NOVPUBThe man truly loved Zhang Chunxue and ultimately compromised. It wasn’t a big deal to have a son-in-law take their surname in the future.
It seemed that the matter was settled, but soon after Zhang Yiyi was born, her congenital ear defect was discovered.
The man’s family stirred up trouble again, suggesting that Zhang Chunxue should send the child away so that it wouldn’t interfere with the couple having a second child.
Zhang Chunxue naturally disagreed with having her own child call another woman "mother," after carrying the baby for ten months.
This issue completely drained the couple’s relationship of over twenty years and became the catalyst for their divorce. On the day Zhang Yiyi turned one month old, Zhang Chunxue, without her family or her husband knowing, processed the divorce at the Civil Affairs Bureau.
From that day on, Zhang Chunxue saw clearly that marriage was nothing but an invisible shackle, binding those who did not conform.
Although the two families had been close for a hundred years and helped each other in business, Zhang Chunxue’s actions instantly infuriated everyone. After her father, Zhang Youwen, declared in front of both families, "I do not have a daughter like you," she never returned.
However, family ties are still strong, and after repeated persuasions from Zhang Chaoqun, the man from the porcelain-touching incident, Zhang Chunxue agreed to visit her home during the New Year.
Worried about how her family might treat Zhang Yiyi, she whimsically decided to bring Xu Qingfan along, vividly recalling how he had fiercely confronted those kids’ parents in the office.
Xu Qingfan naturally didn’t know about all this intricate background, and if he had known, he would have agreed even more readily.
"It’s your turn, Xiao Fan, what were you trying to say just now?" Zhang Chunxue asked, smiling as she ruffled his head.
"Auntie, take a look at this first." Xu Qingfan opened a file stored in QQ email on Zhang Chunxue’s computer.
It briefly outlined his ideas and plans for opening a chain of duck neck stores. Naturally, Xu Qingfan couldn’t produce a complete business plan, but he managed to transform his thoughts into words.
Zhang Chunxue patiently flipped through it. The article was not long, just over three thousand words, lacking the essential market research and competitive analysis of a usual business plan, but considering Xu Qingfan’s current age, it was impressive enough for Zhang Chunxue.
"Auntie, what do you think?" Xu Qingfan asked eagerly after she finished reading.
"You wrote this?" Zhang Chunxue blinked and looked at him.
"Mhm mhm mhm, auntie, do you think it’s feasible? I think if I can make the duck neck store work, then Yu’s dad will have the money for his treatment in the Beautiful Country."
"For a catering business, it really depends on the taste. I haven’t tried your duck necks, so it’s hard to rate. However, the way I see it, your method of purchasing a store, mortgaging a loan, then buying another store seems quite viable."
Having worked in the finance sector, she knew all too well about the flow of money domestically. Real estate was undoubtedly promising.
Xu Qingfan’s idea was a bit like McDonald’s. He planned to buy the land in every location he set up, which meant he was not just in the food business but the real estate business as well.
"Auntie, you must have tried it before. Last semester, I shared a small bag with Yiyi. Didn’t she bring it home?"
She had tasted the duck necks made by Li Meijuan once before when Zhang Yiyi brought some home from school, saying it was shared by Brother Fan. After trying a piece, Zhang Chunxue was hooked and finished them in no time.
"Oh, the duck necks last time were made by Yu’s mom? I thought you bought them from somewhere."
"How was it? Tasty, right?" Xu Qingfan said proudly.
"Tasty, indeed, but running a business is complex. Managing finances and purchasing requires a lot of manpower, not to mention selecting the right location and training staff. It’s too complicated to explain in just a few words," Zhang Chunxue explained, counting on her fingers.
"That’s why we need the beautiful and intelligent Sister Zhang to help. I’ve already found the manager candidate, our class advisor’s college roommate. How about I bring her over to meet you after the New Year?" Xu Qingfan buried his head in Zhang Chunxue’s bosom, acting spoiled.
"Always sweet-talking, Auntie will have a look when the time comes. You’re always causing me trouble," Zhang Chunxue replied with a radiant smile, pushing away the doting Xu Qingfan.
