“Father, why are you in such a good mood?” Huang Zilan brought Xiao Liu over and saw Huang Yujin enjoying wine and humming a tune.

Huang Yujin’s singing had a strange and weird tone.

Huang Zilan furrowed his brows. To be honest, after so many years of hearing it, he still couldn’t get used to it. If his father didn’t have a lot of money, people would have pelted him with rotten eggs when they heard his singing.

But Huang Yujin remained absorbed in his melody, oblivious to what was happening outside.

“Father, can you please stop singing?” Huang Zilan approached and shook his dazed father.

“Father, snap out of it! Your singing is another torture.”

Huang Yujin used his hands to steady his head, which felt like it was about to fall off. “Xiao Lan’er, be gentle. If you keep doing this, your father might really die.”

“It’s not so easy to get rid of you. They say, misfortune lingers for thousands of years, you will have a long life.”

“Ah, a long life. I don’t dare to think about that. Ever since you came along, my life is shrinking day by day.”

Huang Zilan rolled his eyes. Could it be his life was?

Thankfully, there were no strangers present.

“What do you want from me?” Huang Yujin didn’t pay attention to his child. Even if he saw the rolling eyes, it didn’t matter. He had suffered a lot from this child.

Don’t think he didn’t have a clue! His son actually didn’t like him.

“I heard you drink as soon as you came back. Is there anything good happening?” Huang Zilan looked at his father.

“I’m telling you, it’s about that person your cousin introduced to you, the one you went to hang out with.” Huang Yujin teased with a wink.

Huang Zilan observed his father’s expression curiously. “Father, did you know? Not only have you gained weight recently, but your cheeks are quite plump.”

He gestured around the face, “Look at how round you’ve become. My body is the opposite, so I must resemble my mother.”

Huang Yujin felt somewhat aggrieved. Was he really that fat? After all, he was once a handsome man. He patted his plump body and thought about the delectable food on the table.@@novelbin@@

Did he need to eat porridge and side dishes every day? No, this was his life. This corpulent body was evidence of his prosperity.

In an era where many went without food, having this white and plump physique was an achievement itself.

Huang Zilan was unaware of his father’s thoughts. He observed his father’s changing expressions and began to worry that he had been too harsh with his remarks.

When the person finally reverted to his usual self, Huang Zilan inquired, “What’s the matter?”

Huang Yujin calmly sipped his tea, then set the cup down before speaking slowly, “He is an official, and now…”

With a short pause, Huang Zilan received the answer he had been seeking and turned to leave.

Huang Yujin was astonished to find that the things didn’t develop as he had anticipated.

He stood up and followed his son, “Why did you suddenly turn away and leave? Don’t you want to know what position he’s acquired?”

“I just wanted to know his current status. As for the specific position, it doesn’t concern me,” Huang Zilan stated.

“Is it really unimportant to you? You might marry in the future and be the wife of an official.”

Huang Yujin continued to tease his son, faking disappointment as he said, “But your prospects may not be as bright. Compared to the circumstances of our family, they are incomparable. He comes from a scholarly family!”

He cast a sidelong glance at his composed son, wondering why he didn’t react to such a serious matter.

Therefore, he decided to stir the pot:

“The Qin family even has an appropriate young lady. The brother is a scholar, and her father is a scholar. Moreover, they have a thriving business. Oh, my poor child!”

Huang Zilan gazed at his father’s exaggerated performance.

“Yes! This is the result of your lack of effort. I’m so pitiful. My father can’t read, and my cousin is the only scholar in our family. I don’t even have a younger brother. Father, you should put in some effort,” Huang Yujin said with feigned pity, continuing to jab at his father’s most sensitive spot with the sharpest of words.

Why did he have such a vexing son? More importantly, there was heir to be considered.

No, he was going to have a son.

Huang Zilan looked coldly at his father, who was walking away, feeling thoroughly disgusted.

.

Huang Hao was having a difficult time. Liao Tingyu was the one who had been skillfully fated to defeat him.

He passed the scholar’s exam and, at a young age, acquired a shop in town, thanks to the support of his uncle’s family. Shortly thereafter, he secured a position and also taught two wealthy children’s family.

Huang Hao was doing well for himself, but some people inexplicably insisted on coming into his place and asked him to bring things for someone.

He was so charming and handsome young man, but he had become a matchmaker.

Huang Hao suddenly remembered something and smirked mischievously. He was eagerly anticipating Liao Tingyu’s surprise.

When Huang Hao closed his shop and returned home, his father, for the first time, greeted him.

“Son, I heard one of your close classmates has become an official!”

