All they could do now was to hide this murder from Lin Xinyan first until everything was confirmed.
“Do inform me of any progress.” Zong Jinghao checked the time. “I’ve got to leave now.”
“Alright.”
When they reached the door, Zong Jinghao paused in his stride.
“Since you’re all alone, come and join us for the reunion dinner.”
Shen Peichuan was not a local and his family was not in B City with him. Even in the past, he had hardly spent New Year’s Eve with his own family and would often gather with Zong Jinghao and Su Zhan instead. But this year, Su Zhan was married, and Zong Jinghao had to spend the new year with his kids. With the two of them being unable to gather outside, the still single Shen Peichuan was now lonelier than ever.
“Sure.”
Shen Peichuan smiled. “I thought that the both of you had forgotten about me after getting married.”
Zong Jinghao reminded him. “Don’t spill the tea.”
“I know that.”
With that, Zong Jinghao turned around and walked out of the villa. It was snowing heavily now, and his grey coat danced, in the icy cold wind as a small flake of snow hung on his hair. Taking out his car key, Zong Jinghao unlocked his car and climbed inside immediately.
He then rolled down his car window and gazed at the villa. When the villa was almost covered in snow, only then did he retract his gaze, as he soon drove away.
When he arrived home, Zong Jinghao could see the two red lanterns hanging on the eaves, which shone brightly through the falling snow.
He was then greeted by the sight of his children hanging up the Chinese New Year decorations. It was their first time spending the New Year with a complete family, hence they were very excited and had fun decorating the household.
Staying close to them were Zong Qifeng and Cheng Yuxiu, who were afraid that the children would fall down and hurt themselves.
Aunt Yu came over to take his coat.
“Where’s Xinyan?” Zong Jinghao asked.
“In the room,” Aunt Yu answered.
“She slept for the whole afternoon?” Zong Jinghao asked again.
Aunt Yu shook her head. “We went shopping just now,” she bragged.
“She had even bought me a new coat. I have never met such a kind-hearted girl, throughout my entire life.” Aunt Yu choked out as she spoke.
She was never married, hence she had no children of her own. Zong Jinghao was nice to her and had even given her a lot of money for her expenses, but no one else had ever thought of buying something for her.
Zong Jinghao patted her shoulders. “I’ll go up and check on her.”
“Go then,” Aunt Yu uttered with a grin.
Upstairs, Lin Xinyan sat by the window with her pillow, as she stared at the falling snow outside.
She was so engrossed in the view that she didn’t hear the room door opening behind her.
“What are you thinking about?” Zong Jinghao came over and placed his hands on her shoulders.
Lin Xinyan turned around at his words. Zong Jinghao could see that her eyes were red, and he stroked her face endearingly. “Why?”
“I miss my mother.” Lin Xinyan wrapped her arms around his waist. She had actually wanted to visit her mother at the Lin Residence, but she was scared she would quarrel with her mother again.
They had always spent the New Year together. This year was the first time that she did not spend it with Zhuang Zijin, and Lin Xinyan felt really upset about that.
“Shall we invite her over?” Zong Jinghao asked cautiously.
Nonetheless, Lin Xinyan shook her head. “No need for that; I’m just scared that we’ll quarrel again. I just don’t understand why she would remarry a selfish man like Lin Guoan. She’s the one who should know better.”
“Don’t waste your energy thinking about sad things then. You should change now; we’re going out for the reunion dinner soon.” Zong Jinghao tried to distract her.
“Oh, yes! I’ve bought you a new suit. Come and try it on.” Lin Xinyan let go of Zong Jinghao and went to her shopping bags in her slippers. She then opened the sealed bag and took out the suit. “I think that it will look good on you, so I bought it.”
Zong Jinghao’s clothes were all custom-made overseas. He didn’t have to shop for clothes, as the boutique had records of his size and would send him his clothes for different seasons all year round.
Lin Xinyan returned in excitement. “Can you try it now?”
Zong Jinghao hummed in delight.
Lin Xinyan removed his clothes and helped him to put on his suit; it fitted him perfectly. She didn’t know his size, truthfully. However, since she was a fashion designer, Lin Xinyan had an acute sense of a person’s physical size. She only needed to know the person’s height and his approximate weight to predict which clothing size would fit him the best.
