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Chapter 138: Thank you, Mr. Huo, for reuniting us, father and son.
The desk was covered with colored pens and drawing paper. Chen Wengang was surrounded by a group of children, but no one was paying attention to drawing anymore. They were chattering around him, looking at the photos on his phone: “Because its ears are long…”
“A puppy that looks like a rabbit!”
“Rabbit dog!”
“No, it’s just a puppy!”
“Mr. Chen, I want to play with the puppy!”
When lunchtime came, the children returned to the dormitory to sleep. Chen Wengang took off his apron and went to say goodbye to the director.
Director Liu solemnly shook his hand: “By the way, I haven’t had a chance to congratulate you yet. From now on, I should call you Dr. Chen.”
Chen Wengang was embarrassed and humbly smiled: “Not yet, it will only count after the school term starts.”
Director Liu also smiled, the wrinkles on her forehead deepening. She had been newly equipped with reading glasses this year and wasn’t quite used to them yet, putting them on and taking them off frequently. After saying goodbye, Chen Wengang left the welfare home and found the parking lot empty except for his Lexus.
The sound of cicadas buzzed overhead, and the summer sunlight was glaringly bright.
Chen Wengang drove all the way to Moon Road. Jiang Cai’s school had just started summer vacation. He waited at the gate for a while and saw her figure—other students were going home, each carrying a suitcase, but she was free and easy, wearing a crop top and hot pants, with a small crossbody bag slung over her shoulder.
Chen Wengang parked the car in the shade of a tree. He stood out, looking quite distinguished in the crowd.
As Jiang Cai walked towards him, a male classmate chased after her, asking, “Who is that? Your boyfriend?”
Jiang Cai disdainfully showed him the middle finger: “Boyfriend my ass! None of your business. Get lost.”
With that, she had already run over. Chen Wengang gentlemanly opened the car door for her. They got in and left the people far behind.
Jiang Cai had recently changed her name to Huo Jiang Cai, at Huo Zhenfei’s insistence, but she didn’t accept it and still used her original name. The two were still arguing about it. After graduating from high school, her grades were mediocre. Huo Zhenfei didn’t send her abroad; she got into a vocational school on her own merit and was willing to attend, so he let her enroll there.
Halfway there, Chen Wengang asked, “Was that your classmate just now? He’s not trying to chase you, is he?”
Jiang Cai scoffed: “Who does he think he is? As if I’d be interested in that kind of delinquent?”
Chen Wengang said: “It’s okay to date, but you have to be careful. That boy just now had a sneaky look; I think he has bad intentions.”
Jiang Cai found him annoying: “Do you think I’m a child? Do you think I’d give him a chance to take advantage of me?” She added, “Hey, I’m not as good as your biological cousin. She has good grades and went straight to study in Singapore. And me, I only got into a subpar school, and I’m surrounded by people like him.”
Chen Wengang smiled and deliberately followed along, “You have quite the self-awareness.”
Jiang Cai thought his mouth had learned to be bad.
She thought for a moment and then asked, “Am I going to your house for dinner today? Are you sure that person really has no objections?”
Chen Wengang smiled and said, “Yes, your brother has no objections. He is very welcoming to you.”
Jiang Cai said, “Is it because you call the shots in your family, so he doesn’t dare to have objections?”
Just as Chen Wengang was about to speak, a car in front of them changed lanes illegally. He reacted quickly and turned the steering wheel to the side.
The car entered Jiangchao Street.
The street had been renovated and was actually much better to drive on than before, with many more traffic lights and crosswalks.
In the past two or three years, the old town renovation project has been in full swing. Instead of complete demolition and reconstruction, the principle was to develop protectively, preserving the traditional characteristics of the city and restoring old structures as they were, while improving the infrastructure and designating a commercial area to attract tourists.
The renovation project was led by the government and undertaken by the Li Group. It wasn’t completely finished yet, but the area from Jiangchao Street to Chunchao Street was already completed. At first glance, it still looked the same as before, with no major changes in layout, retaining its ancient charm, but no longer dilapidated and desolate.
Chen Wengang didn’t go straight home; he parked the car by the street. Behind a low wall, a dozen dogs were chasing and playing.
This place used to be an overgrown wasteland. Now the smelly ditch was filled in, and a pet park was built.
A tall man of dignified appearance leaned against the low wall, already spotting them and casually waving.
On the other hand, he held up a small puppy with black and yellow fur, its little paws paddling in the air like it was swimming.
The puppy, seeing Chen Wengang, raised its head and barked.
Chen Wengang quickly went over to rescue it, “You brought it out to play but won’t let it run on the ground; why are you just holding it?”
Huo Niansheng raised an eyebrow and placed Halley in his arms.
Despite his words, once he held it, he didn’t let go. Jiang Cai only saw the German Shepherd nestled quietly in his arms like a baby, which was amusing and funny. She asked Huo Niansheng, “What’s the matter? Now that you have a child at home, you’re no longer important?”
Huo Niansheng scratched his chin and just smiled, watching as Chen Wengang kissed Halley’s forehead repeatedly.
He put his hands in his pockets and said, “Being a parent, having a child like this is normal, isn’t it?”
Chen Wengang smiled and kissed him on the face, “Thank you, Mr. Huo, for reuniting us, father and son.”
Jiang Cai only knew he was joking and didn’t understand the deeper meaning.
Not far away, several owners gathered to chat. Those who walked their dogs regularly became familiar with each other over time.
Chen Wengang put Halley on the ground, but it was still small and didn’t like playing with other dogs. It just circled around him on its four legs.
Squatting on the ground, he took some treats from his pocket, teaching it to shake hands, sit, and roll over.
