Chapter 56:

Lin Qiao was half-asleep when she felt someone adjusting her arms and legs. Then something slightly cool touched her forehead. Instinctively, she reached for the familiar warmth in her arms—Xiaoning—but found no one there. Startled, she jolted awake, quickly checking the space beside her. Just then, she saw Shen Qingzhou standing by the hospital bed, holding Xiaoning in his arms. Xiaoning looked drowsy, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

Thank goodness, I thought I had rolled her off the bed, cough.

Seeing Lin Qiao’s startled expression, Shen Qingzhou softly asked, “Not sleeping anymore?”

Lin Qiao awkwardly touched her face and replied, “Mm, since you’re here, it must already be really late.”

Shen Qingzhou placed Xiaoning on a chair, walked to the window, and fully opened the curtains. He cracked open half the window and slid the screen shut before saying indifferently, “No, it’s only a little past seven. If you’re still tired, go back to sleep.”

Lin Qiao stretched, threw off the blanket, got out of bed, and said with her back to him, “I’m not going back to sleep. I’ll go wash up.”

Shen Qingzhou sat down on the rattan chair beside the bed and opened the breakfast bag. Without looking up, he said, “Go ahead. Take Xiaoning with you to wash up, and then come back to eat.”

Without hesitation, Lin Qiao walked around the bed and scooped up the still-dazed Xiaoning. She glanced casually at the bag in Shen Qingzhou’s hand. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Yonghe Soy Milk,” Shen Qingzhou listed off casually, “fried dough sticks, dumplings, tofu pudding, and… a lot more.”

That was indeed a lot—enough to fill a large bag. By the end, he stopped listing because he honestly couldn’t remember everything.

Lin Qiao couldn’t help but smile slightly, feeling as if the three of them were just an ordinary family of three, greeting the morning sun together, sharing breakfast in quiet harmony, just like millions of other families in the world—nothing special, just simple and ordinary.

Ordinary is a blessing.

She gently patted Xiaoning’s sleepy face and carried him to the bathroom to wash up. While brushing her teeth, she supervised Xiaoning doing the same, reminding him as they went, “Brush well, especially your back teeth.”

Xiaoning nodded through a mouthful of foam, mumbling, “Mission accomplished!”

Lin Qiao’s eyes crinkled with laughter as she rinsed her mouth. After washing her face and applying a bit of skincare, she helped Xiaoning clean up. Once they were all ready, they returned to the ward, drawn by the aroma around Shen Qingzhou. On the table in the small sitting area of the hospital room sat an array of steaming hot dishes.

“Time to eat,” Lin Qiao said, lifting Xiaoning onto her lap. The three of them sat across from Shen Qingzhou, and she took the chopsticks he handed her and began eating.

“Which one do you want?” Lin Qiao asked Xiaoning.

Xiaoning pointed at the tofu pudding. “That one!”

Lin Qiao carried it over and handed it to him, then turned to Shen Qingzhou and asked carefully, “Is it sweet or savory?”

“Sweet, of course,” Shen Qingzhou replied.

Xiaoning chimed in, “Lin Auntie, isn’t it always sweet?”

Lin Qiao twitched her lips, then glared at the two of them. “Heretics!”

Shen Qingzhou chuckled. “So just because our tastes differ, we’re heretics?”

Lin Qiao lifted her chin. “Exactly. Sweet-lovers are all heretics.”

Still eating, Shen Qingzhou asked, “Then what about sweet rice dumplings? Are those heretical too?”

Lin Qiao was half-asleep, vaguely aware of someone adjusting her arms and legs before something cool touched her forehead. Out of habit, she reached out to pull Xiao Ning closer, only to find him gone. Startled, she jolted awake and anxiously looked toward the side of the bed. There, she saw Shen Qingzhou holding Xiao Ning beside the hospital bed. The little boy, still drowsy, was rubbing his eyes and yawning.

Phew, she thought. For a moment, she was afraid she might have pushed him off the bed in her sleep.

Shen Qingzhou looked at Lin Qiao’s relieved expression and asked softly, “Not sleeping anymore?”

Lin Qiao touched her face, slightly embarrassed. “Yeah, since you’re here, it must be pretty late already.”

Shen Qingzhou placed Xiao Ning on a chair, walked to the window, and drew the curtains fully open. He pushed one half of the window ajar and slid the screen back before saying calmly, “Not really. It’s only a little past seven. If you’re still tired, you can sleep a bit more.”

