Don't get married if you're reborn.

Chapter 364 A Promise

For dinner, Zeng Wenjie took Mu Qingyang to Shi Jing's house.

Shi Jing's parents were very grateful to him because they knew all too well what kind of level Shi Jing was at that lousy electrical engineering school.

When they first learned that Shi Jing was not attending classes and was working at Zeng Wenjie's snack shop all day, they were somewhat dissatisfied.

But once Shi Jing received his salary, all doubts vanished.

Moreover, what truly surprised Shi Quankai, the father, was not just his salary, which was significantly higher than that of ordinary wage earners, but his son's growth!
My speech is less abstract and more organized. My vision and perspective have broadened considerably. Since returning home, I've been reading a lot.

Zeng Wenjie came out of the Shi family's house completely drunk, and it was only thanks to Mu Qingyang that he was supported; otherwise, he probably would have fallen into a ditch.

"Tell me, if that idiot Niu Bai were out messing around and got stabbed to death, how heartbroken and devastated would his parents be?"

Zeng Wenjie, with his arm around Mu Qingyang's shoulder, said drunkenly.

Mu Qingyang was stunned for a moment, then spat and said, "Why are you saying such unlucky things during the New Year? Are you hoping for a bad outcome for them?"

Zeng Wenjie shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm hoping he'll have a bad ending, but that I changed my own destiny and also changed his!"

Mu Qingyang felt that this guy had drunk a bit too much.

"Hey, I'm going to change your destiny!"

Zeng Wenjie suddenly smiled at her and slurred.

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingyang smiled slightly, pursing her lips. "Don't take your dreams as reality. We'll all be fine."

When I returned home, my aunt Zeng Yunmei, my uncle Wu Hongwu, and my cousin Wu Jun were all there.

When Grandpa took Mu Qingyang to the county town, they stayed overnight at their house, so Aunt's family also knew Mu Qingyang.

"Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, Happy New Year!" Mu Qingyang greeted them politely.

Wu Jun reached into his pocket and pulled out a red envelope, saying, "Little Mu, Happy New Year! You seem even more beautiful than I've seen in just a few days!"

Mu Qingyang looked at Zeng Wenjie and asked, "Do we also give red envelopes to our peers?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "My cousin is working now, while you're still studying. It's normal for me to give you a red envelope! Logically, I don't need it, but my cousin is a good person."

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingyang smiled and accepted the gift with both hands, saying, "Thank you, cousin."

Wu Jun pointed at Zeng Wenjie and sneered, "It's rare to hear a word of praise from you, huh?"

"Look, Wenjie even brought his girlfriend home for the New Year, when are you getting married?!"

Before Wu Jun could finish his taunts, his aunt started scolding him.

Then, she and Wu Hongwu each gave Mu Qingyang a red envelope.

Generally, a couple only needs to give one child, but Mu Qingyang is lovable, good-looking, and has a sweet tongue, so they are willing to give him an extra one.

Wu Hongwu glanced at Zeng Wenjie and said, "Now that business is picking up, those businesses that should be cut off must be cut off."

Zeng Wenjie laughed and said, "It's been cut off for a long time. We don't personally handle the goods; we just collect them."

Wu Hongwu nodded and said, "The amount of gold withdrawn has started to decrease recently, so we can relax a bit. I really hope that all the gold here is withdrawn quickly, so we don't have to deal with cases every now and then!"

Baishui Town is under the jurisdiction of Shizhu County. Major cases in the town must be reported to higher authorities, and as the head of the brigade, the uncle will naturally be busy with this.

Moreover, what's even more absurd is...

Because the people of Baishui Town and Tingnan Province often fight over gold mines, the relationship between the people of the two provinces is extremely poor. This leads to my uncle being harassed when he goes to Tingnan on business trips, and he often comes back in a bad mood.

"Sigh, I'm out of red envelopes again!" Zeng Wenjie sighed and complained to Mu Qingyang.

