vrcanaries Chapter 1371: Nothing is more beautiful than Zhou Mengyao!
Chapter 1371: Nothing is more beautiful than Zhou Mengyao!
The Hummer drove smoothly back to the city, the cabin quiet except for the sound of the wind rushing past the window.
Xiao Haoyi clutched Zhou Mengyao's clothes, glancing at her every now and then with a furrowed brow, looking worried like a little adult.
Xiao Zhiqing leaned against Zhou Mengyao's chest, gently patting her mother's hand, imitating how Zhou Mengyao usually comforted her.
Zhou Mengyao looked down at her well-behaved daughter in her arms, then at her sensible son beside her, and her nose tingled with emotion again.
She knew that the children might not fully understand her sadness, but they were clumsily conveying warmth in their own way.
Zhou Mengyao took a deep breath, suppressing her surging emotions, and gently touched the heads of the two children: "Mother is alright. With you two here, Mother is not afraid of being sad."
Lin Lang watched this scene in the rearview mirror and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
He knew how deep Zhou Mengyao's feelings were for her father-in-law; every year on this day, she would be depressed for the entire day.
All he could do was silently stay by Zhou Mengyao's side, offering her warmth and companionship.
Perhaps the atmosphere inside the car was too oppressive, so Lin Lang turned on the car radio and tuned it to the local FM music channel.
It just so happens that a song from Zhou Mengyao's new music album, "The Sky Will Always Brighten and the Flowers Will Always Bloom," is playing.
Upon hearing that it was her mother's new song, Xiao Zhiqing immediately shook her little head playfully and sang along to the melody.
The sky will always brighten and the flowers will always bloom.
The haze will eventually be dispelled by the wind.
Those wounds slowly faded away
Warmth will open the door to your heart...
Her daughter's voice was soothing; Zhou Mengyao's heart felt as if it were gently enveloped by a warm current, and her originally heavy emotions gradually eased.
She looked down at her daughter singing earnestly, her little face swaying slightly with the rhythm, her eyes shining with pure light, and a faint smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.
"My dear daughter, you sang so beautifully," Zhou Mengyao praised softly, reaching out to tidy up the stray hairs on her daughter's forehead.
Hearing the praise, Xiao Zhiqing sang even more enthusiastically, her clear and lively voice conveying the warmth of the song perfectly.
Xiao Haoyi also hummed along softly. Although his tune wasn't quite right, he was very serious, and his little hands were tapping out the rhythm on his legs.
As Lin Lang listened to the singing in the back seat, he glanced at Zhou Mengyao's softened profile in the rearview mirror and relaxed his grip on the steering wheel.
At this moment, her six-year-old son and daughter became the best medicine to heal Zhou Mengyao.
"Mother, does this song say that when you're sad, you'll feel better after a while?" After Xiao Zhiqing finished singing, she looked up and asked Zhou Mengyao, her eyes full of curiosity.
Zhou Mengyao nodded, feeling as if something had gently bumped into her heart.
Yes, just like the song says, the sun will always rise, the flowers will always bloom, and even the deepest longing will slowly settle into warm memories with the company of family.
“Yes.” Zhou Mengyao’s voice was light and cheerful. “Like now, with Qing’er, your brother, and your father here, I feel much better.”
Xiao Haoyi leaned closer and gently rubbed his forehead against Zhou Mengyao's arm, like a sensible little animal: "Mother, tell me about Grandpa's story."
Mentioning her father, Zhou Mengyao's heart clenched again, but this time there was no bitterness, only tenderness.
She remembers that when she was a child, her father always loved to sit in the rattan chair in the courtyard of the Zhou family villa and listen to her sing. No matter how well or poorly she sang, he would always smile and clap.
“Okay, then your mother will tell you the story of your maternal grandfather.” Zhou Mengyao said with a smile, reaching out to pull both children into her arms and giving them a tight hug.
"Yay!" Xiao Haoyi's eyes shone like stars, and he pricked up his ears with anticipation.
The atmosphere in the carriage brightened completely. Lin Lang turned the radio volume down a bit, and the wind outside the window seemed to become gentler.
Lin Lang opened the car window a crack, and fresh air rushed in, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, dispelling the last trace of oppression.
Zhou Mengyao's memory drifted back to her childhood, and a healing smile appeared on her face as she softly said, "Your maternal grandfather was an extremely skilled appraiser and one of the most prominent collectors in Xia Kingdom."
