Qiu Xing had been busy all year, with few days to spare. He frequently traveled for business, and when he wasn’t traveling, the factory always had matters requiring his attention, so he didn’t spend much time at home.

Fang Min was in decent condition. Without anyone agitating her, her life was stable. Each day she tended to her flowers and read books. Occasionally, she was a bit confused, but she hadn’t experienced any serious episodes.

The weather gradually turned cold. When Qiu Xing returned home, he felt the house wasn’t very warm and had to wear an outer jacket over his pajamas.

After dinner, the housekeeper went home, leaving only mother and son in the house.

Fang Min sat on the sofa, wearing an outer coat, reading a book. Qiu Xing sat cross-legged on the sofa with a cushion in his lap, replying to messages.

“Is it cold where Xiaozhou is?” Fang Min suddenly asked.

Qiu Xing didn’t look up as he replied, “Cold.”

“It must be cold, temperatures are lower in the mountains,” Fang Min asked again, “When is she coming back?”

Qiu Xing said, “I don’t know, she didn’t tell me.”

“You didn’t ask?” Fang Min glanced at him, and though her tone was soft and gentle, there was a hint of disapproval in her voice, “Truly useless.”

Qiu Xing didn’t argue, just gave a small laugh.

Qiu Xing tapped on his phone and sent a message.

Qiu Xing: [My mom says I’m useless because I don’t know when you’re coming back.]

By this time, Lin Yiran was already in bed. It was very cold outside, so she was curled up under the covers with a hot water bottle.

Lin Yiran saw the message, smiled, and replied: [Tell Aunt Fang I’ll be back at the end of the month.]

Qiu Xing: [I’ll pick you up.]

Lin Yiran: [No need, I can come back by myself.]

“She’s coming back at the end of the month,” Qiu Xing said.

Fang Min put her book aside and asked for confirmation, “Really?”

Qiu Xing nodded, and Fang Min said with a smile, “That’s wonderful. I’ve been missing Xiaozhou so much.”

Qiu Xing smiled, set his phone aside, leaned back against the sofa, and quietly kept his mother company for a while.

Qiu Xing was a filial son, but he didn’t have much time to accompany her. Fang Min had always been a gentle mother. Even when Qiu Xing was as mischievous as a child, she rarely criticized him. Now, she never complained about Qiu Xing not having time to keep her company.

She missed Xiaozhou and Qiu Xing, but she never called to urge them to come back. She always waited quietly.

Qiu Xing lay there, looking up at her. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes couldn’t be hidden, but she remained beautiful and intellectual.

Qiu Xing had never blamed her for keeping him in the past; she simply loved her little family too much.

“Mom,” Qiu Xing moved his head a little closer to her.

Fang Min shifted her gaze from the book and asked, “What is it?”

Qiu Xing acted like a son seeking affection from his mother, his movements intimate and dependent. He had rarely been like this since he was nineteen.

No mother’s heart could remain unmoved when her son leaned in like this. She smiled and stroked his forehead. Qiu Xing looked at her and said, “Can we live somewhere else?”

Fang Min looked at him, puzzled, and asked, “Move where?”

Qiu Xing said, “Another city.”

Fang Min stared at him for a while, neither responding nor shaking her head. She seemed to be thinking, or perhaps weighing her options.

Qiu Xing was just discussing it with her, not pressuring her to decide.

Qiu Xing stayed for only two days before leaving again. Someone wanted to discuss cooperation with him, and there were still matters at the factory. He needed to finish everything he had to do during this period, then free up a few days to pick up Lin Yiran.

“Hey Qiu, will you be Little Li’s best man at his wedding?” Mao Jun bumped Qiu Xing’s shoulder and asked with a grin.

Qiu Xing said, “I can’t make it. Help me give him a red envelope.”

“What? You’re not going?” Mao Jun asked.

Qiu Xing said, “I have something that day.”

Little Li was a technician at the factory who had worked with Qiu Xing and the others for a long time. His wedding was at the end of the month.

“Just saying you have something to do?” Mao Jun said to him, “What kind of boss are you?”

