Fog Returns to the Capital

Chapter 152 Granting Her Freedom
……

Zhou Jinghuai met with Zhou Zongyi a week later.

That evening, Meng Dejiang received the news and came out to wait ahead of time.

After getting off the car.

Seeing Meng Dejiang waiting outside, Zhou Jinghuai said in a gentle voice, "Uncle Jiang."

Meng Dejiang responded and led him into the courtyard, saying, "Your father is waiting for you inside."

Upon entering, Meng Dejiang unexpectedly brought up the topic of a certain enterprise's restructuring, saying, "If this measure is actually promoted and implemented, its impact will be considerable."

“From a long-term perspective, rectification is inevitable. A professional team was already studying the relevant proposals ten years ago.” Zhou Jinghuai’s voice was calm, not wanting to mention it. “Is my father still paying attention to these things?”

Although they are still family members, his father stopped caring about that aspect a long time ago.

Upon hearing this, Meng Dejiang lowered his voice, "That Qi family member from the General Office of the Central Committee came to see your father a couple of days ago with several handwritten letters from various leaders. He was practically crying, telling us how they had brought the area to its current state, and now they wanted to tear down mountains to pave roads..."

"He doesn't even consider how his area was developed back then."

Zhou Jinghuai's brows furrowed indifferently, his voice cold and deep, "A single rock cannot make a mountain."

Meng Dejiang looked up and saw the sternness in his eyes.

A slight jolt went through my heart.

But then Meng Dejiang couldn't help but sigh, "He really has guts, dares to think and act, and his foresight and judgment are extraordinary."

Meng Dejiang laughed, but there was a hint of helplessness in his voice. "After all, there's still the friendship we had as classmates, so your dad can't keep avoiding him. But, as you know, apart from that incident back then, your dad has never interfered in your work."

The implication was that Zhou Zongyi trusted him greatly.

talking.

We've arrived at the door.

Zhou Jinghuai stopped in his tracks.

"Uncle Jiang."

Zhou Jinghuai said in a deep voice, "I'm here to see my father now, still because of her."

Done.

Zhou Jinghuai strode in with his long legs.

Meng Dejiang was taken aback, watching his departing figure, which exuded an unspoken determination.

……

Walking through the corridor, Zhou Jinghuai saw his father in the pavilion, who was bending over to feed the red koi in the pond.

Zhou Jinghuai stood there for a few minutes, and only after Zhou Zongyi put down the bait in his hand did he walk over and say, "Dad."

Zhou Zongyi sat down at the stone table in the pavilion, poured two cups of tea, pushed one to the opposite side, and said in a deep voice, "Sit."

Zhou Jinghuai did not sit down.

After a few seconds of silence.

Zhou Jinghuai spoke cautiously, "I've come to see you today because there's something I'd like to ask for your permission to do."

Hear the words.

Zhou Zongyi looked at him, his gaze scrutinizing, and his deep voice carried a hint of meaning, "Are you here to ask for my consent, or to inform me directly? Didn't you already submit a report and file a complaint?"

Zhou Jinghuai remained calm and composed, clearly unsurprised.

Although his father didn't interfere in his work, it didn't mean he was unaware of his every move. So it's obvious who was holding onto the application that hadn't been approved.

"Are you absolutely determined to marry her?" Zhou Zongyi asked him.

"I will not marry anyone but her."

Zhou Jinghuai's voice was calm but firm: "These seven years have already provided the answer."

"When we broke up back then, it was because I didn't protect her well enough, which put her in a dangerous situation. It was also because I was too arrogant that she took a bullet for me. I will always owe her something in this matter."

There was a pause.

Zhou Jinghuai's voice was calmer than before, but each word was slow and deliberate: "Even without her, I could still be in this position. It's just that perhaps it would be in the next five years."

Zhou Zongyi's subordinate paused, looking up at him.

"I will shoulder the responsibility for the future of both me and Lili."

Zhou Jinghuai met Zhou Zongyi's eyes and said in a deep voice, "I will spend the rest of my life bridging the gap between her and the Zhou family. She is free."

He hoped that Li Wu could be free to be herself.

And above all that, he would shoulder everything for her.

As soon as he finished speaking, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence.

Zhou Zongyi sat quietly without saying a word.

He understood what Zhou Jinghuai meant.

For the Zhou family, their influence was already considerable; adding more would not have been of much help. And Zhou Jinghuai, for the Zhou family, was already an unparalleled honor.

If it weren't for the "father-son relationship" involved, he might not have been able to suppress the report.

Zhou Zongyi looked at the person standing in front of him. Because his marriage to Shuhua was merely an arranged one, and both of them were busy with official duties after the marriage, they had neglected their son since he was a child.

