Cen Huai'an, during the National Day, visited Factory 774 in the capital city through the connections of Cen Zhengnian. This is the first semiconductor factory established in the capital, and it's rare for high school students like Cen Huai'an to visit regularly.
Here, there are advanced domestic semiconductor research technologies, as well as their own production department. The researchers inside are top talents from various universities.
Of course, the capital city has more than one semiconductor research institute; there's also the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Factory 878.
Cen Huai'an wanted to gain an in-depth understanding of semiconductor knowledge in advance, so he could go anywhere for that purpose.
Cen Zhengnian's friend, who is of similar age, has a square face and looks very upright, appearing older than his actual age.
When he greeted Cen Huai'an at the entrance, a smile appeared on his face, instantly giving Cen Huai'an a sense of national security and peace.
"Uncle Tong, hello, I'm Cen Huai'an. Thank you for your trouble."
Tong Weiji raised his broad palm and patted Cen Huai'an's seemingly fragile shoulder. His voice was deep and powerful, like a radio host: "No need to be polite. It's rare for Zhengnian to ask me for something."
Tong Weiji led Cen Huai'an inside and explained in advance, "I can't take you to the core technical area, nephew."
That area is confidential, but it's fine for Cen Huai'an to see other parts. Other manufacturers also visit for learning purposes.
Cen Huai'an understood and had no objections.
Looking at Cen Huai'an's sensible and polite appearance, Tong Weiji sighed again, "You really resemble your dad, especially this little adult look, like he carved you out of the same mold."
Cen Huai'an replied, "My mom says the same."
Tong Weiji suddenly burst into laughter, "Haha, you have a more interesting personality than your dad. Do you know how your dad and I met?"
Tong Weiji reminisced about the time he and Cen Zhengnian were in college. They were not in the same major, making it unlikely for them to know each other.
But both he and Cen Zhengnian loved studying and often bumped into each other at the library. Once, when his seat was taken by someone else, and conveniently there was a seat next to Cen Zhengnian, he went over and sat down.
Then they started talking, and because of their shared persistence, they gradually became friends.
"In those days, he went to the northwest, and I stayed in the capital. I regretted it a lot back then. But now that he's back in the capital, we're both busy, and we don't have time to get together. It's been decades in the blink of an eye. Our children are about to go to college, and we're getting old too."
Cen Huai'an looked at him and said, "Uncle, you and my dad are still in your prime, not old."
Tong Weiji's melancholic atmosphere instantly disappeared, and he burst into laughter again.
Next, they were about to enter the work area, and Tong Weiji's expression became serious. He told Cen Huai'an, "There are rules here; you can't make loud noises inside."
Cen Huai'an nodded, indicating that he remembered.
Along the way, Tong Weiji explained various research tools, showcased research results, and showed the work researchers were doing. As long as it didn't involve confidentiality, Tong Weiji would explain it to Cen Huai'an.
Cen Huai'an had a good memory. He nodded in response, and every word Tong Weiji said was stored in his mind. He even raised his own questions, which were professional and practical, not random.
Tong Weiji was surprised to hear those questions, "Did you read materials beforehand?"
Cen Huai'an said, "I was interested in semiconductor knowledge before, so I read some books."
Tong Weiji laughed, "It's not just 'some'; you must have read a lot. Well done!"
He looked happy, being in the field, naturally able to sense how much knowledge was contained in Cen Huai'an's words.
"Since when did you start reading these books?"
"Last year." When Jiang Zhida gave Cen Huai'an and the others BB machines, he became somewhat interested, but he didn't read much at that time.
Later, when he didn't know what to study, among the extensive materials sent by Cen Zhengnian, there was knowledge about semiconductors and wireless signals. Cen Huai'an began to absorb a large amount of information at that time.
Tong Weiji's eyes truly showed surprise at this point. He asked Cen Huai'an some basic questions, and he could answer them all.
He then increased the difficulty, asking about some new knowledge. Although Cen Huai'an couldn't immediately answer, his responses showed thoughtful consideration.