Lin Xinyan fixed the collar and flattened the wrinkles on his suit with a pouty face. “I haven’t even bought myself such an expensive piece of clothing before.”
In the old days, all she ever had in mind was to save as much money as possible to spend on her kids. This was the first time that she had actually spent so much in one go, and it was not on her kids, but rather, on her husband instead.
Zong Jinghao chuckled. “Oh. Does that mean that you love me more than you love yourself?”
So, she had willingly spent her money on me, even when she has always been reluctant to spend for herself?
Lin Xinyan pouted further. “I’ve regretted it now. I shall return this tomorrow.”
Zong Jinghao felt speechless at her words.
“No, you can’t.”
Zong Jinghao liked the suit; not because it was expensive, but because it was chosen by Lin Xinyan. He would wear anything that she had bought for him, even if it were a cheap piece of clothing that she had bought from a roadside stall.
Lin Xinyan took off his suit and placed it back in its shopping bag. “Well, since you won’t let me, there’s no use returning it then even if I want to.”
A cunning glint flashed in his eyes as he raised his brows. “Oh? You mean you still regret buying it?”
“Yeah… Wait… No no no!” Lin Xinyan changed her words the moment she saw his cunning smile.
“Too late!” Before she could finish her words, Zong Jinghao had already pulled her into his arms. “Stop being naughty!” Lin Xinyan pushed him in rejection.
“Since when have I been naughty? Hmm?” Zong Jinghao rubbed his lips on her cheeks.
Lin Xinyan changed her attitude quickly. “Fine, I don’t regret it. I’ll buy anything for you as long as you like it, okay?”
Unfortunately, I will go bankrupt to suit his expensive taste, though.
“Good wifey.” Zong Jinghao kissed her cheeks. “Let’s go down then.”
Knock! Knock!
Aunt Yu knocked on their door. “Young Master, Young Mistress. It’s time to go.”
“Alright,” Zong Jinghao answered. He soon released his hold on Lin Xinyan and smoothed her ruffled hair while enjoying the sensation of her smooth strands passing through his fingers. Her waist-length hair was never permed before, hence it shone healthily as it flowed past her shoulders.
“Don’t keep them waiting,” Lin Xinyan uttered.
By the time they reached downstairs, Shen Peichuan had already arrived at their house. He had played around with the twins before, so he was rather familiar with them. Lin Ruixi was the most excited to see him, as she dragged him around. “We have lots of fireworks! Do you want to play with us?”
Shen Peichuan stroked his chin in contemplation. “Fireworks… Is that fun?”
Lin Ruixi answered innocently, “Yes, of course!” She gestured with her hands. “It’s something that shoots up in the sky and explodes loudly into a huge colorful flower! It’s very beautiful to watch!”
Beside her, Lin Xichen could not help but cover his eyes in embarrassment. “Do you think that Uncle Shen really doesn’t know about fireworks? He’s merely making a fool out of you,” Lin Xichen informed his sister.
However, Lin Ruixi blinked her eyes innocently. “Making a fool out of me? How is he doing that?”
Lin Xichen smacked his forehead at his sister’s silliness.
Suddenly, Lin Ruixi dashed towards her mother and pleaded cutely, “Mommy! I’m so hungry!”
“Alright, then let’s go now. The restaurant has called and said that they are ready.” Cheng Yuxiu handed Zong Qifeng his coat. “Wear this.”
Zong Jinghao extended his arms to carry his daughter, who was hanging onto Lin Xinyan’s leg.
Nevertheless, for some reason, Lin Ruixi insisted on wanting her mother to carry her. “I want mommy to carry me.”
“No, you can’t,” Zong Jinghao refused to oblige to her demand.
“Why?” Lin Ruixi retorted unhappily.
Zong Jinghao eyed Lin Xinyan worriedly. “See, your mother is so skinny now. She doesn’t have the strength to carry you.”
“She can! She could carry both me and Xichen at the same time, previously!” Lin Ruixi retorted.
You don’t know mommy as well as I do. The little girl thought internally.
“Your mommy is injured now, so she cannot carry you,” Aunt Yu uttered, upon recalling the bruise on Lin Xinyan’s waist. “There are no anti-slip mats in your bathroom, am I right?”
