amaotonovel Chapter 1521 Uncle (Final Chapter)
Chapter 1521 Uncle (Final Chapter)
Chapter 1521 Uncle's Final Chapter
After their marriage, Qin Hao and Yang Xiaoyun lived a completely shameless life.
The business was basically handed over to Huo Dongfeng, and Qin Hao became a hands-off manager. The cake shop's accounts were delivered to his home by Li Xiuying, the cake shop manager, at the end of each month; Huo Dongfeng knew everything about Dingqinglou, so he didn't need to worry about it at all.
Qin Hao took Yang Xiaoyun on trips everywhere. In spring, they went to Hangzhou to see West Lake; in summer, they went to Beidaihe to escape the heat; in autumn, they went to Fragrant Hills to see the red leaves; and in winter, they went to Hainan Island to enjoy the sun and beaches. The two had a great time, making Cui Guomin and his group extremely envious.
"Can't you just shut up for once? Have you ever thought about how we poor folks feel?" Cui Guomin complained on the phone.
Qin Hao laughed and said, "You can bring your sister-in-law out to play too."
"Me?" Cui Guomin smiled wryly: "How could I have that time? There are a ton of things waiting for me to handle at the company."
Cui Guomin's repair company is thriving.
With the collapse of numerous state-owned enterprises, private companies took over these machines, making maintenance a major problem. Most of the secondhand equipment was antique from the 1950s and 60s, with a high failure rate and difficult-to-find spare parts. Private business owners were willing to spend money to ensure stable production, so Cui Guomin's business naturally flourished.
He and his apprentices traveled between factories every day. Sometimes, when they were busy, they couldn't go home for months at a time.
But he really made money. In the third year, he bought a big house in the best neighborhood in Donglin City, making Cui Meng so happy that she was laughing in her dreams.
Zhao Hailong's home appliance repair business is also getting better and better.
Although his skills weren't as good as Cui Guomin's, he had worked as a technician in a large state-owned factory for many years, so he had a solid foundation. Moreover, the more he repaired appliances, the more experienced he became. He could fix televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, radios—you name it.
Word of mouth spread, and more and more customers came seeking their services. Sometimes they could handle more than a dozen orders a day, keeping them busy from morning till night. Although they wouldn't live a life of great wealth, they could still support their family.
Two years later, through an introduction, he married another woman.
The woman, Liu Guifang, was from a nearby town. She was in her early thirties and quite pretty. Her ex-husband was an alcoholic who would beat her when drunk, and they couldn't take it anymore, so they divorced.
At first, Zhao Hailong was reluctant, and he declined several times when the matchmaker tried to set him up. Qin Hao thought he still had feelings for Zhang Xiaomei, and gave him a good scolding.
"Are you stupid? Is a woman like Zhang Xiaomei even worth your thoughts? She ran off with that Korean boss a long time ago, and you're still clinging to old feelings? Have you lost your mind?"
Zhao Hailong was so ashamed by the scolding that he couldn't lift his head. He muttered under his breath, "I'm not thinking about her, I just... I just..."
"What is it?"
"I just feel... with my circumstances, do you think anyone would even be interested in me?" Zhao Hailong lowered his head, his voice trailing off. "I'm divorced, I have a son, and I don't have much money..."
Qin Hao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled: "So that's what you're worried about. Let's go see him and talk about it."
As a result, after the matchmaker arranged the meeting, Zhao Hailong went directly to propose marriage.
The speed was astonishing.
It wasn't until the wedding day, when Qin Hao saw the bride, that he realized Zhao Hailong wasn't sentimental at all. This guy was simply a sucker for good looks.
Liu Guifang wore a red wedding dress, her hair was styled in a high bun, and she wore light makeup. Her eyes were smiling, and she stood there with the air of a demure young lady. Although she was in her early thirties, she had fair skin and delicate features, and was even more beautiful than Zhang Xiaomei.
"What kind of life does Hailong have!" Cui Guomin couldn't help but complain, "His second wife is even prettier than Zhang Xiaomei!"
Li Xiaozhen pinched him hard: "What? You want to change to someone prettier too?"
Choi Kookmin winced in pain: "How could I dare! I was just saying that!"
"Oh, so it's not that you don't want to, but that you're afraid?" Li Xiaozhen pinched even harder.