Qiu Xing smiled and said, “As long as the red envelope arrives, I’m not that important.”

There was a little teacher in the mountains who was coming home, and Qiu Xing wasn’t going to anyone’s wedding. He was just waiting to bring her home.

However, Teacher Xiaozhou had always been independent and didn’t like to trouble others.

*

Qiu Xing had stayed up late the previous night and didn’t return until well after midnight.

He had just signed a contract. The other party was a friend of his father’s, whom Qiu Xing called Uncle Han. Uncle Han ran organic agriculture and beef cattle farming in the Northeast. As soon as Qiu Xing’s logistics company was established, Uncle Han gave all his company’s transportation lines to Qiu Xing.

Not just his company, but also the wine cellars and fruit from their region—he brought them all over to be handled by Qiu Xing.

Over the years, Qiu Xing had built up quite a network. He had extended a hand into every industry he’d been in contact with and made many connections.

Yesterday, Uncle Han came here on business. Qiu Xing invited him to dinner in the evening, and he brought several people with him, all local businessmen, two of whom Qiu Xing also knew.

It wasn’t a business meeting; the atmosphere at the table was relaxed, just a casual meal. But everyone had some alcohol, and Qiu Xing had a few drinks with them.

During the meal, Uncle Han said Qiu Xing had big ambitions, even wilder than his father’s.

Qiu Xing smiled and said, “Who doesn’t want to make money, Uncle?”

“That’s right, people die for wealth,” someone nearby chimed in.

This person was slightly drunk, and mentioning “die” sounded a bit inappropriate, especially after just mentioning Qiu Xing’s father.

But Qiu Xing didn’t seem to mind.

After a while, Uncle Han received a phone call and gave his location.

Turning to Qiu Xing, he said, “My daughter, do you remember her?”

Qiu Xing nodded and said, “I remember, she’s a few years younger than me.”

“She’s studying in Hong Kong, about to graduate.” Uncle Han smiled, his double chin looking quite jovial. He jokingly gave Qiu Xing a meaningful look and said, “Why don’t you become my son-in-law?”

Qiu Xing exaggeratedly dodged backward and laughed, “Don’t joke, Uncle.”

“Who’s joking? When Han Yi arrives, take a look. Get to know each other, what are you afraid of? You two used to play together when you were kids,” Uncle Han had also had a bit to drink, neither too much nor too little.

It wasn’t strange that he had always bragged about Qiu Yangzheng’s son. Indeed, Qiu Xing was good. These elders had known him since he was a child. After Qiu Yangzheng’s accident, Qiu Xing didn’t collapse. Now his career was taking shape, he was smart and ambitious, good-looking too. If he were to become someone’s son-in-law, there would be nothing to pick on. No matter how much family property there was, he could handle it.

Qiu Xing saw that he wasn’t just joking but had some serious intentions, so he also put away his joking expression and said seriously, “I’m about to start a family, Uncle.”

Uncle Han smiled and asked, “Don’t want to be my half-son?”

“I am about to start a family,” Qiu Xing smiled apologetically and said sincerely, “That’s why you say I have big ambitions. I’m twenty-eight now, I need to provide a good life for someone.”

Uncle Han looked at him sideways, showing no sign of anger, and asked, “What counts as a good life?”

Qiu Xing lowered his head, looking at the table, thought for a moment, and answered, “At least a lifetime of freedom, doing whatever you want.”

*

Later, Han Yi arrived. Uncle Han didn’t mention it at first, but after drinking more, he raised his little disappointed thoughts to his daughter.

Han Yi looked at Qiu Xing across from her father and said to him, “You’re the one thousand and eighth son-in-law my father has picked out.”

Qiu Xing gave a small smile as a greeting.

In the evening, Han Yi drove Qiu Xing back. Her father was still talking about this matter in the car, and when they arrived, Qiu Xing quickly got out.

Qiu Xing returned at two o’clock, spent a total of ten minutes washing up and showering, and slept until ten in the morning.

When he opened his eyes, he saw a message on his phone.

Xiaozhou: [What are you doing?]

