CHAPTER 76
Xiaoyuan woke up from a nightmare, drenched in sweat, sitting on the bed in a daze.
After Tiantian finished showering, she saw Xiaoyuan's dazed expression, "Sister Yuan?"
"Oh," Xiaoyuan slowly blinked.
Tiantian came over to check her temperature and finally felt relieved. "The fever has finally gone down. Do you still feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
Xiaoyuan shook her head.
She took a deep breath, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom. When she came out, her small face still had droplets of water on it, but she looked a bit more energetic.
Tiantian felt something was off about her but couldn't pinpoint it. Just as she was about to say something, Xiaoyuan smiled, "Happy New Year, Tiantian! Did Brother Cai Juan give you a red envelope?"
"He did, and he also gave me a gift." Tian Tian said apologetically, "I also sent you a small red envelope, Sister Yuan."
"Oh, haha, great." Xiaoyuan took her phone, opened WeChat, received the red envelope that said [Happy New Year, wishing you great fortune,] and also sent Tiantian a red envelope of 888.
"Make sure to accept it, it's lucky." Xiaoyuan knew that if she sent too much, Tiantian wouldn't dare to accept it, this amount should be within her comfort zone.
Tiantian thanked her, reminded her to drink more water, and said she was going to call home, then left.
Xiaoyuan slid open her phone, paused at the conversation box from Wei Zhuang, and then saw two missed voice calls from Xiang Zhishi. She returned the call.
"Brother~"
"Feeling better from the cold?"
"Much better, I'm fine."
The siblings wished each other a Happy New Year.
Xiang Zhishi was with their mother in Pengcheng.
Xiaoyuan hesitated for a moment, but Xiang Zhishi smiled first, "I know, I'll tell mom. I'll say you wish her a Happy New Year."
Xiaoyuan bit her lip and said, "Brother, I can earn money now too. Buy her something to eat or wear..."
Xiang Zhishi smiled warmly, "Brother knows it all."
Xiaoyuan pressed her lips together, just about to say something when she heard a woman's voice on his end say, "Are you on the phone with your sister?"
She froze, the voice was pleasant, filled with laughter, suggesting a close relationship with her brother.
She heard her brother respond with an 'mm-hmm' and say something, then she couldn't hear the female voice anymore.
Xiaoyuan felt like her whole being was hanging in the balance and exclaimed in shock, "Brother, are you in a relationship?"
Xiang Zhishi coughed twice, didn't give a direct answer, made a few excuses, and unexpectedly hung up the phone first.
Xiaoyuan stared blankly at her phone, closing her mouth.
There hadn't been any women around her brother for many years... Wow, she really wanted to rush out and gossip with Cai Juan, but after a moment's thought, she dismissed the idea. It was better not to provoke Cai Juan.
She continued scrolling through WeChat, looking at the New Year wishes sent by her friends.
Zou Yirui: [Happy New Year! When are you coming back to Shencheng? Let's hang out. Don't forget me once you're famous (wink)]
She also attached a New Year red envelope.
Xiaoyuan smiled and sent back the same 888 red envelope.
He Chenying: [Happy New Year!]
Xiaoyuan quickly typed: [Happy New Year, Sister Chenying~]
She didn't have many friends added, so as she scrolled down, she saw Lu Jingnian.
It had been a very long time since she had heard any news from her, she had practically disappeared.
Xiaoyuan still felt a sense of guilt, so she sent a message: [Happy New Year, best wishes.]
Turning back, she returned to the top, back to the conversation box with "Frances."
She suddenly felt nervous, bit her thumb, and finally typed "Happy New Year" and sent it.
The next second, for some reason, she immediately exited WeChat and let out a breath.
She climbed off the bed and went to the bathroom to freshen up, splashed some water on her face, and took a quick shower. When she returned to the room, Tiantian had already finished her call.
Tiantian chatted with her, but Xiaoyuan responded absentmindedly, her eyes occasionally darting toward the phone she had left on the bed. Especially when it vibrated, even Tiantian noticed and guessed that she might need some time alone, so she wrapped herself in a coat and went out to chat with someone else.
Only then did Xiaoyuan sit on the bed, picked up her phone, and the top conversation box was still her "Happy New Year" message she had sent. No one had replied, and she subconsciously pouted.
He Chenying did reply, though, [Is your chilblains better?]
[Much better.] Xiaoyuan smiled slightly, [Thank you for the ointment, Sister Chenying.]
[Also, thank you for signing for Ranran, you've worked hard.]
Xiaoyuan scratched her head, recalling how the little kid had her sign an entire notebook.
[It was, um, no problem.] Xiaoyuan chuckled awkwardly.
[Thank you for not holding it against him for the sake of his old mother.] He Chenying replied.
Xiaoyuan chuckled, [You just called yourself old.]
