Chapter 52 Everyone says that Song Zhao's luck is... when it comes to big things.
Xiaoyin brought Meng Kaiyang back, which means they've officially become a couple. These two kids met during high school training, got to know each other for over two years in college, and now they've officially become a couple. They should have thought this through.
Xiaoyin has always been decisive since she was a child. She had already planned her college application choices on the day she entered university. This time, it shouldn't be a whim, but a natural progression. Nie Qingqing supports her.
She was quite happy and brought this joy home, announcing to her family—one adult and two children—that Xiaoyin was bringing her boyfriend home.
“The boy’s name is Meng Kaiyang. I’ve met him a few times and I have a good impression of him. I’m telling you beforehand, no one is allowed to make things difficult or picky.”
Tangyuan was eager to try: "Great, I can help my sister check it out."
Nie Qingqing: "Give me a break, don't make things worse."
She especially instructed Song Zhao: "Especially you, you are not allowed to look at me with a cold shoulder."
Song Zhao rarely felt powerless, but this time she deeply felt that as her children grew up, she could no longer manage them like she did when they were young.
He asked, "May I ask about his family situation?"
You can ask, but it's best not to pry. After all, you're not at the point of discussing marriage yet. Xiaoyin already said that he has nowhere to spend the New Year. Since he's your boyfriend, you should invite him.
She said, "Xiaoyin was able to bring the person back because she trusts her family. Once you meet them, don't act like you're trying to steal their household registration; that's not right."
Song Zhao had no choice but to agree.
Tangyuan comforted him: "Dad, what are you worried about? No matter what Mom says, I will keep an eye on things. When they arrive, I will stay with Kaiyang. In one night, I will be able to find out about three generations of their family's relationship. Just you wait and see."
...
Xiaoyin returned with Meng Kaiyang. Nie Qingqing asked Lehan to reserve two rooms for her. Song Zhao grumbled a bit about this, but she persuaded him.
She said, "It's not good for someone to be alone in a hotel when they first come here. They'll feel lost and anxious. Tangyuan said she wanted to stay with Meng Kaiyang, so isn't it more reasonable for Xiaoyin to stay in a hotel?"
The only one who could persuade Song Zhao was Nie Qingqing, and he readily agreed: "You've thought things through very carefully."
Xiaoyin and Meng Kaiyang got off the car side by side. Meng Kaiyang carried both of their luggage bags, while Xiaoyin carried a small crossbody bag and a gift bag for her family in her hand.
Song Zhao gave Tangyuan Xiaoyuan a shove, and the two boys rushed over and snatched the luggage from Meng Kaiyang's shoulders and hands.
"Hello, Brother Kaiyang," Tangyuan greeted him warmly.
Meng Kaiyang was touched by this warmth. He recognized Aunt Nie and the handsome uncle next to her must be Xiaoyin's father.
He quickly greeted them, "Hello, uncles and aunties."
Nie Qingqing smiled and said, "There are too many people at the station. Let's talk back at the hotel."
...
We ate lunch and dinner at the hotel. Nie Qingqing arranged lunch, and Shumei arranged dinner, saying that her goddaughter had brought her boyfriend back and they had to come and meet him.
The lunch was simple, and Song Zhao couldn't help but ask about his family situation.
Song Zhao said, "We only heard about your family situation from Xiaoyin. Now we're worried that your foster family might have some objections to you coming to spend the New Year with us."
Meng Kaiyang was trying to figure out how to explain the reason when Uncle Song asked. After putting down his chopsticks, he straightened his posture and answered:
"Actually, this year I took the initiative to ask Xiaoyin if I could come to her house for the Spring Festival. I wanted to make my foster family realize that I am just a foster child, not their child. Xiaoyin agreed. Before coming, I had already talked to the uncles and aunts of the foster family."
"I see," Meng Kaiyang said, adjusting his attitude. "From now on, Xiaoyin doesn't need to worry about his foster family." Nie Qingqing felt much more at ease.
Song Zhao was quite satisfied. This boy was pretty good; he was able to break away on his own after becoming an adult, without dragging things out. That was good.
However, one must also have a conscience. He asked, "Do you feel indebted to your foster family and need to support them in their old age?"