Tong Weiji's eyes lit up with delight, and he excitedly patted Cen Huai'an's shoulder twice, "When you graduate from university, come work at our factory."
This talent is a promising seed for research, and there's a possibility he could become a leader in the field!
Cen Huai'an said, "Uncle, I haven't been accepted to university yet."
Tong Weiji nonchalantly said, "With your abilities, getting into university should be a piece of cake. Come to our factory for an internship during university, and I'll personally guide you."
Cen Huai'an replied, "I can't guarantee that because it's in the future."
Tong Weiji admired him even more. This practical-minded person is exactly what scientific research needs.
"Inform me when you get into university. Maybe our factory can collaborate with your university."
"Okay," Cen Huai'an assured.
The rest of the tour went smoothly.
Cen Huai'an also had lunch with Tong Weiji at the factory canteen, which was similar to the research institute's canteen.
Factory 774 was enormous, and a single day wasn't enough for the tour. Cen Zhengnian and Tong Weiji had agreed to a two-day visit, so Cen Huai'an returned the next day.
He brought a gift since he had troubled them, considering that Tong Weiji's usual work was also very busy.
"You, just like your dad, are too polite. It makes me feel awkward. But I have something to attend to today. Can my student take you around?"
Cen Huai'an nodded, "Sure. Uncle, if you have something to do, go ahead."
Tong Weiji introduced the student standing beside him to Cen Huai'an. This intern had just been assigned to Factory 774 this year.
"Oh, by the way, Ning Rong is from Jinghua. If you're interested in Jinghua's semiconductor department, you can ask him more," Tong Weiji added.
Cen Huai'an also had this idea. While touring the factory with Ning Rong, he asked him many questions about studying during university. For his future direction, Cen Huai'an became clearer.
With only three days left for the National Day holiday, on the third day, he went to visit Grandpa Jiang with Chu Xia and Cen Zhengnian because it was also the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Now, every Mid-Autumn Festival, Chu Xia's family would go to Grandpa Jiang's house to celebrate with the Jiang family.
Jiang Shengnan and Cen's father had already arrived at the location, helping Aunt Li prepare the lunch that they would be having.
Initially, Chu Xia and Cen Zhengnian wanted to help, but Jiang Shengnan chased them out, "The kitchen is so small, and it can't fit so many people. You younger generation, don't mess around. Go play outside."
Because they had a car, Heizi, Huangzi, Ban Dian, and Jiang Weixi's dog were also brought along. Jiang Weixi was especially happy; she loved dogs the most.
The dogs at home were like family. Blackie and Yellow were very gentle now, and Spot was also understanding. No matter how Jiang Weixi played with them, they would lie obediently on the ground without moving at all.
Of course, Jiang Weixi wouldn't mistreat the dogs; she just loved dressing them up, like tying little braids or grooming their fur.
She not only played by herself but also called her favorite brother An'an and sister Lu Lu to play house together.
Cen Huai'an and Zhang Lu were very patient with Jiang Weixi, sitting on the carpet to accompany her.
"An'an, the pomegranates in Grandpa's yard are ripe. Can we pick dates and persimmons from your courtyard as well?"
When Zhang Lu saw the pomegranate tree in Grandpa Jiang's yard, full of smiling, red, and heavy pomegranates, she couldn't help but think of the delicious dates and persimmons in the courtyard.
"It's possible. My mom said we'll go pick them next week."
Zhang Lu quickly raised her hand and said, "Take me, take me! I'll help you as a laborer! I can climb trees."
Xi Xi also raised her hand, "Big brother, me too!"
Cen Huai'an, holding a hairband in one hand and a comb in the other, played the role of a handyman and said, "Okay, I'll call you when the time comes."
While dates and persimmons still needed some time, the pomegranate tree in Grandpa Jiang's yard didn't. Jiang Weixi hesitated for a second between picking pomegranates and dressing up the dogs, then stood up and immediately ran over, saying, "I'll also help big brother pick pomegranates!"
