87. First Day
On the way to the airport, Jiang Nan leaned against the car window, aimlessly looking at the scenery outside, but her face couldn't hide her joy. Chen Yunsheng couldn't help but smile as he saw her become more cheerful.
"So happy?" he asked softly.
"Of course!" Jiang Nan turned her head and looked at him, her eyes sparkling. "I can finally go home and eat the braised pork belly my dad made! And the meatballs my dad fried! I'm drooling just thinking about it."
She swallowed exaggeratedly as she spoke.
Chen Yunsheng was amused by her and reached out to ruffle her hair: "Greedy cat."
"Food is the most important thing for people," Jiang Nan said confidently, then revealed an annoyed expression, "But when I was at the old house, I was afraid of eating too much and not being able to eat when I got home, so I didn't eat much. Now I feel a little hungry again."
Hearing her complaints, Chen Yunsheng smiled and said, "You should eat something to fill your stomach before you get on the plane."
"I know!" Jiang Nan agreed with a smile, and then enthusiastically began to plan some things that probably wouldn't come to fruition. "When we get home, I'll take you to our New Year's Market. Even though the stalls may be closed, there's bound to be delicious food! Then, while we stay up tonight, we can fry some crispy pork together. My dad's fried crispy pork is delicious, you must try it."
She chattered on, describing a typical New Year's scene, but this kind of intimacy and relaxation was something Chen Yunsheng hadn't experienced in years. He listened quietly, a sense of nostalgic anticipation welling up in his heart.
Therefore, when the plane landed smoothly at Jichuan Airport, Chen Yunsheng became visibly nervous.
Jiang Nan sensed his nervousness and slowly took his hand, reassuring him not to worry. Chen Yunsheng nodded, but his expression remained serious and anxious, though calm.
Jiang Youhua and Hong Qiuping had been waiting at the airport. When they saw Jiang Nan and Chen Yunsheng come out, they immediately laughed.
"Dad! Mom!" Jiang Nan let go of Chen Yunsheng's hand, walked over quickly, and then rushed over to hug Hong Qiuping tightly.
"Uncle, aunt, Happy New Year." Chen Yunsheng followed behind, pushing two suitcases in his hands.
Jiang Youhua took one of them and said softly, "Happy New Year, Xiao Chen."
"You've had a hard journey. Come home quickly. The meal is ready." Hong Qiuping held her daughter's hand and looked at Chen Yunsheng with concern. "Are you hungry, Xiaochen? There are snacks in the car. Have some first?"
"Thank you, Auntie. I'm fine." Chen Yunsheng responded with a smile. This feeling of being naturally cared for by an elder made him feel a little overwhelmed, yet also a little greedy.
——
Back at the Jiang home, the warm lights, the aroma of food filling the house, and the sound of cheerful programs coming from the TV intertwined to create a rich feeling of warmth.
"Hurry up and wash your hands and eat." Jiang Youhua greeted cheerfully, and then took out the warm food one by one.
Hong Qiuping and Jiang Youhua prepared a large table of dishes, including both the spicy flavors that Jiang Nan preferred and the lighter flavors that suited Chen Yunsheng's taste. However, Jiang Nan's favorite dish was the braised pork belly and the golden fried meatballs next to it.
"Dad, you are so awesome!" Jiang Nan praised exaggeratedly.
"That's right. Your dad plans to go into the restaurant business after retirement," Jiang Youhua said proudly. Jiang Nan chuckled and said she'd work as a waiter in his restaurant. The two of them became increasingly exaggerated, even dreaming of owning a grand restaurant.
Hong Qiuping on the other side glanced at them helplessly, then turned to pick up some food for Chen Yunsheng: "Xiao Chen, eat more."
Chen Yunsheng looked at the mountain of food in the bowl and showed a rare look of astonishment: "Thank you, Auntie."
Next, he tasted the braised pork belly. It was fatty but not greasy, and melted in his mouth. "It's delicious! Uncle's cooking is excellent," he said sincerely.
"Eat more if you like it." Jiang Youhua was even happier.
