Rebirth after the college entrance examination

Chapter 229 Red Candle
Because the Lunar New Year was late this year, the school started before the Lantern Festival. Le Ning went back to Dongshan for two days, but Xia An was too busy and didn't get to see her.

The battle on Weibo subsided in an instant. Xia An only went to the provincial department briefly to give two small-scale reports, aiming to explain the impact of online portals on traditional media and their vertical strategic value.

Xia An took a long leave of absence from school and spent her days in the Taoyuan Courtyard, burying herself in writing her thesis.

Yes, not going to school doesn't mean you have nothing to do.

"Did the leaders ask you to write this?"

Lin Jiajia, with her hair in a bun, sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), picking hazelnuts with her chopsticks while watching Xia An type rapidly on his laptop with curiosity.

A while ago, she asked Xia An if it was okay that she wasn't going back to school. In her heart, she knew that Xia An was keeping her company and helping her get through these last difficult days.

Xia An opened his mouth to take the few hazelnuts she handed him, nodded and said, "This time the noise was quite loud, which attracted the attention of some people who wanted to use Weibo to attack me. I need to confess and be treated leniently."

The so-called "confessing and receiving leniency" means actively putting shackles on oneself, designing rules, and operating within a framework. Otherwise, anything can be exposed, and it's no wonder that those big shots can't sleep soundly.

Lin Jiajia was a little confused and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

Xia An smiled at her and reached out to pinch her fair cheek.

Lately, Lin Jiajia seems to have turned back into a twenty-year-old.

"What could possibly happen? Just wait and see. A single punch can prevent a hundred more. Huang Li has become the scapegoat, and from now on, basically no one will dare to touch me."

Lin Jiajia nodded, seemingly understanding, then tossed her hair and asked, "Weren't you and your friend planning to take over her team? Why hasn't anything happened?"

Xia An said, "I only bought two of her printing factories at rock-bottom prices; the team was taken by someone else."

Lin Jiajia asked, "What do we need a printing factory for?"

Xia An thought for a moment and said, "It's not of much use for now, let's keep it."

Two days later, he went to the provincial party committee with a stack of documents. After listening to a detailed report, the officials gave him a very high evaluation, praising him as a responsible young entrepreneur.

Xia An blushed slightly upon hearing this.

Huang Hao is still in the hospital, and Huang Li has already been detained.

But the commotion that night vanished without a trace, like the wind passing by.

As Xia An stepped out of the courtyard, she looked up and seemed to see an invisible net that enveloped the entire world and every living being.

Rules, the rules that everyone must follow in this world, and rights.

On March 12th, Arbor Day, Tang Wan returned.

After 17 days on the stock market, the share price of Tangshi Group finally stabilized at 82.3 yuan. Tang Wan, who owns 72% of the shares, saw her net worth drop from 22 billion yuan to 17.1 billion yuan, fluctuating around this level.

Regardless, Tang Wan is firmly established as the richest woman in the province and among the top three in the country.

Why?
The glamorous life of Tang Wan has finally attracted negative public discussion.

Why is it that a mere sugar persimmon group can have a higher market value than countless other large industrial companies?

Experts responded that it was because its operational approach incorporated internet thinking.

What is internet thinking?

Experts say that the nationwide promotion during the Spring Festival is enough to prove it.

Someone else asked: But isn't that leveraging Weibo?
The expert said: Yes.

Someone asked: Are they the same company?
The expert asked: Isn't that right?
Guolan Technology and Tangshi Group issued statements at the same time regarding an indefinite and in-depth strategic cooperation.

In addition, Tang Wan publicly stated to the media that the company is discussing making an equity investment in Guolan Technology, with a target of one billion yuan, and intends to exchange 10%-15% of its shares.

what is this?
Once this deal is finalized, wouldn't Weibo, which has only been launched for less than three months, suddenly be valued at over 10 billion?

The internet community was in an uproar.

