DLRAS Chapter 164 [If Grew Up With You]

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Chapter 164: Going abroad together

“It’s not that I’m superstitious or conservative, but I’ve consulted two masters, and both of them said the same thing,” Huo Meijie lowered her voice, complaining to her nephew while looking around to make sure nobody was nearby. “That child has bad luck. He’s incompatible with our family.”

“Actually, you only need to take half of what those masters say seriously. Believe it if you want to, otherwise, just ignore it,” Huo Niansheng replied.

“But look at his biological parents, they were both so young… sigh, there are some things that you just can’t help but believe,” Huo Meijie continued.

Huo Niansheng just smiled.

He was sitting in the Zheng family’s living room, with a cup of tea in front of him that had already gone cold.

Huo Meijie paused for a moment and then waved her hand, signaling a servant to come and replace his cup of tea.

She looked at her elder brother’s son. Huo Niansheng had only recently come of age, yet unlike other young people his age who were often busy with leisure activities and exuded an air of innocence, Huo Niansheng was mature beyond his years. Every move he made exuded a sense of stability.

So much so that Huo Meijie often found herself unconsciously treating him as someone who could make decisions and take charge.

At this moment, Huo Niansheng was thinking of that boy in school uniform—Wengang. With the school emblem embroidered on his white shirt, wearing suspenders and knee socks, he stood timidly as the butler led him out, under the scrutiny of everyone present.

That boy had come to the Zheng family two years ago.

Taking a sip of tea, he said, “Uncle shouldn’t be concerned. After all, he’s just an adoptive father; how could he possibly affect him with his ‘incompatibility’?”

Huo Meijie said, “If it were just that, I wouldn’t be so worried. Niansheng, let me tell you the truth, last year was like a year of calamity for our family, everything seemed to go wrong. At one moment, it was your uncle’s heart problem, then the company ran into trouble, and then Maoxun had a severe allergy, almost going into shock. If… he really brings bad luck to those around him, who knows who else might be affected? Your uncle barely survived a car accident the year before; he can’t endure any more upheavals. My heart is in constant turmoil; I can’t even sleep peacefully.”

After listening, Huo Niansheng asked, “So what does Aunt mean? Do you want to find a reason to send him back?”

Huo Meijie looked worried, “Of course, I advised your uncle to consider it, but he didn’t say anything, I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

Huo Niansheng put down his teacup, and she overturned her own words, “Actually, it’s not difficult to guess his thoughts—nothing but fearing gossip, thinking that when he adopted that child, it was just for show, and once the situation changes, we’ll kick him out. You know how harsh the media can be. Even if it’s just for the sake of his reputation, he wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Huo Niansheng thought for a moment, “But there’s still a way. What about sending him to boarding school?”

This suggestion struck a chord with Huo Meijie, although she had considered it before: “But… there are still problems. For one thing, during summer and winter vacations, he would still have to come back. And also, it’s hard to explain why we’re sending only him to boarding school when we have so many children in the family.”

Huo Niansheng glanced at Huo Meijie. She was wearing a cashmere shawl, her face well-maintained, hardly a wrinkle in sight.

But compared to when she was young, the crow’s feet were noticeably more pronounced, standing out on her smooth skin.

He smiled faintly, “How about going abroad? That could work, right?”

“Studying abroad? Is that feasible?”

“It’s just for studying abroad, in this day and age, it’s quite normal.”

“That’s true. But which country would be more suitable, do you think?”

“Why don’t I go inquire first?” Huo Niansheng said, “As you know, I’m about to study in the UK; there are many well-known boarding schools there. If the conditions are right, we could send him there. As a relative over there, I can take care of him as much as possible. This way, you don’t have to worry about what others might say about how we treat him. What do you think?”

“Ah—” Huo Meijie hesitated for a moment, seemingly weighing the matter in her heart.

But she was already intrigued, “That could work, it’s just, would it be too much trouble for you?”

“It’s no trouble, it’s my duty. I think he’s very well-behaved, as long as he’s willing, there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

Before leaving, Huo Meijie hesitated again, “I’m not trying to get rid of him. When it comes to this child’s background, it’s indeed pitiful. But who wouldn’t prioritize their own family first? I’m even a bit worried about you, if you end up living with him for a long time…”

Huo Niansheng smiled and said, “Don’t say that. I don’t care about those rumors. At worst, even if the masters say something, I’m not his relative, so it’s not that easy for me to be unlucky.”

Outside the window, a sparrow flapped its wings and flew away.

