Shen Lingge’s airplane had just landed, and before he even got into the car, he received a phone call from Chi Yanyu.
He lifted his gaze and looked at Wen Xian and Song Mingxi, then walked to the side: “You just received the letter as soon as you landed?”
On the other end of the phone, Chi Yanyu laughed lightly: “It just so happened someone saw it, asked once in the group. Ge, when did you return to the country? Coming out tonight to gather? All are familiar people.”
Shen Lingge responded in a light voice: “It’s been a while, only arrived in Mingcheng today. Tonight I’ll ask, if she doesn’t like it then I won’t go.”
Chi Yanyu reacted for a moment before saying: “My saozi? No way, tonight you definitely have to bring my saozi for us to meet. Let me tell you, tonight Jinghong that girl and Jiang Xinwan are both there, I’m even afraid they’ll start fighting on the spot.”
Shen Lingge slightly furrowed his brows: “Jiang Xinwan?”
Chi Yanyu lightly tsked: “That time your mom said she wanted to arrange a blind date for you, that girl, you already forgot?”
Shen Lingge looked at the arc of Wen Xian’s lips, his brows gradually relaxed, he casually responded: “Forgotten, we’ll talk tonight, I’ll ask her after she wakes from her afternoon nap.”
Chi Yanyu cried strangely on the other end of the phone: “My own ge, isn’t it just one sentence, and you still have to wait for my saozi to wake up from her nap? If you really bring her, I reckon everyone present tonight will be dumbfounded.”
“I’ll bring her home first.” Shen Lingge spoke while walking towards the car, Wen Xian and Song Mingxi had already gotten into the car, in his hand he was still holding those three little things, “Talk later if there’s something.”
Chi Yanyu looked at the phone that had been hung up, shook his head and sighed: “This man ah, changing as soon as he says.”
Shen Lingge had just gotten into the car and saw Wen Xian drowsily letting out a yawn, she rubbed her eyes then, extremely naturally, leaned onto Song Mingxi’s body and didn’t move anymore.
Shen Lingge: “……”
He always felt something was not quite right somewhere.
Shen Lingge lightly coughed once, attempting to snatch Wen Xian back from his mom’s side, opening his mouth: “Ma, let me hold Xian Xian.”
Song Mingxi gave him a slanted glance inexplicably, her tone cool and indifferent: “My daughter-in-law can’t lean on me to sleep?”
Shen Lingge: “… Didn’t you say at noon you’d make a grand meal for Xian Xian? Have you finalized the menu? Want to discuss a bit with the family side, this little girl is quite picky.”
Hearing this, Song Mingxi tangled between these two for a while, finally still deciding that today at noon she’d properly show off her skills to let her daughter-in-law have a look, so that in the future she could also often come back to see them.
Thus Shen Lingge successfully snatched Wen Xian from his mom’s arms. Wen Xian was stunned for a moment when she noticed Song Mingxi and Shen Lingge had switched places, she blinked her eyes: “Why are you here?”
Shen Lingge: “……?”
Shen Lingge reached out and pinched her face, these days the scars on her face had already healed, now looking at it you couldn’t see any trace, but he was still careful as if afraid to hurt her.
He raised his eyebrows slightly, in his black eyes carrying a thread of interest: “I can’t come? Do you know or not, tonight you still have to come home to sleep with me? At that time if I bully you, even if you call out no one will answer.”
Wen Xian had just wanted to lean in to rub against him acting spoiled, when she heard Song Mingxi say in disbelief: “Shen Lingge! Your mom I am still here, you usually bully Xian Xian like this? Are you even a human!”
Wen Xian poked her head out from Shen Lingge’s side, smilingly explained: “Aunt Ming, I’m already used to it, I’m not afraid of him.”
Shen Lingge: “……”
Thus Shen Lingge was hit by Song Mingxi again.
