So what? Should he be grateful and kneel down in tears to kowtow to him?

  He Cheng Ming dropped his eyes indifferently and the corner of his lips lifted in a sneer.

  He Yue Jin might be a good businessman but he wasn’t a good husband, let alone a good father.

  He didn’t take any responsibilities for Zhao Mei Lan nor did he give He Cheng Ming any fatherly love.

  Zhao Mei Lan was willing to compromise but he wasn’t.

  “I don’t want to do anything about it. You can leave.”


  The relationship between him and He Yue Jin had been flagging for much longer than a day or two and it wasn’t that important now whether he went back or not. As for Chinese New Year, he would think about it when it was time.

  Zhao Mei Lan’s mindset of “the husband is everything” was deeply rooted. Hearing his perfunctory words, she stomped her foot in anger and turned to Ji Liao, saying dejectedly, “Ji Liao, do you think he’s right in doing this? Can you help Auntie to persuade Xiao Ming?”


  Ji Liao shivered when he heard his name. He hadn’t forgotten how Zhao Mei Lan had previously humiliated him with a cheque. But now, her low voice and humble attitude made his heart soften a little. She was, after all, He Cheng Ming’s mother.

  He looked up at the boy beside him.

  He Cheng Ming motioned for him to let it be, then promised with a frown, “I’ll go back in two days.”


  At this, Zhao Mei Lan smiled and said quickly, “Good, good. Mom recently learned to make soup. When you’re back, you can have some to drink.” He Cheng Ming looked at her strangely and didn’t answer.

  On the eve of Chinese New Year, He Cheng Ming returned home.

  He Mu Sheng was watching television with Jiang Qi in the living room. Seeing him return, Jiang Qi asked immediately, “Where’s Ji Liao? Didn’t Ji Liao come?” He Cheng Ming replied, “No. He’s at his own home.” Jiang Qi was instantly disappointed. “It wasn’t easy for Dad to approve.” She thought that he would surely bring Ji Liao back this year but she had been happy for nothing!

  He Cheng Ming didn’t think much of it. No one was superior to him. He Yue Jin’s approval was his issue. It didn’t mean that Ji Liao had to come. He had the right to refuse.

  There were fruits on the coffee table and He Cheng Ming peeled a banana, talking to He Mu Sheng about the stock market while he ate.

  Zhao Mei Lan had gotten up early this morning to make chicken soup. She used a ladle to scoop away the oil floating on the surface, then filled a small bowl for Jiang Qi. When she brought it out, she couldn’t hide her joy at seeing her son back.

  “Thank you, Auntie Zhao.”


  Jiang Qi was a sweet-talker and currently got along well with Zhao Mei Lan.

  Zhao Mei Lan nodded and reminded her, “Drink it while it’s hot.” Jiang Qi answered, “Okay.”


  Next to them, He Cheng Ming stared. Had his mother been possessed by a ghost? Suddenly turning into a loving mother?

  “Your Sao Zi doesn’t eat meat. I’ll prepare a bowl of meat each for you and your brother to eat.”


  Zhao Mei Lan had a naturally-born gentleness. Now, this appearance of being a good wife and loving mother made He Yue Jin very satisfied.

  When he saw that the house was, at last, a little livelier upon coming down the stairs, he was in high spirits and ordered the housekeeper to summon the servants. He would be giving them red packets in advance this year!

  When Zhao Mei Lan went into the kitchen, He Cheng Ming asked He Mu Sheng in a low voice, “Has my mother been like this recently?” In the past, even when she got up from the bed, she needed a servant to turn over the quilt. Now, she was cooking?

  He Mu Sheng touched Jiang Qi’s belly and felt that the main credit went to the baby who had changed everyone in the family.

  “You need to come back occasionally to stay for two days. Don’t hang around outside all the time. The old man isn’t stopping you now, so what’re you throwing a tantrum for?” He Mu Sheng berated him with a stern expression and stood with the posture of an older brother.

