Chapter 29 (Bonus Chapter): Meeting the Parents
Faced with an overflowing inbox of business cooperation inquiries, Xu Nianyi did not get lost in the high rewards. Instead, she calmed down, carefully selected opportunities that matched the tone of her account.
Her first collaboration was to participate in the "Spring Breeze Ten Miles" themed cultural and creative market held in Yangzhou, the hometown of Tan Chen, in the third month of spring.
The organizers sincerely invited their "Yinian Chenguang Mobile Bar" to set up shop, selling coffee during the day and transforming into a mini bar at night.
Xu Nianyi made this choice after careful consideration.
First, while the magnificence of Xinjiang and the vastness of Northwest China are indeed breathtaking, one can easily become aesthetically fatigued after looking at natural scenery for a long time.
She missed the gentleness of the South and the vibrant atmosphere of big cities.
Secondly, Xu Nianyi's entire family are die-hard fans of "A Thought Through the World," so they naturally saw the video of her announcing her relationship.
They bombarded her in the family group chat, asking, "Niannian, when are you going to bring the young man home for us to see?"
Third, she felt a little bit of vanity and pride in returning home in triumph.
Although she is not a celebrity or a major internet influencer, she returned to her hometown with the attention of more than two million followers and was able to contribute to the development of tourism in her hometown by leveraging her influence.
Fourth, this is also an offline fan meet-up. She plans to buy some souvenirs in Northwest China, along with local Yangzhou specialties, to give to the fans who come to support her, as a way of thanking them for their continued support.
Fifth, for Fang Qihang, a native of Northeast China, the phrase "going down to Yangzhou in the third month of spring" was quite appealing, and he wanted to visit the hometowns of Xu Nianyi and Tan Chen.
And so, the itinerary was set.
The Tank 300 was carefully transported long distance, with its destination being Yangzhou, taking 6 days.
The three then boarded a flight to Nanjing.
The Didi commercial vehicle is traveling on the highway leading to Yangzhou.
The scenery outside the window is completely different from the loess plateau, withered branches, and lingering snow in the northwest.
The area is lush with greenery, crisscrossed by waterways, and features blue bricks and gray tiles, creating a charming and elegant atmosphere.
On the way, after learning that Tan Chen had his own independent residence in Yangzhou, Fang Qihang immediately put on his dramatic act and began his performance.
"Brother Tan! My dear Brother Tan!" He turned around from the front row, his face full of fawning smiles. "Look, with our friendship, wouldn't it be too formal to stay in a hotel? It's a waste of money, and it's not as comfortable as home! I don't care, I have to stay at your place!"
Xu Nianyi was amused by him, "Brother Hang, no one has lived in his house for months. Are you eager to become a cleaning uncle?"
Fang Qihang, however, didn't seem to care. Instead, he winked at Xu Nianyi, beaming with pride. "So what if I'm a cleaning uncle? Anyway, I stepped into Brother Tan's private territory before you, his girlfriend, could!"
Tan Chen smiled helplessly, gently took Xu Nianyi's hand, and spoke in a consultative tone.
"Niannian, I just got back today and haven't prepared any gifts. I'll go home and settle in first, and then I'll formally visit your parents tomorrow, okay?"
Xu Nian nodded and said, "Okay, I'll tell my parents when I get back."
However, they underestimated the enthusiasm and eagerness of the Xu family elders.
As the car slowly approached the entrance of Xu Nian's family's residential compound, she saw her parents waiting anxiously at the gate.
"Dad! Mom! Why are you waiting here?" Xu Nianyi hurriedly got out of the car and rushed over.
"Oh my, my daughter is back! How can we sit still at home?" Mr. Xu said with a big smile, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out.
Mrs. Xu then grabbed her daughter's hand and looked her up and down carefully. Seeing that she had not only not lost weight, but her cheeks were even more rosy and full, she was finally relieved.
He then turned his loving yet curious gaze to Tan Chen and Fang Qihang, who got off the bus later.
"Hello, Uncle and Aunt." Tan Chen immediately stepped forward, bowed slightly, and greeted them politely. Fang Qihang also greeted them.
"Good, good! This must be Tan Chen, right? He looks so energetic!" Mrs. Xu smiled broadly, and Mr. Xu nodded with a smile, his eyes full of satisfaction.
"This is Fang Qihang, our good partner and best partner who has traveled with us all the way!" Xu Nianyi quickly introduced.
"I know, I know, that super lively and talkative young man from Northeast China in the video!" Mrs. Xu greeted him warmly. "Don't just stand there, come on in, come on in! We just brewed some fresh tea! We've booked a private room at a restaurant tonight for all our relatives and friends to come and welcome you! Xiao Tan and Xiao Fang should come too, it'll be quite a lively occasion!"
Tan Chen was momentarily at a loss, as this completely disrupted his plans to bring a gift tomorrow. His first instinct was to politely decline. "Auntie, this is too much trouble, I haven't prepared anything..."
"Oh dear, what's there to prepare! As long as they're here, that's enough!" Mrs. Xu said, unable to refuse her enthusiasm.
At this point, Fang Qihang's social arrogance once again played a crucial role.
He immediately took over the conversation, smiling broadly, "Then thank you, Uncle and Aunt! We've been eating beef and mutton all the way here, and we've been craving authentic Yangzhou cuisine for ages!" As he spoke, he nudged Tan Chen with his elbow, signaling him not to refuse any longer.
