Chapter 29 Returning to the Old House
After the banquet, everyone went home to rest.
As soon as Lin Mianmian got to her bed in the dormitory, her phone vibrated. It was a WeChat message from Xie Lin.
Xie Lin: [WeChat Message - Image]
Xie Lin: [WeChat Message - Image]
[Xie Lin]: Sweetie, come back to the old house with me tomorrow morning to see Grandpa. How do you like these two outfits? I'll have someone deliver them to you later.
[Lin Mianmian]: ? ? So sudden?
[Xie Lin]: Grandpa's been nagging me like crazy. He said if I don't take you back soon, he'll personally block the school gate.
Xie Lin: [WeChat Message - Image]
[Xie Lin]: This beige outfit is so gentle, it will definitely make you look fairer. That light blue one is so refreshing, it would look amazing with those white sneakers you wore last time. I've also prepared your jewelry; just wear that little pearl pendant, Grandpa likes little girls wearing those.
[Lin Mianmian]: Isn't this too formal? I'm a little nervous.
[Xie Lin]: What are you nervous about? I'm here. My grandpa looks serious, but he's just a big kid at heart. He'll be overjoyed to see you.
[Xie Lin]: I'll pick you up at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. No staying up late, and no skipping breakfast, understand?
[Lin Mianmian]: Okay, okay.
[Xie Lin]: Good boy. [WeChat message - emoji: A Xiu Hook tilting its head in a killer pose]
Lin Mianmian stared at her phone screen, a smile involuntarily creeping onto her lips. Her fingertips traced the two photos of the clothes, her heart pounding wildly.
Xie Lin may seem roguish, but he is actually very meticulous and considers even the smallest details.
She could imagine that he must have spent a long time looking at the wardrobe.
She even had to mutter to herself, "This color suits her skin tone," and "That style doesn't look awkward on her."
That serious look on his face is both funny and adorable to think about.
Just as I was lost in thought, my phone vibrated again.
[Xie Lin]: I forgot to mention, Grandpa asked you what you like to eat so he could have Auntie prepare it.
[Lin Mianmian]: I'm fine with anything.
[Xie Lin]: Okay, also, there are no rules in my maternal grandfather's family. You can stand on the table and act like an ancestor if you want. I'll hold up the sky if it falls.
[Lin Mianmian]: Okay~
In the morning, sunlight streamed through the window and onto the dormitory floor.
Lin Mianmian had just finished washing up and changed into the pretty clothes he had picked out when she heard the familiar sound of a car horn coming from downstairs in the dormitory.
She leaned against the window and looked down; Xie Lin was leaning against the black Maybach.
The car remains as arrogant as the people around it.
A corner of his white t-shirt was lifted by the wind, revealing his strikingly handsome features.
Jiang Nuan leaned over, bumped her shoulder, and winked, saying, "Wow, baby, the young master came to pick you up in person."
Lin Mianmian's cheeks burned, and she grabbed her bag and ran downstairs.
She ran up to Xie Lin, but before she could say anything, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.
His chin rested on the top of her head, his voice hoarse from just waking up: "Slow down, are you afraid I'll run away?"
"Who's afraid you'll run away?" Lin Mianmian pushed his chest, the faint scent of cedar lingering around her nose.
Xie Lin chuckled and opened the car door for her: "Your husband has good taste; these beautiful clothes suit you very well."
As the car drove out of City A, the tree-lined road was blocked out by ancient locust trees, allowing only a few rays of sunlight to filter through like scattered gold.
Looking at the unfamiliar scenery outside the window, Lin Mianmian asked with curiosity, "Where is this? Are we almost there?"
"We're almost there." Xie Lin's voice was gentle, his fingertips lightly stroking the back of her hand.
Lin Mianmian's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively gripped the hem of her clothes: "Huh? So fast? I'm not ready yet."
Xie Lin reached out and ruffled her hair.
With a smile in his eyes, he said, "Don't be nervous. My grandpa is just like a little kid. He loves being around people. If you chat with him, he'll be happy all day."
The car slowly came to a stop, and what came into view was a modern Chinese-style courtyard house with white walls and black tiles.
The gate is made of heavy ebony, with understated lotus scroll patterns carved on it, and the door knocker is made of pure copper, polished to a shine.
The courtyard wall is not high, but it exudes a restrained elegance. Inside the wall, one can vaguely see upturned eaves and a few stalks of green bamboo.
Xie Lin led Lin Mianmian inside, and as soon as they entered the courtyard, they heard a hearty laugh.
An old man dressed in a silk Tang suit was squatting on a terrace paved with a whole piece of white marble, fiddling with several pots of exquisite plants.
Seeing them come in, he immediately stood up, his eyes crinkling into slits with laughter: "You little rascal, you finally brought the person!"
