Chapter 81
Lin Ting put all the gift boxes left by Qin Qiang into the storage room, thinking about when to send them back to him. She didn't want to accept any of his small favors.
Seeing the displeasure and helplessness on Lin Qin's face, Lin Ting understood that she hoped her relationship with Qin Qiang could be improved. But Lin Ting felt it was unnecessary and ridiculous. From the moment he cheated on his wife and abandoned his daughter, what right did he have?
Lin Ting knew that Qin Qiang hadn't had a good time with the Xie family all these years, and that was what he deserved. He was wronged by his current partner, so he ran to his ex's family for comfort, trying to have his cake and eat it too. How could he have such a good thing?
On New Year's Eve, the town's various families began their sacrificial activities, and the sound of firecrackers rose and fell outside. Colorful fireworks bloomed in the night sky, adorning it as if it were daytime.
From next door came the sounds of children running into the yard, chasing and playing with small fireworks, their laughter filling the air.
On New Year's Eve, a day of joy and reunion for every family, why disturb this happiness for irrelevant people?
Lin Ting grabbed her mother's hand. "Alright, let's start the ancestral worship ceremony. Zhiyi and I drove for four hours and we're starving. He kept saying on the way that he wanted to try your cooking tonight."
Pear Town has its own New Year customs; the New Year's Eve dinner can only begin after the sacrificial rites and prayers have been completed.
Lin Qin patted Lin Ting's hand. "Okay, I've prepared everything for the sacrifice. We can eat in a little while. Yesterday, your uncle brought over a big piece of beef. I was thinking of having something hot and spicy for New Year's Eve, so I made a sour beef hot pot. It's sour, spicy, and flavorful, just what you like."
Lin Ting smiled broadly, "That would be perfect." But her expression immediately turned calm, "Doesn't Zhiyi eat spicy food?"
"Don't worry, there's clear broth." Then Lin Qin turned around and looked at Chen Zhiyi with a peaceful expression. "We like to eat hot pot on New Year's Eve here, which symbolizes a prosperous new year. I wonder if you're used to it?"
"Auntie, anything is fine with me. The New Year's Eve dinner is about family reunion. With you and Lin Ting, it's perfect. If Lin Ting hadn't taken pity on me and brought me home, I would have been eating boxed lunches on set for the New Year." He pretended to be aggrieved at the end. As expected of an award-winning actor, his expression change was spot on.
Lin Qin was overjoyed to hear this; she genuinely liked this wonderful boy in front of her.
"Okay." After saying that, Lin Qin busied herself preparing the sacrificial offerings.
Lin Ting lowered her eyes, pouting, seemingly a little embarrassed. "It seems like every time you come to my house, you see something unpleasant. Don't you think I'm fierce and difficult to get along with? Think about it, how come this person is different from how they are in front of me? Quite two-faced."
"I remember you were pretty mean to me too."
Lin Ting pinched Chen Zhiyi's right arm hard. "Where are you being fierce?"
Even through the coat, Chen Zhiyi could still feel the considerable force used to twist the person. "Look, this is the evidence."
Lin Ting pretended not to hear him and pinched his left arm again, "Then I'll put together the evidence for you."
Chen Zhiyi smiled and said, "Crying, laughing, getting angry, and feeling sad are all normal expressions of emotions. We are ordinary people and have seven emotions and six desires. When I feel sad, I cry; when I get angry, I get angry; when I feel happy, I laugh. It's all normal. Why do I find it strange?"
"You've been standing there without saying a word?"
“I’m not saying anything because I think it’s your private matter, a hurdle in your heart that you don’t want others to see, and I think you can handle it, so I won’t get involved. But if he speaks rudely to you and your aunt or tries to hit you, I will definitely not stand idly by.”
Loving someone doesn't mean always rushing to their side to solve their problems; it also means trusting that they can handle things on their own and maintaining their dignity.
"Is there anything left in the car? I'll go with you to get it."
"No need, there's not much left, I can manage by myself, you stay with Auntie."
"good."
Chen Zhiyi went out the door, turned into the intersection, and saw Qin Qiang standing there.
The glance he gave me as he left was definitely intentional.
Without hesitation, Chen Zhiyi walked straight to Qin Qiang, wanting to know why he had come to see him.
He looked down on Qin Qiang. How could someone who had cheated and betrayed his ex have the face to appear in front of him again and again? He should just disappear without a trace, like he was dead.
He had his hands in his coat pockets, his eyes sharp and cold. "Looking for me?"