Two months later, everything was settled.

The matter of Chen Wengang going abroad had been finalized, with all the necessary procedures almost completed.

Zheng Baoqiu was the most reluctant. The little girl cried until her eyes were red. Zheng Yucheng couldn’t accept it either and went to ask Zheng Bingyi why he had to send Chen Wengang away. He strongly suspected it was a scheme by his stepmother Huo Meijie, but ended up getting scolded and sent back.

When Chen Wengang saw him in his room, he comforted him, “Don’t be sad, I’ll come back sooner or later.”

Zheng Yucheng grumbled, “Did she threaten you? She just wants to kick you out!”

Chen Wengang smiled gently, “No, she didn’t. It’s just that I feel like going abroad to study is also very interesting.”

Zheng Yucheng grumbled and complained, but ultimately couldn’t come up with a solution, so he gave him a Transformer toy as a parting gift.

Though he said so, as the departure date approached, Chen Wengang became more and more nervous, unable to sleep.

When he was called to the study by Zheng Bingyi and Huo Meijie for a conversation, Chen Wengang was actually at a loss—

He had lived in Jin City since he was a child, with the four corners of the sky in the courtyard

Uncle Lin accompanied the family driver to send Chen Wengang to the terminal.

Originally, if no one else was accompanying, the driver would buy an extra ticket and escort him all the way. However, because Huo Niansheng said he could take care of him, and brought along a bodyguard, Chen Wengang was entrusted to him after Uncle Lin gave him numerous instructions and reminders.

Huo Niansheng had one hand in his pocket and extended the other to Chen Wengang, “Come.”

Chen Wengang glanced back at Uncle Lin, who patted him and said, “Go ahead. Listen to this big brother, and call us when you arrive.”

He approached cautiously and tentatively grasped Huo Niansheng’s fingers.

Huo Niansheng smiled, “Why are you still shy? Didn’t I buy you ice cream last time? Don’t you remember?”

Chen Wengang waved goodbye to Uncle Lin and the driver.

Chen Wengang had one large and one small piece of luggage, while Huo Niansheng had even less, just one suitcase. They passed through the security checkpoint one by one, and the bodyguard collected all the luggage and brought over a cart to tie them up. Chen Wengang and Huo Niansheng were left facing each other with one large and one small piece of luggage.

Chen Wengang was not unfamiliar with Huo Niansheng, but in the current situation, he didn’t know what to say.

Huo Niansheng took the initiative to smile and say, “Let’s go.”

Chen Wengang followed behind him, feeling embarrassed to keep holding hands, so he gradually let go, unnoticed.

Huo Niansheng turned around and grabbed his wrist, “Stay close, with so many people around, if you’re not careful, you might get sold.”

Chen Wengang exclaimed, staring at him wide-eyed.

Huo Niansheng frightened him, “Do you know the consequences of being kidnapped? Others will sell you to the mountains, and if you don’t behave, you’ll get beaten…”

Chen Wengang stuck close to him, tightly clutching his hand and sticking close to him.

Someone dragged two huge suitcases past them, and Huo Niansheng protected him, moving aside.

The bodyguard pushed the cart behind them, and airport staff helped them check in the large luggage.

Now, Chen Wengang only had a small backpack with him. Huo Niansheng held his hand and passed through immigration and security. The airport was vast, and they walked for a long time without seeing the end. It was Chen Wengang’s first time flying, and he felt dizzy following two adults.

Their steps were too big, and Chen Wengang could barely keep up by running almost the whole way.

When they reached the boarding gate, the announcement came over the loudspeaker that the flight was delayed by three hours due to weather conditions.

They had purchased first-class tickets, with a dedicated lounge where there were comfortable sofas and a large-screen TV. Staff brought drinks and snacks, and Chen Wengang sat properly next to Huo Niansheng.

The pretty flight attendant liked him and asked if he wanted to watch cartoons.

“Finding Nemo” started playing on the screen, with Nemo being taken away from the ocean, and his timid father embarking on a rescue journey.

Chen Wengang watched intently, while Huo Niansheng lowered his head and inspected his backpack, “What do you have in here?”

Concentrating hard, after a while, Chen Wengang reacted and unzipped his bag to show him. The documents were stored in a compartment, and there were two sets of clothes and stationery inside the bag. The biggest item was a black Transformer toy, looking mighty and cool.

Huo Niansheng smiled and took out the Transformer toy to play with it.

Chen Wengang hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something but ultimately didn’t. It seemed like he felt Huo Niansheng wouldn’t break it, so he let him play with it casually.

