"I wouldn't dare," Lin Zijun immediately said. "I just feel like sometimes they're ostracizing me."
When some female patients came for consultations, they would hint that they didn't want Lin Zijun present.
Qin Qing was a girl, so she could understand these female patients. "Actually, if I had a gynecological illness, I would also prefer to see a female doctor. Master, does this mean my thinking is backward?"
Lin Zhilan replied, "What backward or not? It's just human nature. You can't demand that women keep their chastity like jade and strictly abide by the rules separating men and women, while at the same time thinking they are backward for only wanting to see a female doctor. When the environment hasn't progressed, you can't demand the disadvantaged side to be progressive in their thinking."
Qin Qing deeply agreed, looking at her master with starry eyes.
Lin Zhilan found it amusing. "Write seriously, I'll come check it later."
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Lin Zhilan packed her things and went home.
In the midsummer afternoon, the entire family quarters was quiet, leaving only the annoying chirping of cicadas.
Pushing the door open, she saw that Su Lang had moved the bamboo bed out from the storage room and was taking a nap with the two children.
As soon as she entered, Su Lang heard the noise, stretched his long legs, and stood up.
"Did I wake you?" Lin Zhilan asked softly.
"I wasn't sleeping."
Su Lang fetched some water for her to wash her hands and face.
Lin Zhilan said in embarrassment, "I can do it myself."
Su Lang raised an eyebrow. "Being polite with me?"
He was teasing her again. Lin Zhilan pretended not to hear, first wringing out a wet towel to wash her face.
While washing her hands, a pair of large hands suddenly appeared in the basin.
She struggled a bit but couldn't break free.
"What are you doing?" she kept her voice low, quickly glancing toward the bamboo bed.
The two children were sleeping soundly. Linlin's little belly rose and fell, and Jiang Chengzhou's arm rested on the edge of the sleeping mat without any movement.
Su Lang lowered his eyes and didn't answer, his chest pressing against her back.
Slipping his fingers through hers, he opened her palm and pressed his thumb against the webbing between her thumb and index finger, rubbing it with just the right amount of pressure.
"I was worried you wouldn't wash them clean," he said.
The tips of Lin Zhilan's ears grew hot. "I'll do it myself."
Su Lang acted as if he didn't hear her.
He intertwined the fingers of one hand with Lin Zhilan's, while his other hand reached for the soap.
Lathering it in his palm, he then held her hand and rubbed it section by section, starting from her fingertips.
The pads of her fingers, her knuckles, between her fingers, the lines of her palms...
It was clearly just a simple hand washing, yet he made it incredibly erotic.
Every inch of her hands was carefully caressed by his fingertips. The soap suds piled up in their clasped palms, slippery and warm.
Lin Zhilan's breathing became a little unsteady.
"Su Lang..."
"Hmm? Am I not washing them well?"
Su Lang rested his chin on the top of her head and went to grab her other hand.
Afraid he would say something shockingly flirtatious again, Lin Zhilan chose to remain mute.
Both hands were washed over and over by him. After rinsing off the foam, Su Lang wrapped her palms in a dry towel but was in no rush to let go.
Lin Zhilan kept her head down; the section of her neck exposed outside her collar had already turned a light pink.
Looking at that tint, a hint of a smile flashed in Su Lang's eyes.
"Done." He finally let go.
Lin Zhilan quickly pulled her hands back and walked straight toward the bamboo bed.
The two children were fast asleep. Not daring to disturb them, she took a light blanket and covered them with it.
Traditional Chinese medicine states: the spleen and stomach prefer warmth and abhor the cold.
The navel faces the stomach and intestines directly. Protecting the belly means protecting the stomach and intestines, which prevents diarrhea.
Su Lang sat down behind her.
Worried he would get handsy again, Lin Zhilan immediately found a topic. "I bought an electric fan."
"Mm."
Su Lang responded indifferently, his fingers twirling Lin Zhilan's hanging strands of hair as if they were an interesting toy.
"Are you short on industrial coupons?" Su Lang suddenly remembered to ask.
Lin Zhilan snatched her hair back and pinned it up. "From the industrial coupons sister-in-law and second sister-in-law sent over before, after buying the bicycle, there was still one left."
Since he wasn't allowed to play with her hair, Su Lang simply wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll get two more later and install one in Baby and Chengzhou's room too."
Lin Zhilan rolled her eyes at him. "Do you have too much money burning a hole in your pocket? Many people in the family compound are already saying I'm a spendthrift. I'll just end up taking the blame for you again."
Fans were considered major appliances nowadays, costing at least over 60 yuan each.
Three would be nearly two hundred yuan.
An ordinary worker might not even save up two hundred yuan in a year.
Su Lang pulled out a wad of cash and coupons from his pocket. "The reward for taking first place in the last competition. Two hundred yuan, and I only spent fifteen cents."
"What did you spend it on?" Lin Zhilan asked instinctively.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she wondered if she was being too nosy, but Su Lang confessed honestly, "I bought three popsicles. Baby had some too. She won't get an upset stomach, right?"
Lin Zhilan turned to look at him. "A whole one?"
"I didn't dare. I just let her have a few bites, and the rest I only gave her after it melted."
That was more like it.
Lin Zhilan felt her daughter's back and checked her pulse; there were no major issues.
Actually, it was normal for children to get sick occasionally, but the last time Linlin got sick, her pitiful look was truly heartbreaking. As a mother, she couldn't help but be a bit on edge.
Lin Zhilan pulled out ten yuan and handed it to him.
Su Lang laughed. "Giving me pocket money?"
"Mhm," Lin Zhilan raised her chin slightly. "I'm worried you won't have money to coax the kids."
Su Lang gripped her waist and pulled her closer into his arms.
"Buying snacks is enough to coax the kids, but what about coaxing you?"
His voice was kept very low, making it even more magnetic.
Lin Zhilan's body went soft. She raised her hand to push against his chest. "It's broad daylight, stop messing around."
Su Lang hooked a wicked smile. "Don't be polite, I can do it myself."
He was still holding a grudge over that comment!
Lin Zhilan couldn't help but glare at him. "You..."
Before she could finish, the grip on her waist tightened, and she was scooped up entirely. He carried her upstairs.
"The kids..."
"The kids just fell asleep. If they wake up, they'll call out."
"But... I haven't showered yet."
Su Lang stopped and looked down at her. "Zhilan, I just want to take you upstairs for a nap. What were you thinking?"
"Su Lang, you bastard!" Lin Zhilan was exasperated and pounded his shoulder twice.
To Su Lang, it didn't hurt or tickle.
His eldest nephew was right: hitting is caring, and scolding is loving.
Su Lang felt great in his heart this time.
Anyway, he just couldn't stand his wife acting overly polite with him.
"If you want to..."
"I do not!" Lin Zhilan covered his mouth.
Su Lang chuckled softly and continued carrying her upstairs.
As soon as Lin Zhilan's body touched the bed, she rolled half a circle to the inner side, putting distance between them with a wary look in her eyes.
Su Lang was amused by her expression.
Propping his hands on either side of her, he leaned down, but only left a light kiss on her forehead.
"Relax," his voice was still low, carrying a smile. "I'm really not going to do anything."
Lin Zhilan lowered her eyes. "I wasn't worried, I was just making room for you."
Su Lang didn't expose her lie. "I don't have the habit of taking naps. I can't sleep."
"Even if you can't sleep, lie down with me for a while." Lin Zhilan patted the spot next to her.
