Chapter 574: Midnight Crying Children

It was early night in the northeast, and through the window snowflakes drifted outside; looking at the clock, it was already past seven.

They had promised to pick him up in the afternoon, but no one had shown up yet, Lu Cheng thought, perhaps they were delayed by something.

The two children lay sprawled on the bed; Lu Cheng lifted each, set them upright, then leaned against the headboard and, without noticing, fell asleep.

When he woke again, it was almost eleven at night, and the two children were still sound asleep.

Damn, I've become the Lin Family's nanny; the kids are left here, and no one even asks about it.

Just as he was thinking that, he turned his head and looked…

Lin Qingyan, who had arrived at an unknown time, was sitting on the chair by the bedside, propping her chin with one hand, squinting as if she were asleep.

Because the northeast weather often drops to minus thirty degrees, heating becomes a primary livelihood project in winter, and the heating inside the house burns more abundantly than anywhere else.

Inside, it feels more like summer; one has to wear autumn shirts and trousers.

Lin Qingyan had already taken off her coat, still wearing her daytime sweater, which outlined a perfect curve, her bust upright and rounded.

Wearing the sweater inside the house was very hot; Lin Qingyan's cheeks were noticeably flushed, fine beads of sweat dotted her nose, a strand of hair fell over her eyes, and she sat there as still as a maiden.

Compared with the repetitive influencer faces of later generations, Lin Qingyan possessed a delicate beauty.

Lu Cheng never denied feeling a flutter for Lin Qingyan; no man who sees Lin Qingyan's beautiful face would remain unmoved.

Perhaps because sitting up made a sound, Lin Qingyan blinked and looked over.

"You're awake." Lin Qingyan, no longer drowsy, brushed her hair behind her ear with her fingers, got up and poured a cup of water from a thermos.

"Have some water."

The heated room was dry, and Lu Cheng was indeed thirsty.

The water was warm; when Lin Qingyan poured, the cup already contained half a glass of cold water, presumably she had prepared it earlier to cool, so adding some hot water made it ready to drink.

Lu Cheng recalled that during his marriage, each morning after getting up, he would place clean, dried clothes by the bedside.

He also prepped everything needed for duty, placing them in his canvas messenger bag.

As long as Lin Qingyan was by his side, he could be a complete loafer in life.

He wouldn't have to worry about anything or think, because Lin Qingyan would prepare everything.

Gulp— he drank a cup of water, and Lin Qingyan handed him another: "I'll pour you another cup."

"No need, I've had enough."

"Okay, then I'll pour you half a cup, let it sit cool; if you're thirsty later at night, just add some hot water and you can drink it."

Lu Cheng exhaled: "When did you arrive?"

"Around nine at night, work had something, so I was late; you were sleeping soundly, so I didn't disturb you."

Lin Qingyan placed the half-filled cup on the low cabinet beside the head of the bed.

Lu Cheng sniffed the air twice: "Did you drink?"

There was a faint smell of alcohol in the room.

Lin Qingyan felt a bit embarrassed, her cheeks reddening further.

It seemed as if a woman drinking made her look frivolous, but in the northeast she had seen many women drink, and they drank just as well as men.

"Just a little; the superiors came for inspection, and in the evening our unit's comrades dined together…"

Watching Lin Qingyan rush to explain, Lu Cheng didn't mind; after all, Lin Qingyan held a high position, and the northeast values drinking culture, so having a bit of wine was perfectly normal.

"Did you bring a driver?" Lu Cheng asked.

Lin Qingyan shook her head: "No, the driver went with my father to another place for research work today."

Lu Cheng thought that must be it; today no one was home at the Lin Family, otherwise Lin Qingyan couldn't have brought the children to him.

Since Lin Qingyan was here, Lu Cheng looked at the two sleeping children and said, "Then how will you take them back? The snow outside hasn't stopped yet."

Lin Qingyan glanced out the window, also a bit worried; her unit's matters had delayed her.

"It's fine, I came by bicycle; I can push them home, it's not that far…" Lin Qingyan said, about to wake the children.

Jing Hang was okay, groggily opening his eyes; when he went to call Jing Yao, the little girl, as if having morning temperament, began wailing loudly.

"Yao Yao, it's mother, wake up quickly, we need to go home…"

Lin Qingyan coaxed for a while, but still couldn't wake her; for a moment she felt helpless—one woman with two children can sometimes be truly overwhelming.

Seeing Lin Qingyan's uneasy and anxious state, Lu Cheng felt a pang of compassion.

"Don't trouble the two kids any more; besides, it's dark and the roads are slippery outside, not safe. How about we stay at the Guesthouse tonight?"

He watched the two children, just woken, turn over and fall asleep again, while the snow outside kept falling.

Lin Qingyan hesitated for a moment, then looked back at Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng quickly responded: "Oh, I'm familiar with the registrar; there aren't many guests today, I'll go downstairs and open another room."

Lin Qingyan nodded: "Then I'll be bothering you again."

"It's fine, the main thing is not to let the children freeze." After saying that, Lu Cheng went downstairs and found Big Sister Chen.

He inevitably got pulled into a round of gossip.

"Hey Lu Jingzhang, what's the situation?"

Lu Cheng laughed: "What's there to be a situation about? It's snowing outside, my friend can't take the two kids back, so could you open a room for me? I'll pay whatever."

Big Sister Chen smiled, took out the key: "Pay what? We're all family here, no need to register. Take the key and go up; it's the room next to 308."

"Then thank you, Big Sister Chen."

Lu Cheng took the key upstairs and told Lin Qingyan.

"I'm in the next room; call me anytime if you need anything. Close the door here and rest first."

"Mm, you rest early too."

Until Lu Cheng turned and went back to the adjoining room, Lin Qingyan still stood at the doorway, staring off for a while.

He closed the door, leaned against it, watched the two sleeping children, and a smile involuntarily tugged at his mouth.

Around two or three o'clock, Lu Cheng was woken by a bout of crying and wailing, the cries coming from next door.

He got up and knocked on the door; Lin Qingyan opened it, still cradling the crying Jing Yao in her arms.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Qingyan swayed her body, coaxing her daughter, and said, "Earlier I was afraid Yao Yao would wet the bed, so I got up and called her to the bathroom, but I couldn't soothe her at all; she kept wailing, maybe she's not used to sleeping here…"

Lu Cheng thought that wasn't the reason and said, "Yao Yao adapts quite well; during those few days in the Capital City, staying in that Siheyuan, it was still less unfamiliar, and she never cried or wailed there."

Lin Qingyan chuckled softly, "Sleeping in that Siheyuan without crying is also normal."

Hearing that, Lu Cheng suddenly recalled something.

Indeed, the side room of that Siheyuan was originally where Lin Qingyan slept; perhaps it still carries a mother's scent, which is why there was no crying.

That might truly be because of the Guesthouse; Jing Yao was still wailing, her mouth murmuring as if calling "Uncle…"

Lu Cheng reached out his hand and said, "Let me try…"