MGASC -Chapter 239 It Feels Good to Be Thought Of

So this was what it felt like to have a wife—someone thinking about you, someone you had to answer to even when you went home. It felt… good.

Looks like this time he wouldn’t have to worry about going home and being pushed by his mother to go on blind dates again.

“Why don’t you come back with me?” Jin Quan couldn’t help bringing it up once more. “My mom’s actually pretty nice.”

But Zhang Ling had her own insistence. “…Next time. Next time for sure.”

Alright then. Next time it is.

Before leaving, Jin Quan stuffed a wad of cash into Zhang Ling’s hands, telling her to buy herself two new outfits for the New Year. He’d be happy seeing her dressed nicely.

This time, Zhang Ling didn’t refuse. She accepted it.

As Jin Quan went downstairs, he ran into Lin Tianyue.

Lin Tianyue patted him on the shoulder. “Brother Quan, after the New Year, will we be drinking at your wedding with Sister Ling?”

Jin Quan didn’t even blush. “Just get your gift money ready.”

“Sure. Qiaoqiao said she’d open a shop for my sister. Would that be an appropriate gift?”

Jin Quan laughed. “Why don’t you ask your wife what she expects for the bride price?”

“You’re going to propose as soon as you’re back?”

Jin Quan nodded.

Lin Tianyue was overjoyed, genuinely happy for them. “Great. I’ll ask her.”

In the blink of an eye, New Year’s Eve arrived.

Early in the morning, Zhang Ling directed her younger sister to set up the offerings according to their hometown’s customs—fruits and flower-shaped steamed buns arranged neatly on the Eight Immortals table.

Zhang Ling made two batches of the decorative buns. One batch she had Jin Quan take home; the other she gave to Qiaoqiao. She also made several in the shapes of little animals for the children. Xia Xia clutched a little pig-shaped bun and refused to let go, nestling in her father’s arms, crumbs all over her mouth. Combined with her staticky, frizzy hair sticking up wildly, she had the whole family bursting into laughter.

After breakfast, Lin Tianyue took the three kids, carrying Xia Xia along, to visit neighbors.

He had grown close to the nearby shop owners and went door to door offering New Year greetings. While he greeted everyone, the three little ones busied themselves collecting candies and snacks.

By the end, their pockets were stuffed full.

Even Xia Xia held a big White Rabbit milk candy in her hand, grinning foolishly with delight.

Zhang Qiao and Zhang Ling stayed home cooking. It was Zhang Qiao’s first Spring Festival since transmigrating here, and Zhang Ling, glowing with happiness from her recent engagement news, was in high spirits.

The two of them prepared more than a dozen dishes in one go. A copper hotpot sat in the middle of the table, ready for an extra round of cooking.

“Sister, is it settled between you and Brother Quan?” Zhang Qiao asked while her sister shredded pickled cabbage.

Zhang Ling nodded. “He said he’ll formally propose after the New Year.”

Zhang Qiao giggled. “Then I really need to think about how much bride price we should ask for.”

Seeing her so serious, Zhang Ling grew anxious. “Qiaoqiao, he only has his mother back in the countryside, and I heard her health isn’t good. Don’t ask for an outrageous amount and scare them.”

“Oh my, you’re already defending him.”

“It’s not that…”

Zhang Ling just felt that, as someone remarrying, there was no need to make a big fuss.

But Zhang Qiao didn’t agree. “Sister, don’t worry. This time, we’re definitely going to marry you off in grand style.”

That evening, the New Year’s Eve dinner began. Firecrackers went off one after another, echoing continuously. Together with the comedy sketches and crosstalk shows on TV, the festive atmosphere grew even stronger.

After dinner, the whole family gathered in front of the television, watching the programs while staying up to welcome the new year.

Xia Xia grew sleepy, nodding off, but she refused to go to bed. She would open her eyes every now and then, determined to stay awake. She made it past ten o’clock before finally giving in, falling fast asleep amid the laughter of the adults and her brothers.

