Chapter 143 1992

Chapter 143: 1992

This Spring Festival, his second New Year's celebration with his mother, Huo Zongzhuo, Jiang Luo was still very happy.

He felt that Suzhou was a magical place. While other provincial capitals or economically developed cities were undergoing widespread demolition and constructing new high-rises, Suzhou had stayed exactly the same. Pingjiang Road was exactly as before—white walls, gray tiles, and stone-paved paths—giving people a feeling of peaceful stability in the here and now. Jiang Luo really liked it.

Jiang Luo wore a cashmere sweater his mother had knitted from the wool of Huo Zongzhuo's old sweater. It was very warm and fit him perfectly.

Wearing this sweater, he helped Huo Zongzhuo out in the kitchen, ate and chatted with his mother while playing cards, then put on his coat and took walks around Pingjiang Road and the nearby streets with Huo Zongzhuo.

His mother placed two rattan chairs under the eaves in front of the courtyard—one for herself and one for Jiang Luo. She also brought out a radio to listen to broadcasts, and they listened to opera together.

Jiang Luo placed the white cat on his lap, stroking it while singing along to the opera in a high-pitched voice.

Huo Zongzhuo took a camera and snapped a picture of this peaceful scene.

In Haicheng, at the Zhao family home, Zhao Guangqian, who was usually away, had come home. The atmosphere at home this year was especially cheerful because Huang Bingbing was pregnant.

The family, including the young couple and Huang Bingbing’s parents and elders, had a lively New Year's Eve celebration together.

By the third day of the lunar new year, relatives gathered and were overjoyed to learn that Huang Bingbing was pregnant, giving her all kinds of advice and well-wishes.

“Is it a boy or a girl?” someone asked curiously. “Did you get it checked?”

Huang Bingbing, being a doctor, was well aware of the hospital’s ban on using ultrasounds to determine the baby’s gender. When relatives asked, she didn’t have much to say.

Su Lan and Zhao Shuo quickly interjected: “There’s no need to check. Anyway, we’re only allowed to have one child now.”

“Whether it’s a boy or a girl, it’s fine.”

“That’s true,” the relatives agreed. “We’ll find out when the baby is born. It’ll be a nice surprise. That’s good.”

The relatives also made a point not to bring up Zhao Mingshi, not wanting to spoil the festive mood for Zhao Guangyuan and the others during the New Year.

They spoke of Jiang Luo, praising him effusively: “That kid is really impressive now! He’s making big money! Doing even better than Zhao Guangqian. Truly remarkable.”

They also comforted Zhao Guangyuan and Su Lan: “After all, he’s your child, he’s your flesh and blood. It’s only a matter of time before he comes home.”

“When Zhao Shuo and Huang Bingbing got married, didn’t he send gifts and a red envelope? That shows he still has this family in his heart.”

Zhao Guangqian thought the same.

He used to be anxious and angry that Jiang Luo wouldn’t return home.

But after what happened with Zhao Mingshi and Zhao Guangyuan’s near-fatal heart attack, Zhao Guangqian came to a realization: take it slow.

Zhao Guangyuan privately discussed Jiang Luo with Zhao Guangqian, saying, “Although he hasn’t accepted the things Su Lan and I sent to the factory, fortunately, I’m working at the Pudong office. Since he’s now developing land in Pudong with Huo Zongzhuo, I can still keep an eye on him to some extent.”

“In Shenzhen, I’ve also asked my friends and old classmates to look out for him.”

Zhao Guangqian replied, “His business has gotten really big.”

“I’ve heard he’s bought up land in many places across the country.”

"Where did he get the money? A loan? He couldn't possibly qualify for that much."

"Is it from that Mr. Huo?"

Zhao Guangyuan nodded: "I heard they're in business together now."

"I've also called Mr. Huo a few times, asking him to look out for Jiang Luo."

Zhao Guangqian burst out laughing as he spoke: "This kid's really got something special. He's earned the right to be cocky."

