novelraw Chapter 573 - 572: Le Tong, Marry Me (Part 1)
Chapter 573 - 572: Le Tong, Marry Me (Part 1)
The alliance between the Yang Family and Ji Family allowed Ji Family to smoothly overcome their crisis. This news should have made Le Tong immensely jubilant. However, Le Tong was in low spirits due to Yang Sheng’s recounting of her father’s past.Although her sadness was more internal, outwardly, she appeared unchanged as usual. Additionally, since the cooperation plan between the Yang Family and Ji Family had begun to be deployed comprehensively, she, along with Ji Rui and everyone in Ji Family, was busy to no end. During working hours, those artistic youths’ emotions like melancholy and gloom barely had time to linger on her.
Only after finishing a busy day’s work and taking care of the two kids at home would Le Tong occasionally stand outside on the balcony, staring at the distant night scene, lost in thought.
Ji Rui seemed to notice Le Tong’s absent-mindedness and suggested uncharacteristically after dinner for the family to go for a walk in the park.
Baobao was the first to raise his hand in agreement, and without waiting for Le Tong’s response, he dashed back to his room to change clothes. Le Tong helped Aunt Wang pack the things Nuonuo needed to take out, then turned into the bedroom.
Though it was winter, the temperature had warmed up the past two days, reaching nearly twenty degrees. Even someone like Le Tong, who was sensitive to cold, only casually wore a thin sweater and jeans when going out.
Ji Rui was still sitting on the sofa leisurely flipping through a magazine. When he saw her casual attire, he went into the room and changed into a similarly styled outfit. Ever since he started being with Le Tong, his wardrobe had, unknowingly, accumulated quite a few casual and comfortable clothes beyond just suits and shirts. This particular outfit made him look four or five years younger.
He wore very thin layers, but he held both men’s and women’s long-sleeved sweatshirts in his hand. After coming out, he placed the sweatshirts into the big bag containing Nuonuo’s clothes and diapers.
"Aunt Wang, why don’t you come along too to help take care of Nuonuo and Baobao," Ji Rui said as he stuffed the big bag into the compartment under the stroller. Aunt Wang agreed, pushing Nuonuo in the stroller out the door first.
Unusually, Baobao didn’t compete with Aunt Wang over Nuonuo. Instead, he carried his small backpack and held Le Tong’s hand, following behind Ji Rui.
Seeing Ji Rui press the button for the basement level, Le Tong reached out to press for the first floor, "The weather isn’t too cold, we can walk there."
"Let’s drive," Ji Rui grabbed her hand, stopping her action.
"It’s only a few hundred meters away; no need to drive, right?"
There was a small park a few hundred meters from the apartment. After dusk, nearby residents liked to stroll there. It had a medium-sized square where people skated, and numerous aunties danced in the square. When the weather was still warm, Le Tong often went for walks there with Baobao, but since living with Ji Rui, they hadn’t gone together.
"I’m tired; let’s drive," Ji Rui explained simply. As they spoke, the elevator reached the basement level with a ding, opening the doors.
Le Tong assumed Ji Rui was genuinely tired; after all, he had worked overtime consecutively for three or four days since returning from Y Country, so it was understandable to be exhausted.
The car quickly drove out of the parking lot and arrived at the small park in the blink of an eye, but it didn’t stop and continued forward, "Ji Rui, you passed it."
Sitting in the back seat watching the two kids, Le Tong couldn’t help but remind him, who was responsible for driving.
"Baobao wants to go to Central Park."
Ji Rui explained, and Baobao immediately chimed in, "Mommy, Nuonuo hasn’t been to Central Park yet."
Le Tong vaguely felt that the father and son were hiding something from her, looking at the focused driver up front and the little one with a pout teasing Nuonuo in the back, but she couldn’t guess what trickery they were up to. It was only then that Le Tong noticed, from after work until now, she hadn’t seen Xiao Li, as it was Ji Rui driving both times.
"Ji Rui, where’s Brother Li?"
"He had something to do and took leave."
Le Tong believed it and didn’t ask further. Over half an hour later, the family of four reached Central Park.
As soon as they entered the main gate, Baobao said he wanted to rent a yacht, and before Le Tong could say anything, Ji Rui had already agreed. Thus, the family proceeded directly to the lake.
The yacht was electric. As soon as Baobao got on board, he took the helmsman’s seat, operating it like a toy car. Initially, Le Tong had some concerns, but later she saw the yacht gliding smoothly over the lake, with no errors in steering. When Ji Rui told him to go left, the yacht went left; when he said to go straight, it continued straight to the center of the lake.
"Baobao is amazing, much better than Mommy," Le Tong sincerely praised.
"Speaking of which, you really should get a driver’s license," Ji Rui brought up the topic again, and Le Tong pretended not to hear it. The yacht sailed through several arch bridges and docked at the center of the lake.
Perhaps due to the night or seasonal reasons, their yacht seemed to be the only one parked lonely at the lake’s center.
Suddenly, in the originally silent and empty park, a sudden piano sound echoed, followed by a male voice, which Le Tong found very familiar, softly singing in the night.
[I once heard about seeking love
Like the separation and reunion of heaven and earth
But my journey with you was calm
Without shocking or thrilling scenes
Just needing when the horizon races,
to find peace in lying at home with you is most comforting
Just needing in the most touching moment
to use your first name with mine
to create this story]
Le Tong had heard this song. It’s a song sung by a certain pop star when proposing to his wife, and the familiar, slightly awkward voice currently echoing in the night was undoubtedly not from the pop star, but the "President Ji" sitting beside her.
As the melodious singing began, the fountains at the lake’s center sprayed water curtains, and like waterfalls, images projected onto these water curtains. Upon closer inspection, the photos being displayed were of her and Ji Rui. Their pictures alternated from their baby years, to childhood, adolescence, to their youthful days.
With the not-so-open vocals of a certain president in her ears, Le Tong gazed up at the photos on the water curtain without blinking. Transitioning from their youthful days to a fair, chubby little baby, with a toothless smile beaming brightly, colorful bubble-like subtitles emerged beside, "Daddy Mommy, Baobao is here!" Following this, sets of photos from Baobao’s birth to five years old appeared, showing how the once toothless infant turned into a charming and cute young boy.
In the air, Ji Rui’s singing voice continued to flow with the tinkling piano accompaniment.
[If you ask what love is
It’s talking about worldly matters with you in turbulent times
Traveling endless journeys with you
even when the sky changes, the love remains youthful
Disbelieving when people say time erodes love
to embrace you one more time is to love one more time
How can I not believe in this most touching moment?
to use your first name with mine
to create this story]