From childhood to now he’d never been hit before, the hits he’d gotten recently were all because of Wen Xian. He lightly sighed in his heart, he really was beyond saving.
After Wen Xian got her way, she secretly snickered to herself for a while, taking advantage of Song Mingxi not paying attention she raised her head and kissed Shen Lingge’s lip corner, she said softly: “Auntie hit you, I kiss you.”
Shen Lingge helplessly curved his lips, this little girl was learning worse and worse, he was about to spoil her rotten. But in his heart he still felt it wasn’t enough, he should treat her even better.
Those three little guys didn’t go with Wen Xian to Shen Lingge’s parents’ house, but were sent back to Shen Residence. Wen Xian originally thought Shen Lingge’s parents’ house should also be like Shen Residence, a modern manor villa cluster.
When it was time, she then discovered that Shen Rongsheng and Song Mingxi lived in a small Western-style house in the suburbs, a three-story Western-style house with an additional small garden, from the outside looking in, it was full of vegetables, melons, and fruits planted inside.
A scene full of vitality, the surrounding environment also had the appearance of clear mountains and beautiful waters, there even seemed to be people fishing by the stream.
Seeing her curious appearance, Shen Lingge explained in one sentence: “A few years ago my dad’s health wasn’t very good, so he moved here to recuperate. After living here for these years, feelings developed, and even after getting better, he didn’t move, just kept living here.”
Upon hearing this, Wen Xian however fell silent for a while, only after quite a while did she hold his hand and softly say: “Let’s go in.”
Shen Lingge’s gaze landed on her face, in his black eyes emotions paused slightly, he was afraid his words would make Wen Xian think of her parents. So he also did not speak again, just brought her and walked inside.
But what Wen Xian was thinking about at this moment was completely different from Shen Lingge.
Wen Tianlin and Chang Shuang had already passed away, she already no longer had parents. But Shen Lingge was not like her, both his parents were still in Mingcheng, they would also grow old in the future.
If she really just let Shen Lingge accompany her and stay in Licheng forever, if something unexpected happened in the future, she would blame herself for a lifetime.
Shen Lingge should stay in Mingcheng to take care of Shen Rongsheng and Song Mingxi, not abandon everything he had in Mingcheng just for her alone.
His home, his friends, his circle were all here.
But, her home was in Licheng.
Wen Xian had never been so conflicted before, until Shen Lingge held her hand and seated her at the dining table, she then came back to her senses. The table was already full of rich dishes, Shen Rongsheng was carrying out a bowl of soup.
And Song Mingxi was following behind him complaining: “Wasn’t it agreed that I would do it?”
Only after Shen Rongsheng put down the stewed soup did he turn around and hug Song Mingxi: “Aunt Chen and I were just worried you’d get hungry on the road, Xian Xian is living here for a month, there’s plenty of chances.”
Song Mingxi still wasn’t quite happy: “Even so it’s only one month, our stinky boy definitely will only bring her on weekends, maybe won’t even bring Xian Xian on weekends.”
Wen Xian pressed her lips together and softly said: “Uncle, Aunt Ming, I and Shen Lingge will definitely come back every weekend.”
Song Mingxi glared at Shen Lingge once, then softened her tone looking at Wen Xian: “Still Xian Xian is obedient.”
Wen Xian didn’t know whether Shen Lingge had told Shen Rongsheng and Song Mingxi about his decision to stay in Licheng. Just from today, it seemed they all hoped Shen Lingge could come home often.
Because of thinking about this matter, Wen Xian’s mood was not very good all along, she only said a few words while eating, but the dishes Song Mingxi picked for her she still finished eating.
Seeing Wen Xian’s quiet appearance, Song Mingxi was a bit worried whether she wasn’t feeling well again, after the meal she urged Shen Lingge to bring Wen Xian home. Shen Lingge glanced at Wen Xian squatting in the garden looking at flowers and replied: “Ma, don’t worry. This little girl is probably just sleepy, I’ll take her back to sleep, tomorrow we’ll come see you again.”
