Chapter 368 - 365: Grandma Li

Chapter 368: Chapter 365: Grandma Li

It was a rare morning when Zhou Lian woke up before Li Xiu. By the faint light filtering through the window, she gazed affectionately at his sleeping face. Gone was the imposing air he had when he was awake. In sleep, his sharp, well-defined features softened and relaxed. His ageless face looked almost boyish, like a young man in his early twenties.

Reaching out, she gently caressed his handsome brow. ’How did I never realize how good-looking Li Xiu was in my last life?’ Zhou Lian wondered. ’He’s even a little alluring! Perhaps it’s because I’m so deeply in love now that I find him handsome no matter how I look at him. I must be seeing him through rose-colored glasses.’

Slowly opening his eyes, Li Xiu smiled at the captivated Zhou Lian, the corners of his lips turning up. As she watched with a mesmerized gaze, he kissed her gently. He had loved this woman for two lifetimes, and this was the first time he had ever seen her look at him with such adoration.

Gently caressing a slightly breathless Zhou Lian, Li Xiu looked at her tenderly and asked, "Bao’er, why are you up so early? Aren’t you tired after spending all day in the car yesterday? Not to mention last night..."

"I’m fine," Zhou Lian said softly, her face a little flushed. "In a little while, let’s go check on Grandma. She just got here, so she must not be used to it yet. You should spend more time with her these next two days. I’ll take care of the year-end summaries and things at the company. Grandma would definitely prefer having you with her!" The old woman had lived in her hometown her entire life. At her age, following her grandson to a place where she knew no one must be nerve-wracking. It would be more comfortable for her to get familiar with her new surroundings with her grandson.

Li Xiu’s brow furrowed slightly as he thought it over. She was right. He didn’t object, just gave a small nod. He felt a pang of guilt that Zhou Lian would be so busy for the next few days, but he also understood why she chose the office over staying with Grandma. ’His precious wife was trying to ease his past regrets!’

After they had washed up and changed, Li Xiu led Zhou Lian by the hand to Grandma Li’s room. He knocked gently. After hearing his grandmother’s voice from inside, Li Xiu pushed the door open and walked in, still holding Zhou Lian’s hand.

Seeing the unmade bed, Li Xiu had Zhou Lian sit in a nearby chair before smiling and asking, "Grandma, did you sleep well last night?"

He walked over to the bed and, with practiced ease, quickly and neatly made it.

"Just fine. I can sleep on any bed, in any place! Why are you two up so early in the dead of winter?" Grandma Li watched him make the bed in a few deft movements. She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it and changed the subject. ’Judging by how skilled he is at making the bed, he must do it all the time!’

Zhou Lian smiled and said gently, "Grandma, with the year-end rush, the company is swamped. I’m afraid there won’t be any sleeping in for a while. I’ll be busy at the office for the next few days and won’t have much free time, so I’ll have Jin Chen show you around and help you get familiar with the neighborhood. Once this busy spell is over, I’ll take you out and we’ll have some fun!"

"No, no. You two should go do what you need to do. It’s not like I’m only here for a few days. We can talk about it after you’re finished with your work!" Grandma Li quickly protested after hearing what Zhou Lian said.

Zhou Lian stepped forward to gently take Grandma Li’s arm. "It’s fine, I can manage on my own," she said with a smile. "Jin Chen has other business to attend to as well, but he can handle it by phone. It’s not like he’s much less busy than I am!"

"Grandma, don’t worry about it. I’ll stay with you for a few days while you get settled. But let’s not talk about that now. Let’s go eat breakfast," Li Xiu said gently, supporting his grandmother’s other arm.

After breakfast, Zhou Lian hurriedly kissed her precious daughter and son, grabbed her bag, called out a quick farewell, and headed for the door.

At the sight, Li Xiu pushed his chair back and ran after her. Grandma Li stared, dumbfounded, as her usually composed eldest grandson chased after his wife like an impetuous young man. Back in her hometown, she had seen plenty of times how much Li Xiu doted on his wife. But to see him now in his thirties—an age where he should be even more mature—being even more over-the-top than before left her utterly shocked.

"Mrs. Li, Jin Chen is always like this. Don’t be too surprised; you’ll get used to it," Professor Xiao said coolly, glancing at the dumbfounded Grandma Li. Sister Fang had told her all about Li Xiu’s family situation the previous night. Professor Xiao was indifferent toward the old woman, seeing her as just another ordinary elder. It was a classic case of favoritism, and it was clear Li Xiu was the favorite.

"Teacher Xiao, are they always like this?" Grandma Li instinctively felt a sense of reverence for such an educated person, so whenever she faced Professor Xiao and Professor Fan, she felt inexplicably nervous.

Professor Fan also glanced up at the old woman and said softly, "Don’t worry, Mrs. Li. Jin Chen and his wife have a wonderful relationship."

Then she turned to Sister Fang and asked gently, "Fang, is Jin Chen very busy with year-end matters? How come Xiao Lian is the one going to the office?"

Sister Fang smiled, glancing at the others seated at the table. "I’m not really sure," she said quietly. "Probably."

Having demanded one kiss and stolen another, Li Xiu returned cheerfully to the dining room to find everyone, including his son and daughter, staring at him intently. He paused for a moment before asking with a smile, "What is everyone looking at?"

"Dad, is it going to be very busy with year-end work?" Li Xianglin asked quietly, her brow slightly furrowed. She remembered that in the past, her dad was always the one who was incredibly busy, and Mom would only go to the office to help out. ’But this year, judging by the way Dad is now, he doesn’t look busy at all!’

Reaching out to ruffle his daughter’s hair, Li Xiu said gently, "It shouldn’t be too busy. But Great-Grandma just arrived, so I need to spend more time with her and help her get used to everything. That’s why your mom has to work hard this year."

Li Xianglin glanced at Li Xiangrui, who nodded in understanding. He then looked up and said with a smile, "Great-Grandma, Aunt Fang, Dad, my sister and I still have schoolwork, so we’re going to head back to the study with our two Grandmasters."

"Okay. Don’t be naughty, and don’t make your Grandmasters angry," Li Xiu said softly with a nod.

Watching Professor Xiao and Professor Fan lead the two children out by the hand, Sister Fang smiled and said, "Grandma, please have a seat. I have a pile of chores in the kitchen, so I’ll get back to it now!"

Li Xiu gently helped Grandma Li to her feet. "Grandma," he said with a smile, "let’s take a walk. I’ll show you around the courtyard so you can get familiar with it."

The four-entry courtyard house, over 2,000 square meters in size, left Grandma Li feeling dizzy and overwhelmed. She stared at Li Xiu in shock. "How much would a mansion this huge even cost? This must be the kind of place only high-ranking officials used to live in!"

"Grandma, it’s not that extravagant," Li Xiu said with a light laugh. "We have a big family, so a smaller house wouldn’t hold all of us. As you can see, even this four-entry courtyard is already full. We really couldn’t fit in a smaller place!" ’Some things just didn’t need a detailed explanation for the older generation,’ he thought. ’Their values were different, and there was no need to force a younger generation’s mindset on them. An explanation they could accept was good enough.’