Chapter 144 New Year’s Eve, ambitious young people set their ideals free

“Xiao Feng, bring out this plate of dumplings!”

Shen Meijuan poked her head out of the kitchen, her apron covered in flour.

The old-fashioned wall calendar was printed with the Golden Bull pattern of 2009, and the sound of firecrackers outside the window made the glass buzz.

Jiang Feng didn’t say anything and immediately got up from the sofa and walked towards the kitchen. If he was half a beat slower, he would be scolded.

He picked up the dumplings and walked towards the dining table.

Jiang Huaguo, his father, was adjusting the TV at the mahogany dining table. The Panda brand TV was emitting the countdown signal for the Spring Festival Gala.

Shen Meijuan brought the last braised fish to the table, wiped her hands and sat down. Suddenly, she took out a photo from her apron pocket and handed it to Jiang Feng next to her:
“It was given to me by Aunt Xu from the building next door. Her niece also studies in Hanchuan.”

The girl in the photo is very pretty, wearing a floral dress with West Lake as the background.

Jiang Feng almost choked on his drink, coughed awkwardly twice, and looked at his mother in disbelief:
“Are you crazy? I’m only a freshman.”

“What’s wrong with freshman year? When your dad was your age, he married me.”

Shen Meijuan pushed the photo towards him.

“Don’t worry now. You’re still in school and there are a lot of girls around you. Once you finish school and there are no girls around you, I wonder how you’ll find a partner!”

Ms. Shen has always been worried about Jiang Feng’s personal problems.

A lesson learned from the past is his cousin who has been single for several years after graduating from college. Every time they get together during the holidays, he always says that it is a pity that he did not have a relationship in college.

This scared Ms. Shen, and she was really afraid that her son would become an older bachelor in the future.

So when Jiang Feng hadn’t filled out his application yet, she urged him to have a relationship at school. However, a semester passed and there was no news at all.

It would be strange if Ms. Shen wasn’t anxious.

Jiang Huaguo, who was standing by, did not make any comment on this. He just silently turned up the volume of the TV.

“Actually, I…”

Jiang Feng’s words were stuck at his lips, and the silly face of Chen Jingyu kept appearing in his mind. He suddenly remembered what she said to him that day.

So he changed his words:
“Actually, I’m focusing on my studies and career right now. I’m so busy, how can I find time for a relationship? Don’t worry, wait until I’m successful in my studies and career. Why worry about not finding a partner?”

Shen Meijuan frowned slightly, stared at Jiang Feng for a while, and asked suspiciously:
“Are you secretly dating someone? Could it be the girl you brought home last time?”

“Cough cough cough…”

Jiang Feng almost couldn’t hold it in. “No, Mom, are you too free today? If you want to be Sherlock Holmes, why bother with me? You might as well go check where my dad keeps his secret money.”

Jiang Huaguo, who was picking at the tiger skin pork knuckle with chopsticks, couldn’t help but look up and widen his eyes:
“Why is there still my business?”

Had New Year’s Eve dinner.

Ms. Shen is discussing with Jiang Huaguo about going back to visit Jiang Feng’s grandparents on the first day of the new year.

At this time.

Jiang Feng walked out of the room, neatly dressed, with his face and scarf fully equipped, looking like he was going out.

“Where are you going so late at night?”

“Tang Wenjun and I made an appointment to go out and set off fireworks.”

Jiang Feng said as he changed his shoes.

“Aren’t you going to watch the Spring Festival Gala? It’s about to start.”

“Who among the young people watches the Spring Festival Gala?”

The Spring Festival Gala these days is actually quite good, but unfortunately Jiang Feng has already seen it, so there is not much point in watching it again. Moreover, in the next many years, because the Spring Festival Gala is getting worse and worse, he will simply pass up this important part of the Chinese New Year.

I don’t know if the director of the Spring Festival Gala was kicked in the head by a donkey. The programs are getting uglier and uglier. My favorite language programs have been changed beyond recognition. He thinks about how to educate the people all day long, but fuck it.

Jiang Feng secretly complained in his heart and went out directly.

……

Jiang Feng stood at the entrance of Jincheng Old Alley, with a newly bought Nokia in the pocket of his down jacket. He took out his phone and saw that the screen showed 19:45.

“Why haven’t you come yet?”

He made an appointment with Chen Tiankuo, Chen Jingyu, Tang Wenjun and others to go out and set off fireworks after having dinner at home on New Year’s Eve.

My cell phone broke down two days ago.

He went back and bought a Nokia.

The Apple that I have been longing for has not yet become popular in mainland China. I have to wait for a few months. If I want to use it in advance, I can only go to Hong Kong and buy the Hong Kong version.

Although Apple has been releasing new products like squeezing toothpaste in later generations, it has long been outperformed by domestic flagship phones. After all, a phone that costs five or six thousand yuan doesn’t even have an under-screen fingerprint, which is really lame.

