1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 213 My Cousin Breaks Up, Testing Her Feelings

"hey-hey."

When Little Rui Rui heard him mention his father's name, his eyes lit up, and he grinned and chuckled happily.

"Okay, stop being so mean."

Lin Xiyu smiled and urged them to hurry up and study. "I need to make lunch now. I'm taking Xiao Rui Rui out to play this afternoon."

"You guys can play, you don't need to tell me specifically."

Chen Xiaoyi looked at Xiao Rui Rui with a bitter expression and a hint of resentment.

"whee."

Little Rui Rui understood the hidden meaning in his eyes and covered his mouth to chuckle.

"Your sister doesn't just play around."

Gu Bin explained with a smile, "She's really something now, a real queen of the kids. Every kid in every alley in the old town knows her."

"Good guy"

Chen Xiaoyi looked completely bewildered: "Sister, what do you want to do?"

"secret."

Lin Xiyu gave him a defiant look: "This is an agreement between me and Xiao Rui Rui. If you don't tell me, we won't tell you either."

"Uh-huh."

Little Rui Rui nodded enthusiastically.

Chen Xiaoyi: "."

Suddenly I felt like someone had taken my sister away from me.

Can we please not have this unlovable little nephew?!
-

The afternoon is the happiest time of the day for children. Little Niu Niu from Grandma Liu's house was waiting at the gate before 2 p.m., waiting for Lin Xiyu and Xiao Rui Rui to come from home and take her to Daming Lake.

Lin Xiyu did not disappoint her, appearing in the alley precisely at two o'clock.

Hello, Auntie.

The little girl's eyes lit up when she saw the two of them, and she ran over happily.

A simple "Hello, Auntie!" seemed to open a magical door, and soon seven or eight children, hearing the commotion, ran out from their respective homes and yards.

"Slow down, be careful not to fall."

The adults responsible for looking after the children followed behind, feeling both helpless and amused, gradually approaching Lin Xiyu.

Lin Xiyu greeted the adults very familiarly and then distributed the candy she had brought to the children.

The children took the candy and ran off happily.

Little Rui Rui and Little Niu Niu also joined in, following the older children, heads down, rushing forward.

The adults found it amusing and followed behind, laughing and chuckling. The group arrived at Daming Lake in a grand procession and went straight to Beiji Pavilion after entering.

The children love playing on the slide and don't get tired even after playing all afternoon.

When it was Xiao Rui Rui's first time sliding down the unique stone slide at Beijige, she was a little scared because the steps were very high. She didn't dare to climb any further after climbing halfway up.

The little girl set an example for him by climbing to the top first and then sliding down one by one with the other children in the queue.

There were many children playing in Beijige, one after another, with the feet of the children behind stepping on the bottoms of the children in front.

Some older children deliberately controlled their speed so that they could skate more smoothly. When they reached the middle, they waited for everyone in front of them to skate down before rushing down in one go.

Therefore, the upper half of the stone slide usually has a very slow speed and stops from time to time. With children mixed in, the danger is not high.

In the second half, adults usually accompany younger children as they walk down the steps until they land safely.

With Lin Xiyu's company, the little girl went on her first skate smoothly.

Not satisfied with just sliding down, he climbed back up and took Xiao Rui Rui's hand.

Seeing that she was having a lot of fun, Xiao Rui Rui stopped resisting and climbed to the top floor with her.

The two children lined up and slid down in an orderly fashion, following the children in front of them.

Little Rui Rui became addicted to the slide after just one try, becoming even more enthusiastic than Little Niu Niu, and rushing up the stairs much faster.

At first, Lin Xiyu, like the other adults, accompanied the two children as they climbed up, looked after them, and then followed them down the steps.

After several attempts, she was so exhausted that she could no longer climb.

"Xiaolin, you should rest. We'll watch the children for you."

The wives and mothers-in-law who had received many small favors from her usually came in handy at this crucial moment.

Lin Xiyu didn't hesitate and readily agreed.

With their help, she no longer needed to work hard; she only needed to wait at the bottom and catch the two little ones just before they landed.

-

As the two children climbed the steps again, the cell phone in their pocket rang.

"Cousin, you're finally awake."

Lin Xiyu answered the phone quickly when she saw it was her cousin calling: "I've called you at least ten times this morning. I couldn't reach you and I was so worried. If your driver hadn't said you were asleep, I would have called the police."