When others raise funds for internet projects, capital devours them like wolves, eager to acquire controlling stakes with just a few hundred or tens of millions. Your listed group is so high and mighty! Amazing! Taking 10% of a billion? Ha!

[Goddess, you've fallen! You can't find any kind of guy you like! You actually prefer pretty boys!]

As a result, Xia An's reputation among the public became: a gigolo who relies on his looks to raise funds.

Some conspiracy theorists even suggested that Tang Wan might be laundering money.
Expert: That's nonsense. The cash flow of listed companies is strictly regulated.

But this statement startled Xia An and Tang Wan so much that they jumped up and down. Netizens are incredibly insightful; how could they have guessed that?
That's right, Xia An wants to use the continuous influx of funds from the Sugar Persimmon Group to quickly expand the several projects in his hands.

Seeking venture capital? That's out of the question for him.

While eating sauerkraut and pork belly in a small copper pot on the kang (heated brick bed), Tang Wan asked Lin Jiajia, "How about sending Grandma abroad for treatment? I'm rich now." She patted her bulging chest as she spoke. The nourishing medicinal wine from Old Luo had made her face rosy, making her look very endearing.

Lin Jiajia shook her head bitterly.

For the past two weeks, the old lady has been in relatively good spirits, but that's when she's awake; she's been sleeping for longer and longer periods of time.

Old Luo said that this medicine could prolong life, but the so-called prolongation was just keeping the breath alive. Due to the medicine's effects, the cancer cells were growing faster and faster.

Sleep is a form of self-protection for the body, helping to avoid pain.

However, as the weather warmed up and the ice and snow melted, the old lady didn't have much time left.

Xia An poked Tang Wan's calf with her toe, indicating that there was no need to talk about this anymore.

As the host, Lin Jiajia couldn't bear the awkward silence, so she forced a smile and asked Tang Wan, "I heard this naughty boy say that once the company goes public, you'll be much more relaxed. What are your plans after that?"

"Bad boy?" Tang Wan blinked. She had called Xia An that for a while too.

"I don't have any plans. I'm going back to school."

Lin Jiajia asked in surprise, "You can still go to school now?"

She pointed to the backyard, where a group of female bodyguards were also having hot pot in Old Luo's house.

Old Luo has been extremely busy lately. After Zhang Tiancheng rented a three-story standalone shop, Old Luo wanted to personally design the interior of the TCM clinic. Every day, he would ride his little motorcycle down the mountain before dawn and then stroll back after dark.

Tang Wan nodded but didn't say anything, only looking at Xia An, who had originally designed this life for her.

"Show less, and no one will care after a while." Xia An picked up a piece of fatty meat, dipped it in garlic sauce, and put it in his mouth. He said, "Once the initial excitement is over, people will still care about their daily necessities. Besides, always being on the front line is tiring. I don't want you to be too tired."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wan rolled her eyes, while Lin Jiajia shook her head speechlessly.

You're really daring, saying this to both of you in front of them.

After we finished eating, it wasn't dark yet.

Even though Tang Wan had been attending one banquet after another in Shenzhen recently and missed Xia An terribly, she still refused to stay overnight, thus fulfilling Xia An's promise to Lin Jiajia.

"I'll go back to school and wait for you. Su Su has already gone back."

Tang Wan left those words behind, then got into the van with her bodyguard and bumped her way down the mountain.

Lin Jiajia stood at the door looking at Xia An: "I feel like she's changed."

Xia An let out a burp and laughed, "What's changed?"

Lin Jiajia looked at the taillights and said, "It's become like you."

Xia An was taken aback, then curled the corners of her lips into a smile.

People say that couples look alike; over time, they will become more and more alike.

Lin Jiajia looked at him intently, but didn't know what to say.

She just hadn't expected that a young man in his early twenties could actually manage to completely control a girl like Tang Wan, let alone herself.

But then she realized that there was something wrong with her logic.

Perhaps it wasn't Xia An, but rather their own choice.

Having spent so much time together, Lin Jiajia had been secretly searching for the source of Xia An's magic, but she couldn't find it. He was confident and composed in his work and meticulous and considerate in his personal life, but in essence, in all their interactions, he was just a clingy little boy.

