Spring Festival and an Unexpected First Meeting

On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Wei Jin returned to his hometown.

Looking at his travel-worn son, Wei Xingbang was filled with emotion.

"How long are you planning to stay this time?"

"I'll head back to Beijing on the fifth. There are still some things at the company I need to deal with."

Wei Jin hadn't planned to stay in his hometown long. He simply couldn't relate to it.

"Mm, then remember to find time to visit your uncle."

Wei Xingbang was a little pleased to hear that. Ever since his wife had passed away, father and son had been left to depend on each other.

His son had gone to a university far away and hadn't even come home for summer vacation. Wei Xingbang felt that his son had grown somewhat distant from him.

"Isn't uncle spending the new year with us? Can he manage on his own?"

Wei Jin was curious. They were both men living alone, so why didn't they spend the new year together?

"I've asked him so many times. Your uncle is terribly stubborn."

Wei Xingbang got a little worked up whenever he mentioned his older brother. The man was well along in years, yet even after his accident last time, he still hadn't learned his lesson.

"How about I try to persuade him?"

Wei Jin couldn't help feeling that spending the new year alone was rather lonely, and he felt some pity for his uncle.

"It's no use. Don't go looking for trouble. Visit him after the new year."

Wei Xingbang had no way of dealing with his older brother, and he had long since understood his temperament.

The next day, Wei Jin accompanied Wei Xingbang to the supermarket to shop for the new year.

Wei Xingbang was in high spirits all the way there. Normally, he lived alone and didn't fuss over much, but with his son home this time, he felt they ought to stock up on more things.

He turned into a shopping whiz at the supermarket, buying lots of snacks and telling Wei Jin that he had loved them as a child, but his mother wouldn't let him eat them. Though he rambled on and on, Wei Jin could feel it. Perhaps this was a father's love.

After they got home, Wei Jin made dinner, but he only knew how to cook a few home-style Sichuan dishes, which made Wei Xingbang curious.

"You've learned to cook? How come you're making nothing but Sichuan dishes?"

"I tried them near school and liked them, so I casually learned how to make a few."

Wei Jin could only give a vague answer and muddle through.

"Not bad, not bad. Your cooking's pretty good, just a bit too spicy."

Wei Xingbang tasted a couple of bites and praised him repeatedly.

After dinner, Wei Jin insisted on shooing Wei Xingbang out of the kitchen and washing the dishes himself. He couldn't stay away from home all year and still make his father work when he came back.

When he returned to the living room, he found Wei Xingbang engrossed in the television. Wei Jin glanced over. Whoa, it was Emperor Wu of Han.

"Didn't this show air ages ago? Why are you watching a rerun?"

In fact, the show had begun airing in early January and had long since finished. Its first run had earned ratings above seven, a very good result. Historical dramas about power struggles like this were especially popular with middle-aged and older men.

"I didn't know it was on at the time. By the time I started following it, I'd already missed quite a few episodes."

Wei Xingbang answered as he ate sunflower seeds, without even turning his head. It seemed he really was hooked.

But to be honest, the show was very well made, and the casting was excellent, especially Chen Baoguo, who had fully brought out Emperor Wu of Han's imperial majesty.

"Our company invested in this show. If you like it, I'll get you the complete set on disc."

Seeing that his father was interested in the show, Wei Jin catered to his taste.

"You can invest in serious historical dramas like this now?"

As a university lecturer, Wei Xingbang knew the production background of shows like this quite well. It was genuinely difficult for a small company to get involved. Had his son's business already grown so big?

"I invested at a premium, mainly to build a good relationship with CCTV. I wasn't looking to make money."

Wei Jin went on to explain some of the industry's rules. Wei Xingbang was quite interested in the twists and turns of the entertainment industry, and for a time, the father and son's warm conversation made for a heartwarming scene.

On New Year's Eve, Wei Xingbang didn't let his son cook again. He couldn't handle food that spicy.

After their New Year's Eve dinner, Wei Jin began sending texts and making phone calls.

Watching the fireworks rise outside the window, Wei Jin suddenly realized that he had been in this world for almost two years. He had completed his initial accumulation of wealth, but which direction should he develop in next?

On the second day of the new year, Wei Jin took the gifts he had brought back from Beijing to the residential compound where his uncle lived.

It was a very old compound, and the sides of the buildings had taken on a greenish tinge. Once inside, he could also clearly feel that there weren't many people around. He didn't know why his uncle insisted on living here and refused to move.