Meng Kaiyang's situation is actually not complicated. His parents are both distant relatives. Since they have no affection for him and are afraid that he will be abused and that they will try to seize his small inheritance, they entrusted him to a neighbor across the street with whom they have a good relationship. The inheritance has been notarized. Since there is no blood relation, the neighbor cannot get it and naturally will not have any ulterior motives.
Meng Kaiyang said, "My parents considered the issues that Uncle Song was worried about. They made arrangements before sending me to foster care, and they have already repaid the favor."
That's even better. Song Zhao was finally satisfied and stopped asking about his family situation. His parents were gone, and he had been fostered for seven or eight years. Asking too much would make him feel bad.
...
That evening, Shumei brought her family over and met the boy Xiaoyin had brought back. She had a very good first impression of Meng Kaiyang. After discussing it with Nie Qingqing, they gave each other red envelopes of the same amount as a gift.
He Shumei was truly gratified, yet also envious of Nie Qingqing. She put her arm around Nie Qingqing's shoulder and laughed, "I'm so envious of your young and beautiful mother-in-law."
Nie Qingqing had something even more to be proud of: "That's right, let me tell you, Xiaoyin asked me to stay and keep her company, saying she wanted to have a private talk with me, and I was really happy."
"That's wonderful!" He Shumei thought, happy for her, and then teased, "Song Zhao will be unhappy about being alone in his room."
Nie Qingqing laughed: "No, he's just curious what Xiaoyin wants to tell me."
...
Xiaoyin hadn't had a chance to talk to Nie Qingqing alone from the time she got off the bus in the morning until evening. She was afraid that things would continue like this, so she kept her there. Otherwise, Xiaoyin would have had a sleepless night.
She and Meng Kaiyang felt the timing was perfect; they hardly needed to confess their feelings—a single word or a smile was enough to establish their relationship.
Nestled in the warm blankets, Xiaoyin leaned against her, feeling very happy, and said, "Aunt Qingqing, I won't hide it from you. Meng Kaiyang and I like each other, but we each have our own reasons. He is avoiding his foster family, and I am avoiding my mother's possible future coercion, so I settled down with Meng Kaiyang."
Nie Qingqing sensed something was wrong and quickly asked, "What's wrong with your mother?"
"She got divorced and moved to Shanghai after the divorce. Uncle Ji's family is still in Shenzhen. I was afraid you might run into each other and not know, which would be awkward, so I'm telling you."
Yunli got divorced?
She and Ji Chengtian were truly in love, weren't they doing just fine? They're running a business together, have a child together, why would they get a divorce?
After digesting the information for a while, Nie Qingqing suddenly thought of something and asked, "Could it be that Ji Chengtian has someone else outside?"
Xiaoyin remained calm and said, "Aunt Qingqing, you've got it all backwards. My mom met a more outstanding man. She said her horizons have broadened, and Uncle Ji is unambitious and even holds her back by not going to Haishi to develop. She filed for divorce, and Uncle Ji didn't object. My mom has that kind of personality; she didn't wait even a day longer before getting divorced."
Isn't this childish? Who hasn't said the word "divorce" during an argument? How come those two actually got divorced?
It's their business if they get divorced, but the only problem is how to tell Xiaoyuan.
Nie Qingqing asked, "Should I speak about Xiao Yuan's side?"
I told you so.
Xiaoyin said, "After breakfast tomorrow, could you and Dad help me buy return tickets for the fourth day of the Lunar New Year from Meng Kaiyang? I'll talk to Xiaoyuan. I think Xiaoyuan won't care. As long as you and Dad don't get divorced, my mom's situation won't hurt him."
"Okay, I'll mention it to your dad later, but he doesn't like hearing it, so I won't say anything more."
The two chatted about other things. Yun Li's divorce had no impact on Xiao Yin, so Nie Qingqing was relieved. Seeing that it was almost midnight, she turned off the lights and went to rest.
...
Nie Qingqing stayed with Xiaoyin, while Tangyuan Xiaoyuan and Meng Kaiyang chatted enthusiastically until midnight. Song Zhao was alone at home, feeling lonely and uneasy, and tossed and turned until late at night before finally falling asleep.
