"Is it really you, Brother Chu? It’s been over twenty years since we last met. Back when you started your company, you were doing incredibly well! We had such a great time working together, just like real brothers." Su Linsheng grew excited and happy as he recalled those days.
"Hahaha, this is truly fate! Over twenty years ago, we were as close as brothers, and I never imagined that two decades later, my son would be dating your daughter. It’s like we were always meant to be one family." Chu Yuntian laughed, his entire demeanor changing. He seemed like a completely different person.
"Ah, Brother Chu, after what happened back then... I tried to find you, I asked everywhere, but there was never any news. Where have you been all these years?" Su Linsheng asked with a sigh.
It was the kind of emotion that’s hard to put into words—like reconnecting with a long-lost friend after years of silence.
"Sigh. After everything that happened, I just went back to my hometown in the countryside to live out my years. You, on the other hand, Brother Su, are doing great for yourself. Your company’s gotten so big."
"Hardly. You know my capabilities as well as I do, Brother Chu. My precious daughter—your future daughter-in-law—is the one running the company. If that incident hadn’t happened to you back then, you’d be the one living in splendor right now," Su Linsheng said.
"Okay, okay, let’s not dwell on the past for now. When are you free to come over for a visit? And when did Miaoke and Chu Feng get together?" Chu Yuntian was still rather puzzled by their relationship.
After all, with Su Linsheng’s current fortune, he was a tycoon. Su Miaoke was the daughter of a rich family, the CEO of a corporation. How could she have fallen for his son, Chu Feng, a simple working man?
’Could it be because Chu Feng has some particularly outstanding quality? Some special talent that I, his father, don’t know about?’
’That can’t be right. If he had any special talents or outstanding qualities, wouldn’t I, his own father, know about them?’
"Ah, Brother Chu, you’re asking the wrong person. You should ask the two of them. A few days ago, Miaoke called to tell us she had a boyfriend, so I invited Xiao Feng over. He’s a fine young man, just as one would expect from your son. Jiayi and I are both very fond of him."
"The two of them aren’t getting any younger; it’s about time they got married. I was already quite pleased with Xiao Feng, but now that I know he’s your son, Brother Chu, I wholeheartedly approve of this marriage."
Su Linsheng said happily, but he was actually thinking to himself. If Su Miaoke married and moved on, he could take over the company. Since she seemed to really like Chu Feng, he certainly wasn’t going to object.
"Sigh, I’m very happy with a girl like Miaoke, too. But Brother Su, you know my situation... I’m just a poor old man," Chu Yuntian lamented.
But Su Linsheng just said, "Brother Chu, there’s no need for such talk between us. Weren’t all our ancestors just barefoot farmers at some point? I know you inside and out, and I know the kind of man you are. Miaoke still holds ten percent of the company’s shares. Even if she’s not running the company anymore, that’s more than enough for the young couple. You don’t need to worry about these things."
"Let’s not get bogged down in trivialities. As long as Xiao Feng and Miaoke truly love each other, that’s all that matters."
Su Linsheng sounded magnanimous and understanding.
In reality, however, he couldn’t wait for Su Miaoke to get married off. Her personal capabilities were simply too strong.
No one else in the family could compare to her. And since Su Miaoke was a woman and Su Linsheng had a younger son, he naturally wanted to regain control of the company to pass down to his son someday.
"Good, good. Now that you’ve said that, Brother Su, I can rest easy. In a few days, let’s pick an auspicious date and share a good drink," Chu Yuntian said, his face lighting up with excitement.
"No problem. After the New Year, we’ll find an auspicious date and have their wedding," Su Linsheng agreed.
"Perfect, perfect. Brother Su, when Miaoke marries into our family, my wife and I will be sure to treat her like our own daughter," Chu Yuntian said, also very pleased.
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before hanging up.
"No way... Dad, you have a history like that? Why have you never told us about it?" Chu Feng asked, shocked.
"Yeah, Dad. My brother and I have never heard you talk about any of this," Chu Hao added, his face full of curiosity.
"That was all more than twenty years ago. We started a company and were partners," Chu Yuntian said nonchalantly.
"Miaoke," Chu Yuntian said, turning to her, "your mother and I are very happy with these gifts. We love them. Our only concern is that they’re too valuable. You’ve spent too much."
Seeing how much his parents loved the gifts, Su Miaoke smiled. "Dad, Mom, as long as you like them, the price is no object."
Still, a lot of questions lingered in Su Miaoke’s mind.
’There must be more to Chu Yuntian’s story,’ she thought. After all, who would ever connect a farmer with a limp to the founder of a billion-dollar corporation?
"This is too expensive. I’m almost afraid to wear it." Chu Feng’s mother had never worn such fine clothes and was having a hard time accepting them.
Finally, after some gentle persuasion from both Su Miaoke and Chu Feng, his mother reluctantly agreed to wear them.
Afterwards, the family sat down to a happy and harmonious dinner.
The table was laden with food. Although it was simple country fare, the spread was lavish.
There was chicken, duck, fish, and lamb, along with all sorts of fresh green vegetables from the countryside. The aroma was intoxicating.
Su Miaoke was delighted as she ate, constantly praising Chu Feng’s mother’s cooking.
"Mom, your cooking is incredible! It’s even more delicious than food from a five-star hotel. It’s perfect in color, aroma, and taste."
Flustered by such high praise, Chu Feng’s mother was nonetheless overjoyed and kept piling more food onto Su Miaoke’s plate.
"If you like it, then eat up! Mom will make you something different and delicious again tomorrow," Chu Feng’s mother said happily.
After they had all eaten and drunk their fill, the family gathered around the charcoal brazier to watch TV.
This was what winter in the countryside was like. Unlike the city with its air conditioning and central heating, they could only rely on the traditional method of warming themselves by a fire.
"Chu Feng, will it really snow tomorrow?" Su Miaoke asked, sitting beside him on the sofa.
Without even looking outside, Chu Feng answered with certainty, "Yes. It’ll start within half an hour, and it’ll be a heavy snow."
"How do you know it’s going to snow in half an hour?" Su Miaoke was taken aback by his words, her expression turning curious and puzzled.
It reminded her of the old man from that other night. ’He must have a deep connection to Chu Feng.’