Chapter 69 New Year’s Eve

Chapter 69 New Year's Eve

In Haicheng, Zhao Mingshi had been living it up these past few days—so much so that his brain had practically shut down, with all his thoughts centered below the waist.

He had wheedled and coaxed until his girlfriend agreed to stay with him until noon on New Year’s Eve.

After lunch, his girlfriend left, and Zhao Mingshi finally took his time getting dressed.

But to his surprise, not long after, Zhao Shuo showed up.

The moment Zhao Mingshi opened the door and saw Zhao Shuo, his brain finally kicked back into gear.

He froze, realizing the room was a complete mess and he hadn’t cleaned up.

But it was too late—Zhao Shuo had already stepped inside.

As soon as Zhao Shuo entered, he smelled the air in the room and realized what it meant, staring at Zhao Mingshi in disbelief.

"Bro."

Feeling guilty, Zhao Mingshi went to open the window to air out the room.

Zhao Shuo’s face darkened. He went to the bathroom and, sure enough, saw two toothbrushes by the sink, along with a faint floral scent, like the face cream girls use.

When he came out, he pulled back the bedsheet and found it stained in patches, some areas still damp.

He then kicked the trash can and glanced inside—several used condoms.

"Zhao Mingshi!"

Zhao Shuo was stunned, pointing at the trash can. "Is this what you’ve been up to, alone in the hotel all this time?!"

"You're just a kid!"

"Bro!"

Zhao Mingshi quickly explained, "It was my girlfriend. She insisted on coming to see me."

He defended himself, "I’m already a sophomore in college. Isn’t it normal to have a girlfriend?"

Zhao Shuo was furious, his head spinning with anger.

He rubbed his forehead. "Ming Ming! Dating is one thing, but sleeping together is another!"

"You’re not even at the stage of considering marriage. How could you... how could you...?"

In Zhao Shuo’s view, or in the view of most people, intimacy like this should only happen after marriage.

Who sleeps together just because they’re dating?

Are people that open now?

To put it bluntly, these days, only people of questionable character would...

"Zhao Mingshi!"

Zhao Shuo gritted his teeth, pointing at him in frustration. "If Mom and Dad or my dad found out..."

"You really...!"

"What if she gets pregnant? You can’t possibly get married and have a child while still in college, can you?"

Zhao Mingshi’s next words nearly made Zhao Shuo lose his temper.

Zhao Mingshi blurted out, "How could that happen?"

"I’m just dating her. I never said I’d marry her."

"She’s from out of town, and her family doesn’t have much to offer. Why would I marry her?"

"Being pretty isn’t enough."

"You!"

Zhao Shuo couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He glared. "Is this how a college student should talk?!"

"Is this your level of thinking?!"

Only then did Zhao Mingshi realize he’d revealed too much. He quickly added, "She looked down on me first!"

"As soon as she found out my parents were both officials, she started coming onto me."

"But when she learned I was adopted and that my real parents are just workers at a silk factory, her attitude changed immediately."

"She’s the one who said she’d sleep with me but wouldn’t marry me."

Zhao Shuo was exasperated, wondering if this was what college students were like nowadays.

Zhao Mingshi pleaded, "Bro, please don’t tell Mom and Dad, okay?"

"I... I was just impulsive."

"She came over, kissed me, hugged me... I couldn’t help it."

Zhao Shuo said, "I don’t oppose you dating, but what kind of girlfriend is this?"

Zhao Mingshi softened his voice, putting on a pitiful act. "Once the semester starts, I’ll break up with her, okay? Please don’t tell Mom and Dad. I won’t do it again."

"She’s always pestering me, calling me, even showing up at the student union."

"She took off her clothes in front of me, exposed herself, asked me to hold her... She seduced me. I couldn’t resist."

Zhao Shuo’s expression tightened. "Ming Ming! I’m not a fool! I’m a man too!"

"If you had no interest in her, how could you end up in bed together?"

"Don’t push all the blame onto her!"

Zhao Shuo was genuinely disappointed. "Zhao Mingshi, after the New Year, you’ll only be nineteen. You’re still in school, still a student. How could you do something like this?"

Zhao Shuo had originally come to pick up Zhao Mingshi to spend New Year’s Eve at home.

He had spent the past few days trying to placate Zhao Guangqian. Today, on New Year’s Eve, relatives had gathered and urged Zhao Guangqian to accept Zhao Mingshi, praising him for his good character, intelligence, and academic achievements. They said Zhao Mingshi would surely achieve great things in the future and would take good care of them. Zhao Guangqian, swayed by their words and not wanting to spoil the holiday, finally relented.