"Thank you, Auntie!" Xu Qingfan said excitedly, pecking Zhang Chunxue on the cheek.
Zhang Yiyi and Lin Wanning soon came out again, both with Flowing Cloud Buns styled in their hair, looking enchanting enough to captivate crowds of boys aged four to eight on the streets.
"Does Brother Qing Fan look good?" Lin Wanning mimicked the delicate expressions of a drama’s ancient beauty. Unfortunately, she was still too young. If she had been ten years older, she’d have surely enthralled Xu Qingfan.
"Let’s go—out to take some photos!" His eyes sparkled with countless brilliant framing ideas flashing through his mind.
"ヾ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ Cool! Take pretty pictures to make an album!"
Zhang Chunxue looked fondly at the three youngsters, her gaze soft and tender: "Just remember to be safe and stay out of less crowded places."
"Mhm mhm mhm!"
"Mom, goodbye!"
"Goodbye, aunty!"
Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi nodded like pounding garlic, kissed Zhang Chunxue on the cheek, and left the house with Xu Qingfan after putting on their shoes.
The trio walked along the spacious street, suddenly becoming the center of attention.
Xu Qingfan, holding a camera, reminded them, "You two, act natural and pretend to look back at me casually."
Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi, holding hands, ran down the street; Xu Qingfan, with a video camera in hand, chased after them. As they reached the pre-set spot, they looked back and smiled. The breeze fluttered their hair, adding an indescribable sense of naturalness.
"Hehe~Is it good now?"
Xu Qingfan ran up to them, capturing the smiles on their faces.
If this were over a decade later, with a "Wife’s Memory" bgm playing in the background, it would definitely be a viral hit.
"All done!" Xu Qingfan saved the video and played it back for them to see.
"Wow~╰(*°▽°*)╯" Both were joyously gaping, dazzled by themselves on the screen.
"It looks so good, Brother Qing Fan, you are so talented!"
"Brother, awesome!"
"Brother Qing Fan, you run too, and Ningning and Yiyi will film you!" Lin Wanning took the camera, her eyes sparkling.
"Me? No thanks, I don’t like taking photos of myself, I’m happy just filming you guys." Xu Qingfan shook his head, feeling uneasy in front of the camera for some reason.
"No way~ Brother Qing Fan, let’s all do it together!"
"Come on, let’s take that photo!"
Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi each took an arm and cajoled him.
"Alright, alright, I’ll do it." Xu Qingfan was defeated by their insistence and raised his hand in a pause gesture, resignedly.
"Yay!!"
Roles reversed, Xu Qingfan ran ahead while Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi, each holding a camera, chased after him.
"Brother Qing Fan, look back!" Lin Wanning called out when it was time.
Xu Qingfan slowed to a stop and mimicked a swordsman’s cool 45-degree angle look back, feeling like he was Ximen blowing snow at that moment.
[Not handsome enough to amaze you all.] Seeing many younger girls stopping to watch, Xu Qingfan thought.
After Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi caught up to him, Xu Qingfan eagerly checked the playback, only for his confident smile to quickly freeze.
In the video, his running was incredibly stiff; if he had to compare, Xu Qingfan felt like he resembled the rigid gunmen in "Tough Guy Sniper" stealing dogs, but thankfully, that final look back was quite handsome.
"Pfft~Hahaha...sorry, Brother Qing Fan!" Lin Wanning immediately burst into laughter at the video of the zombie run, covering her mouth.
"Looks good, Brother, handsome!" Zhang Yiyi also tried to suppress her laughter, uttering insincere praise.
"Photography is an art; let me take your photos instead." Xu Qingfan lightly flicked their foreheads and took back the camera.
"Mischief~", the two chuckled, sticking out their tongues and then hand in hand, started running off ahead again.
Xu Qingfan shook his head amusedly, savoring his second chance at life, he found himself particularly fond of recording and taking photos.
Of course, he referred to legitimate filming and photography, not the kind where Teacher Chen fixes computers.
"Brother Qing Fan, why are you still standing there, duck?"
"Coming!"
...