Huang Hao nodded without any expression. He hadn’t expected his father to be so enthusiastic. Even after passing the scholar’s exam, he had not received such treatment!

“Yes, he’s doing quite well.”

“I also heard that he passed the scholar’s exam with you. He’s a talented young man!”

As he spoke, he scrutinized his son, it seemed that he was really incomparable.

Forget it, he didn’t need to ask about his abilities. “When are you going to find a daughter-in-law for me? You’re not getting any younger, and your mother and I just want you to start a family.”

Huang Hao wanted to argue about something, but then he heard what his father said next.

“You married early and had children early. If you married soon, your child will be older than your classmate’s child. Your child will be the older one. But if the child you have is born later and younger than your classmate’s child… ”

The rest of the words didn’t need to be said, and Huang Hao learned a lot from them. He responded sincerely, “Thank you, Father, for your guidance. I will work hard.”

Seeing that Huang Hao was finally receptive to his advice, Huang Hao’s father smiled. Rubbing his thin chin, he continued,

“You can’t do it alone. Your mother knows many young ladies and potential matches. Let her choose one for you.”

For the first time, Huang Hao didn’t object, and he agreed wholeheartedly. After all, he couldn’t find the one he desired, so he might as well let his mother choose. He couldn’t lose in this aspect.

Father and son smiled in understanding.

.

Liao Tingyu was preparing to move, but to his surprise, mother Deng had no intention of moving to the mansion.

“Why? There are plenty of rooms over there.”

“Mother knows. But this shop is also good. I can help your da-ge here.” mother Deng explained.

“But even if you live in the mansion, it won’t be too far to go back and forth,” Liao Tingyu said, puzzled.

“Son, this is a decision I made after discussing it with your father. You’re all grown up, and your da-ge has his own family now. I’ll be with your da-ge. You never liked too many people in the house since you were a child, and you prefer to have your own quiet space. I’ve never had much to offer you. The only thing I did for you was give you your own room. And now you’ll have a mansion of your own, and I’m happy for you.” Mother Deng said with a smile.

Liao Tingyu didn’t know how to respond. He thought he had hidden his feelings well.

“Mother, you know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Mother knows that you’re not like that, my dear. I’m just staying here with your da-ge. I’ll visit you when I miss you in the future. Will you forbid your mother from entering your house?”

“Of course not!” Liao Tingyu quickly denied. “You’re my mother, the most beloved mother in my life.”

“That’s right. You go on ahead. What’s the fuss? If you want to visit your da-ge, do it. Let others handle the little tasks for you. Your hands are meant for writing.”

Liao Tingyu’s departure left mother Deng felt empty. She lay on the bed and said to Liao Ming, who couldn’t sleep either, “they say when parents are together, the family won’t be separated. Are we separating now?”

“What are we even thinking? We’re just living separately.”

“Yes. We can go live in our youngest son’s mansion.” Mother Deng said seriously.

“In the future, we’ll have to live separately. He’ll have a wife, and we’re just adjusting in advance.” Liao Ming said with his eyes closed, though he didn’t wholeheartedly agree with the notion.

“Even so, the wife can’t keep us apart. I miss my son,” mother Deng said with a sense of loss.

Liao Ming understood what mother Deng was thinking, and he was in favor of this decision.

He knew mother Deng’s character very well. She could restrain herself for the sake of her youngest son’s future, but she couldn’t tolerate undue separation.

Liao Ming closed his eyes, acutely aware of the passage of time and the crowing of a rooster outside.

.

As for the Huang family, Huang Zilan had a peaceful night’s sleep. He woke up in high spirits, and Xiao Liu tied his hair. “Young Master seems to be in a great mood today.”

“Yes, my father visited Xiao Taohong’s room yesterday. You’ve given him something. Why haven’t we heard any news about it yet?”

“Perhaps it’s because the fate hasn’t come yet!” Xiao Liu said cautiously.

“When do you think he’ll marry me?”

“This…” Xiao Liu didn’t know what the young master was thinking, and Huang Zilan didn’t want to hear the answer.

From the moment they met, he knew all he had to do was wait.

.

Huang Hao, for the first time, sat obediently on the stone bench, flipping through a book with amazing painting.

He used to pay no attention to such things. In his eyes, these were boring, and the only things worth reading were thrilling storybooks.

Gradually, his perspective changed. He wondered if Teacher Lan Hui had published a new book.

Huang Hao was lost in thought, and when his mother asked him, he replied with a simple “yes.”

Then…

Huang Hao was left with regret. He hadn’t meant it, and he didn’t even know what the they looked like or what was their names.