He patted Zhao Guangyuan on the shoulder, "A son like this isn't made by parenting alone, and you can't expect to keep him close."

"Alright, let's not dwell on whether he comes home or not."

"The ancestors' graves must be smoking to have such an impressive son."

Zhao Guangyuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Big brother, what made you change your mind?"

"What choice do I have?"

Zhao Guangqian shot him a look: "I haven't forgotten how that brat told me to get lost back then."

"Arrogant! So damn arrogant!"

"He's this arrogant, and he's actually climbed to the top. What can I say?"

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the streets were packed with holiday crowds. Wang Chuang and Mo Wanzhen went out shopping together.

They were having a good time at first, acting like friends, but when they reached East Nanjing Road, they fell into an awkward silence as they walked side by side. Mo Wanzhen let her arms hang at her sides, walking at a relaxed pace, her gaze shifting from one shop to another. Wang Chuang, whether from awkwardness or guilt, glanced away, his hands occasionally dropping or rising to scratch the back of his head.

Finally, when Mo Wanzhen turned and asked if he wanted to eat candied hawthorn, Wang Chuang took her hand.

Mo Wanzhen froze, her face instantly flushing red. Wang Chuang pretended to be casual, gripping her hand tightly as he said, "Where? Where is it? Do you want some? I'll buy it for you."

Mo Wanzhen didn't respond, lowering her gaze, her face still red, letting Wang Chuang hold her hand. Wang Chuang fell silent after speaking, feeling rather embarrassed, and scratched his head with his free hand.

"Let's go, it's over there."

Mo Wanzhen gestured toward a direction.

Hand in hand, they walked over to buy the candied hawthorn.

In the United States, at a university library, a student of Chinese descent gathered his things and stood up, saying to Zhao Mingshi across the table: "Mingshi, it's New Year's Eve back home. Aren't you going back? Not spending it with friends either?"

Zhao Mingshi looked up from his book and smiled: "You go ahead, I'll stay a bit longer."

The boy: "Bye."

Zhao Mingshi: "Bye."

Zhao Mingshi turned to look out the window beside him—it was the New Year again.

He still vividly remembered last year’s New Year, when he was kicked out of the Zhao family and killing time with An Qiao in a hotel room.

He also remembered the year before, celebrating with relatives at home, the whole family getting along happily and harmoniously. Zhao Guangqian was so pleased he gave him a red envelope with 10,000 yuan.

Now, thinking back, it all feels like ages ago.

And how did everything change?

It started when he donated blood at school, went home, and mentioned his blood type to Su Lan and a relative who was a doctor.

If he hadn’t gone home that time to mention his blood type to Su Lan and the doctor relative...

If he hadn’t donated blood back then...

Forget it, no use dwelling on what-ifs.

Zhao Mingshi withdrew his gaze and went back to his book.

The new year began after the Spring Festival holiday—

Bai Ting and Wang Junwei bought a house for Wang Chuang in Shenzhen and also rented a shop there to continue selling pagers and mobile phones.

Despite the small shop, business was thriving.

With business doing so well, Wang Junwei and Bai Ting not only bought a new home in Gubei but also purchased a Volkswagen. Both learned to drive and took turns using the car, always carrying a mobile phone with them, looking every bit the successful boss and his wife, having completely left their old lives as factory workers behind.

Wang Chuang and Mo Wanzhen confirmed their relationship and officially started dating.

Jiang Luo found out about their relationship almost immediately.

Jiang Luo, pleased to see them together, gave them both a raise and a bonus, encouraging them to date boldly and without holding back.

He told Wang Chuang that when they got married, he would cover all the wedding expenses.

Wang Chuang looked baffled and said, "I’m the one dating, so why are you happier than I am?"

Jiang Luo went on, "And then you can have a set of twins, a boy and a girl."

"Come on, cut it out."

Wang Chuang looked at him in disbelief: "How could that happen? You're really getting ahead of yourself."

