The moment the "Arrived on time" message on the electronic screen changed to "Arrived," the first group of passengers poured out of the arrival gate. Wang Hao immediately stood on tiptoe to get a better look.
"There!" Han Feng pointed to a middle-aged couple pushing a luggage cart. Mrs. Wang was waving excitedly in their direction, while Mr. Wang tried to remain calm, but his quickened pace betrayed his feelings.
"Dad! Mom!" Wang Hao pushed through the crowd and rushed over, almost knocking over the luggage cart next to him.
"Haohao!" Wang's mother hugged her son tightly, tears welling in her eyes as she touched his face. "You've lost weight! But you look much more energetic, you have that soldier's air about you."
Mr. Wang was rather restrained, only patting his son's shoulder firmly: "You've definitely gotten stronger." Then he turned to Han Feng, his smile kind, "Xiao Feng's here too. Hao Hao told me you're a leader in a special department now?"
Han Feng almost choked on the title "leader," and quickly took the luggage cart: "Uncle and Auntie, you must be tired from your journey. The cart is right outside."
On the way to the parking lot, Wang's mother kept holding Wang Hao's hand and nagging, "You silly child, you joined the army, but why did you have to pull such a surprise... Kyoto is so expensive, do you have enough money?"
Wang Hao secretly winked at Han Feng, while verbally replying, "That's enough, that's enough, we get good treatment..."
"I can see that, they've even got a car," Mr. Wang interjected. "The military really does nurture people; look at Xiaofeng, even his demeanor is different now."
Han Feng quietly lowered his profile, pretending to be focused on pushing the cart. Wang Hao then began to improvise: "Actually, we mainly do office work, and occasionally go on business trips..."
"An office is great! It's safer that way!" Wang's mother immediately beamed. "Look at Xiaofeng's demeanor, he's just like someone who works in an office!"
Han Feng: "......"
On the bus, the elderly couple marveled at the prosperity of Kyoto. Mrs. Wang kept taking pictures with her phone: "Wow, these buildings are so tall! Hao Hao, look at that billboard, isn't that the celebrity you mentioned last time?"
Mr. Wang, however, was more concerned about the traffic conditions: "Xiao Feng's driving skills are quite good; he drives so steadily even in Kyoto's notoriously congested traffic."
Han Feng smiled without saying a word, thinking to himself: Of course, it's top-notch driving skill, after all.
The two elders' astonishment reached its peak when the car entered Kyoto Huafu.
"This neighborhood...is it a park?" Mrs. Wang peered out the car window, watching the artificial lake and ginkgo-lined avenue rush by. "And there are security guards patrolling on horseback?"
Those were Longyuan's plainclothes cavalry... Han Feng and Wang Hao exchanged a glance and remained silent in tacit agreement.
"Haohao," Mr. Wang suddenly became serious, "tell me the truth, how much does the housing here cost per square meter?"
Mr. Wang's question was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating subtle ripples inside the car. Wang Hao's Adam's apple bobbed nervously, and his pleading gaze drifted towards the driver's seat.
Han Feng saw his childhood friend's embarrassed expression in the rearview mirror and smiled slightly: "Uncle, this house isn't expensive." He skillfully turned the steering wheel onto the tree-lined road. "Our department has a special nature, and given our merit in the last mission, this is a reward from above."
"Meritorious service?" Wang's mother's attention was immediately diverted. "Haohao, are you alright?" She anxiously looked her son over.
"It's nothing, it's nothing!" Wang Hao quickly waved his hand, "I just... helped catch a few bad guys." He spoke vaguely, but his ears turned red—remembering the scene where Han Feng actually saved him during the last mission.
Mr. Wang nodded thoughtfully: "A special department... I really shouldn't ask too many questions." He patted his wife's hand, "As long as the child is successful, that's enough."
Before Mrs. Wang could say anything more, her son interrupted her, saying, "We're here! This is the building!"
The car stopped in front of a modern Chinese-style villa with white walls and gray tiles. The Podocarpus macrophyllus in the courtyard was trimmed with a Zen-like quality, and the water feature wall made a gurgling sound. The two elderly people walked noticeably softer when they got out of the car, as if afraid of disturbing the elegance.
"This...this is really our home?" Mrs. Wang's hands trembled as she touched the brass door knocker.
Wang Hao smugly entered the password: "Fingerprint not registered yet, use the password lock first." The door slid open silently, revealing a six-meter-high living room. "Welcome home!"
The interior was designed in a showroom style, retaining Chinese charm while incorporating smart home technology. Mr. Wang tentatively stepped on the walnut flooring: "Is this underfloor heating?"
"Smart temperature control throughout the house!" Wang Hao proudly opened his tablet. "Mom and Dad, look, even the curtains can be controlled by voice..."
Han Feng smiled as he carried the luggage inside, watching Wang Hao show his parents around each room like a child displaying a treasure. When they saw the kitchen, which was even bigger than their bedroom back home, Wang's mother exclaimed in amazement for the nth time that day.
"Haohao," she suddenly grabbed her son's sleeve, lowering her voice, "tell me the truth... is this really earned through an honest job?"
Wang Hao was both amused and exasperated: "Mom! What are you thinking!" He looked to Han Feng for help.
Han Feng said seriously, "Auntie, don't worry, we are all government employees who have signed confidentiality agreements." He deliberately flashed the Longyuan badge that was faintly visible inside his phone case. "There are some things that are inconvenient to explain in detail, but it's absolutely legal and compliant."
Mr. Wang leaned closer to look at the badge, then suddenly straightened his back: "I understand! Don't ask what you shouldn't ask!" The old man, who had worked in a state-owned enterprise for many years, clearly made the connection to certain special departments.
After all the luggage was settled, Wang Hao rubbed his hands mysteriously: "Mom and Dad, I have another surprise for you."
Mrs. Wang's eyes lit up: "Could it be... you have a girlfriend? Want to introduce her to your parents?" She excitedly tugged at her husband's sleeve, "Old man! Our pig has finally learned to root for cabbages!"
"Mom!" Wang Hao's face instantly turned red from his neck to the tips of his ears. "Not this!"
Mr. Wang also became interested: "What's that? A promotion and a raise?"
"Even better than that!" Wang Hao proudly opened his phone's photo album. "Look—"
Han Feng suddenly coughed: "Haozi, let's talk about that matter later..." He gave him a wink, afraid that this guy would reveal some unrelated information.
Wang Hao abruptly shut his mouth, chuckling awkwardly, "Right, wait... let's talk about it after we finish eating!"
Mrs. Wang looked at the two young people suspiciously: "So mysterious..." Suddenly she clapped her hands, "Xiao Feng, I heard you have girlfriends? And two really pretty girls at that?"
Han Feng nearly choked on his saliva: "Auntie, where did you hear that from?"
"Hao Hao let it slip on the phone last time," Mrs. Wang said with a smile, leaning closer. "When are you going to bring him to meet me? Don't worry, I'm very open-minded. Good boys are in high demand these days..."
"Mom!" Wang Hao hurriedly interrupted, "That's Feng-ge's privacy!"
Han Feng rubbed his forehead and smiled wryly. Just then, his phone rang, and he answered it with a sense of relief: "Hello? Dad? Okay... I'll be right there."
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