I dreamt while I was asleep. This time, I dreamt of Meng Kaiyang's neighbor's younger sister. She took the train to Pengcheng Railway Station alone, refused to take the bus, and instead took an unlicensed tricycle. Halfway there, the driver tried to raise the price on the spot. The girl argued with him and said she would call the police, which angered him. He snatched her bag, and when she chased after him, she was beaten up.
Because she showed up uninvited and caused such a scene, the family didn't have a good New Year, and they were even blamed by her parents.
Song Zhao was afraid that if he told others about his dream, he would never dream of it again, so he didn't even dare to tell Qingqing.
He woke up, and it was already daylight. He needed to think of a reason to go to the train station with Qingqing. She had seen that little girl before, recognized her, and contacted her parents in advance to get rid of this trouble.
...
In the morning, after Song Zhao arrived, the family had morning tea at the hotel. Tangyuan ordered all her favorite dishes, filling the table to the brim.
"Brother Kaiyang, try it, everything is delicious."
With Tangyuan around, there was never a dull moment. However, after chatting for a while, Tangyuan realized that Kaiyang was a very smart and principled person, which made it difficult for her sister to control him. This worried Tangyuan a lot.
Song Zhao's concern isn't this; it's that if he brings up buying tickets now, will Meng Kaiyang become suspicious?
Just as they were hesitating, Qingqing took the initiative to suggest, "Song Zhao, let the children talk for a bit. We'll go buy train tickets for Xiaoyin and Kaiyang; they've decided to leave on the fourth day of the new year."
"What a coincidence!" Song Zhao nodded. "Let's go now."
Meng Kaiyang quickly stood up: "Thank you, Uncle and Aunt. Xiaoyin said you are strict, but I didn't feel it at all."
Song Zhao said, "Don't thank me yet. I'm actually not easy to get along with. Wait until we've known each other for a while before you judge me."
What did Uncle Song mean by that? Meng Kaiyang didn't understand, and he had a bad feeling.
...
The train station was crowded. Nie Qingqing was in line when Song Zhao said he felt a bit stuffy and wanted to go out for some fresh air.
"Qingqing, I'm going out for a while. I'll be in a prominent spot in the square."
Nie Qingqing became worried. He seemed preoccupied this morning. What was bothering him so much?
She urged him to go out for some fresh air: "Don't go too far, I'll come find you after I buy your ticket."
Song Zhao went out. He's such a clingy person, and he didn't queue with her. Nie Qingqing was very worried. After queuing for more than half an hour and buying the tickets, she rushed out to look for him.
...
Song Zhao was at the exit plaza. She jogged over, but changed direction halfway there.
Because she saw Meng Kaiyang's little neighbor girl negotiating a price with a black tricycle driver.
With no adults around, and during the Lunar New Year, she came looking for Meng Kaiyang all by herself? That's too willful.
She dared to take a black rickshaw after getting on the train station; who knows where it would take her? It was too dangerous.
How much trouble will Meng Jinsi cause Xiaoyin by coming all this way? For Xiaoyin's sake, she has to stop this girl.
...
She stepped forward, blocking the path of the black tricycle, and said with a stern face, "How dare you abduct a child! Come with me to the police station at the train station!"
Meng Jinsi was startled to have run into Song Xiaoyin's stepmother, ruining her plan to secretly find her brother.
But we can't let this tricycle driver, who's just trying to make a living, suffer as a result. He's working hard to earn money to support his family.
She couldn't bear it and quickly said, "Aunt Qingqing, he's not a human trafficker. I found him to take me to the hotel."
Nie Qingqing glared fiercely at her naive explanation: "What do you know? If you get sold out, you'll have your day. Do your family members even know you're here? Call them right now!"
Song Zhao has arrived. After getting some fresh air, he looks refreshed and energetic. He's the kind of person who can take on three or four black tricycle drivers.
"Qingqing, whose child is this?" Song Zhao asked.
"Are you feeling better?" Nie Qingqing didn't answer, but asked about his condition first.
Song Zhao nodded: "Much better. I was probably just feeling stuffy earlier, but I'm fine now."
