Extra Chapter 21
After hanging up the phone, Li Shu returned to the private room, having already made up her mind.
She said somewhat shyly to Mrs. Zhou Ruolan, "Thank you very much for your trust, Chairman Zhou, but it might be a bit early to discuss the wedding. I haven't even told my family yet."
Zhou Lan raised an eyebrow from the side - was this her way of saying yes?
Mrs. Zhou Ruolan smiled and said, "Of course, properly speaking, I should visit your parents first. When would they be available? Also, from now on, there's no need to be so formal by calling me Chairman Zhou - just call me Aunt Zhou."
Li Shu: "...Aunt Zhou."
Well, as expected of a Global Fortune 500 company's chairwoman - such efficiency! Already wanting to visit her parents?
While she admired this, if they really did visit, wouldn't it frighten her parents?
So she quickly thought of a solution, "You're too kind, Aunt Zhou. It's just that my home is quite far away. However, I'm having my graduation ceremony in a few days and plan to invite my parents to visit. If it's convenient for you, perhaps we could all have dinner together then."
"Of course that would be convenient. Please let me know when they arrive."
Mrs. Zhou Ruolan agreed very promptly.
Li Shu nodded, already planning to call her family later.
However, before she could make the call, just after returning to her small apartment from dinner, her parents called first.
"Shu dear, we just heard from Aunt Zhang that you're dating someone over there, and he might be a scammer? What's going on?"
Her parents sounded very worried.
Li Shu remained calm, "Aunt Zhang must have been frightened. I'm not dating any scammer. It's my boss, and he's quite nice. You know about Huarui Media, right? It's just that Aunt Zhang doesn't believe my boss is wealthy."
However, her parents were still very surprised, "What's going on? You're dating your boss? Is this real?"
Li Shu replied directly, "Of course it's real. Why would I lie to you about this? By the way, I have my graduation ceremony in a few days. Would you like to come and witness it, and meet my boss and his mother?"
Although their family wasn't as wealthy as Zhou Lan's, they could certainly afford plane tickets.
However, after hearing this, her parents couldn't even wait a few days. They bought plane tickets right after hanging up and arrived in her city the next afternoon.
Li Shu: "..."
Apparently, it wasn't just Chairwoman Zhou Ruolan who was efficient - her parents were too.
While she was certainly happy to see her parents, Zhou Lan was even more eager than her upon hearing the news. He immediately arranged a dinner and notified his mother, Mrs. Zhou Ruolan.
Thus, on the first evening of Li Shu's parents' arrival in City S, they met one of the main purposes of their visit - their daughter's boyfriend Zhou Lan, who was rumored to be worth billions.
They also met his mother, Mrs. Zhou Ruolan, who was reportedly China's wealthiest businesswoman.
To their surprise, both mother and son were very humble, polite, and cultured.
Zhou Lan was practically flawless in his presentation. Mrs. Zhou Ruolan was also very sincere, taking the initiative to tell them, "As a mother, I can see that Zhou Lan truly cares for Li Shu, and I'm very fond of her too. Of course, we are a single-parent family, which is my regret. I've always tried my best to guide him to develop a good character, and I hope you won't discriminate against him for this."
These words were somewhat heartbreaking, and Li Shu's parents quickly responded, "You're too modest, Chairman Zhou. We don't care whether it's a single-parent or two-parent family, as long as the young people are sincere in their relationship."
Ever since receiving Aunt Zhang's call, the couple had been very anxious, but now after meeting them in person, they could finally relax.
Huh, that Aunt Zhang - she must have really looked down on their daughter to insist that Li Shu had met a scammer.
A few days after their pleasant first meeting, it was time for Li Shu's graduation ceremony.
Li Shu was very happy that her parents could attend in person. To her surprise, Zhou Lan also brought his mother, Mrs. Zhou Ruolan, to join her group of family and friends.
Although they tried to keep a low profile, they still caused quite a stir.