After the banquet officially began, Jiang Nan ate while chattering about the company's interesting events before the New Year. Jiang Youhua and Chen Yunsheng discussed the recipe for braised pork belly, while Hong Qiuping kept serving them food.
Chen Yunsheng still didn't talk much, but he always had a gentle smile on his face and would occasionally make a humorous joke.
Jiang Nan was always the one who laughed the loudest, and sometimes Chen Yunsheng would be infected by her laughter, and then the two of them would inexplicably laugh uncontrollably. Jiang Youhua and Hong Qiuping didn't understand, but they were happy to see that they were on the same wavelength.
After dinner, the family gathered in the living room to play mahjong—a set Jiang Nan had bought before the New Year and had sent home early this morning just for today. Afterward, they turned on the TV to listen to the Spring Festival Gala and then placed sunflower seeds and fruit around the makeshift mahjong table.
This time, the card game lasted until Jiang Nan's face was covered with paper slips and he couldn't stick any more. After a few people laughed at Jiang Nan's poor card skills for a while, they started to prepare the fried pork.
Jiang Nan, believing that he had nothing better to do, decided to join Chen Yunsheng in coating the lean meat with flour. Although Chen Yunsheng's technique was unfamiliar and the resulting crispy meat was oddly shaped, often making Jiang Nan laugh, he took his learning very seriously.
"Look at what you wrapped. It looks like a pancake, not crispy meat." Jiang Nan said with a smile, pointing at a piece of crispy meat he wrapped.
Chen Yunsheng looked at her cheerful smile, and his brows softened. He deliberately wrapped an uglier one and handed it to her: "Does this look like you?"
"How are they alike!" Jiang Nan pretended to be angry and reached out to pinch his face, but he dodged her with a smile.
Hong Qiuping and Jiang Youhua watched them playing and fighting. They were worried that Jiang Nan was being too naughty, but at the same time they were very satisfied with Chen Yunsheng's tolerance of her.
Jiang Nan didn't think too much about it. She just wanted to win back the loss she had just suffered at mahjong. She continued to chase Chen Yunsheng, determined to give him a hard time.
Just as they were fooling around, firecrackers suddenly blasted outside the window, and fireworks burst into life. Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then said, "It's midnight!"
After saying that, she excitedly ran to the window to watch the fireworks. Chen Yunsheng followed her, naturally reaching out his hands, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, and resting his chin gently on her head.
"Happy New Year, Nannan." He said softly.
Jiang Nan's heart sweetened as she leaned into his embrace. She looked at the bright night sky in the distance and whispered, "Happy New Year, Chen Yunsheng."
It wasn't until Hong Qiuping called them to eat the crispy meat that the two of them separated somewhat awkwardly. Jiang Nan glared at Chen Yunsheng, but in return he gave her a gentler smile.
——
On the afternoon of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Yunsheng and Jiang Nan bid farewell to Jiang Youhua and Hong Qiuping, who were reluctant to leave, and embarked on the journey back to Jiangcheng. On the way back, Jiang Nan was still immersed in the afterglow of New Year's Eve, leaning on Chen Yunsheng's shoulder and muttering about the New Year's Eve dinner.
She talked non-stop until she fell asleep.
After Chen Yunsheng covered her with a blanket, he turned his head to look at the scenery outside the window, and his eyes gradually returned to their usual calmness.
Compared to the warmth of the Jiang family, he was actually better at dealing with those sharp words, but he still felt sad about his family's indifference. In the earlier years, when his grandmother was still alive, the holidays at home were relaxed and warm, but things became different after she passed away.
Thinking of this, Chen Yunsheng's expression became a little stiff. He suddenly felt that perhaps the atmosphere at home had never changed. It was just that he had always been with his grandmother at that time, so he naturally thought that everything was warm and lovely.
However, that memory was just an illusion on his part.
After returning to Jiangcheng, the two hurriedly got into the car and headed straight for the Chen family's old house.
Compared to the lively and warm Jichuan, the old house appears quiet and solemn, but it is also decorated with lights and exudes a festive atmosphere.
However, as soon as he entered the door, Jiang Nan keenly felt that the atmosphere was a little different.
