Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 565 Tie Dan is quite similar to his father, the mystery of A Fei's background!
P.S. The previous chapter has already been released.

Try to read this book on your mobile phone, as it features many highly immersive illustrations.
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The morning light spilled over the snow-covered roof of the main villa, where the first snow of the past few days had turned the 70,000-square-meter estate into a pristine white.

From above, the Wenyu River appears as a still, dark ribbon lying quietly in a silver-clad world, its surface refracting the pale golden dawn light through the ice.

In the manor, the bare branches of the locust trees are laden with fluffy snow. Occasionally, when a sparrow flies by, fine snowflakes fall from the branches, blooming into a series of crystal-clear patterns under the blue sky.

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, which is probably the busiest time of the year in Wenyuhe Prefecture. Since eight o'clock in the morning, waves of relatives and friends who had made appointments to visit have arrived.

The core leadership of Wenjie chatted in the lobby, where Chinese knots hung on the walls and winter plum blossoms adorned the windows, creating a festive atmosphere for the Spring Festival. Everyone looked forward to the development of the business in the new year.

The male netizens are teasing and flirting with Dongzi, who has been quite active on Weibo lately, and some people have even noticed that he has been secretly following a large number of young female celebrities.

Liu Qiangdong explained that Ali is preparing to replicate the "Carnival Shopping Street" in May or June. The mall is now considering new marketing measures for next year's "Double Eleven", including a "Double Eleven Concert" suggested by Boss Lu.

Since we're going to produce arts and culture programs, it's not unreasonable for me, as the person in charge, to pay attention to some female celebrities with considerable commercial value, right?
Even though Wenjie and Wuyue have celebrity resources that can serve businesses as needed, they are mostly serious actors and can't put together a full feast of singing and dancing.

The senior executive Dong Shuangqiang remarked that his newly appointed vice president was following the example of the big boss and Zhuang Xu, but then ruthlessly exposed that his following list also included the "Milk Tea Sister," who was about to enter the Humanities Experimental Class at Tsinghua University!

What's the point?
Dongzi, without batting an eye, claimed he was considering marketing to online celebrities, and then left, saying it was inconvenient to disturb the boss and his family's rest.

People came and went like the wind, without lingering. Only Bingbing and Xiao Liu's group of girlfriends started making a ruckus on the second floor, having a great time playing with the two babies.

Su Chang and Tong Liya held Youyou and practiced crawling in the sun, while Bingbing, Jing Tian, ​​and Xiao Liu all smiled and teased Tiedan, who was much more mischievous than his older sister.

"Tie Dan's legs are really strong, they've made my arms ache from kicking." Bingbing smiled broadly as she held the baby who was curled up in her arms.

The little guy seemed to understand the compliments, and became even more lively, his two chubby little legs bouncing like little springs in her arms.

Da Tiantian made a face at Tie Dan behind her shoulder with a hint of envy, "Sister Bingbing, if you're tired of carrying me, can you carry me for a while? I haven't carried anyone in a long time."

"Okay, okay, I'll hold you for a bit." Bingbing replied with a smile, carefully supporting Tiedan under his armpits with both hands, leaning forward slightly to prepare for the handover.

Tie Dan was having a great time, his little hands unconsciously clutching the loose threads of Bingbing's sweater. His little head rested on her shoulder, and suddenly he felt his legs dangling in the air and he instinctively pulled his head toward his female CEO aunt, seeking a sense of security.

Liu Yifei laughed and said, "This little rascal is quite good at judging people by their appearance. You bought all of his favorite plush toys."

"Right? Haha, I'm building a good relationship with the future world's richest man first, investing in our bond in advance." Bingbing's unadorned face radiated maternal tenderness with a smile.

After the turmoil of the past two years subsided, she, having already faced death once, knew that she would likely find it difficult to have love and children again in this lifetime.

So he readily accepted his new role, choosing to pour his passion into his career and into the two babies who share his blood. This is another way of expressing his emotions and extending his love to them.