Her classmates gathered around to ask, "Are those two in your family group the chairwoman and CEO of Huarui Media?"
Li Shu coughed slightly, "Yes, that's them."
Everyone showed surprised expressions. Who would have thought that the formerly most reclusive girl in class would have such prestigious guests at her graduation?
Someone carefully asked, "That online rumor about... the young master Zhou's girlfriend, was that you?"
Li Shu coughed again, "Yes, it was."
"Ahhhh..."
Screams erupted from the crowd.
All the girls were excited, especially her three closest dormitory roommates, who grabbed her hands and jumped excitedly, "Shu, Shu, Shu, you're amazing! When are you having your wedding? You must invite us!!!"
Before Li Shu could respond, a voice suddenly came from behind, "No problem, we'll definitely send you all invitations when the time comes."
As the voice finished, Zhou Lan appeared before them.
The crowd held their breath for a moment before erupting again.
"Ahhhh, they're really getting married!!! Our Shu is marrying into a wealthy family!!!"
...
Li Shu pulled Zhou Lan aside and asked with a red face, "What are you doing? They were just joking."
Unexpectedly, Zhou Lan looked serious, "I wasn't joking. They can all come if they want to."
Li Shu coughed, "...I only just agreed to date you, who said anything about marriage..."
Zhou Lan looked very serious, "Any relationship not aimed at marriage is just playing around."
Li Shu: "..."
Well, now it seemed like she was the one playing around.
Her face felt hot, and her classmates were still teasing them. She quickly pulled him away, "Let's go take photos. Your photography skills must be pretty good, right?"
Zhou Lan made a sound of agreement, "I won some photography awards back in school..."
...
After sixteen years of hard study, she had finally graduated. Li Shu was very happy and took many photos with her parents, classmates, boyfriend, and even her boyfriend's mother. Suddenly, she spotted Professor Qi talking to someone nearby, so she quickly went over to express her gratitude, "Professor Qi, thank you for your guidance and care these past few years, and for the job recommendation you gave me the other day. I've successfully joined the company now."
Professor Qi was only in his fifties, approachable and elegant in demeanor, and was a teacher she particularly respected.
Hearing her words, Professor Qi quickly smiled and said, "No need for thanks. I wish you all the best as you enter society."
After he finished speaking, Li Shu was about to bring her parents over to meet Professor Qi.
However, before she could move, she saw her boyfriend's mother, Mrs. Zhou Ruolan, walk up and look directly at Professor Qi, calling out, "Qi Shuguang?"
Professor Qi also froze, looked at her for a while, and called out, "Ruolan..."
Li Shu's eyes widened -
"Ruolan"...
This form of address seemed quite unusual.
Could these two have some history?
She quickly called out to her system, [What's going on between Chairman Zhou and Professor Qi? Did they know each other before?]
The system replied, [They more than just knew each other - they dated in university. To be precise, Professor Qi was Zhou Ruolan's senior by two years. Professor Qi was famous in their department as a talented scholar, admired by many young women, while Zhou Ruolan was the campus beauty, pursued by countless young men. They made a perfect match, talented scholar and beautiful lady, but then something happened to the Zhou family, and Zhou Ruolan was forced into an arranged marriage for family reasons. Professor Qi was studying abroad at the time, and so they missed their chance. Later, Zhou Ruolan divorced and raised her son alone, focusing on her career, while Professor Qi remained in another city, and they never contacted each other.]
After hearing this, Li Shu couldn't help but exclaim, [Isn't this the legendary reunion after many years apart? It's so touching! Now Professor Qi is single, and Chairman Zhou is single too, can't they rekindle their old flame? Think about it - a powerful businesswoman and a learned professor, oh my goodness, this couple is perfect!]
Zhou Lan, who had secretly overheard: "..."
It was all destined!
Even in another lifetime, she would still be a devoted shipper of couples.
After the graduation ceremony, Li Shu's parents left City S contentedly.
Li Shu found a new place to live and moved.