Qin Qiang looked up at the boy who was a head taller than him. The boy was dressed in a black coat and blended into the night, like a god in the darkness. When they met eyes, the boy's eyes were cold and his lips were pressed into a line, showing no emotion.
Qin Qiang felt a deep sense of pressure, but he had no choice but to grit his teeth and press on. He cut to the chase and got straight to the point.
“I know your father is Chen Tiansheng.”
Chen Zhiyi was taken aback, his brows furrowing. "What do you mean?" Very few people knew his true family background; they were all close relatives and friends. Even Qin Fei didn't know the full story. Where did Qin Qiang get this information?
"Don't be surprised. After all, I'm in a government career and am part of the system. Your father is in a high position and has a great reputation, so I know a little about his situation."
"So what?" Chen Zhiyi didn't want to beat around the bush with him.
"I want you to bail me out?"
Chen Zhiyi immediately understood the problem from the word "protect". From childhood to adulthood, he had seen countless people come to his father or grandfather in every possible way to beg for their protection. Some even went so far as to "take a roundabout approach" and kneel down in front of him, begging for a chance to see them.
Anyone who uses the word "protect" must have violated the law. This man in front of me is even worse; he can't uphold morality and he can't even cross the legal line.
His only purpose in life was to give birth to such an outstanding and insightful daughter as Lin Ting.
Chen Zhiyi snorted coldly, "Shouldn't people who do wrong be punished?"
Qin Qiang seemed to know he would refuse, a faint smile playing on his lips, a smile that was both provocative and threatening. "But you don't want to drag Lin Ting into this, do you? I can tell you love her very much. Even though she doesn't acknowledge me, the fact remains that I am her father. If something happens to me, can she hide? She's finally starting to see some success in her career, becoming a somewhat well-known designer, but then it's revealed that she has a father who has broken the law. What will people think of her? They might even think she's colluding with me?"
No words like despicable, shameless, or wicked can adequately describe the disgusting nature of this man before me.
He was very shrewd; he immediately hit Chen Zhiyi's weak spot, asking, "How do you protect him?"
Qin Qiang revealed a smug smile, "Let's exchange contact information first."
Chen Zhiyi carried the remaining gifts inside, and Lin Ting saw this and quickly ran over to help move them to the ground.
"Why is it taking so long?"
Chen Zhiyi didn't say anything, but opened his palm, revealing several candies.
"Um?"
"I met a group of kids on the way. They probably thought I was handsome, so they insisted that I play with them for a while. This is a gift they gave me."
Are you showing off how popular you are with kids?
"I have a huge number of fans on my official Weibo account calling me 'Dad'!"
"....."
Lin doesn't understand fan culture. There are several types of fans, such as career fans, girlfriend fans, daughter fans, etc., which is more than the types of edible fans that can actually be sold on the market.
Actually, I didn't run into any children. The children in town were all busy playing with fireworks in their own yards. But I did see an elderly couple alone at the village store. After exchanging a few words, I learned that their children were all away and hadn't come home for the New Year.
Knowing that their children wouldn't be coming home for the Spring Festival, the elderly couple still sat at the shop entrance, gazing towards the village entrance with a mixture of expectation and helplessness in their eyes.
The two lonely figures looked even more desolate and forlorn on New Year's Eve, a day meant for family reunion, which made one's heart ache.
Chen Zhiyi took out a box of high-end American ginseng and gave it to the elderly as a way of comforting their children. The elderly were respectable people who knew how to accept a gift without having done anything for them, especially since it was from a complete stranger they had only exchanged a few words with. They immediately refused.
Chen Zhiyi grabbed a handful of candy from their cashier's counter and made up a story that he hadn't had it in a long time and missed it terribly, so he offered it as a New Year's gift exchange, which the elderly people accepted.
Chen Zhiyi peeled open a candy and put it in Lin Ting's mouth; it was quite sweet.
Are you feeling any better?
Lin Ting knew what he meant by asking. Qin Qiang would get angry every time he saw him, but the anger would disappear once he left. It wasn't worth maintaining a bad mood for someone like that!
"Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, the happiest day of the year, I'm happy no matter what."
That's good!
Lin Qin prepared everything for the sacrifice and began the ceremony; there was nothing particularly strange about it.
A square table was set up and filled with offerings, including fruits, snacks, chicken, duck, fish and meat. An incense burner and candlesticks were placed on the table facing the main entrance. After lighting the incense, each family member held a bundle of incense, bowed to the four cardinal directions, and then inserted the incense into the incense burner to complete the ceremony.