Da Tiantian eagerly teased Tie Dan from side to side. This was the first time she had seen the baby since she went to Vancouver with the "Ball Lightning" crew. She wished she could hold the two little bundles of joy and play with them all the time.

Now that Youyou is in the hands of Su Chang and Tong Liya, she's thinking of sucking on Tie Dan to satisfy her cravings.

"Tiedan, Tiedan, it's your Aunt Tiantian! You don't recognize me after only a few months!"

Da Tian Tian thought to herself with resentment: You heartless little brat! Just as ruthless as your father!
Fortunately, they were father and son. Liu Tiedan may have caught a glimpse of his aunt Jing Tian's heaving chest as she feigned anger. He unconsciously smacked his lips twice, then suddenly loosened his grip on Bingbing's clothes and leaned his entire body towards Jing Tian.

This falls under the category of elemental perception, where Bingbing is clearly slightly inferior.

Bingbing laughed and said, "Sweetie, quick, catch it!"

"Oh, so well-behaved?" Jing Tian looked surprised and reached out to hug the little bundle of flesh, but before she could hold Tie Dan properly, he buried his head in her arms.

What followed was a scene that made Liu Xiaolv, Liu's biological mother, want to cover her face and run away:
Jing Tian's turtleneck sweater today accentuated her great figure, and Tie Dan buried his face in its softness, rubbing it eagerly from side to side like a little animal searching for the source of life.

His chubby cheeks pressed into a cute curve on the soft fabric, and his little mouth unconsciously made a "smacking" sound.

Two chubby little hands were also restlessly scratching upwards, as if trying to tear something apart, their fingertips gripping the fabric and refusing to let go.

Da Tiantian's pretty face flushed a light pink as she held Liu Tiedan, who resembled his father, firmly in her arms. She couldn't do anything about him, but Bingbing's eyes crinkled into crescents with laughter. Even Su Chang, who was with Youyou, looked over curiously.

The women saw that Jing Tian's turtleneck sweater had been smeared with saliva, and because of their respective positions, they couldn't say anything inappropriate.

Only Bingbing retorted ruthlessly, "No wonder you have the air of an old friend; you're the son of an old friend!"

Everyone burst into laughter again.

"This silly son of mine is going to drive me crazy." Liu Yifei, the mother, could only offer a brief explanation, her hand rubbing her forehead.
"Baby will be weaned when he turns ten months old. We are gradually reducing breast milk and increasing complementary foods. Youyou is adapting well, but Tiedan is a little glutton. Whenever he is not full, he will rub against something soft."

She smiled and gestured to Da Tian Tian's extraordinary talent, and the other women smiled knowingly.

Su Chang teased, "Is she called 'Auntie' for nothing? At this time, she's your real mother in place. Sweetie, this is your duty!"

Da Tiantian, used to being teased, perhaps having become more thick-skinned on the set of "Ball Lightning," scoffed, "Go ahead and laugh. When Tiedan grows up, he'll be close to me, buying his aunt pretty clothes and bags. You'll all be so envious!"

"Mama!" It seemed that her mother and aunts' attention had been stolen by her little brother, and Youyou in Tong Liya's arms couldn't help but start babbling.

A seven-month-old baby has several notable characteristics:

They possess the ability to roll and crawl, and some are even able to stand upright or walk. For example, Tie Dan has excellent physical fitness, with healthy and strong calves, and can now occasionally stand steadily.

Or they may become interested in cause and effect, and start figuring out how to play with toys and make sounds by patting them to build connections between things;
And like Yoyo now, they are beginning to learn to express emotions using different tones, including shouting repeated syllables, etc.

"Oh dear, our Youyou is jealous." Liu Yifei quickly took her daughter from Tong Liya's arms. The little girl's almond-shaped eyes were filled with tears, and her little mouth was turned down in grievance, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Bingbing and the others came over to comfort her, "We all like Youyou. Tiedan is a little rascal, let's ignore him, okay?"

