Chapter 71
The Spring Festival holiday is here.
Zhiyu Technology doesn't have many employees; including Jiang Huaiyu's team, there are only about twenty. Lu Mingxiao simply gave them all bonuses. The day before the holiday, he treated everyone to a meal. Instead of going to a restaurant, Lu Mingxiao bought the ingredients, prepared them the night before, packed them in individual food containers, and brought them to the company. The dozen or so young people ate in the studio, with Lu Mingxiao as the head chef and everyone else helping out.
They didn't have a canteen, so they set up two small pots on the long table in the conference room, one spicy and the other tomato-based. Lu Mingxiao had bought a lot of seafood, and he took out the prepared ingredients, steaming some and stir-frying others.
Lu Mingxiao has indeed kept his work and personal life separate. Although they are all classmates, and there is even a senior in the team, he has always been strict with everyone. He still has to say what needs to be said. These people will probably be the backbone of the company in the future. If he doesn't manage people well when they are young, there will be endless troubles when they become senior.
He doesn't usually go out with everyone. There's no way around it; if he really became one of the employees, it would be difficult to manage them. So, Mr. Lu has no choice but to put on a leader's airs.
His facial features were already deep and strong, and when he wore a suit and put on a serious face, he really had the air of a domineering CEO. Once, when he went back to school for an exam, he didn't have time to change into casual clothes and was even called "teacher" by a freshman.
Feeling wronged, Lu Mingxiao sought comfort from Jiang Huaiyu.
“The kids just started college, and I thought there would be teachers around their age there, since that’s how it is in high school…” Jiang Huaiyu laughed: “Don’t worry, Xiao Ge, you’ve just become more mature… well, more charming.”
President Lu was overjoyed again.
When he suggested having a meal at the studio, everyone was a little hesitant. It was hard to imagine the young boss with a stern face, wearing a suit and cooking for everyone. When it was time to eat, no one dared to move.
Lu Mingxiao was the first to clock out and go to the conference room to cook. As he passed by his workstation, he called out, "Kids, clock out and get ready to eat."
Fu Yucheng was the first to get up and check in.
Everyone followed them to the conference room, where they saw President Lu roll up his sleeves, put on a brown plaid apron, and start cooking.
Messages kept popping up in the group chat. Young Master Jiang, who hadn't been back to China for three years, was packing his bags to go home. He glanced at the group chat and saw it was the company's group.
Someone took a picture of Lu Mingxiao cooking with his sleeves rolled up and posted it in a non-work group, showing it off to his colleagues in the US branch. In the photo, Lu Mingxiao is chopping vegetables with a focused expression. He has broad shoulders and a narrow waist and is wearing an apron. In a side and back shot, his long legs and shapely buttocks are visible under his trousers.
Jiang Huaiyu thought to herself, "It's quite tempting."
Fyodor, the curly-haired boy, falls in love with every girl he sees. He profusely confesses his love in the group chat, and you can almost hear him twisting his body like a pretzel just by listening to his voice.
[Airplane waiting for a ship]: LOL, Feo, tone it down a bit. President Lu is already taken. Be careful, President Jiang might find out and make things difficult for you.
【Fyodor】: I know President Lu and President Jiang, but small size shoes? Damian, give them to me? Why?
【You Love Bubbles】: Never mind, the foreigner doesn't understand, let him call me that. Anyway, there's no President Lu or President Jiang in this group.
[Natsume]: [Laughing until tears streamed down my face.jpg]
【Fyodor】: A colleague joined the group and opened the door.
【I'm the Master】: Are there still people who haven't joined the group? The number of people is correct. If someone else joins, there will be one more person in the group.
【I'm the Master】: Wait, who else is there?
The group fell silent, as if someone had said, "When it gets dark, close your eyes; when you're a werewolf, kill someone."
【12345】： [Wishing you prosperity and good fortune]
【12345】：I am Jiang Huaiyu.
【12345】: Sorry to bother everyone, a colleague accidentally added me to the group. Happy New Year, have a great holiday.
[Airplane waiting for a ship]: Happy New Year, thank you Mr. Jiang for the red envelope [kneeling.jpg]
[You Love Bubbles]: Happy New Year! Thank you for the red envelope, Mr. Jiang! [kneeling.jpg]
The ones behind are still frantically copying and adding one, showing a strong will to survive.
Jiang Huaiyu smiled. He really didn't join this group on purpose; Fyodor had pulled him in. Since no one had changed their nicknames, he hadn't either.
I quietly left the group chat, deciding not to bother the cricket boss behind them.
...
Li Qing's efficiency is outstanding. She has already moved to Shanghai with her belongings and Lu Chuan. In order to give Hu Zi a place to run around, Song Jingliang and Jiang Lan chose the first floor. From the balcony, there is a small garden outside, with a small flower stand in the corner.
Lu Mingxiao didn't ask his parents how they calculated the money for the house. It's an adult matter, and the children shouldn't interfere. They will balance this precious family bond that has no blood relation on their own.
This was his first time visiting the new house. Jiang Lan said that spending the Chinese New Year in this small two-bedroom apartment this year was also a way to celebrate the New Year with Li Qing and her husband.
Jiang Huaiyu will also be coming back this year.
Following Li Qing's instructions, Lu Mingxiao bought groceries at the supermarket at the entrance of the residential area. When he was paying, he saw small boxes of different colors on the shelf.
Buy two boxes and put them separately in the small compartment outside your luggage.
