Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

When Zhu Ling brought over the porcelain cup of freshly brewed tea, she saw five stacks of brand-new red bills on the coffee table, along with a receipt...

Yang Che laughed and said, "Don't you dare say anything about refusing. This money isn't for me to share. Besides, Xu Shaohua is getting the same as you, and I'm getting several million, hehe. Sister Ling, come and sign the papers."

"Okay, then thank you for making the trip."

Zhu Ling smiled and agreed, then sat down next to him and signed the receipt.

Yang Che wasn't just pretending; the money was indeed going to be deposited into the account. However, he wouldn't hand over money to other people, since they weren't Zhu Ling.

Zhu Ling took the money back to her bedroom, and when she came out a little while later, she said very seriously, "Xiao Yang, I'm really sorry for hanging up on you before the New Year. I didn't think things through at the time and misunderstood you. I'm so sorry."

Yang Che was stunned for a moment. "Holy crap, sis, no way, you're reacting this strongly?"

"Uh... I was the one who spoke rudely and disrespectfully first, haha."

Zhu Ling waved her hand, then smiled playfully: "It feels much better to say it out loud, otherwise I would have felt guilty towards you all along."

Yang Che smiled and said, "I don't think you're the type to cause internal strife. You're a free-spirited Beijing girl. Look, the books you read are all by Mayakovsky."

"You're mistaken. People only look at what they lack. Do you even know anything about Mayakovsky?"

"Mayakovsky's legs are swift as the wind, far ahead of our time. He will stop at some bend and wait for us."

Zhu Ling exclaimed in surprise: "This is what Tsvetaeva said. As Stalin said, Mayakovsky is indeed the greatest poet of the Soviet Union. I have been reading his poems since I was fifteen years old."

"I'm rather vulgar. I only learned about it after I heard about his marriage of three—two men and one woman."

"He is a perpetually young genius, a true futurist, so it wouldn't be surprising how he lives his life."

"..."

So the two of them talked about Mayakovsky, Pushkin, the Book of Songs, and Zweig... During this time, Zhu Ling changed Yang Che's tea twice.

She said that Zweig's "Letter from an Unknown Woman" was exceptionally well-written, but she couldn't finish it after several attempts, which made her very angry.

Yang Che asked her if she was angry at the writer's womanizing ways or at the woman's devotion.

She said she was angry.

Yang Che tilted his head and suddenly asked her, "Have you ever experienced love?"

Zhu Ling was stunned for a moment, and was interrupted by his phone ringing before she could say anything.

Yang Che glanced at the screen and hung up immediately.

But he didn't talk to Zhu Ling any further and instead said goodbye.

Zhu Ling saw him to the door, cupped her hands in front of her stomach, and said gently, "Thank you."

Yang Che waved his hand: "Goodbye."

After going downstairs, Yang Che let out a long sigh of relief.

It wasn't that he liked older women, it was just that... at this moment he felt that even Wang Fei's soul couldn't compare to Zhu Ling's.

But ultimately, it's unrealistic.

Let's leave it at that, lest we never see each other again.

The person who made the call was none other than Wang Fei.

Yang Che returned to his car and dialed back.

"Feed".

Wang Fei's voice was cold and clear: "How so?"

"Going home?"

"Um."

"Then I'll go over there."

"Oh. We don't have much food at home, so you can buy some."

"Sister Wang... okay, I also want to celebrate the New Year, I'll wait."

Half an hour later, Yang Che entered Jialin Garden carrying large and small bags. It was quite troublesome to be with her, as the two of them couldn't go out to eat together.

Eating takeout from a restaurant is like taking off your pants to fart—it's not like you're too busy to leave.

Wang Fei, dressed in fluffy pajamas, calmly leaned against the wall watching him stuff things into the refrigerator.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't be back until tonight?"

"Isn't it getting dark?"

Yang Che turned around: "I surprised you, aren't you touched? Tell the truth."

Wang Fei nodded: "It's alright."

"I'm quite sad."

"You're being dramatic... I've tried my best to get there. My brother came back from England yesterday, and Tongtong is with my dad."

Yang Che grinned: "Thank you."

Wang Fei raised an eyebrow: "Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for explaining to me."

"Damn, that's so cheesy."

Wang Fei rolled her eyes, turned around and left, but her mouth was practically stretched to her ears in a wide grin.

No one knows how happy she was when she heard him say "I'm coming to your house" on the phone today.

Yang Che finished tidying up and looked at her, who was lying on the sofa and had just turned on the TV: "Old Wang, I'm a little tired. Is it okay if I cook something convenient for dinner?"

The TV station played the Beijing-accented voice of Di Ge Lao from "The Happy Life of Zhang Damin," and Zhu Yuanyuan was really beautiful.

This drama is excellent; it tells the same story as the movie "Stealing Joy in the Mist" released last year.

Wang Fei grabbed a cushion and hugged it: "I don't want to eat instant noodles, it's too much trouble. Just say so if you want me to make them."

Yang Che plopped down next to her and put his arm around her, saying, "You know how to just say it outright!"

Wang Fei glanced at him, then moved closer to him before moving away again, saying with disdain, "Hey, go upstairs and change into your pajamas, this isn't comfortable."

If it were Gao Yuanyuan, Fan Bingbing, or even Cheng Hong, they would have brought him the pajamas and even let him wear them, instead of giving him such a command.

So Yang Che, who had been raised like a spoiled brat, was naturally indignant. He turned over and slapped his buttocks twice.

"Yang Che, you son of a bitch, are you crazy?!"

"I'd rather be! I'm still fuming! 600 kilometers! I didn't stop to catch my breath, I even peed right at the door, all just to see you as soon as possible. Couldn't you have at least brought me some pajamas?"

"Serves you right!"

Wang Fei sat up abruptly, looking at his aggrieved face, she couldn't help but laugh, her eyes filled with love, then pushed him down onto the sofa and kissed him.

After a while, Wang Fei looked up and chuckled, "Weren't you tired?"

"This isn't tiring... Get up a bit, don't tear it."

Wang Fei lifted her head slightly and said, "The heating isn't working very well, it's a bit chilly, let's go back inside... um..."

Yang Che glanced at the doorway instinctively: "Yeah, it would be awkward if someone suddenly walked in."

Wang Fei froze for a moment, then punched him.

"You're so annoying, carry me upstairs, um...uh..."

"Do you like it when I hug you like this?"

"Um..."

Wang Fei snorted and buried her face in his neck.

Her face was hot, which warmed Yang Che's heart.

When are you going to Hong Kong?

"I'll leave after the Lunar New Year. Yang Che, can we try to see each other for a few days each month?"

"Okay, I'll go along with your wishes."

"Um..."

And so, the two continued to linger in Jialin Garden until the seventh day of the new year.

In the afternoon, Yang Che left with autographed photos of his fellow soldiers and went to Fan Bingbing's parents' house. He had given them gifts before the New Year, so he naturally went empty-handed after the New Year.

After chatting for a while, they took Little Fatty back to Anzhenli.