Quick Wear: Cousin, Come to the Bowl Quickly

"Mom!" As soon as one foot touched the ground of the dock, before she could even stand firmly, Lin Xi rushed into Mrs. Lin's arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

Mrs. Lin hugged her tightly, as if afraid that if she let go, her daughter would disappear again.

She choked back tears, her fingers trembling as she stroked her daughter's back and cheeks, her words somewhat incoherent.

“She’s back, my Xixi is really back… Let her mother take a good look at her… She’s lost weight, her chin is so sharp… Her face is rough too, the sandstorms up north are so fierce… Poor thing, she’s suffered so much…”

Warm tears fell onto Lin Xi's neck. She could no longer hold back and buried her face in her mother's familiar, fragrant shoulder. All the strength she had been holding back for months burst forth at this moment.

"Mom, I miss you and Dad so much, I miss home so much..." She cried, her shoulders shaking, like a child who had suffered a great injustice and finally found someone to rely on.

"Mom misses you too. She can't sleep at night thinking about you, afraid that something might have happened to you out there..."

Commander Lin stood aside, watching his wife and daughter embrace and weep, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times.

He raised his hand, seemingly wanting to pat his daughter's shoulder, but in the end he only cleared his throat heavily, trying to make his voice sound normal. However, his slightly reddened eyes and a tone that was softer than usual still betrayed his true emotions.

"Alright, it's better to be back safe and sound than anything else. The wind is strong at the dock, so let's go home first. We can talk about it slowly when we get home."

"Yes, yes, let's go home first."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lin loosened her grip slightly, but still held her daughter's hand tightly, wiping away Lin Xi's tears with great heartache, while her own tears also streamed down her face.

Seeing that his wife and daughter had finally calmed down, Commander Lin turned his gaze to Shen Jingyuan, who had been standing quietly to the side.

He stepped forward, reached out and patted Shen Jingyuan's sturdy shoulder twice, his tone full of admiration.

"Jingyuan, thank you for your hard work this time. I have personally inspected that batch of goods carefully. The quantity and quality are impeccable. You handled it very well."

Shen Jingyuan showed no arrogance or smugness. He bowed slightly, his attitude extremely respectful. "I have successfully completed my mission and have not disappointed Commander's expectations."

Commander Lin looked at the young yet calm face before him, and the satisfaction in his eyes deepened.

As expected of someone he carefully cultivated, he is efficient and meticulous in his work. What's even more remarkable is his humble and unassuming demeanor, which is just like his younger self.

Thinking of this, his gaze swept past Shen Jingyuan and landed on his own daughter, who was still sobbing in her mother's arms and whose eyes kept sneaking glances at him. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

“This girl has always been headstrong since she was little, and this time she’s been even more unruly. She must have caused you a lot of trouble along the way, right?” Commander Lin shook his head and said to Shen Jingyuan with a helpless tone.

"Father!" Before Shen Jingyuan could speak, Lin Xi, who had been secretly watching the commotion, suddenly bristled.

She raised her head defiantly, her nose and eyes still red from crying, but she still raised her eyebrows in protest, "I put in a lot of effort on this mission, otherwise I would have caused any trouble."

Shen Jingyuan's gaze swept quickly over her puffed-up cheeks and wet eyes, a barely perceptible smile flashing in his eyes, his expression softening slightly.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Commander Lin, his tone flat and devoid of emotion, "Commander, you flatter me. Miss... is quick-witted and decisive. Her contribution is indispensable to the smooth progress of this trip north."

His tone was calm, seemingly no different from his usual composed demeanor, but Commander Lin was no ordinary person; how could he not sense the protective and conciliatory intent in his words? He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

He didn't think much of it, assuming that the two had been at odds since childhood, but after this incident, they had finally eased their tensions and were now speaking up for each other.

Thinking of this, he felt a sense of relief, but he still put on a serious expression and snorted at his daughter.

"You haven't caused any trouble yet? You left a letter and dared to head north alone. Do you know that your mother was so worried that she didn't sleep a wink all night and almost fell ill? If it weren't for the letter of peace from Jingyuan, your mother probably would have really chased after him to the north without a care in the world!"

Mentioning this, Lin Xi's high spirits immediately deflated, like a punctured ball. She let go of Mrs. Lin's hand, instead took her arm and gently shook it. Her voice softened, and her tone was filled with obvious guilt.

"Mom... I'm sorry, I know I was wrong, I won't do it again, please don't be angry..."

With her daughter finally returning safely, Mrs. Lin was filled with relief and heartache, and she couldn't bear to say another harsh word to her.

She gently tapped Lin Xi's forehead with her finger, her eyes filled with tears and a smile, "You! You've always been such a troublemaker since you were little! Remember this lesson, and you can't be so willful again, making me worry, okay?"

After saying that, she raised her eyes and gave her husband a reproachful look, her eyes clearly saying "know when to stop." "The child just got back, and they must be tired from the long journey. Just say less and go home first. Can't you talk about this after dinner?"

As she spoke, she held her daughter's hand with one hand and beckoned to Shen Jingyuan with the other, her tone returning to its usual gentleness, "Jingyuan, come on, don't listen to your uncle's nagging, come home with your aunt. I had the kitchen get up early this morning to prepare, all your favorite dishes. You must have been traveling a long way and haven't eaten well, so go home and make up for it."