This time, after careful inspection, she chose an apartment in a proper residential complex with complete facilities and guaranteed security.
She didn't have many belongings to begin with, so after packing up her clothes and books, Zhou Lan drove over to help her move.
Although there weren't many large items, after cleaning and arranging everything, a whole day had passed.
As evening approached, Zhou Lan suggested, "Let's go out to eat something."
Li Shu, lounging lazily on the sofa, replied, "I'm too tired. Let's just order takeout."
She took out her phone to open the food delivery app.
However, Zhou Lan said, "Takeout isn't healthy. I noticed there's a supermarket downstairs. Let me buy some ingredients and cook for you."
Well, although they had met the parents, the marriage wasn't officially settled yet, so he still needed to make a good impression.
Fortunately, in this life, he had learned to be an excellent cook.
Upon hearing this, her eyes lit up, "Yes, yes! I'll go shopping with you."
She suddenly bounced up from the sofa.
Zhou Lan raised an eyebrow, "Weren't you tired?"
She coughed slightly, "No matter how tired I am, I can't let you go alone. Such a handsome boy walking around outside could be dangerous."
Zhou Lan laughed, ruffled her hair, and they went together.
After buying groceries, he took charge of cooking while Li Shu helped wash the vegetables.
She watched in amazement as he skillfully chopped vegetables, fired up the stove, and even managed to flip the wok professionally. When the food was served, her eyes widened in delight—
She hadn't expected his cooking skills to be so good! The Yu-Shiang pork strips, home-style tofu, and boiled beef were almost restaurant quality.
It was definitely much better than takeout!
"How is it? Does it suit your taste?" Zhou Lan asked.
Li Shu couldn't stop eating and kept nodding, "It's delicious! You're amazing, I had no idea you could cook so well!"
Zhou Lan hummed in agreement, "During those years abroad, I couldn't get used to their food, so I had to cook for myself. I gradually got better at it. In the future, just tell me what you want to eat, and try to avoid takeout."
Li Shu nodded, "Then I won't hold back!"
She thought to herself, she hadn't made a mistake with this boyfriend - not only was he handsome and wealthy, but he could cook so well! What a catch!
Zhou Lan, silently listening nearby, thought to himself...
So, being handsome and wealthy wasn't important; what mattered was being able to cook.
This must be a foodie's unique standard for choosing a partner.
Fortunately, he could cook.
By the time they finished dinner, it was completely dark outside.
Since Zhou Lan had cooked, Li Shu volunteered to wash the dishes.
It was very hot, and remembering how he had been sweating while cooking, she suggested, "Would you like to take a shower?"
She hadn't thought much of it, but Zhou Lan's eyes suddenly darkened, and he softly agreed before heading to the bathroom.
When Li Shu finished washing the dishes, he had just come out of the bathroom.
He emerged bare-chested.
Li Shu was stunned.
So men really could have abs!
After secretly drooling, she managed to ask, "Why... why are you like this?"
While speaking, she couldn't help but get distracted, wanting to touch...
Zhou Lan looked at her with dark eyes, "I washed my clothes while I was at it."
Li Shu made an "oh" sound, barely maintaining her scattered thoughts, and asked, "But how will you go home later?"
Before she finished speaking, the man suddenly came close and asked, "Can I stay tonight?"
In Li Shu's vision, all she could see was his well-defined physique. She swallowed again before saying, "I guess so..."
Actually, she wasn't even sure what she was saying anymore...
Of course, none of that mattered, because the next moment, she was in his embrace.
Then, she was lost in a kiss.
In their previous life, she had kissed him first, so this time it was his turn.
The kiss was gentle, passionate, and dizzying.
Li Shu's mind had turned to mush, but she vaguely felt that this sensation seemed familiar...
When was it?
However, as she was struggling to remember, Zhou Lan's gentle voice came to her ear, "Shu, will you marry me?"
Li Shu nodded.
She thought to herself that since he was good at everything, marriage would be quite profitable.
