"Uncle Zheng? Brother Weimin?"
Standing outside the door were Zheng Guodong and his son Zheng Weimin. Zheng Guodong was dressed casually, carrying two bottles of Moutai in his hand. He looked much more energetic, with a bright smile on his face.
"Good lad!" Zheng Guodong patted Han Feng on the shoulder. "If your dad hadn't told us yesterday that you were coming back today, I wouldn't have known you were back in Jiang City!"
Han Feng was uncharacteristically speechless: "You...how..."
Zheng Weimin laughed and said, "What, you don't welcome us, father and son, coming over for a free meal?"
"How could this be! Please come in!" Han Feng finally snapped out of his daze and quickly made way for him. "I just didn't expect..."
"I didn't expect we'd be so familiar with your parents!" Zheng Guodong laughed as he walked into the living room, while Zheng Weimin expertly took out slippers from the shoe cabinet—clearly, this wasn't his first visit.
Su Wanwan stared wide-eyed at the two uninvited guests and whispered to Han Feng, "What's going on?"
Han Feng shook his head, equally confused.
At the dinner table, the two families were enjoying a harmonious time together. Zheng Guodong and Han's father clinked glasses and chatted enthusiastically; Han's mother kept putting food on Zheng Suwanwan's plate, while Suwanwan took the opportunity to secretly put the carrots she didn't like into Han Feng's bowl.
"So," Han Feng finally found a chance to interject, "how did you two meet?"
Zheng Guodong put down his chopsticks: "It's a long story. Not long after you left, your parents were planning to open a supermarket, but they ran into some trouble with the paperwork." He glanced at Zheng Weimin, "Weimin happened to be at the Industry and Commerce Bureau and recognized your dad; he looks so much like you."
Zheng Weimin chimed in, "I recognized them the moment I saw the names on the business license. Aren't these your parents?" He raised his glass and clinked it against Han's father's. "We just helped out a little."
"That's nothing!" Mrs. Han said gratefully. "Xiao Zheng has been running around for us, even arranging our supply channels. Now our supermarket is the most successful in the area!"
Han Feng looked at his parents—their faces radiated a long-lost vitality. The wrinkles around his father's eyes had smoothed out, and his mother was no longer the haggard figure he remembered, worrying about household expenses. This change brought him more comfort than any wealth.
"Thank you, Uncle Zheng," Han Feng said sincerely.
"No need to thank me!" Zheng Guodong waved his hand. "If we're talking about thanks, our Zheng family will owe you a debt we can never repay in a lifetime." He lowered his voice, "I'm stronger than an ox now. Last week during my physical exam, the doctor was wondering if he'd gotten some kind of folk remedy from somewhere. Who knew your remedy, prescribed by this miracle doctor, would be so effective?"
Zheng Weimin chuckled: "Han Feng, I've been so busy at the bureau lately, I look really tired. Why don't you prescribe some medicine for me to help me recover?"
"Okay, I'll contact you then."
The group laughed heartily and downed another cup of wine.
At this point, Zheng Guodong asked, "How are you doing in Kyoto? Are you settling in?"
"fine."
"No wonder Elder Lin has always praised you."
At this moment, Su Wanwan suddenly interjected: "Do you know that Old Man Lin made Han Feng an instructor at Longyuan?"
The dining table fell silent instantly. Han Feng stomped hard on Su Wanwan's foot under the table.
"What?" Zheng Guodong's chopsticks fell to the table. "Longyuan? That legendary Longyuan?"
Mr. and Mrs. Han looked bewildered, clearly hearing about this for the first time. Zheng Guodong realized he had been somewhat out of line: "No wonder, but with your abilities, it's not like Old Master Lin would refuse to let you in."
Han Feng glared at Su Wanwan helplessly, while she stuck out her tongue and pretended to be focused on gnawing on the ribs.
Han's parents, however, were somewhat confused by their conversation.
