While they waited for the food to arrive.
Wu Jun and Xu Fei were teasing Huang Jiayi, making her giggle.
The more Huang Zili looked at Wu Jun and Xu Fei, the more he thought they were a perfect match.
The man was handsome, the woman was lovely—they were a picture-perfect couple.
Before Wu Jun had returned, Xu Fei had been the one to greet Huang Zili and his daughter.
Xu Fei’s words and actions, and the way she treated people, felt as pleasant as a spring breeze. Huang Zili couldn’t have been more pleased with this potential sister-in-law.
Huang Zili chimed in with a smile, "Old Wu, you should have a kid too. We’re about the same age, and my Huang Jiayi is already old enough to run errands, but you haven’t even started."
Huang Jiayi tilted her head, pouted, and said, "Daddy, I can do more than just run errands! I can fight little monsters too!"
Huang Jiayi’s words made the three adults laugh. Xu Fei held Huang Jiayi’s hand and listened intently, eager to hear what Wu Jun would say.
She had known Wu Jun for a while now, so of course, she knew he didn’t have a girlfriend and was still single.
’A man as outstanding as Big Brother Wu doesn’t have a girlfriend?’ Xu Fei felt a little relieved, but she was also very curious as to why he hadn’t found someone.
"I’m not in a hurry. While I’m still young and single, I want to do the things I want to do, to change some things," Wu Jun said, opening a bottle of liquor and pouring it. "You’ll find that once you’re married, it’s hard to even change the TV channel. The kids want to watch cartoons, the wife wants to watch Korean dramas, and your only connection to the TV might be when it breaks and you have to take it in for repairs."
Wu Jun handed a freshly poured glass to Huang Zili. Taking it, Huang Zili shook his head and gave a wry smile. "You kid. All you have are twisted arguments."
"Little Xu, do you watch Korean dramas?" Huang Zili suddenly asked, turning to look at Xu Fei.
Xu Fei glanced at Wu Jun, her face turning red as she said, "No..."
Huang Zili threw his hands up and looked at Wu Jun. "See? Just find someone like her, and you can watch whatever channel you want."
Hearing Huang Zili’s words, Xu Fei’s face flushed crimson. She looked away, not daring to meet Wu Jun’s gaze.
Wu Jun was speechless. "I was just using that as an example. Is this really about the TV...?"
Huang Zili chuckled. "Still thinking of becoming my in-law, huh? If you don’t hurry up, the age gap is going to get a little too big."
Wu Jun laughed. "They say a woman three years older is a treasure. I don’t mind having a few extra treasures."
Seeing he couldn’t get anything more out of him, Huang Zili dropped the subject. He just shook his head with a smile, took out his phone, and tapped on it a few times.
A notification sound came from the phone in Wu Jun’s pocket. "Alipay transfer received: one hundred thousand yuan."
"Old Huang, what’s this about?" Wu Jun said, looking at Huang Zili in surprise after hearing the notification. "I knew something was off with you the moment I saw you today. What’s going on? Did you strike it rich? Become the wealthiest man in Shimen City?"
Huang Zili said, "Huang Jiayi’s maternal grandmother came to visit. She insisted on giving me five million. She would’ve gotten upset if I refused. Her intentions were so sincere, I felt it would be inappropriate to say no."
Wu Jun was stunned by Huang Zili’s words.
’She insisted on giving you five million, and it would’ve been inappropriate to refuse? That sounds a little shameless...’
Moreover, Wu Jun was also surprised by who had given him the money.
Huang Zili and Dong Yajun had been married for so many years that their child was already old enough to run errands, yet he had never been accepted by her family. In recent years, they hadn’t even spoken on the phone.
To put it bluntly, it was as if Dong Yajun’s parents had completely disowned her.
Seeing a waiter bring in the dishes, Huang Zili paused. "Let’s wait for all the food to arrive. We can eat and talk."
The table was soon filled with dishes. Xu Fei and Huang Jiayi had already become good friends, whispering secrets to each other off to the side while Xu Fei occasionally put food on her plate.
