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Chapter 259: Chapter 217: Gift Giving, Warm Dinner Party (Please Subscribe!)_1
The younger generation looked curiously at this sudden surprise of an Uncle who appeared before them, not saying a word. When Tang Kai left years ago, Tang Qing and Lin Jiaxue were still too young to talk. Lin Jiaxue naturally had no impression of this Uncle, only having seen him in a family photo taken at Tang Qing’s home many years ago. Seeing him now, they were able to put the face to the memory.
After some time, the two of them managed to control their emotions and looked closely at each other’s slightly aged faces, the edges of their hair slightly frosty. They couldn’t help but lament that time spares no one. More than a decade of separation and middle age had caught up with them, and they were no longer young.
Tang’s father took a deep breath, holding back his shaking voice as he expressed concern, "Xiao Kai, are you okay?"
"I’m doing well, but you guys have suffered," Tang Kai sighed, knowing from Tang Qing that Tang’s parents had lived a hard life in recent years. Tang Qing’s grandfather’s illness had almost exhausted the family’s savings, with the two of them getting up early and working late to run the family business. Their health was surely not as good as before.
Thinking about this, his heart ached. Beyond all expectations, he was able to steady his mind just a few seconds later. As a man, tears should only be shed in the heart, but the tears shimmering in his eyes could not be held back.
"There hasn’t been any hardship. Our family is quite well-off now. Tangtang has grown up and is doing exceptionally well in school. Our business is also doing surprisingly well. We are already very content," Tang’s father said with a smile. Everything in their lives was going in a positive direction. Tang Qing’s university tuition was no longer a concern. With the dividends from Li Jianguo’s restaurant shares and the money they had earned, and a few more years of scrimping, they might even be able to afford a down payment on a house in the Shanghai Stock Market. When that time came, his family could pay for the house, and if the kids wanted a car, the in-laws would definitely chip in. Their son was so outstanding, they believed Tang Qing would be successful in the future.
"Good, as long as you’re doing well," said Tang Kai, nodding. Even though Tang’s father’s assets were pitifully small, he would be there to provide for them in the future. With his help, Tang Qing’s family would gradually improve their conditions. He then turned his head to greet Qin Yugang and Lin’s family and exchanged pleasantries for quite a while.
Seeing they were set to keep chatting at the entrance, Tang Qing hurriedly suggested, "Dad, Uncle, let’s sit down and talk. Don’t just stand there."
"Ha ha, my mistake, I’d totally forgotten. Come in and sit down," Tang Kai laughed and replied.
Subsequently, they all took their seats. The three men chatted about everyday life while the women listened attentively. As for Tang Qing, he was by Lin Jiaxue’s side, holding her hand and not wanting to let go.
After hearing about Tang Kai’s experiences, they all felt as if they were in a dream. Tang’s father never thought his younger brother would have experienced so many hardships after running away. Although Tang Kai’s identity as a billionaire was shocking, it was secondary to the importance of family, regardless of their wealth.
After a while, Tang Kai stood up and picked up the bag of gifts, "Oh, big brother, these are the little gifts I bought for you."
"Why spend the money? This is a waste," Tang’s father complained. If it were someone else, these words might be considered a mere courtesy, but coming from Tang Kai, a family member, they were sincere. Even if his younger brother was a billionaire, he had no intentions of taking advantage of him.
"Ah, it’s just a token of my affection. It’s been so long since I’ve given any decent gifts, so I’m making up for it now. Besides, money is made to be spent, right?" Tang Kai laughed and said.
He then handed each of the men two boxes. Regardless of their closeness, each one received an expensive watch and a belt. Even though Tang Qing didn’t know the price, he knew they were definitely not cheap.
Having no idea about luxury brands, he was certain these items would not be inexpensive. Their value, however, mattered little to him. For someone of his standing, even a grass ring could be considered fashionable. He saw no need to show off. However, these gifts were acceptable for presenting to others. To him, wearing an electronic watch was not any less dignifying than others wearing a much pricer brand. He was not the kind of person who strove to prove himself.
The gifts for the women were simple - a pair of jade bracelets for each of them. The gifts for the three children were even more straightforward and careless. He wouldn’t give cheap gifts, and expensive ones were not suitable for their age. After all, it would be very risky for children to wear things worth tens to hundreds of thousands. Therefore, he chose to give each of them a bank card. Tang Qing was also included. Other gifts such as tobacco, alcohol, and skincare products were also presented, but they were not shown as there was not enough room on the table.
"Xiao Kai, your gifts are too extravagant, aren’t they? These two combined are probably worth over three hundred thousand," Qin Yugang said with a wry smile, looking at the two items in his hand. He had a keen eye, having encountered a great deal of corruption during his tenure at the police station, and he was certain the items were genuine.
"What, over three hundred thousand?" Tang’s father exclaimed in disbelief. The whole table turned their eyes on Qin Yugang, waiting for an explanation.
"Yes, the watch is from Patek Philippe. Not long ago, we solved a theft case involving this brand. The market value of this model is 316,000, and this Gucci item also costs several thousand. The bracelets you ladies received should not be cheap, either; a set is likely to be worth over a hundred thousand," Qin Yugang explained.