Huo Niansheng transformed the Transformer into a different form, and as he looked down, Chen Wengang’s eyes refocused on the TV screen, his face fluctuating with the adventures of Nemo’s father. No matter what he did, this child seemed to have a very serious demeanor.

Huo Niansheng couldn’t remember what he was like at this age. He just felt that some children grew up faster than others, while others remained a bit childish compared to their peers like Zheng Yucheng. Chen Wengang didn’t seem either fast or slow, but he always appeared a bit more innocent than Zheng Yucheng. However, he wasn’t actually dull; in a sense, his thoughts were more sensitive and mature.

But he didn’t have the typical arrogance and self-satisfaction of boys his age. When he looked at you, it seemed like he knew everything but refused to express it easily.

There was another announcement of a flight delay. Chen Wengang had woken up early in the morning, had a little breakfast, and gradually felt drowsy without realizing it.

When he was nudged awake, he saw the sunset outside the window, with the sky half-covered in fiery red hues.

He found himself lying in someone’s arms, rubbed his eyes, and got up, feeling disoriented, not knowing what time it was or where he was.

He heard Huo Niansheng’s voice above him, “What’s wrong? Still half-asleep?”

Suddenly, everything came back to Chen Wengang.

He was about to leave his hometown and travel far away to a distant place.

Huo Niansheng lifted him up, and Chen Wengang, still somewhat groggy, grabbed his clothes and followed him out.

After boarding, their seats were next to each other, and the first-class cabin was spacious. Chen Wengang began to look around curiously. Flight attendants came over to assist him with fastening his seatbelt and gently reminded him not to unfasten it until the plane was airborne. Then it started moving slowly, taxiing, and finally taking off.

The temperature inside the cabin became colder and colder. Chen Wengang had already put on his coat taken from his backpack, but it still wasn’t enough to keep him warm.

He hugged his backpack, subtly shivering, never imagining that flying would be such a cold experience. Suddenly, a blanket was thrown over him. He pulled the fabric down and met Huo Niansheng’s eyes, who looked at him with a smirk.

“Feeling cold? Why didn’t you say so?” Huo Niansheng raised an eyebrow.

Chen Wengang replied softly, “Thank you.”

Huo Niansheng gave him a glance and smirked, then folded his hands over his stomach and closed his eyes.

After a long flight, the huge plane roared as it landed at Heathrow Airport.

Upon arriving at the airport lobby, the world seemed to have turned upside down—everywhere Chen Wengang looked, there were foreigners with blonde hair and blue eyes, and all he could hear was the chatter of foreign languages, which he could only partially understand and struggled to keep up with.

Being of small stature, he looked up and felt like a stranger in this completely unfamiliar environment, from the shop signs to the directional signs.

Feeling uneasy, Huo Niansheng and the bodyguard, who had the same faces and spoke the same language, had now become his only reliance.

They took a long car ride and arrived at an apartment building, luxuriously decorated with a row of antique bay windows. This was a property owned by Huo Kai Shan, equipped with a housekeeper, nanny, and driver.

By the time they reached their destination, Chen Wengang was exhausted, and with jet lag added to the mix, he went straight to his assigned room and slept for a day and a night.

The housekeeper, who was British, had been instructed by Huo Meijie and Huo Niansheng to take care of Chen Wengang during his stay.

He had a serious demeanor but was patient enough to slow down his speech and communicate with Chen Wengang, helping him familiarize himself with the surroundings.

Meanwhile, Huo Niansheng had his own life and became busy with work, often returning home late.

For several consecutive days, Chen Wengang only saw him briefly in the morning and evening.

At his age, he naturally admired older brothers, especially since they were both Chinese, making him gradually see Huo Niansheng as his main support. However, Huo Niansheng didn’t seem to share the same sentiment.

He probably only felt responsible as long as someone was watching over Chen Wengang.

On the last weekend before school started, Chen Wengang and the housekeeper returned home, where someone was on the phone by the window.

It was a rare sunny day, and sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting shadows and light on Huo Niansheng’s face. He spoke casually, hung up, and smiled as he turned towards Chen Wengang. Huo Niansheng seemed to be in a good mood as he asked, “Getting ready for school?”

Chen Wengang nodded obediently.

Huo Niansheng thought for a moment, “How about I take you out tomorrow?”

Chen Wengang nodded again, appearing calm on the surface but feeling somewhat excited inside.

True to his word, the next day, Huo Niansheng took him on a day trip around London.

