Running Towards You - Chapter 60.1

Ji Yin was genuinely terrified.

She hadn’t prepared herself mentally to have dinner with Lu Jiahe’s parents or, to be precise, she had never even imagined that Lu Jiahe’s parents would want to meet her.

“Do your parents know about my background? Like my family and education?” Ji Yin asked repeatedly, seeking confirmation.

“They’ve known for a while. I’ve already told them everything about you.”

“They know… and they still agreed to let us date?” Ji Yin said in disbelief.

“Mhm.”

City folks really are open-minded!

Even so, Ji Yin was still at a loss. “I’m not ready yet, What if I mess up? Will they hate me?”

Lu Jiahe sat down, steadied her, and placed her hands on Ji Yin’s shoulders. Gazing at her flustered expression, she leaned in and captured her lips, soothingly nibbling and licking them.

Soon, the other woman turned the tables, chasing her tongue with even greater intensity.

Lu Jiahe shifted positions, sitting on Ji Yin’s lap a posture that made kissing much easier.

Ji Yin kept pressing kisses to her lips and neck.

“They won’t hate you. I told you, you’re very likable,” Lu Jiahe said, tilting her head back, her eyes brimming with amusement. “It was my dad who suggested this dinner. He wants to meet you properly.”

“I’m scared.”

“Don’t be. I’m here,” Lu Jiahe murmured, lowering her head to kiss Ji Yin’s lips while her hands gripped her waist.

A cold draft slipped in, followed by the warmth of a palm against her skin. Ji Yin shivered at the sensation and held her even tighter.

As her hands glided over Lu Jiahe’s smooth back, Lu Jiahe whispered, “But if you don’t want to go this time, we can arrange it for later. Whenever you’re ready.”

“Okay…” Ji Yin mimicked her, sliding her hands under Lu Jiahe’s clothes.

But her fingers were much colder. Lu Jiahe jolted with a laugh and curled into her arms. “So icy!”

“Sorry!” Ji Yin quickly withdrew her hands and kissed the dimple on Lu Jiahe’s cheek. “This Saturday is too soon. How about next weekend?”

“Really? You’ll go?” Lu Jiahe asked.

“Mhm.”

If she wanted to see Lu Jiahe smile like this every day, if she wanted to stay with her longer, then passing the parents’ test was inevitable.

She just hadn’t expected it to come so soon. That was why she was panicked, afraid, worried that if she didn’t perform well, she might never get to hold Lu Jiahe again.

“What if your parents don’t like me and kick me out?”

“Then we’ll elope?”

“No!” Ji Yin refused outright. “Absolutely not!”

Lu Jiahe couldn’t help but laugh. “Why not?”

“How could you abandon your parents and career just for me? If we ever break up, you’d definitely regret it. I don’t want to be that kind of sinner,” Ji Yin said.

Lu Jiahe was thoroughly amused and pinched her cheek. “You’ve really thought this through, huh? Don’t worry, I’d never actually elope with you, and my parents would never kick you out.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. They have good manners. At most, they’d politely ask you to leave.”

Ji Yin chuckled. “That works too. At least it’s dignified.”

The renovation was in its final stages. After Ji Yin inspected and approved the work, she settled the remaining payments with the workers and arranged for the shelves to be brought in.

As she supervised the site, her mind kept wandering to the matter of meeting the parents.

“Looks like we can wrap it up before New Year’s Day,” Dong Xiang remarked beside her.

“New Year’s Day? That’s a good time, the first day of the new year. What if I delay it until then? What do you think?”

“What do I think about what?” Dong Xiang looked puzzled. “Are you talking about opening on New Year’s Day?”

“Opening?” Ji Yin nodded. “Yeah, I was actually planning to open on New Year’s Day.”

“No problem there, as long as the suppliers are on board.”

“And there’s the hiring issue.” Ji Yin called the manager to delegate the recruitment tasks.

