Chapter 575: Sleeping on One Bed

When Lin Qingyan tried handing the child to Lu Cheng, she actually stopped crying.

Lin Qingyan immediately felt a bit helpless, tapping her daughter's forehead and complaining, "You really are clingy; Mom's hug isn't enough, you have to be held by… uncle."

"You know I'm the kind kids love; I spent the whole day playing with the two of them, and they were so happy."

Lin Qingyan pressed her lips together, quickly moved aside, and said, "Then you go in first; the hallway outside is quite cold."

Lu Cheng, cradling Jing Yao in his arms, followed her inside.

Lin Qingyan had just fallen asleep; at this moment she wore only a tight‑fitting autumn shirt and pants, which highlighted her post‑childbirth curves even more.

Walking to the bedside, Lin Qingyan lifted a corner of the quilt and said, "Put Yao Yao here; it's so late and I've woken you up."

Leaning over, Lu Cheng was just about to place the child on the bed when Jing Yao started crying again.

Lin Qingyan tried coaxing again, but her daughter clung to Lu Cheng's neck and wouldn't let go.

"Enough, enough, don't let her keep crying; I'll hold her like this for a while."

Lin Qingyan had no choice but to give up; after all, this is a guesthouse, not home, and letting the daughter cry would disturb others.

Seeing her daughter lie in Lu Cheng's arms and fall asleep obediently, Lin Qingyan felt both amused and helpless.

"This child has been like this since birth; unlike her brother Hanghang, she always needs to be held to sleep, and she cries the moment she lies down."

Lu Cheng pulled a side of the blanket and draped it over the child: "So you're caring for two kids at once; that's quite hard."

"It's fine; usually Mother Li helps out."

Lin Qingyan turned to fetch water; Lu Cheng wasn't thirsty and didn't drink.

"If you're sleepy, go ahead and rest; I'll put her down later and then go back."

"It's okay, I'm not sleepy either."

Lu Cheng thought Lin Qingyan felt embarrassed to sleep, since she was divorced and the other party had remarried with a child; his staying there really was inappropriate.

"You don't need to worry; I won't do anything to you. Even when there was a curtain between us, I never bullied you, right? So regarding my character, you can rest assured and sleep."

Lu Cheng assumed that saying that would make Lin Qingyan sleep peacefully, but she murmured softly.

"That's because you didn't drink…"

The voice was too low; Lu Cheng didn't catch it: "What?"

Lin Qingyan recovered and said, "Oh, never mind, I was just asking how Yao Yao's face got like that?"

After that question, Lu Cheng felt a bit embarrassed: "Hehe, while playing during the day, I accidentally knocked her over and she bumped her face; it wasn't on purpose."

Lin Qingyan pursed her lips: "Just knew that handing the child to you dads would be unreliable."

Her tone seemed reproachful, but more like sweet.

Lu Cheng, unconcerned, said, "It's not that I've never been a dad; I just lack experience."

Lin Qingyan opened her mouth, then changed the words at the tip: "It's late; Yao Yao seems sound asleep, put her down."

Lu Cheng tried to place her on the bed, but it still didn't work; although she didn't cry this time, her two little arms clung tightly to his neck, and her whole little body hung energetically on him.

Lu Cheng stayed half‑bent like that, utterly helpless.

Seeing her daughter hanging on Lu Cheng like a monkey, Lin Qingyan could only laugh and cry.

"Then, why don't you sleep here; anyway… it's almost dawn."

Lu Cheng thought that after Lin Qingyan finished that sentence, he would stay here while she went to the next room to sleep.

But Lin Qingyan instead walked straight to the other side of the bed, lifted the quilt and lay down.

That left Lu Cheng momentarily puzzled; normally, a woman as traditional as Lin Qingyan, after marrying, having a child, would still be avoiding him, yet now she unreservedly shares the same room with him.

Outside, the snow fell silently; inside, it was pitch black, and Lu Cheng held the child, leaning against the headboard.

In the darkness, Lin Qingyan seemed to turn over and asked, "Are you cold?"

"There's heating, not cold; I'm also under a blanket."

After a while, Lu Cheng thought Lin Qingyan had fallen asleep, but a voice suddenly sounded again in the dark.

"Lu Cheng, do you like these two children?"

Lu Cheng just found it baffling; whether he liked them or not was irrelevant.

"Hmm? I like them; the two kids are so cute."

Lu Cheng spoke honestly; indeed the Dragon‑Phoenix Twins were exceptionally charming, and Big Sister Chen even joked about taking one home.

In the dark, he didn't notice the happy smile on Lin Qingyan's face.

Snow fell all night, and by the next morning there was still no sign of stopping; this is the Northeast winter—once the season arrives, the cat‑winter basically begins.

That night exhausted Lu Cheng; fearing to wake the child, he stayed in one position the whole time.

When Jing Yao finally managed to wake up in the morning, Lu Cheng finally felt relieved.

Feeling sore, Lu Cheng massaged his waist and said, "Hey Qing Yan, where exactly is the child's father in the Capital City? Can't you at least invite me to a meal to make up for it? He's just a slacker, and I'm suffering for him here…"

It was meant as a joke, but Lin Qingyan lowered her head, not knowing how to answer.

Fortunately, Jing Yao spoke up then: "Uncle, why are you here?"

Without Lu Cheng speaking, Lin Qingyan scolded first: "You keep saying it, you cried in the middle of the night, Uncle came to soothe you, and you cling to him, not letting him go."

Jing Yao wiggled her little head and giggled, "Hehe…"

"How dare you still laugh! Come here, Mom will wash your face; look how dirty your little face is, Hanghang, you come too…"

Jing Hang, who had been perched by the window watching the snow, turned around: "Got it, Mom."

As daylight rose, the guesthouse residents gradually got up, and the hallway became lively.

When a man and a woman emerged from Room 308, along with a pair of Dragon‑Phoenix Twins, they inevitably attracted many glances.

In the low murmurs, Lu Cheng even heard someone say, "What a happy family of four; look at those twins, how blessed they are."

They were strangers among the guests, and Lu Cheng couldn't explain, but he soon went downstairs.

Daybreak arrived; although the snow hadn't stopped, the street's drifts had already been trampled into a path.

"Lu Cheng, then I'll head back first."

"Mm, be careful on the road."

Lin Qingyan lifted the two children onto the bicycle: "Good‑bye to Uncle."

Jing Hang was wrapped tightly all over, only a pair of big eyes showing: "Good‑bye, Uncle."

Jing Yao was about the same, and Lin Qingyan wrapped her scarf around her daughter.

"Uncle, when you come next time, I'll come find you…"

Lu Cheng smiled and waved: "Good‑bye."

The bicycle slowly disappeared around the corner, and Lin Qingyan took the children back home.

The residence was the metallurgical unit's family courtyard; although it couldn't compare with the little Western house they once had in Capital City, it was still a private, single‑household dwelling.

"Come down, we're home." Lin Qingyan parked the bicycle at the doorway and lifted the two children down.

"Remember what Mom just said on the road…"

Lin Qingyan was about to repeat the admonition when mother Yu Wanrong suddenly stepped out of the door.

"Where did you two go last night?"