His expression did indeed relax, and Nie Qingqing felt relieved. Pointing at Meng Jinsi, she said, "Kaiyang's neighbor's child, looks like he ran away. It's the New Year, and he's so willful, always causing trouble for others."
Seeing this, the driver of the unlicensed tricycle didn't dare to cause any trouble and rode away.
Neither Nie Qingqing nor Song Zhao intended to pursue them. How could they possibly manage the chaos at the train station?
The most urgent thing is to call Meng Jinsi's parents, get rid of this trouble, and prevent it from affecting the family's New Year celebrations.
...
Nie Qingqing originally wanted to have a good talk with Meng Jinsi's parents and ask them to keep their children in check. Song Zhao was not going to be polite about causing trouble for other people's families.
"Qingqing, let me communicate with her."
Well, he's Xiaoyin's biological father, so he says he's more intimidating.
The call connected, and Meng Jinsi first called out in a pitiful voice, "Dad, Mom, I'm with my brother."
Look at how this child talks! This is a train station, Meng Kaiyang doesn't even know that. She just said she was with her brother. Who knows what her parents will say, making Meng Kaiyang take good care of her? Absolutely not!
Just as Nie Qingqing was about to speak, Song Zhao spoke first.
He put the phone on speakerphone and said in a serious voice, "I am Song Xiaoyin's father. Your daughter ran away to Pengcheng and was caught by my wife and me. Xiaoyin and Meng Kaiyang don't know yet, and we won't let them know before they return. Everyone wants to celebrate the New Year. If your family doesn't want to celebrate properly, then don't ruin other people's New Year celebrations!"
The other party's parents quickly apologized, saying they were very worried at home and would be relieved once the person arrived.
The other party pleaded, "How can we not let Kaiyang know? My husband and I have a lot of things to do at the end of the year and can't leave. Kaiyang also needs to take care of his sister."
Song Zhao retorted without hesitation: "You have a daughter, and so do I. Please think about it: if your daughter's boyfriend's sister ran off without saying goodbye and stayed with her visiting brother during the New Year, would you still let your daughter date someone like that?"
Meng Jinsi's parents were speechless.
Song Zhao continued, "I'll open a guesthouse for her near the station. I can only watch her for one day. Aren't you coming? I'll take the whole family on a trip for the New Year. She won't be able to find Meng Kaiyang even if she wants to!"
Song Zhao kept his word. Nie Qingqing listened silently from the side. The method was a bit harsh, but it worked.
...
The words were harsh, but they couldn't really leave her at the guesthouse near the train station. This girl dared to sneak out and act lawlessly; if she ran away again, Nie Qingqing and Song Zhao couldn't bear the responsibility.
Keeping it a secret from his children wasn't easy, so Song Zhao arranged for his colleagues on duty at the factory to go to the hotel to find him.
Nie Qingqing also made a phone call, asking Shumei to come and check on the person.
Shumei rushed over in a hurry and complained to the girl: "You're causing trouble for your family. That's because your family spoils you. Why are you running around causing trouble for others?"
Meng Jinsi just lowered her head and cried. Let her cry, no one wanted to comfort her. If this happened to their own child, they would have given her a good scolding long ago. Other people's children are their own children.
...
After Nie Qingqing and Song Zhao returned with the tickets, Xiaoyin packed them up and said, "Dad, there's a machine in your factory that's making strange noises. The person on duty can't find a repairman, so they want you to go and take a look."
Song Zhao nodded and said, "I won't be able to come over tonight because I'll be at the factory repairing machines. You guys eat, don't wait for me."
As expected, Song Zhao didn't come to dinner. After dinner, Nie Qingqing said, "You guys chat for a while and then go to sleep. I'm going to the factory to pick up your dad."
Tangyuan packed a meal and wanted to go with them: "Mom, I'm going to deliver food to Dad."
Nie Qingqing held out her hand: "I'll take it, so you don't need to make the trip."
Tangyuan: "I miss my dad. I'll come back after I drop him off."
The child was definitely suspicious. If she kept making excuses, Xiaoyin would become suspicious, so Nie Qingqing had no choice but to take him with her.