Just as Qin Yugang finished speaking and Tang’s father was about to speak again, Tang Kai quickly interrupted, "Brothers and sisters-in-law, these are just small tokens of affection. The significance is the thought, not the value."
"That’s true. Since it’s a gift from Xiao Kai, you shouldn’t refuse it. He’s a tycoon now and hasn’t been in touch all these years. Seeing his old family blood should be worth some spending, " Tang’s father agreed, supporting Tang Kai’s gesture. Just like the last time Tang Qing gave gifts, if it were only for his family, he would definitely refuse. But considering Qin Yugang and the Lin family were also present, it would be inappropriate to decline. It would be better to graciously accept.
"Yes, uncle and aunt, Uncle Lin, you should accept it. The gifts that Uncle gave won’t be taken back," Tang Qing also chimed in from the side.
Seeing Tang Qing had spoken too, the others no longer felt guilty. However, they could not calm down in the least. Gifts worth four or five hundred thousand or even more had just fallen into their hands, exceeding even their total family assets. It all felt like a dream.
"Xiao Kai, how much did you put on the kids’ cards?" Tang’s father asked again.
"This...not much, just fifty thousand for each child for pocket money, for them to buy whatever they want," Tang Kai admitted after hesitating for a moment. 𝒏𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
"That’s a lot," Tang Kai exclaimed. Having been shocked by the tens of thousands of earlier, a few thousand didn’t seem like much. But depending on who the recipient is, five thousand is still a hefty sum for pocket money for a child.
"No big deal, I bumped into Tangtang a few days ago in Province City, and found out he wanted to buy something for you guys, so I gave him ten thousand for pocket money," Tang Kai admitted, acceding to Tang Qing’s request.
"You naughty boy, I asked you so many times and you kept quiet," Tang’s father scolded with a laugh.
"Ha ha, if I had told you, you probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep for days," Tang Qing laughed.
"And you’re even justifying yourself now." Mother Tang retorted.
"Of course, I’m just thinking about your sleep."
"You cheeky little kid, thinking about me, if you weren’t seated so far away, I’d teach you a lesson. Oh right, Jiaxue, sort him out."
"Jiaxue doesn’t want to," Tang Qing said, looking smug.
"..."
Because everything was prepared in advance, it didn’t take long for the dishes to be all set up. Today was a special occasion so even Wu Zhengfeng did not dare to come around toasting. He just entered to warmly greet everyone to eat and drink well before leaving.
At the same time, Wu Zhengfeng ordered the six waiters welcoming at the door to be fully attentive. The guests inside should have their requests met immediately. Whoever slacks off would be fired immediately, regardless of whether the guests inside complain or not.
This was Tang Qing’s family banquet and it was about Tang Qing’s reputation. Wu Zhengfeng couldn’t afford to slack off. This sort of low-key ’flattery’ and detailed attention is the most direct reason why he’s in his position.
Then, several families began eating. Seeing these dishes on the table, even Tang Kai, who is experienced and knowledgeable, couldn’t help licking his lips—not because they were too expensive. At his level, how could he care about such things... the local tycoons in the mainland really know how to eat well. Although there are plenty of Chinese restaurants in Bangkok, none compare to the endless variety of mainland China. They can eat anything, and always come up with different varieties.
Seeing the table full of exquisite dishes of which they only recognized a few, and the luxurious box, apart from Tang Qing and Tang Kai, everyone else ate a bit cautiously. Of course, Qin Shiqi, the foodie, was the exception. She stuffed anything she hadn’t eaten before into her mouth.
Her aunt, seeing Qin Shiqi was being so ’unladylike’, lightly tapped her shoulder and said, "Shiqi, eat slowly. No one is taking it from you. There’s plenty of food here. We definitely can’t finish it all."
"If we can’t finish it, we’ll take it all home," Qin Shiqi mumbled, her mouth stuffed with food.
"You silly girl, all you know is to eat!" her aunt said, smiling wryly.
"I also know how to drink."
"Hahaha..."
"..."
"Jiaxue, this one is tasty, give it a try." Tang Qing picked up an item he himself couldn’t identify and said. He had eaten it during his last visit. Its name was very artistic, but he had no idea what it was, nor had he asked. All that mattered was that it tasted good.
"Okay."
"How is it? Is it good?"
"It’s good."
"That’s great, this one is also really good. Give it a try."
"I’m nearly full."
"It’s okay, just have a bite of each one, just to taste them."
"Isn’t that a waste?"
"Not a waste. You take a small bite, and I’ll eat the rest."
"But..."
"But what? There’s nothing for us to be shy about. We used to do this all the time. Here, let me feed you. We rarely get to have a meal together, and I want to feed you. Open your mouth, ah..."
From then on, Lin Jiaxue, blushing, opened her mouth, and Tang Qing, as if feeding a child, would give her a bite, then eat the rest himself. He seemed to never tire of doing this. Everyone at the table watched Tang Qing and Lin Jiaxue’s affectionate actions and couldn’t help teasing them. Even Qin Shiqi joined in, making Lin Jiaxue so embarrassed that she kept her head down and quietly ate the food Tang Qing was feeding her.
Tang Qing didn’t find this embarrassing at all.
What’s wrong with feeding his future wife? He simply liked feeding Lin Jiaxue.
