Chapter 678: I’m Sticking with You for Life!

Night fell, and the city lights began to glow!

The Li family’s courtyard was ablaze with light. The stove in the main hall burned brightly, and the occasional sounds of laughter and children’s cries filled the courtyard with the warmth of everyday life.

In the inner room, on the large heated bed, Jiang Xue and her mother-in-law, Zhang Yuehong, were helping Yun Rui and Yun Jin learn to walk along the stack of quilts.

The two little ones are almost one year old now, and they’re growing so fast. Lately, they’ve been able to pull themselves up to stand, and sometimes they even take a few wobbly steps while holding onto the wall.

Every milestone in a child’s growth is a moment parents will cherish for a lifetime.

Seeing that Yunrui and Yunjin have reached the stage where they’re learning to walk, Jiang Xue is overjoyed.

Overjoyed, she and Zhang Yuehong would help the two little ones take a few steps whenever they had a moment.

For infants, walking—just like rolling over, sitting up, and crawling—is a skill that comes with practice.

As long as they try a few times and memorize the movements, they’ll gradually get the hang of it.

However, learning to walk is always a bit of a struggle for little babies; not only do they wobble, but falling down is practically inevitable.

On top of that, such young children are naturally very delicate; sometimes even a minor bump on their bottom would make them whimper a few times, seeking comfort from their mother and grandmother. As a result, the sound of children crying could be heard from the room from time to time.

However, the main source of the crying in the room wasn’t Yunrui or Yunjin, but their eldest nephew, Zhang Ning.

Right there by the edge of the kang, the eldest and second sisters were washing their respective children’s feet.

But the two little rascals were quite restless; their tiny feet kicked constantly in the basin, sending water splashing everywhere and soaking their older and second sisters.

My eldest sister had a gentle temperament, and since Ruirui was still so young, she merely scolded him a little.

But the second sister wasn’t so easy to please. With her fiery temper, she was a strict mother in the truest sense. With the precedent of her younger brother Li Yi being spoiled rotten, she naturally wouldn’t indulge her son.

If Little Zhang Ning didn’t listen, getting scolded was the least of his worries; most of the time, he’d get a dose of bamboo shoots and pork, and his little bottom was a frequent victim.

Today, the little guy was probably a bit overexcited and had forgotten how his mother usually disciplined him. He’d been in the bath for less than ten minutes when he’d already been spanked twice.

But the little rascal was truly incorrigible—he hadn’t even wiped the tears from his eyes before he started causing trouble again.

Seeing Li Lan’s expression darken once more, Juanzi, who was doing her homework nearby, couldn’t help but feel anxious for Little Zhang Ning’s stubborn persistence—he seemed to learn from the food but not the punishment.

Just as the women and children of the Li household were running around in a frenzy, the phone in the living room suddenly rang.

Juanzi immediately put down her pen and headed toward the living room.

Just a few seconds later, Juanzi could be heard calling excitedly into the house: “Sister Xiaoxue, it’s Brother Xiaoyi on the phone. Come quick…”

Hearing Juanzi’s call, Jiang Xue was taken aback for a moment, then handed her son to her mother-in-law. She quickly climbed down from the kang and ran into the living room without even putting on her shoes.

Taking the receiver from Juanzi, Jiang Xue said with a slight tremor in her voice, “Hello…”

“Xiao Xue, it’s me, Li Yi!”

The moment she heard her husband’s familiar voice through the receiver, Jiang Xue’s eyes welled up with tears.

It had been a month since their last phone call. If she hadn’t known he was genuinely busy, Jiang Xue would have thought he’d forgotten about her and their three children.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Jiang Xue was momentarily lost for words, and a sudden silence fell over the phone line.

Hearing his wife’s slightly labored breathing, Li Yi said again, “I’m sorry, I’ve been so busy lately. Are you and the kids doing okay?”

At that moment, Jiang Xue snapped back to her senses and hurriedly replied, “Don’t apologize. I understand… The kids and I are doing great. Yunrui and Yunjin have been learning to walk these past few days. By the time you get back, they should be walking!”

“Really? Too bad I won’t be home to see it!”

Li Yi’s voice betrayed both delight and a hint of disappointment.

He still felt a bit uneasy about missing this stage of his son and daughter’s growth.