But who could have expected...?

True to his Zhao family roots, with traces of both Zhao Guangqian and Zhao Guangyuan in him, Zhao Shuo, in his anger, immediately told Zhao Mingshi, "You’re not coming home for New Year’s Eve! Stay in the hotel and reflect on your actions!"

"Or go back to your biological parents!"

"Brother!"

Zhao Mingshi panicked.

Zhao Shuo turned and walked away.

"Brother!"

Zhao Mingshi felt frantic, furious, and full of regret, regretting he hadn’t cleaned the room before Zhao Shuo arrived.

He shouted, "Brother! You always dote on me the most!"

Zhao Shuo glanced back but kept walking: "You never used to do such crazy stuff. You used to be my good little brother!"

With a loud "bang," the door slammed shut.

Zhao Mingshi gritted his teeth, turned around in anger, grabbed a water glass from the table, and smashed it on the floor.

In the family home in Suzhou, Jiang Luo, Huo Zongzhuo, and his mother sat together, raising glasses filled with Suzhou’s special osmanthus wine.

"Happy Lunar New Year’s Eve!"

They clinked glasses and began happily enjoying the New Year’s Eve dinner.

In a small county in northern Jiangsu, Mo Wanzhen sat with her family for the reunion dinner. She had prepared red envelopes and handed them out as soon as they sat down—to her younger siblings and her parents. The whole family was delighted, filled with joy and harmony.

In Haicheng, Zhang Ningfu was also with his family. Although Old Man Xue was alone, he treated himself well—his table was laden with meat, fish, and a nice bottle of liquor.

Wang Chuang was with his parents at his grandparents’ house, celebrating with relatives. Nowadays, Wang Chuang’s family held their heads high, speaking with more confidence than before. Uncles and aunts looked up to them, praising Wang Chuang for his achievements and saying Wang Junwei and Bai Ting had raised a great son.

Although Jiang Jianmin and Zhang Xiangping hadn’t waited for Zhao Mingshi and went alone to Old Man Jiang’s place to celebrate with his two brothers, during the meal, Jiang Jianmin repeatedly boasted, "My son is a top student at Fudan University," and so on.

Jiang’s eldest brother asked them, "What about Jiang Luo? Did he go back to his biological parents?"

Jiang Jianmin said scornfully, "That ungrateful wretch. He’s not my biological son anyway—let him go back. I might as well have raised a dog."

At the Zhao family’s place, everyone was also happily gathered for the reunion dinner.

The difference was, most of Zhao’s relatives were doing quite well—either working in the system like Zhao Guangyuan, who held a minor leadership position, or doing business like Zhao Guangqian, though not on as large a scale as Zhao Guangqian’s.

At the table, they chatted about work, trivial matters, Pudong, and property.

Someone said, "I’ve seen some buildings finished in Gubei—really beautiful, no wonder it’s called an international community and marketed to foreigners."

"I saw them too—they’re nice, but the prices must be high."

"Are you buying one, huh?"

"We’ll see. If the buildings are nice and the apartments are good, we’ll definitely buy."

As the conversation continued, someone asked Su Lan, "Zhao Shuo isn’t young anymore. Is he still dating that girlfriend?"

"Are you buying a place for him to get married?"

"Gubei is really nice—are you thinking of buying there?"

Su Lan, feeling down because Zhao Mingshi wasn’t there and because of Jiang Luo, forced herself to chat with them: "We’ll go take a look first—hard to say for now."

"I think a townhouse would be better—one floor for eating, one for resting, so they don’t disturb each other."

A relative laughed, "Zhao Shuo, your mom wants to buy you a townhouse to get married in."

Zhao Shuo smiled but wasn’t in the mood.

Zhao Guangyuan and Zhao Guangqian sat together, discussing Pudong’s situation while eating.

Zhao Guangyuan said, "The plans for those plots of land were decided long ago."

"The buyers are all powerful bosses and big companies."

"You know Huo Zongzhuo, right?"

"He sold airplanes and made the news."

Zhao Guangqian: "I know him."

"He’s very close with several coal bosses from Shanxi."

"I’ve had dinner with him."

"He can even help people sell coal from Shanxi to Beijing—he must have connections there."

Zhao Guangyuan suddenly remembered something and whispered, "Zhao Shuo once happened to see Boss Huo having dinner with Jiang Luo. Last time Boss Huo came to our house, he also said he’s on good terms with Jiang Luo."

Bringing it up only annoyed Zhao Guangqian: "See! If we’d brought the child back earlier, he could’ve befriended someone like Huo Zongzhuo!"

