80s Transmigration: The Young Widow's Hustle to Riches

Chapter 351 - 348: Tender Care

Yao Xiuyun hugged Lin Lan. "Thank you, Lin Lan. I’ll go back and discuss it with Dongzi."

Lin Lan put an arm around her. "Don’t say that. Haven’t you two helped us enough?"

"You said it yourself, we’re friends!" Yao Xiuyun said, looking at her. The two of them met each other’s gaze and smiled.

After they finished tidying up Lin Lan’s place, the group went over to Li Xiangyang’s house.

Old Li had already tidied up his own room. Lin Lan and the others helped make the bed and clean up, then they all went to the East City Restaurant for a lively housewarming dinner.

Yang Dingbang drove them back to Yucai Road. Lin Lan and Old Li, who was holding Little Douzi, helped a very drunk Li Xiangyang—who had been plied with drinks by everyone—get home.

Old Li put Little Douzi to bed in his room, then came out and said to Lin Lan, who was wiping Li Xiangyang down, "Lin Lan, I’m a bit drunk tonight, too. I’ll have Little Douzi sleep with me. You keep an eye on Xiangyang and make sure he doesn’t choke."

Lin Lan was also worried Li Xiangyang might choke if he threw up, so she nodded. "Okay, Dad. I’ll go make you some honey water to drink before you sleep."

"That’s a good idea." Old Li sat down in the living room.

Lin Lan made two glasses of honey water. After giving one to Old Li, she took the other to Li Xiangyang’s room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she helped him up. "Xiangyang, drink some water. It’ll help with the alcohol."

"Mmm." Li Xiangyang buried his head and took a few sips before flopping back down.

Lin Lan watched Li Xiangyang sleep like a log. ’It’s good that he just sleeps after drinking instead of getting rowdy,’ she thought.

After taking off his jacket and wool sweater, she fed him some more honey water. She then got a trash can for the room, pulled the lounge chair next to the bed, draped a coat over herself, and sat down, occasionally opening her eyes to check on him.

When Li Xiangyang woke up, it was almost dawn. Seeing Lin Lan curled up in the lounge chair, a smile spread across his face. He threw back the covers, intending to get out and carry her to the bed, but the moment he moved, Lin Lan woke up.

"You’re awake! Feeling any better? Should I make you some more honey water?"

Li Xiangyang reached out and touched her face, his voice hoarse. "You get some sleep. I need to use the restroom."

Lin Lan glanced at the time. "I won’t. It’s already five o’clock, and we need to get up in half an hour anyway. I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit, then wash my face and head to the bakery."

"Honey, go in a little later today. Now lie down, I can’t hold it anymore." Li Xiangyang pulled her onto the bed and rushed toward the bathroom.

Seeing his feet barely seeming to touch the ground reminded Lin Lan of how Little Douzi would run for the latrine in the morning, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

After washing up, Li Xiangyang came out and saw Lin Lan was still awake. He ruffled her hair and pulled her into his lap on the lounge chair. "Boss Lin, you don’t have to work so hard. Your man can provide for you."

Lin Lan gave him a kiss. "I know you can provide for me, but I’m still so young. I can’t just do nothing and be useless, can I?"

"But you still can’t overwork yourself. Get some sleep. I’ll wake you up at six-thirty." As he spoke, he scooped her up, placed her on the bed, and cupped her face, saying softly, "Get some proper sleep. I’ll go make some congee for you to eat when you wake up."

"Yes, sir!" Lin Lan replied with a smile. She took off her coat, let her hair down, and sighed in relief. ’Hunching over in that lounge chair was so uncomfortable. My neck is completely stiff.’

Li Xiangyang put his coat on, turned off the light, and went to the kitchen. The things they had brought over from the move were already sorted and put away. He took a clay pot from the cabinet, washed some rice, put it on the electric stove, and plugged it in to start cooking the congee.

