"Hey, why is this kid still like this? Ah Rui, you’re his brother, why don’t you teach him a bit?"
Zhao Guozhong shook his head, putting on an elder’s airs.
Chen Rui laughed and said, "What’s so good about smoking? If I could quit, I wouldn’t smoke either."
"He just doesn’t know what’s good. Here, let light that for you."
Zhao Guozhong eagerly lit the cigarette for his nephew Chen Rui, making him sowhat embarrassed.
In fact, he of course didn’t like this uncle who always ca to their house freeloading, but since he only had this one uncle, and his mother had only this one brother, he, as the eldest son, couldn’t just turn his uncle away like his younger brother might.
Once the cigarette was lit and he took a drag, he actually tasted a hint of ginseng.
"How about it? Not bad, huh?" Zhao Guozhong asked with a smile.
"Not bad, it has a ginseng flavor."
"Definitely, when you’re tired, smoking a ginseng cigarette not only revitalizes you but also strengthens the body."
"Hehe, I almost believed that."
---
Over at Chen Feng’s, as soon as he walked to the kitchen he directly asked his mom, "Mom, why is uncle here?"
"He just ca back from out of town, his place isn’t ready yet, can’t live there, and since it’s New Year’s Eve, he’ll stay with us for a few days. Later, clean up your room upstairs for him to sleep in."
"Why does he have to sleep in my room? Can’t he stay in that empty room on the third floor?" Chen Feng was reluctant.
"That room on the third floor is full of miscellaneous items, the bed isn’t even made. Will you go clean it up?"
That sealed the deal for Chen Feng. He changed the subject: "Where has he been these past few years?"
"He said he was in the Northeast, doing international business."
Quite the big business. Chen Feng asked, "Did he pay back the money he owes our family?"
"Why bring this up during New Year’s? Whatever it is, it can wait until after the festivities."
"Got it, so he hasn’t paid us back."
"Enough. Why make a fuss? It’s not easy for your uncle being alone."
Chen Feng rolled his eyes, knowing it was useless to argue further, and went back to his room to check his phone.
Zhao Xiaolan, among her four siblings, had parents who had passed away over a decade ago. Zhao Xiaolan was the third child, with an elder brother and sister, though sadly, the brother had also passed away a few years ago. Now, just the sisters and brother remained, and the elder sisters took especially good care of their younger brother.
So even though Chen Feng didn’t think highly of his uncle, he had no choice.
Their family had always been headed by his mom, Zhao Xiaolan.
It wasn’t until his mom called him for dinner that Chen Feng ca out of his room.
Uncle Zhao Guozhong was already sitting and drinking with Chen Dayong and Chen Rui, talking grandly as if he was the expert on everything, never pausing for a breath.
Smooth talking was indeed Zhao Guozhong’s only good trait.
On New Year’s Eve, wanting to avoid any unpleasantness, Chen Feng exchanged a few words with his uncle during the al and even toasted him.
The whole family, including the uncle, seed to have a good ti, laughing and enjoying themselves.
When it was almost ti for the New Year Gala, everyone gradually left the table to watch it at the local store.
Chen Feng had a color TV in his room, but watching the Gala alone seed dull, so he joined the others at the store.
The store’s TV was only thirty-two inches—sowhat small, but the gathering felt festive and lively as everyone snacked and watched the Gala, with relaxed and content expressions on their faces.
Chen Feng returned to his room after ten, and then his phone’s WeChat notification sound kept chiming.
It was ssages from a few female acquaintances including old classmates Wang Fang and Fang Xiaoyue, sending New Year’s greetings and asking to et up.
However, Chen Feng wasn’t keen on these sowhat proactive female classmates and replied cursorily with a few typed words.
More tricky was Guo ngyao, who had ssaged him early in the morning asking if he was up yet.
It had been almost ten days since they last contacted each other, and Chen Feng had thought they had mutually cooled off, either becoming acquainted strangers again or reverting to simply classmates upon eting next.
Her sudden ssage, acting as if nothing had happened, caught Chen Feng off guard.
Chen Feng deliberately waited over ten minutes before replying that he had just gotten up.
Guo ngyao almost instantly replied: [Alright, co out with to the city center to shop, I need to buy so clothes. I haven’t had ti to shop this New Year.]
Chen Feng imdiately refused: [It’s New Year’s Eve today, stores should be closed.]
[They opened during the day and will close at night.]
[I can’t go, still lots to do at ho.]
Chen Feng didn’t really want to spend New Year’s Eve walking through malls, even if it was just downtown.
After a few minutes, Guo ngyao sent a video call invitation.
At that mont, Chen Feng was watching TV with his father and brother at the store, and he imdiately declined the call, then quickly typed: [My dad and mom are right here, what are you thinking?]
Guo ngyao sent a smug laughing emoji, then typed: [If you don’t accompany , who knows, I might just show up at your house.]
[Tomorrow maybe, I really don’t have ti today.]
Honestly, Chen Feng was sowhat reluctant to completely cut ties with her, fearing that she might develop real feelings for him, which was why he had intentionally been distant.
Moreover, Chen Feng was indeed interested in investing in her company, hoping to provide so financial support for his family in the future, allowing his elderly parents to receive substantial dividends from her company after he was gone.
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