Huang Zili and Wu Jun traded drinks back and forth. After a few rounds, half the bottle was quickly finished.
The alcohol loosened Huang Zili’s tongue. He didn’t treat Xu Fei as an outsider and spoke his mind freely.
After hearing Huang Zili’s long story, Wu Jun shook his head and sighed, lamenting how unpredictable life could be.
Dong Yajun’s father and younger brother had been in a car accident. One died at the scene, and the other took his last breath on the way to the hospital.
Losing her husband and son was a huge blow to Dong Yajun’s mother, Shen Bixia. Only after losing them did she learn to cherish what she had and understand the value of family.
They hadn’t been in contact for so many years; not a single person from her family came when she gave birth. Though Dong Yajun considered Huang Zili’s feelings and never said anything, she held resentment toward her family in her heart and had even changed her contact information.
When the funeral was held, Shen Bixia couldn’t get in touch with Dong Yajun in time.
After the funeral, Shen Bixia immediately flew to Shimen City. She went to the university Dong Yajun had attended to find her old advisor and, after many twists and turns, finally managed to contact her through a former classmate.
When she learned that her own daughter had just returned from the Ghost Gate, Shen Bixia fainted from crying upon seeing Dong Yajun in the hospital room.
Dong Yajun had thought that after so many years of no contact, her heart had grown completely cold toward her family. But the moment she saw her mother, she realized she had only been deceiving herself.
Hearing the news about her father and brother, Dong Yajun and her mother clung to each other, crying their hearts out. The wedge between them instantly vanished, and their past grievances melted away.
Shen Bixia proposed that Dong Yajun’s family move to Lu Dong to live with her. With the Dong men gone, a large business was left behind, and she wanted Huang Zili to go and manage it—to become the pillar of the Dong Family.
Huang Zili clinked his glass against Wu Jun’s and took a sip. "Your sister-in-law is getting her discharge examination these next two days. Once the results are out the day after tomorrow, she can transfer to a hospital over in Lu Dong. Huang Jiayi’s grandma has already contacted a better one."
Wu Jun sighed. "Alright, then go. Let the past be the past. Don’t resent your mother-in-law for being heartless anymore. You’re a family now, so get along."
"I can tell. Huang Jiayi’s grandma has really changed a lot this time. She’s been very good to both me and Huang Jiayi. But enough about that, let’s drink." Huang Zili sighed and urged Wu Jun to drink with him.
Wu Jun asked Huang Zili, "What does your sister-in-law’s family do? Didn’t you tell me back in school that their finances were just average?"
Huang Zili said, "It’s related to wood. I’d rather not say specifically what, it’s not very auspicious. Their business took off in the last few years. My mother-in-law said they made over twenty million last year alone."
Wu Jun: "..."
’Old Huang is going back to inherit the family fortune! This is way better than winning five million in the lottery!’
Seeing that Huang Zili was unwilling to say more, Wu Jun didn’t press for details. The two continued to drink.
What he had thought was just a regular get-together between bros had turned into a farewell dinner. With their parting imminent, Huang Zili stopped holding back and drank with Wu Jun with all he had.
Huang Zili drank half a bottle, while Wu Jun drank a bottle and a half. When the two bottles they had brought were finished, Huang Zili tried to order more from the waiter but was stopped by Wu Jun.
Wu Jun said, "That’s enough. You think I don’t know your tolerance? Your wife and mother-in-law are still at the hospital. Drink less."
Huang Zili smiled and said, "Your sister-in-law approved tonight’s drinking. She said it’s fine no matter how much I drink with you."
"You might be fine, but I won’t be. If you get drunk, I’m the one who’s going to have a bad time," Wu Jun joked. Seeing that they had more or less finished the food and drinks, he suggested they call it a night.
Wu Jun went to pay the bill, but Huang Zili beat him to it. After settling the check, the four of them parted ways at the hotel entrance.
Huang Zili and his daughter left in a taxi. After watching them go, Wu Jun and Xu Fei walked side-by-side toward their residential complex.