"Stupid!"

Zhao Guangqian: "No matter what, get the child back for me! If he won’t come back, tie him up and drag him back if you have to!"

As the meal drew to a close, the Spring Festival Gala was broadcasting lively on TV.

Mother went upstairs for something. Huo Zongzhuo was watching the gala, while Jiang Luo leaned back in his chair. His mobile phone rang—it was Accountant Xue. He laughed into the phone: "Your son didn’t come back, did he?"

"Forget waiting for him. You’re better off waiting for me to come back and take care of you."

Huo Zongzhuo heard this, turned, and glanced at Jiang Luo with a soft expression.

Jiang Luo then got a call from Wang Chuang. He lowered his eyes, pouring osmanthus wine into his glass, and laughed into the mobile phone: "Hey, Boss Wang, are you drunk? Can’t even speak clearly?"

"Yeah, you too—Happy Lunar New Year’s Eve. Have a good year."

After hanging up, Mother happened to come down the stairs.

She held two big red envelopes, smiling as she handed one to Huo Zongzhuo and one to Jiang Luo: "Here, these are for you. Take them."

"Thank you, Mom."

Huo Zongzhuo reached out and took his.

Jiang Luo stood up, walked around the table, opened his arms to hug Mother, and drawled: "Tha~nk you, Mo~m~"

"Mo~m~ is the be~st~"

Huo Zongzhuo also took out a red envelope and handed it to Jiang Luo with a smile: "This is from me."

Jiang Luo saw it, immediately went over, bent down, and hugged Huo Zongzhuo: "Tha~nk you, Big Bro~"

"Big Bro~ is the be~st~ too~"

He said softly, "Right, Dad?"

Huo Zongzhuo chuckled, a muffled sound, and tapped Jiang Luo on the head with the red envelope, then exchanged a glance with his smiling mother.

Mother looked at them affectionately.

A sudden crackling sound came from outside the courtyard—it turned out someone was setting off fireworks in the alley.

Jiang Luo went out to watch, and Huo Zongzhuo followed, seeing the sparkling fireworks on the stone-paved path.

The fireworks were multicolored, dazzlingly beautiful, and fun.

The alley grew crowded, with many children joining in.

Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo stood together watching the fireworks, and they also saw someone set off firecrackers—a loud "boom" exploding high in the sky.

Huo Zongzhuo, who was standing beside Jiang Luo, raised his hand and covered his ears.

Jiang Luo turned his head, smiled at him, and said, "So I really am your son, since you're even covering my ears. What a good dad."

Huo Zongzhuo pinched Jiang Luo's ear with the hand covering it, and Jiang Luo elbowed him playfully.

When they returned, Mother continued watching the Spring Festival Gala, while Huo Zongzhuo and Jiang Luo cleared the table, carrying the dishes and utensils to the kitchen.

Huo Zongzhuo turned on the faucet, preparing to wash the dishes. Jiang Luo brought in the bowls and chopsticks and said, "Why do I feel like I’ve married into your family?"

Huo Zongzhuo found it amusing. As he rolled up his shirt sleeves, he glanced leisurely at Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo looked back at him. "What’s that look for?"

Huo Zongzhuo said meaningfully, "If you were my wife, you wouldn’t need to step into the kitchen."

"That good, huh?"

Jiang Luo set the dishes in the sink and turned around.

He had already walked away but came back, leaning close to Huo Zongzhuo with a mischievous, clever expression, and said, "Husband."

Then he quickly darted off, laughing wildly, afraid Huo Zongzhuo might kick him.

Huo Zongzhuo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He called out toward the door, "Keep this up, and you’ll be the one washing dishes!"

"You wash them! Consider it your privilege!"

Jiang Luo called back, "I’ll wipe the table and watch TV with Mom!"

Huo Zongzhuo smiled, turned around, and started washing the dishes.

His hands dipped into the water.

The water was cold, but his heart was warm.

In the living room, Jiang Luo kept Mother company watching TV and casually flipped through the red envelope Huo Zongzhuo had given him.

Opening it, he saw U.S. dollars and laughed.

He thought, if anyone ever became Huo Zongzhuo’s wife, he couldn’t even imagine how comfortable and happy life would be.

Jiang Luo also recalled that in his previous life, Huo Zongzhuo was still unmarried by nearly 40.

Jiang Luo flipped through the stack of U.S. bills in the envelope and pondered: Could he really be... incapable?

He decided to look for some folk remedies another day to help Huo Zongzhuo with that issue.

As a man, you’ve got to be tough!