Chapter 54: A Troubled New Year's Eve

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  At that time, she never told her family about what happened with Qiao Yu. Last time she sent Da Miao back, she had already slipped up and said too much. This time, San Bao betrayed the country and surrendered to the enemy. She believed that with Shen Fanxing's IQ and EQ, he could completely infer what was going on.

  Ji Siyuan, feeling guilty and anxious, stayed on the construction site until the afternoon of New Year's Eve before daring to return home.

  During this time Shen Fen Xing was very calm and didn't even make a phone call to her.

  When she arrived home, Shen Fanxing was directing Ji Mo to wrap dumplings. Seeing her return, he looked surprised and asked, "What are you doing here?"

  Ji Siyuan looked wronged, "I specifically came back to spend New Year's with you guys."

  Shen Fenxing waved his hand, "No need for you to accompany me, these years you're not here, I and your dad are used to it, you being here makes us particularly awkward, go out and have some fun."

  Ji Siyuan looked out at the dark sky and thought about the cold wind outside, making a bitter face. "It's New Year's Day, where do you want me to go play?"

  Shen Fengxing smiled at her and said, "In the past when I asked you to come home for Chinese New Year, where were you playing? This year just continue going wherever you want to play!"

  Ji Siyuan let out a mournful cry and was driven out of the house. She stood at the door, scratching it and scolding.

  Shen Fengxing is the most petty woman she has ever seen! Just because she hasn't gone back home for Chinese New Year in a few years, does it have to be like this?!

  Qiao's family had a more lively New Year's Eve than in previous years.

  Qiao Yu brought Qiao Ye back from the hospital, and for once, Secretary Qiao didn't go to the grassroots level to offer condolences. Jiang Shengzhuo and Qiao Le Xi, a couple, also brought their twin babies to gather at Le Quan's place for New Year's Eve dinner.

  After dinner, Qiao Le Xi was sent back to the Jiang family by Qiao Bo Yuan. After all, a married daughter cannot stay in her parents' home for Chinese New Year, let alone bring someone else's son along.

  The two elderly people had always been regular in their daily routine, going to bed at 10 o'clock every night. After having the New Year's Eve dinner, they returned to their room to rest.

  Qiao Bo Yuan only had these few days off for the whole year, after watching TV for a while with a tired expression, he fell asleep at Le Jia's place.

  Qiao Yan's spirit wasn't great either, Qiao Yu chatted with him for a bit before sending him back to the hospital to rest.

  Qiao Yu called Ji Siyuan when he came out of the hospital, and she was squatting in the city center square blowing cold wind to watch a group of energetic men and women count down the New Year.

  Qiao Yu arrived at the square and saw her from afar, wrapped in a thick down jacket with a listless expression standing in the corner staring at the huge screen in the center of the square.

  He walked over and rubbed her head, "Why didn't you go home, what are you doing here?"

  Ji Siyuan sighed and looked wronged, "My mom said I can only go home after the countdown is over."

  Qiao Yu found it amusing, "What kind of rule is this?"

  Ji Siyuan looked at him and said with a hint of resentment, "I suppose it's punishment for not returning home for the New Year all these years."

  "Uh..." Qiao Yu's heart was uneasy, this sentence sounded like it had a lot to do with him.

  Qiao Yu accompanied her through the most helpless New Year's countdown of her life and then sent her home.

  Who would have thought that when two people were talking downstairs, they unexpectedly ran into Ji Mo and Shen Fanxing who had just returned from outside.

  Ji Siyun was somewhat caught off guard and didn't dare mention Qiao Yu's name, so she used the briefest six words to introduce him.

  "My friend. My parents."

  Shen Fenxing looked up and down at Qiao Yu, with a handsome face, calm eyes, and a gentle smile, calling out "Uncle, Auntie". When she smiled, her eyebrows and eyes were tinged with warmth. She turned to look at Ji Sixuan, who was indeed the type that Ji would like.

  Shen Fanxing looked at her for a long time, and Ji Sixuan held her breath for a long time. After Shen Fanxing sized her up, he didn't say a word, but instead gave Ji Mo a meaningful glance.

