Running Towards You - Chapter 75.2

Lu Jiahe smiled silently.

Before long, dinner was ready. Everyone put away their phones, and they busied themselves in an orderly fashion: Ji Yin brought out the dishes, Yanzi served the rice, Dong Xiang poured the wine, and Lu Jiahe distributed the chopsticks.

Liu Jia patted Professor Lu’s arm and gestured toward the young people. “Having so many kids around the house seems pretty nice, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Professor Lu smiled. “Ji Yin, would you like tea or wine?”

“I’ll have tea with you,” Ji Yin replied, easily guessing his intention.

Professor Lu nodded happily and immediately went to fetch the teapot.

“Come, let’s all toast to Ji Yin’s happy birthday!” Liu Jia raised her glass.

Glasses, teacups, and thermoses clinked together as everyone chatted and laughed over the meal.

It was Yanzi’s first time dining with Lu Jiahe’s parents. She discreetly observed the highly educated couple and noticed they didn’t pry into their family backgrounds or careers, nor did they lecture them. They simply focused on enjoying the meal.

Liu Jia chatted with them about grocery prices at the supermarket, while Professor Lu peeled shrimp and placed the meat into her bowl.

Meanwhile, Ji Yin refilled Lu Jiahe’s wine glass, and Lu Jiahe stood up to serve Ji Yin a few pieces of braised pork. After sitting back down, the two exchanged a knowing smile.

Yanzi quietly averted her gaze and glanced at Dong Xiang.

Dong Xiang, puzzled, leaned over and whispered, “Is the food too bland? Not to your taste? Try to eat a little, and I’ll stir-fry a couple of dishes for you when we get back.”

After dinner, everyone sat together chatting for a while, with Ji Yin continuously offering fruit to the guests.

“I really can’t eat any more,” Yanzi said, eyeing the apple in front of her.

“Have one more,” Ji Yin insisted stubbornly.

“Just kill me now,” Yanzi groaned, rubbing her stomach and giving up entirely.

Ji Yin set the apple aside and handed her a tissue instead. “Wipe your mouth.”

This was already the fourth time he’d handed her a tissue to wipe her mouth way too unusual.

Yanzi stared at her for a moment before finally noticing what was off on Ji Yin’s previously bare hand, there now sat a sparkling ring.

“Where did this ring come from?”

“My girlfriend gave it to me!” Ji Yin replied, beaming with delight.

Yanzi: “…” I knew it! So that’s what this was about!

Everyone burst into laughter.

Lu Jiahe glanced at the time and brought out Liu Jia’s camera from the study.

“Let’s take a family photo.”

Liu Jia fiddled with the camera, setting it up on a tripod. “Alright, everyone get in position.”

The five of them sat in a row. Lu Jiahe stared at the camera and said, “Ji Yin, don’t be nervous.”

The others all turned to look at Ji Yin, who protested, “I-I’m not nervous!”

Another round of laughter filled the room.

Lu Jiahe smiled, set the timer, and quickly ran over to sit beside Ji Yin. Ji Yin took her hand, glanced at her, her eyes filled with complex emotions, and said softly, “Thank you.”

At sixteen, she had taken her first family photo, becoming a family bound by no blood but inseparable with Chen Yanhua and Yanzi.

At thirty-two, she had her second family photo.

She and Lu Jiahe had woven their lives together, sharing a family and bonds.

“Seriously, it was supposed to be a family photo, but you two secretly kissed?” Yanzi remarked, looking at the picture.

The two of them covered their faces, giggling.

“Let’s take another one,” Liu Jia said.

The six of them faced the camera again, smiling with pure happiness.

As it was almost time for work, Yanzi and Dong Xiang had to leave first. Ji Yin walked them downstairs.

Dong Xiang went ahead to hail a cab while Yanzi hung back a few steps and whispered to Ji Yin, “Sis, I want to get married.”

“Do you really mean it?” Ji Yin asked.

“Yes,” Yanzi nodded. “I’d never seen what a happy family looked like before, but today I finally saw it with my own eyes. I feel a little less worried now, and even a bit excited about the future.”

“That’s great.” Ji Yin put an arm around her shoulder, understanding her feelings all too well she had been there herself.

After seeing them off, Ji Yin went back inside, studied chess for a while, was taken by Professor Lu for a stroll around the tea room, and then was dragged out shopping by Liu Jia to buy a whole new set of clothes.

Ji Yin ran her hand over the new clothes and, while Liu Jia was paying, turned away and lifted her hand, only to find a tissue already held out in front of her.

“Don’t use your sleeve, use a tissue, you crybaby,” Lu Jiahe said with a light laugh.

“I don’t usually cry,” Ji Yin insisted, wiping her tears stubbornly.

“Right, right, who could be as tough as you?” Lu Jiahe raised her phone and quickly snapped a picture of her red-rimmed eyes, adding, “Who could look as pretty as you when they cry?”

“Delete that right now.”

“No.”

“Fine, next time you’re crying and begging me, I’ll take a picture too.”

“…”

Lu Jiahe looked at the photo and still couldn’t bring herself to delete it. As for what would happen later she’d deal with that later.

“I won’t ever beg you again,” she declared firmly.

“Oh, really?” Ji Yin curled her lips into a smirk, then turned and called out to Liu Jia, “Teacher Liu, we have something to take care of we need to go home for a bit.”

“That’s not true!” Lu Jiahe hurried over and hugged Liu Jia. “Mom, there’s nothing going on! She’s just teasing you! We’ll keep shopping with you!”

