Luo Ziling spoke quite frankly, leaving Chen Xiaoyi dumbfounded for a while.
Seeing Chen Xiaoyi’s stunned expression, Luo Ziling reached out to wrap her shoulders, pulling her into his embrace.
"No matter what happens, even if we end up in a situation of absolute conflict with the Chen Family, it won’t affect you because you are the mother of my daughter."
Chen Xiaoyi gently leaned into Luo Ziling’s embrace and closed her eyes, but said nothing.
Luo Ziling didn’t say anything further; he had already expressed his thoughts.
As for what Chen Xiaoyi thought, how she would consider, and ultimately what she would do, he didn’t intend to force her.
If Chen Xiaoyi was willing to collaborate with them, that would be great. If she didn’t want to be involved in family disputes, that was fine too.
After all, Chen Xiaoyi was still a mother during her postpartum period; she had neither the energy nor the time to get involved in these matters.
"Your father’s case might get its final verdict at the end of the year or early next year. In the meantime, focus on recuperating and taking care of the baby. When you feel ready to think about these things, you can make your decision. If it’s convenient, you can contact your mother or your cousin Xiao Xiao; they might tell you some things. Well, I’ve said all I needed to say, even a lot of things I shouldn’t have said. Take your time to ponder them."
"When are you returning home?" Chen Xiaoyi tightened her hug as she sensed Luo Ziling preparing to release her.
"I’m abroad executing a mission; it’s highly confidential, so I can’t disclose the specifics. Others have returned home already, only Lin Lan and I remain." Luo Ziling sighed lightly, "If all goes well, I’ll return within the next few days. I’m sorry I can’t stay here longer. My parents are getting married on November 22nd; their wedding is twenty years overdue. I’ve promised them to personally host their wedding, so I need to return before their wedding to help prepare it."
"Alright!" Chen Xiaoyi sighed too, "I forgot that your parents haven’t had a wedding yet. I forgot to congratulate your mom today! When they get married, I’ll call her to offer my blessings. When you return home, bring my gift for them; it’s a token of my wishes."
"No problem!" Luo Ziling agreed.
The two didn’t discuss family disputes any further.
In the following days, Luo Ziling spent every day with Chen Xiaoyi and the baby, even sleeping beside them at night.
On the first day after Ling Ruonan returned home, which was November 12th, Luo Ziling and Lin Lan left Paris together.
The day before leaving, Luo Ziling didn’t accompany Chen Xiaoyi and the child.
In the evening, after spending a whole day with Chen Xiaoyi and her daughter, he bade farewell to them.
Though Chen Xiaoyi knew Luo Ziling would leave, she was still saddened when he said goodbye.
"I may not have time to visit you when the child turns one month old, but I’ll try to visit when she turns two months old." This was what Luo Ziling said to Chen Xiaoyi when leaving.
Chen Xiaoyi held back tears as she replied, "Then we’ll wait for you to come over to celebrate Chenyang’s two months."
On the evening before leaving Paris, Luo Ziling was with Lin Lan.
After spending over ten days with Chen Xiaoyi and the baby, Luo Ziling suffered from sleep deprivation.
Luckily, he could nap during the day; otherwise, he’d be even more exhausted.
On the night he slept with Lin Lan, he fell into a deep sleep.
While Lin Lan hadn’t finished showering, he was already asleep in bed.
After showering, Lin Lan didn’t disturb him but silently went to sleep.
Once Luo Ziling woke from a deep sleep, Lin Lan began expressing her grievances.
During these past days, Lin Lan felt deeply wronged, and her pent-up resentment was immense. Thus, once Luo Ziling was well-rested, she unleashed her wild revenge, almost causing Luo Ziling to fail to get out of bed.
Fortunately, they had to catch a flight; otherwise, Lin Lan might truly have worn him out.
For the first time, Luo Ziling realized the terrifying aspect of women.
Packing up to leave the hotel, Luo Ziling still felt uneasy.
Though Lin Lan released some of her resentment after a bout of wild revenge, her gaze at Luo Ziling remained somewhat resentful.
Wuyue, along with several subordinates, accompanied Luo Ziling and the others back home on the same flight.
On the way to the airport, they did not travel together; Luo Ziling and Lin Lan took the subway, with Wuyue joining them, while the others went by car. Upon arriving at the airport, Luo Ziling expressed his displeasure to Lin Lan.
"I say, Comrade Lin Lan, isn’t your behavior a bit unethical?" Luo Ziling pinched his waist, "I’m almost a cow worn out."
"I guess you held it in for so many days; I let you blow off steam!" Lin Lan calmly replied, "Letting you see the consequences of angering a woman."
Luo Ziling looked speechless.
"This was just a release; if I truly hated you, things wouldn’t be so simple." Lin Lan leaned close to Luo Ziling’s ear and whispered, "In anger, I might ensure you can never be a man again, got it?"
Though Lin Lan’s words were light, they sent shivers down Luo Ziling’s spine.
He didn’t know how to respond to Lin Lan’s words, so he used the excuse of needing the restroom to escape from her side.
When Luo Ziling returned from the restroom, he saw Lin Lan quietly talking with Wuyue, so he chose not to interrupt, sitting at a distance from them. During the waiting process, he refrained from approaching them for conversation.
On the plane, Luo Ziling didn’t talk much with Lin Lan beside him. As soon as he boarded, he closed his eyes to rest, only opening them when the stewardess served meals and drinks.
Lin Lan wisely refrained from disturbing Luo Ziling; when he was resting or sleeping, she sat quietly to relax too.
The flight left Paris at noon, and flying to Yanjing took about ten hours, arriving at Yanjing International Airport the next morning, around 7:30 Yanjing time.
During the flight, Luo Ziling slept for at least seven hours, nearly a full night’s rest.
Upon waking, he saw the gray sky of Yanjing.
Awake, Luo Ziling gazed out the window in a daze.
He left Yanjing in late September, spending all of October in Europe, and now half of November was nearly over.
He spent over a month in Paris, yet only visited the city’s major tourist spots in the first two days upon arrival.
"If this trip abroad counts as a vacation, it was a failed journey," Luo Ziling sighed deeply as the plane landed.