The meaning is the same as that written on the door couplet: welcome all the gods to my home, and bless me with good weather and abundant wealth in the coming year.
Chen Zhiyi didn't believe in this, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Seeing how devout Lin Ting was, he found it interesting and decided to do it along with her, hoping that the gods would appear next year.
While others pray for great wealth, he prays for a happy marriage.
After the sacrificial ceremony ended and the offerings were removed, the New Year's Eve dinner was served.
Lin Ting and Chen Zhiyi sat on one side, while Lin Qin sat opposite them. In the middle of the table was a steaming, fragrant charcoal hot pot, not an electric one, but one with charcoal, making the taste more authentic.
Lin Qin watched the wisps of steam rising from the pot, reflecting the bright yellow light in the living room, which made the two people opposite her appear hazy and their faces extraordinary.
The two of them served each other food and fed each other, their love as sweet as honey. She hadn't seen Lin Ting with such a happy and radiant smile on her face in a long time.
Time is cruel; it couldn't protect my marriage and love. I pray it can protect my daughter.
May she have such a beautiful smile and everything go smoothly for the rest of her life.
Lin Qin took out two red envelopes. "Here you go, just a small token. I wish you all the best in the new year."
The two of them reached out and took it.
"Thank you, Mom."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Lin Ting opened the red envelope and glanced at it.
Lin Qin said sternly, "Zhiyi is sitting next to you, so stop acting like a little money-grubber."
Lin Ting objected, "What? I'd be happy even if it was just a penny inside. Anyway, no one else will give me a red envelope."
The atmosphere grew colder after those words were spoken. Lin Ting realized she had made a mistake, but thankfully Lin Qin didn't show any sadness and still had a gentle smile on her face.
Chen Zhiyi handed the red envelope to Lin Ting and said, "Hand it over obediently." Then he whispered in her ear, "Who said there's no one else? I've prepared one for you too. I'll give it to you after dinner. I'll prepare one for you every year from now on."
Lin Ting smiled and said, "Okay."
The New Year's Eve dinner lasted for two hours, filled with laughter and joy, just like any other happy family.
It is customary not to wash dishes on New Year's Eve; they are left to be cleaned the following year, symbolizing abundance year after year.
Chen Zhiyi asked Lin Ting and her daughter to sit on the sofa and chat for a while. There weren't many opportunities to get together throughout the year, and they always had some private things to talk about in private. So he took the initiative to clean up.
Although you don't need to wash them, you still have to put away so many pots and pans. That's the troublesome thing about eating hot pot.
"I'll help you tidy up the room in a bit," Lin Qin said to Lin Ting.
"No need, we can clean it up together."
Lin Qin understood. She wasn't a rigid person and didn't think that living together or sleeping in the same bed before marriage was unreasonable. When love runs deep, everything should be left to nature.
But she still had some concerns.
"Where are you at now? Isn't it difficult to handle him having a romantic relationship because of his status as a public figure?"
She phrased it tactfully, but Lin understood what she meant: keeping things secret and having a clandestine relationship wasn't a long-term solution; they needed a formal commitment eventually.
“Mom, it’s me who’s kept him from going public with his relationship. His job is special, with a lot of vested interests involved. He can’t just think about himself; he also has to consider his agency, investors, and so on. His contract with his current agency expires next April or May, and he’s planning to start his own business. He also wants to take a break to study and improve his skills before going public. That way, he won’t have to worry about the company, and taking a break to study will reduce his exposure. Less exposure means less attention and less public pressure, so he can get through it more smoothly.”
Lin Qin was still worried, "Will there be pressure? Will I be scared?"
Lin Ting thought for a moment, but remained firm, “After all, I’m not in the entertainment industry. The pressure will only be there when it’s first announced. It will subside once it’s over. I believe he will protect me. I know he loves me very much.”
It's rare for a man to say "I love you," but it's even rarer for a woman to say "He loves me" with certainty. How can one have the courage to say it if they're not surrounded by love that they can truly feel?
Lin Qin was relieved. "That's good."
She wanted to ask Chen Zhiyi about his family, since moving to the next stage would involve both families, but she felt it was unnecessary. Society is developing and becoming more tolerant; it's common for modern people to marry people from different social classes. The key to a lasting relationship is unwavering love. If someone is thinking about marrying into wealth and status, everyone can see through their lack of sincerity.
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