For a moment, Lin Chuan thought about many things.
"That’s not it, he just wants to have dinner with us tonight," laughed Little Landlady.
"Old Zhang probably wants to see his precious daughter, right?"
Lin Chuan guessed his intentions right away.
Old Zhang, over fifty, had only one daughter, Zhang Xinxin, who spent all her time with Lin Chuan, leaving him a lonely old man. Thus, he wanted to have a meal with Zhang Xinxin.
"Old Zhang probably misses you too, right?" Little Landlady teased with a playful smile.
Lin Chuan touched his nose and smirked, "I’ve eloped with his daughter, so it’s already good enough that Old Zhang hasn’t beaten me with a stick. Besides, since when does a father-in-law miss his son-in-law."
"Pah! Pah!"
Little Landlady glared at him, "He wouldn’t dare!"
"You’re such a leaky little cotton-padded jacket, haha!" Lin Chuan said with a knowing smile, then asked, "So, are we eating at home tomorrow, or out?"
Lin Chuan meant that he would definitely make time to eat with them tomorrow.
Little Landlady’s smile blossomed like a peony as she pondered for a moment, "Let’s eat out, you’ve got important things to do, cooking at home would take too much of your time."
"Okay!"
Lin Chuan felt a warmth in his heart.
Little Landlady was always so understanding.
"Alright, I won’t bother you with work anymore," Little Landlady said, having finished the topic, and then stood up to leave.
Lin Chuan’s arms suddenly felt empty, so he wrapped them around Little Landlady’s soft, slender waist and said with a smile, "I’m going to slack off and sleep tonight."
Little Landlady let Lin Chuan’s arms wrap around her waist, lips curling up in a smile, as she pointed to the tea on the table, "You just drank some black tea, are you going to be able to sleep?"
"Sleep... I won’t be able to sleep."
Lin Chuan said with a sheepish smile.
"Then why say you’re going to sleep?" Little Landlady huffed.
"Just because I can’t sleep, does that mean I can’t go to bed?" Lin Chuan asked in return, "Who said ’sleeping’ has only one meaning?"
"Isn’t sleeping just the act of sleeping?" Little Landlady feigned innocence.
"Can’t we do something we ’love’ before sleeping?"
Lin Chuan held her a bit tighter.
Little Landlady nestled against Lin Chuan’s chest, feeling his strong heartbeat through the thin chiffon nightgown on her back.
Immediately, her cheeks turned red, "What kind of thing could we do?"
"What do you think?"
Lin Chuan swooped up Little Landlady in his strong arms and headed for the bedroom.
Little Landlady clung to Lin Chuan’s shoulders, her complexion flushing a deeper red, and pleaded coyly, "Slow down!"
"Act more brash? Alright!" Lin Chuan received the ’instruction’, grinning wide!
"I meant, mmm—"
Before Little Landlady could finish her sentence, Lin Chuan sealed her soft lips, muffling her words, and then she lost herself in Lin Chuan’s ’assault.’
The howling north wind blew all night, but the room was warm with the joy of spring.
The next day.
The warm sun of winter sipped through the heavy clouds, casting a few streaks of dawn light.
Little Landlady gently bit Lin Chuan’s shoulder.
Lin Chuan slowly woke up as well, "You’re awake?"
"I don’t think I slept."
Little Landlady said as she glanced at the sky outside, voicing a gentle complaint.
Lin Chuan picked up his phone from the bedside and glanced at it, smiling sheepishly, "We got a bit carried away last night."
The Little Landlady’s face was still flushed with color as she hummed, "Sleep with me a little longer!"
"Okay, let me take care of something, and I can sleep with you until the afternoon!"
Lin Chuan laughed.
Subsequently, Lin Chuan began to deal with some matters involving Morgan and the Baisheng Group, and also contacted Li Tong and Qin Yun so they wouldn’t worry about not being able to find him.
After doing all this, Lin Chuan returned to the warm bed.
The Little Landlady, with her arms around Lin Chuan’s shoulders and her face pressed against his chest, asked, "Chairman, do you know when I like the most?"
"When?" Lin Chuan rubbed the Little Landlady’s hair.
A reminiscent look came over the Little Landlady’s face as she spoke, "I loved the times in the rental room in Happiness Community the most."
"Wow, that must have been so carefree and happy!"
Lin Chuan nodded in agreement.