They went to Hyde Park early in the morning to see the ducks and swans in the Serpentine, then visited the National Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben. Afterwards, they had lunch near the River Thames, took a boat ride past the Tower of London and the Millennium Bridge, explored various street-side shops, and ended the day at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown.

Chen Wengang held the walnut soldier doll that Huo Niansheng had bought for him, feeling its smooth and hard hat, almost unwilling to let go.

When they returned to the apartment in the evening, he yawned and heard Huo Niansheng ask, “Are you getting used to living here?”

Chen Wengang nodded, holding the doll in his hand, and after a moment of thought, he hugged Huo Niansheng around the waist.

Huo Niansheng patted his head, “Play enough, then tidy up your mood, and focus on studying.”

Children actually adapt to new environments faster than adults. For them, homesickness is often an emotion that takes a long time to understand. After some time in this place, Chen Wengang wasn’t as nervous as before. He gradually became familiar with the new way of life.

The housekeeper took him to boarding school, and by the time Huo Niansheng remembered, it felt like it had been a long time since he had seen Chen Wengang.

Actually, it hadn’t been that long—just two months, neither long nor short.

Huo Niansheng had his own studies and life, and he knew that Chen Wengang was being taken care of by teachers and staff at the boarding school. But every time he returned to the apartment, it felt somewhat empty without the little guy who used to revolve around him and try to hide his feelings.

Perhaps it was some kind of premonition. That night, Huo Niansheng received a call from a number he recognized as Chen Wengang’s.

He answered, but there was no response from the other end. Huo Niansheng asked, “Is something wrong?”

There was still silence on the other end; only faint breathing could be heard through the phone.

After several attempts to get a response, Huo Niansheng raised an eyebrow and said, “I’ll hang up then.”

Chen Wengang finally spoke softly, “Wait.” He finally mustered the courage to say, “I miss you a little.”

Huo Niansheng chuckled. After a moment of thought, he asked, “Are people bullying you at school?”

Chen Wengang replied, “No. It’s just that they don’t speak Chinese, and I feel a bit lonely.”

The call ended there, but it seemed like the homesickness of a child had no substantial meaning.

Huo Niansheng pushed open the door to the guest room where Chen Wengang had been staying. Inside were some personal items, neatly arranged. He hadn’t taken the toys to school, but there was a cool-looking Transformer on the shelf, accompanied by the walnut soldier, standing tall with a gun, glaring down at intruders.

By Friday, Huo Niansheng remembered something and made time to drive to the boarding school.

He first went to see the headmaster to inquire about Chen Wengang’s situation at school.

Chen Wengang attended a prestigious and ancient public school for boys. It was truly an honor for the Zheng family to have him enrolled there. The headmaster and his teachers praised Chen Wengang’s performance; he was diligent. Although he initially struggled with English-medium classes, he spent his free time every day flipping through the dictionary and had caught up. The other boys didn’t bully him, and the students were generally tolerant.

However, these children grew up with different cultural backgrounds and customs from what Chen Wengang was accustomed to. He was also introverted and not good at conversation, so even though others didn’t intentionally isolate him, he found it difficult to fit in when other students were enthusiastically chatting.

Moreover, most of the students who could attend such schools came from elite families and were talented in sports and arts. The school had various sports, competitions, and clubs throughout the year, and while others participated, Chen Wengang spent a lot of time looking up words in the dictionary and reviewing his homework.

Even though the headmaster tried to encourage him, he still didn’t have enough energy to participate in activities, let alone make friends.

At the dormitory door, Chen Wengang, standing alone, visibly brightened when he saw Huo Niansheng.

He hurried over, almost bouncing, holding his textbooks, “Why are you here?”

Huo Niansheng smiled and said, “Didn’t you say you missed me? Let’s go out for dinner.”

The school cafeteria mainly served Western food, and while the nutrition was adequate, Chen Wengang had already experienced the despair of not belonging to the age-appropriate fish and chips and hamburgers.

So when Huo Niansheng took him to Chinatown again, he pressed both hands against the car window, eagerly looking at the signs above his head.

Huo Niansheng stepped on the brake and glanced at him, unable to resist laughing.

Most of the Chinese restaurants in foreign countries have been localized to adapt to local tastes, and finding an authentic

The cool breeze was very comfortable, and suddenly, Huo Niansheng asked Chen Wengang, “Do you regret agreeing to come out to study?”

Chen Wengang held onto his sleeve and didn’t understand, “What?”

