Chapter 103: Meeting 1/2

Zhou Zhongcheng specifically returned to his hometown a few days before the Lunar New Year, wanting to spend the holiday there.

Many of his childhood memories had faded, but he remembered how festive it was in his hometown during the New Year. His family was wealthy, often employing labourers, and during the New Year, they would hire even more.

On New Year’s Eve, the labourers began their tasks early in the morning—slaughtering chickens, stewing meat, and worshipping ancestors…

That day, the aroma of meat filled his home.

One of the labourers was a refugee from the north who could cook dishes that were unfamiliar to the locals, such as fried meatballs.

Each meatball was the size of an egg, fried until golden brown before being simmered in sauce.

The family’s chef also made banquet dishes, and Zhou’s favourite was the fish balls.

There were also sweet and sour fish, braised lamb, stir-fried eels with garlic…

These were the flavours of his memories, which were unforgettable for many years.

Over the years, he had tried to replicate those flavours with his chefs on the island, but they never quite matched what he remembered.

Now that he was back, he realised that the people who had prepared those delicacies for him were likely no longer alive.

The car stopped at the location of the Lutong Township Government.

Some of the smaller roads were impassable for cars, so this was the best place to stop.

As soon as the car stopped, some children gathered around to see what was happening.

This was a small sedan!

Cars were rare nowadays, and the village children loved sitting by the roadside, watching the cars come and go.

Now that a car had stopped near their homes, they definitely wanted to take a look.

But they didn’t dare to get too close. Generally, when cars like this came to their area, it meant officials were visiting.

Zhou Zhongcheng looked at the children, their faces darkened by the sun, noses running, faces streaked with red, and fingernails caked with dirt, feeling a complex mix of emotions.

According to what his friend had said, his family had encountered trouble because of informants from their hometown.

He also knew that, in recent years, the mainland held hostility towards people like them.

He didn’t plan to interact much with the locals. After getting out of the car, he followed the secretary who had been arranged to meet him.

Compared to his memories, Lutong had changed a lot. Zhou Zhongcheng wore a hat and scarf, concealing his appearance, and walked ahead with his secretary, surrounded by the driver and bodyguards, quickly arriving at his old residence.

The walls of his family’s house had been torn down.

During the chaos of the past, bandits roamed everywhere, making a living by plundering. Wealthy families built high walls to avoid being robbed, and his family was no exception.

Now, those walls had been completely demolished, and the bricks and tiles used to build them were likely repurposed.

His family’s house had been renovated. Some were filled with miscellaneous items, while others were occupied by people. The room at the entrance had even been turned into a small shop.

Today was New Year’s Eve, and some children were buying firecrackers, setting them off in front of the store with loud pops.

Zhou Zhongcheng stared at the house for a long time before continuing forward.

His family’s house no longer belonged to him, and their land had been divided among others.

Fortunately, according to what his eldest son had said, the graves of his parents, wife, and children were still intact, guarded by the son of one of their labourers.

Zhou Zhongcheng went to the home of that labourer’s son.

The other party had just built a two-story red brick building, which was not bad in the village but seemed very simple to him.

As soon as he entered, he saw the portraits of his parents hanging on the wall, and tears welled up in his eyes. Then he saw the labourer’s son, whom he had played with as a child, as his childhood friend.

This person was called Shen Dahe. When he was born, his parents consulted a fortune teller who said he lacked the element of water, so his parents called him Dahe (Big River).

Zhou Zhongcheng went to a private school at a young age, and Shen Dahe, two years older than him, would accompany him to and from school, even bringing him lunch at noon.

He was someone Zhou Zhongcheng remembered vividly.

Shen Dahe was only two years older than Zhou Zhongcheng, but he looked like he was twenty years older.

His face was deeply lined, his back hunched, and even though he had already walked with a cane, he still seemed unsteady.

Zhou Zhongcheng’s eyes became even more sour.

Shen Dahe choked up, “Young Master…”

Zhou Zhongcheng sat at the Shen family’s house for a long time, chatting with Shen Dahe. They talked about their youth and the forty-plus years they had been apart.

