Chapter 35

Su Yan looked at the sea of vegetables and fruit. "Nonsense. But taking it all out would be troublesome. If you don't understand, don't talk."

"Yan Yan, I'm practically turning into a stone waiting for my husband... How much longer do I have to wait?"

"You waited thousands of years already. Be a little more patient."

Su Yan took the vegetables and fruit from the very edge out of the space. The ones at the edge contained the least spiritual energy. Su Yan had deliberately controlled it; the vegetables and fruit being sold now were of lower quality than at the beginning. Of course, the taste had not changed—only the spiritual energy they contained had changed, and outsiders would not be able to tell.

This was simply a batch of vegetables and fruit that tasted excellent, were healthy in quality, and guaranteed to contain no chemicals.

That fact alone—that they contained no chemicals—was enough to make them unmatched on the market.

In the blink of an eye, it was the morning of New Year's Eve. Every household was busy preparing reunion dinners, and fewer people came out to shop.

The store grew quiet. Aunt Xu closed her stall and came over, taking out two red envelopes and handing one each to Lin Qiang and Chen Yan. "These are red envelopes for you, and they count as overtime pay. I really feel bad making you work on New Year's Eve. I'll have to trouble you to come over again on the first day of the new year."

Their eyes lit up. Lin Qiang spoke first. "Thank you, Auntie! I'll definitely hurry over early on the first day!"

"Thank you," Chen Yan said with a smile.

Aunt Xu hurriedly added, "I reserved a table at Wisteria Flower Restaurant. We're going to have a reunion dinner too."

"Really, Auntie?" Lin Qiang was overjoyed. His family's circumstances were ordinary, and they ate their reunion dinner at home every year. They could never bear to enter a fancy restaurant.

"Yes. That restaurant uses vegetables from my family's farm, and the chefs are skilled too. The food is especially delicious."

The four of them took a taxi to Wisteria Flower Restaurant and headed straight for their reserved private room.

Lin Qiang rubbed his hands together. "The decor is so luxurious. Are those tropical fish in that bathtub?"

"They're peach blossom fish, for display."

"They're really pretty."

Chen Yan was even more reserved than Lin Qiang. Her clothes were tattered, and quite a few people had looked at her when she entered. All her wages, plus the red envelope, gave her more money than she had ever had on her in her life. But she still did not dare buy herself new clothes.

"Eat. Stop spacing out," Su Yan urged. There were four of them, and Su Yan had ordered eight dishes and a bottle of wine.

With Lin Qiang and himself there, he was not worried about finishing it. Both of them had enormous appetites and could eat a lot.

"Su Yan, let's toast. Happy New Year! Study hard and make progress every day!" Lin Qiang raised his glass.

Su Yan burst out laughing. "Do you think you're an elementary school student? Cheers! Happy New Year. Happy New Year, Chen Yan."

Chen Yan hurriedly raised her glass. "Happy New Year..."

"Chen Yan, here's to you. May your studies improve in the coming year, and may you grow prettier and prettier," Lin Qiang said loudly.

Chen Yan smiled stiffly and clinked glasses with him.

"Chen Yan is already pretty. Haven't you noticed?"

Lin Qiang nodded fiercely. "I thought you hadn't noticed. I noticed a long time ago. How should I put it? Chen Yan is still Chen Yan, but she's changed a lot. Chen Yan, you should comb your hair properly and show your face. I guarantee no one will call you ugly. It would be even better if you changed into a more respectable set of clothes."

"..." Chen Yan lowered her head and said nothing, but her fingers nervously clenched her clothes.

Aunt Xu suddenly pulled out three bags and handed them to Chen Yan. "Chen Yan, Auntie bought these clothes especially for you, so you can celebrate the new year properly. Lin Qiang and Su Yan don't get any—Auntie only bought clothes for you. Looking at you reminds me of my own daughter... When will my daughter come back and spend the new year with me..." Aunt Xu's eyes blurred with tears, and her voice choked. "My daughter is about your age. She's only sixteen this year. If I'd been stronger back then, that child could be attending high school with you now... It's all my fault."

"...Auntie, you're a good person. One day, your daughter will remember how good you were to her." Chen Yan rarely took the initiative to comfort anyone. Aunt Xu forced a smile and waved her hand. "Let's stop saying such depressing things. Eat, everyone. Keep eating. Chen Yan, remember to wear your new clothes tomorrow."

"Mm... Thank you, Auntie."

The reunion dinner did not end until two hours later. Lin Qiang and Chen Yan went home separately, while Su Yan urged Aunt Xu to leave as well.

Once Aunt Xu left, Su Yan stood alone outside the restaurant and let out a breath. It was New Year's Eve, and everywhere carried the lively red warmth of celebration.

A large group of laughing, chatting people came out of the restaurant. There were men and women, young and old; at a glance, they were clearly one big family out for a reunion dinner, a household with three generations under one roof. The vast crowd brushed past Su Yan.

Su Yan fiddled with his phone and left Zhang Wei a text message before turning to go home.

By the time Zhang Wei hurried outside, Su Yan was already gone.

The residential complex was decorated with lanterns and streamers, buzzing with excitement. Children played noisily all over the ground downstairs, chasing one another with sparklers in their hands. Every happy home was filled with laughter and cheer. And every unhappy family hid away in silence.

Su Yan was alone, and Aunt Xu was alone. They were not the most unfortunate people; they were merely two such households among many.

Aunt Xu might have been aching with longing for her daughter, hiding at home alone and wiping away tears. Su Yan would not cry. He had spent too many new years like this; he had long forgotten anger and sorrow.