Jiang Cai found it amusing and, after watching for a while, couldn’t resist joining in, having fun playing with the dog.
Huo Niansheng sat on a stone bench, his hands resting on his legs, looking down at the strings of shadows in the sunlight.
In this life, Chen Wengang had thought about Halley for several years. The night before he went to pick it up, he was anxious, insisting on going with Huo Niansheng, afraid he wouldn’t find it, like waiting for exam results, unable to sleep all night.
It turned out he was worried for nothing—at first sight, he spotted the furball he had been longing for. Halley, as if telepathic, was licking a milk bowl in the corner but suddenly perked up its ears, saw Chen Wengang, and rolled over, running to his pants leg and refusing to leave.
Chen Wengang squatted to pet it, getting a hand full of milk stains.
He picked up Halley, warm and cuddly, snuggling into his arms.
They didn’t even need a cage; on the way back, Chen Wengang carried it in his arms.
But in this life, he paid too much attention to Halley. Since bringing it home, he didn’t want to let it out of his sight for a moment.
Even leaving for classes and work was hard for him; he felt separation anxiety after two hours and needed Huo Niansheng to send him videos.
Huo Niansheng laughed at him, saying this dog really seemed like his own child.
Chen Wengang hugged his neck, “When a child is young, it only lasts a few months, changing every day. If you don’t watch, it grows up in the blink of an eye. What can make up for the regrets of childhood?”
Huo Niansheng skeptically asked, “What, when it grows up, can we old married couples have our own time?”
Chen Wengang just smiled silently.
He just looked at Huo Niansheng, saying nothing, and Huo Niansheng just went along with him.
The three of them stayed at the pet park for a while. People came and went with their dogs. Suddenly, a young couple arrived with Teddy dog.
The man, square-faced and broad-mouthed, with a plump figure, recognized Chen Wengang and called out, “Old classmate!”
Jiang Cai was puzzled, and Chen Wengang softly introduced, “He’s my elementary school classmate.”
Halley wanted to sniff it, but Teddy barked fiercely, and Chen Wengang held it back with one hand.
He and Cheng Bo hadn’t contacted each other for years. In the past, living with the Zheng family, he had become estranged from old friends and relatives.
A few years ago, Cheng Bo got married, coincidentally meeting Chen Wengang, who insisted on inviting him, and slowly they had some social interaction.
Now, living in the old Chen family house in the densely populated old town, where everyone knew each other, maintains the traditional neighborhood atmosphere. Cheng Bo’s family lived nearby, so they occasionally ran into each other on the streets and alleys.
Cheng Bo’s family did business and was well-off; among the group of old classmates, he was the most successful. Enthusiastic, he often organized gatherings, even creating a group for everyone to keep in touch. This time, he was organizing another class reunion and reminded Chen Wengang to check the group notifications.
Chen Wengang politely said, “If I have time then…”
Cheng Bo, familiar and casual, patted his shoulder and said, “Make time; you must make time! Let me tell you, earlier this year, my company just landed a big deal. For this gathering,” he patted his chest, “don’t worry, it’s all on me. The place is Lingyun Pavilion. Have you heard of it? It’s a high-end club, and normally, even with money, you can’t book a room there! So make sure to come and see it for yourself!”
Before he left, he suddenly remembered something, glanced at Huo Niansheng, and said to Chen Wengang, “This time it’s just us classmates! We’re going to have a great time, drink to our heart’s content, and not go home until we’re drunk. So it’s settled—no bringing spouses! Remember, just us!”
Chen Wengang turned around, seeing Jiang Cai sneakily hiding behind Huo Niansheng, laughing so hard she could barely stand up.
Chen Wengang also laughed, “What’s so funny?”
Jiang Cai said, “Of course I’m laughing at that guy. He wants to act like a big shot but doesn’t want to spend much money. Isn’t it obvious? ‘No bringing spouses’, isn’t that just pretending to be generous? If he can’t afford it, he shouldn’t pretend to be a big spender. Oh my, I really laughed so hard.”
She deliberately asked Huo Niansheng, “So what? You can’t go now?”
Huo Niansheng said, “What can a spouse like me do? I wasn’t invited.”
Chen Wengang held Halley and they returned to the Chen family house.
The kitchen was already prepared with dishes, covered with a mesh lid. Huo Niansheng cooked; he moved skillfully, quickly stir-frying dish after dish while Chen Wengang carried them to the dining room. Jiang Cai sat on the sofa, outwardly carefree but inwardly surprised.
The sight of Huo Niansheng in an apron, looking very domestic, was indeed beyond normal imagination.
She looked up—this was actually Jiang Cai’s first visit to the Chen house—and saw many framed pictures on the opposite white wall, forming a photo wall. Some of the photos were of Chen Wengang, but before she could look closely, Huo Niansheng glanced at her and said, “Wash your hands.”
Jiang Cai, startled, jumped up and realized she should obediently go to the bathroom.
Huo Niansheng served three bowls of rice.
He glanced at the main house through the courtyard, where Chen Wengang was talking to Jiang Cai.
His biological father, Huo Fenglai, was amorous and left many illegitimate children. One here, one there—probably more than he could count. To this day, the ones who have acknowledged their heritage are him, Huo Jingsheng, and this sister. Regarding Jiang Cai, Huo Niansheng was indifferent. But since she was young and Chen Wengang couldn’t bear to ignore her back then, it didn’t matter; he could accept her too.
If there was any other reason, Huo Niansheng thought it was because Chen Wengang somewhat yearned for this kind of family life.
Huo Niansheng brought over the bowls and chopsticks: “What are you two talking about?” He said to Jiang Cai, “When you’re a guest at someone else’s house, don’t sit idle, help bring the dishes.”
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