Chapter 701: Accepting Fate (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

August 30.

In the morning, Song Yu accompanied Tian Rune and Li Lan on a shopping trip.

Li Heng drove his second sister’s minivan to Chen Xiaomi’s house to pick someone up.

To pick up Zijin.

At Yandaixie Street, he parked the car near the alley entrance and walked into the lane, knocking on the gate of the courtyard on the right side of the middle section.

This was Chen Xiaomi’s new home; they had moved in less than half a year ago.

Although this was his first time here in this life, he had visited several times in his past life—he knew the way well, having come to pick up Zijin before.

“Dong dong dong!”

“Dong dong dong!”

After two knocks, the gate creaked open.

To his surprise, the person who opened the door was Zhong Lan.

Across the threshold, Zhong Lan stared in shock at the young man outside.

Li Heng, equally stunned, stared at the “stranger” inside.

Neither had ever imagined they would meet this way in Jingcheng.

Last year’s Spring Festival, they had seen each other across the street in Shangwan Village—only that, nothing more.

Later, when Li Heng visited the Chen family for New Year’s greetings, Zhong Lan never came out to receive him; she stayed in her room. Even Chen Laoyezi couldn’t get her to budge.

Their eyes met. Li Heng’s lips moved, and he struggled to utter two words: “Auntie.”

Zhong Lan stared at him for a moment longer, then turned away and sat down in a corner of the courtyard to pick vegetables, ignoring him entirely.

At that moment, Chen Zijin stepped out quickly from inside the house, followed by Chen Xiaomi and Chen Zitong.

Clearly, the three women had heard the knocking.

Sensing something odd, Chen Zijin glanced at her mother, then at Li Heng, before running over and wrapping her arms around him with a smile: “You’re here.”

Li Heng opened his arms to embrace her, nodded, and said: “Yeah, kept my wife waiting.”

The word “wife” made Zhong Lan snap a celery stalk in her hand—she thought: My eldest daughter is completely ignoring me, provoking me, throwing herself into Li Heng’s arms right before my eyes. And Li Heng is even worse.

Chen Zitong cooed at her mom, cooed at her sister and Li Heng, then loudly called out:

“Brother-in-law, long time no see! Did you buy your beloved little auntie a gift?”

Look! Look! The tone was so warm it nearly drove Zhong Lan mad.

Li Heng lifted Zijin and spun her around once, then set her down and said: “I bought it—in the car. I’ll take you to get it later.”

Bought nothing—he hadn’t even considered that the little auntie would be here.

But gifts weren’t a problem for him. Knowing this little money-hound’s nature, he could simply hand her a big red envelope and be done with it.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Chen Zitong, Li Heng called out to Chen Xiaomi: “Auntie.”

Chen Xiaomi smiled and shut the courtyard gate, asking: “Have you had breakfast?”

Li Heng replied: “Yes, I ate on the way over.”

Chen Xiaomi asked: “School starts soon—when are you heading back to Shanghai?”

Li Heng answered: “Tomorrow afternoon’s flight.”

Chen Xiaomi glanced at Zijin: “Leaving tomorrow?”

Li Heng guessed what Chen Xiaomi was thinking and added: “I’ll come back during National Day—I’ll come specially to spend time with Zijin.”

This was the plain truth—not a last-minute excuse or a lie.

Hearing this, Chen Zitong immediately raised her thumb: “Brother-in-law, you’re the best! Don’t forget to treat me to a big meal then.”

Li Heng readily agreed: “No problem.”

Chen Xiaomi felt a little better and smiled: “Since you’re leaving tomorrow, take Zijin out for a walk. The house is being cleaned today—everything’s dusty. We won’t keep you. Come back for National Day.”

The house wasn’t being cleaned at all—but with her sister-in-law present, Chen Xiaomi knew Li Heng understood her implication.

Li Heng replied: “Alright, then Zijin and I will be off.”

Saying that, he took Zijin’s hand and turned toward the courtyard gate.

Chen Zitong bounced after them.

Chen Xiaomi walked them out herself.

Watching them leave, Chen Xiaomi thought for a moment, then returned to the courtyard and sat beside Zhong Lan on the stone bench, studying her sister-in-law’s expression before asking: “Sister-in-law, are you upset?”

Zhong Lan shot her a glance, irritable: “You still call me sister-in-law? You didn’t treat me like one just now.”