Jiang Xue was incredibly perceptive; she quickly picked up on Li Yi’s emotional shift and immediately changed the subject: “Have… have you finished up over there?”

“I’m done with the matters regarding Thief Eagle, but it’ll still take a while over here in Hong Kong!” Li Yi replied.

“Well… when are you coming back? The kids really miss you!”

“Is it just the kids who miss me?” Li Yi asked with a smile.

“Mom and your sisters miss you too!”

“What about you? Do you miss me?”

“Yes… I miss you too!”

Jiang Xue didn’t hesitate; she spoke her truest feelings directly.

Hearing his wife’s reply on the other end of the line, Li Yi’s heart instantly filled with joy, sweeping away the gloom he’d felt just moments before.

“I still have some matters to attend to here in Hong Kong, so I won’t be able to return anytime soon. However, I’ve already submitted a request to my superiors and plan to bring you and the kids to Hong Kong for a while. Start getting ready!”

“You mean you want me and the kids to go to Hong Kong?” Jiang Xue asked in surprise.

“Didn’t we already agree on this? Once you’re on vacation, you’d bring the kids to Hong Kong for a few days. What, did you forget?” Li Yi said.

“I haven’t forgotten, it’s just that going so far away makes me a little nervous!” Jiang Xue admitted honestly.

“What’s there to be nervous about? It’s not like you’ve never traveled far before!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“It’s different. Before, it was just me, but now I have to take two kids with me!”

As she spoke, Jiang Xue seemed to remember something and immediately asked, “Is it just me and the kids going to Hong Kong this time?”

“I was thinking of bringing your eldest sister and your mom along too. What do you think?” Li Yi said.

“But what about Second Sister and Mom…”

“They need to help Third Sister prepare for her wedding, so they shouldn’t come this time. We’ve established ourselves in Hong Kong now, and the rest of the family can visit anytime in the future!” Li Yi said.

“Alright, I’ll go along with that!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “I’ve already submitted a report on this to the higher-ups. I’m sure it’ll be approved soon. After we hang up, you and my eldest sister should pack your things and wait for the people from headquarters to pick you up.”

“Alright!”

“Remember to give the old family home a call and tell Mom to get ready too!”

“Okay!”

“How have things been at home these past few days?” Li Yi asked again.

“Everything’s fine. Sister Na’s wedding preparations are almost complete. We’ve bought a house, and all the furniture, bedding, and kitchenware have been replaced with new items. The wedding attire and everything else are all ready!”

Jiang Xue continued, “A couple of days ago, Third Brother-in-Law brought his mother and younger sister to Beijing. They met with Mom, Eldest Sister, and Second Sister. Auntie has made up for Third Sister’s dowry and everything else; now there are just a few minor details left!”

“That’s good. Now I can rest easy!” Li Yi said.

“Oh, and a couple of days ago, Sister-in-law An Hong and Third Brother came by. They brought over more than 1.7 million yuan for the family—they said it was the principal and dividends from that trade show!” Jiang Xue said.

“Oh, so that trade fair was quite a success, then?” Li Yi asked with a smile.

Li Yi didn’t really care how much profit the trade show generated; making billions overseas, he truly didn’t think much of a mere 1.8 million yuan back home.

In comparison, Li Yi was more concerned about the exhibition itself.

After all, if this venture went well, it would be a long-term business opportunity for Jiang Longcheng, Ye Jianhua, and An Hong.

“It was definitely a success. Mom and I went during the exhibition. You have no idea how lively it was—such a huge exhibition hall, packed with people inside and out!”

Then Jiang Xue added, “But the products they sold there were really good. We even bought quite a bit of furniture and appliances for Sister Na at that fair—the quality was excellent!”

“I’m glad it went well!” Li Yi nodded.

“So what should we do with this money?”

“Just keep it with you!”

“Well… I already have four or five million in my account. Why don’t I just put it in yours instead? I…”

Li Yi smiled and said, “I’m not worried about it myself, so why are you? Do you think you’d run off with the money?”

“Don’t be silly. I’m stuck with you for life—the kind you can’t even shake off!” Jiang Xue said.

“That settles it then… Alright, Dad’s calling me. I’ll hang up now. You guys better get your things together too—who knows, they might come to pick you up tomorrow!”

“Okay…”

……….