Right after the New Year, Jiang Luo immediately went on a business trip to Shenzhen to prepare for the development of a commercial land plot.

He was ambitious and no longer satisfied with just working in the garment industry.

With Huo Zongzhuo as his powerful backing, he made exceptionally big moves.

In June of that year, Jiang Luo’s company was officially renamed Shengfei Group, expanding into industries such as clothing, real estate, automobiles, semiconductors, and computers.

He and Huo Zongzhuo’s "Zhikun Group" held cross-shareholdings, with their subsidiaries and affiliated industries interconnected; their relationship was complex and deeply intertwined.

The two companies also moved into the same office building, with Shengfei on the upper floors and Zhikun on the lower floors.

In October, Huang Bingbing gave birth to a daughter named Zhao Huanyan.

No one informed Jiang Luo, but Secretary Lu arrived as expected, presenting a newborn gift set and a thick red envelope.

Huang Bingbing accepted it, and the Zhao family appreciated Jiang Luo’s gesture.

That same year, the silk factory's dormitory building was slated for demolition.

Every household signed the agreement, received compensation, and gradually moved out.

Jiang Jianmin’s family was almost the last to move, dissatisfied with every aspect of the demolition terms and dragging out the process before finally signing.

After signing and receiving the money, Jiang Jianmin and Zhang Xiangping did not buy a house but instead moved into Jiang Jianmin’s parents’ cramped old alleyway home, squeezing in together.

In their words, why buy a house? What’s the point? A few bricks costing so much—2,000 yuan per square meter—only fools would buy. Better to keep the money in hand.

Did they really not want to buy a house?

Of course not.

They did.

But they couldn’t bear to spend their own money.

After squeezing into the elderly couple’s cramped home for two months, the other siblings complained, and Jiang Jianmin and Zhang Xiangping had had enough.

They started scheming; their minds turned to Jiang Luo.

Wasn’t Jiang Luo doing business and making money? They’d heard Bai Ting and Wang Junwei were even driving cars now.

Why shouldn’t they ask Jiang Luo for money?

They had raised him for a full eighteen years! Eighteen years!

So one day, Zhang Xiangping and Jiang Jianmin went to the Shengfei Factory in Juxiang Town.

Seeing how bustling the area around the factory was and how large the factory itself was, they gritted their teeth and decided to ask for more.

But they couldn’t even get through the gate.

The security guard asked them, "Who are you? The factory isn’t hiring right now."

Zhang Xiangping: "We’re the parents of your factory director! We raised him for eighteen years!"

Jiang Jianmin: "Get him out here! What kind of son treats his father like this?!"

Unable to enter, Zhang Xiangping and Jiang Jianmin shamelessly made a scene at the gate, hoping to make it known to everyone and embarrass Jiang Luo into letting them in.

Unexpectedly, the security guard received a phone call, came out, and released the dogs—a pair of fierce rural wolfhounds and two newly raised, glossy-coated German Shepherds.

The German Shepherds and wolfhounds chased after Zhang Xiangping and Jiang Jianmin, biting at them. The couple, terrified, ran and screamed, stumbling as they went, yelling, "Murder!"

Bystanders watched and laughed.

Though no one knew the exact details, it was clear to everyone what was happening: "Cut the crap about being his parents."

"Do you know how well they treat their employees at Shengfei Factory?"

"Jiang Luo doesn’t even shortchange his workers, let alone his parents."

"If you were really his parents and raised him, he definitely wouldn’t treat you poorly."

"Maybe you mistreated him in the past, and that’s why he wants nothing to do with you now?"

Someone chimed in: "We run small businesses near the factory gate, and Jiang Luo never gives us trouble. He even lets the workers come out to buy from us. When it’s hot, he sends people out to give us cold drinks."

"If Jiang Luo treats us like this, how much more would he treat his parents the same?"

"You two definitely aren’t his parents."

"We are! Of course we are…"

Chased by the dogs and mocked by the crowd, Zhang Xiangping and Jiang Jianmin soon slunk away in disgrace.