But now, it is still powerful. After all, it is a revolutionary milestone product that defines the innovation of smartphones.

Jiang Feng was thinking in his mind.

Sporadic sounds of firecrackers were heard in the distance, and the air was filled with gunpowder smoke and the aroma of New Year’s Eve dinner.

He looked down at the plastic bag in his hand, which contained fireworks bought from the wholesale market. The boss said it was called “Fire Trees and Silver Flowers” and could spray three meters high.

“Old Jiang!”

Tang Wenjun’s voice came from deep in the alley. He was wrapped in a bulky military coat, like a moving quilt.

“My family eats late at night, and I ran out halfway through my meal.”

He was holding a thermos bucket, which smelled of dumplings.

Jiang Feng was about to speak when the roar of an engine interrupted him.

A red Ferrari stopped at the alley entrance. Chen Tiankuo rolled down the window, a cheeky grin curling up beneath his sunglasses. “Hey, isn’t this our CEO Jiang? So happy to finally be out having some outdoor sex today.”

He took off his sunglasses, revealing his iconic, ruffian eyes.

He pointed back again.

“Jingyu fell asleep in the back seat after finishing the New Year’s Eve dinner.”

The rear window slowly rolled down, and Chen Jingyu curled up in the leather seat, her cashmere scarf slipping down to reveal half her sleeping face. She still held the Shiba Inu stuffed animal in her arms, her eyelashes casting fine shadows under the streetlight.

Jiang Feng felt his heart skip a beat.

“Wake up, Chen Jingyu.” Chen Tiankuo turned around and patted his sister’s face.

But Chen Jingyu just hummed.

“Your classmate Jiang is here.”

Chen Taikuo deliberately emphasized the word “your”.

Chen Jingyu opened her eyes dazedly, and when she saw Jiang Feng, she suddenly woke up: “Jiang Feng!”

She was busy fixing her hair and the hairpin fell into the gap between the seats.

Jiang Feng opened the car door and bent down to pick it up. He smelled the faint jasmine scent on her body, mixed with the unique smell of Ferrari’s leather seats.

“Ahem.”

Tang Wenjun stood nearby, feeling somewhat awkward. He came over with the thermos in his arms, “I say, can we find a place to set off fireworks first? These dumplings are almost cold.”

As he spoke, he opened the thermos and the aroma of chives and eggs wafted out. “My mom made these specially for me. Would you like to try them?”

“Forget it, we all came out full.”

“I hate eating leeks the most.”

Several people politely declined.

The four of them walked along the moat towards the suburbs, with Chen Tiankuo’s Ferrari following slowly behind.

Soon.

We arrived at an open area where many people gathered to set off fireworks.

“That’s it.”

Chen Tiankuo parked the car on the riverbank. “This place is spacious. No one’s house will be set on fire.”

He opened the passenger door and took out various fireworks. “I wanted to make it more lively this year, so I ordered a lot of fireworks in advance.”

Tang Wenjun’s eyes widened. “Holy crap! How much does this cost?” He touched the half-man-high firework and was a little surprised. “This thing can light up my neighborhood, right?”

The three boys took all the fireworks out of the car.

Jiang Feng took out a lighter from the plastic bag and was about to light it when Chen Jingyu behind him pulled his sleeve.

“Jiang Feng, slow down… wait until I’m a little further away before ordering.”

After saying that, Chen Jingyu began to shrink back, seeming to be extremely scared.

Chen Tiankuo smiled and explained, “She was frightened by firecrackers when she was a child.”

When I was young.

Chen Tiankuo set off firecrackers, and one of them exploded in front of Chen Jingyu, scaring her so much that she burst into tears.

As I recall, that night, Chen Tiankuo was standing outside the door, facing the cold wind as punishment, and he was practically crying.

“fine.”

Jiang Feng pulled Chen Jingyu back and put the lighter into her hand. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll teach you.”

Jiang Feng held her hand and felt the cold fingertips.

“Order this small one first.”

He pointed at the “fire tree and silver flowers” on the ground.

“On the count of three, run.”

Chen Jingyu looked at Jiang Feng and mustered up her courage.

She took a deep breath… The firelight illuminated her profile. When the fuse was lit, she turned and ran, but bumped into Jiang Feng’s arms.

Fireworks bloomed behind her, silver sparks lighting up the night sky. When she looked up, she saw a smile in Jiang Feng’s eyes.

“Oh my god, this one looks good too!”

Tang Wenjun was eating dumplings from a thermos bucket when he pointed at the half-man-high firework on the ground and said, “This one is big. Keep this one. Let me have some.”

Chen Tiankuo leaned against the front of the car and took out a cigarette: “Take it easy, don’t burn yourself.”