The pomegranates were already completely red, and when the burst skins were opened, you could see the translucent pomegranate seeds inside, sparkling like red agate, making people can't help but salivate.
Zhang Lu couldn't wait to pick one, opened it, and gave a piece to Cen Huai'an and Jiang Weixi. When Jiang Weixi ran over, she also gave her a piece.
The four of them enjoyed a pomegranate each before starting to work.
However, they also picked and ate simultaneously. By the time they finished picking all the pomegranates below, Cen Huai'an and the others had already satisfied their craving for pomegranates.
Zhang Lu and Cen Huai'an carried baskets filled with pomegranates into the house. Looking up, she smiled brightly at the adults inside, "Great-grandfather! Grandpa and Grandma... we're eating pomegranates! We picked them together with An'an, Weixian, and Xixi. They're especially sweet! Great-grandfather, I'll peel them for you."
Zhang Lu picked up a pomegranate, took a fruit plate from the table, peeled all the pomegranate seeds, and put them inside.
Cen Huai'an silently picked up a pomegranate and also placed the seeds inside.
Jiang Weixi quickly picked one up and started peeling as well.
Bai Han patted Jiang Weixian and whispered, "You also peel pomegranates for your great-grandfather."
This son of mine really lacks insight.
Jiang Weixian looked at Cen Huai'an and the others sitting on the sofa and walked over.
"My mom likes to have me learn from you guys."
Cen Huai'an replied, "Respecting great-grandfather doesn't require learning."
Jiang Weixian said, "I know. I'm usually very filial to great-grandfather. I especially don't need my mom to tell me."
Zhang Lu, holding a plate filled with red pomegranate seeds, approached Grandpa Jiang and said, "Great-grandfather, we peeled these specially for you."
Since falling ill, Grandpa Jiang's spirit had not been well, and he spoke less.
Before Jiang Weixi came over, his gaze was distant, not clear what he was thinking. Seeing the filial piety of the younger generation, a happy smile appeared on his face as he touched the heads of the children, "Good, you are all good. No need to peel anymore, go play by yourselves."
Jiang Weixi still carried those dogs. After a moment of thought, she "clattered" over to the sofa, picked up her school bag, and "clattered" back to the dogs.
"Xiao Hua, Heizi, you both have to be good so that I can dress you up nicely."
Since Jiang Weixi didn't call Zhang Lu and Cen Huai'an, they sat next to Grandpa Jiang and chatted with him.
Chu Xia looked at the children and couldn't help but smile, "Weixi is so adorable."
She said to Luo Peng beside her.
Luo Peng's smile was gentle to the extreme, "She usually plays with her dad at home."
Sometimes Luo Peng felt that Jiang Zhishu spoiled Jiang Weixi too much, but at such times, Jiang Weixi would jump out and say, "Mom, Dad isn't spoiling me; he loves me. Dad also loves Mom, and I love Mom too."
Then, holding Luo Peng with a sweet smile, Jiang Weixi's antics melted any remaining anger in Luo Peng. At this point, he couldn't stay angry anymore.
Jiang Weixi treated several dogs as her friends, dressing them up while whispering secrets to them. The adults paid no further attention.
When it was time for dinner, Zhang Lu and Cen Huai'an stood up to help in the kitchen. As they passed by the dogs, both of them widened their eyes simultaneously.
The next moment, Zhang Lu burst into laughter, covering her stomach and unable to stand straight.
"Wei... Weixi, what did you put on the dogs?"
The adults, including Chu Xia, walked over. They saw that not only were various hair clips attached to the dogs, but numerous colorful stickers were also pasted all over them. The dogs suddenly became a riot of colors, like rainbow dogs.
They paused for a second, then burst into laughter as well.
Cen Huai'an turned away, but the smile on his face couldn't be hidden. Jiang Weixian and Zhang Lu were laughing just as loudly.
The busy Jiang Shengnan and others in the kitchen heard the laughter and hurriedly came out, asking, "What happened? Why is everyone suddenly laughing?"