Liu Yifei laughed and said, "While your little brother is still young, kick his butt while Youyou is sleeping!"

"Is Yoyo bigger than Tiedan?" Su Chang asked curiously.

Xiao Liu nodded and explained, "She ate a lot when she was in the womb, and now she's a little taller than her brother, but he's stronger than her. Youyou can't even stand up straight yet."

Apart from Da Tiantian happily holding Liu Tiedan and strolling around the room, basking in the sun for a while and patting her toys for a while, everyone else was surrounding the eldest daughter of the richest man, teasing her.

Even though his aunts went to comfort his sister, Tiedan, like his father who was engrossed in a movie while working, was drinking his milk without caring about anything else.

Bingbing said regretfully, "Last month I went to Milan for an event and browsed around the shops there, but I didn't find anything suitable for the two babies."

"I really hope Youyou grows up quickly so I can buy her pretty little dresses." She gently held her fingers to the baby girl. "Isn't that right, little beauty Youyou?"

"Stop buying so many! I feel like I have enough toys and dolls before I start school," Xiao Liu chuckled. "If this keeps up, even our big house will be crammed full."

Tong Liya laughed and said, "Then I'm behind. I'll have to spend more time with the baby in the future, and also get closer to the future twin stars of the empire as soon as possible."

Footsteps sounded in front of the door.

Liu Xiaoli pushed open the door and came in, carrying a small white porcelain bowl. She smiled and said, "Look at the things Yaya brought from her hometown, they're so nice!"

The bowl is filled with bright orange-yellow fruit puree, still steaming and emitting a unique sweet and sour aroma.

"This is made with dried Hetian apricots that Ya Ya brought." Liu Xiaoli stirred it gently with a small silver spoon. "I specially added some powdered Shache walnuts and cooked it until it was very soft, which is just right for the baby to eat."

She carefully scooped up a spoonful of the fruit puree, which had a delicate, velvety texture: "Look at this texture! The dried apricots were ripened on the trees in the village and naturally sun-dried. The sweetness is all natural. I've tasted them, and there's not a trace of sourness or astringency. They're much better than the local ones."

Tong Liya smoothed her hair shyly and smiled, revealing her signature dimples: "These aren't worth much where I'm from. Every household has an apricot tree in their yard. When the apricots ripen, the tree is full of golden fruit, and the children can just pick them, wipe them, and eat them."

"This is really good stuff," Grandma exclaimed. "It has no additives and is high in vitamins, making it perfect as a snack for babies who are just starting to eat solid foods."

Liu Xiaoli sat on the thick blanket and carefully fed Youyou and Tiedan, who had been playing with them for a while.

The baby girl opened her little mouth and ate with relish, not caring that there was fruit puree on the corners of her mouth. Her little tongue was still licking the spoon with relish. Tie Dan was more greedy than his sister, and seeing this, he quickly reached out to pull her away.

Kids are like that; they have to fight over food, otherwise they won't be happy.

……

"Rob it? Of course we'll rob it!" Lu Kuan and Zhuang Xu were strolling along the Wenyu River, chatting about HarmonyOS's latest mobile phone business.

HarmonyOS (also known as Wenjie or Huawei) is expected to release its first Android-powered smartphone next year, starting with mid-to-low-end models. This may conflict with the release of Meizu's new Android-powered M9.

The latter has just transitioned from Windows CE to the Android camp.

However, Lu Kuan didn't really understand the mobile phone business, and his only request during negotiations for Huawei to contribute HiSilicon Semiconductor as a stake was a subtle reminder to Zhuang Xu.

"Meizu also has many things worth learning. If all else fails, you can talk to them about acquisition. Small factories like this have a lot of limitations."

"Okay, I'll discuss it with President Ren." Zhuang Xu nodded, his attention drawn to the cheerful laughter coming from the second floor of the villa not far away. He then asked curiously, "Where's Afei? I brought him something, but I haven't seen him at all."

