Li Qianfan arrived home precisely at six o'clock in the evening.
Upon entering, he changed his shoes and glanced around the living room, but did not see Ning Xiaolan.
He casually asked Old Su, "What's up, Mom's still at the office and hasn't come home yet?"
It was dinner time, so normally Mother Lan wouldn't be in the kitchen, but at the dining table. Yet Li Qianfan didn't see her and assumed she hadn't returned from work.
After all, Mother Lan's job was quite special; the busier the holidays, the more she worked.
Moreover, this year, the public's call to embrace "full human warmth" was particularly strong. Many citizens would flock to open spaces like bridges, venting their frustrations at the sky and air. Mother Lan and her colleagues would inevitably have to be on high alert 24 hours a day, so it was normal for her not to be home.
Li Qianfan's words hadn't even finished when he suddenly noticed something was wrong.
With the Lunar New Year approaching, even the most slovenly person would clean their humble abode on the Little New Year (the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month), wouldn't they?
Besides, the Su family's home wasn't a humble abode, but a proper, spacious apartment.
Whether it was the decor, the appliances, or the furniture, everything was quite tasteful.
Yet Li Qianfan found the house to be a mess.
Shoes, pants, tops, even black high heels, were strewn everywhere around the sofa.
Crucially, the kitchen and dining room, the coffee table, showed no signs of preparing dinner.
It looked as if a thief had broken in and ransacked the place.
What's more, Li Qianfan actually saw dust on the edge of the coffee table.
Items on the coffee table (like tissues and cleaning cloths) had fallen to the floor.
However, the center of the coffee table was very clean, as if it had just been vigorously wiped.
Even more critically—
Old Father Su's pants were on backward!
Looking at the tightly closed master bedroom door, Li Qianfan suddenly regretted not calling home before he came. He should have announced, "Your beloved son-in-law is arriving soon, so the old Su couple should prepare to welcome him!"
Alas.
It was all Su Ziyu's wife's fault, insisting on video calls with her for hours on end, leaving no time for him to call home.
Fine.
He'd retreat to the study first.
Casting a glance at Old Su, whose face was etched with extreme embarrassment, Li Qianfan quickly walked into the study and closed the door.
Sister Su Yu wasn't home.
She had been away in the Dragon Ruins for a long time, but the moment Li Qianfan opened the door, he could clearly feel her presence, radiating towards him!
He leaned against the door, closed his eyes, and the illusion grew stronger.
If only he spread his arms, Sister Su would embrace him warmly and tenderly.
This was the feeling of home.
It was also a mysterious aura born from this home and Li Qianfan having highly recognized each other!
Many elderly people whose parents had passed away would experience this strong, mysterious aura when returning to their long-abandoned ancestral homes during the Lunar New Year.
It felt as if—
If he just shouted, "Mom, I'm back," his deceased mother would walk out from the kitchen!
Li Qianfan leaned against the door panel, remaining silent for a full seven or eight minutes before opening his eyes and walking to the wardrobe. He opened it.
The clothes inside.
Whether they belonged to Su Ziyu or Li Qianfan, they were all neatly folded and comfortably hung.
He suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to take out his phone and call Su Ziyu.
The call connected instantly.
Su Ziyu's voice sounded a bit rushed, "Qianfan, what's wrong?"
It had only been about twenty minutes since they had ended a video call that lasted for several hours.
Everything that needed to be said, and everything that shouldn't have been said, had been discussed by the two of them (actually, three people).
After running out of things to say—
Su Ziyu had even sung heartily, making Sister Hong Ti dance gracefully, hadn't she?
Now Li Qianfan was calling her again. Miles away, Su Ziyu, upon seeing the caller ID, felt an inexplicable tremor and hastily answered, asking what was wrong.
"I'm in our room, standing by the wardrobe, about to get some change of clothes to take a shower."
Li Qianfan's left hand gently caressed the boxers embroidered with "Su Ziyu," saying, "I suddenly miss you. It feels like if I just turn around, you'll walk out from the bathroom."
As he spoke, he turned to look at the bathroom.
The bathroom door was slightly ajar, and there was no sound.
Conversely, from the living room outside, he could hear the sounds of an urgent cleaning effort.
And Mother Lan's low grumbling: "Old man, you're too impatient! You had to do it in the living room instead of the bedroom. Now Qianfan has found out, hasn't he? You have no shame, but I still need face! Your pants! You're wearing your damn pants backward."
Miles away, Su Ziyu could clearly feel Li Qianfan's emotions at this moment.
She remained silent for a while before saying softly, "Little husband, I'm not home. But I am in your heart. In the future, no matter where you are, who you are with, or what you are doing, whether you are happy or troubled, I will be with you in your heart."
Yes.
Su Ziyu was in Li Qianfan's heart!
No matter where he was, who he was with, or what he was doing, happy or troubled, she was always accompanying him.