Chu Xia pointed at the dogs. Because they were laughing too hard, her words came out intermittently, "Mom, look... at... Huangzi, Heizi."
Jiang Shengnan and the others joined in the laughter.
Chu Xia laughed so hard she sat on the carpet and asked Jiang Weixi, who was also laughing, "Weixi, how did you come up with the idea of putting stickers on the dogs?"
"Because there weren't enough hair clips, and stickers look as good as hair clips."
The dogs were covered in stickers, not sparing even the fur on their heads. They innocently raised their doggy eyes, mouths agape, tongues out, sitting obediently and smiling at their owners. Chu Xia couldn't help but pat them affectionately.
"Now you guys are the most handsome dogs in all of the capital!"
Jiang Weixi's eyes lit up, "Auntie, I'll take them to play in the alley!"
Luo Peng held her back from running, "Let's eat first, and then you can play."
Lunch was very sumptuous, featuring mooncakes and crabs as is customary for the Mid-Autumn Festival every year.
Every time they ate, Jiang Zhida would envy Chu Xia and the others who had helped peel the crab shells. Now, Cen Huai'an could eat on his own, no longer needing Cen Zhengnian's help, and even Jiang Weixi could tackle it by herself.
Since returning to the capital, this was the first time Jiang Shengnan, along with Grandpa Jiang and the others, sat together for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
In the past, they used to communicate through phone calls with Grandpa Jiang, and Chu Xia would wish them a happy holiday. Today, Jiang Shengnan truly felt the meaning of family reunion during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The festive atmosphere made Jiang Shengnan feel a bit emotional as she ate, her eyes becoming a little teary.
***
In the afternoon, the adults gathered at Grandpa Jiang's house for casual conversation. However, Second Uncle Jiang's family left the earliest, and Chu Xia could tell that they were thinking about Jiang Zhiyi.
Chu Xia was also thinking about Jiang Zhiyi and feeling somewhat worried about her. She wondered how she was doing abroad, especially since there might not be mooncakes available there.
Zhang Lu's BBs machine beeped, and she used Grandpa Jiang's home phone to call back. Cao Gaocong's voice came through clearly on the other end, "We're heading to the cinema in Xidan now. When will you guys come over?"
Zhang Lu looked at Cen Huai'an, he nodded, and she replied, "We're on our way too, we'll be there soon."
Xidan was a bit of a distance from Grandpa Jiang's house. Several kids clung to Jiang Zhida, asking him to take them to the Xidan cinema. It was closer to Jiang Zhida's Yun Meng Ze.
Jiang Zhida couldn't resist the children's coaxing, especially with Zhang Lu and Jiang Weixi looking at him with hopeful eyes. He couldn't bring himself to refuse.
However, he jokingly said, "I'll take you, but I want something in return."
Cen Huai'an asked, "What do you want, Uncle?"
Jiang Zhida rubbed his chin, thinking about whether he had encountered any recent difficulties.
His eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands, saying, "I need to audit the accounts of a few audio-visual stores recently. Since you're all high school students and good at math, it's perfect. I've been quite busy lately, so can you help me with that?"
It was the first time for Zhang Lu to check accounts and she's excited about it. She looked forward to seeing what the accounts were like. She even thought about thoroughly examining them to see if she could catch any hidden issues in the store and even wants to make a big show out of it.
Cen Huai'an had helped his uncleBrother Bang with accounting when he was younger and knew it wasn't an easy task. It was not only tedious but also prone to mistakes if one wasn't careful.
However, he didn't mention this, not wanting to dampen Zhang Lu's enthusiasm. Jiang Weixian also appeared eager.
Even Jiang Weixi wanted to join in, but Jiang Zhida refused, saying, "You're still too young. Right now, you're only responsible for playing."
With Jiang Zhida's car, carrying four kids and four dogs, they headed towards Xidan Cinema.
The car came to a stop, and Cen Huai'an was the first to get out, followed by Jiang Weixian and Zhang Lu.