Liu Jia was swayed by the woman’s tight hug, utterly bewildered. She turned to look at Ji Yin, only to find her squatting on the ground, laughing so hard she could barely stand, which only deepened Liu Jia’s confusion.

The cashier, watching the scene, smiled and said, “Auntie, you’re so blessed to have two daughters.”

“One and a half daughters,” Liu Jia replied cheerfully, patting Lu Jiahe under the puzzled gaze of the cashier. “This one is my daughter, and that one is her girlfriend.”

As dusk approached, they returned home to prepare dinner.

Ji Yin followed Liu Jia into the kitchen to learn some cooking skills. The sound of the news anchor’s clear and precise broadcast drifted from the living room. Ji Yin glanced over at Lu Jiahe, who was cleaning in the living room.

Lu Jiahe seemed to sense her gaze and turned to look back at her.

Their eyes met across the room. Ji Yin smiled and averted her gaze. Though no words were exchanged, her heart swelled with contentment.

Just then, her phone rang.

It was a call from a supervisor at the new store. After listening to the situation, she hung up and said, “There’s a fight between customers over a minor issue at the supermarket. I need to go handle it.”

“Then hurry along. We’ll wait for you to come back for dinner,” Liu Jia said.

“No need, no need. I don’t know how long it’ll take. You all go ahead and eat without me,” Ji Yin replied, changing her shoes and declining Lu Jiahe’s offer to accompany her. “It’s freezing outside. Stay home. I’ll come back as soon as I’m done.”

With that, she hurried off.

By the time she arrived, Dong Xiang had nearly resolved the conflict. With everyone’s persuasion, the two customers finally left.

Ji Yin breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Dong Xiang. “Well done.”

Dong Xiang smiled sheepishly. “I learned it all from you.”

“If I’d known you could handle it, I wouldn’t have rushed over,” Ji Yin said, patting her stomach. But the thought that both he and Yanzi were gradually becoming capable of handling things on their own filled her with genuine joy.

Having grown up without parents, she had always treated Yanzi partly as a younger sister and partly as a child, often feeling that Yanzi and Dong Xiang were still the little kids she remembered.

Unconsciously, these “little kids” were about to get married and could now solve problems for her. A thought suddenly crossed her mind, perhaps she could gradually ease up, not needing to micromanage everything. It would give them opportunities to grow while allowing her more time to live her life and spend it with Lu Jiahe.

“From now on, leave these minor issues to me, Sister Yin. You can focus on enjoying your birthday,” Dong Xiang said.

“Alright, I’ll be off then,” Ji Yin replied, turning to leave. As she passed through the home goods section, a vase caught her eye.

The vase was exquisitely crafted, with a unique design that made it particularly beautiful.

Lu Jiahe often bought flowers to decorate their home, and she was sure to love this vase.

Ji Yin immediately asked a staff member to wrap it up.

“Oh, Sister Yin has taken a liking to flowers?” The staff member, who had transferred from the old store and was familiar with her, couldn’t resist teasing her.

“Not at all. I don’t like them. They wither in just a few days such a waste of money,” Ji Yin said.

“Then why are you buying a vase?”

“My girlfriend likes flowers.”

“What!?” The staff member froze in surprise.

“Be careful, don’t drop it,” Ji Yin quickly steadied the vase.

“Oh, oh!” The staff member hurriedly finished wrapping it and asked cautiously, “Who’s your girlfriend?”

“The beautiful girlfriend you all gossip about behind my back.”

The employee was taken aback, studying her face for a moment before breaking into a smile and repeatedly giving her a thumbs-up. “Perfect match, truly a perfect match!”

Ji Yin, as proud as a peacock, lifted her chin and strode out with her chest puffed up. As she stepped outside, a cold gust of wind swept over her, and she tightened the scarf Lu Jiahe had given her. Pulling out her phone, she made a call.

“Have you eaten yet?” she asked.

“Not yet, we’re waiting for you to come back and eat together,” Lu Jiahe replied from the other end of the line.

“That’s so thoughtful of you! I’ll be right back!” Ji Yin gripped her phone and hurried down the steps, taking them two at a time.

“Slow down, be careful not to slip,” Lu Jiahe cautioned.

“Okay,” Ji Yin replied, but then something felt off. She abruptly looked up, scanning her surroundings. “Where are you?”

Lu Jiahe chuckled.

“Jiahe?” Ji Yin walked toward the shadows by the roadside but saw no one. She circled the area, still searching.

“Dr. Lu, Lu Jiahe Lu Zaozao!” she called out his name as she looked around, then paused before shouting with all her might, “Wife!”

Lu Jiahe’s laughter echoed through the phone. “Who are you calling ‘wife’?”

“You! Come out already, I want to see you!”

“Silly, it’s so cold out. Of course, I’m waiting for you in the car,” Lu Jiahe said with a laugh.

Ji Yin immediately turned toward the parking lot. The next moment, Lu Jiahe stepped out of the car, holding a bouquet of flowers. He stood there, smiling warmly at her.

“Those flowers?”

“It suddenly occurred to me that I’ve never given you flowers before. Do you like them?” Lu Jiahe asked.

Ji Yin looked at the bouquet, already picturing how wilted they would be in a few days.

But so what?

They were so beautiful now, held in the arms of someone even more beautiful, brought to her with a heart full of love, making her want to cry with joy.

Seeing her still frozen in place, Lu Jiahe called out, “Come on, let’s go back and eat.”

“Okay.”

In the next instant, Ji Yin broke into a run.

The ground was slippery, and she nearly stumbled several times.

Lu Jiahe watched as she ran toward him with all her might, stumbling and staggering as she always did.

And just as she was about to reach him, he opened his arms and caught her wings, steady and sure.