Chapter 116 : Return to Beijing

“Qingqing, I love you.”

As everyone cheered for the arrival of the New Year, a familiar voice suddenly reached her ear. Liang Qingqing turned around swiftly and met Fan Yanxing’s gaze filled with tenderness and a warm smile.

Fan Yanxing’s romantic gestures always appeared so unexpectedly, catching her off guard and striking a deep chord in her heart. She smiled, her lips pressed together, and responded firmly, “I love you too, Yanxing.”

Hearing this, his smile deepened, seeming casual yet earnest. “We’ll celebrate the New Year together every year.”

Wearing a red sweater, Fan Yanxing looked like an enchanting figure in the dark night, his deep-set eyes sparkling brightly. When he looked at someone, it felt like he could capture all their thoughts and feelings.

Her gaze wandered over his handsome features, and she slowly replied, “Of course.”

If it weren’t for the crowd, she would have wanted to leap into his arms and kiss him passionately.

Just as the sparks between them were burning brightly, Songzi came over with a small box filled with various fireworks and firecrackers that Fan Yanxing had apparently bought from somewhere. The little one looked up with excitement and asked, “Auntie, they’re not playing, will you play with me?”

“…” The way he said it made her feel like an afterthought.

Liang Qingqing laughed helplessly but didn’t refuse Songzi’s enthusiastic invitation. She took his hand and walked toward the yard. Initially, she was only half-hearted about it, but soon she got more and more into it, nearly burning a hole in her coat.

Seeing the “two little kids” chasing and playing in the yard, everyone couldn’t help but laugh. The Spring Festival should be lively, and even if she wasn’t playing herself, watching others have fun was quite entertaining.

When the box of fireworks and firecrackers was finally empty, Liang Qingqing reluctantly followed Fan Yanxing back home.

The night sky was filled with twinkling stars, seeming so close and real that it felt almost surreal. A silver moon cast gentle light, and with no one around on the country road, the two walked hand in hand, savoring their time alone together.

Despite the biting cold wind, they felt only warmth as they huddled together. The heat rising from deep within slowly enveloped them entirely.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, the couple boarded a train to the capital city. The carriage was not crowded, and since their adjacent sleeping berths had no one in the upper berths, they simply pulled a curtain to create a small, private space.

Fan Yanxing went to get hot water with a thermos, while Liang Qingqing arranged the bedding. Since this journey was quite long and she found the shared blankets from her previous business trip to be unsanitary, she brought her own sheets and duvet covers for a much cleaner setup.

After a light meal, Liang Qingqing lay down on the bed to read, burrowing into the covers to ward off the chill. Fan Yanxing sat by the bed peeling apples with a small knife, occasionally feeding her a slice. With the curtain drawn, they were comfortable in their intimacy, unbothered by others.

Accompanied by the roar of the train, they finally reached their destination.

As they stepped out of the train station, they were greeted by a vast expanse of white. Compared to the snow in the capital, the snow in Changbei Province seemed trivial. Liang Qingqing took a deep breath, her lips curving into a smile as she watched the white mist slowly dissipate. They were finally back.

“After we eat, should I go play in the snow with you?” Seeing Liang Qingqing’s delighted expression as she gazed into the distance, Fan Yanxing immediately suggested.

Liang Qingqing nodded, “Sure, Mom said she’d come pick us up, so you should look for her.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a woman in a military green coat waved at them from the square, calling out, “Yanxing, Qingqing, over here.”

Following the sound, Liang Qingqing saw her mother-in-law, Qu Qingying, who came to pick them up. Qu Qingying quickly approached and warmly took the small bag from Liang Qingqing’s hand. “We’ve been waiting for you to come back! You must be tired from the journey?”

For the mother-in-law she had only met a few times, mostly over the phone, Liang Qingqing felt both unfamiliar and familiar. However, facing her friendly and gentle inquiry, she felt a wave of warmth rising from within. “It’s alright, just the food hasn’t been great.”

“Then let’s hurry back. The food is almost ready, we’re just waiting for you to start.” Qu Qingying looked at Liang Qingqing with concern, taking in her appearance. Seeing no signs of discomfort, she finally relaxed.

After all the communication and interaction over time, Qu Qingying genuinely accepted and liked her daughter-in-law from the bottom of her heart, treating her like her own child.

“Okay.”

Watching the two women chatting happily ahead, Fan Yanxing hesitated for a moment before smiling and quickly catching up. He tried to join their conversation but had little effect, so he decided to keep quiet and act as a luggage carrier, playing the role of an invisible observer.

“This car was assigned to your dad by his work unit,” Qu Qingying said as she opened the trunk for Fan Yanxing to place the luggage. She then explained to Liang Qingqing, “Otherwise, traveling during the New Year is quite a problem.”

In the capital city, the number of trams and buses is reduced during the Spring Festival. If you miss one, you might end up having to walk home.

“I just dropped him off at the office to handle some matters and then came to pick you up. I’ll pick him up later, and then we can head home.” Qu Qingying first opened the backseat door for Liang Qingqing and then got into the driver’s seat.