  Ji Mo's eyes sparkled with interest as he let out a light cough and turned to Qiao Yu, asking with a sincere expression, "Young man, do you know how to play mahjong?"

  Ji Siyun almost knelt down, only to realize that the two of them had probably gone out earlier to find mahjong partners but returned early after failing to do so. "Dad, Mom, forget it, they want to go home for Chinese New Year."

  Shen Fen Xing ignored her and turned his head towards Qiao Yu, saying "Just a few quick rounds!"

  Qiao Yu was taken upstairs by Ji Mo and Shen Fanxing before he could even react, under the gaze of Ji Siyu who seemed to be saying "you're on your own".

  As soon as Qiao Yu entered the door, Ji Siyun's heart began to pound with fear.

  Ji Mo's casual remark "Is this your first time here, young man? Would you like to take a look around?" made Ji Siyu feel as if everything was suspicious and that he was being tested.

  Based on Ji Siyuan's understanding of Shen Taihou, she would never allow herself to bring a man back while she was away.

  Qiao Yu stroked the big cat leaning against his leg, looking at Ji Si Xuan's almost flattering eyes, hesitated for a moment before responding expressionlessly, "Yes, first time here."

  Later, the four of them started playing mahjong. Except for Ji Siyuan being absent-minded and occasionally making a wrong move, the other three were all smiling happily. Everything was going well until...

  Empress Shen asked with a smile after watching Qiao Yu for a few rounds, "What's your surname, young man?"

  Ji Siyuan sighed inwardly, what was bound to happen had finally happened.

  Qiao Yu secretly stretched out his hand under the table and gently grasped hers, soothingly tapping her palm with his fingers, facing Shen Fanxing's gaze with a calm expression, and softly opening his mouth, "My name is Qiao Yu."

  Shen Feng Xing suddenly threw away the cards in his hand, and the smile on his face also faded a bit. He lowered his eyelids and didn't speak.

  Ji Mo actually appreciated Qiao Yu's responsibility, the name Qiao Yu, a few days ago Shen Fanxing mentioned to him that his own daughter had been away from home for several years because of this man and was unwilling to return. He also had some resistance at first, but Ji Siyu's affairs were always her own decision, so he didn't worry too much. Today, after seeing the eye movements and actions of the two people, he completely stopped worrying.

  Ji Siyun slightly kicked Ji Mo under the table, Ji Mo looked at Shen Fanxing's face, weighed it, and opened his mouth to save the scene before the atmosphere completely cooled down, "I'm hungry, let's cook dumplings to eat, what do you think, Xuanxuan?"

  Ji Siyun nodded vigorously, "I'm starving! Mom, go cook dumplings!"

  I'm afraid if you sit here for a little while longer I'll really have to take some nitroglycerin tablets.

  Shen Fengxing's gaze swept across the three faces before he sauntered into the kitchen to start cooking dumplings.

  The empress dowager was cooking dumplings alone, with three attendants standing beside her.

  "So, are you two in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship now?"

  Qiao Yu glanced at Ji Siyuan and replied, "Not yet, I haven't caught up yet."

  Empress Shen didn't know which side she was on either, and after glancing at Ji Siyu, commented, "Well, she's always been a bit too sensitive."

  Ji Siyuan's mouth twitched, and she was furious in her heart. Who did I inherit this pretentiousness from? It's all because of you!

  She didn't dare say this, standing there with her head bowed and eyes downcast being scolded.

  Ji Siyuan didn't know how other parents would react in such a situation, but it shouldn't be Shen Fansheng's indifferent reaction.

  Empress Shen looked silently at the boiling dumplings for a while before speaking up, "Alright, you can eat now."

  After finishing speaking, she started searching for a ladle everywhere, muttering to herself, "How come it's not here? I remember putting it here."

  Qiao Yu heard and immediately opened the top cabinet, "It's here, it's here. I put them all together after using them last time."

  The atmosphere suddenly became awkward, and the four of them stared at each other for a long time. Shen Taihou had a triumphant smile on her face, "After using it last time? When was that? How many times have you used it besides last time?"

  Ji Siyuan wanted to cry but had no tears, and with a face full of resentment, she punched Qiao Yu.