"Sorry, I'm just too tired."

My cousin's slightly apologetic voice came through the receiver: "What do you want? Is there something important? Can't you wait until I get back to Jinan to talk?"

"You're asking me why I'm looking for you?"

Lin Xiyu sighed and rubbed her forehead: "Don't you know what you've done? Breaking up during the New Year, how can Grandma not be worried?"

"You mean this?"

My cousin coughed awkwardly twice: "It's just a breakup, what's the big deal? Once I have money, I can find any kind of man I want."

"Seriously."

Lin Xiyu interrupted her self-indulgent chatter: "You and Li Xiao have been dating for two years, don't you have any feelings for each other at all? Breaking up after just one argument, isn't that too hasty?"

"Actually, we've had our share of ups and downs and more than one argument in the past two years."

My cousin gave a helpless, bitter smile: "He's a rather strong-willed person, and I'm not exactly a gentle, understanding woman either. Our personalities are too similar, and we can't complement each other. To be honest, I think it's a miracle that we lasted two years. If it weren't for my mom and her family constantly nagging me about how wonderful he is and telling me to cherish him, I would have broken up with him long ago."

"If it can last for two years, it means it's a good fit."

Lin Xiyu earnestly advised, "If there's really no fate between you, you'll find even a glance annoying, and there's no way you'd talk to him."

"I never wanted to talk about it in the first place."

My cousin, in a fit of despair, said, "He was the one who kept bothering me under the guise of repaying a debt of gratitude. I took him to the hospital just as a favor. Even if a complete stranger had appendicitis and needed surgery, I would do the same. It's not because he's anything special that I care about him."

"Sister, think of the good things."

Lin Xiyu continued to persuade her, "Think about the sweet times you and Xiao Ge have shared over the past two years. When you two went out together, weren't you happy? When he gave you flowers and gifts on your birthday, weren't you delighted? All those little moments over the past two years must have touched you at some point."

"Ugh."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a long, soft sigh.

Even through the receiver, Lin Xiyu could imagine her cousin's expression—how lost and forlorn she must feel. "Sis, don't force yourself to be like this."

Lin Xiyu genuinely cared for her cousin and tentatively advised, "Give Xiao-ge another chance. You two should have a proper talk. Maybe Xiao-ge has regretted it now and wants to be with you."

"Not anymore."

My cousin smiled wryly: "Xiyu, if others ask me, I won't tell them. You're my sister, the one who understands me best, so I won't let you laugh at me and I won't hide it from you."

“You don’t know, it was actually Li Xiao who broke up with me this time. His family has been urging him to get married. Two months ago, they arranged a blind date for him without telling me. The woman was a doctor, gentler and prettier than me, and more educated. She was a good match for him.”

"He came to see me this time to be honest with me, saying that he didn't want to wait any longer. His parents are getting old and hope that he will settle down and start a family soon. He doesn't want to disappoint them."

-

"Was Brother Xiao saying that on purpose to provoke you?"

Lin Xiyu said incredulously, "He's such a mature and steady person, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would be unfaithful or two-timing."

That's what he told me.

My cousin joked, "I don't think my comprehension is so bad that I can't understand what he's saying or misunderstand it."

"If he really has another woman, then it's not your fault."

Lin Xiyu felt sorry for her cousin for a second, but then said very righteously, "I'll ask you one more time, do you really not want to get married? The key is still you. As long as you want to, I'll talk to Xiao Ge. Even if he gets married, I'll still win him back for you."

"Forget it, dear sister."

My cousin was so touched she almost cried: "It's not that I'm ungrateful or that I'm ungrateful for your kindness, but I really can't get married. If I get married, I'll have children and be tied down by my family."

“His parents are very traditional people. They don’t like their daughter-in-law to be out in the public eye or socialize at drinking parties. The decoration company can’t function without me. My uncle is still working for me. If I let go, the company will collapse and can’t continue operating.”

-

"Where's Brother Xiao?"

Lin Xiyu looked puzzled: "Isn't he also in this line of work? Why don't you ask him to quit and come work for you at the company?"

"Him?"

My cousin chuckled, her expression somewhat unsettling: "I didn't start talking badly about him after we broke up. His abilities are limited to being a store manager, working for someone else. He's really not cut out to be a boss. If it weren't for Wang Fan's big projects supporting him, his flagship store would have been driven out of business by me long ago. When he first started pursuing me, I suspected he had ulterior motives and was trying to get close to me in this way so I would give up competing with him."

