Chapter 29
The Beauty's Heart Visits Director Hu
Around 5 a.m., after eating dumplings, Zhou Yan went with his father to pay New Year's visits.
There were many pedestrians on the road, in large groups, making a grand procession.
The children followed behind the adults, throwing firecrackers as they walked, their faces beaming with happy smiles!
These children usually receive "lucky money" when they visit their elders' homes to wish them a Happy New Year, which is why they get up so early.
Zhou Yan walked around the neighborhood with several uncles and grandfathers, chatting and joking with his cousins, feeling exceptionally relaxed!
Despite his young age, he entered the workforce early.
His two older cousins are still in school, their eyes revealing a clear sense of naiveté!
Needless to say, some of my younger cousins are still in junior high school!
He's still just a "little kid"!
After a New Year's visit, the sky brightened.
Zhou Yan and his father also returned home!
"Brother, Happy New Year!" As soon as he got home, Zhou Jing came over with a shameless grin and bowed to Zhou Yan.
"What do you want?" Zhou Yan naturally knew what the other party meant.
"It's New Year's money," Zhou Jing said matter-of-factly.
"No," Zhou Yan said with a stern face.
"I don't believe it! You gave them to Mom and Dad yesterday, I want them too!" Zhou Jing shouted.
"What do you need the money for?"
"I need school supplies!" Zhou Jing shouted loudly.
"You're kidding me," Zhou Yan said, completely unconvinced. "Our family doesn't have any outstanding genes for academic excellence!"
Zhou Yan was a complete academic failure, so he failed his junior high school entrance exam and went to learn martial arts.
After graduating from martial arts school, I took the entrance exam for Beijing Sport University, and it took me several years to finally get accepted!
Zhou Jing is a little better than him in her studies, but not by much.
Rather than believing she bought school supplies, you might as well believe there are ghosts in this world!
"Hehe, I want to buy snacks," Zhou Jing chuckled, speaking the truth.
"I knew it," Zhou Yan said, reaching into his inner pocket and pulling out a red envelope.
"Don't let Mom know," Zhou Yan reminded her.
"Don't worry," Zhou Jing gave Zhou Yan a knowing look.
When Zhou Jing opened the red envelope in front of everyone and saw the hundred-yuan bill inside, she immediately became excited.
"Brother, I love you to death!" Zhou Jing was extremely excited. As a child from the countryside, she had never received such a large amount of New Year's money.
"Spend it secretly, keep a low profile," Zhou Yan knew Zhou Jing's personality; apart from liking to eat snacks, she wouldn't spend money recklessly.
This is why he felt comfortable giving out "hundred-yuan bills".
"Okay," Zhou Jing grabbed the money and ran off. She wanted to hide it quickly and spend it slowly!
Because of the snow, the winter of 1999 was particularly cold. The family gathered around the stove to warm themselves, and the atmosphere was very warm!
Since there is no underfloor heating in rural areas and no heated brick beds in Jeju, stoves have become the best way to keep warm.
However, it is also dangerous, as it can easily lead to carbon monoxide poisoning!
Therefore, it's necessary to leave a crack in the window at night!
Zhou Yan chatted with his parents. He didn't stay at home for too long and cherished the time he spent with his parents.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Yan accompanied her parents to visit relatives at her maternal grandparents' house, where she met her maternal grandmother and uncle.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Yan invited his childhood friends from the village to a dinner party to talk about the future.
On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Yan took her younger sister to the city to go shopping.
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, I started packing my things, preparing to return home tomorrow!
On the afternoon of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Yan embarked on his journey back to Kyoto.
There are no flights to Jeju Island, so he needs to travel by car to Seonseong, and then from Seonseong Airport to Kyoto Airport!
It's very troublesome and quite expensive.
Fortunately, he is now quite wealthy and just wants to get to Kyoto as soon as possible!
He brought a lot of things this time, including sausages, black goat legs, salted duck eggs from Weishan Lake, and handmade sesame oil, etc. The shipping alone cost him a lot of money.
These things were all given away as gifts; he didn't eat them himself.
Zhou Yan landed in Kyoto in the evening, pulling two suitcases out of the airport, the suitcases full of food.