Jiang Weixi was the last to step out, holding onto the leashes of the four dogs. As soon as the dogs stepped out of the car, they instantly attracted the attention of everyone around.
"Why are those dogs adorned with stickers?"
"Are those hairpins? Whose kids love dressing up dogs like this?"
"They actually brought dogs to watch a movie?"
"It's quite unusual!"
...
The surrounding discussions were hushed, and Jiang Weixi could only catch a few words, unaware that they were talking about her.
"Zhang Lu, Cen Huai'an, is this your younger brother and sister? Are these dogs also from your family?"
Since Cen Huai'an and the others got out of the car, Cao Gaocong, who had been waiting at the cinema entrance, had an expression of shock on his face that hadn't faded.
It wasn't until Zhang Lu and the others approached that Cao Gaocong regained his composure.
"Yeah! Aren't our dogs cute?"
Cao Gaocong and his friends fell into silence, frowning as they reluctantly replied, "They're kind of cute."
Jiang Weixi patted the dogs' heads, looking up at Cao Gaocong and his friends with a big smile. "Yes, my dogs are the cutest!"
Cao Gaocong and his friends knew that these four dogs had a gentle temperament. They tentatively reached out to pat them..
Cao Gaocong and his friends, touching the dogs' heads, became even more excited, as if they had just watched an exciting movie.
They jumped high, with one hand supporting the hand that was patting the dogs, reluctant to let go.
Despite their affection for the dogs, they couldn't bring them into the cinema. Jiang Weixi reluctantly handed them over to Jiang Zhida.
"Uncle, Xiao Hua, and Ban Dian will get hungry and thirsty. Remember to feed them and give them water!"
Jiang Zhida leaned against the car window casually and nodded, "I still have Xiao Hei there, they won't go hungry!"
Jiang Zhida drove away with the dogs, while Cen Huai'an and the others bought tickets and entered the cinema.
This cinema was much larger than the one in Liangzhou that Cen Huai'an had been to, with more advanced facilities and a more impressive decoration.
The economic disparity between the two cities wasn't the only reason. The rapid development of the country in recent years would also lead to significant changes in Liangzhou's cinemas.
After entering the cinema, the lights were still on. Cen Huai'an knew that now was the time to find the projectionist to check the equipment.
When he first watched a movie with his parents, his father taught him the principles of film projection and how to use the equipment.
Those memories were now vividly recalled, and he hadn't forgotten a single detail.
While Cao Gaocong and Zhang Lu enjoyed the movie scenes with enthusiasm, applauding exciting moments, Cen Huai'an was analyzing the characters' card-playing techniques.
He wasn't sure if it could be applied in real life, but the protagonist had supernatural abilities, something that didn't exist in the real world.
Jiang Weixi sat next to Cen Huai'an, wide-eyed and completely absorbed in the movie, as if her gaze was glued to the screen.
The movie was indeed thrilling, with many exciting and humorous scenes. Laughter erupted frequently in the cinema, and both Zhang Lu and Jiang Weixi contributed their fair share of laughter.
After the movie ended, Cen Huai'an remembered all the card-playing techniques from the film, but he had no intention of gambling.
Gambling, along with drugs and other vices, was something Chu Xia had educated him to avoid. Cen Huai'an still remembered the incident when he won candy as a child and received a stern lecture from Chu Xia.
Exiting the cinema, everyone, including Jiang Weixi and Zhang Lu, had faces full of lingering excitement.
Zhang Lu: "The 'God of Gamblers' was really good! I want to watch it again!"
Cao Gaocong: "Exactly! The male lead was incredible. I wish I had his supernatural ability to dominate in Hong Kong, winning countless money."
Zhang Lu laughed heartily, "Haha, then you might achieve that scene even faster in your dreams."
Cao Gaocong knew it was just a dream, but it didn't stop him and the other boys from discussing various techniques enthusiastically.