As soon as they stepped outside, Tangyuan laughed and said, "Mom, where are we actually going? I promise I'll keep it a secret."
Sigh, I couldn't hide it from him, so I had to tell him: "The girl next door to Meng Kaiyang came to the guesthouse next to the train station. Luckily, your dad and I saw her when we bought the tickets, otherwise, this New Year would have been ruined for everyone."
Tangyuan chuckled twice: "She's so brave and lucky. I have to knock off her luck."
"Don't cause trouble."
“If she doesn’t cause trouble, I’ll just scold her a couple of times to shut her up.”
...
He Shumei was eating the food that Tangyuan brought, while Meng Jinsi didn't eat the fried rice that Song Zhao bought; it had already gone cold.
But if she doesn't want to eat, it's not like we're deliberately starving her. We've already bought food, so she can eat whatever's available. She's bothering others, and she expects gourmet food? Nobody outside will indulge her.
Shumei ate with relish and praised Tangyuan, saying, "My godson really cares about me."
Tangyuan said, "Godmother, I didn't know you were here. This is for Dad, but since I'm here, I'll definitely give it to you first. But you have to thank Dad, okay?"
He Shumei: "Okay, go buy a bottle of soda for godmother, she's thirsty."
Tangyuan quickly bought three bottles of soda, one for his parents and one for his godmother. Then, he moved a stool and sat opposite Meng Jinsi.
"Will your parents hit you this time? I bet they won't. You're so bold because you've been spoiled since you were little. If they hit you the first time, you wouldn't dare to do something so outrageous. If I dared to run away and cause such a big problem for others, my mom would beat me so badly that I wouldn't be able to get out of bed for days. So, if you want my sympathy, that's impossible."
Tangyuan's words are true. He was mischievous and incredibly daring as a child, and he did get a severe beating.
But Meng Jinsi couldn't understand. She was hungry. She hadn't eaten on the bus. She got off in the morning and refused to eat the dry fried rice in the evening. Now, she was being treated to a delicious meal of three dishes and a soup, but no one was offering her any food.
She was furious, her eyes were red with anger, and she had been scolded by a younger brother. She had no good impression of Song Xiaoyin's family at all.
This family is definitely not a good family. The parents are mean, and the children they raise are also mean. Song Xiaoyin is cold-hearted, and her brother is even more so. How could her brother fall for the daughter of such a family?
Meng Jinsi didn't want to talk at all, and since they wouldn't let her leave, she angrily turned her head to the side.
Tangyuan wasn't done talking, so she continued to add salt: "You're already angry? What about our whole family, who's been here waiting for your parents during the Lunar New Year? What are we going to do about our anger?"
Meng Jinsi retorted, "I didn't ask so many of you to stay here with me."
Tangyuan's voice was louder than hers: "So you're that stupid? If you can't figure it out, let me tell you. My mom has to go back to comfort us and not let us suspect anything. My dad is a man and can't stay here to see you alone, so my mom sent Aunt Shumei. I came here just to scold you a few times. After you're done, you can keep crying. We don't care."
...
Meng Jinsi's parents arrived the following morning.
Nie Qingqing handed the people over to them, then hurried back to the hotel to eat with the children, acting as if nothing had happened.
The glutinous rice balls were prepared so well that no one noticed, and everyone happily prepared for the New Year.
...
At the guesthouse, Meng's father was furious. With the end of the year approaching, he had to make many connections to bring her back, and he couldn't just not come.
The couple came together, claiming it was for a holiday during the Chinese New Year, but in reality, it was to cover up their scandalous affair.
Meng's father was about to discipline Meng Jinsi when Shan's mother stopped him, forbidding him to lay a hand on her: "The child is old enough to understand. Talk to her nicely. She can't take a beating."
Meng's father was so angry he almost vomited blood. He cursed, "I told you long ago that no one outside your family will give in to you. You even came to someone else's house to cause trouble. What reason do you have that makes sense? When your mother and I received the call, we couldn't say a word in your defense. You're a disgrace!"
The mother was both angry and heartbroken. She earnestly advised, "After your brother found out about your thoughts, he became distant from the family. I told you not to chase after things that are out of reach, but you didn't listen. Now you've embarrassed yourself, haven't you?"