Choi Kookmin begged for forgiveness: "Wife, I was wrong! I really just said it casually!"
Qin Hao and Yang Xiaoyun watched from the side and smiled at each other.
During the wedding, Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei were inevitably dragged out and mocked for their corpses.
Especially Hongwei, who's over thirty and still doesn't have a girlfriend. Huo Dongfeng at least has a son, but what about him? He's all alone, spending his days busy at the cake shop.
"Hongwei, tell everyone what kind of people you like!" the old lady said with a smile. "We'll keep an eye out for you later!"
"Yeah, he's such a big boy now, what's there to be embarrassed about!" the crowd cheered.
Under persistent questioning, Hongwei finally admitted it, blushing.
"I...I have a boyfriend."
"What?" Everyone was shocked.
"Who?"
Hongwei's face turned even redder, and after stammering for a long time, he finally managed to stammer out, "It's...it's Manager Li from the cake shop..."
Li Xiuying!
Qin Hao's first employee, the seventeen-year-old girl who applied for the job, is now the manager of the cake shop, overseeing the accounts and personnel of more than a dozen branches.
"Great job!" Qin Hao gave a thumbs up. "This girl is efficient and has good character. You managed to win her over without making a sound? Impressive!"
Hongwei chuckled to himself, scratching his head as he said, "Actually... she was the one who pursued me..."
The crowd burst into laughter again.
A month later, Hongwei and Li Xiuying's wedding took place as scheduled.
Like Qin Hao, Hongwei had no one else in his family. His elder brother, Huo Dongfeng, became his witness and representative of relatives and friends. Standing on the stage, Huo Dongfeng was so excited he became incoherent, rambling on and on without even knowing what he was saying, making the audience laugh uproariously.
Li Xiuying wore a white wedding dress, a shy smile on her face. From a young girl who couldn't even find a job, she has come to where she is today, with a career, love, and a family. All of this started the moment she stepped into that cake shop.
She looked at Qin Hao below the stage, her eyes filled with gratitude.
……
Meanwhile, the children are also growing up.
Erpang is still as gluttonous as ever. However, since he started learning martial arts from Huo Dongfeng, he hasn't gotten as fat as before. He gets up early every day to practice, doing horse stance and boxing until he's covered in sweat. Huo Dongfeng is very strict with him and never lets him off the hook. But in private, the father and son have a very good relationship, often playing chess, watching TV, and chatting about school together.
Cui Meng not only got a Xiali car, but also moved into a big house. Unfortunately, Cui Guomin only came back once a year, during the Qingming Festival and the Spring Festival, as he was busy with business in other places the rest of the year. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and the relationship between the father and daughter has become much more harmonious. Every time Cui Guomin comes back, Cui Meng clings to him, asking all sorts of questions and listening to his stories about what he's seen and heard outside.
Guo Xiaoxue remained as sensible as ever. After her father, Guo Dapao, was released from prison, he worked diligently for two years and saved some money. Qin Hao suggested he switch to selling seafood, supplying directly to Dingqinglou. Guo Dapao listened and indeed made some money, making their lives much easier. Guo Xiaoxue no longer had to worry about making a living and could focus on her studies. Her grades were consistently excellent, always among the top in her grade.
……
Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.
2005, summer.
Erpang, Cui Meng, and Guo Xiaoxue have all graduated from university.
Guo Xiaoxue still chose to become a lawyer. Perhaps influenced by Guo Dapao's wrongful imprisonment, she had a special affection for the law. During her four years of university, she studied diligently, passed the bar exam with excellent grades, and entered a well-known law firm in the provincial capital.
Erpang returned home and took over Huo Dongfeng's job, becoming the manager of Dingqinglou. Originally, he didn't want to go home and wanted to try his luck in a big city. However, he encountered setbacks everywhere he looked for work, so he had no choice but to accept reality and return home to "inherit the family business."
Huo Dongfeng was quite pleased. He took Erpang under his wing and taught him step by step how to manage the kitchen, how to greet customers, how to deal with suppliers, and how to handle emergencies. Erpang learned very quickly and became proficient in less than a year.
Cui Meng, influenced by her mother Li Xiaozhen, studied accounting. After graduating from university, she got a job at an accounting firm in Beijing with a good salary and benefits. It wasn't far from home, so she could come back every month.
……
The sun was shining brightly that day.