The message had been sent at nine o’clock, an hour ago. Qiu Xing replied: [Just woke up.]

Qiu Xing still had things to do in the afternoon, so he didn’t go back to sleep after waking up.

After getting ready, he went to the kitchen and had lunch with everyone. The kitchen chef, hearing that he had been drinking the night before, made him some soup. Qiu Xing ate an orange as he walked, finishing it by the time he returned to his room.

He put yesterday’s clothes in the washing machine after checking all the pockets, but couldn’t find his car keys.

The washing machine had started filling with water when Qiu Xing walked out. He was holding his jacket, searching the pockets for his keys, when the door suddenly opened.

Qiu Xing turned around casually, thinking it was someone from the factory looking for him, but froze mid-motion—

Lin Yiran was dragging a suitcase with a travel bag on top, and she had another bag on her back, laboriously pulling it in with her back to him.

Qiu Xing stared in bewilderment as Lin Yiran came in, closed the door behind her, and turned around.

Qiu Xing still maintained his posture of holding the jacket, frozen in place.

Lin Yiran was wearing a white down jacket and a light camel-colored knit hat, looking fresh and warm.

She took off the backpack and put it on the ground, her eyes curved in a smile as she asked, “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Qiu Xing threw the jacket back on the chair and asked with furrowed brows, “You came back on your own?”

“I was afraid you’d come pick me up, so I deliberately said it would be a few days later,” Lin Yiran said with a smile. “You’re busy, I didn’t want to trouble you.”

Qiu Xing had already walked over to her, still looking a bit dazed, his face still showing surprise.

He dragged her things to the corner and asked, “Did you sleep last night? Was it a midnight flight?”

“No, I didn’t,” Lin Yiran admitted honestly. “I just slept a little on the plane.”

After putting her things away, Qiu Xing held the back of Lin Yiran’s head and pulled her into his embrace. Lin Yiran cooperated and let him hug her, though she lowered her eyes and said, “I didn’t say you could hug me.”

Qiu Xing didn’t respond, holding her for a long time before letting go.

“Have you eaten?” Qiu Xing asked, looking down at her.

“I ate on the plane. I’m not hungry, don’t want to eat anything,” Lin Yiran said.

She took off her down jacket and hat and gave a small yawn.

“My head hurts, I want to sleep,” Lin Yiran said.

“Sleep,” Qiu Xing came over and lifted the blanket, gesturing for her to get in, then walked to the wardrobe to find pajamas for her.

“—Qiu Xing?”

A woman’s voice came from outside the door, calling boldly, “Is Qiu Xing here?”

Qiu Xing looked out the window and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Qiu Xing!” Han Yi called out, “My father’s son-in-law!”

Lin Yiran’s eyelashes trembled, suddenly lifting her gaze.

Qiu Xing opened the door, “I’m here.”

“Found you at last!” Han Yi threw the car keys to Qiu Xing, “You dropped your car keys in my car last night.”

Qiu Xing caught them with both hands and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, you’re already my father’s son-in-law.” Han Yi turned to leave with a wave of her hand. “What’s our relationship?”

Normally, when someone makes a special trip to return keys, Qiu Xing should at least see them to the door.

But Han Yi had barely taken two steps when Qiu Xing directly closed the door.

Lin Yiran stood by the bed, her eyes wide open, looking somewhat confused, with a subtle hint of panic in her gaze if one looked closely.

She had been ready to sleep, but now Lin Yiran picked up her down jacket again and silently put one sleeve on.

“Where are you going?” Qiu Xing came over and took off the half-worn down jacket.

Lin Yiran blinked, looked at Qiu Xing once, then picked up her hat again.

“Don’t move,” Qiu Xing held her waist, lifted her, and set her down on the table, his hands on either side of her, blocking her and saying, “Don’t move.”

Lin Yiran didn’t make a sound, just pushed him lightly.

Qiu Xing didn’t know how to explain this chaotic scene. He seemed a bit flustered.

“You…” Lin Yiran looked at Qiu Xing with confusion, her gaze empty, “Whose son-in-law are you going to be?”