This refers to New Year's gifts. Zhuang Xu is a kind and gentle gentleman, so naturally he wouldn't neglect this younger brother who is like family, and he always gives him a gift during holidays.

Boss Lu's expression was quite interesting after hearing this. After a long while, under Zhuang Xu's questioning gaze, he sighed, "The boasts we made back then have come true..."

"What do you mean?"

Lu Kuan naturally didn't want to bring up the Little Eagle incident, and simply brushed it off: "I asked a friend to arrange for him to receive special training in the military to improve his firearms skills, so that he wouldn't be caught off guard when he's abroad."

“Because the military unit is a sensitive area, the higher-ups want to conduct a background check on him.” Lu Kuan paused, “and they’ve actually found some leads…”

Zhuang Xu laughed and punched his junior brother, who was so good at lying: "Well, now look what's happened. You didn't mean to plant a willow, but it turned out to be a lush grove. Your so-called secret unit has a lot of power, of course."

Belonging to the highest-level internal security force, they are naturally top-notch in all aspects, and there are no trivial matters when it comes to the leaders.

Even with the high standards set for the Patriot, the General Staff clearly believes that this is necessary protection for him, given the previous imports of sensitive technologies and now the USS Kitty Hawk.

And it may play an even greater role in the future.

"I remember now!" Zhuang Xu slapped his forehead. "Back then, when Afei came from Hong Kong to give you money, he kicked Lü Changchun over, and you used the excuse of helping him find his roots to keep him here." (Chapter 97)
“We were drinking and bragging at the hotel, and he said his ancestral home was in Yanbian. I thought his build and features looked like those of a Korean.” Mr. Lu was a little embarrassed. “I never expected that his words would come true! He really is a Korean, but he’s not even of Korean ethnicity.”

When he first saw the cold-faced and ruthless Ah Fei, he felt that he was quite similar to Mian Zhenghe in "The Yellow Sea," a North Korean man who turned the Korean mafia upside down.

"Then how did he get to China? And then he went to Hong Kong?" Now it was Zhuang Xu's turn to be dumbfounded. How could this little brother who barely spoke a few words all year round be an international friend?

Of course, this only refers to bloodline.

Lu Kuan sighed, recalling the secret he had learned from Qin Yuanzhou and A Fei at the Operations Bureau the day before yesterday during a secret trip to the General Staff:

In 1994, North Korea suffered severe natural disasters and economic difficulties, entering the famous "Arduous March" period.

In order to survive, a large number of civilians risked crossing the Sino-North Korean border and entering areas inhabited by ethnic Koreans, such as Yanbian, in search of a living. This was a well-known international humanitarian crisis at the time.

This group is also known as North Korean defectors.

Around 94, during the most difficult period of the Great Famine, Afei's parents took him, who was not yet 7 years old, from places like Ryanggang Province or North Hamgyong Province in North Korea, and risked crossing the Tumen River to enter YBCXZ District in Kedah Province.

They are a microcosm of countless North Korean defector families, but unfortunately, Ah Fei's parents did not make it to China, as they fell ill and died on the way. Ah Fei was entrusted to a fellow defector, the one who took him to Hong Kong.

Zhuang Xu sighed as he listened: "So it's your fault for hiring someone who did things carelessly and didn't find any clues. It was the comrades in the army who were careful and helped a lot this time."

"Not really." Boss Lu shamelessly tried to save face: "How could you investigate such things clearly in the 90s? Ah Fei's parents never even entered the mainland."

"The reason we were able to uncover these secrets now is because the border troops stationed in Yanbian at the time kept detailed records of a large number of illegal border crossing incidents, including the time, location, and brief information on the people arrested or repatriated."

“These dusty archives are first-hand information. The local civil affairs department does not keep them. Only the military can systematically access these archives. Even this information was obtained by interviewing a veteran.”

