After the meal, the four elders moved to the living room. Mama Wang sent Wang Ziyu to wash the dishes. Wang Cheng had wanted to go help her in the kitchen, but Mother Zheng asked him to bring over the suitcase she had brought.
The suitcase was not filled with clothes. It contained the meeting gifts Mother Zheng had specially prepared for them. Besides some local specialties from the capital, the things packed at the bottom were far from ordinary gifts. Mother Zheng had brought Wang Ning’an a Swiss luxury watch, Wang Ziyu a crystal necklace, and Papa and Mama Wang expensive ginseng and other health supplements. Needless to say, every item was valuable. The gifts were so costly that the Wang family did not dare accept them.
“No, no, we can’t take these.” Mama Wang hurriedly refused. She understood why Mother Zheng wanted to give them gifts, but they were simply too expensive. Accepting them would make the couple uneasy.
“This is only a token of our feelings. Please accept them. Seeing Chengcheng living so well in your family makes me happy too. If not for you, my husband and I might never have seen Chengcheng again in our lifetime. We can never repay the kindness you’ve shown us.” Mother Zheng had no intention of taking everything back with her.
“You’re making it sound too serious. Chengcheng’s father and I have always treated Chengcheng as our own biological son. Giving us gifts like these makes us feel like outsiders.” Mama Wang refused no matter what.
Seeing how firm she was, Mother Zheng compromised. “Then how about this? I’ll take back the watch and necklace, but you absolutely must keep these medicinal supplements. They’re all for improving health. You’re Chengcheng’s parents too, and I’m sure Chengcheng wants you to live long, healthy lives.”
Wang Cheng, who had been called into the matter, caught Mother Zheng’s hint and reluctantly joined the persuasion. “Yeah, Mom. My… my biological mom is right. Keep the medicinal supplements. They’re good for your health. Even if you and Dad don’t need them, you can give some to Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa’s health hasn’t been very good, right? These would be perfect for helping the two elders nourish their bodies.” Everyone could not help laughing when they heard him say “my biological mom.”
Still, Wang Cheng’s words struck exactly where Mama Wang was most vulnerable. Grandpa was getting older, and his health problems were increasing. He really did need nourishment.
Papa Wang understood her well and added a few words of persuasion. In the end, they accepted the supplements.
They might have accepted only half the gifts, but the red envelopes could not be refused. Naturally, Mother Zheng’s envelopes were not small. Each was thick and heavy. There were at least several thousand yuan inside, possibly ten thousand. Judging by the weight and thickness, ten thousand seemed quite likely.
Wang Ziyu held hers as though it were burning her hand. Her own eldest brother was not exactly kind either. The red envelope he received from Mother Zheng was immediately stuffed into her hand, and he told her it was his red envelope to her. It was only natural for an older brother to give his younger sister a red envelope, but as the youngest person in the family, who was Wang Ziyu supposed to give one to?
Wang Cheng walked over carrying the red envelope Mother Zheng had given him.
Wang Ziyu looked at how thin his envelope was and said with both envy and surprise, “Second Brother, yours is much thinner than mine. Lucky you.” The corner of Wang Cheng’s mouth twitched.
Wang Ning’an’s gaze swept over the envelope in his hand, and understanding appeared in his eyes. “Don’t envy your second brother. His is probably a check.”
Wang Ziyu: “…”
After Mother Zheng gave Wang Cheng a spending-money check last time, he had never actually used it. Mother Zheng worried that he did not have enough money and tried to give him another, only for Wang Cheng to refuse firmly. Clearly she had not given up. Now that it was New Year, elders giving juniors red envelopes was perfectly natural, so this time Wang Cheng had no way to refuse.
“Second Brother, have you checked how much is written on it?” Wang Ziyu had never seen a check before and asked curiously.
“Not yet…” Wang Cheng had been afraid the amount would be too large, so he had deliberately avoided looking.
Wang Ziyu immediately said, “Then take it out and let Big Brother and me see.”
Wang Cheng hesitated before opening the red envelope and slowly pulling out the check. A string of zeroes stretched across it. The final zero sat in the hundred-thousands place, meaning the amount exceeded one million.
When she saw the final figure, Wang Ziyu covered her mouth to keep herself from crying out. After a moment, she said enviously, “Second Brother, your biological mom really treats you well. This is the first time I’ve ever seen such a huge New Year’s red envelope. No wonder she had to use a check. If it were all hundred-yuan bills, how many red envelopes would it take to fit everything?”
A single red envelope could hold about ten thousand yuan at most.
