Going home for the New Year during the winter break, I encountered a cool school girl on the high-sp

the other side.

The plane landed at the international airport in country M.

Lin Haotian, dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, walked steadily ahead, with Guo Xiwen carrying Lin Muyu close behind.

Guo Xiwen quickened her pace and walked alongside him, asking in a low voice:
"Sir, I thought you would take this opportunity to tentatively finalize the marriage between Miss and Chen Chen, since you made a special trip back to see Chen Chen's parents."

Lin Haotian paused slightly, but did not turn around. He simply gazed at the bustling crowd ahead, his tone carrying a hint of deep thought that was barely perceptible:
"Xiwen, this matter cannot be rushed."

He took the trench coat from his assistant and put it on, feeling the slightly cool air of J state.

"Those two from the Chen family are clearly honest and straightforward people who aren't good at scheming. Inviting them to our home that day probably 'frightened' them."

Upon hearing this, Guo Xiwen also recalled the scene from that day.

When the young lady brought Chen Chen's family there, Chen Chen's parents tried hard to talk to Lin Haotian and to appear natural, but the unease and anxiety deep in their eyes could not be hidden.

That feeling was like stumbling into a world that didn't belong to me; I felt completely uncomfortable.

It was very similar to how she felt when she first entered the Lin family.

So she recognized it at a glance.

Guo Xiwen pulled Lin Muyu's blanket closer together and said:

"Sir, Chen Chen is a very capable person, and his studio is doing very well. As for his parents, there's nothing wrong with them being simple and honest."

Lin Haotian glanced at her, a faint smile appearing on his lips:
“Xiwen, you should know that marriage is never just a matter between two people, but a union of two families. The reaction of Chen’s parents represents the true state of their social class when facing our Lin family—reverence, and even a hint of fear.”

With this mindset, even if we propose marriage, they might not dare to agree, and might even suspect we have ulterior motives. They would subconsciously become wary and push Chen Chen further away.

He slowed his pace, his gaze deep and intense.
“When my daughter, Lin Haotian, is to get married, I naturally cannot make her feel wronged, but I also cannot force her to do something against her will, and I certainly cannot let the other party feel that she is ‘marrying up’ and thus harbor resentment. Such a marriage is not based on solid foundation.”

Guo Xiwen interjected, "Does the gentleman want to allow the two families to have more contact first, so as to eliminate the barriers and anxieties caused by this class difference?"

“Exactly.” Lin Haotian nodded approvingly. “Let Xiaoxi bring Chen Chen home more often, and let Chen Chen get more exposure to our circle, so that he can build up his confidence first, and let Chen’s parents get used to it gradually.”

"When they feel that Chen Chen is worthy of our Xiaoxi, and even has the ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Lin family in the future, then discussing marriage will be a natural progression, and everyone will be happy."

He patted Guo Xiwen on the shoulder.

"Therefore, Xiwen, the focus going forward should be on 'observation' and 'guidance,' not 'pressure.'"

What we want is a son-in-law who can grow alongside Xiaoxi, a young man we can entrust with our lives, not a 'son-in-law' who can't hold his head high in front of the Lin family because of the difference in their family backgrounds.

Guo Xiwen understood immediately:
"Understood, sir. I will be more careful in the future."

Lin Haotian said no more, strode towards the exit, his voice steady and powerful:
"Let's go, let's finish up the official business here first. We can take our time with the Chen family's matter; we have plenty of time and patience."

……

at the same time.

Chen Jianwen and Liu Xiuying also returned to Huicheng.

The moment the plane landed, the familiar scent of his hometown rushed towards him. Chen Jianwen took a deep breath, the faint smell of engine oil mixed with the moist air of his hometown, which seemed to clear his mind, which had been somewhat muddled by tension and excitement for days.

Sitting in the taxi on his way home, watching the familiar street scenes rushing past the window, Chen Jianwen finally broke the silence, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible solemnity:

"Wife..."

Liu Xiuying was looking out the window when she heard this. She turned back and looked at her husband strangely.

"Old man, what's wrong? You look so worried."

Chen Jianwen pursed his lips, as if he had made up his mind, and slowly said, "I plan to resign."

"You want to resign?"

Liu Xiuying was taken aback and almost jumped up from her seat. "Why do you suddenly want to resign? You've worked at the factory for almost thirty years, and you're about to retire and start receiving your pension. Why are you resigning now?"

She blurted out a string of questions, her face full of confusion and anxiety.

Chen Jianwen waved his hand, signaling her to calm down:
“Listen to me. When I went to Jiangcheng this time, I saw how hard Xiaochen was working, and how well his studio was doing. As his father, I was very proud. But…”

He paused, then looked out the window.

Although he didn't say what came next, Liu Xiuying understood immediately after being married for so many years.

It's because of Xiaoxi's family...

"Do you remember? Our Chenjia Village is currently undergoing a rural tourism development project, right? I want to focus all my energy on that."

Liu Xiuying was stunned: "Scenic area renovation? Isn't that part of the village's unified plan? What can we do about it?"

"There's so much more we can do!"

A glint flashed in Chen Jianwen's eyes—a long-lost hope for the future.
“We can open a farmhouse inn and sell some local specialties, or do some small business in the scenic area. Our son is working hard outside, trying to make a name for himself. As parents, we can’t just stick to that meager salary and stay stagnant.”

I think we should keep up with him, at the very least, not hold him back, and not let him feel that the family is a burden. We should be his strong support.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable firmness:

“I used to always think about stability, but now I realize that people still need to have some ambition. Xiao Chen has made us proud, so we need to live a decent life so that he can go out and make his way in the world without any worries, and maybe even… we can give him a little help?”

Seeing the unprecedented gleam in her husband's eyes, Liu Xiuying's doubts gradually dissipated, replaced by a strange excitement.

Yes, their son is working so hard, how can they, as parents, be content with mediocrity?
She thought of someone like Lin Haotian, and then looked at her husband. Although he was ordinary, the light in his eyes at that moment made her feel incredibly reliable.

"But... old man, is this really going to work? We've never done business before."

Liu Xiuying was still a little worried. "If you haven't done it before, you can learn! Nobody is born knowing how!"

Chen Jianwen slapped his thigh, his tone becoming much more bold.

"There's always a way! As long as we're willing to work hard and think things through, we'll find a way! Besides, the village will definitely have supportive policies. Just trust me this once!" (End of Chapter)