After transmigrating into the body of the female supporting character's biological mother, she

Lin Zhilan then turned around and sat down on the stool again.

Su Lang didn't rush to speak. He held his wife's hand and slowly stroked her fingertips with his thumb.

"Make a promise to me first," Su Lang suddenly said.

Lin Zhilan: "Hmm? What guarantee?"

Su Lang looked up at her, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

"Say you love me, say you'll never leave me."

Lin Zhilan's face flushed red instantly.

"Why say all this?"

With children being an exception, Lin Zhilan is not actually good at expressing her inner feelings so directly.

Moreover, Su Lang's actions were too sudden.

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"You go first," Su Lang said firmly.

"Su Lang!"

"Calling me won't do any good," Su Lang stared at her. "If you don't tell me, I won't tell you either."

Lin Zhilan glared at him, her cheeks burning, and the tips of her ears turning a thin layer of pink.

She bit her lip, rolled the words on her tongue several times, but couldn't bring herself to say them.

"You're so annoying," Lin Zhilan blurted out.

Su Lang looked at her bright red ears, a faint smile appearing on his lips, but he still refused to open his mouth.

Lin Zhilan could only say with a stern face, "Then why didn't you say so?"

I love you, and I will never leave you.

As soon as Lin Zhilan finished speaking, Su Lang finished his sentence, emphasizing each word.

Lin Zhilan looked at him in surprise.

The deep look in his eyes faded, leaving only an unyielding affection and unwavering determination.

"It's your turn, Zhilan."

Lin Zhilan stared at her palms, speaking rapidly, "I love you, I will never leave you. Is that alright?"

"Write it down and stamp it," Su Lang said, pushing his luck.

"I'm ignoring you." Lin Zhilan made a move to leave.

Su Lang quickly pulled her back, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore."

Pulling his wife to sit beside him, Su Lang looked into her eyes and slowly said, "Zhou Chen is not dead."

Despite all the speculation, Lin Zhilan was still startled when she heard those four words.

"Then why doesn't he come back?" Lin Zhilan blurted out.

She even found it somewhat absurd.

Why didn't Zhou Chen die?

If he's not dead, why doesn't he come back?

If he didn't die, then what did the original owner's death mean? What about Linlin's tragic childhood in the book?

Lin Zhilan bit her lip. "Is he on a mission? Is he going undercover? And can't reveal his identity?"

"Zhilan," Su Lang squeezed her hand, "Don't get agitated, I'll explain it to you slowly."

It turned out that Zhou Chen was swept away by the flood during the flood relief efforts. When the troops were collecting the body, they mistook the body wearing his military uniform for Zhou Chen and determined that he had died in the line of duty.

But that piece of clothing was actually given to a fellow villager by Zhou Chen during the disaster relief efforts.

He was swept downstream by the flood to a small village dozens of miles away.

The village is very remote, almost a mountain hollow, with only one road in and out.

The entire village has only a few dozen households, and many people have never left the mountains in their entire lives.

When Zhou Chen was washed ashore, he was still breathing.

The villagers rescued him, only to discover that he was mentally challenged.

The small village was too isolated, and the inhabitants had never seen much of the world.

The village didn't make a big deal out of rescuing a stranger.

When someone asked Zhou Chen his name and where he came from, he couldn't remember anything and could only smile foolishly.

The villagers treated him as a homeless man who was born mentally challenged; no one thought of calling the police, let alone sending a message outside.

Later, a group of older intellectuals were sent down to the countryside.

The villagers arranged for Zhou Chen to stay with them, next to the cowshed at the entrance of the village.

Although Zhou Chen is simple-minded, he is capable of doing the work.

These old people felt sorry for him and didn't look down on him; they would share any food they had with him.

Because he was swept ashore by the river, he was given the name "Dajiang" (meaning "Great River").

Lin Zhilan looked somewhat dazed after hearing this.

For a moment, I don't know what to say.

Should we blame Zhou Chen on behalf of the original owner and Linlin?

But Zhou Chen didn't do it on purpose to end up like this.

"Zhilan," Su Lang felt a pang of sadness seeing his wife lost in thought, but he continued, "Zhou Chen's accident may be related to Zhou Jianjun."

"What?" Lin Zhilan exclaimed in surprise.

"I checked, and Zhou Chen was with Zhou Jianjun when the accident happened. According to Zhou Jianjun, he watched Zhou Lang being swept away by the flood. However, when identifying the body, Zhou Chen's clothes were on someone else's body, but Zhou Jianjun didn't point this out at all, and instead tacitly agreed to it, which is definitely not right."

Even if Zhou Chen's accident had nothing to do with Zhou Jianjun, Zhou Jianjun's reaction was still very abnormal.

unless……

He did not want the troops to continue searching for Zhou Chen's whereabouts.

Lin Zhilan suddenly realized.

She finally understood the source of the complex look in Zhou Jianjun's eyes when he looked at her and Linlin.

Furthermore, why did he adopt Linlin in the book, and why did Song Fang misunderstand that he liked the original owner of this body, without him offering any explanation?

He adopted Linlin because he felt guilty.

Or to put it more cynically, he was afraid of something unexpected happening.

If Zhou Chen really does come back one day, Linlin will be in his hands, essentially a hostage.

Lin Zhilan unconsciously bit her lip, somewhat regretting that the slap she had given earlier was too light.

Su Lang reached out and gently stroked the corner of her lips with his fingertips. "Is there anything else you want to ask me?"

Where is Zhou Chen now?

"I had someone pick him up first, and he's now at a local hospital for a full checkup. The doctor said there's a blood clot in his brain that's pressing on a nerve."

"Can it be cured?" Lin Zhilan then asked.

"The doctor said it's difficult," Su Lang said honestly, meeting Lin Zhilan's gaze, "but I think you can do it."

"I……"

Lin Zhilan pondered for a moment.

In those few short seconds, Su Lang's mind was in complete turmoil.

Lin Zhilan looked up at her husband, "I want to try, but if he gets better..."

"Zhilan..."

Lin Zhilan ignored his interruption and continued, "If he gets better, will he try to take the child from us?"

Su Lang was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but burst into laughter.

His laughter, though aggravated by the pain of his wounds, could not suppress his laughter.

Lin Zhilan patted his shoulder reproachfully, "What are you laughing at? I'm serious."

"Come here," he said in a deep voice.

Su Lang's heart raced, and he desperately wanted to hug and kiss the woman in front of him.

Lin Zhilan thought he wanted to whisper something to her, so she quickly put her ear close to his.

Before Lin Zhilan could react, Su Lang had already raised his hand and pressed down on the back of her head.

Lin Zhilan instinctively wanted to push him away, but when she thought of his injuries, she withdrew her hand.

Su Lang only slightly released her after he kissed her until she was almost out of breath.

Lin Zhilan turned her head away and took a deep breath.

Her lips were slightly red from the kisses, glistening with moisture.

Su Lang extended his thumb and pressed it against her soft lips.

Lin Zhilan slapped his hand away impatiently, "You're still injured, can't you behave yourself?"