Zhou Lan smiled and carried her to the bed.
As they moved, he heard her inner thoughts, [Hmm, it's quite necessary to verify things before marriage.]
Zhou Lan, "..."
Well, it was finally time to teach her a lesson.
...
That night was full of ups and downs, and Li Shu fell asleep exhausted in his arms.
She had a dream filled with scenes from her previous life.
He was the emperor, and she was his empress...
The next morning, when Li Shu woke up, she smelled food cooking.
Zhou Lan came to the bedside, saw her staring blankly at the ceiling, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Li Shu looked at him and said, "I had a dream."
"What dream?"
"I dreamed about our previous life, where you were the emperor and I was your consort..."
"Empress."
Zhou Lan smiled, "You finally remember."
Li Shu looked at him in surprise, "You remember too?"
Zhou Lan nodded.
Li Shu suddenly understood, "No wonder..."
No wonder he was so insistent on marrying her.
She hugged him immediately, exclaiming, "Thank heavens for letting us meet again."
And thankfully, he was still just as handsome.
Especially in that aspect, there weren't the initial struggles of their previous life - it was quite good from the start.
Zhou Lan, "..."
As long as you're satisfied.
He bent down to kiss her, unable to control his desires.
Well, it was the weekend after all...
However, before things could progress, she said, "Wait, something's not right."
He froze and quickly asked, "What's not right?"
She frowned, "Didn't we agree in our previous life that if we came back, you would be the woman and I would be the man? Why am I still the woman?"
Zhou Lan, "???"
"Did we ever say that?"
But she was very certain, "Yes! When I was in terrible pain giving birth to Xuan'er, I said next life you should give birth to the child, and you agreed..."
Zhou Lan, "..."
"Maybe heaven forgot. It's okay, we'll wait for the next life. There will always be a chance."
Then he continued kissing her.
Now that the lovers had recovered their memories from their previous life, their romance became even more skillful.
At the end of the year, Zhou Lan and Li Shu held a grand wedding in Li Shu's hometown.
After returning, they also held a thank-you banquet, which attracted numerous paparazzi reports.
Now that everything was official, Aunt Zhang no longer dared to say anything. Feeling embarrassed, she didn't show her face to Li Shu's parents for quite a while.
Of course, Li Shu didn't care about these trivial matters.
Because she was completely immersed in joy.
When she was crowned empress in their previous life, they couldn't hold a grand ceremony because the empress dowager was "ill." In this life, she finally fulfilled her wish.
After the wedding, the couple began their honeymoon.
One evening, the newlyweds received a video call from Mrs. Zhou Ruolan.
"Son, Li Shu, now that your wedding has been completed perfectly, I can rest assured. I have something I want to tell you..."
Before she finished, Zhou Lan smiled at his mother on the screen and said, "Mom, I know. You've worked hard all these years, it's time for you to find someone to spend the rest of your life with."
On the other end of the call, Mrs. Zhou Ruolan was surprised, then smiled and nodded.
After saying goodbye to her son and daughter-in-law, she made another call.
"Shuguang, it's Ruolan. Are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together."
"Alright."
...
In their second year of marriage, Li Shu gave birth to a boy who looked just like their son from their memories and had the same lovely personality.
They didn't rack their brains for a name, directly naming the little one Zhou Heng.
When their little one was three years old, his parents gave him a little sister, named "Zhou Xuan."
Little Xuan'er was equally adorable, and her favorite thing was to sit in her stroller while seeing her brother off to kindergarten.
One day, in the crisp autumn air under golden sunlight.
Heng'er and Xuan'er accompanied their parents to the airport to welcome their grandparents back from their trip.
Along the way, under the high sky and floating clouds, the wind gently caressed the leaves, and birds sang by the roadside.
The two little ones joined in, singing nursery rhymes.
Their mother looked back at them, unable to suppress a smile.
Thank you, Heaven, for giving their family a chance to reunite.
Now, let us continue this joyful journey of life together!
The End