Qin Hao and Yang Xiaoyun, along with their son Ji Ming, went to visit Grandpa Cui.
Ji Ming is already twelve years old, with a chubby face, just like Qin Hao when he was little. He held his grandmother's hand and chattered on and on, talking about school, the new lessons he learned, and the fights he had with his friends.
The old lady listened with a smile, occasionally patting his head.
Grandpa Cui sat in the courtyard, reclining in a chair and basking in the sun. He was seventy-six years old this year, still quite healthy, but his energy was noticeably less than before. His hair was completely white, the wrinkles on his face were deeper, and his eyes were much cloudy.
At first, the old man was in pretty good spirits, chatting with the three of them while basking in the sun. He couldn't stop smiling as he talked about the old days, about Dingqing Tower, and about when Qin Hao first arrived.
But then they fell silent.
Qin Hao turned his head and saw that the old man was leaning back in the recliner, his eyes closed, asleep.
He didn't pay any attention and continued chatting with Yang Xiaoyun. The old lady went inside to get a blanket, intending to cover the old man with it.
But just as Qin Hao was about to carry the old man back to bed to rest, he suddenly felt something was wrong.
The old man's hands were cold.
He felt the old man's pulse and then stopped.
"Grandpa?" Qin Hao called out softly.
no respond.
He called out again, this time louder.
Still no response.
Qin Hao's hands began to tremble.
He turned to look at the old lady, his voice hoarse: "The old man..."
The old lady walked over and looked at the old man. She reached out and gently closed his eyes, then turned around, hugged Ji Ming, and tears streamed down her face silently.
The courtyard was quiet, with only cicadas chirping in the trees.
Sunlight shone on the old man's face; his eyes were closed, and a faint smile seemed to linger on his lips. He passed away peacefully, without pain.
……
A week later, Mr. Cui's memorial service was held.
The main hall of Dingqinglou was set up as a mourning hall. Hanging in the center was the old man's portrait, his favorite photo—wearing a Zhongshan suit, standing at the entrance of Dingqinglou, smiling happily. Wreaths flanked the photo, and the elegiac couplet read "Highly Respected and Virtuous."
Many people came. There were old employees of Dingqinglou, neighbors, regular customers, and business associates. Sister Zhou cried until her eyes were swollen, and she lay prostrate before the coffin, refusing to get up. Li Xiaozhen and Cui Meng tried to comfort her, but they themselves were also crying uncontrollably.
Cui Guomin wept like a child. He knelt before the coffin, his forehead pressed to the ground, his shoulders heaving violently, his cries suppressed yet piercing. He had never cried during all these years of hard work and toil, no matter how bitter or exhausting it was. But today, he couldn't hold back.
This is his father.
The person who raised him from childhood, the person who scolded him when he made mistakes and praised him when he succeeded, the person who saved every penny of his life and gave him the best.
Now, it's gone.
Cui Xiaohong also came.
She was dressed in a black suit and wearing sunglasses, standing at the back of the crowd, her eyes red-rimmed. But this only lasted a short while; after the memorial service ended, she received a phone call and prepared to leave.
"Sister!" Cui Guomin called out to her.
Cui Xiaohong stopped walking, but didn't turn around.
Cui Guomin walked over and grabbed her arm. His eyes were frighteningly red, and his voice was trembling: "What's the rush? Dad hasn't even been buried yet, and you're leaving again?"
Li Xiaozhen wanted to persuade her husband to calm down, but looking at his appearance, she swallowed her words.
Cui Guomin pointed at Cui Xiaohong and roared, "How can you be so heartless? That's our father!"
The old lady stood aside, watching the scene unfold without saying a word.
At first, she could believe her daughter had her own difficulties and that she was having a hard time in Japan. But as time went on, she couldn't even fool herself anymore. For over a decade, there hadn't been a single phone call. During holidays, while other families were celebrating joyfully, she could only look at the family photo hanging on the wall and sigh.
Feeling humiliated by being questioned in front of so many people, Cui Xiaohong took off her sunglasses and glared at Cui Guomin: "Why are you yelling at me? Do you think I wanted this?"
Her voice became shrill: "I got married in Japan, and my husband's family doesn't want me to have any more contact with China. What can I do? Do you think I'm having an easy time?"
Cui Guomin sneered a few times: "Cui Xiaohong, stop making excuses! You're marrying someone, not selling yourself to them! Your legs are your own, they can't tie you up, can they?"