Seeing his wife easily "switcheroo" and walk towards the car with their daughter, while also calling away his most capable helper, Commander Lin, left behind, almost couldn't keep up the stern fatherly expression he was trying so hard to maintain.

I promised to give Xixi a good scolding this time, so that this audacious girl would learn her lesson.

As soon as this person arrived, he shed tears and acted coquettishly, and his wife immediately forgot all her previous worries and fears, ruthlessly dismantling their united front.

Watching his wife and daughter walk away, and then looking at Shen Jingyuan carrying his luggage and silently following behind, Commander Lin could only shake his head helplessly in the end.

Well, in the end, he'll have to play the "bad guy" role himself.

The crystal chandelier in the living room casts a warm and bright light, and the long table in the dining room is laden with steaming dishes, creating a cozy and harmonious atmosphere.

Mrs. Lin kept putting food into Shen Jingyuan and Lin Xi's bowls, urging them to start eating quickly, until their bowls were piled high with food, before she finally stopped, still wanting more.

After a satisfying meal, the group moved to the small living room, where Lin Xi vividly recounted her "adventures" on her journey north.

Considering that she didn't want her parents to worry, she deliberately skipped the most dangerous parts and only talked about some amusing "thrilling" stories. Even so, when she mentioned her experience in Fengtian, Mrs. Lin was still so frightened that her face turned pale, and she clutched her heart and kept chanting, "Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva protect us."

Only after Lin Xi finished speaking did Commander Lin, who had been listening silently, put down his teacup, look at Shen Jingyuan, and speak with a solemn expression.

"I had someone investigate the 'Li Jianfu' you met. His real name is Suzuki Kenichiro, a senior agent of the Japanese intelligence agency 'Special Higher Police'. His teacher, Tokugawa Taro, was one of the most fanatical militarist leaders in Japan who advocated 'Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere' and had the most fervent ambitions toward China."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group, his tone growing increasingly grave. "Following this lead, guess what? This tiny country has quite the ambition. Over the years, they've been trying every means to infiltrate political and business circles around the world, even... right under our noses."

At this point, he turned his gaze back to Shen Jingyuan, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Do you remember Takahashi, who came to the headquarters before? He was also part of one of the lines."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingyuan's mind flashed back to Takahashi's exceptionally humble smile, and he couldn't help but straighten up and nod, "Mm."

“Even my good mentor accepted a lot of good things from him.” Commander Lin snorted coldly, his eyes revealing a hint of disgust. “This time, you accidentally eliminated Suzuki, alerting them and causing them to reveal their weaknesses. It also served as an early warning for us. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable if they had woven their net.”

As he spoke, he rubbed his temples, a hint of fatigue showing in his usually resolute eyes. "I have compiled the information I found into a top-secret report and submitted it, but... I don't know if the Chairman will really take it seriously."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingyuan frowned, clearly also thinking of the authorities' ambiguous attitude.

During his search for Lin Min's whereabouts with Lin Xi, he witnessed many local officials who were incompetent and only cared about enriching themselves, turning a blind eye to the people's suffering and the ever-present threat of foreign invasion. The market was depressed and people were in a state of panic, but the official residences continued to be filled with revelry every night.

Especially now that foreign enemies are surrounding the city and dark clouds are looming, the authorities seem to be focusing their energy on arresting what they call "red party members" and quelling so-called "internal troubles."

This kind of self-destructive stubbornness and shortsightedness left Shen Jingyuan with a pent-up resentment in his chest, but he had no way to express it, and in the end, it could only turn into a sigh.

Their conversation wasn't kept secret from Lin Xi and her daughter, so Lin Xi, who had been looking excited and immersed in the afterglow of the adventure story, tightened her grip on the teacup slightly after hearing their conversation, and the look on her face gradually dimmed.

Mrs. Lin was even more worried and couldn't help but ask, "Then... what should we do?"

Seeing this, Commander Lin composed himself slightly, patted his wife's hand, and said in a reassuring tone, "What are you afraid of? The sky won't fall. The batch of high-quality goods that Jingyuan brought back this time are the real deal. As long as our guns are good enough and our soldiers are well-trained, I can't control others, but at least those Japanese won't be able to easily step into Shanghai!"

These words gave Mrs. Lin some confidence, and she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, her expression softening slightly.

Seeing this, Commander Lin seized the opportunity and said, "Alright, we men can handle these things. Why don't you take Xixi to see if her and Jingyuan's room is properly tidied up? It's been months since anyone lived there, so take a close look and see if anything is missing."

Mrs. Lin understood that he had important matters to discuss with Shen Jingyuan, so she got up, straightened her cheongsam, and smiled as she pulled her daughter, "Xixi, come with your mother upstairs. You little rascal, you've been gone for so long, the room must be covered in cobwebs."

Lin Xi was still worried about what Commander Lin had said and didn't react for a moment. She couldn't help but lie on the sofa and mutter, "What's so interesting about the room..."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lin couldn't help but glance at her, feigning disappointment, and said, "What, after being out there for a few months, you don't want to spend more time with your mother?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xi quickly shook her head and retorted anxiously, "How could that be?! I wish I could stick to Mom all the time!"

After saying that, he couldn't wait to reach out and take Mrs. Lin's arm, and obediently followed his mother upstairs.