Lin Yue recognized the voice immediately—Zhang Xiuzhi. Last time by the river, he’d overheard her talking about him, and now he’d run into her again. What kind of bad karma was this?

He offered a perfunctory smile. “Auntie, you miss me so much? If I’d known, I’d have paid you a visit today.”

Zhang Xiuzhi was deep in conversation with her companions when Lin Yue’s voice cut through the air. She fell silent instantly, as if choked, then forced a laugh. “Young Master Lin, you’re back early. You should head home now. I have things to attend to, so I won’t keep you.

Before Lin Yue could speak, Shen Huaizhi interjected, “Auntie, I am Shen Huaizhi. Thank you for your concern. While it’s true my family is poor, I have never treated my husband with disrespect. I hope you will refrain from spreading unfounded rumors.”

Zhang Xiuzhi’s face flushed crimson. She wanted to hurl insults, but couldn’t find her voice. With a cold snort, she sidestepped them and walked away. The other woman with her, however, had much thinner skin. She exchanged a few polite words with Lin Yue before continuing on her way, muttering under her breath as she went: “Next time I’m not sticking with Zhang Xiuzhi—this is just too awkward…”

Lin Yue didn’t catch her words, for Lin Yang had run up.

“Brother, you’re finally back! Let’s hurry home—Mom and Dad are waiting for you.”

Lin Yue scolded gently, “Why did you come out again? Couldn’t you sleep in a bit longer this morning?”

Lin Yang chuckled. “Couldn’t sleep. Almost made it to the village entrance of Linshui Village, but Mom said it wasn’t right, so I turned back. Stopped by home to see what breakfast Mom made before coming over. Let’s hurry back, bro. She’s cooking bone broth noodles. If we’re late, the noodles will turn to mush.”

Lin Yue feigned anger and shot him a glare. ”What’s the rush? You’re not a child anymore. Did you greet him?”

Lin Yang hadn’t missed Shen Huaizhi standing nearby. He just couldn’t quite accept it. The memory of yesterday morning, when he’d excitedly run to call his brother for breakfast only to find the room empty, still stung. That’s why he was deliberately ignoring him now.

“Got it, bro. I just forgot. I’ll greet him now.”

Lin Yang turned his head to look at Shen Huaizhi. Seeing Shen Huaizhi smile at him, Lin Yang paused, then asked, “Brother-in-law, can I call you Brother Shen?”

Shen Huaizhi nodded with a smile. “Sure, whatever you prefer. Call me whatever you like.”

Lin Yang scratched his head awkwardly and called out, “Brother Shen.” Immediately after, he turned to his own brother, “Brother, Brother Shen, let’s hurry back.”

Lin Yue couldn’t wait either, quickening his pace to keep up with Lin Yang as they headed straight for home.

The Lin family courtyard gate stood wide open. Lin Yuan paced outside, occasionally peering toward the intersection while muttering to himself, “Why aren’t they home yet? I hope Lin Yang didn’t miss his brother. If they don’t hurry, the food will get cold… “

The moment Lin Yue saw his father, he couldn’t hold back. He ran forward in big strides, calling out as he ran, ”Dad, I’m home!”

Lin Yuan snapped his head up. “Yue-ger, welcome home. It’s good you’re back. Hurry inside—your mother’s waiting for you.”

He raised his hand and gave Lin Yue a light pat on the shoulder. Only after Lin Yue dashed inside did he nod to Shen Huaizhi, speaking in a measured tone, “Huaizhi has arrived. Come inside and sit down.”

Shen Huaizhi paid no mind to Lin Yuan’s shift in demeanor, even finding it quite acceptable. He bowed respectfully to Lin Yuan. “Father, we’re sorry we arrived late.”

Hearing him call him “Father” instead of “Father-in-law” made Lin Yuan feel much better. His own children addressed their in-laws as Father and Mother. If he were called Father-in-law or Mother-in-law, it would feel distant and unnatural. Lin Yuan couldn’t stand the thought of that, and thankfully, it hadn’t happened.

“Not late at all, not late at all. You’ve come just in time. Don’t stand there. Come inside and sit down. Your mother has breakfast ready and is waiting for you.”