This was the first time Meng Jinsi had suffered such a huge loss, and it even caused her parents to come during the Chinese New Year. She was so angry that she cried.
"What's wrong with taking me out for the New Year? Song Xiaoyin's family is the stingiest family I've ever met! My brother used to be the best to me, but suddenly he ignores me. I'm heartbroken."
"Feeling uncomfortable is no excuse for your misbehavior!"
Meng's father scolded, "I've explained it to you before. When his parents entrusted him to our family, he helped us pull strings so I could get a promotion. The child support was paid until he turned eighteen. His parents have already repaid the favors and the money debts."
The mother advised again, "If he's dating someone, it means he doesn't like you. Pack your things and leave today. You can still make it to your maternal grandmother's house for the New Year. Your father has already made all the arrangements and bought the tickets. Let's go now."
...
Nie Qingqing's family had a very happy New Year. On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, they saw Xiaoyin and Meng Kaiyang off to their car and waved goodbye.
As the car pulled away from the station, her worries persisted. She asked Song Zhao, "They'll find out about Meng Jinsi's visit eventually. Will it affect their relationship?"
Song Zhao said, "If such a small thing can affect you, it means your relationship is very fragile. If it wasn't this, it would be something else that caused the argument. Don't worry."
That's all we can do. Xiaoyin told Xiaoyuan about Yunli's divorce, and judging from Xiaoyuan's mood these past few days, it hasn't affected him.
Nie Qingqing mentioned it to Song Zhao, but Song Zhao didn't like hearing it and only said, "Why bother with other people's business?"
Unable to contain herself, she went to Shumei's house and stayed for a day. The two talked about Yunli's divorce.
"Song Zhao doesn't want to hear it, so I can only tell you." Nie Qingqing finally couldn't help but want to tell you.
He Shumei loved hearing this, but she didn't understand: "Ji Chengtian didn't do anything wrong, he just didn't want to develop his career in Haishi. What kind of reason is that for divorce?"
Nie Qingqing said, "I think it's because Ji Chengtian isn't as obedient to Yun Li as before. Yun Li felt that Ji Chengtian had changed, and they argued until the end, at which point she brought up divorce. In a fit of anger, Ji Chengtian said 'okay,' and they really got divorced."
He Shumei was filled with emotion and hurriedly asked, "Don't they have a child? Who gets custody of the child?"
Nie Qingqing said, "Yun Li insisted on having the child this time. She signed an agreement that she would not accept child support and that the child would not inherit any of the father's property. She took the child away with her."
He Shumei didn't know what to say. It was fine for her mother to take care of the child, so she could only say, "But Ji Chengtian will give the child to her, and he'll remarry in the future, right?"
"I don't know. He's in his prime and has no children to worry about. Whether he should look for someone or not is hard to say."
Sometimes, if you don't like something anymore, it only happens in a very short time. Whether Ji Chengtian will look for someone or not is hard to say.
...
After talking for a while, the conversation turned to Xiaoyin and Meng Kaiyang. "Song Zhao's analysis makes sense, but I'm still worried."
He Shumei empathized: "Of course, no one is as carefree as those men. When you get back to Haishi, go and see Xiaoyin again."
After talking about Xiaoyin, Nie Qingqing then mentioned her brother and sister-in-law: "My sister-in-law's relatives are like a sword hanging over our heads. They didn't dare to go out during the New Year."
He Shumei also talked about Zhigao's family: "Every family is like this. Yu Zhengmin's daughter's family is biased towards her younger brother. If it weren't for Yu Zhengmin and me paying for her clothes, shoes, and tuition, that child might not even be able to wear new clothes for the New Year."
During the Chinese New Year, people have accumulated a year's worth of family stories and gossip, and there's never enough time to talk about them.
Nie Qingqing loved to talk, and He Shumei loved to listen. The two of them would spend the whole day together, chatting and laughing, and the time passed quickly.
...
Before dinner, Song Zhao came to pick them up, but He Shumei wouldn't let them go: "You agreed to stay at my house for one night."
