Chapter Fifty-Two: The Perfect Time for Collecting

At the dinner table, He Zhixing said to Zeng Li, “Uncle Zeng, I want to open a shop at home called the Qibao Store. It will specialize in all kinds of antiques, curiosities, mountain goods, rare items, strange medicines, and so on. I wonder if that’s possible?”

“That’s excellent. It’s wonderful that you have this idea. Our city truly needs young people like you to invest in their hometowns. This way, you can help your home and also ease the government’s worries. The government has been tirelessly attracting investment for years, but not a single private enterprise owner is willing to invest in our area. The main issue here is transportation—it’s so inconvenient. Compared to coastal development zones, we’re in the deep waters of reform, where few are willing to venture. So, your investment in your hometown has my full support. If you encounter any problems with opening the shop or handling procedures, you can come to me or Su Mei. We’ll do our best to provide you with advantages to make sure everything goes smoothly.”

“All right, thank you, Uncle Zeng. I may have to trouble you then. This is the first time I’m opening this kind of shop, and I’m not sure where to handle the procedures, so… I can only rely on you.”

Zeng Li laughed heartily. “Haha, Xiao He, you’ve come to the right person. I’m well acquainted with the leaders at both the Tax Bureau and the State Tax Bureau. I’ll let them know in advance, and when the time comes, I’ll have Su Mei go with you.”

“Okay, that sounds great. But it might not be that soon—I still need time to gather enough stock. Maybe in ten days or half a month.”

After the meal, the families said their goodbyes and returned to their respective homes. Before she left, Su Mei looked at him as if she wanted to say something, but the words caught in her throat. She had no choice but to get into her father’s car and leave.

At home, He Zhixing told his grandfather to get some rest, then headed over to Aunt Zhang’s house. She had set aside a room there for them, and He Zhixing often came to sleep, enjoying the warmth of the bed. Sometimes Yu Fang slept with Aunt Zhang, in which case he would be left alone in a room. Tonight, fortunately, Yu Fang wasn’t with Aunt Zhang, so he said to her, “Yu Fang, take your time working on your designs at home. I’m going back to the old house for a bit, to see if I can find any of the rare treasures left behind by our ancestors—things like old copper coins, silver pieces, jade bangles from bygone eras, ceramics, and so on…”

Yu Fang replied, “If you enjoy it, go ahead. Aunt Zhang and I will be fine at home. We’ll take care of ourselves.”

He Zhixing looked at her with gratitude, unable to find words to express the feeling. She was so gentle, kind, and generous—just like the ideal daughter-in-law in traditional Chinese stories. He Zhixing truly felt fortunate to have Yu Fang’s love.

The next day, he drove his unremarkable SUV to Wu Town. His first stop was Shicun, where he sought out Lai Madman. When Lai Madman heard his voice on the phone, he was overjoyed. “Well, brother, you finally remembered me after all this time! It’s been years since we last met. My daughter often asks about you—she’s about to graduate from college and is preparing to go out and find an internship.”

Stopping his car by the roadside, He Zhixing responded, “That’s great. I was just thinking I should visit her and see how the little Min girl has grown up. By the way, brother, I’ll be coming over to your place later. You’d better treat me to some good food and drink, or I won’t come.”

Lai Madman laughed. “Of course, we’re brothers for life. How could I let you down? Don’t worry, I’ll get things ready. By the way, how long until you arrive?”

“I’ve just left the city, so it’ll be about an hour. I’m driving. Your house is still in the old place, right? I’ll come straight there.”

“That’s right. The place hasn’t changed, but we’ve built a new house. Just call out when you get here.”

“Alright.”

He Zhixing continued on his way, and an hour later he arrived at Shicun. Standing before Lai Madman’s gate, he saw a newly built three-story house, already tastefully decorated.

He Zhixing couldn’t help but sigh, “Such a big change! The last time I was here, it was still the old, shabby house. Now he’s moved into a new one. Looks like he’s made some good money these past few years.”

Getting out of the car, he walked to the courtyard gate and called out, “Lai Madman, are you home?” Just as he was about to call again, a beautiful young woman, her dress fluttering in the breeze, walked out gracefully. He Zhixing was stunned to see such an extraordinary beauty in this rustic village, his mouth agape. Before he could recover, the girl ran toward him and threw herself into his arms, calling from afar, “Brother He, you’re here…”

He Zhixing smiled wryly and hugged the beauty who’d thrown herself at him. Memories of their past together flooded his mind. He hadn’t expected the girl to remember him so deeply, or to still be so affectionate—and now she was even more charming and beautiful.

Half-jokingly, He Zhixing asked, “Min, did you miss your brother?”

Hearing his voice so close, Lai Min could no longer contain her pent-up emotions. A single “Mm” was all it took for her tears to fall, landing on He Zhixing’s shoulder and neck.

He Zhixing, a little surprised, looked at her and saw her crying softly under his gentle gaze. Tenderly, he wiped her tears and asked in a caring tone, “Don’t cry, little one. Your brother’s heart aches when he sees you cry.”

Lai Min gently pounded his chest with her small fists. “It’s all your fault, you heartless man! You never came to see Minmin for so long, you never thought about me…”

Looking at her, He Zhixing was deeply moved. Perhaps he couldn’t blame himself for being fickle—after all, most men have wandering hearts. Seeing Lai Min’s deep affection for him, he’d thought their youthful romance would have faded after these years, but instead her love had only grown deeper.

Gazing at her tearful, tender face, He Zhixing could no longer restrain himself and kissed her softly. Lai Min “mm”ed in response, and after waiting so many years, her first kiss finally belonged to her beloved brother. She replied shyly but eagerly, her tongue swirling with his, her hands climbing up his shoulders. He Zhixing’s hand slipped under her shirt, cupping her budding curves.

Lai Min drifted into a haze, a blush spreading on her cheeks, her tongue entwining with his, savoring the sweetness. Only when their breath grew short did they part, gazing into each other’s eyes, still embracing, filled with deep affection.

Suddenly, an unexpected voice rang out—her brother had stepped outside and caught them in the act. “Ah! You two…?”

They quickly let go. Embarrassed, Lai Min covered her face and fled back inside. As she passed her brother, she muttered, “You’re so annoying!” Not only had he seen her in such a state, he’d also ruined her moment, leaving her flustered and upset.

He Zhixing hurried to cover his own embarrassment with a sheepish grin.

He pulled a pack of 555 cigarettes from his pocket, offered one to Lai Madman, and took one himself. Lai Madman lit up, blew a smoke ring, and joked, “Not bad! You’re smoking 555s now—clearly you’re a big boss these days.”

He Zhixing playfully punched him on the chest. “And you’re teasing me? Look at you, living in a new house! You must have made a good fortune recently.”

Lai Madman blew another smoke ring and pulled He Zhixing to sit with him on the stone stools outside the gate. “It’s all thanks to you telling me about that mineral resource a few years back. We mined it and made a bit of money. My whole family is grateful to you—you brought us good luck. My parents always say you’re a true brother, giving us the opportunity to prosper and asking nothing in return. They really appreciate you.”

“Oh, really? Well, let’s go greet Uncle and Aunt then…” With that, He Zhixing went to the car to fetch his gifts. He’d brought quite a lot this time—a few bottles of fine liquor, cartons of good cigarettes, and plenty of health supplements. His hands were full, so he called Lai Madman over to help.

“Brother, you’re too polite—you shouldn’t have brought gifts to my house…” Lai Madman said, exasperated.

***

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