Huo Niansheng smiled faintly, “Actually, it was my idea to suggest sending you out here, but I don’t know if one day in the future, if you regret it, will you hate me for it.”

Chen Wengang looked at him blankly, seemingly not understanding the meaning of his words. Why suddenly jump to such a heavy topic of hating or not?

But he was precocious after all and quickly reacted, “Is it because they wouldn’t let me stay at my adoptive father’s house?”

Huo Niansheng said, “Oh, you know?”

Chen Wengang looked at the dark water, his voice very low, “That Master Qiu said so. I heard him outside the window. He said my fate is not good and my family ties are thin, so I should stay away from my parents and siblings to keep the family safe. So it must be difficult for everyone.”

Huo Niansheng said, “What kind of master? Just talking nonsense.”

Chen Wengang heard him curse for the first time, but he laughed, his eyes curving into two crescent moons.

After a while, Huo Niansheng turned his face to face him, looking down at Chen Wengang, “Actually, no matter who we are, it’s very difficult to have true freedom. But I, as a person, happen to like to see fun, and sometimes I even love to meddle in other people’s business. In my opinion, you staying at the Zheng family is like being stuck in a spider’s web, and in the future, you will be forced everywhere. So I couldn’t help but be a little curious, if you change the environment, what kind of person will you become? Bringing you to such a far place on my own initiative may be an opportunity for you, or it may be a completely wrong decision. In fact, no one knows what the future will be like. Can you understand?”

He touched the lighter in his pocket and said, “If you really want to go back—back to studying in China, it’s not too late now.”

Chen Wengang looked at him and shook his head almost without thinking, “It’s okay, no need.”

A sudden impulse made him hug Huo Niansheng’s waist; he seemed to really like hugging Huo Niansheng like this—

“I can try to adapt to school, and besides, I prefer living with you.”

Huo Niansheng seemed stunned for a moment, paused for a few seconds, and then smiled slowly, “Me? What’s good about me?”

Chen Wengang honestly said, “You care about me.”

The smile at the corner of Huo Niansheng’s lips seemed to deepen a bit, and he patted his back.

They chatted for a while about this and that, mainly Huo Niansheng accompanying Chen Wengang to talk about those things he cared about. Regarding school matters, he told Chen Wengang, “Okay, from now on, you’ll come home on weekends. Don’t stay in the UK for too long, or you’ll forget Chinese.”

This promise was a pleasant surprise, so much so that Chen Wengang’s eyes sparkled, almost illuminating Huo Niansheng’s face.

Huo Niansheng breathed a sigh of relief, draped his arm over Chen Wengang’s shoulder, and asked, “Is there any other trouble at school?”

Chen Wengang first shook his head and said no, but then remembered something and pulled his sleeve cautiously.

Huo Niansheng bent down, leaned in close to Chen Wengang’s ear, feeling that he seemed to muster great courage to speak up, and stammered a few words, “I have a toothache…”

Huo Niansheng was taken aback, “Toothache?”

The fact is, Chen Wengang had been suffering from a wisdom toothache on the right side for a long time, but he was embarrassed to trouble the teacher and didn’t want to tell the housekeeper, so he had been enduring it until now. Of course, this was his own excuse, perhaps part of the reason.

And when they reached the clinic door, Huo Niansheng realized that he was more likely afraid of seeing the dentist.

Chen Wengang followed behind Huo Niansheng, looking as if he wanted to run away but didn’t dare to. When it was time for the appointment, he was dragged in to see the dentist.

After taking an X-ray and a diagnosis, it turned out that his wisdom tooth at the back had grown crooked and had to be extracted.

The sound of the electric drill in the treatment room behind the curtain was making people’s teeth sour, as if it were drilling straight into the bone. Chen Wengang’s face, the size of a palm, was as pale as paper. Huo Niansheng sat on the chair, Chen Wengang holding his hand, even pretending not to understand the nurse’s words.

Huo Niansheng almost laughed and patted his head, “Be brave and go in.”

Chen Wengang remained stubbornly still, as if his feet were nailed to the ground.

Huo Niansheng leaned over and gave him a warm hug, “Don’t be afraid, they’ll give you anesthesia, it won’t hurt. If it does, you can come out and hit me.”

As if drawing some strength from him, Chen Wengang finally let go of Huo Niansheng’s hand.

When they came out, Huo Niansheng patiently approached him again and hugged him, “See, it didn’t hurt, did it?”

Chen Wengang had no intention of arguing, his whole body was limp against him.

