Up north, there had already been several heavy snowfalls this year. But down south, at most there had been a few bouts of sleet and snow; most of the time, it was still sunny and warm.
Meizhou is very close to Jincheng, and the temperatures are pretty similar. Jiang Fei drove back from Jincheng to Meizhou at noon the next day.
He didn’t drive some flashy luxury car. He was still in his original Jeep Compass. It’s not too embarrassing, but not exactly a high-status, mid-range car either.
Regarding Jiang Fei’s current situation – resigning from Jincheng City Second People’s Hospital, starting his own small clinic, later opening the Jiang Clan Medical Center, then founding Jiang’s Pharmaceutical Company, and his series of accomplishments in the medical field and in the newspapers – other people who don’t follow the news might not really know who Jiang Fei is.
But as for Jiang Fei’s parents, they had certainly known about his situation for a long time.
After Jiang Fei established the Jiang Clan Medical Center and earned back the money he had invested in it, he had actually already informed his family about the general outline of his circumstances.
There was no reason for Jiang Fei to hide things from his parents, and besides, he couldn’t keep it from them anyway. His parents were bound to find out about these things sooner or later. So, now that Jiang Fei’s parents knew he had become quite remarkable, practically a ‘big name,’ and that he was earning far more money than he ever did at the city hospital – far more than just having enough to live comfortably – they were completely at ease about him.
Actually, Jiang Fei’s parents weren’t short of money either.
Jiang Fei’s father had run a business back in the 90s, making a good amount of money. Being very farsighted, he bought two apartments in Meizhou before housing prices skyrocketed. Both are in the city center. One is over 150 square meters, and the other, over 180 square meters, is where the family currently lives.
And their savings had long been enough for their retirement. They had even set aside a ‘wife fund’ for Jiang Fei early on, for him to use when he got married. Otherwise, after Jiang Fei graduated, his parents couldn’t have pulled strings to get him into the most profitable department at Jincheng City Second People’s Hospital – that red envelope wasn’t cheap.
So now that his parents know Jiang Fei has made something of himself, opening his own hospital, founding a pharmaceutical company, and making a big name in the medical world, they aren’t really happy that he can make a lot of money. They’re just happy that he’s accomplished and successful.
“Beep.”
At 3:30 PM, Jiang Fei parked his car at the Lakeside Garden residential complex.
This is the complex where Jiang Fei’s family currently lives in their 180-plus square meter apartment.
Lakeside Garden was the most upscale residential complex in Meizhou City over a decade ago, built in a European architectural style. Back then, anyone in Meizhou with money or power basically bought a place here. Although over ten years have passed, and the buildings don’t have the sleek, modern look of today’s high-rise elevator apartments, they still have a unique charm. Most importantly, the green environment and the location of this complex are things that newly built high-end complexes can’t even come close to.
So, when Jiang Fei’s parents bought this apartment back then, it cost only about 2,000 yuan per square meter. Now, the lowest price for an apartment in Lakeside Garden is over 9,000 yuan, nearly 10,000 per square meter.
And even at that price, there are more buyers than sellers. Very few people are willing to sell their place here.
For such a scenic, beautifully located complex, as long as someone isn’t short of money, they’d rather keep the apartment for retirement.
Jiang Fei was at his building, about to start hauling his various bags and parcels out of the car, when he saw four people walking towards him. They were carrying things like vegetables and meat.
Among these four people, the youngest, walking on the left side, with an outstanding, unique presence like a star standing out from the crowd, was Bai Ruoxi, who had returned to Meizhou a day earlier than Jiang Fei.
Then there were two middle-aged women with their arms linked, chatting happily with smiles on their faces.
One of them, well-maintained with a rather aristocratic air, wearing a black woolen coat, was Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai. The other, wearing a dark green trench coat and bearing some resemblance to Bai Ruoxi, looked very gentle and was Bai Ruoxi’s mother.
And behind the three women was a middle-aged man wearing glasses – Bai Ruoxi’s father.
“You’re back so early? Didn’t you say on the phone you’d be back just before dinner?” Bai Ruoxi had the sharpest eyes and recognized Jiang Fei immediately. She quickly walked over to help him with his things.