As he approached the entrance to the building, Wei Jin spotted a Mercedes-Benz S600. Mercedes cars weren't particularly rare these days, but seeing one in a compound like this was somewhat surprising.

Wei Jin didn't notice that the Mercedes was still running.

He went upstairs and unlocked the door. Wei Xingbang had given him the key; ever since Wei Anguo had fallen last time, Wei Xingbang had kept one just in case.

"Is that you, Jin?"

His uncle's voice came from the living room.

"Uncle, it's me. I've come to wish you a happy new year."

Wei Jin answered as he walked inside. Entering the living room, he saw a small figure sitting on the sofa, facing away from the door.

"Uncle, do you have a guest?"

"Jin, come, let me introduce you. This is Tiantian."

The figure on the sofa stood and turned around, politely extending a hand.

"Hello, Brother Wei. I'm Jing Tian. Hm? You..."

The young woman before him had bright, well-proportioned features, fair skin, and a melon-seed face tending toward a heart shape. She had the makings of a beauty with a distinctly Eastern charm. For a moment, Wei Jin's brain froze.

"Ah, hello. I'm Wei Jin, but what brings you here?"

Wei Jin briefly clasped her hand, then asked.

"Tiantian came to see me. I have some ties with her family."

Seeing that his nephew was somewhat bewildered and that Jing Tian also seemed a little dazed, Wei Anguo spoke up to explain.

Who would have thought that his explanation would leave Wei Jin even more bewildered? Uncle, could you be some God of War of Huaxia living here in seclusion? What standing does our family have to have ties with Jing Tian's family? This is Big Tiantian, the only person I followed on Weibo in my previous life.

"How come I've never heard you mention it?"

"That was all back in those days. It's all in the past, so what's there to mention? Oh, right, Tiantian, didn't you sign with a company? Your Brother Wei Jin is a big director. Let him give you some advice. Mm, Tiantian?"

Wei Anguo clearly didn't want to talk about those days and shifted the subject to Jing Tian. Still, it was clear that the old man was close to Big Tiantian.

"Ah, I remember now! You're the director of Those Years, Wei Jin?"

Jing Tian, who had been in a daze for quite a while, suddenly cried out, finally realizing who the grown boy who looked somewhat familiar was.

Hearing this, Wei Jin nodded, a little amused. As expected of Big Tiantian, whose reactions were famously slow.

"A while ago, I went to see the movie with my classmates in Beijing. Zhang Shiyi was so beautiful, and Liu Yifei acted so well. I loved it."

Jing Tian's face lit up as she talked about the movie. It was clear she really loved it.

"Thank you for supporting the box office. You're quite cute too. You're about the same age as Liu Yifei. I'll introduce you two if there's a chance."

By now, Wei Jin had calmed down somewhat. After all, Jing Tian was just a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl right now, still a long way from being a flower of wealth and beauty.

"Really? That's wonderful!"

"Of course it's true. Oh, right, um, Tiantian, I'll call you that. You've signed with a company? Are you preparing to make your debut?"

Wei Jin remembered that Jing Tian seemed to have made her debut in 2006 in his previous life.

"Mm, I want to become a big star. Then lots of people will know me and like me."

The young, green version of Big Tiantian wore a look of anticipation.

"Oh, right, Brother Wei Jin, if I want to make my debut, do you have any advice?"

Although this was their first meeting, Jing Tian was quite willing to trust Uncle Wei's nephew.

"Mm, if you really want to become a star, I suggest you learn some basic skills first. If you want to be a singer, study music theory and practice singing. If you want to be an actor, study performance and work on your acting."

Wei Jin gave her some very sound advice. If you wanted to eat from the entertainment industry's bowl, sooner or later it would bite back if you didn't have a skill to rely on.

"Mm, okay. I'll hire a teacher when I get back."

"Oh, right, Tiantian, what's the company you signed with like? Does it have any experience managing artists?"

Wei Jin suddenly recalled how badly Jing Tian's early projects had flopped in his previous life. Her company clearly bore a great deal of responsibility.

"Ah, the company was only just established. My family was worried about me, so they asked an elder to look after me."

Jing Tian answered a little sheepishly, having understood what Wei Jin meant.

Wei Jin merely nodded and said no more. The three of them chatted for a while longer before Jing Tian took her leave. After exchanging phone numbers, Wei Jin saw her downstairs.

Watching Jing Tian get into the Mercedes and drive away, Wei Jin reflected on the surreal experience he'd had today. For a while, his thoughts scattered, drifting off who knew where...