So, Tan Chen and Fang Qihang went upstairs together.
Sitting in the warm and tidy living room of the Xu family, drinking tea brewed by Xu's mother, we chatted slowly about everyday things.
Through their conversation, Mr. Xu learned that Tan Chen was the sensible boy from junior high school. He protected his daughter's reputation and situation without interfering with her studies or their father-daughter relationship.
He gently patted Tan Chen's shoulder, "It seems that your fate is destined and cannot be broken."
The welcoming banquet in the evening was even more lively.
Grandparents, maternal grandparents, uncles and aunts, aunts and cousins... almost all the relatives who could come were there, and the huge private room was filled with laughter.
Xu Nianyi distributed carefully prepared Northwest specialties and souvenirs to the elders one by one.
Everyone sat around the table, listening to the three of them recount the amazing stories, delicious food, and beautiful scenery they had encountered on their journey, and they were all filled with longing.
"When we retire, we'll form a car team and travel around China with Niannian!"
Although I have already met Xu Nianyi's family, I still need to prepare the proper etiquette.
So the next morning, Tan Chen got up early to shop. He prepared Moutai, cigarettes, and pre-Qingming tea for Xu's father, and selected premium fish maw, bird's nest, and silk scarves for Xu's mother, before making another formal visit.
After going through all the proper etiquette, the three bid farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Xu and began to experience the slow-paced life of Yangzhou, where "skin wraps water in the morning and water wraps skin in the evening."
Xu Nianyi enthusiastically took Fang Qihang to experience the time-honored Yangzhou morning tea.
Fang Qihang looked at the time, which was almost noon, and asked in confusion, "Who eats morning tea at almost noon? Isn't this going to be lunchtime?"
Later he learned that Yangzhou morning tea can be enjoyed leisurely from dawn to afternoon, with three or five relatives and friends savoring a wide variety of snacks while listening to music, drinking fragrant tea, and chatting.
They went boating on the Slender West Lake. In spring, the Slender West Lake is adorned with swaying willows and rippling blue waves. The Twenty-Four Bridges lie quietly on the water, and the graceful reflection of the White Pagoda is mirrored in the water, making it a picturesque scene at every turn.
The three also experienced the foot care technique, which is known as one of the "three knives" of Yangzhou.
During his long-distance driving in northwestern Xinjiang, Fang Qihang developed several calluses on his feet. The experienced driver, with his superb skills, cleaned them up, and Fang Qihang immediately felt lighter on his feet, praising, "That skill is really impressive!"
Fang Qihang and Xu Nianyi also argued endlessly about the origin of bathing culture. One insisted that it originated in Northeast China, while the other insisted that Yangzhou had a longer history of bathing.
Fang Qihang decided to experience it firsthand and see what this Yangzhou bathhouse, which was on par with those in Northeast China, was all about.
Unlike the bold and unrestrained atmosphere of Northeast China, bathhouses in Yangzhou are more refined and private.
Each room has its own private room with an antique wooden bathtub, where you can enjoy the courtyard view outside the window while soaking in the tub.
The back-rubbing process is pretty much the same everywhere: you can choose from milk rubbing, vinegar rubbing, or red wine rubbing.
The most comfortable part was that after the massage, the masseur would cover his back with layers of hot towels, then scoop up ladles of hot water and slowly pour them over his skin. The hot water seeped through the layers of towels and into his skin, creating a tingling and relaxing sensation that made him almost groan with pleasure.
Having experienced the exquisite bathhouses of Yangzhou, Fang Qihang extended an invitation: "This winter, we absolutely must go to Northeast China! I'll show you a bathhouse that combines a water park and a zoo!"
Tan Chen also took them to his bar.
As soon as they entered, the employees saw Xu Nianyi next to the boss and, understanding immediately, greeted her in unison with practiced ease, "Hello, sister-in-law!"
Xu Nianyi was extremely shy, but she really liked the nickname.
In the well-equipped bar, Tan Chen prepared to give the two of them intensive training to prepare for the weekend market.
Xu Nianyi studied very diligently, and although she was still clumsy at times, Tan Chen's eyes were full of indulgent smiles.
During a break from teaching, Tan Chen rolled up his sleeves and demonstrated a few flair bartending moves.
The shaker danced between his long, slender fingers, tracing dazzling silver arcs; he even pulled off a cool fire move, a flash of blue flame across the rim of the glass.
Xu Nian leaned against the bar, her hands supporting her chin, staring intently. She subconsciously swallowed and muttered to herself, "He's so handsome..."
This charming man is her real boyfriend!
The next day, she shared her carefully edited two-day trip video of Yangzhou on the Yinlang platform, and also promoted Tan Chen's bar and weekend market activities.
"See you at the Spring Breeze Market this weekend~ Lastly, it's my boyfriend's bar, mention the owner for a discount~ [Location]"
Fans commented:
"Aaaaaah! The landlady is showing off!"
"So you're setting up a stall in Yangzhou? Go Yangzhou friends!"
"I was still hesitating about where to go this weekend, but now I've decided to go to Yangzhou to meet up with Yi Nian Jianghu."
"I want to experience the leisurely life of being all skin and water in the morning and all skin and water at night too! [Let's go!]"
"Sister-in-law, could you keep a closer eye on the boss? He's such a menace! [doge emoji]"
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