The old man's hair was gray, but he combed it meticulously. His back was straight, and even when he was squatting down tending to the flowers and plants, he exuded a calm and composed demeanor that came from someone who had long held a high position.
So this is what a true aristocratic tycoon is like; he doesn't need to flaunt it, his inherent nobility is impossible to hide.
Xie Lin stepped forward, hooked his arm around the old man's shoulder, and said in a roguish yet affectionate tone, "Grandpa, do you miss your granddaughter-in-law that much, and not me?"
"Go away, go away." Grandpa Xie waved his hand away, his gaze falling on Lin Mianmian, becoming more and more satisfied with her.
He quickly stepped forward and took her hand, full of enthusiasm.
"Mianmian, right? Come in and sit down. I've heard this brat talk about you many times."
Lin Mianmian was a little embarrassed by his enthusiasm, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she whispered, "Hello, Grandpa."
"Okay, okay!" Grandpa Xie pulled her into the house, her feet treading on the warm, smooth Burmese teak floor, which made no sound when she stepped on it.
The courtyard is exquisitely designed; the rockery is made of Taihu stone, the fishpond is filled with koi, and even the birdcages hanging under the corridor are made of Hainan rosewood.
The interior furnishings exude understated luxury, with ebony furniture featuring clean, simple lines.
The painting hanging on the wall was not an ordinary calligraphy or painting, but a traditional ink painting of bamboo and rocks by a famous modern artist.
The celadon vase in the corner is clearly an antique. Sunlight streams in through the double-layered, hollow Xuan paper window, falling warmly on the tea table.
Grandpa Xie brought Lin Mianmian a plate of washed strawberries and a dish of hand-peeled pine nuts. He sat in the armchair opposite her and began to ramble on about Xie Lin's embarrassing childhood stories.
"When Ah Lin was three years old, she secretly drank my Moutai. When she got drunk, she hugged the squirrel in the yard and called for her mother. It was hilarious!"
"And another thing, when he was in school, he tried to give a little girl some candy, but he fell into a mud puddle while climbing over a wall, and I gave him a good beating when he got home!"
Lin Mianmian couldn't help but chuckle and turned to look at Xie Lin. He was leaning against the carved wooden door frame, his hands in his pockets, smiling at her, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.
Sunlight cast a soft shadow on his sharply defined face, giving him a roguish yet affectionate look.
As they chatted, Grandpa Xie suddenly sighed and patted Lin Mianmian's hand.
His tone deepened, carrying an undeniable authority: "Child, don't listen to his father's nonsense. I'm the one who calls the shots in the Xie family. If he dares to bully you, just tell me, and I'll break his legs!"
This is no joke; it's the confidence of a true big shot. With just a word from him, the entire Xie family trembles.
Lin Mianmian's eyes welled up with tears, and her nose tingled. She nodded gently, "Thank you, Grandpa."
"No need to thank me!" Grandpa Xie laughed heartily, reverting to his childlike demeanor.
Patting his chest, he declared, "From now on, you'll be my granddaughter-in-law. Anyone who dares to bully you is going against me!"
Just then, Xie Lin's phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID, his smile vanished instantly, his expression darkened, and he walked to the outer corridor to answer the phone.
Lin Mianmian vaguely heard his voice, which carried a hint of coldness.
His tone was icy: "I've said it before, my affairs are none of your business. If you dare lay a finger on Mianmian or her grandmother, don't blame me for disowning you as my father."
After hanging up the phone, Xie Lin took a deep breath and rubbed his temples.
When he turned around and went back into the house, a smile had returned to his face.
Seeing Lin Mianmian's worried look, he immediately stepped forward and ruffled her hair.
In a relaxed tone: "It's nothing, just a small matter."
Grandpa Xie snorted and took a sip of tea.
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "It must have been that brat who called! Ignore him, let's have lunch."
"I asked the kitchen to make your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs. They're made with black pork, I guarantee they'll be delicious!"
The atmosphere at lunch was lively.
A round mahogany table was set up in the restaurant, with exquisite yet home-style dishes on it. Grandpa Xie kept putting food on Lin Mianmian's plate, urging her to eat more.
Looking at the kind old man in front of her, and then at Xie Lin with his gentle eyes beside her, Lin Mianmian felt a warmth slowly spreading through her heart.
Is this what family feels like? So blissful.
After dinner, Xie Lin took Lin Mianmian's hand and strolled around the old house.
Lin Mianmian looked up at him, a faint smile curving her lips, her voice soft: "I think I'm not so scared anymore."
Xie Lin lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, his breath hot and his voice deep and firm.
With an unwavering sense of protection: "With me here, you'll never have to be afraid."
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