Chapter 296: Just Try a Bit Harder, and Let Her Come Back with a Baby
It was the 27th or 28th day near the end of the year.
Lin Yibai counted the days and realized she had been keeping Xia Changyu with her for too long.
Emotionally, of course she wanted Xia Changyu to stay with her every day, being sweet and clingy all the time, like “either he dies or I die” kind of love.
But logically speaking, it wasn’t a good idea to keep Xia Changyu here for the New Year.
The weather at the end of the year was a bit gloomy. It kept raining lightly without stopping. Finally, Lin Yibai shared her thoughts.
“Hey, the New Year is in a day or two. Don’t you think it’s time you went home?”
Xia Changyu understood what she meant. He looked up at the light rain and said, “Do I really have to go? I just realized your hometown’s rainy mist is actually very beautiful.”
Lin Yibai smiled and then jumped onto Xia Changyu's back and teasingly said, “What, having so much fun here that you don’t want to go back?”
Bingo. She guessed right.
Xia Changyu hugged her back tightly. With no pressure from society, there was nothing wrong with staying in this small town with someone you love.
But still no. Letting him stay for New Year’s would be too much.
She said firmly, “You have to go home.”
Xia Changyu sighed. He had only heard of guys getting in trouble for not going to their girlfriend’s house for New Year’s. But this was the first time he saw a girl kicking her boyfriend out before the New Year.
Still, thinking carefully, he realized Lin Yibai was right.
But just before leaving, Xia Changyu suddenly held her tight and asked, “Since I’m leaving soon… do you want to?”
Lin Yibai stretched her voice, “Want what?”
Xia Changyu hinted, “You know… that thing.”
Lin Yibai shook her head, “I don’t know.”
Xia Changyu raised his eyebrows and smiled, “You know, do you want to… do it one more time?”
Lin Yibai rolled her eyes and snorted, “Are you crazy? Is your brain filled with nothing but that stuff?”
He wasn’t crazy, and his brain wasn’t full of just those thoughts.
It was just… ever since his body had been upgraded, ever since that subsystem was added inside him, Xia Changyu had been dying to test out the “improvements.”
But for some reason, after that one day, Lin Yibai had been super strict. No matter how much he begged, she just wouldn’t say yes, not even once.
So yeah… he felt like he was about to explode.
Lin Yibai gave him a side glance and said seriously, “I think you’d better calm down and stop thinking about that stuff. You know what I’m most afraid of right now?”
Xia Changyu asked, “What?”
Lin Yibai sighed, “I’m scared you’ll be like the past few days, acting like you’re about to drop dead from exhaustion. If you go home with dark circles under your eyes and look all weak and sick… what do you think your parents will think of me?”
Xia Changyu said, “You’re a good girl. Of course they’ll like you.”
Lin Yibai snorted, “Your idea of a ‘good girl’ is someone who drains a guy in his early twenties until he’s almost empty? Come on, think about me too, will you? I don’t want your parents to think badly of me because you look lifeless.”
She didn’t know that Xia Changyu’s mom was actually the same “Sister Xia” from before. She also didn’t know that she had already been accepted.
But that didn’t stop Lin Yibai from putting herself in his parents’ shoes. Imagine this, if you were a parent and saw your son looking half-dead every day, tired and sickly, how would you feel about the girl who did that to him?
Seeing this, Xia Changyu didn’t push it anymore.
In the afternoon of the 29th, when the weather finally cleared up a bit, Lin Yibai told him it was time to head home.
Xia Changyu was reluctant and said, “I really don’t want to go. Who knows how long it’ll be before we see each other again?”
Lin Yibai didn’t bother arguing and just said calmly, “I’m going to Fucheng on the eighth or ninth day of the new year. That’s only ten days. Are you gonna die from missing me that much?”
Xia Changyu: “Yes.”
Lin Yibai looked at him like he was being ridiculous and said, “Okay, okay, just go already!”
Xia Changyu: “Alright. Bye.”
Lin Yibai: “Take care. Stay safe.”
The car finally drove away.
Lin Yibai raised her pretty eyebrows, was she actually feeling a little sad?