Han Feng abruptly changed the subject, "Uncle Zheng, have you heard about the Zhao Group lately?"
Zheng Guodong was immediately steered off-topic: "It's more than just trouble! The cash flow is almost dried up. I heard that a few days ago at an auction, that spendthrift son of the Zhao family spent 12 million on a batch of equipment that was only worth a few million..." He suddenly frowned as he spoke, "Wait, how do you know about the Zhao Group?"
Su Wanwan's shoulders trembled as she tried to suppress her laughter. Han Feng, without changing his expression, said, "Uh, it was Qin Chuan who introduced Weimin to him."
"You mean Maple Leaf Investments? Has it grown this big now?"
Han Feng nodded, and Zheng Guodong laughed, "It looks like the world will belong to you young people from now on."
After dinner, Zheng Weimin pulled Han Feng to the balcony for a smoke, where the lights of Jiang City twinkled like stars in the distance.
"Seriously," Zheng Weimin exhaled a smoke ring, "what exactly are you doing right now? Don't try to fool me with that 'student' thing."
Han Feng gazed at the city skyline in the night: "Knowing too much about some things isn't good for you."
"As far as I know, since Qin Chuan started working for you, your business has grown bigger and bigger, and you're preparing to expand overseas?"
"Yes, it was at Elder Lin's behest. I can't say any more," Han Feng said seriously.
"I know that. I'm just curious, now that you've joined Longyuan, tell me honestly, what's your rank?"
Han Feng pulled out his military officer's ID. Zheng Weimin took it and gasped, "Lieutenant...Colonel?"
Han Feng nodded, and Zheng Weimin said, "Sure enough, I didn't misjudge him back then."
The living room was filled with Su Wanwan's loud laughter and the chatter of the elders. Han Feng suddenly realized that this might be the meaning behind his desperate efforts to become stronger—to protect these warm, ordinary moments, so that the people he cared about could smile with peace of mind like this.
Han Feng nodded, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips. At this moment, he wasn't Instructor Longyuan, nor a financial prodigy, but simply the son of the Han family, and this feeling was wonderful.
After seeing Zheng Guodong and his son off, Han's mother chatted with Su Wanwan on the sofa.
"Wanwan, how did you and Xiaofeng meet?"
Su Wanwan almost choked on the orange she was stuffing into her mouth: "Uh... school?"
"Mom," Han Feng interrupted, "she's only staying for two days, don't ask so many questions."
"A temporary stay is great!" Han's mother's eyes lit up. "Tomorrow's the weekend, I'll take Wanwan shopping! A new shopping mall just opened in Jiang City..."
Han Feng sighed. He knew all too well what "shopping" meant to women—it was a marathon that would last more than six hours in clothing stores, cosmetic counters, and food courts.
Su Wanwan's eyes lit up: "Really? That's wonderful! Auntie, you have excellent taste!"
The two women quickly reached a tacit understanding and began to discuss tomorrow's itinerary enthusiastically. Han Feng and his father exchanged a glance and silently fell silent.
Subsequently, Han's mother insisted that Su Wanwan stay in Han Feng's room, while Han Feng was arranged to stay on a small bed in the study.
"Mom, this isn't right..."
"What's inappropriate about it!" Han's mother glared. "It's the young lady's first time visiting our home, how can we let her sleep in the study?"
Late at night, Han Feng was leaning against the small bed in his study reading documents when the door was gently pushed open a crack. Su Wanwan peeked in, already dressed in the pink pajamas given to her by Han's mother, making her look several years younger than her actual age.
"Hey," she whispered, "do your parents... know what you do for a living?"
Han Feng closed the file: "I know part of it."
"Aren't they worried?"
"I'm used to it," Han Feng replied briefly. "What's wrong?"
Su Wanwan hesitated for a moment: "Um... thank you." Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. "Your mother... is very good." After saying that, she quickly closed the door and slipped away.
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