Old Li came downstairs wearing a padded robe. He saw the kitchen light was on and went in to find Li Xiangyang making congee. "Drank too much last night?"

Li Xiangyang nodded. "Yeah. My stomach is burning, so I’m making some congee."

Old Li leaned against the doorframe, watching his son with a smile. "Lin Lan watched over you all night. When I got up, I saw the light in your room was still on."

"I told her to get some sleep. I’ll wake her at six-thirty. Was Little Douzi well-behaved last night?"

"He hasn’t woken up since he lay down."

"You should go back to sleep, too. Little Lan and I will head to the shop after we eat."

"Alright. If you have time today, go check on the pig farm. Old He said a couple of the pigs have diarrhea."

"Got it."

After the congee was ready, Li Xiangyang went to the old lady’s vegetable garden across the way and cut a handful of chives and a handful of spinach. He blanched the spinach for a cold salad and stir-fried the chives with eggs.

When he finished, he saw it was already 6:35. He was just about to go upstairs to wake Lin Lan when he saw her coming down. "Honey, the congee’s ready. I also made a salad and scrambled eggs."

Lin Lan looked at him with a beaming smile. "Not bad! Master Li is a man of many talents!"

"Of course. You should see whose man I am," Li Xiangyang said, grinning at her. "You bring the food out. I’ll go wake up the old man."

"Mhm!" Lin Lan went to the kitchen. On the stove were a dish of cold spinach salad, a dish of scrambled eggs with chives, and a plate of boiled eggs. She smiled as she brought them to the dining table.

Li Xiangyang came downstairs and spread his hands. "The old man said he’s going to take Little Douzi out for soup dumplings later, so he won’t be eating with us."

"The old man does love his noodle and dough-based foods. I’ll make some dumplings for lunch," Lin Lan said, handing him a peeled egg.

The two were still eating when Little Douzi and the old man came downstairs, hand in hand. "Mom, Uncle Xiangyang, we’re leaving now."

"Okay." Lin Lan quickly handed him the small backpack from the sofa. "Don’t run off after school this afternoon. Come home with Brother Dandan."

"I know." The old man and the little boy left, hand in hand.

By the time Lin Lan and Li Xiangyang finished cleaning up and left the house, it was already 7:30.

When they rushed to the bakery, the last batch of honey cakes was already out of the oven, and Lin Yuezhen had already finished making the egg yolk pastries.

Tong Xinglan looked at her and laughed. "Cousin, you’re late today!"

Lin Lan nodded. "I am. As my penalty, I’ll make dumplings for everyone today."

All three agreed. Lin Lan soaked some dried mushrooms, then took a basket to the market. She bought chives and celery, planning to make dumplings with two different fillings.

Walking up to the meat stalls, she saw one was doing exceptionally good business. That was probably the vendor who had lowered his prices.

When Yang Zhigang saw her arrive, he glanced at that meat stall. "Sister-in-law, a few of the others said they’re going to lower their prices tomorrow morning, too."

Lin Lan saw the other stall owners looking on with sullen, jealous faces. She smiled. "Stay calm. Your brother said yesterday that the price of live pigs hasn’t dropped. Just let them do what they want."

Seeing that Lin Lan wasn’t flustered at all, Yang Zhigang also calmed down. "I know. Why didn’t you wait for me to deliver the meat?"

Lin Lan smiled. "We’re making dumplings for lunch, so I came to get some pork belly."

"Oh! This is a good piece of pork belly. I’ll cut it for you." Yang Zhigang quickly cut a piece of meat, tied it with a grass rope, and placed it in her basket.

Lin Lan headed back with her basket. When she returned to the shop, she saw Gou Haiyan sitting inside. It seemed she had received the letter Lin Lan had asked Li Hongmei to take to Dashiqiao.

As soon as Gou Haiyan saw Lin Lan, she stood up with a smile. "Boss Lin, you even do your own grocery shopping!"

Lin Lan laughed. "Of course! If you want to eat, you have to buy groceries!"