Li Qianfan's eyes lit up, "Wife, am I being too sentimental?"
Su Ziyu replied, "But I like you this way."
"Really?"
"Of course!"
"Then—"
Li Qianfan finally asked the question he had wanted to ask all along but hadn't dared to: "What do you think of the rumors about me and Su Nanyin?"
Su Ziyu replied without a second thought, "That's slander by despicable people! Ha, no matter how famous Su Nanyin is, or how young she is, how could my little husband personally say he wants to possess her?"
"Su Nanyin is noble and sexy, I want to possess her."
Li Qianfan spoke the truth, "I said that myself."
Su Ziyu still replied without a second thought, "My little husband is a true man! Besides you, no other young man dares to openly say he wants to possess Su Nanyin."
Li Qianfan—
After a moment of silence, he kissed the phone screen and said, "I love you."
Su Ziyu replied, "I love you too."
Li Qianfan smiled, feeling a sense of complete relief.
Not the slightest psychological burden remained!
When he had openly admitted that because Su Nanyin was noble and sexy, he wanted to possess her, why wasn't Su Ziyu angry?
Why was she even "pleasing" him and supporting him without any bottom line?
It was because—
Li Qianfan had just finished a long video call with her, lasting for hours, and yet upon returning to their room, opening the wardrobe, and seeing their clothes, he had immediately called her.
Telling her, "I suddenly miss you!"
Su Ziyu, who clearly felt Li Qianfan's inner thoughts at that moment, how could she not believe him?
No matter what Li Qianfan did, Su Ziyu was convinced he had his reasons!
"Qianfan."
Su Ziyu said before ending the call, "Remember. Although I can't always be by your side, I am your eternal harbor."
Qianfan's harbor.
No matter how long Li Qianfan worked tirelessly outside, whenever he was tired, he could always return to his exclusive harbor, allowing his heart, which had experienced slaughter, turmoil, and the ugliness of good and evil, to finally find peace.
Comparing herself to Li Qianfan's harbor, always accepting and comforting his weather-beaten heart, this was Su Ziyu's self-positioning!
She did it not out of helplessness.
But willingly.
Only such a Su Ziyu could be worthy of the role of Madam of the Dragon Ruins!
She didn't need to possess the high intelligence and schemes of Lu Ziqi, Ye Wushuang, or Qin Yujie, nor the invincible martial arts of Li Wujiang or Su Rina.
Because Li Xiao, at that time, was conquering empires internationally.
This required those around him to possess exceptional skills and invincible combat prowess.
Li Xiao had already laid a vast empire for Li Qianfan!
Li Qianfan's main job after inheriting it was to defend the empire.
Li Qianfan's wife no longer needed invincible combat skills or clever stratagems.
But she must have a heart that could embrace everything!
Only Su Ziyu, who could embrace everything, could unite the various factions within the Dragon Ruins as much as possible.
If—
Su Ziyu possessed the cunning of Ye Wushuang or the domineering nature of Li Wujiang, she would inevitably be unable to tolerate the restless elements within the Dragon Ruins.
The Dragon Ruins would definitely descend into chaos.
Conquering an empire is difficult; defending it is even more so.
It was precisely because Su Ziyu realized this point that she positioned herself as "Qianfan's harbor."
Of course.
The premise was that she held an irreplaceable position in Li Qianfan's heart.
The ironclad fact proved.
Su Ziyu's position in Li Qianfan's heart was indeed irreplaceable!
With his entire body relaxed, Li Qianfan took a hot bath, washing away the fatigue of traveling thousands of miles. He changed into comfortable home clothes and walked out of the bedroom.
The sounds of clanging came from the kitchen, and the aroma of food wafted through the air.
The living room was once again tidied up, neat and orderly.
Sitting on the sofa, smoking a cigarette and watching television, Old Father Su had a majestic presence, like Mount Tai.
At least—
His pants were on the right way!
Although the old man knew what "embarrassment" meant, he wasn't too bothered.
Who could have predicted their beloved son-in-law would return so suddenly?
"Qianfan, dinner's ready."
Ning Xiaolan also came out of the kitchen, carrying dinner.
Mother Lan's face was flushed, clearly showing a hint of embarrassment.
After all, when Old Su was so impatient and insisted on "doing it" in the living room, he was almost caught by his son-in-law, so she was bound to be embarrassed.
But an ugly bride must eventually meet her in-laws—
Ning Xiaolan couldn't possibly hide in the bedroom and not see her son-in-law, could she?
She could only pretend that nothing had happened.
When Li Qianfan looked up at Mother Lan, he was first stunned, then his face filled with disbelief.
Ning Xiaolan asked with a puzzled look, "Qianfan, what's wrong?"
Li Qianfan asked with a chuckle, "Mom, it's only been a short while since I last saw you, how did you become so young and beautiful?"