Zhang Qiao placed her daughter in her little bed and slipped a red envelope under her pillow. After the New Year, her Xia Xia would be a year older. Zhang Qiao couldn’t help kissing her chubby cheek again.

Back in the living room, it was time to hand out red envelopes. Zhang Qiao had already wrapped them in red paper—one for each of the three boys.

Lin Ran squeezed his envelope. “Mom, how much is in here?”

“Why don’t you open it and see?”

Lin Ran carefully tore it open and peeked inside. “Wow, that’s a lot. Brother, how much is yours?”

Afraid theirs might be different, he checked his older brother’s and Lin Jin’s as well.

Lin Xun, open-hearted as always, let him look. It was the same as his—one hundred yuan.

When they turned to check Lin Jin’s, Lin Jin got scared and ran off. “No, no! You can’t look! I won’t tell you!”

The two older brothers tackled him onto the bed and after a round of scuffling, snatched the envelope away.

They thought it might be different, but it turned out all three were exactly the same—one hundred yuan each.

“Pfft. They’re all the same. Why did you run?”

Lin Jin grabbed his envelope back. “Of course I was afraid you’d take mine!”

Waaah, it was a whole hundred yuan. He could buy so many tasty things with that!

Just a moment ago, the three boys had been arguing endlessly over how to spend their hundred yuan. But the moment Zhang Ling said she’d take them downstairs to watch the fireworks, they hurried to put their coats back on and dashed downstairs.

The room was left with only Zhang Qiao and Lin Tianyue.

She walked to the window, wiped away the fog on the glass with her hand, and looked out at the lively scene below.

Children chased and played outside, sparklers flashing in their hands like little stars.

Lin Tianyue came up behind her and quietly wrapped his arms around her.

“Qiaoqiao, do you have a New Year’s wish?”

“I do,” she said softly.

Days like this were too beautiful. She only wished that every year could be like today.

She believed Lin Tianyue’s wish was the same as hers.

Early on the morning of the first day of the New Year, Yingzi, Gang, Su Yin, and Lin Tianyue’s friends called one after another to offer New Year greetings.

Even Grandma Gu called Zhang Qiao—first to wish her a happy new year, and second to say goodbye.

Grandma Gu was returning to Beijing. Zhang Qiao had grown quite fond of her and felt a bit reluctant to part.

When she learned the old lady would leave on the third day of the New Year, she bought some local specialties and went with Gu Yu to the train station to see her off.

Unexpectedly, Gu Junye was there too.

He had deliberately framed Kemanlou, landing himself in legal trouble. Not only did Yuehai Hui fail to open, but his brand expansion plans also collapsed.

Over the New Year, Grandma Gu had to spend a large sum to bail him out. The moment he was released, she insisted on buying tickets to go home—completely disappointed in her grandson.

Zhang Qiao and he were like enemies meeting—eyes red with hostility.

But with Grandma Gu present, she grabbed Zhang Qiao’s hand and deliberately scolded Gu Junye in front of her. She even told him to keep a lower profile in the future and learn from Gu Yu and Zhang Qiao.

In front of his grandmother, Gu Junye said nothing. But once she boarded the train, his fox tail showed.

The smile on his face vanished, leaving only a cold stare directed at Zhang Qiao and Gu Yu.

Gu Yu deliberately provoked him. “What’s wrong, Cousin? Still opening that Yuehai Hui? If not, just let us take it over. We’ll give you monthly dividends—sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”

“In your dreams!”

Gu Junye’s cold eyes bored into Zhang Qiao. He simply couldn’t understand how, after learning so much about investment abroad, he could lose to a country girl.

“Zhang Qiao, don’t think that flattering my grandmother will get you anything! We’ll see in the end who comes out on top!”

With that, Gu Junye left arrogantly.

Outside the train station, he got into his exclusive sedan but didn’t drive off. He remained there, staring intently toward the exit.