The sky had darkened, and Lu Yanbei, having had some wine, found it inconvenient to drive. Thus, he stayed at the old residence.
Having slept in a different bed, Su He felt somewhat unaccustomed. Coupled with a half-hour nap in the afternoon, she found herself unable to sleep at night.
"Honey, when are we planning for a baby?" Su He asked, lying in bed with nothing to do, the thought suddenly occurring to her.
"Didn't you say you didn't want to have a child too early?" Lu Yanbei turned, pulling her into his embrace.
"Although they nag incessantly, there's a grain of truth in what they say. Grandpa is getting old, and his condition keeps fluctuating... He doesn't say it, but he actually cares quite a bit..."
Old Master Lu was an enlightened old man, but some of his beliefs were deeply ingrained. He hadn't explicitly stated it to avoid pressuring her. As his granddaughter-in-law, she ought to make some effort to comfort the elder.
Lu Yanbei gently stroked her hair and murmured, "Didn't you want to spend a few more years in a world for two? Have you changed your mind so quickly?"
"I'll have to give birth sooner or later," Su He puffed out her cheeks. "Besides, I've heard that the younger you are, the faster your body recovers after childbirth. I certainly don't want to become a plump, haggard woman after becoming a mother!"
"Okay, I'll listen to you," Lu Yanbei said, kissing her forehead dotingly. But beyond that, he made no other move.
Su He had expected him to be unable to resist pulling her into a passionate session after hearing her words. To her surprise, he closed his eyes and prepared to sleep.
Su He bit her lip and mischievously nudged his leg with her foot.
"Stop fooling around!" Lu Yanbei slowly opened his eyes. "Be good, go to sleep!"
Su He became even more surprised. "Are... are you still feeling unwell?"
"I've been taking medication recently, so I can't conceive a child," Lu Yanbei explained in a hoarse voice.
Su He: ...
So it wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he couldn't.
"Also, we came in a hurry and didn't bring any protection," Lu Yanbei tightened his arms around her, burying his head in her neck. "I don't want an accident that would end up harming you..."
Su He's heart warmed upon hearing his explanation.
So, he had been thinking of her all along!
Indeed, if they had conceived and then had to terminate the pregnancy, it would be quite damaging to her body.
And so, the two slept soundly in each other's arms, a rare occasion, and slept until dawn.
Since it was the weekend and they didn't have to work, they didn't rush to get up. It wasn't until Sister Li came upstairs to knock on their door and call them down for breakfast that Su He slowly woke up from Lu Yanbei's embrace.
"What time is it?" she fumbled for her phone groggily.
Lu Yanbei had woken up earlier than her but still stayed in bed with her, not leaving.
"Eight-thirty," he said, glancing at his watch.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier!" Su He's mind suddenly cleared.
This was not their small home where they could sleep as long as they pleased. This was the Lu family's old residence, and the old master rose at a fixed seven-thirty every day. How could she, as a junior, dare to wake up later than him!
This was basic etiquette.
"Don't worry, Grandpa won't say anything," Lu Yanbei chuckled, seeing her flustered state.
"Stop lingering in bed and go wash up quickly," Su He urged as she put on her clothes.
Only then did Lu Yanbei lazily roll out of bed and head to the bathroom in his slippers.
By the time they had washed up and gone downstairs, the old master was already seated at the dining table.
"Do you have any plans today? If you're not busy, accompany me to the mausoleum," the old master said, slowly putting down the newspaper he was reading upon hearing their movements.
On this day every year, the old master visited his late wife.
For it was the death anniversary of Madam Lu.
Lu Yanbei nodded. "I'll drive you there shortly."
"Remember to bring some of the fruits your grandmother liked. Oh, and the flowers your mother liked the most," the old master said, his usual jovial demeanor replaced by seriousness.
During the three years Su He was married to Lu Jingyang, she had never accompanied the old master to pay respects to the old madam, let alone Lu Yanbei's mother.
"What kind of flowers did Mom like?" Su He whispered, asking Lu Yanbei.
"Oriental lilies," Lu Yanbei replied.
Su He quietly committed this to memory.
Before breakfast, she took out her phone and ordered two bouquets from a nearby flower shop. One for her nominal mother-in-law and one for Grandma Lu. Su He had some idea of Grandma Lu's preferences; it was likely roses.
The backyard of the Lu family residence had many rose bushes, personally tended by the old master, suggesting they were the old madam's favorites during her lifetime.
After breakfast, the three of them, along with the housekeeper, left the house.
The mausoleum was a forty-minute drive from the old residence, and the old master remained exceptionally silent throughout the journey. Su He could easily infer that the two elders had shared a deep affection. That was why, even after the old madam had passed away for so long, the old master had not remarried. Furthermore, they had only one daughter, Lu Yanbei's mother.
Such devoted couples were a rarity in affluent families.
Upon reaching the grave, Su He placed the roses.
The housekeeper arranged the fruits they had brought and handed out incense sticks to everyone.
This was Su He's first time paying respects, and she felt a little apprehensive, fearing she might make a mistake.
She secretly observed Lu Yanbei's actions and bowed three times towards the tombstone.
Similarly, Lu Xiyan also paid her respects, her movements noticeably more practiced.
"My dear wife, today I've brought our granddaughter-in-law with me. You left too early; not only did you not get to drink tea from our granddaughter-in-law, but not even from our son-in-law... Su Su is a good girl. You must protect her, keep her free from illness and disaster, healthy and safe..."
After paying his respects, the old master squatted down and murmured to the photograph on the tombstone.
Su He had not expected Grandpa to say such words and was deeply moved.
The old master truly considered her as family!
"Grandma, don't worry, Ah Yan and I will take good care of Grandpa," Su He said silently in her heart, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes, feeling a bit shy to speak it aloud.
The old madam's grave was not far from Lu Yanbei's mother's grave. When Lu Yanbei returned after clearing the weeds around the tombstone, he saw Su He praying sincerely.
He took her hand and led her to his mother's tombstone. "Mom, this is your daughter-in-law, Su He. Isn't she very beautiful?"
Su He squeezed his hand, feeling a little embarrassed. "What nonsense are you talking about..."
"I'm telling the truth," Lu Yanbei said earnestly. Then, he continued, "She's a very good person and loves me just as you did. Your son has found a good home, and we will live happily, carrying your share of happiness as well!"
Su He licked her lips and tried to look directly at the photograph on the tombstone. "Mom, it's nice to meet you. I am your daughter-in-law, Su He. Meeting Lu Yanbei in this life is my honor."
"I will cherish and love him, through wealth and poverty, health and sickness, I will never leave him, and will follow him through life and death!"