spring bite mark

Chapter 195 Talking about Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrives

imperial capital.

After sending the message, Yan Changye called Shen Zongqian on the internal line.

Shen Zongqian, holding a stack of reports, pushed open the door to the chairman's office: "BOSS?"

"Have you prepared all the gifts?"

Shen Zongqian handed over one of the reports: "This is the gift list I have selected for Mr. Huo's family. Please take a look."

Yan Changye glanced at it, unsure if it was appropriate, and picked up a pen to change one or two items: "For my mother-in-law, add another set of top-quality jade jewelry—the kind where you can't tell the price. For my brother-in-law... tsk, is a two-million-dollar car inappropriate? I bought that brat Jiang Che a supercar worth over a hundred million, so let's go by Jiang Che's standard."

Shen Zongqian paused for a moment: "Boss, you said to keep a low profile..."

Yan Changye glanced at him and said quietly, "It's alright, I'll give it to him privately. It would be awkward if my brother-in-law and brother-in-law didn't treat each other equally."

"...Okay, BOSS."

Yan Changye then thought of the family dinner in Chongqing the following night:
"Also, prepare some small gifts to give to relatives in Chongqing who have a good relationship with the Huo family."

Shen Zongqian noted everything down and subtly reminded Yan Changye: "You asked me to arrange something for you in Chongqing. You will arrive in Chongqing tomorrow afternoon. First, you will meet with the senior executives of the Southwest Region of the Group. After that, there will be a business meeting and a project exchange meeting with the princelings of various circles."

Yan Changye gave a noncommittal "oh".

The next day, in Chongqing.

Jiang Manman didn't get up until eight o'clock. Huo Yungui had already led her to the dining table like a treasure, pointing to a large table full of breakfast:
"Little sister, these are some Chongqing specialties I bought this morning: tofu rice, hot and sour noodles, Chongqing noodles, oil tea... You should try them all. I bought them from reputable places around here, and I went to queue up at five in the morning..."

Jiang Manman sat down at the dining table and looked around: "Where's Dad?"

"She went to our family supermarket to pick out groceries." Huo Yungui looked at his younger sister with obvious longing, unable to get enough of her. "We're having guests tonight, so we have to start preparing this morning. Sister, you're so beautiful, it's a pity you got married so early. I know a few really handsome single guys..."

Jiang Manman avoided the topic: "Your brother-in-law is very jealous. When he comes over tonight, don't mention this in front of him."

"Okay, let's not talk about it." Huo Yungui agreed to everything. "What dishes does my little sister like to eat? I'll cook them for you myself tonight."

"I'm not a picky eater," Jiang Manman asked. "Are there many guests at night?"

"Not many, just my eldest aunt's family, my second aunt's family, and my aunt's family. In total, there are only a dozen or so people. Oh, and there's also Grandpa—Grandpa is currently staying at my aunt's house in Chengdu. When he learned you were coming back, he bought a ticket as soon as possible. Over the years, he has shed many tears when he talks about you."

Jiang Manman gave a soft "Mmm".

“Our family members are all good-natured, so don’t be shy, little sister. It’s just that aunt has a sharp tongue. If you don’t like her, we can just ignore her.”

In front of her younger sister, Huo Yungui had endless topics to talk about. "Our aunt has a cousin who is a vice president at a big company—the kind of vice president who manages the entire southwest region. When he was just a manager, he already earned a million a year. Now that he's been promoted, I heard that all the benefits add up to over three million. Every time my aunt sees us, her mouth is all smiles."

Jiang Manman: "..."

She vaguely remembered Yan Changye mentioning that Shen Zongqian was able to follow the trail from Chongqing, and it seemed that the trail led him to the newly appointed Vice President Zhang of the Southwest Region.

Huo Yungui continued, "I'm the worst off. I've accomplished nothing, so I became my cousin's comparison group. What I dread most is the New Year. All the relatives gather together, praising my cousin and dragging me into it. Standing in front of my cousin, I feel like a quail..."

Jiang Manman was also curious: "Is my cousin difficult to get along with?"

"No, he's very well-mannered, but my aunt has no manners at all. Every time she finishes showing off her son, she starts rubbing my face on the ground, it hurts so much!"