Knowing that Cen Huai'an had a good memory, Cao Gaocong tried to ask him about some details, and Cen Huai'an could recall every bit of it.
Cao Gaocong and his friends exclaimed, "Damn! You remember everything. Can you use it?"
Cen Huai'an shook his head, "No, this is gambling, it's illegal."
Being a student, he naturally refrained from engaging in illegal activities.
Cao Gaocong and his friends also understood. As novices, even playing a simple game of poker could lead to disastrous losses.
Jiang Weixi mimicked the sound of dealing cards, saying, "Big brother, that card dealer's action looks so cool!"
"I've memorized the motion. When we get home, I'll teach you how to do it. But, Xi Xi, you can't learn to play cards; it's not good."
Cen Huai'an patted Jiang Weixi's head. She nodded repeatedly, "Big brother, I know. The teacher said I'm a good girl."
Zhang Lu pulled Jiang Weixi's little braid, "Xi Xi is really obedient, deserving to be my sister!"
After watching the movie, it was still early, and everyone wandered around Xidan casually. This area had become a bustling commercial street with a variety of shops.
Cen Huai'an, Zhang Lu, and the others loved to eat, so they didn't buy anything else but various snacks. Holding the freshly cooked treats, they were delicious.
After strolling down the street, everyone's stomachs were filled, with the exception of Cen Huai'an, who paid attention to his and Jiang Weixi's portions and didn't overeat.
Zhang Lu rubbed her belly and said, "Watching a movie, strolling, and eating until we're full, it's so blissful! I wish we could do this every week."
"Then your New Year's money will be used up quickly."
Zhang Lu glared at Cen Huai'an, "Let me enjoy the happiness in my mind for a while! It's not possible to make it a reality anyway."
As they walked, getting closer to Cen Huai'an's courtyard, when they were near the entrance, the adjacent gate suddenly opened, and a group of teenagers ran out, with Dou Baishui at the forefront.
"An'an!" Dou Baishui looked up and saw Cen Huai'an, his face showing undisguised joy as he ran towards him.
"It's been a long time since you came to the courtyard. Why are you here now? By the way, the persimmons in your courtyard are ripe again. I helped you chase away the birds, so you can harvest more persimmons this year!"
Without waiting for Cen Huai'an to speak, Dou Baishui blabbered on, and Cen Huai'an only caught the word "persimmons."
"Thank you, Baishui. We'll come to harvest persimmons next week. Ripe persimmons, feel free to pick and eat them."
Cen Huai'an's family couldn't finish all the persimmons on the tree. Even when shared with relatives and friends, there would still be plenty left.
Fully ripe persimmons tended to rot quickly. Rather than letting them go to waste, it was better to give them to others.
Dou Baishui scratched his head with a grin, "Hehe, we picked a few to eat. I was just about to tell you. But we didn't do it on purpose; if we didn't pick them, they would fall to the ground and go bad."
Cen Huai'an didn't mind, "You can eat them."
Jiang Weixi, from the top of the wall, saw a persimmon tree much taller than the courtyard. It was densely covered with various red and yellow persimmons, looking very tempting.
Jiang Weixi licked her lips and asked, "Brother, can I eat persimmons?"
"You can."
Cen Huai'an had the key to the courtyard with him. He opened the door and let everyone in to pick persimmons.
When Cao Gaocong and the others saw the tall persimmon tree and various ripe persimmons, they exclaimed, "Wow!"
"So many persimmons!"
"They look really sweet!"
"Cen Huai'an, can we really pick as much as we want?"
Cen Huai'an replied, "As long as you don't waste them."
Zhang Lu, watching Cao Gaocong and the others already climbing the tree, quickly shouted, "Pick as much as you can eat!"
Cao Gaocong made a gesture to show that he understood.
Dou Baishui was still the fastest and climbed the highest. Watching his agility, Zhang Lu's eyes lit up.
Cen Huai'an went into the house and found a wicker basket. To be prepared for such occasions, there were several wicker baskets in the courtyard.
