"Sister-in-law, itās alright. Luckily, my factory grounds havenāt been rented out yet, so I can take this time to handle things here. My parents are also around, so you donāt need to worry about me."
Although it was an excuse, it was also true. She had only rented out a few of her factory spaces, introduced by Su Ling. Although she wasnāt in a rush, she couldnāt just leave them empty.
When they returned after eating, several elders were already in Grandmaās ward. Everyone looked calm, showing no signs of anxiety.
The caregiver had arrived by then, and Grandma didnāt object to the caregiverās presence. She knew the children all had jobs and things to do, and she couldnāt hold them up like this.
There was no need to keep vigil tonight. Eldest Uncle instructed them to go home.
The mother-in-law initially thought Han Yi would go back with them, but as they were going downstairs, she heard Lin Wan say she would stay at her parentsā house tonight.
They didnāt stop her, knowing they werenāt comfortable living at home.
They merely reminded Xiao Wan to be careful, since it just snowed, and the icy conditions made them worry she might slip.
"Mom, Iāll be careful, donāt worry."
"Alright, go ahead. Xiao Yi, drive slowly on the road."
"Got it. You and Uncle Hu be careful on the road too."
After parting with the mother-in-law and Uncle Hu, Han Yi took Xiao Wan not directly home but to a nearby coal seller. They ordered a monthās supply of coal and firewood to be delivered early the next morning.
"Ai Yi, you donāt need to worry about me. Iām fine here. Itās you and Xingxing that Iām concerned about. Are you going on a mission when you get back?"
Han Yi smiled and said, "Not exactly. I might have to go to the Capital City. Thereās a big competition there that our team needs to attend. It will take about two months before I come back. As for Xingxing, letās have our cousin take care of her for a few days until you return."
"Oh... donāt worry, Iām fine with that."
Han Yi gently ruffled Lin Wanās hair, not telling her that this big competition was actually an evaluation. They were in a special forces team that had been organized two years ago and needed to prove their results. If they couldnāt outperform regular soldiers, it wouldnāt just be a matter of losing face.
When Lin Wan and Han Yi got home, Mom had already warmed the kang for them, and the quilts were all new.
"Mom, itās late. You should get some rest. Whereās Dad?"
"Your dad was called back to the unit. Iāll be busy these days with nothing much else to do, just going to the two stores or chatting with Aunt Qin. Itās quite boring, not as fun as being in S City."
Lin Wan smiled and gave her mom a playful glance. "Mom, why donāt you stay at the unit with Dad?"
"Stay there for what? Iām afraid people would laugh at us. Itās not very appropriate."
"Whatās wrong with that? Isnāt Godmother always with Godfather?"
"Thatās one thing to say, but doing it is a bit tough on the ego. I even called your Godmother yesterday. Lately, sheās been getting close with her future in-laws. I heard Junzi has started dating someone?"
"Ah... oh, yes, he is dating someone, also a soldier."
Lin Wan hadnāt heard anything about Brother Junzi dating anyone from her momās tone.
"Dating is a good thing. I hear your Godmother is quite happy with this match."
Lin Wan found herself at a loss for words, keeping her thoughts to herself out of respect.
She was curious about how Brother Junzi managed to win over his godmother, who wasnāt initially agreeable but now seemed so invested.
Speaking of which, ever since Brother Junzi returned to the unit, there hadnāt been much news about him and Sister Xiao Jia.
"You two should get some rest. Thereās hot water in the kitchen."
Mom didnāt stay long in their courtyard, and after giving some brief instructions, she left.
Lin Wan wasnāt sleepy yet. After being away for so long, she was eager to check on her treasures, so she quickly found the key and opened the study room to take a look.
Shen Rong had taken good care of them; everything was intact.
"Ai Yi, our set of villas is renovated now. How about we move these things back? I donāt feel safe leaving them here. The bookshelves and desks are valuable."
"Sure, next time you see Cong Nan, you can talk to him about helping us move them. He has a large car."
"Yes, thatās what I was thinking too."
The treasures she had amassed over the years could be worth something in a couple of decades.
However, to Han Yi, it seemed like just a small hobby of Lin Wanās. Even the few-cent stamps were treated like treasures, carefully wrapped in layer after layer.