Turning to look, Jiang Fei immediately understood. Knowing he was coming back tonight, Bai Ruoxi’s parents must have come over to his house for dinner together.
Because Jiang Fei and Bai Ruoxi’s relationship had already progressed this far – it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them engaged – and both families live in the same small city, their parents had naturally already met.
And both families were very satisfied with each other, getting along very harmoniously, so they kept in touch often. Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai, and Bai Ruoxi’s mother, in particular, were becoming like ‘old best friends,’ already treating each other as in-laws.
This was exactly why both families had been urging Jiang Fei and Bai Ruoxi to get married and have children soon.
“This isn’t really that early, is it? I couldn’t just show up exactly at mealtime, after dark, right? If I did that, my mom and your mom would never let me hear the end of it,” Jiang Fei said with a smile, handing Bai Ruoxi the two lighter bags.
As for the things he brought home, they weren’t anything like jewelry or high-end clothes. They were all kinds of delicious, healthy things he had made himself using his various maxed-out lifestyle sub-skills.
His parents didn’t lack money, and he certainly didn’t lack it either, so there was no need to give gifts that just represented money or social status.
“Ah, ‘a married daughter is like spilled water’… and she’s not even married yet. Look at how her eyes light up the moment she sees Jiang Fei,” Bai Ruoxi’s mother, who appeared very cultured and reasonable, said with a laugh.
Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai, was also beaming with smiles. She took Bai Ruoxi’s mother’s arm and said, “That’s fine. A son-in-law is like half a son. And since our families live so close, even if Ruoxi gets married and moves over, it won’t make much difference.”
Bai Ruoxi’s mother shook her head and sighed. “The problem is whether these young people will do what we want. Our two families do live close, but do you think those two will settle down in Meizhou? At the very least, they’ll settle in Jincheng.”
“Then we’ll just have to urge them more. Push them to give us big, healthy grandsons soon… no, have two. Then, whether they want to go to Jincheng or the capital, we won’t bother with them. As long as they leave the little grandsons with us, one for each family to raise,” Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai, said optimistically with a smile.
The cultured and reasonable Bai Ruoxi’s mother nodded, fully agreeing with Zhou Xiaobai’s suggestion.
Bai Ruoxi’s father, walking behind, listened to the two women but didn’t say anything. He was just thinking to himself, these days, after young people have children, are they really willing to leave them with their parents to raise?
These days, not many young people want their sons or daughters to live with their grandparents. They always feel that the grandparent generation spoils the children too much. Leaving a child with grandparents often leads to them picking up a lot of bad habits.
Of course, he wouldn’t say that out loud. Interrupting the two women’s excited fantasies at a time like that would definitely be asking for trouble.
Soon, the three of them reached Jiang Fei’s car.
“Mom,” Jiang Fei greeted his mother with a smile, then called out to Bai Ruoxi’s parents, “Uncle, Auntie.”
Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai, walked up, curiously looking at the things in Jiang Fei’s hands. After a glance, she said, “Son, what are all these bags you’ve brought home? Wine… this is red wine, and what’s this other wine…?”
“Rice wine,” Jiang Fei answered with a smile.
“Red wine and rice wine? Why did you think to bring these two things home? If you want a drink, isn’t there any at home? Your father, that drunkard, keeps quite a lot of alcohol at home,” Zhou Xiaobai scolded lightly. “But what brand is this wine? I feel like I’ve never seen it before?”
Before Jiang Fei could answer, Bai Ruoxi, who had already tried them before, answered the question. “He brewed these wines himself. He didn’t buy them from a store.”
“Brewed them himself?” Now Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai, and Bai Ruoxi’s parents looked somewhat surprised.
Bai Ruoxi nodded. Even someone as typically calm as her couldn’t help but show a slight smile at that moment. “Yes, Jiang Fei brewed these himself. As for the taste, you’ll have to try it for yourselves later.”
Bai Ruoxi’s mother didn’t want to comment on this matter, but Zhou Xiaobai, who had raised Jiang Fei through thick and thin, said without hesitation, “Does this kid even know how to brew wine? Or rather, can anything he brews even taste good?”