After finishing the persimmons previously, Chu Xia also sent over the wicker baskets to ensure there would be something to hold the persimmons while picking.
Zhang Lu looked at the wicker basket that Cen Huai'an had taken out, and a puzzled expression appeared in her eyes: "Wasn't it said that we would pick them next week?"
Cen Huai'an looked up at the persimmon tree and said, "My mom miscalculated the ripeness of the persimmon tree. If we don't pick them today, within the next week, if there's wind and rain, those persimmons will fall."
Since many people had come over today, everyone could cooperate to pick all the ripe persimmons.
Cao Gaocong and Dou Baishui competed to pick persimmons. Later, Zhang Lu also climbed the tree to join in. For a while, the persimmon tree, both above and below, was filled with joyful laughter.
After picking two full wicker baskets of persimmons, Cen Huai'an also gave persimmons to everyone who helped.
Cen Huai'an and Zhang Lu each carried a basket, while Jiang Weixian and Jiang Weixi followed, each holding a persimmon and nibbling on it.
Jiang Weixian could still take care of himself, but when Jiang Weixi started eating, she cared only about the front and not the back. Persimmon juice smeared all over her face, even accidentally staining her clothes.
When Cen Huai'an finally freed up his hands, Jiang Weixi's little face was already a mess.
Zhang Lu wanted to laugh when she saw her face. She and Cen Huai'an each wiped one side of her face and asked, "How did you manage to make your face like this while eating a persimmon?"
Jiang Weixi tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying with a serious tone, "Because there was too much persimmon juice."
The courtyard was not far from Yun Meng Ze. Zhang Lu and Cen Huai'an, each carrying a basket of persimmons, didn't feel tired at all on their way there.
At the entrance, security guards helped take the persimmons from them.
As soon as Cen Huai'an and the others entered Yun Meng Ze, several dogs sitting in the security room at the entrance rushed out, circling around Cen Huai'an, Jiang Weixi, and others.
Dou Baishui came to Yun Meng Ze to skate on ice but never knew that it was owned by Cen Huai'an's relatives.
"Now you know, it's nothing special." Cen Huai'an spoke casually, sensing Dou Baishui's surprise from his tone.
Zhang Lu held the head of the dog named Huangzi, and Huangzi rubbed against her face. She laughed and said, "Do you know that you'll come here to skate in the future too?"
Dou Baishui nodded, agreeing with their words.
At that moment, Jiang Zhida and the shareholder who had come to Yun Meng Ze today arrived. Seeing the dogs covered in stickers, they couldn't help bursting into laughter.
Shen Chuan looked at Jiang Weixi, laughing heartily as he asked, "Is this the little niece who created masterpieces on the dogs? Indeed, very cute!"
Jiang Zhida pushed his body forward, blocking him, and said, "That's my niece. Keep your distance."
Shen Chuan chuckled, "Your niece is my niece too! Call me Uncle. You must be Weixi, right? Come, call me Uncle."
Jiang Weixi stared at his face, then ran back behind Cen Huai'an, peeking out from behind him, cautiously watching Shen Chuan.
"Brother, he looks so fierce!"
Shen Chuan did have a somewhat stern appearance, and combined with his carefree personality, he tended to create an intimidating impression. That's why every time his mom arranged a blind date for him, the girl would end up frightened.
Cen Huai'an patted her head, "Weixi is not scared. This is Uncle Shen Chuan, a friend of your uncle."
Although Jiang Weixi knew that her uncle's friends wouldn't be bad people, she still felt a bit scared looking at Shen Chuan's face.
Children are often afraid of those who are too strong or have a fierce temperament. They might see them as monsters who could swallow them up.
Jiang Weixi called everyone else uncle, but deliberately avoided calling Shen Chuan uncle, which made him quite sad.
"Tu Hongxiao is even bigger and scarier than me! Why does Weixi like him so much?"
Jiang Zhida replied, "Because Hongxiao looks more reliable than you."
Shen Chuan once again felt a figurative stab to his heart.