He Chenying said, [I remember someone saying I was too old to play 'Meng Xiaozhou', who was it, who was it?]
Xiaoyuan burst into laughter, this woman really held grudges, didn't she? Her idol was too adorable! She never knew before!
She was about to type, "You also..."
Suddenly, her WeChat vibrated.
Xiaoyuan's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately checked it. Her eyes widened as she saw Wei Zhuang's message—
[Happy New Year.]
She didn't know how many times she had typed these words tonight, but at this moment, as she gazed at them, they seemed to emanate a strange feeling.
Strange, yet wonderfully so.
What should she reply?
Should she just leave it here, or continue?
If she continued, what topic should she bring up?
This wasn't the first time she had chatted with Wei Zhuang on WeChat. During their meeting before the New Year, when she told herself she was going to the U.S., Xiaoyuan had timed it just right and sent her a message:
[Have you arrived?]
About an hour later, Wei Zhuang replied, [I've arrived.]
And that was the end of it.
It was nearly impossible to wait for Wei Zhuang to start the conversation.
But Xiaoyuan couldn't think of what to say to her either. After pondering for a moment, she exited Wei Zhuang's chat box, feeling restless, absentmindedly tapping her fingers.
She remembered she hadn't replied to He Chenying yet, so she sent that message.
It was only after she sent it that she realized she had messaged the wrong person.
Wei Zhuang: [Happy New Year.]
Xiaoyuan: [You're just too cute!]
!!!
Xiaoyuan almost jumped off the bed, her face instantly turning red.
She stared straight at the chat box, waiting for a reply to come through, but there was no response. She returned to the main page.
This message was originally meant for He Chenying, sending it to her idol was just a cute little comment, at most a tease.
But sending it to Wei Zhuang? That was downright bomb-level embarrassing!
Xiaoyuan covered her burning face, unsure of what to do now.
How embarrassing! Just thinking about what expression Wei Zhuang would have when she saw that WeChat message made her want to laugh a little, and there was even a hint of anticipation...
......
"After all these years, we finally get to celebrate the Spring Festival with our big sister." Liang Yuesheng raised his glass, leaning back against the sofa. "Aaron, don't you think so?"
Sitting at the other end, Wei Ting had clear and handsome features, not very similar to Wei Zhuang but with a similar temperament. However, when he smiled, his eyes curved charmingly, making him quite approachable. "Yes, it's really rare."
"Sister even gave red envelopes with lucky money to a few children." Due to his profession as a doctor, Wei Ting's speech was gentle, with a moderate pace that sounded very pleasant.
Both he and his wife were doctors, having two sons, one eleven years old and the other only five. Liang Yuesheng also had a six-year-old daughter.
"Yes, but I bet it was Alex who prepared it. The envelopes are filled with cartoon characters that the kids like, so I think our big sister probably doesn't know much about that." he joked.
Wei Ting laughed and nodded in agreement.
No matter how they teased her, Wei Zhuang maintained a calm and indifferent expression.
The three of them were in the living room, while outside in the kitchen and main hall, kids were running around and playing. Wei Ting and Liang Yuesheng's wife were in the kitchen, enjoying their post-meal snacks and chatting.
It was lively and festive, with a holiday gathering atmosphere.
"But, Sister, six hundred dollars is too much." Wei Ting said, "We shouldn't give the children too much."
"Yeah, we can't just take the kids' red envelopes." Liang Yuesheng laughed. "The little ones are quite clever, they'll say it's Aunt Frances who gave them the New Year money, and we have no right to take it away."
"Then just let them keep it." Wei Zhuang said softly.
"Sister, don't worry about Jiabao. His recent performance at school has been good. He went to New York with his classmates to shoot material for an assignment." Wei Ting said, "I've met those classmates a couple of times, they're not bad kids."
Wei Zhuang fell silent for a moment, nodded, and said, "Thank you for your concern."
Wei Ting smiled warmly, "Sister, why are you saying this to me? Jiabao has always been easier to talk to when he's with me."
Indeed, Wei Jiabao had a close relationship with him, spending time together when studying in the U.S. and frequently calling him when working in China.
"Anyway, he's young, so we can't control him. Let him be." Liang Yuesheng shrugged.
The three of them sipped their drinks and chatted idly.
Suddenly, a phone placed on the table vibrated.
Wei Zhuang glanced at it.
Her work phone had been turned off, so the ringing must be from her personal number.
She picked it up and saw the profile picture.
Xiaoyuan's profile picture was of a character from a shoujo manga, with golden hair styled in twin ponytails. Wei Zhuang couldn't recall the name.
It seemed she had changed it, the last one had her with her eyes squinted and mouth wide open in laughter, while this one showed her wrapped up in a blanket, sleeping.
Wei Zhuang's WeChat was very quiet, only showing "Yuán zǎi yào chī má là bàn." [Yuan Zai wants to eat spicy mixed noodles] with a red notification number "1." She hadn't changed Xiaoyuan's note.
