Next day.
Morning of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.
“Dad, Mum, Eldest Uncle, Aunt, Second Uncle, I am returning now.”
“Alright. Drive safely and call Huilan when you reach.”
“Yes. Please go back. It’s cold outside.”
“Here, these are for you, mother. Work starts tomorrow, and I will get someone to send Huilan back.”
“Oh, I had left some health supplements in your car. It’s for your mother and your Uncle Yang.”
“Ok. I will give it to my Mum. Thanks, Dad and Mum. I am going. Take care and call me if you need me.”
“Haha…. Sure.”
“Bye. Come again when you are free.”
“I will. Bye.”
“Brother-in-law, you must teach me martial arts the next time you come.”
“Yes…. Come visit us in Fen Zhou when you are free.”
Dong Xuebing waved goodbye to Xie Huilan and her family. Before getting into his Porsche, he exchanged looks with Xie Huilan and Xie Jing. He had left his car at his workplace, and Xie Huilan knew he would need it. She asked someone to drive his car over before Lunar New Year.
After driving a while, Dong Xuebing’s phone sounded.
It was an SMS from Xie Jing. She sent Dong Xuebing Sun Kai’s address.
Dong Xuebing replied. “Is he living in the western district?”
Xie Jing replied. “I think so. I have not been to his place.”
Dong Xuebing replied. “Alright. I am going to pick him up. Did you tell him?”
Xie Jing replied. “Yes. I told him. Thank you, Brother-in-law.”
Dong Xuebing replied. “Stop thanking me. Alright, I am going over now.”
Dong Xuebing threw his phone on the passenger seat and drove toward Sun Kai’s address. His house is located in a secluded area in a Hutong district. He had to search for a while.
Outside of the house.
Dong Xuebing got out of his car and took some of the health supplements Han Jing prepared with him. “Xiao Sun! Xiao Sun”
“Brother Dong.” A door on the left opened. It was Sun Kai.
Dong Xuebing smiled. “I am early. Have you packed your luggage?”
Sun Kai looked worried. “Please wait for me to get my luggage.”
Dong Xuebing heard people talking inside and asked. “It’s Lunar New Year. I got to wish your parents a Happy New Year. Why are you not inviting me in?”
“Errr….”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing…. Please… please come in.”
Dong Xuebing looked around and entered the house.
Dong Xuebing was surprised by what he saw. The house was old, rundown, and small. It is around twenty square meters and only has one bedroom. He saw two beds in the bedroom and a mattress beside the living room. It was cramped with the cabinets and dining table.
Many people were inside. The older couple should be Sun Kai’s parents, and there was a younger couple with a baby girl around one-year-old.
Sun Kai said awkwardly. “Sorry, my place is small.”
Sun Kai’s mother said. “Young man, have a seat. I will get you water.”
Dong Xuebing smiled and passed her the gifts. “Don’t trouble yourself, Aunty. Happy New Year. Here are some gifts for you all. I wish you longevity and good health.”
Sun Kai’s father quickly rejects him. “No… we cannot accept it.”
“That’s right.” Sun Kai’s mother added. “These look expensive.”
Dong Xuebing placed the gifts aside. “Just accept it, or I will feel bad.”
Sun Kai introduced his family to Dong Xuebing. “They are my parents, and this is my sister and Brother-in-law.”
Dong Xuebing greeted them politely. No wonder Xiao Jing says she had not been to Sun Kai’s house. Sun Kai would not want Xiao Jing to see his house, and he did not invite Dong Xuebing in as he was afraid he would look down on him. Dong Xuebing sighed in his heart. Who says people in Beijing are wealthy? Most of the natives here live in poverty, and the gap between the rich and poor are more significant than in other parts of China. The people living in this district are primarily poor.
Sigh….
“Are you Xiao Jing’s Brother-in-law? Come in and have a seat.” Sun Kai’s father said.
Dong Xuebing quickly replied. “Yes, Uncle.”
Sun Kai’s mother added. “Sorry, our house is….”
“No…. It’s nice here. Haha…. I like the family vibes here. You don’t need to give up your seat. I can sit here.” Dong Xuebing did not let Sun Kai’s parents give up their seats on the only sofa in the house and sat beside a dirty stool.
Sun Kai’s sister quickly stops Dong Xuebing. “That stool is dirty. Sit on the sofa.”
