Lin Nuan previously told Bai Xiaonian to just come with her father to the Fu residence, but Bai Xiaonian’s father smiled and said that it was a gathering among the youngsters, and he wouldn’t disturb. Hence, Bai Xiaonian declined the invitation on her father’s behalf.

  Bai Xiaonian’s father hadn’t seen his daughter for a long time, and he didn’t tell Bai Xiaonian that he was picking her up at the airport, giving Bai Xiaonian a surprise.

  Bai Xiaonian, who hadn’t returned home in a long while, couldn’t stop herself from crying the instant she saw her father…


  Despite feeling very happy inside, she couldn’t resist grumbling with a frown. “Didn’t I say I would go back myself? You’re not in good health, why did you come all the way here? What if I hadn’t spotted you and we missed each other at the airport? Wouldn’t you have made a wasted trip then?”


  “Dad knows you. I knew the instant you got off the plane, you’d call me.” Bai Xiaonian’s father reached out to take Bai Xiaonian’s luggage from her. “Moreover, Dad missed you! When I found out that you were coming back, I wanted to see you as soon as possible. The cab’s just outside. We’ll take you to Lin Nuan’s first. Lin Nuan’s child is celebrating her first month today. There are plenty of people there, and it has been a long time since you and Lin Nuan last saw each other, so you must have lots to talk about. I bet you haven’t been eating well outside. After we get home, Dad will cook for you… I’ll prepare your favorite sweet vinegar spare ribs and steamed turbot!”


  Bai Xiaonian watched as her father took her luggage from her and continued walking. He nagged a lot, but it was to conceal his reddened eyes!

  Looking at him, Bai Xiaonian felt that her father had a lot more white hairs now. Even his spine was bent now.

  Her father only had her as a child all his life. How could he possibly not miss her?

  When he woke up in the middle of the night, he might worry about her, who was all alone overseas. What if she kicked off her blankets? Would she catch a chill?

  Her father was advanced in age, after all!

  Bai Xiaonian’s eyes warmed up. She quickened her pace and went up to hook her arm with her father’s, behaving like a daddy’s girl. “What delicious food have you prepared? Did you make Yuxiang shredded pork? That Chinese restaurant overseas isn’t authentic at all. It tastes awful! I miss that taste…”


  “Yes yes yes!” Bai Xiaonian’s father nodded repeatedly. “And your favorite Cumin fried meat. I’m making all your favorite dishes!”


  “Then, ok, I’ll come back earlier tonight for dinner. Dad, this luggage is filled with things I brought back for you, so you can take a look first when you get back!” Bai Xiaonian then added, “Except for a notebook, which I use for work!”


  “Why did you bring back work with you?” Bai Xiaonian’s father frowned, then asked, “Why did you buy me stuff? Why didn’t you bring back your own stuff?”


  “What do I need to bring back when I’m returning to my own home? I have everything I need at home!” Bai Xiaonian smiled and said to her father.

  Although the father-and-daughter duo’s eyes reddened that day, it was a different meaning than the day they parted. Today, both of them were elated… and their voices weren’t as solemn as they were before Bai Xiaonian went overseas.

  In the cab, Bai Xiaonian called Lin Nuan and accidentally revealed that her father was in the cab with her. Lin Nuan hence insisted that she come with Uncle Bai.

  Bai Xiaonian’s father took the phone from her and congratulated Lin Nuan. Lin Nuan told Bai Xiaonian’s father that there weren’t outsiders around…


  Bai Xiaonian’s father disliked such occasions the most. Although Lin Nuan regarded Bai Xiaonian’s father as her uncle, others didn’t necessarily think the same way. After Bai Xiaonian’s father made things so clear and declined the invitation, Lin Nuan didn’t insist…


  Bai Xiaonian and her father were meticulous and didn’t say he was sending Bai Xiaonian to the Fu residence. Bai Xiaonian knew that based on Lin Nuan’s character, if she knew… Lin Nuan would definitely go to the door to welcome Bai Xiaonian’s father.

  If Lin Nuan—a person who had just finished her postpartum confinement—really went to the door to welcome him, Bai Xiaonian’s father wouldn’t have the cheek to slip away!

  After hanging up the phone, Bai Xiaonian’s father told her that while she was away, Lin Nuan didn’t have the time to visit him, but she would frequently call him and have tonics sent to him. Bai Xiaonian’s father was someone who remembered debts of kindness, so he told this to his daughter so that she would repay Lin Nuan in the future.

  “At the end of September, before the child was born, she said that they had grown some peanuts in their yard, and she even sent me a box after they harvested the peanuts.”


  “Got it!” Bai Xiaonian smiled and nodded. Her father had told her about this over the phone before, but Lin Nuan hadn’t mentioned a word of this to her.

  Bai Xiaonian knew that Lin Nuan’s character had always been like this.

  When they reached the Fu residence, Bai Xiaonian got out of the car. Bai Xiaonian’s father rolled down the window and stuck his head out to ask, “You’re going in empty-handed?”


  Bai Xiaonian patted her backpack. “Don’t worry, it’s with me!”


  Bai Xiaonian’s father then nodded and told the driver he could drive on.

  During those years in college, Bai Xiaonian and Song Yao had indeed helped Lin Nuan a lot. Later, it was Lin Nuan who helped out Bai Xiaonian. Never mind other things… when Bai Xiaonian’s father contracted that illness and needed money, Song Yao and Lin Nuan gave her their savings without a second word. She had never forgotten what they did for her.

  That was some time ago now. Her father’s condition had stabilized since he started taking the cheaper version of Abinoque. It didn’t matter whether Bai Xiaonian repaid this kindness or not, but if she wanted to be friends with Lin Nuan and Song Yao for life, she had to return the money to them.

  Knowing Bai Xiaonian was an especially close friend of Lin Nuan’s, the door guards asked someone to drive Bai Xiaonian to the entrance of the house in a battery-operated cart.

  When Little Lu heard that Bai Xiaonian had come, he went to the mahjong room. Although he lowered his voice and spoke by Fu Huai’an’s ear, informing him of Bai Xiaonian’s arrival, everyone at the mahjong table could hear him clearly.

  Tang Zheng and Bai Jinyu both gazed in Lu Jinnan’s direction, and even Gu Qingcheng did the same.

  Sitting calmly on the sofa, Fu Huai’an raised a hand and nodded, holding his phone. “Got it!”


  Fu Huai’an put his phone away and said to the people at the mahjong table, “I’ll go and inform Xiao Nuan…”


  Fu Huai’an spoke like he usually did. Everyone looked at Lu Jinnan. It was Lu Jinnan’s turn. He held an “8 Characters” tile in his hand and grazed it with his fingers, gaze fixated on his tiles as if he didn’t hear a thing. He casually discarded the “8 Characters” tile he was holding, then drew another tile. It was another “8 Characters” tile.

  One round had passed, but Lu Jinnan still said nothing.

  No one really knew what Lu Jinnan was thinking, but it had been a while since he took a puff of his cigarette, and he looked a little dazed.

  “She’s already back. You’re not going over to take a look?” Bai Jinyu asked as he formed a melded sequence with the “6 Characters” tile Lu Jinnan discarded.

  Lu Jinnan’s brows knitted. He tapped away some cigarette ash but still looked calm enough. “Later…”