Lu Kuan said with emotion: "When the old comrades recalled the events of that year, they said that there were a lot of people coming from Liangjiang Road at that time. They vaguely remembered a couple who had frozen to death and gave their child to a fellow villager."

"He was just a half-grown child who was starving and didn't remember much."

“Until Hong Kong’s return to China in 97 and the financial crisis in 98, Hong Kong Island was in dire need of labor. People from all over Southeast Asia flocked to this free port. Ah Fei’s fellow countryman, whom he called his uncle, took him there illegally. In the end, he couldn’t make a living and ended up in a gang.”

"After his uncles died, he made a name for himself in the underground boxing world at a young age with his fearless and stubborn spirit."

The remaining snow along the Wenyu River turned bluish-gray in the cold wind, and the undercurrents beneath the ice occasionally pushed up the floating ice, producing a dull cracking sound.

Thinking of this North Korean orphan whose life was crushed by the wheels of time, even the snowstorm that froze his parents to death might have become two faded lines of pen writing in the border guard's archives. Lu Kuan and Zhuang Xu remained silent for a long time.

They stood side by side under the withered willows on the riverbank, watching the icicles hanging from the branches, which looked like inverted swords and halberds, cutting their figures apart.

After a long pause, Zhuang Xu sighed softly, "He's a little better off than us. At least he saw his biological parents when he was little, but he was too young and probably can't remember them anymore."

"Hmm." Lu Kuan breathed a sigh of relief. "He rushed back tonight. In the past few days, he has thoroughly investigated all the people in Yanbian who were related to him back then. With the help of the army, I don't know if he has found any news about his relatives."

Zhuang Xu nodded: "After we get back from the New Year, the three of us brothers will have another drink together."

"I've already spoken to the military about Afei's situation, and I've also asked Zhao Benshan for help through his connections over there. I hope there will be good news," Lu Kuan said with a smile.
"You should take Su Chang home to meet your parents and prepare for the engagement. This is the important thing."

"She's still a little nervous, haha." Zhuang Xu smiled, then looked on expectantly and called his junior brother to walk back. "It's getting late. I'm going to hug my niece and nephew one last time. I'm going to leave with Su Chang first."

"it is good."

……

The two returned to their room on the second floor of the villa, which was filled with laughter and chatter. Before they even entered, they were greeted by Liu Xiaoli's cheerful scolding: "You aunties and uncles, don't wear my Tiedan out!"

"What's going on?"

Lu Kuan and Zhuang Xu stood at the doorway, curiously observing the scene inside the room:

Tie Dan and You You crawled, rolled, and played on the thick carpet. Bing Bing sat cross-legged in the southwest corner with a big smile on his face, while Da Tian Tian knelt in the southeast corner wearing a champagne-colored turtleneck sweater.
Tong Liya, smiling sweetly, occupied the northeast corner, while Su Chang, a female celebrity who was preparing to return to Jiangsu Province with Zhuang Xu for the Spring Festival, sat in the last corner, holding a toy to attract the baby's attention.

The women were having a great time, laughing so hard they were bent over, and didn't even notice the two who had sneaked in.

"Look here!" Fan Bingbing shook the plush giraffe, its bells ringing crisply. The little girl opened her big, dark eyes, her little hands unconsciously making grasping motions.

"Tiedan, come to Auntie's." Jing Tian called softly, holding up a soft rubber rattle. The little boy immediately grinned, revealing his toothless mouth, and wiggled his chubby body toward the source of the sound.

Tong Liya awkwardly shook the rainbow tower, while Su Chang patted the paper book to amuse her.

Two delicate, white dough balls were attracted by the sounds coming from all directions, turning their little heads back and forth.

Lu Kuan asked with a smile, "What is this? The Four Beauties Bewitching Formation?"

"Shh! Be quiet!" Liu Xiaolv, the instigator, laughed and blocked the two from entering. "You two can just stand at the door and watch! We're doing an experiment!"

"What experiment?"

