Chapter 167

It was May 2007, in the capital. In a slightly old residential compound next to a certain research institute, a young man with fair skin and lips even paler than a young girl’s was huffing and puffing as he carried a monitor in one hand and a computer tower in the other. He entered the building, pressed the elevator button, and got off at the 5th floor, shouting, "Yan Wangqi, hurry up! I'm dying here!"0

A door immediately swung open, revealing Xiao Wang, wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. He took the computer tower and said, "Xiong Zhuang, you really know how to make a fuss, don't you? A computer? How could that possibly tire you out?"0

"You try carrying it yourself! Come on, let's set it up. I want to see how fast a computer capable of rendering large animations can be," said the boy named Xiong Zhuang.0

Xiao Wang took the computer and said, "Get lost, this is your sister-in-law's stuff."0

Xiong Zhuang obediently handed over the computer, crossed his arms, and watched Xiao Wang set it up. He asked, "Yan Wangqi, your dad has been on the phone non-stop. When are we going back to your place?"0

"Once the computer's set up, we'll go. I'm not in a hurry, so why are you?" Xiao Wang retorted.0

"But your dad said he found us a great job, the most lucrative one in the entire capital. I just want to know what that job is," Xiong Zhuang said.0

Talking about the job, Xiao Wang was equally curious. He placed the monitor on the table and said with a meaningful smile, "My dad has never cared about money his whole life. The fact that he suddenly said he found me a very lucrative job makes me even more curious than you. Let's go home later and ask him what it is."0

Of course, Xiao Wang was none other than Yan Wangqi.0

And Xiong Zhuang was the son of Xiong Dapao, the general manager of the International Waste Management Company.0

These two kids didn't see much of each other when they were young, but they ended up together like this:0

Xiao Wang graduated from university in 2003. Originally, after graduation, he planned to take over Chen Meilan's Xingda Construction Team and continue the family business of engineering construction, aiming to become a project manager.0

His ideal was quite simple: to make money. He was particularly disdainful of the shoddy construction in Hua Country's infrastructure industry and wanted to form a large construction team to undertake major projects and do some quality work.0

However, when he was about to graduate, Yan Zhao suggested that if he wanted to work in engineering, why not go abroad to study in Western countries and come back to work afterward?0

Since Xiao Wang was only 22 that year, he listened to his father and went to Germany to study.0

When Xiong Dapao was on the phone with Yan Zhao, he learned that Xiao Wang had gone to Germany. Since Xiong Zhuang was also studying in Germany, they exchanged addresses and told the two kids to find each other in Germany.0

Thus, in a foreign land, two kids who hadn't seen much of each other in Hua Country became bosom friends in Germany. This year, both of them had completed their coursework and earned their master's degrees, so it was time to return home.0

Before they came back, Yan Zhao had called and said he had found them an excellent, very lucrative job and asked them to start working.0

The two kids, however, had originally planned to return in May but secretly came back a month early.0

Instead of informing Yan Zhao, they went to the research institute to renovate a house nearby.0

This house was one Xiao Wang had bought in 2003 after confirming that Yuanyuan's job would be at the research institute. It was a second-hand, three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment. The basic renovation had been completed before Xiao Wang went abroad, and upon returning, he was finishing the remaining work and furnishing the place.0

The reason they returned home without going back first and instead rushed to renovate the house was, of course, because Xiao Wang figured he was 26 and Yuanyuan was 24, and it was time for them to get married.0

Xiao Wang had never mentioned this house to his family from the time he bought it to the time he renovated it.0

Recently, while he was doing the renovations, he often saw Yuanyuan commuting to work by subway from a distance.0

It had been a month, and Xiao Wang was secretly delighted.0

Until today, not only were the cabinets, bed, water heater, and stove ready, but even the computer Yuanyuan would use for work was set up.0

This meant that once he got home, he could directly bring up the topic of marriage with his parents and Yuanyuan. After all, the wedding house was ready, so what reason could his parents have not to let him and Yuanyuan get married?0

