Chapter 146 Returning to Familiar Places
On Jiang Chuan's birthday, the two revisited the place they had visited before and drove to Anji again.
The scenery along the way remained unchanged; the early summer forests were lush and green, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the car window. Lin Yu leaned against the window, watching the scenery rushing past outside, and an indescribable tenderness welled up in his heart.
Having received advance notice, their friend prepared a table laden with local seasonal dishes and warmly welcomed them. Their friend's wife is pregnant, and as her pregnancy progresses, she is finding it increasingly difficult to climb stairs and walk around.
My friend had to take care of his wife, so he didn't have the extra energy to manage the guesthouse. In addition, the guesthouse's location wasn't very convenient in terms of medical resources and transportation.
After careful consideration, they decided to sell the guesthouse and return to Shanghai to work hard for another two years. Speaking of their future plans, their eyes were filled with longing and anticipation for their new life.
Jiang Chuan had the idea of taking over this place.
After dinner, the friend helped his wife back to the room to rest, leaving only him and Lin Yu in the yard. The two sat side by side in rocking chairs, chatting in the night.
What do you think of this place?
"Of course!" Lin Yu replied without hesitation, his gaze sweeping over the small courtyard that held so many of their memories.
"But if I were planning it, I'd want to make this place feel more lived-in..."
"For example?" Jiang Chuan turned his head, subtly guiding the conversation.
"Hmm..." She smiled and looked around, then offered some suggestions after a moment's thought. "For example, replacing these square bricks with cobblestones would give you a better feeling of being close to nature."
"The water feature at the entrance could be further improved; it looks a bit flimsy right now."
"If we let it run around the nearby greenery and coordinate it with the style of the house, the overall feel would be much stronger."
"And that empty space in the middle of the courtyard, let's build a sunken booth, lay out a circle of rattan cushions in the summer, sit there, drink tea and enjoy the breeze, it sounds so pleasant."
Lin Yu became more and more excited as he spoke, as if the transformed scene in his mind had already been clearly unfolded before his eyes.
"It would be perfect if we got two more dogs! A German Shepherd and a Corgi. It would be so much fun to see one chasing a ball and the other digging around in the dirt."
Jiang Chuan gazed at the light sparkling in her eyes and her clear, lively profile in the moonlight, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Okay, we'll do it your way."
"Huh? What?" Lin Yu didn't react for a moment, his eyes still showing a little confusion, but the smile that hadn't faded from his earlier daydreaming still lingered on his lips.
"The renovation isn't too difficult. I'll ask your brother to help with the design later. It should be done in less than six months."
Jiang Chuan's gaze fell on her face, his tone unusually serious. One hand was propped up on the back of the rocking chair, supporting her head, while the other hand rested on her leg, her fingertips rhythmically tapping her knee.
A moment later, Lin Yu finally reacted, her eyes widening slightly as she looked at him with disbelief. "You're going to take over this guesthouse? But didn't you say before that it's hard to make a profit in places like this?"
“If you really want to make money, you can always find a way.” Jiang Chuan’s tone was casual, as if he were saying that this was not difficult to do, and as if he were implying that whether it was profitable or not was not that important. His gaze softened as he looked at Lin Yu.
"Didn't you always like the fireflies in the back hill? You don't need to wait for the right time anymore; you can go see them whenever you want."
"Today is your birthday, I should be the one giving you a gift." Lin Yu's tone carried a hint of regret.
She knew in her heart that she didn't yet have the means to give him such a gift. But she also understood that for Jiang Chuan, who gave this gift was completely unimportant. Because what it carried was a memory far more valuable than any material thing.
He once stood shoulder to shoulder with Lin Yu here, gazing up at the most dazzling starry sky, and he also once taught her how to quickly gather the twinkling fireflies on the back mountain.
Now, he has bought this precious memory. This means that from now on, they can return here again and again to relive and relive the beautiful moments of the past.
The scenery before us may no longer be the same as it was before, but the feeling of excitement and warmth will always remain, and it will have a deeper meaning because of the transformation we all participated in.
Jiang Chuan has always been a meticulous and logical person. From the moment he mentioned this idea to Lin Yu, he had already made thorough plans and preparations. Before leaving the guesthouse, he finalized all the details of the transfer with his friend.
If all goes well, once his friend moves to Shanghai next month, Jiang Chuan will be able to contact Qi Sheng to turn Lin Yu's ideas about renovating the guesthouse into concrete design plans.
Let the courtyard she longed for in her mind slowly become a tangible future.
......
After returning from Anji, Lin Yu immediately threw himself into the work of optimizing the company's business, keeping himself extremely busy every day.
She's been working late into the night lately, either revising plans on her computer or holding video conferences with her team to discuss project details. Jiang Chuan occasionally picks her up from work and then takes her out to dinner.
Looking back on her entrepreneurial journey, it seems that she has not experienced any major setbacks. On the contrary, she has had a smooth journey. At every critical juncture, there are always people who can give her insightful advice.
Lin Yu is well aware of his limited abilities, so he cherishes this good fortune and always holds a grateful heart, using more enthusiasm and more solid efforts to repay the people around him who support him.
Meanwhile, Yao Fangfang and Lin Jing's careers are also progressing steadily and gradually getting on track.
After learning about Lin Jing's business plans, his aunt Lin Zhu voluntarily vacated one of her vacant houses and left it for the two of them to use as a studio, which greatly facilitated their business development.
It was a street-facing loft space with excellent natural light. After some simple renovations, they moved in.
The two complemented each other perfectly, each leveraging their strengths. Lin Jing used her professional expertise to select high-quality artworks and design personalized customization plans, while Yao Fangfang used her operational skills to manage online content and maintain the fan community.