Finally, after enduring this ordeal, the school granted him two days off. Chen Wengang, feeling weak, ate liquid food for a few days under the housekeeper’s care. Once the wound healed and the stitches were removed at the clinic, he resumed his lively self and returned to school.

After that, every Friday, as promised, Huo Niansheng would pick him up and take him home.

When they had free time, he would personally drive, and if he was busy, the housekeeper would do it. The longer the time passed, the more Chen Wengang seemed to rely on him in a special way. To Huo Niansheng, he was like a father, a brother, and a part of the same root and source, as if he had become his only connection to his hometown.

Huo Niansheng had a different kind of patience with Chen Wengang. When Chen Wengang couldn’t ride a bike, he taught him in a square.

When Chen Wengang attended handicraft class and had to make a Chinese-style kite, Huo Niansheng raised an eyebrow and helped him figure out how to tie bamboo strips.

In addition to holidays, over the years, they traveled all over the UK and even various European countries, leaving their footprints more or less everywhere. In the blink of an eye, four years passed, and Huo Niansheng’s university career was coming to an end.

He stood by the protruding window, watching as two boys approached from afar, both looking like teenagers. One of them was Chen Wengang, and the other was his classmate named Michael. They were chatting and laughing, waving goodbye in front of the apartment building.

As Chen Wengang entered, he was first surprised, then delighted, “You didn’t go back to China, when did you come?”

Huo Niansheng reached out and hugged him, “Just got home. Who was the one waving to you downstairs?”

Chen Wengang said, “He’s a classmate of mine who’s studying Chinese. He wanted to ask how to pass the HSK exam.”

Huo Niansheng looked deeply at him. Of course, he knew who Michael was. Initially, they became friends because of language learning, but as they practiced reading and writing together, they started going out more and more often, and he even came to their home.

Chen Wengang poured him a glass of water, and Huo Niansheng leaned against the table, “Huo Zhenfei’s suggestion is for me to return to the subsidiary of the Huo family.”

He saw Chen Wengang’s smile gradually fade, replaced by a serious expression.

Chen Wengang hesitated and probed, “So are you going back to work in China?”

But Huo Niansheng just smiled and leaned closer to him, “Do you not want me to leave?”

Chen Wengang smiled faintly and pushed him lightly, “This is a serious matter; if you have to go, then you should go.”

He thought for a moment, “I still have three years before I graduate from university, so I can go back then…”

But Huo Niansheng calmly said, “Going back is not certain. I’ve already refused.”

Chen Wengang was taken aback, “Why?”

Huo Niansheng smiled, “What do you think?”

The setting sun streamed in through the window, and Huo Niansheng placed the cup on the windowsill, causing the water inside to ripple without spilling out.

“Wengang.” Huo Niansheng gently stroked his hair, “I’ve never thought of myself as a good person, and I don’t like to boast about it. But I’m willing to say it straight out; you’re different to me. Perhaps everyone cares about their own efforts, but at least for me, spending these years with you and watching you grow up has a special meaning. Since things have come to this point, I have no intention of giving up halfway, nor do I plan to casually return to China. At least until you graduate, I won’t leave you here alone.”

Chen Wengang looked at him worriedly, “But what about your job?”

Huo Niansheng said, “There’s also an office here, and besides, I believe Huo Zhenfei can find something for me to do. He wants me to help out.”

He said it with deep meaning, and Chen Wengang seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He smiled and took Huo Niansheng’s cup, putting it back on the table.

As Huo Niansheng watched his back, Chen Wengang had grown up, and he had grown taller. He was quick-witted and sometimes even had leg cramps in the middle of the night.

At the same time, he had grown as a person, shedding the immature aura and becoming gentle and warm.

Huo Niansheng had been involved in this growth process all along. He knew everything about Chen Wengang from childhood to adulthood, from when he started puberty, when his voice changed, and when his Adam’s apple began to protrude. He also knew every habit, every little gesture, and everything he wanted to do in the future. He had no intention of leaving until those things were accomplished.

When Chen Wengang turned around and met his gaze, he said, “What about after three years, when I graduate? What are we going to decide then?”

Huo Niansheng smiled and said, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, let’s think about what to eat tonight. I’ll take you out.”

They still had plenty of time together, so there was no rush. The story of the future would continue once the protected child grew up.

---

Author’s Note:

Thank you all for your companionship along the way, thank you for your love for Wengang and Niansheng. This story is reluctantly coming to an end, but their love will continue forever. Love you all!

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