Chapter 58.1

As the New Year approached, Li Xiao became particularly busy preparing for the sales of New Year goods.

This year, the production efficiency had improved. Coupled with the impact of last year’s Spring Festival Gala, Li Xiao had already established sales channels with several major supermarkets in other provinces. The twelve zodiac signs had been sold in B City and S City. For the New Year, he planned to give his employees a half-month vacation, so production was being ramped up.

Not long ago, he had even acquired an old factory. The factory had originally produced cola, but since two foreign cola brands had entered the domestic market and proposed “cooperative operation,” domestic cola giants had gradually been eroded. Nowadays, the popular cola drinks on the market are the two foreign brands, and the once popular domestic cola brands are hardly seen anymore.

One could only say that the business world was like a battlefield; a small decision could end everything.

The old factory had a very good location, and Li Xiao had spent a considerable amount of money to acquire it, with the help of Ms. Song.

He had also hired Fu Fei to design the new factory. Fu Fei was known for his strong professional skills. It didn’t take long for him to complete the design for Li Xiao.

Fu Fei had recently switched to a major real estate company, where the work was much easier. He no longer had to deal with chaotic matters and could focus solely on design.

Chang Yong, upon learning about this, called Li Xiao and asked if he knew, “Wasn’t he supposed to be back home taking care of his grandfather? Why is he back here again?”

Had he known that Fu Fei would return, he would never have agreed to his resignation.

Li Xiao simply said, “It seems he was introduced to a girlfriend recently, and his expenses are quite high. He felt embarrassed to return after resigning, so he came to find a job here. Since my place is a snack factory, I turned him down, and he found another job on his own.”

Chang Yong didn’t have much to say, “Is that so?”

Li Xiao continued, “His girlfriend is a police officer and is quite strict with him. Maybe she knows you are keeping a mistress and doesn’t want him to return? My wife doesn’t want me to get too close to you.”

In fact, Li Xiao had recommended the new company to Fu Fei, as Fu Fei had poached two people for him.

“……”

Chang Yong felt frustrated upon hearing this. If this was in the past, how could Li Xiao speak to him like this?

But it had to be said that since Li Xiao left, his life had become increasingly difficult. Now, even Fu Fei had left, and he was truly overwhelmed.

After his brother-in-law removed him from his previous position, he had never thought of reinstating him. Someone else had already been found to replace him, and his sister didn’t dare to speak up on his behalf.

After a brief chat, Li Xiao ended the call and then called Fu Fei. Fu Fei, being the slippery character, he was, had even changed his phone number, which explained why Chang Yong had come to Li Xiao to contact him.

Fu Fei made a few apologetic remarks over the phone and then agreed to design the packaging for the twelve zodiac signs for the New Year.

This year, Li Xiao bid for the Spring Festival Gala advertisement again, and the price doubled compared to last year. However, he did not need to shoot a new ad, as last year’s ad was still usable.

He simply felt that the price was too high. Jiang Rou could understand this, though. In the coming years, the Spring Festival Gala ads would be auctioned at sky-high prices, and it was only through national intervention that the price was kept down.

For the New Year, Zhou Jian’s family planned to return to their hometown county for the festivities. They still had relatives there, and Wang Yan’s parents and older brother had already called them, saying that the house in the county had been cleaned thoroughly and that they had prepared many dry goods. It was clear that they were eager for them to come back.

Li Xiao and Jiang Rou considered it but decided to stay here for the New Year. They did have relatives in the county, but the relationships were strained. If they went back, it would likely result in daily arguments, making it impossible to have a peaceful New Year.

Li Xiao’s vacation started on the 25th. After the holiday began, he closed the factory. A few people still remained in the factory, but they lived in the employee dormitories in the back, where the back door was left open.

An An was the first in the family to start the holiday. She was initially having a great time playing every day, while Jiang Rou was busy with her studies. Although she was on holiday, she dared not relax her learning. Li Xin worked even harder, getting up at six in the morning to do homework and practice problems, emerging only for meals. The rest of the time, she remained almost entirely in her room.

With no one to watch her, An An watched TV alone in the living room. She enjoyed it immensely, with snacks and drinks spread out on the sofa. She lay on it, watching cartoons while snacking and occasionally sipping a bit of Wang Wang milk.

Li Xiao couldn’t stand this at home. He only allowed her to watch cartoons for two hours each day—one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. The rest of the time was for homework. He had no idea where he got a pile of colored beads, but he dumped them together for her to sort out.

Only after she had sorted them out could she have an extra hour of cartoons in the evening.

After three days of this arrangement, An An finally couldn’t take it anymore and asked her father when he would go back to work.

She didn’t want him to stay at home.

Li Xiao raised his eyebrows, “When you start school, Dad will go back to work.”

An An puffed up her cheeks, obediently sat on the carpet sorting beads, and sighed like a little adult, “I want to change my dad.”

Li Xiao rubbed her little head with a grin.

On New Year’s Eve, Li Xiao ordered a lavish feast for the family from a restaurant. Instead of dining out, he had it delivered to their home.