But after all, she was raised by the old man from a young age and taught by him step by step.

From childhood to adulthood, his code of conduct has been impeccable.

Only that one time.

That girl was outside of all his principles. Zhou Zongyi didn't speak, and Zhou Jinghuai just stood there.

After a long silence, Zhou Zongyi finally relented.

"This is your own choice, so you have to take full responsibility for it."

"A promise is a promise."

"Of course." Zhou Jinghuai naturally knew this.

He didn't say anything more about Li Wu; he believed his father had already investigated everything that was said about him.

However, Zhou Jinghuai mentioned at the end that he had already introduced Li Wu to his mother and grandfather.

Zhou Zongyi paused in his action of drinking tea.

He glanced at Zhou Jinghuai, whose expression was calm, his usually composed and peaceful eyes showing a rare hint of other emotions.

So he was the ultimate villain.

……

When the doorbell rang, Li Wu had just come out of the bathroom and was holding a hairdryer, ready to dry her hair.

With no other option, Li Wu had to re-wrap her hair and go to the living room. Only after seeing Zhou Jinghuai on the monitor did she open the door.

"You... um."

Before Li Wu could utter a single word, the man suddenly grabbed her slender waist and kissed her unexpectedly.

His kiss was deep, heavy, and long; Li Wu felt like she was suffocating from the kiss.

“Zhou Jinghuai…”

Li Wu instinctively wanted to push him away.

But when Li Wu touched his jacket, which still felt slightly cool, his movements suddenly stopped.

He rarely loses his composure like this.

In the end, Zhou Jinghuai saw that Li Wu couldn't bear it anymore, and tears were welling up in her eyes, so he finally ended the long, deep kiss.

Zhou Jinghuai put one arm around Li Wu's waist to prevent her from collapsing due to weakness. With the fingertips of his other hand, he gently wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes and chuckled softly, "How come after all these years, you haven't improved but have regressed?"

Li Wu was still dizzy from lack of oxygen and didn't quite hear what Zhou Jinghuai was saying.

However, she instinctively grabbed Zhou Jinghuai's clothes to prevent herself from falling to the ground.

Seeing her like this.

Instead, Zhou Jinghuai picked her up and carried her into the living room, then placed her on the sofa.

When Zhou Jinghuai lowered his head again, Li Wu quickly stopped him, panting, "No, let me catch my breath..."

But when her gaze fell on the smile in the man's eyes, Li Wu suddenly stopped talking.

He was always gentle and dignified, with an imposing presence even without anger, and rarely showed his emotions like this.

"what happened to you?"

Li Wu's slender white hands were still wrapped around his neck, and she couldn't help but ask.

Why am I in such a good mood today?
A bit abnormal.

Zhou Jinghuai didn't speak, but simply pulled her back into his arms and called her name, "Lili."

Tender and affectionate.

Li Wu felt a tingling sensation spreading from her heart.

Li Wu responded, then tilted her head up and kissed Zhou Jinghuai, her voice soft and gentle, "Li Li is here."

When Zhou Jinghuai looked down, he saw his reflection in her dark, clear eyes. He couldn't help but smile. "Why are you being so obedient?"

Hear the words.

Li Wu snorted and reached out to push him away. "Get off me! I just washed my hair and haven't even dried it yet, and you've already messed it up. The back of my pajamas is all wet..."

Zhou Jinghuai took her fair and soft little hand in his palm, naturally lowered his head and kissed it, coaxing her, "I'll blow it for you."

The bright, moon-like light streaming down from above accentuated the sharp features of the face so close to his, making him appear exceptionally handsome.

And especially...

It's captivating.

Li Wu's face, which was still flushed, turned even redder.

Even though she had seen him countless times, how could she still feel her heart flutter just by looking at him?

When Zhou Jinghuai asked her where the air conditioner was, Li Wu shyly buried her flushed face in his broad shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "In the bedroom, carry me there..."

With a slightly lazy tone at the end, her voice was coquettish and infatuated, soft and alluring.

Looking at her, Zhou Jinghuai couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheek, his low laughter carrying a thin layer of doting affection, "Ordering me?"

Li Wu reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up at him with an even more self-righteous tone, "Yes, that's right, I'm the one who ordered you around. You have to listen to me here..."

Her voice was soft and lacked any strength; it sounded more like she was being coquettish.

Zhou Jinghuai bent down and picked up Li Wu, heading towards the bedroom with practiced ease, echoing her words, "Okay, whatever you say."

Listen to her.

Just like the fact that Li Wu would only get a marriage certificate after meeting his father, Zhou Jinghuai had no choice but to listen to her.

So the day before they were to get their marriage certificate, Zhou Jinghuai took Li Wu back to the Zhou family's old house.