Jiang Manman asked seriously, "But you really don't have a proper job. You just spend your time leading a bunch of shady buddies to rip off your own supermarket. Brother, are you planning to live like this forever?" "I've just failed in my business ventures multiple times, so I'm taking a break lately." Huo Yungui tried his best to maintain his image in front of his sister. "Recently, I found a job as a planner at the Chongqing Culture and Tourism Bureau. Now it's the era of internet traffic, and Chongqing has become a popular city. There's a lot of room for me to make a difference."

Jiang Manman asked thoughtfully, "The Bureau of Culture and Tourism is a civil service position. You passed the exam?"

"..." Huo Yungui was a little embarrassed. "There's a brother in there who got me a temporary position."

Jiang Manman didn't tease him. Instead, she scooped half a bowl of tofu rice for him and said, "Your brother-in-law is really good at planning. When he comes, let him mentor you."

Huo Yungui's eyes suddenly lit up.

……

Said that Cao Cao Cao Cao arrived.

Just past noon, my aunt and uncle, who also live in Chongqing, came to visit with gifts.

My aunt was also a fashionable woman, with a head of big, curly hair and a plump figure. The moment she entered, her gaze fell on Jiang Manman, who stood gracefully in the main hall:
"Oh my, this is our darling niece! She's so beautiful and has such a great temperament. Little sister, I'm not kidding, even if you were to raise her yourself, you might not be able to raise her to be this lovely."

Wang Ying's expression turned slightly colder: "Sister, if you can't speak properly, then don't speak. Drink your tea."

"I haven't said anything, and you're already getting angry." Auntie scoffed, then took out the gift she had brought. When she looked at Jiang Manman, she seemed genuinely happy. "Your name is Manman, right? It's been quite a while since we met. I'm your auntie. It's our first time meeting, and I didn't know what you liked, so I bought you a gold chain. It's tacky, but it holds its value. You can keep it."

My uncle opened the gift box, first taking out two boxes of imported chocolates, then flipping open the jewelry box at the bottom, revealing a thick gold chain weighing more than thirty grams.

"Sister, accept this." Huo Yungui lowered his voice. "Auntie has a sharp tongue, but she's also genuinely generous. Don't be polite with her."

Jiang Manman accepted the gold chain: "Thank you, Auntie. Thank you, Uncle."

Auntie looked at Jiang Manman for a while longer and said, "Tsk tsk, she's really more and more adorable the more you look at her, like a fairy. Everyone says that Chongqing has a good environment, but I've lived in Chongqing for so many years and I've never seen anyone with Manman's temperament."

Huo Yungui chimed in from the side: "Yucheng is known for producing tigresses. Our sister's temperament is something that was nurtured in the capital. Of course, you can't find many like her in Yucheng."

These words successfully drew her aunt's attention: "Yun Gui, it's been a while. Have you found a job yet? How about I ask your cousin to help you get a job in their company doing logistics? You can earn seven or eight thousand a month, which is better than just drifting along like this."

Huo Yungui declined, saying, "No need, I have my own rhythm."

“You’re just lazy,” Auntie complained bluntly. “Don’t think that just because your dad has two supermarkets and they’re making money, you can just coast along. These days, many industries are struggling and can collapse at any time. Can you rely on two supermarkets for a lifetime? Besides, they’re your dad’s, not yours. As a man from Chongqing, it’s unacceptable to sponge off your parents.”

"Who's going to sponge off their parents?" Huo Yungui said slowly. "You just need to mind your own business."

“What do I need to worry about? Your cousin’s career is booming, and your uncle and I have retired. We receive several thousand yuan in pension every month, so we have nothing to worry about.”

Huo Yungui interrupted, "Cousin, you're thirty-five. Do you have a girlfriend yet? Aunt, you're sixty. In a couple of years, you won't be able to hold your grandchild anymore. Instead of worrying about me, you should urge your cousin. By the way, I heard you haven't been having a good time lately. You were scammed out of 30,000 yuan. It's even been made into the community case. Do you want me to get you a spot in the anti-fraud campaign?"

The aunt's face darkened: "Huo Yungui, you bastard, how can you talk to your elders like that?"

Huo Yungui was used to it and ignored her resentment, but poured a cup of tea for her uncle who had been watching from the sidelines.

Chongqing Airport.

At 3 p.m., Yan Changye's private plane arrived in Chongqing.

The special passage opened, the cabin door slid open, and Yan Changye walked out with a lazy expression.

(End of this chapter)