The small two-bedroom apartment is bright and airy, with auspicious "Fu" characters pasted on the French windows of the balcony. Li Qing and Jiang Lan are making dumplings in the living room, while Song Jingliang is busy in the kitchen. Lu Chuan comes to open the door, holding a paper-cut window decoration that hasn't been pasted on yet.
Lu Mingxiao was wearing a black workwear shirt with the zipper zipped down, revealing white lamb's wool underneath. He wore a white turtleneck sweater, gray jeans, and sneakers.
Lu Chuan teased, "Oh my, Mr. Lu, you're dressed so lively today."
"That's right, I'm still a child." Lu Mingxiao came in carrying his suitcase: "Moms, I'm back!"
Li Qing and Jiang Lan greeted him with joy. Lu Mingxiao put his arms around both mothers, one on each side. In his memory, Li Qing was very tall and strong, with a lithe figure full of power. She carried various building materials on her shoulders, and even though she was covered in dust every day, she still had a bright and cheerful smile.
But now, Mom has become very small, her head only reaching Lu Mingxiao's shoulder. He looked down and saw a single white hair on the top of her head.
I don't know how much "Chinese medicine" she drank before she could accept that her two sons were getting together.
A bittersweet feeling welled up in Lu Mingxiao's heart.
He was eager to have his own career and wanted to prove that he could make mature decisions about his own life, which was actually related to the guilt in his heart.
While Li Qing was still asking him about school, Lu Mingxiao pulled two red envelopes from his coat pocket and stuffed one into Li Qing's and Jiang Lan's hands: "Mom, I made money this year, so I'm giving you each a big red envelope..."
Song Jingliang poked his head out of the kitchen: "What are you doing? Will I get any of the profits?"
"Yes, I have them all!" Lu Mingxiao pulled out two more: "Old Lu, these are yours..."
Lu Chuan smiled and said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony."
"Please don't be so polite..." Lu Mingxiao took out another red envelope and handed it to Song Jingliang: "Here, Lao Song, this is yours!"
"Wow, this is so thick..." Song Jingliang opened the red envelope, glanced at it, and a talisman slid out: "Is there a surprise inside?"
Lu Mingxiao quickly stretched out the pig's trotter, took it back, and stuffed the other red envelope into Song Jingliang's hand: "Sorry, I took the wrong one. This one is yours."
Song Jingliang: ...
It goes without saying whose it is.
"Rebellious son!"
"Hey? Hey! Old Song, don't do it! Your red envelopes also contain amulets, they all do! It's just that their effects are different!"
...
After a while of bickering, Lu Mingxiao went into the kitchen to help Song Jingliang cook.
This New Year's Eve dinner was exceptionally lavish. The dishes that would take a long time to prepare had been put into the pot long ago. The kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of meat all afternoon. As the sky gradually darkened, Song Jingliang checked his watch more and more frequently.
Jiang Huaiyu will be back soon.
Li Qing also started to get restless, pacing back and forth around the room.
Song Jingliang and Jiang Lan can still visit Jiang Huaiyu a few times a year, but Lu Chuan's health is not suitable for such long flights. They haven't seen their child for three whole years. No matter how many videos they watch, it can't compare to being able to hug their baby in person.
“No…” Li Qing slapped Lu Mingxiao on the back: “You should go pick him up early. What if the flight leaves early and Xiaobao is already waiting at the airport?”
Lu Mingxiao was mixing a cold dish when his hand trembled as he was being slapped, causing him to put in too much vinegar.
Mom, can we arrive an hour and a half earlier? Even Shandong Airlines can't do that.
He was thrown out of the house by the four parents. Song Jingliang gave him the car keys and told him to go pick up the young master and take him home.
...
The airport was bustling with people, most of whom wore tired yet excited smiles. At the end of the year, being able to return to their families from afar was a shared happiness.
Jiang Huaiyu pushed her suitcase and stood in the city she hadn't set foot in for three years, and couldn't help but smile.
He was wearing a light gray scarf, with half his face hidden inside, trying to see if the person who came to pick him up would still recognize him. As he walked out with the crowd, he saw that tall and upright figure.
Lu Mingxiao was holding his phone, probably typing. Jiang Huaiyu's phone, which was in his pocket, wasn't vibrating, so he guessed that she was replying to her parents.
Jiang Huaiyu pulled her scarf up a bit, revealing only her eyes, and stared at Lu Mingxiao.
He looks great today.
Jiang Huaiyu's pace remained unchanged, and the distance between them gradually closed. He passed by Lu Mingxiao calmly and lightly.
In the instant they brushed past each other, his arm was accurately grabbed.
"What are you doing, President Jiang?" Lu Mingxiao asked with a smile. "Pretending not to know me?"
“President Lu is dressed too youthfully today…” Jiang Huaiyu chuckled, her eyes peeking out from behind her scarf with a mischievous glint in them: “I thought it was someone’s younger brother coming to pick me up from the airport.”
Lu Mingxiao typed with one hand, informing his family that he had successfully picked up the young master. He put away his phone, looked up, and stared intently at Jiang Huaiyu.
The year he turned 18, Jiang Huaiyu gave him a photo album, in which Jiang Huaiyu deliberately made up to look mature.
That was the very handsome Jiang Huaiyu, but when Jiang Xiaoyu actually stood in front of him three years later, he realized that this person hadn't changed much at all.
They even wore similar styles of clothing and stood together, looking like teenagers from yesterday.
Lu Mingxiao slid his palm down Jiang Huaiyu's arm and grasped Jiang Huaiyu's hand, their fingers intertwined without any gap.
"Then... welcome back, Brother Little Fish."
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