"Whether it's porcelain, calligraphy and painting, bronzes and jades, or lacquerware, all kinds of cultural relics and antiques, as long as they are brought to your grandfather, he can accurately identify their authenticity and explain the cultural background and origin of the treasures."
There's a saying in the antique appraisal world: "Zhou in the South, Ma in the North." This refers to Zhou Zhongdang, a master appraiser in the south, and Ma Weidu, a master appraiser in the north.
After hearing this, Xiao Haoyi clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Wow, Grandpa is so amazing!"
Little Zhixi blinked her big, dark eyes and asked curiously, "Mother, are all the antiques in the Zhou family villa treasured by Grandpa?"
Zhou Mengyao replied, "That's right. The Zhou family villa has a collection of precious cultural relics that are comparable to those in a museum. They are all inherited and collected by your maternal grandfather and three generations of the Zhou family."
She checked and then said half-jokingly, "However, from now on, all of the Zhou family's billions in assets will be transferred to the Lin family, which is a good deal for your father and the three of you with the surname Lin!"
Xiao Haoyi tilted his head, puzzled, and asked, "Mother, what do you mean by that?"
Lin Lang, looking straight ahead as he drove, smiled and said without turning his head:
“Silly son, what your mother means is that since the Zhou family has no son to inherit the family fortune, the huge wealth accumulated by the Zhou family over four generations has all benefited the three of us surnamed Lin.”
Xiao Haoyi chuckled and said, "Mother, I don't want those broken bottles and jars. I just want you and Father to stay with me."
"Silly boy." Zhou Mengyao smiled and patted her son's soft hair.
Little Zhiqing, however, acted like a little adult, tilting her head playfully and saying, "Mother, you mustn't be biased. I want the inheritance my brother received too."
Zhou Mengyao chuckled and gently pinched her daughter's nose, coaxing her tenderly, "Of course, your mother is not biased. You will have everything your brother has."
"Hehe... there aren't many cars yet." Xiao Zhiqing snuggled in Zhou Mengyao's arms and acted coquettishly.
Zhou Mengyao leaned back in her chair, looking at her sensible and adorable son and daughter, holding their little hands tightly, a faint smile on her lips.
In the days to come, the longing for her deceased father will still occasionally well up in Zhou Mengyao's heart, but more often, she will feel the comfort of being enveloped by the love of her family.
Because she is not alone, she has Lin Lang's protection and the children's company, the family of four is truly happy.
Zhou Mengyao has no concerns about her appearance or figure, is financially independent, is a popular idol singer, and is also a world Grand Slam women's motorcycle racing champion. She is truly a perfect goddess.
Perhaps what might make Zhou Mengyao throw a little tantrum is occasionally vying for Lin Lang's attention, hoping he'll spend more time with her and the child.
The atmosphere in the carriage then became much more cheerful.
The two little ones kept pestering Zhou Mengyao with questions, mostly about her grandfather's life and her mother's childhood. Their chatter quickly made Zhou Mengyao forget her sadness.
As they approached the Bund seaside villa area, Xiao Zhiqing suddenly pointed out the window and shouted, "Mother, look! We're almost home!"
As the car entered the familiar Bund area of wealthy villas, the luxurious Lin Residence villa, located in the prime location, came into view from afar.
As soon as the car came to a stop, Xiao Haoyi jumped out first, grabbed his younger sister Xiao Zhiqing's hand and ran into the house: "Mother, hurry up, it's Sunday today and Auntie doesn't have school. I want to play with Auntie Nianlin."
Zhou Mengyao got out of the car with a smile and reminded her, "Run slowly and don't fall."
After Lin Lang got out of the car, Zhou Mengyao stepped forward, took his arm, and they walked intimately into the courtyard of the Lin family villa.
"Greetings, Boss! Greetings, Aunt Zhou!" The two female bodyguards guarding the entrance to the villa courtyard bowed respectfully.
"Drive the car into the underground garage." Lin Lang handed the Hummer keys to a female bodyguard.
"Yes, Boss." The female bodyguard did as she was told from then on.
Stepping into the Lin family villa, you can see Chen Nianlin playing "Red Light, Green Light" with a group of her nephews and nieces.
Xiao Zhiqing and Xiao Haoyi couldn't wait to join the game.