With friends around, Cen Huai'an and the others didn't go to the private room to play; instead, they took everyone to the ice rink.
The place was crowded with people freely dancing and expressing themselves on the ice, making Cao Gaocong and the others even more eager to change their shoes and join in.
Cen Huai'an didn't go into the rink but stayed on the sidelines to teach Jiang Weixi how to skate.
Zhang Lu skated over to him after completing a lap and said, "Next, I'll teach Xi Xi, you go inside and skate a couple of laps before coming back."
"I don't need to, Sister." Cen Huai'an raised his head and looked at Zhang Lu. "I can handle it on my own."
Besides, if they alternated teaching Weixi, their skating styles would differ, making it more challenging for her to learn.
Zhang Lu tried to persuade him, but Cen Huai'an persisted. Meanwhile, Jiang Weixi, held by Cen Huai'an, was reluctant to let him go. Eventually, Zhang Lu gave up and returned to the ice rink.
Jiang Weixi learned ice skating quickly. Children are agile and learn things fast, especially when they are earnest about it. With Cen Huai'an by her side, she could skate on her own when he let go.
When she was trying to skate independently, Cen Huai'an kept following Jiang Weixi, his eyes always watching her and protecting her.
Therefore every time Jiang Weixi accidentally lost control, Cen Huai'an was able to perfectly save her from falling.
After a while, Zhang Lu skated back again. Seeing that Weixi had learned to skate but needed protection, she asked Cen Huai'an to step down and play.
However, Cen Huai'an refused, saying, "You go ahead; today, I'm just responsible for teaching Xi Xi."
Zhang Lu looked into his eyes. "You really don't want to skate a few quick laps?"
"No need." Cen Huai'an often skated, and a day without it wasn't a big deal for him. He didn't have the strong desire to skate as Zhang Lu suggested.
Zhang Lu couldn't convince him, so she returned to the ice rink once again.
They didn't play for a long time because it was getting dark when they arrived, and after an hour of fun, everyone prepared to go home.
At this moment, Cen Huai'an heard the sound of his BB machine; it was his mother calling him.
"Xi Xi, it's time to go home. We'll come again next time."
Jiang Weixi had just experienced the joy of ice skating and was reluctant to leave.
Zhang Lu tried to comfort her, saying, "The ice rink isn't going anywhere; we can come again, maybe next week or the week after."
Jiang Weixi got excited again. "Big brother, big sister, take me with you! Take me with you!"
"Sure!" Zhang Lu took her to change shoes, and Cen Huai'an, after informing Zhang Lu, went to the private room upstairs where Jiang Zhida was. He called his mother, saying, "Mom?"
"An'an?"
"It's me. We are at Yun Meng Ze now."
Chu Xia was at Grandpa Jiang's house and noticed that it was getting late. She was afraid that they might lose track of time while having fun.
"Your dad and I will come to pick you up. It's time to go home."
Cen Huai'an replied, "I'll be waiting for you at the entrance."
After hanging up the phone, Cen Huai'an bid farewell to Jiang Zhida in the room. The parents of Jiang Weixi also arrived.
Chu Xia and Jiang Zhishu have a car and send Zhang Lu and Jiang Weixian home, and use the car lights to drop off Cen Huai'an and Zhang Lu's classmates on the way home.
These kids insisted that they didn't need a ride, but now that it was completely dark, Chen Xia, Zhang Lu, and others were concerned about them riding bicycles home.
Besides, these people were all friends of Cen Huai'an, and helping them would strengthen the relationship between Cen Huai'an and his classmates.
The next day at school, Cao Gaocong excitedly turned to Cen Huai'an and said, "Your mom and dad are really nice! Your family even has a car, so wealthy!"
Cen Huai'an replied, "The car was bought by my mom. I don't have money."
Cao Gaocong said, "I know you don't have money. I don't either."
Cen Huai'an nodded and continued to focus on his calculations. Yesterday, Jiang Zhida handed over the accounts of the audio-visual store to him and Zhang Lu.