Shen Dahe even took Zhou Zhongcheng to visit the graves of his parents and Zhou Zhongcheng’s wife and children.

Although Zhou Zhongcheng’s eyes had been stinging before, he hadn’t shed tears. But when he arrived at the graves, he couldn’t restrain his emotions any longer.

Ignoring the dirty ground, Zhou Zhongcheng kneeled down, unable to hold back his sobs.

Shen Dahe kneeled besides him, also crying incessantly.

Before dinner, Zhou Zhongcheng left the Shen family’s house with the portraits of his parents.

Today was New Year’s Eve, and he didn’t want to disrupt the Shen family’s reunion.

After leaving some money for the Shen family, Zhou Zhongcheng went to a nearby county town to stay in the house arranged by his secretary.

At his residence, he took out photos of his parents and the picture of his wife and son that she had sent him years ago. As he looked at them, he cried again.

The reason he had come alone this time was to reminisce about those people from his past.

His current wife didn’t like him mentioning his first wife and their first child. His children knew little about his past.

He couldn’t talk to anyone about these things, so he could only reminisce alone.

His relationship with his ex-wife wasn’t deep, but she was a gentle and beautiful woman whom he still liked.

Their deceased child had been very bright from a young age.

His current three children had never experienced any hardships since childhood, while his first child had passed away at a young age.

Zhou Zhongcheng couldn’t help but cry again.

Meanwhile, his secretary went to meet with Zhou Sigu.

“Mr. Zhou hasn’t noticed anything wrong, but his emotions have been unstable. He’s been crying in his room,” the secretary told Zhou Sigu about Zhou Zhongcheng’s situation.

Zhou Zhongcheng was already seventy years old, and sooner or later, he would hand over the company to his son… Under Zhou Sigu’s persistent efforts, the secretary had already sided with Zhou Sigu early on.

“I see. Keep an eye on my father and try to persuade him not to cry too much,” Zhou Sigu said gently. “Too much crying is bad for his health.”

The secretary sighed. “Mr. Zhou doesn’t want us to go in. He said he wants to be alone for a while.”

They chatted for a few more moments before parting ways.

After the secretary left, Zhou Sigu’s expression instantly darkened.

The old man was still crying alone!

Did he really care that much about his former wife and children?

Zhou Sigu definitely couldn’t let Feng Yi meet his father!

Zhou Sigu already disliked Feng Yi, and now he dislikes him even more. He also harboured many grievances about his own father.

On the other hand, at the Shen family’s house.

After Zhou Zhongcheng left, Shen Dahe kept sighing heavily.

Zhou Zhongcheng thought his wife and children had passed away over forty years ago, but he knew that wasn’t true.

Madam and Young Master had only been gone for about twenty years, and Young Master had even left behind a child.

But he couldn’t say anything.

“Dad, it’s New Year’s; can you stop sighing? It’s bad luck!” Shen Dahe’s son said.

Shen Dahe looked at his son and sighed again.

He lied to Zhou Zhongcheng for the sake of his son and grandson.

Three years ago, Zhou Sigu found him and arranged jobs for his son and grandson. Their family had also joined Zhou Sigu’s enterprise.

He couldn’t tell Zhou Zhongcheng about Feng Yi.

Shen Dahe didn’t have much affection for Zhou Zhongcheng, his former young master. He even disliked him.

When he was young, if Zhou Zhongcheng got into trouble, he would be the one who got punished. Despite not being able to attend school himself, he had to escort Zhou Zhongcheng to school. When they encountered mud or other obstacles, he had to carry Zhou Zhongcheng.

He used to crave meat so much but never got to eat any. As for Zhou Zhongcheng? Every meal Shen Dahe brought him had meat dishes.

Back then, he was too young to have any thoughts, but later on, he felt indignant knowing that everyone should be equal.

He didn’t like Zhou Zhongcheng, but he did like Madam.

Back when their family was struggling, Madam had helped them out.

