Li Yan is in no condition to drive himself now, of course, and Yue Yao also wanted him to take this opportunity to go back. She agreed and immediately took the keys and walked away.

"Follow me..." Outside, there were still quite a number of people, so Yurong couldn’t very well support him as they walked, but she still proactively grasped his hand tightly and led him forward.

Li Yan certainly wasn’t so fragile, but he didn’t mind being a bit vulnerable to receive Yurong’s thoughtful care.

They found the car, and Yurong opened the door to help him into the passenger seat, carefully buckling his seatbelt before driving away. After waiting for Yue Yao at the exit, they left.

"In your current state... I should take you to the hospital for treatment!" Yurong said while driving, glancing at Li Yan’s calm face and still closed eyes. His eyes weren’t watering, but they were still red around the edges, which worried her. She was sure he must be feeling uncomfortable.

Li Yan smiled, "When you guys walked through the corridor just now, even with your eyes closed, your eyes must have been irritated. Do they still hurt now?"

"At that time, there was a stinging sensation... but now it’s not a big issue anymore. If there were, I wouldn’t dare to drive." Yurong reassured him that he could rest easy.

"That’s just it—you took a break, and your eyes are fine, same with me. It was only the smoke and some irritating gases, not a burn or damage to my eyes, just a bit worse for me so I need more time to rest."

"But..."

"It’s fine. Just drop me off at..."

Zhang Yurong originally wanted to persuade him to go to the hospital, but after being interrupted and hearing his words, it appeared he wanted her to take him back to where he’s staying now. Of course, she wouldn’t agree; whether he moves back or not is another matter, but he needs care tonight, can’t let him go back alone!

So she immediately interrupted him, not letting him finish. "Okay, okay, okay! I’ll listen to you, we won’t go to the hospital. But you have to listen to me and come home with me so I can watch over you. I’ll also check online or consult a doctor. If there really are no issues and improvement happens, then we won’t go to the hospital. If it doesn’t get better, you’ll still have to be taken to the hospital!"

"Alright..." Li Yan hesitated for a moment but agreed nonetheless. Since there’s an opportunity to mend things, there’s no need to insist. It’s a good step for everyone involved, can’t be too picky and wait for someone to invite you back home. That’s a little arrogant.

At least... like she said, talk about it after the New Year. During this time, everyone can continue to live together as before, going back to the hometown for New Year wouldn’t be awkward.

"But now, maybe we should make a phone call first..."

"Who do you live with? You can’t see right now, and I’m driving, so let’s wait until we get back before discussing this!" Zhang Yurong thought he wanted to call and inform a friend he was sharing accommodation with.

Li Yan chuckled, "What I meant was... we should call your dad first. He’s sure to hear something soon, might even know by now, and without word from us, he’d definitely be worried. We could pull over to call him quickly!"

Only then did Zhang Yurong remember that her father was supposed to bring antiques for auction tonight and bid on some items himself. If he did come, even without an actual incident, he’d be quite shaken...

She felt a cold sweat of anxiety amid a sense of gratitude towards Li Yan. When she contacted him yesterday, she could gauge his attitude from their conversation. But today, he took the initiative to come to her home, and without him telling her father about some other antique selling matters to stir things up, perhaps not only her father, but her mother might have come too tonight!

She glanced at Li Yan beside her, not saying ’thank you’; among close ones, there’s no need for thanks.

She slowed down the car a bit and took out the phone, dialing her home number, setting it on speakerphone upfront.

The TV station hadn’t broadcasted anything yet, and her parents weren’t frequently online, while others, even friends, would still be in shock at this time, or some might be assessing the tragic losses. So for the moment, they hadn’t heard the news. Upon receiving the call, Yang Yun naturally inquired about the antique auction situation.

Seeing they were unaware, Yurong felt slightly at ease and delicately mentioned, "It’s not finished yet; the auction has been temporarily canceled due to an incident. Li Yan and I are heading back home now, we’re in the car, and I’ll explain in detail when we arrive."

Yang Yun wasn’t concerned about what incident occurred; since the auction was canceled, spending money on antiques was no longer an issue. She advised them to drive safely and discuss things further at home.

After hanging up, it occurred to her they both went out together; wasn’t Li Yan the one driving with Yurong? If Yurong isn’t driving, what does it matter if she talks on the phone?

However, at her age, safety was always first, with her daughter and her son-in-law in the car—one talking could affect the other’s driving focus. Since they said to call when they got home, she was relieved.

...

After three people reached home one after another in two cars, with the rest on the way, Li Yan’s eyes were much more relaxed after having rested en route. Looking at the familiar surroundings, his mindset had shifted significantly.

Living here for so many months previously, everything was given materially, but there was no special emotional connection; after leaving, he found he still felt attached to this place. It wasn’t about being enraptured by a good environment or luxurious home, nor from the duration of stay, but because it felt like home here! It’s a carefully nurtured atmosphere.