Sun Jai quickly went over to help Dong Xuebing as he knew Dong Xuebing’s clothes were expensive.
Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “It’s not dirty. Sitting here is fine.”
Sun Kai had told his family that he was fired from his school yesterday. But he did not tell them Xie Jing’s father did it. He told them he was fired because of a mistake he made. He also told them about Xie Jing’s family and that Dong Xuebing would be helping him get another job. That’s why they were so polite to him. They poured a glass of water and brought out a fruit platter for him.
The little girl looked at the fruit platter before Dong Xuebing and said to her mother. “Mum, I want to eat oranges.”
Sun Kai’s sister gave her daughter a stare. “Stop it. That is for Uncle. I will give you some later.”
The little girl smacked her lips and nodded.
Dong Xuebing felt bad and waved to the little girl. “Come, have an orange. Uncle will peel for you.”
The little girl looked at Sun Kai’s Sister for approval and nodded.
Dong Xuebing gave the little girl a piece of orange. “Here.”
The little girl shook her head. “Uncle should eat first.”
“Haha… Ok. I will eat first.” Dong Xuebing ate a piece of orange, and the little girl started eating.
Dong Xuebing patted the little girl’s head. “She is adorable. Oh, it’s Lunar New Year, and I still have not given you a red packet. Give me your hand.”
Sun Kai quickly stops Dong Xuebing. “Brother Dong, no need.”
Sun Kai’s mother added. “That’s right. Honghong, you cannot take it.”
Dong Xuebing ignored them and took out a red packet from his bag. He had prepared many red packets to give to the children. After seeing Sun Kai’s family’s condition, he took out three red packets containing 6,666 RMB. He stuffed the red packets into Honghong’s hand. “Don’t listen to them. You must take my red packets.”
Sun Kai panicked. “Brother Dong….”
Honghong was scared. “It’s too thick.”
The three red packets were about to tear and were full of money.
Sun Kai’s parents refused to accept. “Just give Honghong one hundred will do. We cannot accept anything more.”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “It’s not a lot. It’s all one RMB notes inside.” He opened one of the red packets and pulled out the few RMB notes from it. “See…”
“It’s all one RMB note?” Sun Kai’s family accepted it unwillingly. “Then… Honghong, thank Uncle.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
“Don’t mention it.” Dong Xuebing pinched Honghong’s cheeks lightly.
Sun Kai knew Dong Xuebing’s red packets were not all RMB notes. How can someone with over 100 million RMB worth of assets give out red packets full of one RMB note? His Brother-in-law is on social assistance, and Sun Kai is the family’s sole breadwinner. He knew Dong Xuebing was doing this to help him improve his family conditions.
“Brother Dong, I cannot accept it.” Sun Kai said.
Dong Xuebing laughed. “That is my red packet for Honghong. What has it got to do with you? Have you packed your stuff? Let’s go.”
Sun Kai’s mother said. “Stay a while more.”
“No, aunty. We still have things to do. I will revisit you when I got time.”
“Alright…. Please take care of Sun Kai.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
Sun Kai was leaving, and his family bid their goodbyes tearfully.
Dong Xuebing was touched. “It is only around a one-and-a-half-hour drive from here. He can even return home every day. I will try to transfer him back to work in Beijing if he wants to in the future. Just treat his departure as going for some training.”
Sun Kai’s father nodded and shook Dong Xuebing’s hand. “Thank you. If he makes any mistake, go ahead and discipline him.”
Dong Xuebing smiled. “What are you talking about? Xiao Sun is more mature than me, and you don’t have to worry.”
Sun Kai took out his luggage from the room. “Brother Dong, I am ready.”
“Alright, let’s go. “
Sun Kai’s family walked them to the car.
Dong Xuebing waved goodbye and drove out of the Hutong district.
Sun Kai’s sister looked at the back of Dong Xuebing’s car and exclaimed. “I remember! That car is a Porsche! It’s a sportscar.”
Sun Kai’s Brother-in-law was shocked. “Is that the Porsche that cost a few million RMB?!”
“Oh, the red packets!”
Sun Kai’s father, sister, and brother-in-law opened one red packet each.
All of them were shocked. “6,666 RMB! All three red packets amount to more than 20,000 RMB!”
Sun Kai’s mother sighed. “Xiao Jing’s family are not ordinary people. Our Xiao Kai is not good enough for her. Sigh….”