The walls of the studio are covered with their carefully selected works, ranging from delicate realism to expressive art with bold colors, each with a touching story behind it.
To further expand their influence, they also regularly conduct live-streaming events, where Lin Jing typically educates fans on art knowledge and answers their professional questions. He provides detailed explanations of a painting's background, artistic value, and collectible significance.
Yao Fangfang would intervene in the conversation when things got awkward, adjusting the atmosphere and guiding the interaction, making the originally professional live stream more down-to-earth.
After several months of dedicated effort, the response on video platforms has become increasingly enthusiastic. It has not only attracted a group of potential customers who are interested in art but lack access to it, but has also earned a good reputation thanks to its differentiated positioning.
What's even more surprising is that the offline customer conversion rate far exceeded expectations. The studio's appointment book is already full of client meetings for the next two months, filling the two with anticipation for future development.
......
At the end of June, Lin Yu took Jiang Chuan to Cheng Shi's son's first birthday party. As soon as they pushed open the door to the hotel's private room, they saw Cheng Yuan bustling around the table, serving tea and water to the guests.
Cheng Shi was holding the baby and standing near the door. When he saw them coming, he immediately greeted them with a smile.
"You two have finally arrived." Her gaze swept over Jiang Chuan beside Lin Yu, and she winked at her, her tone slightly teasing. "Attorney Jiang is a rare guest, please come in and sit down, don't stand at the door."
Jiang Chuan nodded in acknowledgment and handed over the prepared red envelope and gift, speaking calmly. "Just a small token of my appreciation."
His gaze fell on the child in Cheng Shi's arms. The little guy was clutching a balloon string, his soft little hands gripping it tightly, which softened his gaze.
Cheng Shi led them to an empty seat. Jiang Chuan first pulled out a chair for Lin Yu, and after she was seated, he sat down next to her.
Several people were already seated in the private room, all of whom were close relatives and friends of Cheng Shi and Cheng Yuan. They were chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.
Cheng Shi's parents rushed over after receiving the notification. Although their smiles betrayed their exhaustion and helplessness, their eyes were filled with heartfelt love when they looked at their grandson.
After the banquet began, Cheng Shi carried his son and went from table to table toasting. When he came to Lin Yu's table, he specially let the baby "have a drink" with the two of them. The little guy held up the bottle of juice in a very serious manner, which amused everyone.
Jiang Chuan reached out and gently touched the child's soft little face. The previously noisy child instantly quieted down and stared at him curiously with his round eyes.
Cheng Shi subtly winked at Lin Yu, then turned to Jiang Chuan and asked with a smile, "So, was it fun?"
"They are indeed very cute." Jiang Chuan's face remained expressionless, but his tone carried a subtle gentleness. He gently scratched the child's chin with his fingertips, making the little guy giggle.
"If you really like each other, why not just have one yourself?" Cheng Shi joked, then quickly returned the conversation to the two of them. "Seriously, when are you two planning to get married? I've already prepared my wedding gift."
Jiang Chuan turned his head, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said slowly and deliberately, "As for her, I'm available anytime."
Lin Yu felt a little embarrassed by Cheng Shi's mischievous look, and replied with a smile, "Don't worry, keep the money safe, it won't run away with you."
After the banquet, Cheng Shi, carrying the sleeping baby, and Cheng Yuan escorted them to the hotel entrance. The little one, who had been fussy all night, was now nestled peacefully in his father's arms, his little face rosy and his breathing even.
Recalling the situation at the banquet, Lin Yu pulled the person aside and asked in a low voice, "There were too many people earlier, so I didn't have a chance to ask. Your parents... does that mean they've accepted it?"
"How could that be..." Cheng Shi casually swept his curly hair behind his shoulder, a dismissive smile playing on his lips.
"Before we came, we made sure to agree on the same story. We told our relatives back home that we had already registered our marriage, but we hadn't had the wedding yet."
She paused, then lowered her voice: "In a few years, just find some excuse and say we're incompatible."
Hearing this, Lin Yu nodded thoughtfully. "That's fine, but I'm sorry to have to put you through this."
"What do I have to feel wronged about?" Cheng Shi shrugged, looking at the guests coming and going at the banquet hall entrance, his tone light. "This way of handling it is better for everyone."
"With both parents loving and caring for the child, I... won't have to give up the whole forest for one tree. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"
Imagining her surrounded by women on either side of her in the future, Lin Yu couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Not bad, not bad, if you keep talking, I'll get jealous."
"Life is your own." Cheng Shi smiled knowingly at her, his eyes full of carefree joy and relief. "Since I've chosen this path, I will definitely make it a success."
"Although Cheng Yuan and I can't be husband and wife, we will definitely be the best partners and raise our child together. Isn't that better than forcing a relationship and ending up hurting each other in resentment?"
Lin Yu nodded empathetically, gently patted her shoulder, and sincerely said, "Then I wish you that every day from now on you can do as you wish."
During the conversation, Cheng Shi escorted Lin Yu back to the car, opened the passenger door for her, and waved as he watched her and Jiang Chuan leave.
As the car slowly drove away from the parking lot, Lin Yu turned to look at Jiang Chuan beside him and said softly, "Although I've never been very interested in being a parent, I suddenly feel that it wouldn't be bad if you were the father of the child."
Hearing this, Jiang Chuan's ears turned a rare red, and he couldn't help but laugh, gently stroking Lin Yu's hair. "You should say that as long as I'm with you, anything is fine."
In the darkness, the car headlights pierced the night, carrying the two towards their future.
Lin Yu leaned back in her chair, watching the lights flicker outside the window, her heart filled with anticipation for the new day. She knew that no matter what lay ahead, as long as this person was by her side, everything would be for the best.
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