Song Mingxi nodded: “Take her back, tomorrow you don’t need to come, let Xian Xian rest properly for two days.”
Shen Lingge had already felt earlier that her mood wasn’t right, because they were at home he didn’t ask, only after getting in the car did he hold Wen Xian’s hand and ask: “Xian Xian, are you thinking of papa and mama?”
He raised his hand and rubbed her head, speaking in a low voice: “When we go back I’ll accompany you to see them.”
Wen Xian raised her eyes and looked at him, the usually bright eyes carrying a trace of confusion, she hugged his arm, after a long while only softly said: “Shen Lingge, your parents are both very good.”
In Shen Lingge’s black eyes there was a thread of heartache, he lightly sighed: “In the future they’re also your parents.”
Wen Xian lowered her eyes without responding, after a long silence she leaned against him and gradually fell asleep.
The car steadily drove forward, Shen Lingge carried Wen Xian onto his lap, to let her sleep more comfortably, he lowered his head looking at her somewhat pale and fragile face.
These days she had not been sleeping well all along, often having nightmares, sometimes waking up in the middle of the night crying.
Shen Lingge thought that changing to a different environment might be a little better, so he brought her back to Mingcheng early.
He hoped she could come out from the shadow of that night sooner, he himself as well.
…
When Wen Xian woke up, she found herself lying on the bed, yet Shen Lingge was not by her side. These days as long as she opened her eyes, she could see him, but this time she didn’t.
In the spacious room, there was only her alone.
Wen Xian rubbed her eyes, wearing only sleepwear she walked out the door to look for Shen Lingge, even forgetting to wear shoes.
The icy-cold marble floor sobered her up a bit, until she walked to the staircase entrance and only then heard the conversation sounds coming from downstairs.
Downstairs.
Chi Yanyu, from the moment he entered, was looking everywhere for Wen Xian’s figure, not seeing her he asked Shen Lingge with dissatisfaction: “Ge, where’s my saozi? Last time I didn’t even get a clear look at what she looks like.”
Shen Lingge lazily lifted his eyelids and coldly swept him a glance: “That is my wife, as long as I know what she looks like it’s enough.”
Chi Yanyu had a face like ‘you don’t treat me as a brother‘, he said angrily: “Ge, I really don’t like hearing you say that. I came all the way here just to see my saozi once, who knows whether you’ll come or not tonight.”
He leaned his head over and asked: “Ge, did you ask my saozi? Is she willing to come?”
Shen Lingge answered in a light voice: “If not for you, right now I should be in the room accompanying her to sleep. I’ll ask her after she wakes up, her mood hasn’t been good lately, taking her out for some fun would also be good.”
Hearing this, Chi Yanyu tangled and said: “Ge, did you forget that tonight Jinghong and Jiang Xinwan are also there.”
Shen Lingge’s gaze paused slightly, then said: “Then not going, I’ll take her to play somewhere else.”
Chi Yanyu had just prepared to say something, when he suddenly heard a clear sweet and soft voice ring out from the staircase entrance.
The girl was wearing a pure white sleep dress, black hair as soft as seaweed, she was standing there barefoot, the exposed ankle delicate and slender.
A pair of beautiful eyes still carried some confusion, she softly said: “Shen Lingge, I’m awake.”
Chi Yanyu was stunned for a moment. That night he didn’t get a clear look at Wen Xian’s appearance. Although he also knew his saozi was good-looking, he didn’t expect there really was someone who could suppress all the socialites of Mingcheng.
And Shen Lingge, upon seeing Wen Xian barefoot, furrowed his brows right away.
He lifted his steps and ran up the stairs, without waiting for Wen Xian to ask him, he bent down and picked her up. While walking, he said: “Don’t worry about the people downstairs, go back and change clothes and wear shoes.”
Chi Yanyu, who heard it clearly and understood completely: “……”