  He Cheng Ming shifted his eyes away unnaturally. “Who’s throwing a tantrum? You have no idea how comfortable I am outside.” He leaned back on the sofa thinking about the reasons he didn’t want to come back.

  It was because there was a very rigid hierarchical system here. But he saw He Yue Jin handing out red packets to the servants in the yard, each of them happily saying “Happy New Year, President He”, “President He, you’re in high spirits today!” It seemed that the gap wasn’t that insurmountable.

  It was because of Zhao Mei Lan’s heartlessness. But now, she was holding a bowl of soup full of chicken in front of him and saying gently, “Xiao Ming, eat more. In the past, Mom has let you down and didn’t properly shower you with love. Next time, Mom will change.”


  The woman was nearly forty and wearing a red, close-fitting cheongsam, very suitable for the Chinese New Year atmosphere. Her voice had the grace and sweetness of a Jiangnan woman but it held a trace of regret.

  Hearing this, He Cheng Ming’s eyes reddened, his gaze firmly trained on the bowl of soup and after a pause, said, “Mom, are you raising a pig? Can I finish so much?!”


  It was not revealed on Zhao Mei Lan’s face but she was overwhelmed. How long had it been since she heard her son calling her Mom? Ever since the two of them fell out, he had called her Ms. Zhao, wishing to anger her to death!

  After serving another bowl to He Mu Sheng, Zhao Mei Lan said with a smile, “If your brother can finish it, why can’t you?!” He Mu Sheng interjected expressionlessly, “Oh, my wife forced me.” When Jiang Qi heard, she said, “Huh? I forced you?”


  He Mu Sheng’s will to survive was strong and he changed his tone immediately. “No, I love eating meat.”


  He Cheng Ming kicked him. “Spineless thing!”


  The pregnant Jiang Qi was between the two of them. Zhao Mei Lan was scared to death by her son’s behaviour and immediately smacked him while saying, “No respect! If you touch your Sao Zi!”


  After being hit, He Cheng Ming was speechless but the corner of his lips curved and he felt that this place was finally like a home.

  He Yue Jin felt the same. After distributing the red packets, he was in a good mood. When he came in and saw his harmonious family, he couldn’t help the tears running down his cheeks.

  He walked over and asked Jiang Qi, “Did you do the ultrasound scan yesterday?”


  Jiang Qi said, “Yes, the photo is in the room!” “Show it to me!”


  He Yue Jin was now counting on Jiang Qi to give birth to the child quickly so he could be a grandfather.

  After He Mu Sheng brought down the photo, Zhao Mei Lan moved closer as well. After seven months, the child’s basic shape was visible, his hands and legs clearly seen.

  He Yue Jin pondered and said, “It should be a granddaughter.”


  He had enough of being set up by his two sons and felt that a girl was better. Girls were obedient and wouldn’t talk back to him. A little granddaughter would be very cute.

  Zhao Mei Lan said, “I think it’s most likely a grandson! People say if a pregnant woman ate sour food, it would be a boy, and if it was spicy food, it would be a girl. Qi Qi eats so much sour food, so it’s surely a grandson!” He Yue Jin kept a straight face. “Then just have a granddaughter the next time.”


  Jiang Qi: “.……”


  During the New Year’s Eve dinner, He Yue Jin gave everyone red packets. Even Zhao Mei Lan had her share and she was very happy after feeling the thickness of it.

  Because Jiang Qi was pregnant, He Yue Jin gave her five percent of his He group shares which deeply touched He Mu Sheng’s heart.

  But they were Jiang Qi’s shares. The child in her belly was a tiny life so needed to be given a red packet as well. He Yue Jin smilingly gave it to Jiang Qi who collected it on behalf.

  Then it was He Cheng Ming’s turn and the father and son glared at each other.

  He Yue Jin was discontented. This unfilial son had not called him Dad when he arrived and it seemed like he still hated him! At this thought, He Yue Jin snorted.