In his mind, Yuanyuan would definitely be willing. Although he had come back last year, he had only stayed for a few days before leaving. Now, suddenly bringing up marriage, Yuanyuan would surely be overjoyed.0

Chen Meilan wouldn't need to be convinced either. From the very beginning, she had been supportive and protective of him.0

When it came to marriage, she would undoubtedly give her full approval.0

It was truly not easy. After years of hard work, Xiao Wang had finally bought and renovated the house. Now, all that was left was to go home and propose.0

So, after starting the computer, opening CAD, importing a drawing, and testing the rendering speed, he checked the CPU. Perfect. The computer was as fast as lightning.0

Turning off the computer, Yan Wangqi said, "Xiong Zhuang, let's go to my place."0

Xiong Zhuang was in the living room, watching a rerun of a CCTV sketch featuring Song Dandan, who kept repeating, "The rooster that lays eggs, the rooster among fighting roosters, oh yeah..."0

"Just a little longer. Let me finish watching this sketch," he said.0

Xiao Wang walked over, turned off the TV with a slap, and said, "Let's go, hurry up."0

Xiong Zhuang reluctantly said, "We've been back for a month, and you weren't in a hurry before. Now you're rushing me, not even letting me finish a sketch."0

Xiao Wang took a deep breath and said to Xiong Zhuang, "You don't get it. Today, I'm not just a son, I'm also a son-in-law. I have to formally discuss my marriage to Yan Shengnan with my parents. Marriage is a big deal; can we be casual about it?"0

When it came to Yan Shengnan, Xiong Zhuang sighed, "Yan Wangqi, you've had a really lucky life, you know that?"0

Xiong Zhuang had always liked Yan Shengnan, the beautiful and sweet-voiced celebrity, since he was a child. He often pestered his dad to let him play with Yan Shengnan, but his dad was too busy with work to pay attention to him.0

And look at Yan Wangqi—how lucky he was. The beautiful and sweet Yan Shengnan had been his little sister when they were kids, and now, she was going to be his wife.0

Moving on.0

In the current capital, four-wheeled vehicles couldn't outrun two-legged ones, cars couldn't outrun motorcycles, and sometimes, motorcycles couldn't outrun electric scooters. Moreover, electric scooters could go anywhere, while motorcycles couldn't enter the main city, and cars were restricted by odd and even license plate numbers.0

After returning to the country, Xiao Wang bought an electric scooter for convenience. Once the battery was charged, he could go anywhere.0

Hopping on the electric scooter, he headed straight for the first-class residential compound.0

It was a familiar place with a familiar atmosphere. Once, the four high-rise buildings of the first-class residential compound were iconic landmarks in the capital. However, in recent years, buildings with thirty or forty floors were everywhere, and even the Bayi Food Factory had built a 32-story high-rise. The first-class residential compound now looked dull and unremarkable.0

Of course, the management of the military residential compound had also become much stricter than before.0

Although Yan Wangqi and the guards at the gate were familiar faces and knew each other, the guards still checked his ID, various documents from his time abroad, and even his ticket stubs before letting him in.0

Once inside the compound, another change in the residential area became apparent.0

The compound didn't have an underground parking lot, so all the cars were parked on the ground.0

Compared to the streets outside, where Mercedes, BMWs, Ferraris, and Porsches were everywhere, the cars in the compound looked much more modest. Among the high-rise buildings, only one BMW 5 Series stood out slightly.0

Earlier, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‍when Chen Meilan called, she mentioned that his dad was home today, and so was Yuanyuan.0

With a turn of the electric scooter, Xiao Wang headed straight for the small red building.0

"Mom, Mom!" As soon as he stopped, he shouted from the window.0

Turning back, he had to boast to Xiong Zhuang, "You believe me, don't you? I bet my sister will come running out of the house as soon as I count to three."0

