SAG -Chapter 39 The Bracelet’s Value

Zhang Ran naturally woke up around noon.

Perhaps because he had spent the previous night opening up to his son, he had finally slept well for once.

Zhang Sicheng was no longer home.

Zhang Ran didn’t feel like cooking, so he decided to eat outside.

He casually found a nearby noodle shop and was just about to sit down when someone called out to him.

“Brother, over here.”

Zhang Ran looked over and saw the old man he had played chess with the other day.

Without hesitation, he walked over and sat across from him.

Smiling, Zhang Ran asked, “Old brother, why are you eating out alone?”

The old man curled his lip.

“Because of those two unfilial descendants at home. They won’t let me eat meat. How can anyone live like that?”

It turned out that although the old man was still fairly healthy, he had all the common elderly ailments—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar.

Naturally, his family had to control his diet.

Otherwise, his body might have collapsed long ago.

Zhang Ran glanced at the dishes on the table and deliberately avoided agreeing with him.

“You’re eating pretty well.”

There were two sauced pork bones, a plate of chicken feet, and a plate of peanuts.

Only a bottle of liquor was missing.

Clearly, even the old man knew where the line was.

“Life is good now. Of course I can’t mistreat myself.”

Then the old man asked politely, “Want some?”

He had only meant to be courteous.

But Zhang Ran didn’t stand on ceremony.

“Then thanks.”

He called toward the counter,

“Boss, one bowl of beef noodles. Put it on this old brother’s tab.”

The old man’s face immediately darkened.

But he soon stopped caring.

This little bit of money truly meant nothing to him now.

Besides, he rather liked Zhang Ran’s unpretentious manner.

Most importantly, it was rare to meet someone he could chat with.

“You really don’t hold back, do you?”

The old man scolded with a laugh.

The noodles arrived quickly.

Zhang Ran and the old man chatted casually as he ate.

When Zhang Ran finished, he paid the bill himself.

He had only been joking earlier.

How could he really take advantage of the old man?

By the time the old man noticed, it was already too late.

He looked at Zhang Ran angrily.

“Brother, what is this? Are you looking down on me? Do you think I can’t afford a meal?”

“Don’t be angry, old brother.”

Zhang Ran smiled.

“Just treat this one as my treat.”

“Next time, you can treat me back.”

“Alright, I’ve got something to do. Take your time eating.”

With that, Zhang Ran left the noodle shop.

At the Hotel, Meng Mingxuan was still half-asleep when he answered the phone.

“Uncle Zhang… Mm, I’m here…”

His voice immediately grew clearer.

“Alright. I’ll head over now.”

“Who is it? So early?”

A muffled voice sounded nearby.

Meng Mingxuan was startled at first.

Then he realized there were quite a few people sprawled around the room.

Only after patting his head did he remember what had happened.

Perhaps because of yesterday’s excitement, after calling Meng Zixuan, he had invited some friends out for drinks and karaoke.

By the time they returned to the hotel, he was already drunk.

Yet after arriving at his room, the group had somehow started drinking again.

In the end, everyone passed out all over the sofas and floor.

Fortunately, the heating had been on, so no one caught a cold.

“A senior of mine wants me to go over.”

Meng Mingxuan casually explained.

Hearing that, the person who had woken up lost interest and lay back down.

But then he seemed to remember something and muttered, “Mingxuan, if you’re short on money, tell me. I’ll buy the bracelet.”

“If ten million isn’t enough, I can add more.”

By now, Meng Mingxuan’s friends had all heard that his family had restricted his spending.

“Get lost.”

Meng Mingxuan cursed.

“Even if I’m broke, I won’t sell this bracelet.”

He washed his face and left.

The bracelet they were talking about was the one Zhang Ran had given Meng Mingxuan as a meeting gift.

Unlike Zhang Sicheng and Zhang Siyan, Meng Mingxuan and Meng Zixuan had immediately realized that the necklace and bracelet were valuable.

After having someone examine them, they were quickly recognized.

Otherwise, Meng Mingxuan wouldn’t have kept wearing it.

This bracelet was worth far more than the luxury watch on his wrist.

And it had style.

Most importantly, Meng Mingxuan knew the bracelet had likely been purchased by Zhang Ran twenty-eight years ago.

In other words, it had accompanied Zhang Ran through that unbelievable journey across time.

That alone meant its value was definitely far beyond any ordinary appraisal.

When Meng Mingxuan found Zhang Ran, he saw him squatting by the roadside, casually chatting and joking with two young men.

At first glance, they looked like old acquaintances.

This time, Meng Mingxuan hadn’t driven his sports car.

His father had already sent someone to take it back last night, leaving him with only an ordinary sedan worth a little over 200,000 yuan.

“Uncle Zhang, where are we going today?”

Meng Mingxuan asked quickly after Zhang Ran finished saying goodbye to the young men.

Zhang Ran replied, “Let’s go to the mall where Siyan’s cosmetics shop is. You know the place, right?”

“I know.”

Meng Mingxuan started the car.

“When we first met, Sister Siyan mentioned it while we were chatting.”

Since he knew the place, Zhang Ran said nothing more.

His first purpose today was to visit the place where Zhang Siyan worked.

His second purpose was to consider whether he should give Zhang Siyan something as well.

After all, he had already bought a house for Zhang Sicheng and Liu Lu.

If he didn’t buy anything for Zhang Siyan, he worried she might feel uncomfortable.

Perhaps because he had never fulfilled his responsibilities as a father, Zhang Ran tended to overthink such things.

If Zhang Sicheng and Zhang Siyan had grown up by his side, he wouldn’t have cared about this kind of issue at all.

But he had been absent from their lives for nearly thirty years.

That changed everything.

At that moment, the mall was crowded.

Many office workers from nearby came there for lunch.

However, cosmetic stores and clothing shops like Zhang Siyan’s had fewer customers during this period.

Zhang Siyan and Qian Li were also eating lunch.

They had ordered takeout and had it delivered directly to the shop.

“Yanyan, what exactly are you planning to do about that Sun guy?”

Qian Li couldn’t help asking.

“Is he still refusing to pay child support?”

Zhang Siyan had already decided to divorce Sun Gaixin.

There was no possibility of reconciliation.

She no longer wanted to remain in that family.

Although Zhang Siyan wasn’t greedy for money, if she were alone, she wouldn’t care even if she left with nothing.

But she wasn’t alone.

She had Susu.

Zhang Siyan didn’t want Susu to suffer because of her.

So during this period, she had been fighting the divorce case mainly over the issue of child support.