  He Cheng Ming felt that the older this man got, the more he dwindled. He took the red packet directly from his hand and said indifferently, “Thanks, Dad.” He Yue Jin coughed and his face suddenly glowed.

  After their New Year Eve’s dinner, a Spring Festival party started in the living room where the family played mahjong.

  Three of them with surname He were from the same line and they all knew how to plot. They turned Zhao Mei Lan inside out, making her lose all the money from the red packet she had just received. She was so angry that she gave up. “I’m not playing anymore.”


  As her biological son, He Cheng Ming pushed over a stack of banknotes. “Take it.”


  Zhao Mei Lan picked it up and counted it. It was more than what she had just lost! So she kept it immediately and escaped for a night of beauty sleep.

  When it was midnight, He Cheng Ming called Ji Liao. “Happy Chinese New Year, baby.” This was their second new year together.

  In future, there would be countless.

  On the second day of Chinese New Year, He Cheng Ming accompanied Jiang Qi back to her mother’s house.

  He Cheng Ming brought Ji Liao home to play.

  It was the first time Ji Liao had come over and he was extremely nervous. But He Cheng Ming kept holding his hand, their warm palms touching gently.

  When the servants of the He family heard that the second young master had a boyfriend and even brought him home, they ran out for a look, one after another. They were very cordial towards Ji Liao, serving tea and sending water.

  After a while, He Yue Jin called Ji Liao to the study room and asked in a calm voice, “Do you know how to make tea?”


  Ji Liao nodded. “I do.”


  He Yue Jin invited him to sit down and handed him the tea leaves and hot water.

  Ji Liao’s actions were familiar. Because Ji Qing Wen liked to drink tea, he was good at making it and taught him. After filtering the water, he poured a cup for He Yue Jin.

  He Yue Jin took a sip and said lightly, “It’s not as good as your father’s.” “You know my father?”


  The words were out before Ji Liao remembered that Ji Qing Wen had built the villa for the He family. But the other man’s status was so high. Would he really have had contact with his father?

  “Your father is a down-to-earth man.”


  When He Yue Jin said this, he stared at Ji Liao’s face. Seeing that he didn’t understand the implication, he couldn’t help raising his eyebrows.

  Then, He Cheng Ming pushed open the door and came in. He had been called away by Zhao Mei Lan to taste something and when he turned back, Ji Liao had disappeared. Hearing the servant say that He Yue Jin had called him away, he was so afraid that he broke out in cold sweat and ran over immediately.

  “What are the two of you talking about?”


  He Cheng Ming walked over, his eyes originally full of vigilance. When he saw the red packet in He Yue Jin’s hand, he stopped.

  Ji Liao appeared to be embarrassed. “There’s really no need, Uncle.” The red packet looked very valuable. How could he accept it?!

  When He Cheng Ming saw what was happening, he released a breath, then conveniently took it on behalf of Ji Liao. “Take it. You don’t need to help him save money. Anyway, when he’s old, we’ll have to take care of him.” He Yue Jin really didn’t know whether to be angry or laugh and downed a cup of tea to put out the fire.

  As soon as the three of them left the study room, the housekeeper led the Gu couple and Gu Ming Ren in. They were here for a Chinese New Year visit.

  When Gu Ming Ren saw Ji Liao, he stiffened. Then his face trembled slightly while his two hands were clenched tightly in his pockets.

  He Cheng Ming had really brought him home.

  While the Gu couple and He Yue Jin talked in the living room, Gu Ming Ren went outside to smoke with He Cheng Ming and Ji Liao.

  To be exact, he was the only one smoking.

  “You’re really awesome.”


  He held the cigarette between his fingers, blowing out smoke while he spoke.

  He Cheng Ming laughed and hugged Ji Liao’s shoulders, his face full of contentment.

  “Congratulations.”


  Gu Ming Ren didn’t know what kind of mood he was in now. The other boy’s perfect life made him see the dawn and maybe that it wasn’t completely impossible. He squinted, lifted his chin and blew out a dense cloud of smoke.

  After a long time, he threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it. He’ll try again.