Chapter 277 - 275: The Return Trip
Li Xiu glanced at her dotingly. ’What’s this nonsense?’ In his opinion, Huang Chao was little more than a brute. Of all the rebel leaders throughout the long river of history, Huang Chao was the one Li Xiu disliked the most.
Glancing at Li Xiu, Zhou Lian asked curiously, "Do you dislike the poem, or the person who wrote it?"
"I don’t really like either. But if I had to choose, I dislike the man more than the poem," Li Xiu said, pursing his lips.
After thinking about what she knew of Huang Chao, Zhou Lian fell silent. ’That makes sense. Their values are completely at odds; of course Li Xiu wouldn’t like him.’ She smiled and shook her head. ’When it comes to his opinions on so many things, this man is really like a child in front of me.’
The two of them spent a full five days in Jinling City, staying at the Jinling Hotel. By day, they visited the Confucius Temple, the Imperial Examination Hall, Mochou Lake, Xuanwu Lake, the Zhongshan Mausoleum, and the Ming Xiaoling... At night, they cruised the Ten-mile Qinhuai, savoring the ancient city known as the "Six Dynasties Golden Powder Land." It truly lived up to the poet Xie Tao’s "Ballad of Entering the Court": "A land of beauties, this Jiangnan; an imperial capital, this Jinling. Winding green waters embrace it; lofty vermilion mansions rise. Flying eaves flank the boulevards; weeping willows shade imperial moats."
"Bao’er, where do you want to go tomorrow?" Li Xiu asked gently, playing with her fingers as he held her in bed.
After a moment of thought, Zhou Lian said languidly, "Hmm, let’s go see the ancient towns nearby. We can walk on the bluestone paths, ride in a black-canopied boat, and see the Ming and Qing dynasty homes. In the future, with development, these things will lose their charm. It’s better to enjoy them now while they’re still authentic."
"That’s true. In another ten or twenty years, all those scenic spots will be completely different," Li Xiu quickly agreed, nodding as he thought of the massive crowds that would swarm every major attraction during holidays in later years.
"Let’s sleep. If Bao’er likes these places, we’ll just stay a few more days. We’ll have plenty of time to visit the other spots later," Li Xiu said, his heart aching a little as he gently patted Zhou Lian’s back. ’Traveling is physically demanding,’ he thought. ’All the walking these past few days has worn her out, but her spirits are high. I’ll have to find more opportunities to take her out like this in the future.’
Li Xiu and Zhou Lian visited every ancient town around Jinling City. Zhou Lian got to fully experience the poetic, misty atmosphere of Jiangnan. But after ten days or so had passed, Li Xiu had to put aside his plans to take her to see the gardens in Gusu. They had already been away for more than half a month, and Zhou Lian was missing the elders and children back home. After a moment’s thought, Li Xiu didn’t press the issue. ’We can always find another chance to come back in the future,’ he decided.
The back seat and trunk were filled with all sorts of local specialties. Some were things Zhou Lian liked, which Li Xiu had specially bought for her as mementos. Many others were gifts for friends and family. Zhou Lian rarely had the chance to unleash her inner shopaholic, and with a husband who did nothing but indulge her, the result was predictable. Egged on by Li Xiu’s encouragement, she bought so many things that they couldn’t even fit in the car. In the end, Li Xiu simply had them packaged and mailed back to the Capital City.
On the way back, Zhou Lian looked at Li Xiu as he drove and said, "When we get back, while I still have vacation time, I think I’ll learn how to drive."
Li Xiu thought for a moment and said gently, "That’s a good idea. Once you learn, I’ll have someone find a car that’s suitable for you." ’But I’ll need to have someone modify it to make it sturdier,’ he added silently.
"Jin Chen, do you think the children miss us? We haven’t seen them in over two weeks."
Seeing Zhou Lian’s mood instantly dip, Li Xiu couldn’t help but raise a hand to stroke her hair. "Bao’er," he said gently, "the children will leave us sooner or later. They’ll leave this home to make their own way in the world. You have to get used to it slowly."
Looking up at Li Xiu, Zhou Lian said softly, "I know, but they’re still so little. Let’s worry about that when they’re older."
"Bao’er, with Nuonuo’s IQ and EQ, do you really think she’ll be like a normal child and wait until she’s an adult to leave home? And Yanyan, you know how smart our son is. One by one, I’m afraid they’ll be leaving home in just a few years!" Seeing her evasive tone, Li Xiu looked at her and stated the plain truth.
’He’s right.’ The two children’s IQ and EQ were terrifyingly high. How could they possibly follow a normal, step-by-step path like ordinary kids? They were so smart that Li Xiu and Zhou Lian had even consulted with Professor Xiao and Professor Fan. Being too intelligent, too young, and standing out too much wasn’t good, so they had the children learn a wide variety of subjects to keep them from progressing too quickly in any single one. But even so, their progress was still far too fast.
"I know. They’re just little brats, but they have so much on their minds. I’m a little worried. In our last life, both of them had such a hard time, and we couldn’t help them. In this life, I just want things to be easier for them, but these two kids..." Zhou Lian sighed and trailed off.
Li Xiu understood her feelings. What parent didn’t want their children to be successful? But he and Zhou Lian just wanted their two kids to grow up healthy and happy. "Bao’er, I know what you’re thinking," he said. "But who can say that Nuonuo and Yanyan aren’t happy right now? As long as we give them enough love and support, I’m sure they won’t have it as hard as they did in our last life."
Glancing at Zhou Lian, Li Xiu said softly, "Bao’er, this life is different from our last one. The children aren’t our appendages. They have their own thoughts and their own lives. All we can do is offer them proper guidance and support."
"Mm, I’m just a little sad, that’s all. Those two are just so independent!" Zhou Lian said, a bit gloomily.
Li Xiu chuckled and said teasingly, "Bao’er, your focus is in the wrong place. The kids are independent, smart, and have high EQs, so we just need to do our part as parents. Your most important person is me. You should be focusing on me!"
"Have you no shame? Jin Chen, you’re really letting yourself go in front of me now!" Zhou Lian shot him a disdainful look and retorted.
Hearing her words, Li Xiu, who was driving, burst out laughing. "Bao’er, you need to understand one thing: the way I act in front of you is my truest self. How are you still not used to it after all these years? It seems I’ve been far too subtle about some things!"
"Li Jincheng, could you please have some shame?" Zhou Lian looked at him helplessly. She really couldn’t handle his constant, anytime-anywhere teasing anymore.
Gently patting her head, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, Li Xiu said, "Why would I need shame when I’ve got a wife?"
Covering her face with her hands, Zhou Lian let out a groan. Even though she had lived two lives and was no longer a thin-skinned young bride, she still couldn’t handle Li Xiu’s constant teasing. "Li Jincheng, be a decent human being!" she said, completely abashed. "Be a little kinder to your own wife!"
Seeing Zhou Lian covering her face, but also noticing that her exposed little ears and neck were beet red, Li Xiu said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "In that case, from now on, don’t call me by my name, Bao’er. Call me ’Hubby’!"
Zhou Lian abruptly dropped her hands from her face and glared at Li Xiu, flustered and annoyed. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. ’This man’s skin is thicker than a castle wall!’ she fumed internally. ’Asking me to call him ’Hubby’ in public in this day and age... does he even know what shame is?’