257: Chapter 257 What is Li Ran struggling with?

Night, Room 000.

Li Ran lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Su Yuling lay beside her, eyes closed quietly, though it was unclear if she was asleep.

Li Ran turned on her side, looking at her daughter's profile.

"Yuling," she called out softly.

Su Yuling opened her eyes, an inexplicable light flashing through them for a brief moment. "What is it?"

"You're not asleep yet?"

"Mm."

Li Ran hesitated for a moment before asking, "Yuling, why don't you go find Qin Lin?"

Su Yuling was stunned for a second. "What?"

Li Ran continued, "Look at the other sisters and aunts, they all like to go find him. Why don't you even talk to him much?"

Su Yuling was silent for a while before saying, "The time hasn't come yet."

Li Ran frowned. "What time?"

Su Yuling didn't explain, only saying, "You'll know when it arrives."

Li Ran didn't understand what she meant.

"Yuling, did you have a falling out with Qin Lin?"

"No."

"Then why..."

"Mom." Su Yuling interrupted her, turning around to look at Li Ran in the darkness, her eyes bright. "When are you going to go find him?"

Li Ran's heart skipped a beat. "What... what are you talking about? Why would I go find him?"

Su Yuling tilted her head to look at her, an indescribable look in her eyes.

It wasn't questioning, nor was it testing, but rather a kind of... understanding.

As if she knew everything.

That gaze of hers seemed to see through everything, yet also seemed to be expecting something.

Uncomfortable under her gaze, Li Ran looked away. "Don't talk nonsense, I'm your mother."

Su Yuling didn't speak, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing an ambiguous smile.

Feeling thoroughly uneasy, Li Ran turned her back to her. "Fine, let's sleep."

Su Yuling gave an "Mm" and said nothing more.

She turned back, closed her eyes, and fell silent.

Li Ran looked at her profile, her heart racing.

Does this girl know something?

Her look just now was too strange.

She seemed to be anticipating something.

And what did she mean by 'the time hasn't come yet'?

How could she ask, 'When are you going to go find him'?

The more Li Ran thought about it, the more uneasy she became.

She couldn't figure it out, so she simply stopped thinking about it.

After a long time, hearing Su Yuling's breathing become steady, she finally began to relax.

She closed her eyes, but her mind was still a mess.

The image of Qin Lin coming out of Room 006, Su Yuling's ambiguous smile, and those chaotic thoughts in her own heart...

They all tangled together, making it impossible for her to sleep.

The question in her heart also lingered persistently.

Does Qin Lin really like that feeling of not being with just one person?

If she and...

Li Ran quickly extinguished that thought, closed her eyes, and forced herself to sleep.

...

Over the next few days, Qin Lin's life became more regular.

He spent a few hours in the Drivers Cabin during the day, wandered around the RV in the afternoon, and in the evening, he either accompanied Han Qing or went to rooms 005 and 006.

Although Lin Fang was still very shy, she wasn't as nervous as the first time.

Every time Qin Lin came, she would blush, but she no longer hid; she would even take the initiative to lean in.

Lin Xiaoyue, on the other hand, became increasingly bold, sometimes teasing Qin Lin right in front of Lin Fang, leaving Lin Fang incredibly embarrassed.

"Mom, touch it, his abs feel really good."

"Mom, make a sound, don't hold it back."

Lin Fang was both shamed and annoyed by her teasing every time.

Qin Lin felt that this kind of life was actually quite good.

Though the apocalypse was cruel, he didn't feel lonely on the RV.

This afternoon, Qin Lin was in the Drivers Cabin checking System data.

[Pregnant: 11 people]

[Not Pregnant: 3 people (Han Qing, Su Yuling, Li Ran)]

Han Qing and Su Yuling were already his, they just hadn't conceived yet.

Li Ran... was still in an ambiguous state.

Qin Lin leaned against the back of his chair, thinking about the next step of his plan.

Regarding Han Qing, there was no rush for now; she still had to wait to deliver the babies, which was perhaps the situation the System wanted.

As for Su Yuling, she was waiting for a critical point, and he was waiting too.

Regarding Li Ran... she had actually become quiet lately, no longer appearing before him as frequently as before.

Qin Lin didn't know what she was thinking, but he wasn't in a hurry.

They were all on the vehicle anyway; she couldn't run away.

He walked out of the Drivers Cabin and into the living room.

Su Yuran was chatting with Lin Wanwan. Seeing him come out, she asked with a smile, "Finished working?"

Qin Lin nodded. "Mm."

Su Yuran walked over and took his arm. "Then accompany me to the Plantation to take a look?"

Qin Lin nodded. "Okay."

The two arrived at the Plantation. Su Yuran held a basket, picking things as she walked.

Qin Lin followed behind her, feeling warmth in his heart as he watched her serious expression.

"Qin Lin," Su Yuran suddenly called him.

"Mm?"

"Has my mom been a bit off lately?"

Qin Lin was startled. "How so?"

Su Yuran thought for a moment. "She's been dazed a lot these past two days. She doesn't respond when I talk to her, as if she's pondering something."

Qin Lin's heart stirred, recalling Li Ran's expression when he ran into her in the hallway this morning.

She indeed seemed a bit absent-minded.

It wasn't like her previous deliberate attempts to get close either.

Had she given up?

"Maybe she's just tired."

Su Yuran glanced at him, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What is it?" Qin Lin asked.

Su Yuran wavered for a moment before saying, "Qin Lin, do you think she's... struggling with something?"

Qin Lin was silent for a while. "Perhaps."

Su Yuran sighed. "That's how she is, she keeps everything inside and never tells me."

Qin Lin reached out and put his arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry, she'll figure it out."

Figure it out?

Su Yuran leaned against his shoulder. "I hope so."

...

At night, Qin Lin was on the third floor when Han Qing arrived.

She was wearing a black camisole nightgown, her hair loose, looking very feminine.

"Aunt Qing," Qin Lin called her.

Han Qing walked over and sat on his lap. "Missed me?"

Qin Lin hugged her. "I did."

Han Qing smiled and leaned down to kiss him.

After they kissed for a while, Han Qing suddenly asked, "Did you go to Room 006 again last night?"

Qin Lin nodded. "Yes."

Han Qing looked at him. "Were they both in there?"

Qin Lin nodded again.

Han Qing smiled. "How did it feel?"

Qin Lin thought for a moment. "Pretty good."

Han Qing winked. "Specifically, how was it good?"

Qin Lin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Why are you asking in such detail?"

Han Qing leaned into his chest. "Just curious."

Qin Lin, helpless, gave a brief explanation.

After listening, Han Qing was silent for a while before suddenly saying, "Qin Lin, do you think... Li Ran knows?"

Qin Lin was stunned. "Knows what?"

Han Qing looked at him. "Didn't you say she ran into you in the hallway? She saw you coming out of Room 006."

Qin Lin thought about it; Li Ran's expression at the time was indeed a bit strange.

Han Qing smiled. "Then she must be thinking that you like that kind of relationship."

Qin Lin frowned. "What kind of relationship?"