Lin Qiao stretched, threw off the covers, and got out of bed. Turning her back to him, she said, “No, I’m up. I’m going to wash up.”

Shen Qingzhou sat on the wicker chair by the bed and began unpacking the breakfast bag. Without looking up, he said, “Go ahead. Take Xiao Ning with you to freshen up. Come back when you’re done, and we’ll have breakfast.”

Obliging, Lin Qiao walked around the bed, picked up the still-groggy Xiao Ning, and casually glanced at the bag in Shen Qingzhou’s hand. “What’s good to eat?”

“Yonghe soybean milk,” Shen Qingzhou listed off. “Fried dough sticks, wontons, tofu pudding, and… a lot more.”

Indeed, the bag was packed full. He trailed off, not bothering to name every item—partly because he couldn’t remember them all.

Lin Qiao couldn’t help but smile faintly. In that moment, the three of them felt like the most ordinary family, greeting the morning sun together, sharing a quiet breakfast like millions of other families around the world. There was nothing extraordinary about it—just simple, everyday bliss.

And sometimes, simplicity is its own blessing.

She patted Xiao Ning’s sleepy little face and carried him to the bathroom to wash up. While brushing her own teeth, she supervised him, reminding, “Brush properly, make sure you clean all your teeth.”

Xiao Ning, his mouth full of foam, nodded and mumbled, “I’ll complete the mission!”

Lin Qiao’s eyes crinkled with laughter. She rinsed her mouth, washed her face, applied some skincare products, and then helped Xiao Ning wash his face and hands. Once they were both ready, they returned to the hospital room, drawn by the enticing aroma of food. Shen Qingzhou had laid out a spread of steaming dishes on the small table in the patient lounge area.

“Time to eat,” Lin Qiao said, lifting Xiao Ning onto her lap. The two of them sat across from Shen Qingzhou, accepting the chopsticks he handed them.

“What do you want to eat?” Lin Qiao asked Xiao Ning.

Pointing at the tofu pudding, Xiao Ning exclaimed, “I want that!”

Lin Qiao brought the bowl over to him and glanced at Shen Qingzhou. “Sweet or savory?”

“Of course, it’s sweet,” Shen Qingzhou replied.

Xiao Ning chimed in, “Auntie Lin, isn’t it always sweet?”

Lin Qiao’s lips twitched, and she shot a glare at both of them. “Heretics!”

Shen Qingzhou chuckled. “So anyone who disagrees with you is a heretic?”

Lin Qiao lifted her chin. “Not exactly. All sweet-tooth believers are heretics.”

Shen Qingzhou took a bite of his breakfast and asked, “What about sweet zongzi? Are those heretical too?”

“Of course not! Zongzi should always be sweet. Savory ones are basically just rice with toppings, aren’t they?” Lin Qiao retorted, biting her chopstick.

Shen Qingzhou set down his bowl and looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before saying, “It seems we have completely different tastes when it comes to food. What are we going to do about that?”

“What do you mean?” Lin Qiao asked, puzzled. “Is that really a problem? It’s not like we can’t afford both. You eat what you like, and I’ll eat what I like. I won’t judge you.” She paused, glanced at Xiao Ning, and added, “…or either of you.”

Xiao Ning burst into laughter, nearly spitting out his food. Sticky grains of rice clung to the corners of his mouth. Unable to bear the mess, Lin Qiao put down her bowl, grabbed a tissue, and wiped his face clean before resuming her meal.

Shen Qingzhou seemed to be pondering her words. After a moment, he said, “You’re right.” He reached into his suit pocket, pulled out a small box, and handed it to her naturally. “Then let’s get married.”

Lin Qiao was completely stunned. Even Xiao Ning froze. The two of them stared dumbfounded at the only grown man in the room, making Shen Qingzhou slightly uncomfortable.

“Did I say something strange?” Shen Qingzhou lowered his eyes and continued eating.

After a long silence, Lin Qiao finally said, “Not exactly…”

Shen Qingzhou looked up at her and asked calmly, “Then why are you both staring at me? Do you not want to?”

Without thinking, Lin Qiao blurted out, “Of course I do…” She immediately covered her mouth, embarrassed by her eager tone, and awkwardly glanced at the man who had just proposed.

Shen Qingzhou didn’t look at her but continued softly, “I told you before that I’d give you a better proposal. But after thinking long and hard, I couldn’t come up with anything else. I hope you don’t mind.” He looked at her again, his eyes earnest and searching.