After saying that, Wang Ziyu actually did the mental arithmetic at once. Two seconds later, she was the first one to crack up laughing.
Wang Cheng rolled his eyes at her.
The fact that the Wang family had guests did not escape the notice of the nearby neighbors. In previous years, the family would already have gone out visiting relatives on this day, yet this year they stayed home. Some people paid attention without thinking much of it and ended up seeing Father and Mother Zheng. One look at their bearing made it obvious they were no ordinary people. Once everyone connected them with Wang Cheng’s biological parents, the news spread. That afternoon, several uninvited guests arrived.
Madam Zhang’s family shamelessly came over. It was the first New Year they had ever taken the initiative to visit Wang Cheng’s home. In previous years, they had always waited for Wang Cheng’s family to visit them instead. This time, they claimed they had come to offer New Year greetings, but in truth they wanted to see Wang Cheng’s biological parents. Rumors were already spreading through the village that Wang Cheng’s biological parents came from a great family and were extraordinarily rich and powerful.
“One look at the two of you and anyone can tell you’re Wang Cheng’s biological parents. Just look at those faces, you really do resemble each other. Your features clearly show you’re no ordinary people. I said from the very beginning that Wang Cheng was destined to become someone extraordinary, and sure enough, I was right.” The moment Madam Zhang entered, she showered Father and Mother Zheng with compliments. Aside from the first part, everything else was obviously shameless nonsense.
Father and Mother Zheng only knew that the three Wang brothers’ families did not interact often. They did not know the details. But when they noticed that Mama Wang’s face had been expressionless from the moment Madam Zhang’s family came in, they immediately understood what attitude they should take. They had seen plenty of people like Madam Zhang before, so neither responded.
The atmosphere instantly froze.
Seeing that no one answered her, Madam Zhang’s expression stiffened as well. Fortunately, Wang Hongwen reacted quickly and changed the subject. Giving red envelopes during New Year was customary, so all three Wang siblings received a very thin one. After comparing them with Mother Zheng’s red envelopes, these envelopes containing only one hundred yuan felt genuinely stingy. Considering how miserly Second Uncle’s family was, however, it was already an improvement that the envelope did not contain a single fifty-yuan bill.
Since Second Uncle had given red envelopes, Wang Cheng’s family had to return the courtesy. Madam Zhang had brought her son and daughter over partly for exactly those two envelopes. Mama Wang was not as stingy as Madam Zhang. She gave each of them 288 yuan, an auspicious amount symbolizing prosperity. It was only meant as a lucky gesture, but in Madam Zhang’s family’s eyes, Mama Wang seemed stingy.
Wang Cheng’s family now owned a jam factory. Their financial situation was far better than Second Uncle’s, and even Wang Ningkai’s family was not as wealthy as theirs anymore. During the previous New Year, Madam Li had given each junior five hundred yuan. Madam Li might be miserly too, but when something involved face, she would never be excessively cheap.
Wang Cheng had no interest in staying in the living room and looking at Madam Zhang’s expression. Wang Ziyu did not want to remain there either, so the siblings went out into the courtyard. Only Wang Ning’an stayed inside. Given his present position, he had met people far more difficult than Madam Zhang. Handling someone like her was easy.
The two had barely stepped outside when Wang Ningshan and Wang Ningxiang followed them.
Both now knew Wang Cheng was no longer the same person he had once been. Wang Ningshan handled it better. He had more or less watched Wang Cheng rise step by step to where he was now. Wang Ningxiang was different. After leaving for university, she only knew a rough outline of what had happened to Wang Cheng. Back when she learned he had been adopted, she had even secretly gloated. Then, in the blink of an eye, he became the son of a wealthy family. The envy and jealousy in her heart were almost impossible to suppress. Sometimes she even imagined how wonderful it would be if something like that happened to her. She would instantly fly onto a high branch and become a phoenix, never having to live this miserable life again. At home, she could still act arrogantly. Outside, she could only watch other people’s expressions.
Wang Ningxiang did not bother hiding much of what she felt. Wang Cheng saw through her immediately. She really had not improved at all.
“Wang Cheng, happy New Year. Haven’t seen you in a while. You look more energetic every time I see you.” Wang Ningshan laughed. He might be lazy and fond of comfort, but unlike Madam Zhang and Wang Ningxiang, his personality was not particularly unpleasant. In that respect, he resembled the comparatively weak-willed Second Uncle more.
“You look pretty good yourself.”