Song Zhao said there was something really wrong: "Qingqing, a friend of mine came and specifically invited my wife and me to dinner. He also said he knows you. I don't believe him. Go and see for yourself."
Nie Qingqing had only met a few of Song Zhao's friends; when Song Zhao mentioned their names, Nie Qingqing didn't recognize them.
She laughed and said, "Your friend is definitely lying to you. They just want you to take me. Let's go then."
...
Song Zhao's friend did not know Nie Qingqing, but he did know Gao Zhuoyue.
His friend, who runs a restaurant, wanted to franchise a Western fast food chain and, by chance, got in touch with Gao Zhuoyue.
After having a meal, the other party heard that he was a friend of Song Zhao and said that they knew Nie Qingqing and even helped him get the franchise qualification.
Song Zhao's friend said, "I know I don't have that much influence, but they suddenly helped me out of respect for you, sister-in-law. I definitely have to treat them to this meal."
Nie Qingqing didn't know what to say. Gao Zhuoyue was repaying a debt of gratitude, but he ended up repaying it to someone else. Was he an idiot?
However, this meal was a matter of fate. If it weren't for their help, they wouldn't have made a special trip over the first month of the lunar year to invite the couple to dinner.
So Nie Qingqing said a few polite words and some nice things, and Song Zhao and his friends started chatting.
...
Song Zhao was a friend he met when he went to the countryside. They had gone through hardships together, and his friend spoke highly of those times.
“Song Zhao was lucky, and I even benefited from his kindness. Once, my family sent me a package, and I was about to take the production team's oxcart to the county town to pick it up when Song Zhao suddenly twisted his ankle. I helped him back, cursing him in my heart for being such a troublemaker and delaying my pickup of the package.”
People won't file a complaint on their own; there must be a follow-up. Otherwise, how could they be considered to be benefiting from it?
Nie Qingqing hurriedly asked, "And then what happened?"
Even now, Song Zhao's friend still feels lingering fear when he talks about it.
"The ox pulling the cart went mad, and the cart fell into the ditch. The next day, I borrowed a bicycle from the village and retrieved the package myself. My family said that my aunt, who had run away, had asked someone to deliver a message that she had become someone's concubine. There were also candies with foreign writing printed on them in the package. When the cart overturned, the contents of the package were seen. That would have been terrible. Now that I think about it, I was lucky to have benefited from Song Zhao's luck."
Upon hearing this, Nie Qingqing remembered and recounted what had just happened.
"It's true, I also benefited from Song Zhao's luck. We bought train tickets together, and even though he's so strong, he suddenly felt dizzy. If he hadn't gone out for some fresh air, I wouldn't have been able to see the Meng family's little girl."
During their conversation, the two talked about several other things, both agreeing that Song Zhao was incredibly lucky when it came to important matters.
Song Zhao refused to listen to the flattery: "The more you talk, the more far-fetched it becomes. Don't go around bragging like this and make yourself a laughingstock."
...
I took a two-day break on the sixth and seventh days of the Lunar New Year, and then it was time to go back to work. On the eighth day, I went to work, but there wasn't much to do. I spent the day chatting with my colleagues about the fun things that happened during the New Year. Then I received a call from Attorney He, who said that she wouldn't be back until the tenth day of the Lunar New Year.
Just before the end of the workday, Mr. Zhong's driver arrived, surprisingly there to pick up Nie Qingqing, saying that Mr. Zhong was inviting her to dinner.
"Mr. Zhong has a project he wants to discuss with Manager Nie. Mr. Zhong said that it doesn't matter whether we do it or not, but he wants to hear your thoughts."
Nie Qingqing blurted out, "It's not related to Gao Zhuoyue, is it?"
Mr. Zhong's driver was taken aback for a moment, then quickly waved his hand: "It has nothing to do with him. It's a friend of Mr. Zhong's. Mr. Zhong recommended you to him. It's just a recommendation, there's no pressure. Manager Nie doesn't need to feel guilty."
If someone introduces an opportunity, there's no harm in listening and observing, so of course I should go.
Nie Qingqing called Song Zhao to tell him about her plans for the evening, and then went there in Mr. Zhong's driver's car.
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