Chapter 94: Chapter 42 Please Go Watch a Movie (Request for Subscription, Monthly Ticket, and Favorites) _2
Aunt, second aunt, and a few other ladies like Wu Yan were chatting while picking vegetables.
Around four in the afternoon, uncle and second uncle Luo Fei started preparing chicken, fish, and other dishes. The head chef was Uncle Wu Zhiwei, while Luo Fei and second uncle were helping out on the side. The aunts took a break, sat down, and chatted while munching on sunflower seeds and candy.
For some reason, in Ningjiang County, it seems that whenever there’s a somewhat larger gathering, it’s always the men who do the cooking.
At seven in the evening, the New Year’s Eve dinner and Luo Fei’s promotion celebration officially began.
Luo Fei, uncle, and second uncle prepared a total of twelve dishes, including chicken, duck, fish, and meat. Uncle Wu Zhiwei’s cooking skills were quite impressive. Luo Fei thought that if he didn’t work at the pig farm anymore, opening a restaurant might not be a bad business venture.
That evening, Luo Fei drank beer with his uncle and second uncle. Halfway through the meal, uncle drank too much. He held Luo Fei’s hand and started talking about the hardships Wu Yan had endured raising three kids in the city over the years.
As he spoke, uncle started to cry. He said his heart ached for his sister, who had suffered so much over the years. Second aunt cried, Wu Yan cried, and then Luo Xiaoxiao started bawling when she saw them crying.
Seeing Luo Xiaoxiao cry more sorrowfully than anyone, everyone, including uncle and the rest, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Uncle and second aunt only left after midnight, after finishing their chat and cleaning up all the dishes.
On New Year’s Day, Luo Fei and his family dressed up and went shopping early in the morning.
That day, Ningjiang County was busier than ever, and the streets were packed full of people.
Of course, the crowd was largest at the plaza because there was a lottery event there. The first prize was a Mercedes worth five hundred thousand, the second prize was two hundred thousand in cash, and the third prize was a hundred thousand in cash, along with various other prizes ranging from a few yuan to several thousand yuan.
Luo Fei wasn’t particularly thrilled about the lottery, knowing the chances of winning were slim. However, Luo Hao, Luo Xiaoxiao, and even Wu Yan were quite excited about it. Luo Xiaoxiao and Luo Hao quickly spent all their New Year money on tickets.
At the event, a worker named Cheng Zhiyou won a third prize. Receiving the hundred thousand in cash on the spot only fueled everyone’s desire to try their luck. Even Wu Yan, who originally planned to spend only a hundred yuan, ended up spending another fifty yuan on five more tickets and won a twenty yuan prize.
Luo Fei also spent fifty yuan on five tickets, but won nothing.
The joy during the lottery turned to disappointment on the way back. Luo Xiaoxiao and Luo Hao were upset as Luo Xiaoxiao had planned to buy nice clothes with her New Year money, which was now all gone.
Luo Hao, too, wanted to buy a bicycle with his New Year money, but now it was all gone.
Wu Yan was the one most upset. Upon calculating their expenses, she realized that she, Luo Xiaoxiao, and Luo Hao had spent seven hundred yuan in total. It pained her so much that she regretted participating in the lottery.
Early on the second day of the New Year, Luo Fei took Luo Xiaoxiao and Luo Hao to visit their uncle and second aunt for New Year’s greetings.
Afterwards, Luo Fei went to give New Year’s greetings to Zhang Haiyang and Zhou Weimin.
While visiting Zhao Donglai, Yang Mei was also there for New Year greetings. Luo Fei wasn’t surprised as he had heard from Wang Lei that Zhao Donglai was Yang Mei’s uncle.
Luo Fei originally planned to deliver his gifts and leave, but Zhao Donglai insisted he stay for the meal, so Luo Fei ended up staying for lunch.
At the dining table, Zhao Donglai’s wife, Yang Mei’s aunt—a charming woman—kept asking Luo Fei questions, making both Luo Fei and Yang Mei feel quite embarrassed.
After finally finishing the meal, Zhao Donglai asked Yang Mei to walk Luo Fei out, making even the relatively oblivious Luo Fei sense that there might be something more going on.
