Chapter 273 - 271: Paying New Year’s Visits

Chapter 273: Chapter 271: Paying New Year’s Visits

"Bao’er, I will be a gentleman for you. For no other reason than so you will never be pitied, but only envied. So your man will be respected out in the world, and at home, he can roll up his sleeves and cook for you!" Li Xiu spoke these words with the utmost tenderness and love.

As she was gently laid on the bed in a daze, Zhou Lian was still replaying Li Xiu’s words in her mind. She watched him kneel before her to take off her shoes, and the love in her eyes threatened to spill over. She knew those words came from the bottom of his heart; it was what he said, and it was what he did.

"Bao’er, don’t look at me like that," Li Xiu said softly, gently removing her shoes. "I won’t be able to resist." He saw the profound love swirling in her eyes as she sat on the bed, watching him.

Zhou Lian said nothing, only watching Li Xiu with a sweet smile, showing none of her usual shyness.

...

...

The sound of firecrackers crackled ceaselessly through the night. Li Xiu held Zhou Lian quietly, his gaze fixed tenderly on her for the entire night. Sometimes, he felt his own behavior wasn’t quite normal, but he couldn’t help it. His possessiveness over Zhou Lian was just too strong. ’In my last life, I really thought there was something wrong with me!’

Zhou Lian, who had been sleeping nestled in Li Xiu’s arms, suddenly murmured, "Jin Chen, aren’t you tired?"

"Never. No one complains about being tired when the flowers are blooming in the warm spring."

She said no more. ’I know that no matter what I say, he’ll agree but won’t necessarily do as I ask. I understand his fixation on me, but I also know his obstinacy. Oh, well. Our relationship has always been different from most. Since his actions don’t bother me, I might as well let him be. We love each other so deeply, so why fuss over such things?’

The first day of the Lunar New Year was destined to be a busy one for Li Xiu and Zhou Lian. After paying their morning respects to Professor Xiao and Professor Fan and having a meal, they took Nuonuo and Yanyan and drove to the Imperial Palace. Their first stop was the Ping Family home. Seeing the endless stream of visitors coming to pay their New Year’s respects to Elder Ping and Mrs. Ping, Li Xiu’s lips twitched, but he said nothing.

Before long, someone came to summon Li Xiu and Zhou Lian to the study. Noticing the curious stares from the surrounding people, Li Xiu kept his expression neutral as he took Zhou Lian’s hand. Each holding one of their children’s hands, they went up to the second-floor study. When they saw that every Ping Family member except Ping’an was present, Li Xiu and Zhou Lian simultaneously put on polite smiles.

Mrs. Ping glanced at the couple and sighed inaudibly before smiling at the children. "Come, Nuonuo, Yanyan, come over to Grandma Ping!"

"Nuonuo and Yanyan wish Grandpa Ping and Grandma Ping a Happy New Year! We wish you good health and may all your wishes come true!" the two children recited in unison.

They then turned to the eldest son of the Ping Family and his wife, saying in unison, "Nuonuo and Yanyan wish Uncle Ping and Aunt Ping a Happy New Year! We wish you happiness and good health!"

Nuonuo then glanced at the eldest daughter of the Ping Family, gently took Yanyan’s hand, and faced her and her husband, Director Sun. "We wish Director Sun and Madam Sun a Happy New Year," she said. Having finished, the children stepped back to stand beside Li Xiu and Zhou Lian.

The moment the children finished speaking, the atmosphere froze. Everyone present was perceptive enough to hear the distance in their tone. No one dared to comment on it. Li Xiu had always been courteous to the Ping Family’s son-in-law, but it was a formal courtesy, and no one could force him to be genuinely warm. The perplexing thing was, no one understood why he couldn’t bring himself to be close to the man.

As if she hadn’t noticed the tense atmosphere at all, Zhou Lian, beaming, said to Elder Ping and Mrs. Ping, "Elder Ping, Aunt Zhou, Jin Chen and I brought the children to pay our respects. But there are so many guests today, so we’ll come back to visit you properly in a few days. Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, we can catch up another time. Elder Ping, Aunt Zhou, we’ll take our leave now!"

Looking at the ever-smiling Zhou Lian, Mrs. Ping laughed and said, "Alright. It is very busy today, and you have other elders to visit. We’re all family here, no need to stand on ceremony. It’s cold out, so be careful the children don’t catch a chill!"

Li Xiu, who had been silent until now, nodded to the others before turning to Elder Ping. "Elder Ping, if you’re getting tired, you don’t need to meet with everyone individually. Just go downstairs to the living room and greet them all at once. Nothing is more important than your health."

"You little rascal, I’m fine," Elder Ping scolded with a helpless laugh, understanding Li Xiu’s concern. "Go on, now. On the third, bring your wife and children over for dinner!"

Watching the family of four depart, Mrs. Ping turned to her eldest daughter-in-law. "Go downstairs and let everyone know. Your father and I will be down in a moment."

The Ping Family’s Eldest Young Madam smiled faintly and nodded. She cast an imperceptible glance at her sister-in-law before heading downstairs in silence.

"Mother, that Li Jincheng and..."

"That’s enough," Mrs. Ping cut her daughter off. "You’re a grown woman. Think before you speak about what can and cannot be said!" ’This tactless child is such a handful.’

"Father-in-law, does Li Jincheng not like me?" asked Director Sun, the family’s son-in-law, looking at Elder Ping with some apprehension.

Elder Ping glanced at him and said gently, "Not at all. You just aren’t very familiar with each other. Jin Chen is slow to warm up to people. Pay him no mind; you two don’t have many opportunities to interact anyway."

Once they were out of the Ping Family’s home, Zhou Lian glanced at Li Xiu and said with a helpless sigh, "You’re unbelievable when you get protective like that."

"It’s not just about being protective," Li Xiu said coolly. "We have different principles, so we don’t get along. Besides, overly perfect people don’t really exist, and you and I both know the real story, Bao’er. We don’t interact with him much, so there’s no need to put on a false front."

’Yeah, right,’ Li Xiu thought. Thinking back to his last life, he’d never liked the man. Director Sun had climbed the ladder by latching onto the Ping Family, but when they fell on hard times, he completely ignored the two Ping sons. While he didn’t go so far as to kick them when they were down, his behavior had been deeply unsettling.

When they arrived at the Sun Family’s home, the family insisted they stay, refusing to let them leave. Coincidentally, the Sun Family’s eldest grandson—the very one Li Xiu had previously put in his place—was home on leave from the military. Seeing the entire Sun Family beaming at him with goodwill, Li Xiu found it hard to refuse, so they stayed.

However, upon seeing the Sun’s eldest grandson, Li Xiu couldn’t help himself. Despite it being the New Year, he dragged the young man into the study. All the men of the Sun Family, except for Old Sir Sun, followed. Mr. Sun watched with a helpless expression, but inwardly he was gratified. ’This Li Xiu certainly doesn’t pull his punches with people he’s taken an interest in. But he’s also fiercely protective of them.’

Li Xiu and Zhou蓮 weren’t able to leave the Sun Family’s home until after lunch. They still had several other old patriarchs to visit in the Imperial Palace. They exchanged a look and smiled. Living in this world meant some social obligations were unavoidable responsibilities. But then they looked down at their intertwined hands, and at each of them holding a child’s hand, and they smiled sweetly at each other again. ’Oh, well. For the sake of our children’s future, we’ll handle what we have to handle!’