Liu Xiaoli also walked over with a smile: "The four of them insisted on comparing who was more approachable in front of the children. They each took a corner and used toys to amuse them, to see who the babies liked the most."

"Isn't my idea great?" Liu Yifei asked for credit. "I learned it from a parenting book. It's called the Selective Social Attention Test."

"You see, their little brains have to process four different sounds, images, and toys at the same time. This tests their ability to allocate and shift their attention."

"Youyou is turning her head left and right, which means that her auditory and visual tracking systems are well developed and she can quickly locate sound and light sources."

"Tiedan is more active than his sister. He just crawled around for a while. This is because his brain sends instructions to coordinate the muscles of his arms, torso and legs to complete the crawling or rolling towards the target. This shows that Tiedan's motor skills and brain motivation are combined very well."

"Really?" Boss Lu looked suspicious. "Why do I feel like you're training King Zhou? I think this kid could be as talented as Hua Wen and Hua Wu if you blindfold him."

When Liu Xiaolv heard him insulting his eldest son, he got so angry that he punched the washing machine hard.

Zhuang Xu watched for a while and then laughed, "Wow, that's really good. You just sit here calmly and observe without showing any impatience."

The washing machine proudly declared, "That's right! I've been sleeping next to her crib these past two nights. She's better than my son; she can even call me 'Dad' now."

Perhaps it was the familiar sound and the syllables she had just learned that made Lu Youyou suddenly stop observing all the toys.

Her little head slowly turned toward the doorway as if equipped with a precise radar, her dark almond-shaped eyes instantly locking onto Lu Kuan.

“Ba…!” She opened her little mouth and uttered a clear and soft syllable with a babyish ending.

The washing machine grinned widely and said, "Hey! Daughter!"

The little princess, who had been calmly observing just moments before, seemed to have been put on the action button in an instant. Without hesitation, her small body turned around and she struggled forward towards her father, using both her hands and feet.

"Quick, let's tease Youyou!" Liu Xiaolv deliberately mischievously prevented her husband from succeeding.

But Youyou, like a determined female warrior, completely ignored Fan Bingbing's ringing bell again, the soft building blocks Jing Tian handed her, and even Su Chang's exaggerated funny face.

The crawling posture also has the adorable clumsiness and effort unique to babies of this age:
Her little bottom wiggled back and forth, like a little seal trying to paddle. Her little feet, wearing pink soft socks, weren't quite up to the task yet, and she would occasionally kick at nothing.

But her goal was exceptionally clear. Her big, dark eyes, like black grapes, were always shining as she stared at Lu Kuan, and she kept calling out "ba...ba...ya!" as if she were giving herself a voice navigation.

Tie Dan, who was having so much fun that he forgot all about it, also noticed something was wrong and awkwardly turned around to look at his sister who was behaving "abnormally".

Lu Youyou was furious that he was blocking her way, so she pushed the white dough in front of her aside and, with saliva slurping from her mouth, marched diligently toward her father.

Tie Dan was pushed on his bottom by his sister, and before he could react, he was captivated by "Auntie" Jing Tian, ​​who was pouting and whistling. He crawled towards her with great joy, making everyone laugh.

Zhuang Xu laughed especially loudly, tilting his head and whispering, "Youyou looks like you, and this one looks even more like you. You're really something!"

Liu Yifei had long since forgotten about playing pranks on her husband. She and Liu Xiaoli each had a mobile phone and were capturing this heartwarming and childlike scene from various angles.

She has almost filled her hard drive with similar video clips; it's terrifying.

For Youyou, the short distance of just two or three meters felt like a great expedition.

When she finally crawled to the edge of the road, her little hands grabbed her father's trouser leg, and she tilted her head up, her rosy cheeks filled with a proud desire for praise. In her sweet, childish voice, she declared again, "Ba...Ba!"

"Oh! What a good daughter! That's wonderful! All the family fortune will be yours from now on! It's all yours!"