Lin Qiao’s face grew warm, and she averted her gaze, unable to meet his eyes. Mumbling, she said, “Isn’t this a bit too fast? We’ve only known each other for a few months, not even a year yet…”

Xiao Ning, having recovered from his shock, hugged Lin Qiao tightly and exclaimed, “It’s not fast, Auntie Lin! In ten months, you could even have a baby. Shouldn’t marriage take less time than that?”

Lin Qiao’s eyebrow twitched as she looked at the little troublemaker. “Wow, you even know about ten-month pregnancies?”

Xiao Ning puffed out his chest. “Of course! It’s common sense. Did you think babies pop out of rocks?”

Lin Qiao snorted. “No, they’re picked up from trash cans.”

Xiao Ning gave her a strange look, his expression turning detective-mode serious. Lin Qiao coughed lightly and turned to Shen Qingzhou, who was watching them quietly, a faint smile on his lips. The warm sunlight cast a soft golden glow on him, making him seem almost ethereal. Unconsciously, Lin Qiao reached out as if to touch him, but Shen Qingzhou misinterpreted the gesture as her accepting the ring. Calmly, he opened the box, took out the ring, held her hand, and slipped it onto her finger.

Lin Qiao was momentarily dazed, as if jolted from a dream back to reality. The man sitting across from her wasn’t some unattainable fantasy—he was real, and he truly wanted to marry her and become her husband.

As she gazed at the sparkling diamond ring on her left ring finger, Xiao Ning’s joyful cheers filled her ears, interspersed with cries of “Mom” and “Dad.” At that moment, Lin Qiao couldn’t bring herself to refuse. She withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and smiled faintly.

Seeing Lin Qiao’s quiet, reserved smile, Shen Qingzhou knew he had succeeded.

Perhaps this kind of proposal was perfect after all—a completely ordinary morning, the two of them casually sharing breakfast, and in the midst of that simplicity, he said, “Let’s get married.” And she naturally replied, “Okay.” Then, just like that, they were together. This kind of 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Shen Qingzhou put down his chopsticks and looked at her for a moment before suddenly saying, “So we have completely different tastes. What should we do?”

“What do you mean?” Lin Qiao asked, puzzled. “Is that a big deal? Not at all. We don’t have to share everything. I won’t mind what you eat, and you won’t mind what I eat. Right?” She paused, glanced at Xiaoning, and added, “…or what *we* eat.”

Xiaoning burst into laughter, nearly spitting out his food. Sticky bits clung to his mouth, and Lin Qiao couldn’t stand it anymore. She set down her bowl, grabbed a tissue, and wiped his face clean before continuing her meal.

Shen Qingzhou seemed to be thinking about her words. After a while, he said, “You’re right.” Then, as naturally as breathing, he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small box, handing it to her. “Then marry me.”

Lin Qiao froze completely. Not just her—Xiaoning did too. The two of them stared blankly at the only adult male in the room, making Shen Qingzhou slightly uncomfortable.

“Did I say something strange?” Shen Qingzhou lowered his eyes and continued eating.

Lin Qiao was silent for a moment before murmuring, “Not really…”

Shen Qingzhou looked up. “Then why are you both staring at me like that?” He glanced at her and asked softly, “Don’t you want to?”

Lin Qiao blurted out, “Of course I do—” Then she realized how eager she sounded, almost too eager, and immediately covered her mouth, embarrassed, looking at the man who had just proposed.

Shen Qingzhou didn’t look at her. He continued quietly, “I told you before that I’d give you a better proposal, but after thinking hard for a long time, I couldn’t come up with a better way. Do you mind?”

He looked at her again, his eyes filled with sincerity and curiosity.

Lin Qiao’s face grew warmer and warmer. She turned her gaze away, unable to meet his eyes, and mumbled, “Isn’t this a bit too fast? We’ve only known each other for a few months, not even a year yet…”

Xiaoning had already recovered. Seeing Lin Qiao hesitate, he hugged her tightly and shouted, “It’s not too fast at all, Lin Auntie! Babies are born after ten months—does marriage really need longer than that?”

Lin Qiao’s eyebrows twitched as she looked at this little troublemaker. “Oh, so you know about the ten months of pregnancy, huh?”

Xiaoning said proudly, “Of course I do! That’s basic knowledge, you know. Do you think babies come out of rocks?”