He blew out a smoke ring, but his eyes fell on his sister.

Can’t help but laugh.

She is always so happy when she is with Jiang Feng.

When the largest firework was ignited, the night sky was lit up.

Chen Jingyu covered her ears, but couldn’t help but look up.

Jiang Feng stood behind her, smelling the faint scent of jasmine in her hair, and stretched out his arms to embrace her and protect her.

Fireworks exploded overhead, turning into stars in the sky.

“Make a wish.” Jiang Feng stood behind Chen Jingyu and said softly, “The fireworks on New Year’s Eve are the most effective way to make a wish.”

Chen Jingyu closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, casting a shadow on her face.

Jiang Feng looked at her serious profile and felt particularly good.

“What wish did you make?” Tang Wenjun came over and asked, with half a dumpling in his mouth.

Chen Jingyu opened her eyes and her face suddenly turned red: “I can’t tell you, it won’t work if I tell you.”

She lowered her head and pinched Jiang Feng’s fingers.

Jiang Feng felt the Nokia in his pocket vibrate. It was a text message: “Happy New Year, President Jiang.”

The sender’s distance is displayed.

Jiang Feng immediately replied with a message.

The fireworks haven’t been finished yet. Chen Tiankuo bought a lot and there is still a large pile left.

With Jiang Feng’s help, Chen Jingyu overcame her fear of fireworks and firecrackers. Now she follows Tang Wenjun to study how to play with the remaining fireworks.

Jiang Feng and Chen Tiankuo were standing by the car chatting.

Chen Tiankuo suddenly joked, “My dad asked you to come to our house for dinner on the second day of the New Year. Are you ready?”

Jiang Feng couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Don’t mention it. I haven’t slept well these past few days thinking about this.”

For men, the most confusing and anxious thing is to meet their future father-in-law.

Jiang Feng didn’t care at first.

I thought I was cool, free and unconventional enough.

But when he realized that he could no longer live without Chen Jingyu, he discovered that he was also an ordinary person, and like everyone else, he would worry about these things.

Because Chen Jingyu is extremely important in his heart.

Moreover, whether it is the development of a relationship or imagining the future, you need the support of your family.

Therefore, Chen Jingyu’s father is a very important issue for Jiang Feng.

“By the way, what’s your dad’s impression of me?”

Jiang Feng looked at Chen Tiankuo.

I want to test his opinion.

Chen Tiankuo rarely saw Jiang Feng so restless, and immediately developed some evil amusement, keeping him in suspense and saying:

“What impression? I remember it was okay. I didn’t say anything nice about you, nor did I say anything bad about you. What did I say that day? Let me think…”

Jiang Feng realized that Chen Tiankuo was deliberately teasing him.

So he smiled coldly and joked:

“Haha, if you push me too far, I’ll just kidnap Chen Jingyu and see what you can do.”

“Just go ahead and do it, you’re capable.”

Chen Tiankuo said indifferently.

When the brother heard this, he was not angry, but instead showed support for Jiang Feng.

Chen Tiankuo looked at Chen Jingyu who was playing with fireworks not far away, and continued:
“Anyway, I feel relieved that you’re taking care of Jingyu. You see how worried I am, and I don’t want her to follow in my footsteps… Sacrificing me is enough.”

At this time, Chen Tiankuo changed his previous unruly attitude and suddenly started to be serious.

Jiang Feng sighed.

He didn’t expect Chen Tiankuo to have such an attitude.

Getting the support from my brother-in-law not only did not give me more confidence, but I felt more stressed.

“This is the first time you’ve spoken human language, but why am I getting more and more panicked?”

“Fuck, you just can’t listen to good words.”

“Hahaha……”

Jiang Feng smiled and looked around.

The cultural square by the river is gathering more and more people, most of them here to set off fireworks. Red lanterns sway among the branches of the sycamore trees, and LED light strips wind along the marble steps, projecting the words “Happy New Year” onto the frosted backdrop.

The moment the countdown numbers returned to zero on the electronic screen, the first cluster of fireballs pierced the night sky.

The golden arc of light exploded as it reached the dome, as if someone had shredded the entire Milky Way and sent it cascading down. Children rode on their fathers’ shoulders, screaming. Young couples, holding up selfie sticks, were frozen in silhouette. An old snack vendor’s felt hat slipped off as he tilted his head back, revealing his graying stubble.

Not far away, Chen Jingyu lit a rocket, covered her ears, and watched the flash of fire that exploded in the air. Then she turned around and waved in the direction of Jiang Feng and Chen Tiankuo:

“Jiang Feng, brother, let’s set off fireworks together!”

Looking at the sweet and cheerful girl in front of him, at this moment, Jiang Feng made up his mind.

No matter what difficulties he faced, he had reasons to overcome them.

(End of this chapter)