Chapter 121: A Call from Mom

Cheng Li had originally assumed that after Chen Xujia finished questioning Lin Luoyou, he would turn his attention to her. She had even mentally rehearsed what she would say. To her surprise, the arrival of Liao Yingying caused Chen Xujia to overlook her existence entirely.

Seeing that everyone was preoccupied with their work and paying her no mind, Cheng Li pursed her lips, feeling rather foolish. She shut down her computer, grabbed her small handbag, and left the office early.

***

Lin Luoyou stayed in the office until seven in the evening, enjoying a complimentary work meal before packing up to leave. Before clocking out, she reviewed the progress she had made throughout the afternoon, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

"High pressure really does produce results," she thought to herself. At this current pace, she wouldn't even need to wait until next weekend to place a perfect research proposal on Wen Chuan’s desk.

Just as she stepped out of the Max building, her phone rang. Glancing at the screen, she saw it was her mother; it was likely another check-in call.

"Hello, Mom!"

As soon as she picked up, Lin Luoyou greeted her mother, Ji Lan, in a soft, coquettish tone.

"Have you eaten dinner yet? Don't always rely on takeout, and try to avoid the canteen food too! Your senior year coursework should be much lighter now; if you have time, cook yourself a decent meal!"

The moment the call connected, Ji Lan began fussing over her daughter’s well-being thousands of miles away.

When Ji Lan had finally relented and allowed her daughter to study in another province, it wasn't just because she trusted Zhen Hao, a senior they knew well, to look after her. More importantly, she liked that the student apartments at A University had shared kitchen spaces.

By comparison, the A University Finance Department's renowned faculty and national ranking were secondary factors.

"Don't worry, Mom. I’m your daughter, after all—I inherited your taste for good food!"

"That’s true. If you were anything like your father, I wouldn't have been able to let you go so far away!"

To ensure her mother couldn't tell where she was, Lin Luoyou stood outside the building, letting the autumn breeze blow against her as she chatted away.

After rambling for a while, Ji Lan shifted the topic:

"Youyou, I recall you hardly have any classes left in your senior year, right? Have you started looking for a job? What are your plans for the future?"

Unsure if her father had already coordinated with her, Lin Luoyou didn't dare to be completely honest. She chose to downplay the situation:

"I really don't have many classes, but I have to focus on my graduation thesis this year."

"Well, you must write that thesis well! But as for your studies, I’m not worried at all." Ji Lan knew her daughter’s academic record well; she hadn't had to worry about her grades once in the past four years.

To be precise, ever since her daughter entered middle school, she had felt completely at ease.

Her current concern was her daughter's future employment. She missed her terribly; seeing her only for a few days during winter and summer breaks over the last four years simply wasn't enough.

"Youyou, why don’t you just come back after graduation? Our city may not compare to A City, but it’s still quite decent for a second-tier city. Plus, your brother will be transferred back in a couple of years—wouldn't it be nice for the two of you to be together?"

"My brother is coming back in two years?!"

Lin Luoyou’s focus was entirely different from her mother’s. She immediately began looking forward to her brother ending his current, secluded, and fully-sealed line of work.

However, as she thought about it, after more than half a month of being put through the wringer, she had grown increasingly fond of Max. The thought of resigning now just to be in the same city as Lin Luming didn't sit well with her heart.