The washing machine's heart melted instantly. Looking at the little fairy who already resembled his wife in some ways, he bent down and scooped his sweet and soft daughter into his arms.

Everyone burst into laughter, and Bingbing and Su Chang immediately joined in, jokingly accusing him of favoritism.

Only Jing Tian was extremely anxious, patting Tie Dan, who was still rubbing against her chest in blissful intoxication and had no concept of "family property," showing a "the prince isn't worried, but the aunt is" attitude:
"You call me 'Dad' too, Tiedan! Your family fortune is gone! A hundred billion or so, my God!"

If it weren't inconvenient, Da Tian Tian would have called him "Dad" on his behalf!

Xiao Liu teased with a smile, "Well, that's great. Just now, Aunt Tian Tian was clamoring that when Tie Dan grows up, he'll only buy her pretty clothes. Now it's your turn to support her."

Da Tiantian pouted defiantly and said, "Fine, I'll raise him! Even though we're not as rich as your family, do you think we'll let him starve?"

The elderly father, who was affectionately holding his daughter, glanced up and thought to himself, "It's a miracle I'm not bursting..."

After a joyful morning, apart from Tang Yan and Zhang Liangying, who had already visited the day before and were heading back to Shanghai and Sichuan for the Lunar New Year, Bingbing and the others, who had politely delivered New Year's gifts and visited the baby, also left one after another.

On New Year's Eve, there's no reason to invite someone to stay for dinner, but Da Tian Tian was very reluctant to leave.

Before leaving, she hugged Youyou one last time, which meant that she, the aunt who had been cuddled by Tiedan all morning, got to enjoy the attention.

Everyone loves both babies equally, but Tiedan, like his father, is too good at creating mischief and always manages to attract more attention.

Youyou is like a cool little fairy. She is only very affectionate to her maternal grandmother, her biological mother, and especially her father who slept next to her crib for a week. She treats everyone the same.

The family of three saw the guests off at the gate, exchanging beautiful New Year's greetings, while Liu Xiaoli specifically called Su Chang back.

"Chang, you and Zhuang Xu leave later, I'll talk to you a bit more."

"Hmm? What's wrong, godmother?" Su Chang called out this title that she usually only used in private, and turned around excitedly to put her arm around Liu Yifei's shoulder. "Is it because your daughter Qianqian is too troublesome? I'll scold her for you."

Xiao Liu snorted and said, "I'll make you laugh for another minute, and then we'll see how you cry!"

“What’s the use of scolding? You have to beat them up!” Liu Xiaoli joked, pulling a dark purple velvet jewelry box from the pocket of her heavy cashmere coat.

Su Chang exclaimed in surprise, "Godmother, what are you doing? Are you returning the favor because I gave you cosmetics last month? Please don't! That was a gift from me to show my respect to you."

Looking at her young, vibrant, and slightly mischievous face, Liu Xiaoli's eyes softened.

She opened the box, and there lay quietly on a black velvet cushion a necklace of lustrous, smooth, and delicate white jade with a safety buckle design.

The jade buckle is full and round, without any complicated carvings, except for a small, exquisite gold clasp inlaid at the top, which is tied with a thin gold chain of the same material, shimmering with a low-key and warm luster in the cool sunlight.

These are styles that only those who have stood the test of time can choose; they are understated yet exude depth and thoughtfulness.

Su Chang's smile froze slightly, as if she had a premonition of something, and she unconsciously loosened her grip on her best friend's shoulder.

"This……"

Zhuang Xu stepped forward with some surprise: "Auntie, how could I accept such a heavy gift? This is really..."

"Listen to me." Liu Xiaoli's face, which hadn't shown many signs of age, was full of kindness. "Qianqian told me that Changchang is going back to Zhuang Xu's hometown in Jiangsu Province for the New Year."

"I think you all understand what this means. The engagement is already on the agenda and it's only a matter of time."