The main family and some close and distant relatives were all there, gathered in the flower hall and side halls to chat. Seeing them return, they all cast glances at them, with concern, curiosity, and eagerness to make a move.
Chen Yunsheng looked calm and composed. He held Jiang Nan's hand and calmly greeted the elders. Jiang Nan also tried to maintain a proper smile and a humble and polite demeanor.
At this moment, the housekeeper Qian Yuan suddenly walked over, holding a file bag. He looked at Chen Yunsheng hesitantly, "This is from your driver Zhang Lei. He said it's a document you accidentally left in the car. It's quite important, and I must pass it on to you as soon as possible."
Chen Yunsheng's gaze lingered on the file bag for a few seconds, then he reached out and took it with a normal expression: "Thank you, Uncle Qian, it was my negligence."
He took the briefcase and held it casually in his hand, continuing to lead Jiang Nan towards the main seat where Mr. Chen was.
But Jiang Nan's heart skipped a beat. She had no idea what this document bag was. It looked ordinary and unimportant. But it appeared at this time, delivered by Zhang Lei, and then handed over by the housekeeper in front of so many people. In other words, she felt that this behavior was a bit deliberate.
She raised her head slightly and glanced at Chen Yunsheng.
Chen Yunsheng noticed Jiang Nan's gaze, but just squeezed her hand soothingly.
Jiang Nan felt uneasy and a little angry. He never asked for her opinion on any of the arrangements he made, not even for a discussion. She understood him, but she was also a little annoyed by his slight. Even though everything she had now was inseparable from him, she wasn't completely incompetent.
But she knew that now was not the time to talk about these things, so she said nothing and just continued to do her best to play the role of a qualified granddaughter-in-law.
When they passed by, Old Man Chen was playing chess with an uncle. Seeing them coming, he smiled and waved: "Are you back? Is Jichuan lively over there?"
"It's quite lively, Grandpa." Chen Yunsheng replied with a smile, then casually placed the file bag on the coffee table next to him.
Jiang Nan also greeted him politely: "Happy New Year, Grandpa. Happy New Year, Uncle."
"Happy New Year," said Old Master Chen, in a good mood. He looked them over and said, "You all look good. It seems you are having a good time at your mother's house."
Chen Yunsheng smiled and turned to talk about the chess game with his uncle.
Jiang Nan sat quietly beside Chen Yunsheng, but noticed from the corner of her eye that her second uncle Chen Minghui seemed to be chatting with someone else, but his eyes kept glancing at the file bag that was casually placed there.
Seeing this, Jiang Nan vaguely understood. The document was probably the bait prepared by Chen Yunsheng. And Chen Minghui, as expected, couldn't hold back and used Zhang Lei to try to get this evidence to the old man.
But Grandpa's reaction was too calm. He didn't even glance at the document bag or ask what it was.
Chen Yunsheng naturally noticed Chen Minghui's gaze, but he remained calm. He patiently chatted with the old man and his uncle, occasionally exchanging a few words with relatives who came to say hello, with a calm and unhurried demeanor, without any sign of panic.
Jiang Nan looked at his calm profile, and the uneasiness in her heart gradually subsided. She believed him. Since he had been prepared, no matter what tricks Chen Minghui played, he should be able to deal with it.
So she stopped looking at the file bag and stopped paying attention to Chen Minghui. She just cooperated with Chen Yunsheng and played the role of a loving and harmonious couple of grandchildren.
This calmness made Chen Minghui, who had been secretly observing them, even more uneasy.
When the game was over, Old Man Chen won and was in high spirits. He put down his chess pieces and seemed to have just noticed the file bag on the coffee table. He casually asked, "Yunsheng, what's this document? If it's important, take it and keep it safe. Don't lose it."
After hearing the old man's words, Chen Yunsheng picked up the file bag. "It's nothing important. I left an expired project backup in the car. Zhang Lei was thoughtful and brought it over." After saying that, he casually handed the file bag to Qian Yuan next to him. "Uncle Qian, please help me take it to the study table."
"Okay, young master." Qian Yuan took the file bag, turned around and left.
Old Master Chen nodded and turned his attention back to the new game of chess, looking completely uninterested in the expired backup.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com