252: Chapter 252 He'll be fine after a few days of care and he'll be in bed?

At two in the afternoon, Qin Lin arrived at the second floor on time.

The temperature-controlled swimming pool was on the east side of the second floor; after upgrading to Lv6, there was an independent pool on each of the four sides.

The pool wasn't large, but the water was crystal clear, with several lounge chairs arranged around it and some potted greenery in the corners, making it look like a small resort area.

When Qin Lin walked in, Li Ran was already lying on a lounge chair by the window.

She had changed into a loose, light-blue camisole with a low neckline that revealed a patch of snow-white skin and a deep cleavage; the garment was completely unable to contain her D+.

Her hair was loose, and she wore little makeup, but her skin was in excellent condition, making her look much younger than her actual age.

The lighting by the pool was dimmed, with only a few wall lamps lit, casting a soft glow that created an ambiguous atmosphere.

Qin Lin walked over, his gaze involuntarily falling onto her neckline.

It wasn't that he intended to look, but that angle, that lighting, and the size of that neckline made it hard for him not to.

Li Ran noticed his gaze and didn't shy away; instead, she tilted her body slightly, opening the neckline even further.

Hearing the footsteps, Li Ran turned her head.

"Xiao Lin, you're here?" She smiled slightly, her voice soft.

Qin Lin nodded, his gaze involuntarily lingering on her neckline for another second before he quickly looked away.

"Mom, what did you want to talk about?"

Li Ran pointed to the lounge chair next to her. "Lie down first; it's tiring to stand."

Qin Lin hesitated for a moment but still lay down on the lounge chair beside her.

The lounge chairs were placed side by side, with less than half a meter between them.

After lying down, Qin Lin felt a bit uneasy.

This atmosphere felt too much like a date.

Li Ran turned her head to look at him and asked, "Xiao Lin, you spend so much time in the Drivers Cabin every day, aren't you tired?"

Qin Lin shook his head. "I'm not tired; I'm used to it."

"Being young is nice." Li Ran sighed. "I'm getting old; I get tired after just a little movement."

Qin Lin glanced at her. "Mom, you're not old."

Li Ran laughed. "You always know just what to say."

The two were quiet for a while before Li Ran suddenly asked, "Xiao Lin, I heard you rescued Han Qing from the disaster zone?"

Qin Lin glanced at her. "Yeah, she was trapped at home at the time, so I went to pick her up and bring her on the bus."

"You went specifically to pick her up?"

"Yes, the RV needed a doctor at the time."

"How did you two meet?"

Qin Lin thought for a moment and briefly recounted the process of rescuing Han Qing.

After listening, Li Ran nodded. "She was quite lucky."

Qin Lin didn't say anything.

Li Ran asked again, "What about her daughter? You rescued Han Yurou as well?"

"Yes, I picked them both up together."

"Have you two... always gotten along well?"

Qin Lin glanced at her, finding the question a bit strange, but he still answered, "Yeah, quite well."

Li Ran was silent for a while, seemingly organizing her words.

"Xiao Lin, let me ask you a question; don't think I'm being nosy."

"Sure, go ahead."

Li Ran hesitated for a moment but finally asked, "How did you and Han Qing... get together?"

She finally asked it.

Qin Lin understood in his heart that Li Ran had taken such a long detour just to ask this.

He looked at Li Ran; her eyes were a bit evasive, but she was still waiting for his answer.

"Once, I was injured while out, and when I came back, she took care of me for a few days, and then..."

"And then you... got together?" Li Ran finished his sentence.

Qin Lin was speechless; no matter how he heard it, those words sounded like she was hinting at something suggestive.

Couldn't she just say the whole sentence together?

She just had to pause and split it up.

Qin Lin nodded and answered with the same pause. "Yeah, we... got together."

Li Ran blushed, not expecting Qin Lin to speak that way too.

She was silent for a while, her voice dropping a few octaves. "It was that simple? Taking care of you for a few days and you ended up in bed?"

Qin Lin turned his head to look at her; Li Ran's gaze was complex, as if searching for something, or perhaps confirming something.

Qin Lin gave another "Mhm," offering no further explanation.

Li Ran was silent for a moment, then whispered, "You men, are you all like this? As long as a woman is a little nice to you, you..."

She didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.

Qin Lin didn't know how to answer.

If he said no, well, he really was like that.

If he said yes, it would make him seem too casual.

"Mom, how did you and my father-in-law meet?" Qin Lin changed the subject.

Li Ran was taken aback, and then her expression turned cold. "Don't mention him."

Qin Lin realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly shut up.

Li Ran sighed and said, "He and I were introduced by our families, and we got married after dating for half a year. I was young then and didn't know anything; I thought he had good prospects, so I married him."

She paused and continued, "Who knew what kind of person he was? Once he had money, he started keeping mistresses outside. One wasn't enough, so he kept several. I was at home raising the children while he was out living a life of debauchery."

Qin Lin said nothing, just listening quietly.

After finishing, Li Ran was silent for a moment and then suddenly asked, "Xiao Lin, what do you think... of Han Qing as a person?"

Qin Lin thought about it. "She's very good, with strong professional skills and a good personality."

"I mean... what do you think of her being your woman?"

Qin Lin glanced at Li Ran; it seemed she was determined to get to the bottom of things today.

"She's great."

Li Ran nodded and didn't ask any more.

The two lay quietly for a while longer; Qin Lin could feel Li Ran's gaze landing on him from time to time.

He pretended not to notice and closed his eyes to nap.

"Xiao Lin, do you think I should also learn from Han Qing?"

Learn from Han Qing?

Qin Lin quickly continued to play dumb. "Learn what?"

Li Ran looked at him, an indefinable look in her eyes. "Learn from her... to find someone to rely on."

Qin Lin's heart rate quickened slightly.

After receiving confirmation from Su Yuran, how could he not understand what Li Ran meant?

She was testing him.

"Don't you have someone to rely on now? Yuran and Yuling are both by your side."

Li Ran shook her head. "That's different."

"How is it different?"

Li Ran looked at him, hesitating to speak, and finally sighed.

"Forget it, let's not talk about this."

She lay back down, staring at the ceiling, and stopped talking.

Qin Lin also lay back, and the two of them just lay there quietly, neither speaking.

The water in the pool rippled gently, making subtle sounds. The lights were dim, and the atmosphere was ambiguous.

After a long time, Li Ran suddenly said, "Xiao Lin, when do you think the apocalypse will end?"

Qin Lin thought for a moment. "I don't know; maybe it will never end."

Li Ran sighed. "Then will we just keep living on this RV forever?"

"Is that not good?"

Li Ran was silent for a while. "It's good, it's just... it's just too suffocating."

She had originally wanted to say it was too lonely, but she didn't dare say it out loud.

Qin Lin smiled. "Once the baby is born, it won't be so suffocating."

Li Ran smiled too. "True."