“It’s okay that you haven’t come back all these years! It’s okay that we raised Erpang for you! But Dad has treated you well, hasn’t he? You haven’t asked about him once all these years!”
His voice grew louder and louder, and everyone in the mourning hall looked over.
"Okay, I've already accepted that the round-trip tickets were expensive and it was inconvenient to come back! Can't you at least make a phone call? How much money would a phone call cost you? How much time would it take you?"
"Have you ever proactively called your parents in all these years? Have you?"
Cui Xiaohong fell completely silent.
She opened her mouth, wanting to defend herself, but couldn't utter a single word.
She subconsciously looked at the crowd, and then at Erpang.
In the crowd, Erpang stood behind Huo Dongfeng. He looked at her, his eyes complex but devoid of warmth.
Cui Xiaohong wanted to go over and say something to him. But Erpang took a step back and stood behind Huo Dongfeng.
That step, like a chasm, separated the mother and son.
Whispers arose from the crowd.
"How could such a good man as Grandpa Cui have given birth to such a daughter?"
"You were ignorant when you were young, and you've become an ingrate when you grow up."
"I heard that he abandoned his child and ran away, and hasn't come back for more than ten years. He's so heartless."
Those words were like knives, cutting into Cui Xiaohong's heart piece by piece.
Her face grew paler and paler until she finally couldn't bear it any longer. She turned around, rushed out of the mourning hall, and disappeared into the crowd.
Qin Hao looked at the distraught Cui Xiaohong without feeling any sympathy. This Cui Xiaohong was simply a "black-hearted cotton ball." When she was young, she was blinded by love and insisted on dating Huo Dongfeng despite Old Master Cui's objections.
If you're going to date, fine, but you got pregnant before you were even married.
Getting pregnant is one thing, but she should either get married quickly or have an abortion. Instead, she insisted on giving birth.
Then, not long after the child was born, Huo Dongfeng was arrested and sentenced to more than ten years in prison.
Later, Cui Xiaohong couldn't stand the gossip from her neighbors, so she ran away to Japan, leaving her child with Grandpa Cui and his wife, as well as her uncle Cui Guomin.
It's understandable that she had a tough time in Japan and couldn't come back, but judging from her clothes and the large wads of cash she casually pulled out, she must have been living a good life. Yet, she hasn't even made a phone call back all these years.
To put it bluntly, she's selfish. She only thinks about living a good life in Japan and never considers how her elderly parents and her younger brother, who just graduated from university, will support the children she left behind.
……
The funeral procession was very long.
Cui Guomin carried the old man's portrait and walked at the front. Qin Hao and Yang Xiaoyun held Ji Ming's hand and followed behind. Li Xiaozhen, Cui Meng, Huo Dongfeng, Erpang, Hongwei, Li Xiuying, Zhao Hailong, Liu Ye, and Guo Dapao silently saw him off with tears in their eyes. Behind them were the old employees of Dingqinglou and some neighbors who came to see him off on their own initiative.
A light rain was falling, wetting people's hair and clothes. No one carried an umbrella; they just walked on silently.
The burial site was chosen in Dongshan, a place the old man had personally selected before his death. He said it was quiet there, with a view of the entire Donglin City and the direction of Dingqing Tower.
The coffin was slowly lowered into the tomb.
Shovelfuls of soil were used to cover it up.
Cui Guomin knelt before the grave, his head pressed to the ground, his shoulders trembling violently, but he made no sound. Li Xiaozhen squatted beside him, supporting him, and she too was weeping uncontrollably.
Cui Meng hugged her mother, tears streaming silently down her face.
Huo Dongfeng stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes red-rimmed. He recalled many things. He remembered the first time he met the old man, the way the old man looked at him, and the care the old man had given him over the years. Although he had never called him "Dad," in his heart, the old man was a respected elder.
Erpang stood beside him, holding his hand tightly.
The rain gradually stopped.
Sunlight shone through the clouds onto the cemetery.
Qin Hao bowed deeply.
"May you rest in peace, old man."
Behind him, everyone bowed in unison.
A gentle breeze blows, carrying the fragrance of flowers from afar.
Rest in peace, old man.
……
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Everything in front of me gradually blurred.
The sunlight, the cemetery, the crowd—all turned into specks of light and vanished into the void.