On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhao Chen drove to Shen Zhiyi's house.
This is his second visit.
The first time was last fall, not long after he took over Henglong. He still looked like a student, carrying fruits and tea leaves, and was so nervous that he couldn't say anything in front of Shen Zhiyi's parents.
This time it's different.
When Zhao Chen arrived, Shen's mother was busy in the kitchen, and Shen's father was watching TV at Living Room.
Hearing the doorbell ring, Mother Shen poked her head out of the kitchen, her hands still stained with flour. "Zhiyi, hurry up and open the door!"
Shen Zhiyi ran out of the room, wearing a red sweater, her hair tied into a ponytail, and a smile on her face.
She opened the door, and Zhao Chen was standing at the door, carrying large and small bags-tea, health products, a box of cherries, and a set of Mololoy's Spring Festival limited edition Blind Boxes.
"Why do you bring so many things with you?" Shen Zhiyi whispered.
Zhao Chen smiled, "It's Chinese New Year."
Father Shen stood up from the sofa and walked to the door.
He was wearing a dark blue sweater, his hair was a little whiter than when we last saw him, but he was in good spirits.
"Xiao Zhao is here, come in, come in. Is it cold outside?"
Zhao Chen changed his shoes and put his things on the cabinet in the entrance.
"Hello, Uncle Shen. It's not cold. It won't be cold this Shan City winter."
Mother Shen came out of the kitchen with flour on her apron and looked at Zhao Chen with a smile:
"Xiao Zhao is here! I'm making Dumplings, stuffed with chives and eggs. Do you like it?"
Zhao Chen nodded. "Auntie who loves to eat."
Shen Zhiyi was smiling next to him.
Father Shen made a pot of tea in Living Room and asked Zhao Chen to sit down.
"Xiao Zhao, come, come, have tea. This year's new Longjing, my friend brought it back from Hangzhou."
Zhao Chen sat down on the sofa and took the teacup. Father Shen sat opposite and looked at him up and down.
This young man is much calmer than the last time we met. It's not the kind of calmness that is deliberately pretended, but was tempered by things.
"Xiao Zhao, how is the company lately?" Father Shen asked.
Zhao Chen nodded. "It's okay. The main task in the past two years is to reduce debt and lay a solid foundation."
Father Shen could hear Zhao Chen's measured words - no bragging, no complaining, just say what you have to say.
"It's not easy for you to manage such a big company well at such a young age," Father Shen said.
Zhao Chen shook his head. "It's not my fault alone. The team is good and everyone is united."
Father Shen nodded and did not ask any further questions.
He gave Zhao Chen a cup of tea, and the two of them chatted in Living Room -
Shan City's weather, what Spring Festival Gala's program will be this year, Shen Zhiyi's childhood embarrassing things.
Zhao Chen listened very carefully, laughed when it was time to laugh, and asked when it was time to ask.
When Dumplings was out of the pot, Father Shen took out a bottle of Baijiu from the cabinet. "Xiao Zhao, have a drink?"
Zhao Chen said, "Uncle Shen, I drove here."
Father Shen waved his hand. "Stay here tonight. There is a guest room at home, and the sheets are all new."
Zhao Chen glanced at Shen Zhiyi.
Shen Zhiyi lowered his head to eat Dumplings, and the tips of his ears turned red.
He didn't refuse anymore, took the wine glass and touched it with Father Shen.
After three rounds of drinking, Father Shen started talking more.
He talked about his youth--taking college entrance exams and entering Design Institute. At the end of the story, he suddenly fell silent.
Zhao Chen thought he had drunk too much, and was about to persuade him to drink less, when Father Shen suddenly spoke.
Zhao Chen put down the wine glass and looked at Father Shen seriously.
Father Shen said, "Our family's conditions are average and we can't give her anything. She has to make her own way in the future. But if you are by her side -"
He paused and said, "I hope you can treat her well."
Zhao Chen was silent for a while. Then he said, "Uncle Shen, don't worry."
Just these four words. No sweet words, no promises.
But after hearing this, Father Shen's eyes suddenly turned red. He picked up the wine glass, touched it with Zhao Chen, and drank it all in one gulp.
Shen Zhiyi sat next to him, his head lowered, tears welling up in his eyes.
