Only when the curtains covering the window were completely drawn did Huang Xiaojue gradually erge from the shadow of the large tree. She probably had no idea how frantically he had once searched for her, as though he had lost his entire world. She definitely wouldn’t know how, when he first saw her at the company, the joy had been so overwhelming that his heart almost forgot to beat. Even though she was so close, was he still supposed to let go?
It was like the thin notebook he always kept close at hand. It contained solid evidence of countless heart-wrenching days. Without that, he would have let himself go to ruin long ago. But he endured, throwing himself into his work with frantic determination.
And then there was the check for 200,000—like a whip that lashed at his heart, spurring him on. Otherwise, how could he have achieved what he had today?
「That night」
Huang’s mother had just finished preparing dinner when her son ca ho.
When she opened the door and saw her son, she was overjoyed. "Xiaojue, why didn’t you call before you ca? I could’ve made sothing special. Look, I didn’t prepare much tonight..."
"Wow, it slls so good, Mom. Did you make chicken soup?"
"Yes, I stewed half a free-range chicken. Our relatives in the countryside raised them. They gave us four, and they’re in the freezer."
"Great, I love chicken soup."
Hearing voices, Xiaojue’s father also ca out of his study, grinning happily. "Xiaojue, you’ve co back at the perfect ti. Join for a few drinks tonight."
"Old man, are you out of your mind? Our son has so many social engagents where he drinks. Aren’t you afraid he’ll drink too much and hurt his liver? Don’t tell him to drink alcohol. Let him have chicken soup. I’ll go make a few more dishes..."
"You’re right. Xiaojue, don’t drink. I’ll drink by myself."
"It’s okay, Dad, I’ll join you for a few beers."
"Good, good, good, we’ll drink beer tonight. A little bit won’t hurt."
After a couple of beers, his mother brought out two more small dishes. She sat down joyfully, piling food onto her son’s plate. "Have this chicken leg, Xiaojue."
Huang Xiaojue looked at the chicken leg, then at his parents. "Mom, Dad, I have a girlfriend."
The old couple exchanged glances, and his mother seed a bit nervous. "Really? Why didn’t you bring her ho for us to et? Where is she from? What does she do for a living? Is she pretty?"
"I’ll find a ti to bring her ho to see you both soon."
"Isn’t today the weekend? Why didn’t you bring her today?"
He smiled. "Well, I haven’t quite prepared myself yet, have I? I just wanted to give you a heads-up first. We’ll set a ti to bring her over."
"Great, great, I can’t wait! Is her family well-off?"
Before Huang Xiaojue could answer, his father spoke up. "Old woman, can you stop asking about her family’s financial situation all the ti? Who starves to death these days, anyway? As long as she has good character and our son likes her, that’s all that matters."
Upon hearing this, his mother understood. Her husband was reminding her that their son had already failed at matchmaking ten or twenty tis. It was about ti she stopped being so picky.
Thanks to those ten or twenty failed blind dates, Huang’s mother imdiately lowered her expectations. Smiling, she said, "That’s true. As long as she has good character and you like her, Xiaojue, that’s fine. However, my son is such a catch, I’m sure the young lady you’ve found is top-notch in both looks and disposition."
Huang Xiaojue said seriously, "Well, the young lady is indeed top-notch in character and looks, but your son might not be as outstanding as you think. Mom, think about it. I spend so much ti on business trips, flying all over the place. I barely have any ti to spend with her. If she weren’t an exceptionally good woman who loves deeply, who else could put up with it?"
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