Shen Huaizhi leaned forward, gesturing for Lin Yuan to enter first before stepping inside himself.

In the kitchen, Zhou Wenlan exchanged a few hurried words with Lin Yue before coming out to greet Shen Huaizhi. Her face lit up with a smile. “Huaizhi, you’re here! Come back to the house for breakfast.”

Shen Huaizhi bowed in greeting, then held out the items in his hands. “Mother, we brought a few things. Not much, I hope you won’t mind. Where would you like us to put them?”

The other items were inconsequential. The main concern was the chicken he held in his right hand—its legs and wings bound, it still flapped wildly, clucking incessantly as it tried to escape his grasp. During the bow, he’d steeled himself, afraid to set it down lest it flee. The sheer awkwardness of that scene was too embarrassing to contemplate.

Zhou Wenlan wiped her hands on her apron and smiled. “Why bring so much? Next time, don’t follow Yue’er around, causing trouble. Just your presence makes us happy.”

She waved to Lin Yue. “Yue’er, take Huaizhi inside. I’ll put the chicken in the coop.”

“Got it, Mother. Hurry up.”

Zhou Wenlan waved dismissively. “I know, I know. You talk too much. Just go already.”

Breakfast was unusually lavish today. The bone broth, simmered since before dawn, was a rich, milky white, infused with the savory aroma of meat. A gentle poke with chopsticks caused the tender, succulent meat to fall effortlessly from the bones.

Beside it sat a pot of pure white noodles, simmered in the pork rib broth. A small bunch of greens was blanched and served alongside Zhou Wenlan’s homemade chili oil, garnished with bright green scallions and cilantro. Lin Yue couldn’t wait any longer.

Especially since his mother had also prepared a plate of leek pancakes and a dish of crispy fried fish, their aromas overwhelming the room. As for the plate of cucumbers on the table, Lin Yue had already forgotten about them.

Quickly serving up noodles and dishes, Lin Yue called out toward the door, “Mom, come eat!”

Shen Huaizhi watched Lin Yue with a constant smile. This was a side of Lin Yue he hadn’t seen before—full of vitality, radiating ease and joy from the inside out. He couldn’t tear his eyes away.

He hoped Lin Yue could stay this happy forever, untroubled by trivial matters.

Seeing Shen Huaizhi still sitting stiffly, Lin Yue pushed the noodles toward him. “What are you spacing out for? Eat up. It’ll get cold soon. I only added a little chili—if it’s not spicy enough, you can add more yourself.”

Shen Huaizhi rolled up his sleeves and took the bowl, murmuring softly, “It’s fine. Mother’s coming in. Sit down and eat.”

Lin Yue sniffed. “Got it. Why are you being so naggy all of a sudden?”

Shen Huaizhi replied softly, “I’ll try to change that next time. For now, just eat. Mom and Dad are waiting for you.”

Lin Yue noticed the whole family watching him. He reached out, served each of them a piece of meat with his chopsticks, and buried his head in his bowl.

After the meal, Zhou Wenlan pulled Lin Yue back to their room. “Tell me, how is his family? They didn’t give you a hard time right off the bat, did they?”

She was utterly worried, dreading that appearances could be deceiving. Everything seemed fine before the wedding, but what if they turned out to be difficult people after she married? She hadn’t slept well or eaten properly these past two days.

Lin Yue held his mother’s hand and reassured her, “Mother, don’t worry. I’m fine. His family is nice too. No one has given me a hard time. They’re all very kind.”

As for the old man of the Shen family, he wasn’t really part of their household—he belonged to the eldest uncle’s branch.

Zhou Wenlan remained skeptical. “Really? Don’t tell me you didn’t hear them talking about you. If anything happens, you’re not to keep it from us, you hear?”

Lin Yue made repeated assurances before his mother finally relaxed a little.

While mother and son spoke indoors, Lin Yuan, in the kitchen, also inquired about Shen Huaizhi. “Huaizhi, Yue has always been a bit delicate since childhood. Now that he’s staying at your home for the first time, I wonder if your parents or elders have any dissatisfaction with him. If he’s done anything wrong, just come back and tell me. I’ll make sure to discipline him.”