As for Young Master, he would join them in working the fields from a young age. He was such a good person!

After the young master passed away, Shen Dahe even sent gifts to Zhou Qiaoxia, fearing that she might mistreat the child of the young master. However, later, when Zhou Qiaoxia remarried and moved away with the child, he lost contact with them due to the long distance.

Shen Dahe’s son, witnessing his father in such a state, rolled his eyes and ignored him.

The whole Zhou family were capitalists, and he couldn’t understand why his father was treating someone else like a treasure. Despite his father often talking about how poorly the Zhou family treated him in the past…

Of course, he didn’t dislike Zhou Sigu. Although he was also a capitalist, he arranged jobs for him and his son, for which they were grateful.

As the Shen family members were talking, a neighbour came to visit.

Seeing the lavish feast on the Shen family’s table, they couldn’t help but envy: “Old Shen, your son has become successful, buying so many delicious things!”

“Killing a chicken is nothing, but you even bought ducks.”

“This fish is huge!”

“Shrimp is quite expensive these days, right? Yet you bought shrimp!”

…

Facing the neighbours’ envious looks, Shen Dahe felt a sense of satisfaction, and his sorrow diminished.

At this moment, the neighbour asked, “Old Shen, who were the people who came to your house earlier? They looked quite impressive.”

“I heard they came in a sedan. They must be important people, right?”

…

Shen Dahe’s son became anxious when people started asking about Zhou Zhongcheng, afraid that his father might say something inappropriate. However, Shen Dahe didn’t say anything he shouldn’t have: “That was my son’s boss, who came to visit and express condolences to the employees during the New Year.”

“Old Shen, your son has really made it!”

“Your grandson is successful too. They’re working in big cities, right?”

“Your family’s life is getting better and better.”

“Your granddaughter is not young anymore. I have a nephew.”

…

Shen Dahe no longer sighed. He wore a smile on his face and engaged in conversation with the neighbours.

Seeing this, Shen Dahe’s son and grandson breathed a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, in Lutong, they were also celebrating the Lunar New Year in Shanghai.

After Charles’s hamburger shop closed, everyone went their separate ways.

Jiang Liyun had rented a small house in the alley for the employees. The house had two floors, adding up to over a hundred square meters. She had it renovated and reinforced, setting up bunk beds inside, similar to a school dormitory. The girls all lived there.

When they returned to their residence, the first thing they did was open the red envelopes Jiang Liyun had given them. “There’s 600 yuan!”

“So much!”

“Really, a lot!”

…

The girls were extremely happy.

The January salary had already been paid in advance, and this 600 yuan represented half of the February salary, along with the year-end bonus.

For some people, 600 yuan might not be much, but for these girls from rural backgrounds, it was a considerable amount.

“Skipping going home for the New Year was worth it for this much money!”

“Yeah, if I earn a bit more, my family can build a house.”

“Are you silly? Give all your hard-earned money to your family.”

“Exactly. I told my parents that I work in the factory, earning a hundred and fifty a month, including meals and accommodation. Now, I give them a hundred each month, and they’re overjoyed.”

…

Most of these girls working outside will send money back home, but some give more and some give less. There are those who are very straightforward and give all their earnings to their families. The girl who was criticised for this felt a bit indignant. “All of you are full of schemes; I can’t learn from you!”

Having said that, she ignored the others.

The remaining girls looked at each other, feeling a bit speechless, but couldn’t help sighing. During their training, Jiang Liyun advised them not to disclose their true income to their families and to plan for themselves. Most of them followed her advice, but some families were in dire straits, and they couldn’t give all their earnings to their families.

This girl knew very well that her family couldn’t provide any help for her. In the future, she wanted to buy a house for herself.

But there were also those who didn’t listen. The girl who gave all her money to her family felt that Jiang Liyun was calculating, not a good woman.

It could only be said that her parents had “taught” her too well. Who knows what she will be like in the future?

If people don’t plan for themselves, they will suffer losses.

