Lin Xiaoxiao told Lin Wenbin the full story of Zhang Wanqing’s past, and even he couldn’t help but feel sympathy. “That girl’s had such a hard life? That’s really tragic. I’ll have a serious talk with Liangzi later.”

Xiaoxiao nodded. “You absolutely should. Wanqing is a genuinely good person. After everything she’s been through, she still has a heart willing to help others. Isn’t that rare?”

Wenbin agreed. “It really is. Alright, from now on, she’s like a little sister to me too. If she runs into any trouble, I’ll help her settle it.”

Xiaoxiao shot him a sideways glance. “Brother, have you noticed you’re starting to sound like a gangster? That’s not a good look. I actually thought about setting Wanqing up with you once—good thing I didn’t introduce you, or she’d be wasted on you.”

Wenbin glared. “What’s wrong with me? You have to adapt to the local environment wherever you go.”

Zhou Xiaocheng, who had just reached the door, overheard the last part of the siblings’ conversation. He was slightly surprised—Xiaoxiao had considered matching Zhang Wanqing with Wenbin?

He thought about Wenbin’s personality; the two didn’t seem particularly suited. Dismissing the thought, he pushed the door open and entered. The room was now warm and comfortable, the stove burning steadily.

Xiaoxiao smiled. “Xiaocheng, you’re off work? You’re home early today.” She glanced out the window, noticed it was already dark, and exclaimed, “It got dark so fast! I need to hurry back, otherwise An’an and Duoduo will start crying again.”

If she was late, it used to be just An’an crying. Now Duoduo had joined in, and the two seemed to compete over who could cry louder.

Wenbin checked the time. “I’ll walk you back. Don’t want you blaming me if something happens on the way.”

After they left, Xiaocheng closed the door, tidied the trash on the floor, and collected the unwashed bowls and chopsticks Wenbin had left from lunch.

As he cleaned, he pondered whether Zhang Wanqing and Lin Wenbin were actually a good match. If it turned out well, it could put Old Zhang’s mind at ease.

But then he considered Wenbin’s living habits—the man could barely take care of himself. Expecting him to look after someone else seemed difficult.

When Xiaoxiao arrived home, the two children were indeed crouched by the door, crying. It was too cold for them to wait outside, so they stood just inside, weeping inconsolably. An’an cried for her mother, and Duoduo followed suit.

Seeing Xiaoxiao return, Li Yunlan breathed a sigh of relief. “These two little spirits refused to eat or drink their milk until you got back. Look at Qianqian and Xuanxuan—they’ve been so well-behaved.”

Xiaoxiao crouched to hug An’an, then Duoduo. “You little rascals, you won’t eat unless Mom comes home? Did you think I’d disappeared?”

When Yunlan went to pick up Duoduo, he went willingly, little finger pointing toward the dining room, indicating he was ready to eat.

After washing An’an’s hands and settling her at the table, Xiaoxiao was surprised to see dumplings for dinner. “What’s the occasion?”

Yunlan looked happy. “Your father heard news today—Huai’an should be back by New Year. It’s less than three months away now. In less than three months, he’ll be home.”

Xiaoxiao could hardly believe it. She turned to Zhou Zhennan. “Dad, is it true?”

Zhennan nodded. “Barring any unexpected problems, he should return on schedule.”

That phrase—“barring any unexpected problems”—made her heart sink. But she reassured herself: surely nothing would go wrong now. He’d been gone for a year; it was time for him to come home.

Zhou Xiaoling was also thrilled. “This is wonderful! With big brother back, our family can finally have a proper reunion this New Year.”

Noticing the flicker of worry on Xiaoxiao’s face, Zhennan added gently, “Don’t overthink it. The chance of something going wrong is very small.”

Yunlan happily stroked Qianqian’s cheek. “Daddy’s coming home! Aren’t you happy?”

Qianqian, too young to speak, just giggled. An’an and Duoduo clapped their hands. “Dada, Dada!”

Finally having a timeline to hold onto, Xiaoxiao felt her heart clench with a mix of anxiety and longing. That night, she found herself unable to sleep. She lay watching her two children sleeping soundly beside her, their little hands resting by their heads.

Slipping quietly out of bed, she heard a noise outside her door.

She opened it to find Zhou Xiaoling tiptoeing down the hall holding a lunchbox. Hearing the door, Xiaoling turned and grinned. “Hungry, sis?”

Xiaoxiao shook her head. “No, what are you up to?”

Xiaoling walked over, still holding her container. “I was hungry, so I poured some hot water over leftover dumplings. Why aren’t you asleep?”

Xiaoxiao gestured for her to come in. “Can’t sleep. Eat in here.”

Xiaoling didn’t stand on ceremony. She entered quietly, and not wanting to turn on the main light and wake the children, she switched on the small desk lamp instead. Sitting at the desk, she started eating her dumplings. Between bites, she asked curiously, “Can’t sleep because my big brother is coming back? But it’s still over two months away. Are you going to lie awake every night until then?”

Ignoring the teasing, Xiaoxiao watched her finish the entire box of dumplings before speaking. “Were you really that hungry, or is something on your mind too? Are you also worried about Lin Zihao coming back? Still not sure how to face this… brother?”

Xiaoling groaned. “Sis, you didn’t have to say it out loud!”

Xiaoxiao smiled. “I’m helping you sort it out. Just eating won’t solve anything. Honestly, you don’t need to be so nervous. It’s not like he’s coming to Beijing.”

Xiaoling groaned again and slumped over the desk. “But I’ll see him eventually! And it’s going to be so awkward when I do.”

Xiaoxiao thought for a moment. “What if you found someone you liked and started dating? There are plenty of young men around the compound. And Mom and Dad must know many suitable candidates. You should get out and meet people.”

Xiaoling sighed repeatedly. “Not in the mood, don’t want to. I only like guys like Lin Zihao. Or someone like my second brother would work too.”

Xiaoxiao thought of Zhou Xiaocheng and let out a dry laugh. “Your standards are a bit high. Someone like Xiaocheng is hard to find.”

Xiaoling shrugged. “See? It’s not that I don’t want to look—it’s just impossible. When you have such outstanding men at home, everyone else seems… lacking.”

Xiaoxiao knew she was just evading the issue. But the situation between Zhou Xiaoling and Lin Zihao was a dead end—completely impossible. She felt worried for both of them.