Lin Qiao huffed. “Well, they don’t come from rocks—they come from trash cans.”

Xiaoning gave her a strange look, his expression turning eerily like Conan’s. Lin Qiao coughed lightly and glanced at Shen Qingzhou, who was quietly watching them, a faint smile on his lips. The warm sunlight gave his smile a soft golden glow, making him seem almost unreal. Lin Qiao unconsciously reached out to touch him.

Shen Qingzhou mistook her gesture for acceptance of the ring. Calmly, he opened the box, took out the ring, and gently took her hand to slip it on.

Lin Qiao blinked, as if suddenly pulled back from a dream. The man sitting across from her wasn’t some distant fantasy—he was real, wanting to marry her and become her husband.

Looking at the sparkling diamond on her left ring finger, she heard Xiaoning’s excited cheers, calling out “Mom” and “Dad.” That sound made it impossible for her to refuse any longer. She pulled her hand back and smiled softly.

Seeing Lin Qiao’s shy, gentle smile, Shen Qingzhou knew he had succeeded.

Actually, this kind of proposal wasn’t bad at all. Just a normal morning, the two of them casually having breakfast together. In the midst of the ordinary, he had said, “Let’s get married,” and she had naturally replied, “Okay.” This kind of effortless harmony might be even more touching than a grand, dramatic scene.

Not long after Shen Qingzhou proposed to Lin Qiao, Lin Huiming returned from Dubai.

As soon as he came back, he went straight to Shen Qingzhou’s house. When Lin Qiao answered the call and opened the door, she saw a middle-aged man in sunglasses and casual clothes standing there. He was a bit darker, but clearly healthier and more energetic. Lin Qiao didn’t say anything, but she thought to herself that this trip had definitely been worth the money.

“Hey, sweetheart, Dad’s back!”

As soon as Lin Huiming saw Lin Qiao, he gave her a warm hug. Lin Qiao endured her father’s embrace with a helpless smile, then stepped back and said, “You come back from a trip and suddenly seem like a completely different person.”

“What do you mean? Don’t you think your dad is more charming now?” Lin Huiming dragged his suitcase inside, glancing around as he spoke. “This trip opened my eyes. I’ve been to so many places.”

Lin Qiao closed the door and followed him inside, smiling slightly. “You say it like you went to Thailand or something.”

Speaking of Thailand, Lin Qiao suddenly remembered what she had found under Lin Huiming’s desk that day, and her mood soured instantly.

Lin Huiming had his back to her and didn’t notice her expression. He continued enthusiastically, “Actually, it doesn’t matter where you go. The most important thing is to get out and see the world, relax your mind. When you’re stuck and can’t find a way out, don’t just stay in one place and pressure yourself. Success doesn’t come from pressure—it comes from flexibility. Shen, your future son-in-law, understands this better than you do.”

Leaning against the staircase, Lin Qiao looked at Lin Huiming sitting on the sofa. “Shen? So he really won you over with all the effort he put in.”

Lin Huiming shrugged. “Even if he hadn’t gone all out, I wouldn’t have opposed your relationship. Just look at his background. I’m your dad, but let me be honest—this society is messed up. Handsome, rich men can pick any woman they want. No exceptions.”

Lin Qiao touched her face thoughtfully, then walked over and sat beside him, pouring him some water as she asked, “What about women?”

“Women?” Lin Huiming repeated. “If a woman is rich and beautiful, she’s usually a career woman. And even if she gets married, she might end up divorced. But if she’s just beautiful and not rich, she might actually be better off. But most of those girls end up marrying ugly, old, rich men, dragging down the average human looks.”

Her father’s words weren’t without merit. As Lin Qiao listened, she thought of Xie Jiayi—exactly the kind of rich, beautiful career woman who had married twice and divorced twice. Some things really couldn’t be explained.

“Oh, by the way, where’s Shen? Why are you alone at home?” Lin Huiming suddenly asked.

“Oh,” Lin Qiao replied, “He’s at the hospital with Xiaoning.”

Lin Huiming frowned. “You’re getting married, and he’s still at the hospital? Can’t Xiao Du take over for a while?”

Lin Qiao was stunned. “How did you know he proposed?”

Lin Huiming glanced at her left hand and snorted. “You think your dad is blind just because I’m wearing sunglasses?”

Lin Qiao looked at the ring on her hand and gave an awkward laugh. Experience really did make all the difference.