The only thing he doesn't throw tantrums, and he's not chauvinistic...

Seeing her dazed expression, Xia An seemed to immediately guess what she was thinking.

As the evening breeze blew, he embraced Lin Jiajia and whispered in her ear:
"The richer you are, the purer your feelings become, and even trivial matters can be turned into fun from a different perspective."

Lin Jiajia understood somewhat.

March 20th is the day the dragon raises its head.

Old Luo didn't go out that day. He bought a live pig from the village at the foot of the mountain, intending to cook it himself.

The braised pig's head was very flavorful. After the family finished eating, Old Man Luo staggered to the back mountain. Lin Jiajia gestured for Xia An to follow, saying, "Don't fall or anything after drinking so much."

Xia An chased after him from the backyard.

As dusk fell, when they reached the most secluded halfway up the mountain, Xia An heard a rustling sound of crying coming from the woods, which startled him.

Upon entering, one sees Old Man Luo kneeling under a tree, with two ounces of pig's head meat, a bowl of medicinal wine, and three incense sticks, weeping bitterly. His cries are heart-wrenching.

Xia An, who was about to walk over, stopped when she saw the memorial tablet the old man was holding in his arms.

The memorial tablet was made by the old man himself and has always been placed in the small house in the backyard. The name on the tablet is: Ma Xiaojuan.

The old man muttered something about how good things were now, that he had a medical license and a clinic, and that if he could do it all over again, he would keep the small pharmacy and never go out and wander around again, that he would marry her, that he would have one, two, three, four, or five big, healthy sons, and that he would never let her get sick.

Xia An felt a lump in her throat as she listened.

Parents will pass away first, children will leave home, but in this life, the only one who can stay with you until death is your wife.

Xia An tiptoed down the mountain, and Lin Jiajia asked him what was wrong with Old Man Luo.
Xia An hugged the girl who was washing dishes and said from behind her, "You absolutely can't walk in front of me, I can't stand it."

Lin Jiajia smiled and said, "I'm almost ten years older than you."

Xia An shook his head and said, "Women live long lives."

Lin Jiajia put down her chopsticks, turned around in his arms, and leaned in to kiss his lips.

Looking at her faint smile, Xia An instinctively didn't want to mention Lao Zhou, but suddenly felt infinite gratitude towards that man.

What we have is what others have missed out on.

On the contrary, what we miss out on is what others gain.

Perhaps many love stories don't end well, or even end in heated arguments, but in their early stages, they are always beautiful.

"What's wrong with you?" Lin Jiajia felt the arms holding her getting tighter and tighter, and she could clearly feel herself being enveloped by a deep sense of pity and love.

Xia An said, "I suddenly find this drunken feeling very annoying."

Half-drunk and half-awake, his thoughts felt detached, as if they were about to float away. He was afraid that when he woke up, it would all be for nothing.

"I will never drink again."

Xia An did just that. That night, after Old Man Luo came down from the mountain, he sobered up and wanted to drink with Xia An again. Xia An refused, but stayed up late chatting with Old Man Luo.

A profound conversation takes place between a young man who has experienced death and an old man who has seen countless deaths.

From family and love to worldly wisdom and money, and finally facing life and death, Xia An felt that her whole being had been purified by a plate of pork cracklings and pork hock.

……

Things happened rather suddenly; Old Luo's promise to keep Grandma Lin alive for three months was not fulfilled.

March 23rd, just two days after the Spring Equinox.

That afternoon, when Xia An was driving Lin Jiajia to the supermarket, he received a call from Old Man Luo.

On the phone, Old Luo told them to return to the mountain as soon as possible, as the old lady was showing signs of a final burst of energy before death.

Upon hearing this, Lin Jiajia collapsed to the ground.

Xia An picked her up and comforted her, "It's alright, it's alright, the old man said Grandma can hold on for a few more days."

