From Chen Ningxi, Ye Yujun learned that the couple would be visiting the Cheng Family for Lunar New Year, possibly staying overnight, and she was worried, afraid the Cheng Family might make things difficult for the young couple.
"How is Cheng’s relationship with his grandparents?" Ye Yujun asked.
Chen Ningxi replied, "Back then, my mother-in-law wasn’t very well-liked; his grandparents didn’t think highly of her either, so they were pretty cold toward Qiaobei."
Upon hearing this, Ye Yujun said, "Does this visit have to happen? So relatives are family, so are enemies. There’s no need to flatter the cold shoulders with a warm face. During New Year, everyone just wants peace of mind; tell Cheng, if he doesn’t want to go, then don’t."
Chen Ningxi truly admired her mom. To outsiders, she appeared to be a gentle, reasonable intellectual, but whenever her children faced grievances, her explosive temper was like a firecracker. Yet, one had to admit, she was principled and her worldview was solid.
Chen Ningxi laughed, "Mom, you really are sothing else."
Ye Yujun said, "What about ? Nowadays, if you get along well, then keep in touch; if not, let it be. Who can’t celebrate New Year without soone else? Tell Cheng not to stress himself out, no need to save face unnecessarily."
Chen Ningxi said, "Got it. I’ll ask him about the New Year visit when I get ho tonight."
Ye Yujun: "Alright then, I’m hanging up."
After dinner, Chen Ningxi tidied up the kitchen while Cheng Qiaobei was on the phone with a client in the living room.
When she finished tidying and ca out, Cheng Qiaobei had already ended his call.
She sat down beside the sofa and said, "My mom called today to ask what we’re missing for New Year supplies at ho."
"We’re not missing anything. You can tell her we’ve bought everything," Cheng Qiaobei replied.
"Exactly, I told her you’ve prepared everything," Chen Ningxi bit her lip. Cheng Qiaobei noticed she had more to say, so he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and held her hand, playing with it, saying, "What else is on your mind?"
"Mom’s worried we’ll get cold-shouldered at the New Year visit and asked to tell you, don’t worry about saving face. If you don’t want to go, then don’t."
Cheng Qiaobei sighed softly and said, "Honestly, I don’t want to go either, but Grandpa personally called this year. He probably isn’t in great health and feels that each eting is one less eting."
Hearing this, Chen Ningxi understood his thoughts.
Cheng Qiaobei added, "This year, his tone wasn’t like before; he sounded much kinder."
Family ties by blood can sotis be hard to sever. Listening to his aging grandfather plead for him to return ho, Cheng Qiaobei eventually softened.
"Oh, by the way," said Chen Ningxi, "my workplace finalized the duty roster. They considered that I’ve just gotten married, so they scheduled for duty on the sixth day of the New Year."
Talking about New Year’s work shifts reminded Cheng Qiaobei of last Lunar New Year when he visited her at work.
Seeing the unmistakable warmth in his gaze, Chen Ningxi naturally wrapped both arms around his neck. "What are you smiling about? What ca to mind?"
Lowering his head, soft-eyed, he said, "What else can I think about? Thinking about spending New Year with you, of course."
She suddenly beca thoughtful, saying, "This is our second New Year spent together."
Cheng Qiaobei gazed at her with a smile, and as he continued to look, his expression gradually took on a flirtatious undertone. "So? What do you think we should do now?"
His intentions were so obvious, they were impossible to ignore.
Cheng Qiaobei leaned closer, his hand gently touching Chen Ningxi’s cheek, softly coaxing, "Tell , what do we do now?"
She kissed him on the lips.
Cheng Qiaobei teased, "That’s quite perfunctory."
But Chen Ningxi replied, "It’s a reward."
The couple spent Lunar New Year at the Chen Family ho. Cheng Qiaobei helped Ye Yujun in the kitchen, busying himself amidst the hustle, while Chen Ningxi was on one phone call after another exchanging New Year’s greetings. No sooner had she hung up one call than another one ca through.
