"Since it's our homeroom teacher's sixtieth birthday, as a student, I definitely have to go. Where is the party tomorrow?" Liu Yifeng asked, snapping back to reality.
With some excitement, Qiangzi said, "Gao Shuai is hosting this party, treating all of us classmates to a meal at Longteng Grand Hotel. I heard that after he graduated from college, he went into business with his family and made quite a lot of money. It's likely that the female classmates will be fawning over him again at the party tomorrow night. Alas, how did he end up with such a good family? Unlike us, who have lived in this mountain village since childhood, who knows when we'll become truly wealthy."
"What's this? Are you saying you're unhappy with your parents for not being rich?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? How could I possibly be unhappy with my parents? I'm just speaking my mind."
"It's good that you wouldn't dare to have such thoughts. Wealth must be earned with your own hands," Liu Yifeng lectured.
"I know, I know. Aren't I working hard every day!"
"By the way, what are you planning to give Teacher Xiong tomorrow?" Qiangzi asked curiously. He was also worried about this. Giving something cheap wouldn't be presentable, and something expensive was beyond his financial means, yet he didn't want to be outdone by others. This was also why he had come to discuss it with Liu Yifeng.
Teacher Xiong's birthday had come as a surprise, and Liu Yifeng couldn't think of a suitable gift. Giving clothes would be too cliché, and besides, he didn't know Teacher Xiong's measurements. Giving money would be even more vulgar, and Teacher Xiong likely wouldn't accept it. After thinking for a long time, Liu Yifeng thought a massage chair would be a good idea. People always felt uncomfortable here and there; having a massager would make them feel much better.
After hearing Liu Yifeng's idea, Qiangzi's expression drooped. "A massage chair isn't cheap. It would cost at least a few thousand, which is my entire month's salary."
"The importance of a gift lies in its sincerity and appropriateness to the recipient's preferences, not how much it costs. If you really don't know what to give, then choose one of the Four Treasures of the Study. I remember Teacher Xiong enjoys practicing calligraphy very much. You could give him a good brush, which would cost around two to three hundred yuan. You can afford that, right?"
"That sounds acceptable. Then I'll head to town early tomorrow afternoon to get the gift ready."
"We'll go together tomorrow, it'll be good to have company," Liu Yifeng said.
"But my car has been borrowed by my cousin. He said he's going to his mother-in-law's place, and since it's out of town, it'll probably take three to four days to return."
"Don't you remember, your minivan is still here with me? We can take that old minivan then."
"But that car is so dilapidated. If we drive it to a five-star hotel, won't we be turned away?" If Liu Yifeng hadn't borrowed it, he would have rather walked than driven it; it was simply too run-down. Let alone driving such a broken-down car to a five-star hotel, wouldn't people laugh him to scorn? Liu Yifeng, on the other hand, had long cultivated a thick skin, and the security guards there already knew him, so they wouldn't stop him unless they didn't want their jobs anymore.
"It's fine, our car isn't stolen or robbed, so why should we care about others' opinions? As for you worrying about the security guards stopping us, that's impossible. Just put your mind at ease!"
Despite Liu Yifeng's assurance, Qiangzi was still a bit uneasy. "Why don't we take the afternoon bus instead? We can grab a taxi to the hotel then."
"Since when did you become so thin-skinned? If you want to take the bus, you can. I'm not going," Liu Yifeng said.
Seeing that Liu Yifeng was determined to drive the minivan, Qiangzi put on a look of grim determination. "Fine then, we'll drive the minivan. At worst, we'll be laughed at. I'm not doing very well anyway, so why should I put on a show of pride and suffer?"
"No one will laugh at you; you're worrying unnecessarily," Liu Yifeng said, not quite understanding Qiangzi's thoughts. Besides, one should forge their own path and let others talk; you can't stop people from talking.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. By the way, I heard that you built greenhouses and someone reported you, even involving the city management. What are you going to do about it?" Qiangzi changed the subject.
Liu Yifeng said nonchalantly, "It's nothing. I just need to submit the materials for approval. It won't take much time."
Qiangzi then nodded with relief. "That's good. But who would be so heartless and have nothing better to do than to do something like this?"
"It was an anonymous report, so I don't know who it was. But I think it's for the best this way. Otherwise, if I had already built them and planted the vegetables, and then got reported, it would be more troublesome."
Qiangzi felt it made sense. "But from now on, you need to be more careful. There are still plenty of malicious people in this world, especially those who are envious."
"I know. Come over to my place for dinner tonight, and we'll have a few drinks!"
"Sure, I'm off today, so we can drink until dawn!"
"Drinking until dawn? Your wife won't stand for that," Liu Yifeng teased with a smile.
Qiangzi shot him a glare. "You're poking the bear, aren't you? Believe it or not, you'll be henpecked in the future too."
"How is that possible? If I get married, I'll definitely be the one calling the shots at home." No man likes to be bossed around by a woman, and Liu Yifeng was no exception.
"Daddy, are you going to marry Mommy?" Tongtong asked innocently.
Liu Yifeng, who had been in a good mood moments ago, suddenly lost it. His son was still fantasizing about their family of three reuniting. Little did he know, his mother had already blocked his phone number. It was a luxury even to see each other, let alone live together. If one day, Yun Duō'er became famous, she would look down on him even more. Therefore, his son's wish was likely to go unfulfilled. However, he didn't want to disappoint or sadden his son, so he smiled and comforted him, "How about Daddy takes you to see Mommy in a while, okay?"
"Okay! Thank you, Daddy!" Tongtong jumped up happily.
Qiangzi pulled Liu Yifeng aside and asked in a low voice, "You're not seriously planning to marry the child's mother, are you?"
"It's not as simple as me wanting to marry her. It also depends on whether the lady agrees!" Liu Yifeng knew that the possibility was zero.
"Tell me honestly, who is the child's mother? How can she not have visited even once after sending the child here for so long? I want to see what kind of woman could be so heartless as to abandon her own son so easily." Qiangzi was also a father, so he knew how much children longed for a complete family. He had no intention of getting a divorce in his life; regardless of whether he was happy or not, he was willing to persevere for the sake of his child.