CHAPTER 194: CHAPTER 194: BACK?

"Now that we’ve moved into the new house, why don’t we have a banquet to celebrate?"

"A banquet?"

Xia Liang was rather indifferent to the idea. He wasn’t short on money, but it seemed Luu Juan wanted to use the new villa as an opportunity to finally hold her head high, especially considering how his two maternal uncles always looked down on their family during holiday gatherings.

After all, Xia Liang’s grandfather had three sons and one daughter. The eldest son owned a pig farm and earned a decent income each year. The second son might not have had money himself, but his wife’s family did, and he was the general manager of a company. It was only Xia Weiguo and his sister, Xia Ying, who had it tougher. Xia Weiguo was the youngest, and though they were blood brothers, the two older ones had little respect for their youngest brother and sister.

Seeing the expression on Luu Juan’s face, Xia Liang was the first to voice his opinion. "Forget it, Mom. Isn’t it better to make our fortune quietly? If those relatives find out we have money, they’ll just start eyeing it again."

Although Xia Liang didn’t name names, everyone present knew who he was talking about. Xia Weiguo’s expression soured, but he didn’t say anything.

It was the truth. When his eldest brother, Xia Haoran, first started the pig farm, he had borrowed his initial capital from Xia Weiguo—a full eighty thousand Yuan. That money was all Xia Weiguo and Luu Juan had, from their wedding gifts and her dowry. It was a loan that went unpaid for many years, with no intention of ever being returned.

You have to understand, Xia Liang had been frail since birth, spending three days a week in the hospital on an IV drip. The medical bills threw their family, which had some savings, into complete disarray. When Xia Liang was six, he fell gravely ill, and Xia Weiguo was completely broke. With creditors at his own door, Xia Weiguo had no choice but to go to his brother to collect on the IOU.

But Xia Haoran claimed he was broke too, saying it had been a bad year for business. He even cruelly suggested that a child as sickly as Xia Liang wasn’t worth the effort of raising and that they should just have another one. In the end, when Xia Weiguo wouldn’t leave, Xia Haoran callously shoved five thousand Yuan at him to get him to go away.

Ultimately, it was Luu Qi’s father who came up with the life-saving money. This was the reason Luu Qi’s family and Xia Weiguo’s family were so close.

It was only when he was sixteen that Xia Liang found out about it, during a New Year’s celebration where Luu Juan, casting all decorum aside, directly demanded the money from Xia Haoran.

Luu Qi, who was present, felt it wasn’t his place to interfere, knowing that speaking up would cause Xia Weiguo to lose face.

In the end, it was Xia Weiguo who broke the silence. He was utterly disappointed in his two older brothers. He turned to Luu Juan and said, "Just set a date and invite everyone. I’ll go get Mom and Dad and invite Third Sister over. We’ll just eat at home. It’ll be a good way to celebrate."

Luu Juan raised her hand in agreement. "Yes, I think that’s a good idea."

Xia Liang chimed in, "Since Dad said so, let’s do it the day after tomorrow. I’ll call Second Uncle and Aunt right away. That gives them plenty of time to get here."

Hearing that all three had agreed, Luu Juan, who had wanted a grander affair for Xia Weiguo to regain some face, reconsidered. Since her husband and son had spoken, she thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, then."

And so, the matter was settled.

After dinner, Xia Weiguo took out his phone and made the necessary calls. Before long, everyone had been notified. The family was still buzzing with the excitement of the new house and didn’t go to bed until midnight.

「The next day...」

*My heart’s desire...*

*I thought of taking you back home...*

*In that late-night bar...*

A ringing phone jolted Xia Liang from a deep sleep. Sprawled out on his bed like a starfish, he groggily picked it up without checking the caller ID. "Hello, who is this?"

As soon as he spoke, a rapid-fire barrage of questions assaulted his ear.

"Holy crap, Xia Liang? You’re still asleep? What took you so long to answer your Brother Qiang’s call? What’s wrong with you, kid? Has it been so long you’ve already forgotten me? If Auntie hadn’t called my mom last night, I wouldn’t have even known you were back..."

Hearing the hearty voice, Xia Liang instantly perked up. "Damn, Qiangzi? You finally got out?"

Hearing this, the voice on the other end was left speechless for a moment. "Cut it out! I finally give you a call, and the first thing you do is curse me, saying I got sent to prison... Now, hurry up and get over here! It’s been too long. Let’s meet at the old spot."

"No problem!" Xia Liang agreed instantly and hung up.

He threw on some clothes, left his room, and quickly washed up. Just as he was about to head out, Luu Juan appeared with a puzzled look. "Where are you rushing off to so early in the morning without eating?"

Xia Liang, who was putting on his shoes, turned and said, "I’m meeting Shi Qiang. Mom, Qiangzi’s back. How come you didn’t tell me?"

"Huh?" Luu Juan was equally bewildered. "You didn’t know?"

"Nope," Xia Liang replied, shaking his head honestly. "You guys didn’t tell me."

"But aren’t you two best friends? Do I really need to tell you?"

Faced with his mother’s retort, Xia Liang was speechless. Yep, she’s definitely my mother, no doubt about it.

Shi Qiang was Xia Liang’s one and only best friend. They had been thick as thieves since childhood. Their relationship was excellent, and since their parents were also acquainted, their bond had only grown stronger over the years. Shi Qiang had been the quiet, almost invisible type in school; if Xia Liang hadn’t looked out for him, he would have likely been the class punching bag.

However, just a year ago, right after graduation, he had his heart broken. His first love broke up with him, leaving him devastated. He was suddenly heartbroken and, in a fit of melodrama, decided to escape to a strange city to be alone with his thoughts. Later, as Xia Liang got busier, they chatted less and less.

Seeing that Xia Liang had his shoes on, Luu Juan spoke up again. "If you’re going out, take the car."

"No need," Xia Liang said as he opened the door. "Aren’t you and Dad going grocery shopping later for tomorrow’s dinner? You’ll need the car. I’ll just get a ride."

With that, Xia Liang closed the door and left.

He called for a rideshare, which arrived quickly.

「Ten minutes later.」

"Here we are, young man. Sky Paradise. Don’t forget to leave a five-star review, okay?"

"Sure thing," Xia Liang agreed.

Sky Paradise, despite its suggestive name, was a legitimate business: the Sky Paradise Internet Cafe. It had been their go-to spot for skipping class to play games back in the day.

As soon as he stepped out of the car, he spotted a slightly pudgy guy who stood about 1.7 meters tall.

"Shi Qiang!"

As Xia Liang called his name, Shi Qiang looked up. His eyes flashed with excitement as he looked in Xia Liang’s direction.

"Xia Liang!"

What the hell! Xia Liang thought, noticing the people around them staring as if they’d just seen a ghost.