Chapter 100: Xia Yan and I Are Getting Married

Xia Yan nimbly hopped down from the back seat of the bicycle and, when Lin You was not looking, rubbed her bottom a few times. Though she was dressed warmly for winter, the jolting ride up the mountain had still left her a little sore. It seemed she would need to prepare a cushion to place on the seat.

“Nuannuan, come on. Sis will take you to buy White Rabbit candy.”

Xia Yan walked to the front of the bicycle and lifted Lin Nuannuan down.

She had been here for quite some time, and every time she addressed Lin Nuannuan as “sis,” Lin You always found it awkward. It seemed that the children’s way of addressing one another would have to be settled at a family meeting someday.

When Xia Yan came out again, she was carrying quite a few things.

“Why did you buy so much?” Lin You hurried to take them and hung the two mesh bags on the handlebars.

“This is a lot? If I weren’t worried there’d be nowhere to put it on the bike, I would have bought more. We’ve got three children at home now, and Xiao Zhe and Xiao Zhuo are at the age when they need to grow. Their nutrition cannot fall behind.”

Xia Yan had never given birth, but she knew how to raise children. At their age, when they were still growing taller, her goal was to raise her two sons to be as tall as Lin You.

Seeing how much Xia Yan cared about all three children, Lin You was filled with warmth and gratitude.

After leaving the supply cooperative, Xia Yan hopped back onto the bike. This time, without needing Lin You to say anything, she took the initiative to wrap her arms around his waist. With both hands full, she could only hold on with one arm.

Lin You no longer felt the nervousness he had just now; what replaced it was a joy rising from the very depths of his heart.

Passing by the school, Lin You spotted two familiar figures from afar and flicked the bicycle bell.

The ringing immediately drew the attention of all the children ahead.

When Lin Hongzhuo turned and saw Lin You, he jumped up excitedly and cried, “Brother, look! It’s Dad!”

Lin Hongzhe also broke into a smile at the sight of Lin You and ran toward him shouting.

“Dad, is this bicycle really ours?”

Lin Hongzhuo touched the brand-new bicycle, unable to let go of it, as though he wanted to ride it all over the mountains right away.

Lin You patted his head and said, “Yes, it’s ours.”

The little fellow circled around the bicycle again in delight. Xia Yan smiled as she picked up Lin Nuannuan and gave the seat over to her two sons.

“You take the two children home first. I’ll walk around with Nuannuan.”

“All right. I’ll送 them home first, then come back for you.”

“No need to come back for us. It’s not far from here to home. My bottom still hurts from the ride, so walking a bit will be just right.”

“Then all right. Walk slowly. Zhuo, Zhe, get on the bike.”

Even Lin Hongzhe, who was not usually good at showing his feelings, had not stopped smiling since just now. Hearing Lin You, he lightly hopped up and sat sideways on the bicycle, clutching Lin You’s clothes tightly with both hands.

Watching the backs of the three as they rode away, Xia Yan kissed her daughter in her arms. “Nuannuan, let’s go home too.”

By the time they got home, Lin You was already helping Xia Yan prepare ingredients in the kitchen. He was not good at cooking, but washing and cutting vegetables was no trouble at all.

Lin Hongzhuo crouched nearby, turning the pedal with his hand, his eyes fixed on the spinning wheel as he laughed to himself from time to time.

Xia Yan closed the courtyard gate and asked, “Zhuo, where’s your brother?”

“He’s in the house doing homework,” Lin Hongzhuo answered without even looking up, completely absorbed in the joy of playing with the bicycle.

Xia Yan twisted his ear in annoyance. “You brat, have you finished your homework?”

“Mom, I finished it at school...”

Even so, Xia Yan did not let go. “If your homework is done, why not preview tomorrow’s lessons? Play a few more minutes, then go read. Do you hear me? You need to learn more from your brother when it comes to studying.”

That evening, the whole family sat around the table for dinner. Xia Yan kept serving Lin You dish after dish, piling his bowl nearly full and still adding more.

It had been a long time since they had all eaten together, and there was no end of conversation. Most of it, of course, was about the two boys’ studies. Only at the very end did Lin You put down his chopsticks and say to the three children, “I have something I want to talk to all three of you about.”

“The marriage application between Xia Yan and me has been approved. We’re getting ready to get married...”

As soon as Lin Hongzhuo heard this, he was the first to clap and cheer. In his heart, he had long since treated Xia Yan as his mother.

Seeing that Lin Hongzhe remained quiet, Lin You asked, “Zhe, do you have any thoughts about this?”

“As long as you think it’s good, Dad, that’s enough.”

Xia Yan spoke then. “Zhe, I hope that when your dad and I marry, I can have your blessing. From then on, we’ll truly be one family. If there’s anything you want to say, you can tell me directly. If you’re not ready to call me Mom for now, you can still call me by my name like before.”

Lin Hongzhe looked up at her. “Give me some time...”

Hearing this, Xia Yan looked at Lin You, and the two of them exchanged a knowing smile. For Lin Hongzhe to say something like that meant that, in his heart, he had already begun to slowly accept Xia Yan. The rest could be left to time.

As for Lin Nuannuan, she still did not understand what marriage meant. She only saw her brother clapping and laughing, and so she clapped and laughed along with him.

“Then this matter is settled in our family. Xia Yan and I will pick an appropriate day to register our marriage.”

“Dad, will we have a little brother and a little sister after that?”

Lin Hongzhuo’s words made both of them blush.

Lin You shot the boy a glare. “Where did you hear that nonsense? Who said getting married means you’ll have a little brother and a little sister?”

Xia Yan said with a smile, “I’m already satisfied with having the three of you. As for the little brother and little sister you mentioned, your dad and I have discussed it. We’re not considering it for now.”

“I don’t mind.”

At that moment, Lin Hongzhe suddenly spoke. “Dad, after all, the three of us are not your biological children. I hope you and Xia Yan can have children of your own someday.”

Lin You fell into thought after hearing his words.

Lin Hongzhe thought Lin You was still worried about something and said again, “Dad, don’t worry. In the future, my brother, sister, and I will also treat your children as our own little brother and little sister.”

Warmth rose in Xia Yan’s heart. The child was truly sensible. Still, she explained, “Zhe, your dad doesn’t think that way at all. In his eyes, the three of you are his own children. He and I are already very happy to have the three of you at home.”

After dinner, Lin Hongzhuo played with his sister, while Lin Hongzhe returned to his room to read again.

In the kitchen, Lin You helped Xia Yan clear away the bowls and chopsticks.

“I called home. My mother said she asked someone to choose an auspicious day for us. The day after tomorrow is a good day to get the marriage certificate...”

Xia Yan set down the bowls and chopsticks in her hands. “The day after tomorrow?”

“Yes. If you think it’s too soon, we can wait a while longer.”

Xia Yan shook her head. “No. It’s just the household registration issue—what should we do about that?”

“I’ll go get a certificate of proof. That’ll be enough...”

That night, Xia Yan did not sleep.