Honestly, before this, Luo Fei hadn’t thought about dating. Partially because he wasn’t interested and partly because he felt he couldn’t afford the time, money, and energy needed for a relationship, all of which he lacked.
Moreover, having lived two lifetimes, Luo Fei had matured and didn’t have high expectations for love. He didn’t crave a grand, passionate romance; he felt that finding someone with compatible values who could understand and tolerate each other, and who was aesthetically pleasing to him, would be enough to spend a lifetime with.
Luo Fei did have a bit of a fondness for Yang Mei; her appearance and personality met his ideal criteria for a wife.
Yes, not a girlfriend—a wife.
To Luo Fei, dating a girlfriend meant finding a wife. A relationship that couldn’t culminate in marriage was meaningless, only wasting time and energy. Luo Fei wouldn’t engage in such relationships.
When Luo Fei and Yang Mei reached the entrance of the community.
After thinking for a moment, Luo Fei turned to Yang Mei.
"Yang Mei, there’s a Zhang Yicheng movie playing tomorrow night. Can I invite you to the movies?" Luo Fei asked directly.
If Yang Mei agreed, it would mean she was interested in him, and they could keep interacting. But if she declined, it would indicate no romantic interest, and Luo Fei would naturally give up.
With a woman who doesn’t like you, no matter how much effort you put in, it’s in vain. Even if she eventually agrees to be with you, it wouldn’t be because she likes you.
Having lived two lifetimes, Luo Fei considered himself quite open-minded about dating. If it works, it works; if not, each should go their separate ways without hindering each other since no one is indispensable.
"Ah!" Yang Mei was startled and looked up to meet Luo Fei’s gaze, blushing instantly. She hadn’t expected Luo Fei to be so straightforward. After all, although they had interacted before, they hadn’t had many serious conversations.
"Why’s he so direct? How am I supposed to respond?" Yang Mei felt flustered yet slightly delighted. She didn’t know how to answer on the spot. Agreeing immediately might make him think she was too easy.
Not agreeing, on the other hand, might make her miss out since she did have a good impression of Luo Fei. It was her first time having such feelings for a guy, and she worried he might take her hesitation as a disguised rejection.
After hesitating for a while, Yang Mei, trying to act casual, said, "Sure! I wanted to see Zhang Yicheng’s movie too."
"Alright, see you at the cinema entrance at six tomorrow afternoon," Luo Fei replied with a smile, feeling quite happy inside.
"See you at the cinema. I’m heading up now," Yang Mei said to Luo Fei, her voice sounding even softer.
"Okay, you go up now," Luo Fei nodded in reply.
As Yang Mei turned and walked toward the building, Luo Fei watched her tall figure, feeling unexpectedly cheerful, a smile on his face.
With a good mood, Luo Fei was on his way home when he realized he forgot to ask Zhao Donglai whether he should visit Director Wu for New Year’s greetings. Yang Mei’s aunt had been asking him so many questions that Luo Fei didn’t have the chance.
After some thought, Luo Fei decided to call and ask.
The call went through quickly, and Luo Fei told Zhao Donglai his thoughts.
Zhao Donglai suggested that Luo Fei should visit Director Wu for New Year’s greetings. Although they didn’t interact much at work, Wucheng had helped Luo Fei several times before: transferring him to the Criminal Police team from the police station, nominating him for Outstanding Police Officer of the Year, and significantly assisting his promotion to Squadron Leader of the Third Squadron.
Considering all the help he had received, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Luo Fei not to pay his respects.
Thinking it over, Luo Fei realized it wouldn’t be fit not to visit Director Wu for New Year’s greetings.
So early on the third day of the New Year, Luo Fei specially bought two bottles of Maotai, two packs of soft cigarettes, some fruit, and snacks, following the address provided by Zhao Donglai.
Unfortunately, Director Wu wasn’t home; he was said to be attending a meeting in the city, and only his wife and daughter were at home.
With Director Wu absent, Luo Fei felt it wasn’t appropriate to stay long, so he left the gifts and returned.