645. Travel
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“Mom! Dad! Are you abandoning me?!”
During the winter vacation, on the third day of the lunar new year, Chen Yao finally got a half-month break.
As soon as the holiday began, he drove Lin Nan to drop Chen Jing off at his parents’ house in the county.
Last National Day, Liu Xuefei had the audacity to go on vacation and make Lin Nan feel like she was missing out, which meant he hadn’t had a decent day in months.
During that time, whenever the couple had a spat, Lin Nan would calmly say, “It’s been five years. I’ve married you for five years, spending every day at home doing chores and taking care of kids, while also keeping an eye on my Uncle!”
Chen Yao knew he hadn’t taken Lin Nan out for fun in those five years, so he felt a bit guilty.
Even with Lin Nan unwilling for the elders to take care of the baby, they couldn’t even have a proper date without Chen Jing, their little lightbulb, tagging along. Talk about no romantic vibes!
Back in college, they were all about that couple life, dating everywhere they went.
This time, Chen Yao was determined. Even though the family valued the New Year traditions, nothing was going to get in the way of him taking Lin Nan on a spontaneous trip!
As Chen Jing’s eyes filled with tears, Chen Yao smiled and gently ruffled his hair, “Don’t worry, we’re just going away for seven days. You’re in good hands with Grandma and Grandpa. We won’t abandon you!”
“Mom~” Seeing that his dad’s coaxing didn’t work, Chen Jing quickly clasped onto Lin Nan’s arm.
He had never been away from his mom before – even visiting Grandma and Grandpa was never without her presence. This was his first time away from Lin Nan.
Seeing this, Lin Nan’s smile softened even more as she leaned in closer, “Don’t cause trouble at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s. No fighting with the neighborhood kids!”
“You’re grown-up now, a big kid! You need to learn independence – no more following mommy around like a spoiled boy, got it?” Lin Nan teased as she poked Chen Jing’s cheek. “Otherwise, I might just have to dress you in that cute little dress I bought!”
“Mom, are you a devil?!”
“Maybe?” Lin Nan giggled brightly.
If it weren’t for her fear of Chen Jing becoming a girl trapped in a boy’s body, she would have already put her adorable little one in a dress just for fun.
But even without girl clothes, she had bought some cute cosplay outfits. Chen Jing was already a cute kid, and he had a nice physique for a five-year-old, so he looked good in anything.
Plus, she wanted to spark his interest in anime, so he wouldn’t just stare at the new version of Big-Eared TuTu or Bear Big and Bear Two like all the other kids. More variety, please!
Looking up, Lin Nan smiled at the uncle and aunt standing behind Chen Jing, “Mom and Dad, we appreciate you taking care of him this week. Don’t be too strict. If you need to scold him, go ahead, but don’t overfeed him! When I spent New Year here for half a month, I gained five or six pounds because of you.”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry!” Aunt’s smile was so wide she could probably swallow a watermelon.
Uncle was grinning from ear to ear as he scooped Chen Jing into his arms, rubbing his itchy stubble against Chen Jing’s chubby little face, making the poor kid cry out for Mommy.
Seeing them get along so well made Lin Nan and Chen Yao feel at ease.
They planned to go on a trip during the first three days of the year and return just in time to see Grandma and Grandpa on the fourth day of the lunar month, plus pay visits to some familiar friends and relatives… As for family gatherings, Lin Nan had long opted out of those.
The couple waved goodbye cheerfully to the uncle’s embrace, and the despairing little Chen Jing.
As soon as they left Chen Yao’s parents’ house, Lin Nan felt as light as a feather.
Her long-lost radiant smile returned, and she stretched, suddenly feeling so much more relaxed.
“Five years! I’ve been watching that little guy for five years, and I can finally relax a bit!” Lin Nan took a deep breath, feeling like the world had suddenly turned colorful again, much like when she and Chen Yao were living together in college.
Chen Yao looked at Lin Nan, half-amused, half-exasperated, “He’s still our kid, you know.”
“Do you dare to bring that up?! If you hadn’t been too lazy to buy a condo back then, I’d be the CEO of some big-time group by now!” She playfully kicked Chen Yao’s ankle.
“Wouldn’t that be more comfortable for you then…” Chen Yao muttered, feeling a bit guilty.
The elevator arrived, and Lin Nan quickly wrapped her arm around Chen Yao’s, blissfully resting her head on his shoulder.
It had been a long time since they had been so close when going out; usually, Chen Jing’s tiny hands occupied Chen Yao’s.
Chen Yao looked relaxed, too. After years of constant work, and even during his rare breaks, he just ended up slumped on the couch or helping take care of Chen Jing. Now, with a half-month off and without the little one around, it was pure bliss.
Oh, the joys of couplehood!
Chen Yao’s mind began to drift off to what new tricks he could pull to spoil Lin Nan.
They were planning to hit up the capital before the year began to visit the Forbidden City, watch the flag-raising ceremony at the square, and after the new year continue north to Harbin for some snow and to sample those famous grilled skewers. Then they would fly back from Harbin – seven days of action-packed fun!
Though the trip was short, Lin Nan couldn’t have been happier.
Ever since they got married, she hadn’t had a moment of peace… Sure, the early pregnancy phase wasn’t too bad, but then the morning sickness hit hard. Once her baby bump grew, her mother and aunt went into full-on protect mode, treating her like a toddler and constantly fussing.
After giving birth, her private time had dwindled down practically to zero, even with Chen Jing now in kindergarten. She was still the designated housekeeper for their large 200-square-meter apartment with a massive terrace – you could say housework was endless.
Honestly, she figured working was easier than being a full-time housewife; she remembered her time as a training teacher being much less hectic.
Every time Chen Yao came home and immediately plopped onto the sofa, doing nothing but playing with the parrot and the cat while occasionally entertaining Chen Jing, she felt an overwhelming pang of envy.
After leaving her aunt and uncle’s house, the couple hopped on a flight to the capital that evening.
This was Lin Nan’s first-ever plane ride, and her first time ever out of the province.
Even though she was nearly middle-aged and a parent, she was as giddy as a schoolgirl, fascinated by everything in the plane, her face pressed against the window, gazing at the dark clouds outside or the twinkling city lights far below.
Chen Yao sat beside her, watching her childlike excitement with tender eyes.
Time had truly flown…
Lin Nan’s face hadn’t changed much, but he could visibly see the lines of age creeping in on him, though she still kept buying him men’s skincare products that didn’t seem to combat aging effectively.
He wondered how long Lin Nan would maintain her youthful looks…
Suddenly, a vivid image flashed through his mind: a young, beautiful Lin Nan, still looking eighteen, arm-in-arm with him, who was now an old, frail man, walking down the street, while passersby stared and commented. And there was Chen Jing, aged just as he was, calling out “Mom!” to Lin Nan, who could pass for a college student.
Hmm, so he would definitely be mistaken for a wealthy man!
“How long until we arrive?” Lin Nan asked excitedly.
“About three hours. If you’re tired, feel free to sleep a bit,” Chen Yao said, gently ruffling her hair.
“Not a chance! I’m too excited!”
She was as lively as a playful kitten.
Chen Yao just relaxed against the back of his seat, holding Lin Nan’s small hand in his, looking at her smiling face, feeling like he was staring at the entire world.