With nothing else to handle, she headed to a nearby mall, browsing while searching online for gift ideas to bring when meeting the parents.

That evening, back at home, Yanzi invited her over for dinner hotpot at her place.

“It’s been ages since the three of us had a meal together. Feels like I haven’t seen you guys in forever,” Yanzi said.

“What can you do? Call the police then.” The room was warm, so Ji Yin took off her coat and draped it over the sofa.

“Hey, this coat is really nice. When did you get it?” Yanzi was practically an expert on Ji Yin’s wardrobe, most of it had been bought with her help, but she had never seen this piece before.

“Dr. Lu gave it to me.”

Yanzi felt the fabric. “The texture is amazing. Definitely not cheap.”

“Really?”

Yanzi glanced at the label on the collar and gasped. “This brand is expensive! Dr. Lu is way too generous. It’s not even a holiday or anything, and she gave you such a pricey coat?”

Ji Yin looked blankly at the label, which was covered in English brand names she couldn’t decipher. “How expensive are we talking?”

“At least five figures.”

“Holy shit?!” Ji Yin was shocked and double-checked. “It’s really that expensive?”

“Yes! I’ve had my eye on another coat from this brand for years and still couldn’t bring myself to buy it!” Yanzi grabbed the coat and threw it over herself. “Let me try it on.”

“Don’t just wear it randomly.” Ji Yin snatched it back, folded it neatly, and set it aside. Worried it might absorb the hotpot smell, she took it into the bedroom and closed the door.

Yanzi: “…”

As Yanzi swirled tripe in the pot, she asked, “You still haven’t said, why did Dr. Lu suddenly give you such an expensive coat?”

“Maybe she likes me?”

“Is she that rich? If you like someone, you just give them clothes? I think she might like me too do you think there’s a chance she’ll give me”

“Keep dreaming.” Ji Yin rolled her eyes.

Yanzi pouted and pressed on. “What about my brother-in-law? What has he given you?”

“Stop asking so many questions. Hurry up and scoop that out the tripe’s getting overcooked,” Ji Yin deflected.

After dinner, Ji Yin carefully gathered the coat and prepared to leave.

“You’re not going to frame it and hang it up like some sacred decree, are you?” Yanzi teased, amused by how reverently Ji Yin was handling it.

Ji Yin huffed and walked to the door but suddenly turned back. “What did you bring when you first went to Dong Xiang’s house to meet his parents?”

“A greeting ‘Hello, Uncle and Auntie.'”

“…”

“How am I supposed to remember something from years ago? I was practically in diapers the first time I went there.”

“I meant after you two were officially together.”

“She just brought some cigarettes, alcohol, and a pearl necklace.”

After Ji Yin left, Yanzi turned to Dong Xiang with a look of shock and said, “Damn, my sister’s moving so fast it feels like she’s outpacing us! Who knows, she might even get married before we do!”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Dong Xiang asked.

“Yeah, I’m just so happy so happy I’m a little dizzy. So you’re on dish duty today.”

“…”

“But I’m really curious about who she’s found. She’s kept it so under wraps, even from me! Have you noticed her getting close to any guys lately?”

“Aside from me, there’s just the manager and the suppliers.”

“Could it be one of the suppliers? Fell for each other over business talks?” Yanzi thought about it but found it unlikely. She knew Ji Yin never mixed business with personal feelings, and none of those suppliers were particularly good-looking.

This brother-in-law… is truly a mystery.

While preparing for the store’s opening, Ji Yin was also picking out gifts for the meeting, but nothing seemed quite right.

As she browsed outside, she received a call from Lu Jiahe.

“Where are you?”

“I’m out. What about you?”

“Just got off work. Free for dinner?”

“Absolutely! What are we eating?”

“It’s cold outside, how about ordering takeout at my place?”

“Sure! I’m actually pretty close to your place. I’ll head straight there.”

“Alright.”

Ji Yin stepped out of the mall to find snowflakes drifting down.