Yuanzai wants to eat spicy noodles: [Happy New Year.]
Wei Zhuang looked at these words.
"Sister, you're not still working tonight, are you?" Wei Ting asked.
"Doesn't seem like work..." Liang Yuesheng chuckled.
Wei Zhuang glanced at her phone for a while and then set it down.
After a few jokes between Liang Yuesheng and Wei Ting, they returned to the topic. "Sister, aren't you going to reply?"
Wei Zhuang shot him a look, finished her drink, picked up her phone again, looked at it for a moment, and finally typed a few words.
"?" Wei Ting glanced at Liang Yuesheng.
Liang Yuesheng cleared his throat and said, "Our big sister has someone by her side now!"
Wei Ting was surprised, looking at Wei Zhuang, then back at him, "Really?"
Liang Yuesheng caught the look Wei Zhuang shot him and held back his words, his eyes filled with teasing amusement.
At that moment, Wei Zhuang's phone vibrated again, and they all looked over at the same time.
Wei Zhuang gave them a glance, swiped her phone to check, and then her expression froze, not moving for a long time.
Liang Yuesheng and Wei Ting stared at Wei Zhuang in surprise, rarely seeing her show such a complex expression, which added a bit of warmth to her usually cold demeanor.
Wei Ting looked at Liang Yuesheng inquiringly, and the latter suppressed a smile, giving him a wink and asked aloud, "Big sister, is it Xiaoyuan who sent you a message on WeChat?"
'Xiaoyuan?' Wei Ting became even more puzzled.
Liang Yuesheng whispered, "Xiaoyuan, is that her?"
Wei Zhuang glanced at him, saying, "Jim."
Liang Yuesheng covered his mouth and raised his hand. "OK, OK, I won't say anything." He gave a signal to Wei Ting, silently mouthing "girlfriend."
Wei Ting was so shocked he nearly jumped up, but Liang Yuesheng held him down. He laughed, "Sis, did you send Xiaoyuan a red envelope for the New Year?"
"Sister, let me teach you. When you don't know what to say, just give money."
"You, your suggestion is just too..." Wei Ting shook his head, laughing.
"What do you know?" Liang Yuesheng chuckled. "If it weren't for your wife liking you, you, this bookworm, would still be single to this day..."
"Hey, you think you know everything..."
Wei Zhuang completely ignored their banter, her gaze lingering on the message that said "You're just too cute!" for a long time. Finally, she moved and clicked to transfer money.
This was a holiday red envelope, so it shouldn't violate the terms of their agreement. Wei Zhuang thoughtfully deliberated before making the transfer.
On the other side in Bincheng, Xiaoyuan stared at the transfer amount on her phone, counting it once, then again.
99999.
This is the New Year money red envelope?
She tried to recall, it didn't seem like there was any rule against sending red envelopes?
What to do? Since someone sent her a red envelope, she had to send something back, right?
How much should she return?
Anyway, she wasn't as rich as a big boss, so she couldn't send the same amount, but she had to show a little appreciation.
In a hurry, she sent a transfer, but her hand was too quick. When she finally looked, she exclaimed, "Why is it only 6666?"
No, no, at least it should be a five-digit number. Xiaoyuan hurriedly sent a few more, but by the eighth one, her bank card limit was reached.
Ah, she only had one card linked to her WeChat.
She let out a cry, "Brother Cai Juan, lend me your card!" She jumped off the bed and rushed into Cai Juan's room, pulling him up. "Or just transfer me some money, hurry! hurry up! it's urgent!"
After finally getting it done, Cai Juan pointed at her phone, laughing and shaking his head. "Why did you send the big boss a string of 6666? My goodness! The screen is filled with 6666..."
He scrolled through the numbers, "1, 2, 3, 4... How many are there?"
Xiaoyuan covered the phone screen, her face flushed, "I clicked the wrong thing! I had to send ten of them."
"Ten, that's sixty-six thousand? 66666?" Cai Juan looked incredulous. "Then how much did she send you?"
"99999? Look, I can't be too rude, right? I can't just do what she did, that would seem impolite..."
Cai Juan stared at her dumbfounded, mouth agape, then closed it and suddenly slapped a hand over his face.
Unbelievable.
You have to say something, right?
Xiaoyuan: "...Huh?"
Wei Ting and Liang Yuesheng watched in astonishment as Wei Zhuang's phone kept vibrating, exchanging glances with each other.
Wei Zhuang looked at the chat window filled with incoming transfer red envelopes, her finger resting on her lips, deep in thought.
In the end, she sent one last message: [If you don't accept it, that won't be cute!]
Wei Ting and the others saw a slight change in Wei Zhuang's usually expressionless face, the corners of her lips turned up just a bit, and that hint of a smile carried a sense of carefree charm.
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