As everyone chatted, I twirled my wine glass in my hand while looking out the window. There stood a ginkgo tree older than me. When my grandfather was alive, he loved to sit under that tree to cool off. Whenever he lit his pipe, I would lean over, because the smoke would stimulate his storytelling. I especially loved listening to his stories of heroes full of love and righteousness.

Back then, I was a big fantasist, thinking that when I grew up, I would be just as heroic as Wu Song in the story... So, I always wanted to kill a tiger to prove myself. For a long time, I liked to stare at the mountain opposite my house because the trees there were dense and there must be fierce beasts like tigers. Whenever I did that, I felt that the only thing separating me from a hero was a mountain and a tiger. I was already a quasi-hero.

Later I learned that there were no tigers there, only pandas... But that didn't stop me from pursuing heroism. I started learning to make wooden swords, matchstick guns, and all sorts of weapons that could defeat tigers, and I was extremely enthusiastic about it.

But at this moment, I suddenly realized that my dream of becoming a hero is no longer as simple as a mountain or a tiger. I will never become the hero I have imagined in my life, because what I face are all kinds of strange human hearts. They are more terrifying and greedy than tigers... Tigers at most eat meat, but human hearts even drink blood. And the weapons I have created cannot harm them in the slightest.

I suddenly miss my grandfather, and I miss the heroic dreams he instilled in me...

I gripped the wine glass tightly in my hand, then helplessly let go...

At this moment, the aunt said to Ye Zhi, "Xiao Ye, I just heard that your group is also involved in commercial real estate... I happen to work for a local construction company. You must have projects to outsource, right? If there's an opportunity, you could cooperate with our company... Our company actually has a pretty good talent pool, but because we come from a small county, people think we lack vision, so we haven't done any decent large projects... If I really have the opportunity to work on your group's projects, I'll consider it a great contribution to the company... By the way, our company is strongly supported by the local 'government,' giving us natural advantages in many aspects... If you have time, you can talk to our leader..."

I felt extremely uncomfortable, so I was in a completely unwilling state to listen...

I gradually lost control of my anger. I felt that the current situation was very different from what I had imagined. I couldn't see any warmth in the family, only naked self-interest.

I slammed my wine glass on the table and said angrily, "Enough... Aunt, Aunt, Xiao Ye and I have come back here once in a while just to check on my parents' health and what's going on at home... I don't object to you coming over for dinner, but as soon as you sit down, you start talking about this kind of thing with Xiao Ye... Do you think that's appropriate?"

The aunt's face darkened: "How can you change your mind so quickly... We only came to talk to Xiaoye because we knew you rarely come back... Besides, we're not forcing you, we just hope Xiaoye can do us a favor for the sake of family... You're an adult, don't you know how materialistic this society is?... Let me tell you, this is a society that values ​​resources and personal connections. If you can't seize the opportunity, you'll be eliminated by this society in the end!"

"Do you even know what human relationships are?... You've completely squandered them!"

The other person was, after all, my elder, so I tried my best to control my emotions so as not to say anything that would hurt their feelings.

After a brief pause, amidst the silence, I spoke again in a low voice: "Auntie, Auntie, if you can still feel any family warmth in this meal, then please sit and continue eating... If you feel that I, Michael, am heartless and don't want to eat anymore, then I won't keep you... It's not that I don't want to keep you, it's that I dare not... because you don't treat Xiaoye as my girlfriend, but only as your social resource..."

The eldest and youngest aunts' faces turned ashen.

My mother and I remained silent. I knew that my two aunts were used to being domineering in front of us, which was why they dared to say and do such things without any regard for our family's feelings.

Unexpectedly, Old Mi suddenly exploded. He grabbed his aunt, who was closest to him, and pulled her up, then angrily said, "I don't think you came here to have a proper meal... Get out of here... Let us have a peaceful meal."

"Brother...do you think we did something wrong?...Don't you know yourself that whenever you have an illness or something, you go to your brother-in-law to get special treatment...so why can't you tolerate us asking Xiao Ye for help?"

"The person isn't even married yet... Don't you guys have any sense of propriety?"

"Michael has already brought her back... it's only a matter of time before she marries into the family!"

My aunt's personality is really strong. When it comes to talking, Old Mi is no match for her. He was so angry that he lit a cigarette, then took out a room key from his pocket and said to me, "Mi Gao, you must be tired after driving all day... Take Xiao Ye to the hotel to rest. The room is booked at the Dujiang Hotel, and the room number is on the card."

"Um."

Old Mi forced a smile and said to Ye Zhi, "Girl, have your aunt cook another good meal tomorrow at noon, and you can come back for lunch... just the whole family."

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