Mother Shen patted Father Shen's shoulder lightly and said, "You've had too much to drink. Why are you talking about this?" But her voice was also trembling.
That night Zhao Chen stayed in the guest room of Shen Zhiyi's house.
The sheets are new and the pillows have the fragrance of laundry detergent.
He lay in the darkness, listening to the wind outside the window, and thinking about what Father Shen said.
He thought of his Father Zhao Jianguo--
The person who made a deal with him in Detention Center, the person who would do whatever it takes for the company, and the person who was finally driven to a dead end by his own son.
He didn't hate Zhao Jianguo. He just felt sorry. It was a pity that this man didn't stop when he should.
He turned over and closed his eyes.
The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lunar New Year's Eve.
It was already afternoon when Zhao Chen came back from Shen Zhiyi's house.
Su Wantang is busy in the kitchen, with a pot of chicken soup simmering on the stove, steaming.
"You're back?" Su Wantang poked his head out of the kitchen, his hands stained with grease, "Shen Zhiyi, how do your parents treat you?"
Zhao Chen changed his shoes, walked into the kitchen, and took a look at the dishes on the stove.
"I was so enthusiastic that I was embarrassed. He stayed with me for one night, and in the morning he packaged Dumplings for me to bring back."
Su Wantang smiled, "That's good."
Zhao Chen stood at the door of the kitchen, looking at the back of Su Wantang.
She was wearing an old sweater, her hair was tied up casually, and an apron was tied around her waist.
The chicken soup on the stove, the rice cakes in the steamer, the bacon on the chopping board - the whole kitchen smells like the Chinese New Year.
"Need help?" Zhao Chen asked.
Su Wantang didn't even look back:
"No need. You go to Living Room and sit down and watch TV for a while. Don't get in the way here."
Zhao Chen smiled and turned to Living Room. He sat down on the sofa and turned on the TV.
Spring Festival Gala hasn't even started yet, and various channels are broadcasting New Year customs from various places - making Dumplings in the north, making rice cakes in the south, singing Qin Opera in the northwest, and dancing dragon lanterns in the southeast.
The phone keeps ringing.
Chen Xi sent a message: "Zhao Zong, New Year are happy! Tell Wantang for me."
Zhao Chen replied with "New Year Happy".
Chen Qiming also sent a message, the wording was very formal, like writing an official document.
Zhao Chen replied "New Year happy, thank you for your hard work".
Zhang Qingxue's message is the most concise. "Xiao Chen, New Year is good."
Zhao Chen replied with the word "good".
Then Shen Jue, Liu Mingyu, Song Zhongping, Chen Wei--one after another.
Zhao Chen replied one by one, there was no group message, everyone replied with different content.
This is his habit.
The New Year's Eve dinner was prepared by Su Wantang.
Chicken soup, braised fish, steamed pork, stir-fried vegetables, and a plate of hand-wrapped Dumplings.
Zhao Chen sat down, looked at a table full of dishes, and suddenly said, "You made so much by yourself?"
Su Wantang sat down opposite him and took off his apron:
"It's only once a year. Eat it, it won't taste good if it's cold."
Su Wantang put a piece of fish meat into Zhao Chen's bowl. "Try this. I bought it at the market today. It's very fresh."
Zhao Chen took a bite and nodded. "It's delicious."
Su Wantang smiled.
She looked at Zhao Chen and suddenly said, "You are more relaxed this year than last year."
Zhao Chen was stunned for a moment. "Is there any?"
Su Wantang nodded. "Last year Lunar New Year's Eve, when you were sitting here, your whole body was tense.
At that time, you had just taken over Henglong, and the matter of Zhao Jianguo had not yet been settled, and the company's accounts were in a mess. This year is different."
This year is different.
The debt ratio of Henglong dropped to 49%, and Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities cleared it.
Bubble Mart has received 13% of its shares, Yunnan Agriculture has completed Strategic Investment, and Bitcoin has also completed liquidation.
Although Tesla's stock price is falling, he already has a coping strategy.
"Next year will be better." Zhao Chen said.
Su Wantang looked at him without asking why.
She just smiled, put a piece of braised pork into his bowl.
Spring Festival's days pass very slowly and also very quickly.
For Zhao Chen, this is the most rare rest time.
After the New Year, he will go to United States in person and collide with Wall Street.
Such peace will only get further and further away from him.