She knew her own son inside and out.
She hadn’t raised him to be a good-for-nothing spoiled brat, but Jiang Fei had never been particularly skilled with his hands. His various life sub-skills were all pretty average. The only area where he showed a little aptitude was cooking, slightly inheriting some of his father’s family’s ‘chef’ talent. He was just barely passable in the kitchen. But brewing wine? He had never done that before.
Seeing the slight disdain in his mother’s eyes, Jiang Fei felt a bit speechless. He smiled and said, “Mom, if you talk like that, don’t you be greedy when you’re drinking later.”
“Greedy? You know your mother isn’t really fond of any kind of alcohol – not white spirits, not beer, not red wine, none of it,” Zhou Xiaobai said, glancing at Jiang Fei. “Even if your red wine tasted good, which I doubt, I wouldn’t drink it.”
Of course, after saying this, Zhou Xiaobai was still very happy to have her son, who had finally made it home for a visit. She quickly led the group upstairs.
Inside the house, after changing shoes and taking off coats, Jiang Fei’s father, Jiang Ming, who was busy in the kitchen, heard the noise and the chatter. He shouted out from the kitchen, “You’re back! Everyone just have a seat in the living room. I’m busy in here, can’t get away… Xiaobai, bring me the vegetables I told you to buy.”
Jiang Fei’s father had a loud voice. Every time he spoke, it felt like he was yelling.
And Jiang Fei’s father had stopped doing business several years ago. After saving up enough money, he retired at home, just like Jiang Fei’s mother. Besides drinking tea and playing cards, he didn’t have any major, serious things to do.
Because he had learned a bit of cooking when he was younger and made some pretty decent dishes, over the years, the position of head chef at home had fallen to him. Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai, rarely went into the kitchen anymore.
“Coming,” Zhou Xiaobai said, taking off her woolen coat. She complained, “Can’t you lower your voice a little? You’re about to deafen me.”
But Jiang Fei suddenly stopped his mother, Zhou Xiaobai. Without a word, he took the various ingredients from her hands and said, with a big smile, “Mom, let me take these ingredients to Dad.”
Without another word or giving any reason, he headed towards the kitchen.
Only Bai Ruoxi showed a slight smile, knowing exactly what Jiang Fei was planning to do.
Sure enough, less than a minute after Jiang Fei entered the kitchen, his father’s unmistakably booming, unrestrained voice rang out: “You little brat, are you joking? You want to cook? Do you even want your future in-laws to have a decent meal tonight? Hey, where did you learn that knife skill? When did you learn it? That’s amazing! You finished butchering that whole chicken just like that? Who did you learn that from? Hurry up and teach your old man!”
“Dad, why don’t you step out for a bit? Let me finish today’s cooking first. If you want to learn later, I’ll find a special time to teach you slowly…” Jiang Fei said helplessly.
Then, about two minutes later, Jiang Fei’s father, Jiang Ming, still wearing an apron, walked out of the kitchen with an expression of utter disbelief. He muttered to himself, “How is that possible? That kid’s knife skills are incredible, just like something you’d see on TV!”
Jiang Fei’s mother, Zhou Xiaobai, didn’t know what was happening. Seeing Jiang Fei’s father, Jiang Ming, walk out of the kitchen, she asked, puzzled, “Why did you come out? Are the dishes ready? Didn’t our son just take the ingredients in to you?”
“I’m not cooking tonight. Our son is cooking!” Jiang Ming said helplessly.
Zhou Xiaobai stared, and said with slight irritation, “What nonsense are you talking! What kind of dishes could that rascal possibly make? Don’t be lazy, get in there and cook!”
Jiang Ming shook his head, didn’t argue further, and changed the subject. “Did my son bring me some wine? Hurry up and get it out so I can have a taste!”
“What’s this about drinking at this hour! I told you to go cook!” Jiang Fei’s mother said, getting a bit angry.
At that moment, Bai Ruoxi tugged at Zhou Xiaobai’s hand and said, smiling sweetly, “Auntie, just let Jiang Fei cook tonight. You’ll be in for a surprise later…”