Mu Qingyang's purse was already overflowing, with red envelopes practically bursting out of his clothes. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Zeng Wenjie and Mu Qingyang left their hometown.

After arriving in Fengzhou, Zeng Wenjie first put all her luggage back in the dormitory. However, there was almost no one left in the girls' dormitory, and Zeng Wenjie was worried about Mu Qingyang living there alone.

We checked into a hotel near the airport and rested for one night. The next day, we boarded a flight to Jiangnan Province together.

The heavens were kind to us; it didn't rain.

Upon arriving at the cemetery, Zeng Wenjie saw Xie Jiu, which made him grin involuntarily.

"Grandpa Xie, Happy New Year," Mu Qingyang greeted obediently.

"Happy New Year." When Xie Jiu saw her, a smile appeared on his cold face, and then he took out a red envelope from his pocket and handed it to her.

Mu Qingyang happily accepted it and said, "Thank you!"

Zeng Wenjie smiled and said, "Happy New Year, Ninth Master!"

Upon seeing him, Xie Jiu's smile vanished instantly, but he produced a red envelope and said, "Happy New Year, young man."

"What the hell?"

When Zeng Wenjie saw the red envelope, he was quite surprised. He really didn't expect that he would prepare one for himself as well.

Zeng Wenjie politely accepted the gift with both hands and said, "Thank you, Ninth Master."

Xie Jiu told Mu Qingyang to go and burn the paper money, then said to Zeng Wenjie, "Let her be alone for a while, she has something to say."

Zeng Wenjie hesitated for a moment, but still chose to walk to the side with Xie Jiu.

Mu Qingyang knelt down in front of the tomb and began to arrange the incense paper and clear away the surrounding weeds, busying himself by himself.

“Ninth Master, you care so much about Xiao Mu, but she’s so unhappy at home, aren’t you going to do anything about it?” Zeng Wenjie squatted down on the steps, took out a cigarette and started smoking.

After listening, Xie Jiu slowly said, "Before she came of age, I was not her guardian; her father was. We only saw each other frequently during holidays. Besides, I have no money or power; all I have is my fists and kicks, which are of no use. If we really fought, and they sent me to jail, wouldn't she be even more upset?"

Zeng Wenjie laughed and said, "Then you didn't hold back at all when you hit me."

Xie Jiu ignored his teasing and said to himself, "People have to grow and improve themselves in the end, and besides, I'm dying."

Zeng Wenjie was taken aback by these words and said, "Ninth Master, you can't talk about these things during the New Year!"

Xie Jiu remained calm as he watched Mu Qingyang's figure from afar, "Shouldn't you be very happy?"

Zeng Wenjie looked at the thin old man and said slowly, "You're going to die. Xiao Mu will be very sad. How can I be happy about something that makes her sad?"

Xie Jiu looked at the boy squatting and smoking beside him, a rare smile appearing on his face, and slowly said, "I'll make a promise with you."

Zeng Wenjie said, "You say so."

Xie Jiu said, "I hope that one day you can slap her stepmother hard across the face."

Upon hearing this, Zeng Wenjie immediately chuckled and said, "Ninth Master is something else; I've thought about this a long time ago!"

Xie Jiu coughed lightly twice, and Zeng Wenjie could hear a hint of weakness in his cough.

Xie Jiu's words just now were probably not a joke.

"Why don't you bring her home for the New Year next year too?" Xie Jiu said slowly, his gaze towards Mu Qingyang's figure revealing a hint of reluctance and helplessness.

Zeng Wenjie began to understand why Xie Jiu had come to Feng Yuan this time, so insistent on taking Mu Qingyang back to Jiangnan Province for the New Year.

Because this might be his last Spring Festival?
Zeng Wenjie was silent for a moment, then said, "Ninth Master, how about I pay for you to go to America for a checkup? There's a hospital there called Mayo Clinic, it's pretty amazing, maybe they can cure your illness?"

(End of this chapter)