The early morning winter sun barely dispelled some of the chill, but her breath still frosted over. She closed the jewelry box, pressing it tightly into Su Chang's hand, not letting her pull away.
"Chang, your mother passed away early. I still remember how you looked on with envy at Xixi having her mother to take care of her when you first arrived at the 'Golden Powder' set. It was really heartbreaking to see that."

"Both of you are children from single-parent families, and you have naturally suffered more than girls of the same age, and have more minor grievances and setbacks in your hearts."

Liu Xiaoli looked at Su Chang, whose eyes were already red from the cold wind: "The day before yesterday, Xiao Lu, Qianqian and I went to the hospital to see Yao Beina. That child is also very pitiful. It's not easy for anyone."

“I don’t mean anything by this, I’m just telling you that since I’ve called you godmother and we’ve gotten along for so many years, I have a responsibility to send you off like my own daughter.”

She knew about Su Chang's grievances of living under someone else's roof since childhood, including how disharmonious her relationship with her uncle's family was and how little warmth she received from her so-called maternal family.

Liu Xiaoli gestured to the jewelry box in her hand: "Consider this an engagement gift from your mother in heaven. When you actually get married, I will fulfill my responsibilities as your godmother."

She smiled and glanced at Zhuang Xu, "You are both good children, you will definitely be happy."

"Auntie, thank you." The gentle and refined gentleman's eyes were also a little red. He glanced at Xiao Liu, who was comforting his girlfriend, and said, "Lu Kuan and I have been relying on each other since we were young, and I have always been happy for him to have a wife like Yi Fei."

"But I know that Yi Fei's character and personality are inseparable from the nurturing and guidance of a kind and resilient mother like you, as well as your care and love for Su Chang now..."

Liu Xiaoli was a little embarrassed by the praise and quickly waved her hand, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing. Hurry up and take your wife home!"

“Godmother…” Su Chang’s lips trembled, all her previous cleverness vanished, and tears rolled down her cheeks without warning.

Her mother passed away early, and this meticulous care and promise from her mother's generation, which came so many years late, struck precisely the softest and most longed-for corner of her heart.

The young actress, who had just successfully entered Hollywood, suddenly lowered her head, rested her forehead on Liu Xiaoli's shoulder, and choked up like a child, unable to say a word. She simply stretched out her arms and hugged tightly, tightly, a kind of support that she had lost and then regained.

Lu Kuan stood to one side, watching his wife Xiao Liu embrace his mother and the choked-up Su Chang, and watching Zhuang Xu's solemn promise. A complex and profound feeling quietly welled up in his heart.

This is generally the script of human life: all beings suffer, and all emotions are entangled in karma.

Beneath everyone's glamorous robes, who doesn't hide a few shocking scars?
That North Korean orphan named Afei might be braving the cold wind right now, wandering along the Tumen River border, searching hopefully for a vague and elusive root in the mud.

Zhuang Xu and his two lifetimes are like wild grass that sprouted from the cracks in the rocks of a deserted countryside.
Su Chang achieved fame at a young age and was radiant with brilliance, but the regret of her mother's early death and the cautiousness of living under someone else's roof had long become an indelible sad undertone in her character.

Even Liu Xiaoli and her daughter Yi Fei, who seem to have everything, have experienced ups and downs in their careers, the coldness and warmth of human relationships, and even more private and unknown pain and torment behind their glamorous appearance.

Whether it's this mysterious and enigmatic life or the well-known past life, fate has never truly let anyone off easily.

But perhaps this is the most wondrous thing about life: even in the cracks of despair, new buds of hope can always struggle to emerge.

Just like now, in the bitter cold of New Year's Eve, the sunlight, though weak, still tries its best to warm the people embracing each other. All the wind, snow and hardships of the past year seem to be quietly dissolved by family affection, love and promises at this moment.

Time possesses the greatest power in the world; all things are bitter, and only self-salvation is possible.

Fortunately, he met a woman who had successfully saved herself in her previous life and had also saved herself in this life.

(End of this chapter)