"Hey, your idea is really quite unique."

Lin Xiyu was left speechless, both amused and exasperated by her cousin's bizarre thought process.

"Don't you believe me? I'm serious."

My cousin continued, "Back then, I was thinking, this guy isn't that good-looking, yet he's trying to seduce me with his good looks. Does he think I'm blind and can beautify myself by seeing him as an absolute stunner?"

"Since he wasn't handsome, why did you agree to it later?"

Lin Xiyu feigned curiosity, but her mind was racing, trying to figure out how to probe Li Xiao's feelings.

If, as my cousin says, he has truly changed his mind and has found another woman, then so be it.

If she were forced to marry someone she didn't love due to pressure from her parents, she would never sit idly by and watch the two of them miss each other and regret it for the rest of their lives.

"How should I put it, him?"

My cousin sighed softly, "He seems quite complicated. When he's nice to you, he's really nice. He's witty and humorous, and it's fun to chat with him. I was just deceived by his appearance. I thought that men don't need to be good-looking. As long as they have a good personality and we can get along, that's enough."

"This means that Brother Xiao still has many good points."

Lin Xiyu responded smoothly, still trying to bring the two of them together.

"Just being able to chat isn't enough."

My cousin sighed again, feeling a bit resentful: "If he's just a business partner, I admit he's a very competent man. But if we get married, there are so many things to consider. I have to be filial to my in-laws, and raise my children. I'm not the kind of woman who's willing to stay at home and be a wife and mother. His parents can't accept me. Do I want to compromise myself and give up my career?"

"If two people love each other, they can overcome many things."

Thinking about the setbacks she and Gu Bin had experienced, Lin Xiyu sincerely hoped that her cousin could also find a good partner like her.

"My dear sister, I am not you."

My cousin laughed teasingly: "You were born for love, and Gu Bin dotes on you. I'm different. In this life, I'm destined to work hard to earn money. Money is more important to me than love. Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, but I like it."

I like money too.

Lin Xiyu wanted to persuade her further: "I don't think money and love are in conflict."

"I'm not talking anymore."

My cousin rubbed her temples wearily and interrupted her, "I just arrived in Weihai. I have a dinner party tonight, so I need to go to the hotel to stretch my legs first. I've been sitting for seven hours, and my legs are numb."

"You should rest first."

Lin Xiyu was worried about her health and carefully instructed her: "Remember to elevate your feet a little to allow blood to flow back, which will help reduce the swelling faster."

"Okay, I understand."

My cousin felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing this, and jokingly teased, "You little busybody, even more talkative than my mom."

"I'm being long-winded because it's for your own good."

Lin Xiyu feigned dissatisfaction: "You must do it this way, you can't just do it half-heartedly."

"I know, I know"

My cousin chuckled jokingly and hung up the phone.

-

Lin Xiyu was preoccupied with her cousin and Li Xiao's affairs, and she was absent-minded when she got home. She put the wrong seasoning in the stir-fry, and poured vinegar instead of soy sauce into a pot of potato and pork belly stew, which was so sour that the whole family almost choked.

"What are you thinking about?"

Seeing that she seemed preoccupied, Gu Bin followed her into the kitchen while she was washing the dishes: "Your brows are furrowed so tightly, who's bothering you again?"

"Ugh."

Lin Xiyu sighed deeply: "I'm really fed up. I rarely come back, and everything goes wrong. Xiaoyi had a fight with my mom and didn't come home all night. I finally managed to persuade him to come back, and then my cousin broke up with Li Xiao."

"When did this happen?"

Gu Bin was unusually surprised: "Weren't we fine when I treated you to dinner? It's only been a few days, and you've already fallen out?"

That's exactly what I meant.

Lin Xiyu sighed and rubbed her forehead: "When Grandma told me, I thought it was outrageous, just like you."

What does your cousin mean?

Gu Bin got straight to the point with just one question.

"Sister Lei said that Li Xiao was the one who initiated the breakup."

Lin Xiyu did not hide anything and truthfully relayed what her cousin had told her.

"Let Zhao Yuncheng handle this matter."

After learning the situation, Gu Bin immediately made a decision: "He's free these days, so let him investigate what kind of relationship Li Xiao and that woman have."

"Uh-huh."

Lin Xiyu trusted him completely and agreed without any hesitation.