Well, it didn’t really matter!
Because she knew that with just one phone call, Xia Changyu would definitely come back for her, no matter the weather or obstacles.
When she got home, her mom was still feeling sorry about it, “Why did he leave in such a rush? Xiao Bai, did you make him go? We should’ve sent him home with some of the dumplings and fried meatballs we made!”
Lin Yibai replied, “Maybe he doesn’t like those.”
Her mom gave her a look and said, “Nonsense! These past few days, Changyu really liked your cooking. Why would he not like our food?”
Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve.
She saw her dad smoking quietly on the balcony, looking worried, probably stressed about the New Year’s dinner.
Normally, their family would go back to the countryside every year on New Year’s Eve to celebrate with relatives.
But this year?
There had been that mess at Second Uncle’s house. Even now, the family group chat called ‘One Big Loving Family’ was still full of arguments.
Some people were saying Lin Yibai didn’t know how to behave. Others blamed her dad for not raising her properly.
Because Second Uncle worked in a government office, most relatives were siding with him and criticizing her dad.
So, their family had already decided, they wouldn’t go back this year.
Lin Yibai wanted to walk over and talk to her dad. But halfway there, she stopped herself and sighed.
“Forget it. Talking won’t help. The best comfort is just becoming successful.”
This made her even more determined to take the provincial civil service exam after the New Year.
Even if not for herself, she would work hard for the sake of her family.
She turned and walked into the kitchen, calling out sweetly, “Mom, is there anything I can help with?”
Mom: “No.”
Lin Yibai: “I think there is something.”
Her mom glanced at her and smiled, “Alright then! Help me fry some hairtail fish, mackerel, and meatballs, and make pork bone soup.”
Lin Yibai was shocked. “Mom, don’t you think you’ve prepared too much food for the New Year?”
There was no way they could eat it all.
But really, it was for entertaining guests. Though Lin Yibai wasn’t sure if any relatives would even come.
Still, it didn’t matter! She said cheerfully, “Okay then, I’ll just take more and share it with Changyu.”
Keeping herself busy made it feel more like New Year’s.
But what Lin Yibai didn’t know was that as soon as Xia Changyu got home, he was scolded hard.
“Are you stupid? Why did you come back? You’re a man, couldn’t you think of a way to stay at the girl’s house? You should be trying your best to win over Baiyi’s parents! Coming home is useless, your future wife is what matters most, got it?”
And now that it was the busy season for matchmaking during the holidays. His mom was worried someone else might try to steal Lin Yibai away.
Xia Changyu gave a bitter smile.
Their house was a small villa. He looked inside, it was cold and quiet.
He sighed and asked, “Dad’s not back yet?”
Xia Zhilian shrugged, clearly not excited about the holidays. “You know your dad, he even flew overseas for business during the New Year. Changyu, I’m warning you now, after you marry Baiyi, you’re not allowed to be like him, got it?”
Xia Changyu smiled helplessly, “I understand.”
Xia Zhilian was pleased. “Alright then! Since you’re back, should I call the hotel and have them deliver a big meal?”
Xia Changyu stopped her, “No need. Baiyi gave me a lot of food to bring back, special dishes just for New Year. If you don’t mind?”
Xia Zhilian smiled warmly, “How could I mind something from my daughter-in-law? But honestly, I still think you shouldn’t have come back. You should’ve stayed and spent more time with Baiyi.”
Xia Changyu replied, “Baiyi told me to come home. She said if I didn’t, I’d look like an ungrateful son and make my parents worry.”
Xia Zhilian smiled, “She really said that?”
Xia Changyu said, “I didn’t want to come back, and she even scolded me… But seriously, if I had many kids with Baiyi in the future, wouldn’t this house feel much more lively?”
Hearing her son’s words, Xia Zhilian felt incredibly happy inside.
She could already imagine this quiet and lonely villa, one day filled with laughter and joy.
So really, her son shouldn’t have come back. He should’ve stayed with Lin Yibai and “worked” a little harder during the holiday…
It would be best if Lin Yibai came back pregnant. Now that would be the perfect New Year’s gift.