The topic shifted away from money, and they began discussing the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Jiang Liyun had bought a lot of ingredients and had given them some. With these ingredients, they had enough to prepare a hearty New Year’s Eve dinner.

These girls had some cooking experience, but their culinary skills were average.

Coming from rural backgrounds, their families lacked oil and salt, and they rarely had the opportunity to practice cooking. Some of them had never even bought MSG before. Some of them, from families that couldn’t afford much, even treasured a can of lard in their cupboards.

Speaking of lard… The girls who had gone home for the New Year had pooled money in Shanghai to buy a lot of fat. After rendering it into lard and packing it, they brought it back home.

Lard was a good thing!

About half of the people had gone home, so their living space had become much more spacious.

They took out the chickens, ducks, and pork given by Jiang Liyun and stewed them. The fragrance of the meat filled the small house.

“Life is really good now.”

“It’s so great to be able to openly eat meat!”

“When I made meat at home, my parents wouldn’t let me eat too much. Now, I can eat vegetables until I’m full!”

“Before, I used to eat vegetables before rice, and my dad scolded me, thinking I should eat rice first before vegetables.”

“I won’t eat rice tonight!”

…

They didn’t have a table in their house, so they put the square stools together and placed the cooked dishes on top. Everyone sat around, eating. Next to these stools were their beds, so they could sit on the bed and eat.

While eating the New Year’s Eve dinner, they started talking about Jiang Liyun again. “Manager Jiang is really enviable; she’s beautiful and capable.”

“Her boyfriend is even a university student!”

“People are just different.”

“Right, Manager Jiang ordered newspapers, didn’t she? She saw something about Pudong’s development in the newspaper and told me she wanted to buy a house in Pudong. She even suggested I do the same.”

“Isn’t that place quite desolate? Why buy there?”

“Having your own house is always a good thing.”

…

Not everyone wanted to buy a house, but these young girls couldn’t help thinking about the benefits of owning one.

If they had their own house…

On the other side, at H.

During the winter break at H University, the cafeteria was closed, but a small kitchen was left open for students who stayed on campus to cook their own meals.

These students usually cooked together, and on New Year’s Eve, they decided to prepare a collective feast.

Those who stayed at the university were mostly students with families in remote areas or less favourable financial conditions.

For them, going home meant a two- to three-day train journey, followed by a bus ride through mountain roads, taking a total of five days for a one-way trip. Considering the round trip, it would consume a whole ten days, which wasn’t worth it.

The New Year’s Eve dinner prepared by these students naturally wouldn’t be as lavish as others.

Since chicken frames were affordable, they bought some to cook. For vegetables, they chose Shanghai greens and radishes, both budget-friendly and delicious. Of course, soy products were also part of their plan.

After all, it was the New Year… They planned to fry some radish and tofu balls.

Dumplings couldn’t be left out, and they intended to make dumplings with pork fat scraps and cabbage.

After having lunch, those students who stayed at the university began preparing for dinner.

In the midst of their busyness, they couldn’t help but chat: “Lu Haijun and the others are spending New Year’s Eve with us, and they said they would bring some ingredients back. I wonder what they’ll bring.”

“They might bring us fried chicken.”

“What wishful thinking! Fried chicken is expensive; how could they give it to us?”

“Yeah, fried chicken is definitely not cheap.”

…

These students didn’t take part-time jobs at Charles Hamburgers, either because they didn’t know about it or because they chose to focus on studying during the winter break. Nevertheless, during this period, they were grateful they hadn’t taken the job.

Why? Because Charles Hamburgers was too busy!

Lu Haijun and the others came back smelling of fried chicken from morning until night. It looked tough.

These students, on the other hand, enjoyed their break, exploring Shanghai thoroughly. They felt that this holiday was particularly well spent.

As they were chatting, Lu Haijun and the others returned.

Jiang Liyun had given ingredients to the female workers and also to them. It didn’t cost much.

Because of this, Lu Haijun and the others came back with bags and bundles.

“Happy New Year, everyone!” Lu Haijun greeted them with a smile and added, “Today, I’m treating you all to hamburgers!”