Liang Qingqing opened her mouth in surprise, “There are still things to handle during the New Year?”

“Indeed, but there’s nothing to be done about it. Since they’ve called home, it must be something urgent,” Qu Qingying sighed, urging Liang Qingqing to get into the car as it was cold outside.

“Mom, you can drive?” It’s rare to find someone who can drive these days, let alone a female driver.

Seeing Liang Qingqing’s eyes light up, Qu Qingying straightened her back unconsciously, a proud smile in her eyes. “I learned a bit from your grandparents when I was young.”

Fan Yanxing crossed his arms and smiled, adding to his mother’s pride in front of his wife, “She used to drive military vehicles and even tanks.”

Liang Qingqing appropriately showed an expression of admiration and surprise, which made Qu Qingying beam with delight. She couldn’t help but recount some of those glorious past days, and with two enthusiastic listeners, the atmosphere in the car became very lively.

It wasn’t until they picked up Fan Fangming that Qu Qingying reluctantly stopped talking.

Liang Qingqing looked out the window at the familiar and unfamiliar scenery, silently guessing where the car was headed. Despite being prepared, seeing the car pass through a gate guarded by soldiers with wooden rifles and then slowly drive up to a small Western-style house was still a shock.

The grandeur of a wealthy household was now vividly represented.

She instinctively swallowed and turned to look at Fan Yanxing, who was unloading the luggage from the trunk. Noticing her gaze, he smiled gently. She couldn’t help but think how hard it was to connect this “innocent and charming” young man with the formidable figure she had read about in books.

Before she could continue her thoughts, the twin siblings rushed out immediately. One hugged Fan Yanxing, and the other hugged Liang Qingqing, refusing to let go. The calls of “uncle” and “aunt” melted hearts.

“Don’t just stand there in the doorway, take them inside.” Qu Qingying patted the two grandchildren’s little heads disdainfully and then turned to call into the house. Soon, her son-in-law, Lin Feng, came out in an apron to help with the luggage and parking. After some bustling around, everyone finally settled on the sofa.

Fan Yajun came out from the kitchen with the last dish, greeted Liang Qingqing and the others, and then led them to the dining table, calling everyone to come eat.

The wooden table was filled with a variety of delicious dishes, with appealing colors, aromas, and tastes, all exquisitely and thoughtfully prepared. Especially when Liang Qingqing saw several familiar dishes from Changbei, she knew they must have learned them specifically for her. The feeling of being touched spread through her heart instantly.

Not only that, but after dinner, Qu Qingying also showed her around Fan Yanxing’s room ..no, now it’s their room.

It was clearly freshly cleaned, so spotless it seemed to shine. The bedding was new, and even the bedside had her usual toiletries, as well as new pajamas and slippers.

“Let me know if there’s anything else you need. If so, definitely tell me.”

Liang Qingqing withdrew her gaze and held Qu Qingying’s hand, her eyes starting to redden. “There’s nothing missing. Thank you, Mom. You’re so kind to me.”

“Why say thank you? We’re family.” Seeing Liang Qingqing like this, Qu Qingying’s eyes also took on a hint of redness. Not wanting to embarrass herself in front of her younger generation, she quickly changed the subject while giving instructions and then left the room, leaving them alone together.

After sitting on the train for so long, Liang Qingqing was tired. She naturally hugged Fan Yanxing’s waist and buried her face in his chest. Remembering what she had seen earlier, she poked his chest and playfully complained in a low voice, “Why have you never mentioned that your family is so well-off?”

“You’re so smart, didn’t you guess?” Fan Yanxing pinched her bottom and raised an eyebrow with a smile.

Daily expenses, tastes, and knowledge… with a little attention, one could notice the differences. As his closest wife, she should have noticed long ago. Besides, he hadn’t said nothing about it just not in such detail.

Liang Qingqing cleared her throat and turned her gaze away in embarrassment. She didn’t need to guess, she had known about Fan Yanxing’s family background from the start. That’s why she had deliberately approached him, hoping to cling to his success.

Now she had indeed clung to him, but had given away her heart as well.

It seemed she should avoid such thoughts…

“I guessed, which is why I dared to spend your money so recklessly,” Liang Qingqing said with a playful wink and a kiss on his lips. “I need to shower. I’ve been dying to do these past couple of days.”

On the train, she could only wipe down with a towel, unable to actually take a shower.

Fan Yanxing wrapped his arms around her waist, kissed her back, and reluctantly let go. He then picked up the toiletries that Qu Qingying had prepared for them. “It’s just across from our room. I’ll bring it over for you.”

After a quick shower, Liang Qingqing lay down on the bed. She had intended to wait for Fan Yanxing to return so they could sleep together, but she fell asleep without realizing it and only woke up the next morning for breakfast.

After breakfast, Fan Fangming and Qu Qingying took them out to visit relatives and friends, both to pay New Year’s greetings and to introduce their new daughter-in-law.