After saying "One, two, three, freeze! Don't move!", Chen Nianlin turned around with a smile and just saw Zhou Mengyao returning to the Lin residence arm in arm with Lin Lang.
The little ones all stopped abruptly, frozen in place like wooden figures.
Chen Nianlin quickly stopped playing the game and respectfully called out to Lin Lang and Zhou Mengyao, "Brother and sister-in-law Mengyao are back?"
Lin Lang smiled gently and replied, "Mm."
"Nianlin, you can play games with the children without interfering with your studies, right?" Zhou Mengyao smiled gently, her smile captivating.
Chen Nianlin replied with a smile, "Yesterday was Saturday, and I finished reviewing all of today's homework and lessons."
The children were still engrossed in the game, frozen in place, too afraid to move.
Lin Lang couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Nianlin, you and the children continue playing. Your sister-in-law Mengyao hasn't had breakfast yet. I'll go with her to the restaurant to eat."
"Okay, brother." Chen Nianlin turned around again and continued to coax the little ones into playing "Red Light, Green Light."
When Lin Lang brought Zhou Mengyao to the dining room of the Lin family villa, the system recalled his clone, who had already successfully prepared dinner.
As soon as you step into the restaurant, a rich aroma wafts over you.
Four dishes and a soup were already laid out on the table: sea cucumber with shrimp, mushrooms and greens, crystal shrimp, sweet and sour pork ribs, and a bowl of warm scallop and winter melon soup, steaming hot and dispelling the chill brought by the cemetery.
"Wow, honey, the dishes on the table look like they were cooked by you!"
Lin Lang gently put his arm around Zhou Mengyao's shoulder and said tenderly, "I sent my clone to make you a few dishes in advance. I knew you didn't have much of an appetite today, so I thought I'd make some of the dishes you liked when you were little. Maybe you'll eat more."
Zhou Mengyao's eyes instantly welled up with tears again. She turned to look at Lin Lang, her voice choked with sobs, "Husband, you're so good to me!"
Lin Lang pulled Zhou Mengyao into his arms, gently stroking her back, and comforted her, "Silly wife, our love is one that's been through thick and thin. Isn't it only right that I treat you well?"
Zhou Mengyao hugged Lin Lang tightly, nestled against him like a little bird, and said in a tearful voice, "Husband, it's so good to have you! My dad really has a good apprentice. You are his honor."
Lin Lang gently stroked Zhou Mengyao's shoulder and coaxed her tenderly, "Silly wife, you are the honor of your master and the Zhou family!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Mengyao burst into laughter through her tears, gazing at Lin Lang with tender eyes, and said sweetly, "Husband, you will always be the pride of me and the children!"
Lin Lang looked down at Zhou Mengyao's teary yet affectionate eyes, his heart softened, and he slowly leaned down.
His movements were so gentle; his forehead first lightly touched Zhou Mengyao's, their noses met, and their breaths mingled, carrying the familiar scents of each other.
Zhou Mengyao tilted her head slightly, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, but she closed her eyes on her own initiative.
Lin Lang's kiss followed, first gently touching the corner of Zhou Mengyao's lips with a tender care, as if to soothe all her grievances and longing.
His kiss deepened, gentle yet firm, as if he wanted to incorporate all the years of mutual support and shared hardships into it.
Zhou Mengyao instinctively wrapped her arms around Lin Lang's neck, leaning closer to him in response to his unspoken affection.
The food in the restaurant was still steaming and fragrant, but it all seemed to become the background to this scene.
Time seemed to slow down at that moment, and only the sound of each other's heartbeats could be clearly heard, beating at the same frequency.
After a long while, Lin Lang slowly released Zhou Mengyao, his forehead still pressed against hers, his voice slightly hoarse: "You're not allowed to shed tears anymore, it hurts me."
Zhou Mengyao's cheeks flushed slightly. She opened her big, wet eyes and looked at Lin Lang, a shy smile on her lips, and softly hummed in agreement.
Like a soothed kitten, she remained nestled in Lin Lang's arms.
She was his school beauty and his unrequited love.
He was her deskmate and the school's most handsome boy.
So many years have passed, and their two children are both six years old, but everything between them is still as beautiful as when they were in the honeymoon phase!
Perhaps this is what physiological attraction is, a love that is mutual and mutual!