  Qiao Yu was quite embarrassed, he really learned a lesson about the fierceness of this empress dowager.

  Fortunately, Shen Feng Xing's attitude returned to normal afterwards. Her long fingers fiercely poked at Ji Si Xuan's forehead, "You actually dare to bring a man back while I'm not around with your dad! Ji Si Xuan, you're dead for sure!"

  Qiao Yu looked at her forehead, where a red mark quickly appeared, and felt some heartache. Several times he wanted to raise his hand to help her block it, but gave up under Shen Fanxing's watchful eye.

  This was probably the most chaotic New Year's Eve that Qiao Yu had ever experienced. Later, Ji Siyuan dragged him downstairs with his head down, Qiao Yu held her hand in one hand and placed the other on her forehead, gently rubbing the dark red mark with his palm, frowning and asking softly, "Does it hurt?"

  It's better not to mention it, but as soon as I think of Ji Siyu, I get annoyed. Glaring at him, "You're the one who said that! It's all your fault! You must have done it on purpose! What were you thinking, collecting a leaky ladle?! From now on, when speaking to Empress Shen, we must be extremely careful! Who knows which sentence will make her start digging a hole!"

  Qiao Yu had never seen Ji Si Xuan so flustered, and couldn't help but tease her with a smile, "Looking at the situation today, do you think there will be a next time?"

  Ji Siyun was taken aback, and suddenly her fierce expression changed to a bitter one as she asked him, "Qiao Yu, I don't dare go home now, what should I do?"

  On New Year's Day, Ji Siyu stood in front of her own building with Qiao Yu, speechless and tangled together.

  Qiao Yan did not survive this winter, just a few days short of Li Chun.

  That morning, before dawn broke, Qiao Yu received a call from the hospital and quickly appeared in front of the ward door, watching the attending physician's mouth open and close, but unable to hear what he was saying.

  Wen Shaoqing lightly pulled the attending doctor's sleeve and nodded slightly, then took Qiao Yu to a corner and only said one sentence.

  "Walking at night, walking very peacefully."

  Qiao Yu suddenly turned his head to look out the window, his jawline sharp and hard. After a while, he spoke up, "Have you informed my dad and Le Xi?"

  Wen Shaoying shook his head, "None of them, I think it's better if you notify them."

  Qiao Yu nodded slightly, his expression calm, "Then I'll go make a phone call."

  It was still freezing on the early morning of late winter, he got off the elevator, stood in front of the building, took a few deep breaths of cool air, and grasped his phone with all his might, how should he start?

  Qiao Bo picked up very quickly, and he answered after just one ring.

  Qiao Yu hesitated for a moment, "Dad, are you awake?"

  Qiao Bo Yuan sounded a bit strange, "Just woke up, what's wrong, calling so early."

  "I told you not to get excited", those few words were stuck in Qiao Yu's throat, and Qiao Bo Yuan seemed to have anticipated it, quietly waiting for him to speak up.

  Finally, Qiao Yu gritted his teeth and spat out a few words, "Big brother is gone, you'd better come to the hospital."

  As soon as the words fell, both sides were silent.

  It was a long time before Qiao Yu heard Qiao Bo's voice coming over, "Alright, I'll be right there."

  Qiao Yu called Qiao Le Xi, but Jiang Sheng Zhuo answered.

  "Hasn't Le Xi gotten out of bed yet?"

  "Not yet, the baby was fussy until late last night, she just fell asleep for a little while."

  "Oh..."

  "Second brother, is something wrong?"

  "It's nothing, just wait till she wakes up, then you can tell her again and come over."

  Jiang Shengzhuo sensed something was off and suddenly spoke up, "Wait a minute, I'll go call her right away."

  Qiao Le Xi furrowed her brow as she took the phone call, and in the next second, tears poured down like rain. She stared foolishly at Jiang Sheng Zhuo.

  Jiang Shengzhuo knew he had guessed correctly, but as he held her in his arms, he couldn't utter a single comforting word.

  Wen Shaoqiang stood a few steps away, watching Qiao Yu hang up the phone and slowly crouch down to the ground, his right hand tightly grasping the phone, his left hand covering his entire face as he trembled slightly.

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