Shen Huaizhi shook his head. “Father, you worry too much. Xiao Yue is wonderful. Everyone in the family adores him. He’s my good fortune.”

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

It was nearly noon when the two families finished their conversation. Parents harbored too many worries to feel at ease, their repeated inquiries offering little comfort. No amount of reassurance could dispel their anxieties—they feared their children only shared good news and withheld troubles, dreading that a moment’s inattention might lead to their child suffering injustice.

Lin Yue sensed his mother was on the verge of tears by the end of their questioning. Afraid of worrying him, she forced herself to hold back. He didn’t call her out on it, instead cuddling close to her and acting sweet for a long while until she finally calmed down.

“Mother, it’s almost noon. What shall we have for lunch?”

Zhou Wenlan tugged his arm and shot him a glare. “You’ve barely finished breakfast, and you’re already thinking about lunch? You eat so much, yet you never seem to gain any weight.”

Lin Yue grumbled a couple of times, and Zhou Wenlan softened her tone. “It’s all your favorite dishes: stuffed pumpkin blossoms, mint-fried spare ribs, spinach and tofu soup, cold cucumber salad, and sausage-braised rice. Some dishes were prepped last night. You and Huaizhi go out for a walk later, and I’ll get dinner ready.”

Lin Yue beamed. “I’ll cook with you! I haven’t touched the stove in two days—I’ll get rusty if I don’t practice.”

“Two days won’t make you rusty. You’re home now—just rest. One meal won’t make a difference.”

Lin Yue persisted. “Then I’ll assist you. I want to be with you.”

Zhou Wenlan couldn’t find words to refuse. “Then have your brother and father keep Huaizhi company.”

“But I want to be with my father and brother too! Let him join us in the kitchen. That way, we’ll all be keeping him company.”

“That’s not how it works. We’ll be too busy to pay him much attention.”

Lin Yue retorted with righteous indignation: “Then he should help! Isn’t it only right that he shows his worth on the day of the return visit?”

“You’re the only one who makes sense.”

Zhou Wenlan couldn’t be bothered with him, flicked her sleeve dismissively, and headed straight for the kitchen.

Lin Yue trailed behind, smirking. Only when he stepped into the kitchen did he straighten up and say earnestly, “Mother, I’m here to help with the cooking.”

He made it sound like a sudden decision, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Shen Huaizhi. Seeing Shen Huaizhi also rise with a smile, he added, “Mother, I’ll help too.”

Lin Yue felt a surge of satisfaction. This man truly understood him. He’d make him a delicious treat someday as a reward. Then, feeling pleased with himself, he went back to his mother’s side.

Perhaps when one is happy, time slips by unnoticed. Lin Yue felt he had only just returned home, yet in the blink of an eye, dusk had fallen. Though the two villages were close, it was time to go back. He couldn’t arrive home after dark, making it seem as if he was reluctant to return.

Lin Yue rubbed his face and forced a smile. “Father, Mother, we’ll be going now. We’ll come back when we have some free time in a few days.”

“Lin Yang, listen to father and mother. Don’t be mischievous.”

Zhou Wenlan gazed at Lin Yue’s face and waved her hand. “Go now. It’ll be too dark soon. Take your time on the road. Walk steadily.”

Lin Yue waved vigorously at them. “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll be back.”

Shen Huaizhi gently wrapped an arm around Lin Yue’s shoulder and addressed Zhou Wenlan and her husband, “Father, Mother, I’ll be coming to the private school in a few days. Whatever happens with Xiao Yue, I’ll tell you both. Rest assured.”

Across from them, Lin Yuan held his composure, but Lin Yang had already begun wiping away tears, hiding behind his father’s back to avoid worrying him.

Lin Yue felt a pang of sadness, knowing that lingering would only make him more reluctant to leave. He pulled Shen Huaizhi toward the village exit, not letting go until they passed the crossroads.

With only a few people scattered along the road, Shen Huaizhi couldn’t hold him. Instead, he bent down and whispered into his ear, “Come back whenever you have time in the next few days. Father and Mother won’t say anything. Don’t be sad.”

Lin Yue shook his head. “The farm work isn’t finished yet. I have to go to the fields tomorrow. How could I keep thinking about coming home?”