the word "Minister Huo".
Of course Howard understood.
But he wasn't ready to let go.
I have known her for a year, and now... even he misses her day and night.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