"Back then, we were together every day, It was just too comfortable!" The Little Landlady said with her lips pursed and a smile sweet as honey.
Lin Chuan stroked the Little Landlady’s head and said with a smile, "Just wait a little longer, once I’ve finished dealing with these matters, we can spend every day together again, and I won’t neglect you."
"Chairman, I’m not rushing you, your safety is the most important thing," the Little Landlady hurriedly said.
"I know, but indeed, it’s time to pick up the pace, otherwise Morgan and Baisheng are getting too brazen." There was a hint of coldness in Lin Chuan’s eyes as he spoke.
When he looked at the Little Landlady, however, his eyes filled with tenderness.
"I’ll wait for you."
The Little Landlady, appearing utterly content, pressed closer to Lin Chuan’s chest and held him even tighter.
"We should sleep a bit. We still have dinner with Old Zhang tonight. If we show up with dark circles under our eyes, he’s going to tell us to exercise restraint," Lin Chuan laughed heartily.
"I still want more."
The Little Landlady blurted out shockingly.
Lin Chuan was momentarily stunned: "Not sleeping?"
The Little Landlady giggled, "Not sleeping!"
With that said, she covered them with the blanket and swiftly pinned Lin Chuan down.
Lin Chuan, having been busy all night, was in a state of rest, while the Little Landlady was full of energy, and the situation just naturally tipped in her favor, leaning on Lin Chuan to do as she pleased!
Though winter hadn’t faded, early spring seemed to have made a premature appearance.
In a blink of an eye.
Lin Chuan and the Little Landlady got out of bed, freshened up their clothes, tidied the aftermath in the room, and it was already afternoon.
"Now look at us; we really will have to meet Old Zhang with dark circles after all."
Lin Chuan sighed.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, the Little Landlady naturally said, "Not at all, I don’t have dark circles; my skin looks great!"
A dark expression crossed Lin Chuan’s face.
As dusk fell, the ancient-style restaurant was nestled under the patchy lights, like a solitary flat boat swaying on the long river of history. Upon pushing the door open, one was greeted by an old-fashioned wooden counter, adorned with seemingly casual yet carefully arranged ceramic ware. Maneuvering between the wooden carved balusters and the fluttering silk curtains, the murmurs and tinkling laughter of the guests rose and fell, intertwining into a melodious ditty.
On the stone-paved floor, several black-awning boats lay peacefully, as if waiting for the misty rain of the water town to awaken them. The ancient paintings hung on the wall depicted revelry between pavilions and towers from years gone by, with the characters almost seeming lifelike, as if narrating those distant tales. The rosewood chairs, with cushions embroidered with patterns unique to Jiangnan, felt smooth and imparted a sense of serene comfort.
The waitstaff, dressed in Hanfu, moved with an unhurried grace, and the meals they brought out on blue and white porcelain plates were vibrant and aromatic, each dish tempting for the taste buds. Along with the soft music, the diners savored their food, their expressions filled with satisfaction and appreciation.
Outside the window, the night was like ink, and occasionally, the distant sound of a flute from a passing boat echoed with the ambiance of the restaurant. In such a setting, time seemed to slow down and become meaningful, with each detail immersing one in the unique charm of ancient elegance.
Inside the ancient-style restaurant, candlelight flickered, reflecting the array of exquisite dishes. A procession of delicate courses lined the large round rosewood table, each as pleasing to the eye as a work of art. In the center was the steaming Braised Pork Belly, with a rich sauce, and the pork stewed until tender, the nearby lotus leaves releasing a subtle fragrance, almost like hearing the croaking in a summer lotus pond. Next to it was a dish of White Jade Dumplings, with thin skins and tender fillings, the green chives and bright red shrimp visible inside, a bite full of the taste of home.
To the side was the freshly fried Yellow Croaker, crisp on the outside and silky inside, paired with vibrant green scallions and fiery red chili peppers, the contrasting colors stimulating the appetite. Another dish was the slowly simmered Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, the fragrance overflowing, with sea cucumber, abalone, chicken, duck, and other ingredients stewed over time, their flavors fully merged, rich yet not greasy.
In a corner, a pot of perfectly stewed old duck soup, with a milky color, the duck meat soft and falling off the bone, just a sprinkle of green onions on top, and a sip warming to the spleen. There was also a bowl of stir-fried vegetables, the green hearts of the vegetables crisp and tasty, the simple salt bringing out the original sweetness of the veggies.

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