Wang Cheng was not being polite. Wang Ningshan’s face was rosy and healthy, making it obvious he had been living comfortably lately.
“I have Third Aunt to thank for that, hehe.” Wang Ningshan knew perfectly well that his current job had come from Wang Cheng’s family and therefore treasured it. He was lazy, unambitious, and possessed only a little cleverness. His ultimate goal in life was to keep a job that paid enough to support him while he comfortably coasted through life. Put harshly, he had no ambition at all. Madam Zhang had cursed and hit him over it before, but everything always went in one ear and out the other. Hearing her brother flatter Wang Cheng made Wang Ningxiang feel as though he were hopelessly spineless. She knew her brother’s job had been arranged through Wang Cheng’s parents, but she had heard it was an easy post with no real path upward. She therefore suspected Wang Cheng’s parents might be deliberately trying to ruin her brother by letting him grow lazy. Madam Zhang had thought the idea made sense too. For a while she argued about it and nearly came over to confront Mama Wang. Fortunately, Wang Hongwen stopped her and pointed out that without this easy job, their son would still be sitting at home doing nothing and living off them. Only then did Madam Zhang settle down.
Wang Cheng noticed Wang Ningxiang’s expression and gave a faint laugh. “Cousin Ningxiang, I heard you’re studying at some third-rate university. How’s school going? Do you skip class every day, stay out overnight, and run around with bad company?”
Those were exactly the kinds of things Wang Ningxiang had done in high school. Now she was in university, and a third-rate one at that. With her personality, there was no chance she had suddenly become a model student. Besides, she was far from home. As long as whatever trouble she caused was not serious enough to require parental involvement, Madam Zhang and Second Uncle would never know.
Wang Ningxiang’s features twisted. She said maliciously, “What I do has nothing to do with you. But I heard you’re gay?”
“Ningxiang, what nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t I already tell you? Wang Cheng isn’t gay. Those photos were fake.” Wang Ningshan did not understand what she was trying to do. He was afraid she would offend Wang Cheng. He was very satisfied with his current job and had no desire to return to the old days of constantly being nagged by Madam Zhang.
“Shut up.” Wang Ningxiang nearly lost her temper. She had never seen such a stupid brother, dismantling her argument for her. “Just because you say they were fake makes them fake? He was so close to that man. Maybe there was nothing on the surface, but who knows whether he’s gay in private? Besides, our dear Cousin Wang Cheng has never had a girlfriend. If that doesn’t mean he’s gay, what does? Look at him now, acting all respectable…”
“Shut up!”
A voice filled with authority suddenly sounded from behind Wang Ningxiang, frightening her badly. She turned and saw Wang Cheng’s biological mother standing there. No one knew how much Mother Zheng had heard. There was no trace of a smile on her still-elegant face. An intimidating aura radiated from her, making her innate dignity seem even stronger.
“No one gets to casually insult a son of mine, Zhou Hui. Apologize immediately!”
Wang Ningxiang’s knees nearly went weak from fright. Under Mother Zheng’s stare, she could not force out even half a word.
The others heard the commotion outside and immediately came over, all asking what had happened. The instant Madam Zhang saw the guilty look on her daughter’s face, she knew the matter had to involve her. She hurried forward to smooth things over.
“Children speak without thinking. She probably said something wrong. Madam Zheng, please be magnanimous and don’t hold it against a junior. I’ll definitely teach this girl a lesson later.”
Mother Zheng’s gaze was cold and hard. The condescending glance she gave Madam Zhang made the woman’s expression freeze. Mother Zheng ignored her and looked directly at Wang Ningxiang, whose shoulders had curled inward. “Apologize to my son immediately.”
Seeing Wang Ningxiang frozen in place, Madam Zhang smacked her hard on the head and scolded, “Stupid girl, hurry up and apologize!”
Wang Ningxiang had never encountered someone like Mother Zheng before and had long since been scared senseless. Only after Madam Zhang hit her did she come back to herself. Still frightened, she lowered her head to Wang Cheng. “I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
Wang Cheng could not be bothered arguing with her. Wang Ningxiang was simply bitter and unbalanced inside, but he was not the sort of person who believed her resentment gave her the right to curse at him. So he told her bluntly, “Cousin Ningxiang, next time you’re in a bad mood, take it out on the right person. I can tolerate it once. There won’t be a second time. Understand?”
Both Wang Ningxiang’s and Madam Zhang’s expressions turned ugly. Madam Zhang had originally intended to linger longer and try to build some connection with Father and Mother Zheng, but now she had no choice but to leave.