Back in the courtyard, the old lady sat on a small stool, frying corn with sugar.

His face was radiant and glowing, showing no signs of illness.

Lin Jiajia rushed over crying, and Grandma Lin comforted her, saying, "Why are you crying? Grandma knows her own situation. I'll make you some more sugar beans, which you loved to eat when you were little."

Lin Jiajia cried uncontrollably.

Xia An walked over to Old Man Luo, who was standing to the side, and asked, "What happened?"

Old Luo sighed softly, "She looked like this when I saw her at noon. I immediately took her pulse and drank it all."

"Done?"

"Three days at most."

"what happened?"

Xia An frowned and asked, "It's only been a month and a half, what's going on?"
Old Luo said, "Seeing you two so happy and harmonious, the old lady feels relieved and can finally let go of her anger."

Xia An understood, and was both amused and exasperated.

Before they returned, the old lady had already asked Old Man Luo to arrange for someone to go down the mountain to buy funeral clothes.

By the time the sugar beans were ready, Lin Jiajia's eyes were swollen like walnuts.

During dinner, she cried and told her grandmother, "I won't have any relatives left."

Grandma Lin smiled and said to her, "Xia'an is very good to you. You two should get along well. Grandma will bless you."

Xia An listened, feeling a surge of unease.

This is a person who truly understands life and death.

He could no longer remain indifferent in this situation.

Grabbing the car keys, Xia An hurriedly drove down the mountain.

After returning home, he decorated the room with red candles, changed into a suit, and bought Lin Jiajia a top-quality wedding dress, which he took directly from a mannequin in a wedding dress store.

Lin Jiajia was moved when she saw these things.

She changed into her wedding dress inside the house.

The only witnesses were Old Man Luo and Zhang Tiancheng.

The old lady sat in a chair, smiling as she watched the young couple kneel and kowtow.

Xia An said, "In ancient times, weddings were always held in the evening, so this isn't too presumptuous. Grandma, I will definitely take good care of Jiajia from now on and not let her suffer any grievances."

Lin Jiajia choked up and remained silent.

Grandma Lin didn't mince words and said frankly, "It's a wedding to bring good luck."

Then she took out a small handkerchief from her bosom, and inside was a jade bracelet of not very good quality. She put it on her granddaughter and said, "Jiajia has a hard life. Grandma is giving you candy."

As he spoke, he actually pulled out two large white rabbits from his pocket.

Lin Jiajia and Xia An accepted it together, their hands trembling.

This was the first time Xia An had cried in public since her rebirth.

Tears welled up in Zhang Tiancheng's eyes. He slapped his thigh and said that he hadn't cut out the "double happiness" characters yet. He immediately ran into the house, used large scissors to cut out several crooked "double happiness" characters, and pasted them on the door and windows.

Old Luo took charge of cooking and prepared a table full of delicious dishes.

For the first time ever, the old lady drank two cups of medicinal wine and said to Xia An, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Xia An knew she was referring to Lin Jiajia's infertility, and immediately declared, "I will raise Jiajia as my own child."

The night passed, and nothing happened.

Xia An held Lin Jiajia in her arms all night, without even taking off her wedding dress.

At daybreak, the coffin was carried up the mountain.

The old lady watched as her mourning shed was set up.

Lin Jiajia stopped crying, seemingly having come to terms with it. She held her grandmother's hand tightly, not letting a single second pass by, and talked about her future plans and what she would do in the days to come.

After dinner, Grandma couldn't stand up.

Lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), she said to Lin Jiajia and Xia An, "Don't be afraid of noise, don't be afraid of poverty, don't fight, live a good life, you are both good children."

The "double happiness" character hasn't been removed, the red candles haven't burned out, and white banners adorn the courtyard.

After the news broadcast ended, when Xia Kangning and Wei Xiaofang arrived at the mountain, Lin Jiajia was silently dressing her grandmother in her last new clothes.

The following morning, the mountain road leading from Phoenix Mountain to Hewan Village was completely blocked by cars.

(End of this chapter)