The reason was that Jiang Rou did not want to cook. The two of them had played rock-paper-scissors in the morning to decide who would prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner. Jiang Rou lost but tried to wriggle out of it by claiming her hands hurt.

Li Xiao, laughing, made a call to order a table of dishes from the restaurant. He had seen wealthy people do this before—the restaurant could deliver food to the door, albeit for a little extra money.

He earned money to make life better for his family, so he thought it was worth it to learn from this practice.

After ordering, he found it really convenient, “When we have more money in the future, we should hire a nanny too.”

Jiang Rou thought about it and found it feasible. This way, she wouldn’t have to cook. “But the nanny won’t fit in our current house, so we’ll have to move to a bigger one.”

Li Xiao nodded in agreement, “A villa like the You family’s would be quite nice. It has a large yard in the back where An An could run and play.”

Jiang Rou’s face showed a dreamy look, imagining how wonderful life could be, just like the wealthy people on TV.

“Alright, we’ll rely on you for that.”

Li Xiao smiled. When Jiang Rou had said similar things before, he had felt a bit excited and hopeful. Now, he simply felt that such a life should not be far off.

The two of them dawdled until noon before getting up. In the afternoon, they tidied up the house properly. At around 5:40, the food from the restaurant arrived. Two employees in uniforms wheeled in a cart as tall as a person. They first laid out a white tablecloth on the dining table and then placed the dishes on it—ten dishes in total.

After setting everything up, the employees asked if they needed any further assistance. Jiang Rou and Li Xiao were not used to having people watching them while they ate, so they asked the employees to leave for now and to call them after they finished eating. The employees left.

The family of four then began their New Year’s Eve dinner.

Li Xin had thought that dining out at a restaurant was already quite luxurious, but she was surprised that the restaurant could deliver the food to their home. She couldn’t help but say, “It’s great to be rich.”

Jiang Rou served her some food, “Today is special for the New Year; it won’t be like this every day.”

Li Xin nodded, knowing it was likely very expensive. Although she was living well now, she still felt like the country girl she used to be, and this kind of life seemed like a fantasy.

There was always an unreal feeling about it.

The meal lasted almost two hours. After they finished eating, the family of four sat in front of the TV to watch the Spring Festival Gala. When people came to clean up, it was already the countdown to the Gala.

Li Xiao and Jiang Rou’s phones were ringing nonstop with well-wishes from other people. Jiang Rou received calls mainly from classmates and friends like Dong Mingming and Lin Shujun, as well as from the mothers of An An’s friends.

After finishing a call from Lin Shujun, an unfamiliar number came in. Jiang Rou instinctively answered, and a familiar yet strange girl’s voice came through, “Sister Jiang, this is Chang Lei. I’m looking for Xin Xin.”

Jiang Rou immediately remembered, “Oh, it’s Lei Lei. She’s right here. I’ll let her take the call.”

Li Xin turned her head to look at her. Jiang Rou handed her the phone.

Li Xin took the call and, recognizing the caller, smiled, “Lei Lei, Happy New Year.”

The two of them began chatting. As the conversation continued, Li Xin’s smile gradually faded, and she even frowned by the end. However, she still said, “Okay, um… okay… you too…”

After ending the call, Jiang Rou couldn’t help but ask Li Xin what was wrong.

Li Xin looked puzzled and said, “Lei Lei told me to study hard and that we’d meet again when there’s a chance. She thanked me for taking care of her all this time and hoped I wouldn’t forget her.”

Her brows furrowed again, “Why did she say that? It sounded like she was saying we won’t see each other again.”

Jiang Rou was silent for a moment.

Li Xiao, sitting nearby, also turned to look.

Jiang Rou then smiled and said, “Maybe it’s just a New Year’s blessing. She probably hopes your friendship will last forever.”

Li Xin nodded, accepting this explanation.

The advertisement for the twelve zodiac signs flashed by on the TV, and not long after, the Spring Festival Gala began.

At that moment, fireworks started outside. The dazzling display lit up the entire night sky. An An turned off the TV and ran to the balcony, lifting her small head and exclaiming in awe, “Wow——”

The colorful fireworks bloomed one after another in the black night sky. The little one, with a head full of imaginative ideas, opened her mouth wide and said, “It looks like the pizza mom makes!”

“It also looks like the lollipops Daddy bought for me!”

Li Xin watched the fireworks and felt a bit conflicted, sighing, “It’s so wonderful.”

A few years ago, she never dared to imagine she would live such a life. She didn’t know why, but she always felt that her life shouldn’t be this happy.

Perhaps the scars from the past had never fully healed.

Li Xiao stood on the balcony talking on the phone. An An reached out her hands to be picked up, “Daddy, lift me up.”

Li Xiao squatted down and picked her up with one hand. An An turned her body to smile at Jiang Rou. She pointed to the sky with her chubby little finger, “Mommy, look——”

The magnificent fireworks illuminated her and Li Xiao’s faces. Jiang Rou looked at the similar faces of father and daughter and couldn’t help but smile softly, “I see them. They’re beautiful.”

An An’s smile grew even brighter.

—o—o—o—