I hailed a taxi at the entrance and headed straight for my building.
Upon seeing Zhou Yan, Fan Binbin rushed over eagerly.
"Husband, I miss you so much," Fan Binbin hugged Zhou Yan tightly, breathing in his scent, unwilling to let go for a long time.
Zhou Yansong opened the box and hugged Fan Binbin in his arms.
Neither of them spoke, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness.
Perhaps because Zhou Yan didn't move, Fan Binbin raised his head and looked at him with deep affection.
Zhou Yan noticed the other person's movement and looked down at Fan Binbin in front of him.
I haven't seen her for two months, and she seems to have become even more beautiful.
Especially her bright, expressive eyes, which were full of allure and longing.
Fan Binbin looked at Zhou Yan's handsome face and became more and more confused. She closed her eyes and kissed him!
Zhou Yan certainly did not disappoint the beauty's heart!
……
The day after returning to Kyoto, Zhou Yan called Hu En again, saying that he had brought back some local specialties from his hometown and wanted to visit him.
Hu En told Zhou Yan the address.
"Binbin, I'm going out for a bit," Zhou Yan said to Fan Binbin.
"Okay, be careful," Fan Binbin said without asking who Zhou Yan was going to visit.
If the other person is willing to talk, just tell her directly.
Upon arriving at Hu En's residence, Zhou Yan knocked on the door.
The person who opened the door was Director Hu En's wife.
"You must be Xiao Zhou, please come in," Mrs. Hu said warmly.
"Okay, Auntie," Zhou Yan said, unsure of what to call her, and simply referred to her as "Auntie."
"You're here, why are you carrying so much stuff?" Hu En said, somewhat reproachfully, looking at Zhou Yan carrying a full load of things.
"These are all local specialties from my hometown, they're not worth much."
"This is sausage made from the pig slaughtered by our neighbor. This is a leg of a black goat, also from a domesticated goat. This is a salted duck egg from Weishan Lake. This is sesame oil made by hand from sesame seeds. None of these are very valuable," Zhou Yan introduced each item.
For a leader of Hu En's caliber, it might not be worth much, but it's full of affection.
"Thank you for your thoughtfulness," Hu En thought, feeling a little touched.
Aunt Hu was overjoyed and took the things into the kitchen!
Do you know how to play chess?
"Yes," Zhou Yan nodded. He knew both Go and chess. His skill level wasn't top-notch, but he considered himself to be quite good.
"Want a plate?"
"Sure," Zhou Yan naturally agreed.
"Let's play chess then," Director Hu said, taking out a chessboard and setting it up while chatting with Zhou Yan. "Did you go to Shanghai before the New Year?"
"Yes, we signed an exclusive contract with Shanghai People's Publishing House," Zhou Yan said without hiding anything.
"I really didn't expect that you were actually Nanhua. I misjudged you," Director Hu said with deep emotion.
Who would have thought that a young man who graduated from a martial arts school would be the famous "Nanhua"?
He simply couldn't connect the two people together.
But the reality is that the two identities are indeed the same person.
"I wrote it when I had nothing else to do. I never expected to have some talent, and my book became a bestseller," Zhou Yan said in a somewhat cheeky tone.
"You little rascal," Hu En said, speechless.
"How many more surprises do you have in store for me?"
"No, really, that's all," Zhou Yan assured him.
The two players went back and forth, you captured my pawn, I attacked your pawn, you moved your horse, I set up my cannon.
In the end, Director Hu was the more shrewd and skillful one!
"It's almost noon, have lunch before you go back," Director Hu urged.
"No, it's getting late," Zhou Yan said, declining to leave.
Aunt Hu also tried to persuade Zhou Yan to stay, but he did not.
"Is this the benefactor you were talking about?" Aunt Hu asked, watching Zhou Yan's departing figure.
"It's him," Hu En nodded.
"This young man is quite good-looking and has a handsome appearance, but it's a pity that our daughter is already married and there's a significant age gap between them," Aunt Hu said with some regret.
"Alright, stop thinking about useless things," Hu En said, speechless at his wife's thoughts.