Holding the phone to her ear, she answered, "Hello, who’s this?"
"Manager Chen... it’s , Pan Cheng."
"..." Chen Ningxi paused for a mont.
Pan Cheng’s voice was undeniably familiar, yet through the phone, it felt oddly distant.
Truth be told, the impression Pan Cheng had left on her was far from positive. She responded with a polite but detached tone: "Uh... Manager Pan, Happy New Year."
At that mont, Pan Cheng stood on the balcony, smoking a cigarette. Turning his head, he glanced at Guo Shiwen in the living room, her belly visibly pregnant—she seed close to her due date.
While Pan Cheng still admired Chen Ningxi, the inappropriate thoughts he once held had long dissipated; all that remained was simple respect.
He laughed and said, "Happy New Year. Manager Chen, I don’t an anything else, just wanted to call and send my regards. The factory is doing well here; although the equipnt was just installed, orders have already started filling up. I heard Donggou installed wind-power generation equipnt—if there’s anything you need, feel free to contact . I’ll offer you the best possible pricing."
He was currently working in the submarine cable business, though wind-power equipnt had yet to extend offshore.
"We’ll contact you if we need anything."
The phone line briefly fell silent, prompting Pan Cheng to worry that she might hang up. He quickly added, "Please pass a ssage to Cheng Qiaobei—thank him on my behalf."
Chen Ningxi was puzzled. Why was he passing his thanks to Cheng Qiaobei through her?
"... Oh, should I pass the phone to him?"
"No need, just relay the ssage. Also, Happy New Year to your family—goodbye now."
Pan Cheng still carried a lingering fear of Cheng Qiaobei. If he hadn’t gone south to set up a factory, he might truly have hit rock bottom in Danjiang.
When Cheng Qiaobei erged from the kitchen, Chen Ningxi said, "Qiaobei, Pan Cheng just called."
Before she could finish her sentence, Cheng Qiaobei frowned and walked over. "What happened?"
His tone was sharp, as though ready to confront Pan Cheng. The air around him was imdiately charged with a threatening energy.
Chen Ningxi hurried to explain, "He didn’t say anything inappropriate. He just asked to pass on his thanks for helping out and ntioned his factory’s equipnt—orders are already coming in. He also said if my unit needs anything, to contact him for discounted pricing."
Cheng Qiaobei’s suspicion eased sowhat. "That’s all?"
Chen Ningxi was about to nod when she added, "He also wished our family well for New Year and said goodbye."
Cheng Qiaobei nodded; he’d never taken Pan Cheng seriously. "Fine, as long as he doesn’t bother you. By the way, Mom asked you to prepare so coins."
The Lunar New Year tradition of placing coins inside dumplings carries different regional variations but is mostly symbolic of hopes for wealth and good fortune in the coming year.
Cheng Qiaobei whispered into her ear, "I’ll tell you which dumpling I put the coin in."
Chen Ningxi laughed, "You should eat it. You need the money luck more than I do."
After cleaning a coin and bringing it to the island counter in the kitchen, Cheng Qiaobei asked, "Just one?"
Chen Ningxi replied, "Yep, my family only ever makes one each year."
Cheng Qiaobei: "That’s too few."
Chen Ningxi: "That’s what makes it exciting."
Once again, it was a Lunar New Year dinner where not everyone could gather. Chen Weichuan called to say they shouldn’t wait for him to eat; he was busy sending holiday greetings to frontline colleagues.
Ye Yujun had grown used to this, reminding him not to forget to eat dumplings before hanging up the phone and complaining to Chen Ningxi.
"Sigh... your dad’s job—it’s nonstop year-round. He hasn’t even had dinner yet."
Cheng Qiaobei asked, "Dad didn’t make it back last year either, did he?"
Putting down her phone, Ye Yujun replied, "Last year he made it for New Year’s dinner but had to rush out in the middle of the night when sothing happened at the mining site. Let’s eat; don’t wait for him any longer."
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