It was Xiong Zhuang's first time entering a first-class residential compound like this, and his first time seeing a small red building that, outside, would be called a villa. Looking around, he noticed that among the houses, Xiao Wang's family had the best-maintained front and back yards. A sense of envy naturally arose in his heart, and he didn't hear Xiao Wang's boast. He only heard Xiao Wang quietly counting "one, two, three," and after finishing, seeing no one come to open the door, he had to park the electric scooter and walk into the house himself.0

It was the weekend, and Chen Meilan, Yan Zhao, and Yuanyuan were indeed at home. However, both Yan Zhao and Chen Meilan were in the living room, surrounded by a stack of thick documents, flipping through them. Yuanyuan, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen on the first floor, likely upstairs or out buying groceries.0

"Dad, Mom, I'm home!" Xiao Wang said with a smile.0

Logically, after more than a year away, his parents should have been pleasantly surprised, but their expressions didn't show any hint of surprise at all.0

Yan Zhao continued reading the documents, while Chen Meilan said, "Go take a shower first, and then make us some dinner. I've been eating takeout for days and can't stand it anymore. I want some hand-pulled noodles."0n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Sure thing," Xiao Wang replied.0

Returning home and immediately diving into household chores—that was fine. But where was Yuanyuan?0

Seeing that both his parents were busy, Xiao Wang decided to head upstairs to check if Yuanyuan was there.0

As he began to climb the stairs, he heard a familiar voice from upstairs say, "The topic of this article written by your research institute's leader is decent, but who translated it? It's absolutely terrible. If they really want to get it published in *The Lancet*, they should bring me the original version, and I'll translate it. Half of the medical professional papers from Hua Country can't be published in international specialty journals because of the translation."0

That voice—it was John!0

He was currently working at the Union Hospital, and yes, he lived in the high-rise building. What was he doing here on a weekend?0

At this moment, Xiao Wang already felt a bit uneasy.0

Turning around, he was now at the top of the stairs. Just then, he saw John holding a document, smiling at Yuanyuan: "Promise me you'll have dinner with me tonight. I want to take you out for French cuisine. If you agree, I'll help you translate this paper."0

Who was John? He was Yan Wangqi's older brother, his own brother.0

But what was this older brother doing? Wasn't there enough food at home? Why did he want to go out to eat?0

Just then, Yuanyuan saw Xiao Wang and immediately jumped, still acting like the silly little girl she used to be, bounding over to him: "Brother."0

Xiao Wang didn't know what came over him, but he turned and ran downstairs, acting like a little kid, to tattle to Chen Meilan: "Mom, you know what? John just said he wants to take my sister out to dinner."0

Chen Meilan looked up, seemingly not at all surprised, and said, "I know. John has been saying since last year that he wants to pursue Yuanyuan. A young man wanting to date a girl and take her out to dinner—isn't that normal?"0

"But Mom, Yuanyuan is part of our family. She can't be dating," Xiao Wang blurted out without thinking.0

In his subconscious mind, Yuanyuan belonged to him.0

Chen Meilan, however, said, "Yuanyuan is 24 years old. If she wants to date, she can. She can date online, through text messages, or even with some random stranger from a dating app—I wouldn't mind. Girls dating and going out on dates is perfectly normal. Could it be that someone still holds onto old-fashioned ideas from the past, thinking they can just skip dating and jump straight to marriage with my daughter?"0

At that moment, Xiao Wang was dumbfounded.0

He had always assumed that he and Yuanyuan had progressed to the point of discussing when to start planning for a family and having kids. But now he realized that not only had he not properly pursued Yuanyuan, but he hadn't even taken her out on a proper date.0

And what about John, his own brother, quietly stabbing him in the back? What was that about?0

Just then, Yan Zhao looked up at Xiao Wang and said, "Since you're back, I'll call the quality supervision office. Tomorrow, you and Xiong Zhuang can start working." Then, glancing at his son, Yan Zhao added, "I guarantee you that this job will be easier and more lucrative than any other job you can imagine."0