"What are you looking at?"
Zhan Zhongxiao noticed Liu Nanfeng's gaze and pretended to be oblivious.
"I remember there used to be something big here?" Liu Nanfeng asked, pointing to the empty spot next to the display cabinet.
"Oh, there was a coat rack. I saw it was useless and threw it away," Zhan Zhongxiao said nonchalantly.
"You truly are a heartless and unrighteous man, throwing away anything useless," Liu Nanfeng said meaningfully.
"Heh, what are you talking about?" Zhan Zhongxiao asked, feeling a little guilty.
"The coat rack, of course. What did you think?"
"The coat rack, of course."
"Hehehe..."
"Hehehe..."
An awkward atmosphere lingered between the two. Zhan Zhongxiao broke the silence first, forcibly changing the subject.
"Let's play a game, let's play a game..."
He turned on the projector, which was connected to the computer. A game screen immediately appeared on the opposite wall.
The login screen showed a lush green hillside with a boy with a bow on his back, facing away from them.
"I haven't played this one either."
"It's okay, I'll teach you. It's very easy to pick up."
Zhan Zhongxiao seemed very enthusiastic and handed him a controller.
Jumping, running, gathering, hunting...
Once they got into it, it was quite interesting.
The two chatted while playing.
"Are you going to see Wenhui this week? Did you buy a gift?"
"A gift? Why would I buy a gift?"
"After so many years apart, isn't it proper to give a small token of reunion?"
"My brain is broken, why would I send a gift? Did you buy one?"
"Yes, hehe..."
"What gift?"
"I'm not telling you." Zhan Zhongxiao said proudly.
"I don't want to know, but you're already fawning before you've even met her?"
"What are you talking about? This isn't fawning, this is social grace. You wouldn't understand."
"Yes, I don't understand. I'm definitely not sending anything. If I did and Wenhui liked me, wouldn't you be heartbroken?" Liu Nanfeng said casually, staring at the game screen.
As soon as Liu Nanfeng finished speaking, he saw Zhan Zhongxiao's game character standing still in the game, being struck down by the big boss.
"What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and dodge!" Liu Nanfeng urged.
Zhan Zhongxiao also reacted, but it was too late. He was immediately defeated.
With him gone, Liu Nanfeng couldn't hold on for long alone and was also defeated.
"You, why were you spacing out like that?" Liu Nanfeng complained.
"Nanfeng."
"What? Wait, what are you trying to do?"
Liu Nanfeng realized that he hadn't called him "Willow Branch" and his tone sounded strange. He quickly leaned back in his chair, startled.
"Did you really not buy a gift?" Zhan Zhongxiao asked shamelessly.
"No. Wait, did you take what I just said seriously?" Liu Nanfeng burst into laughter.
Zhan Zhongxiao became a little flustered upon hearing this.
"You know, even though I'm better looking than you, I'm too fat. If you're as good to Wenhui as I am, she'll definitely choose you over me."
"Pfft, you're shameless. Is it just your weight problem? How are you better looking than me?"
"Besides, I already have a wife. Even if Wenhui liked me, it would be useless. I only love my wife," Liu Nanfeng said with conviction.
He added mentally, *Both of them are my wives.*
"That won't do, though. Wenhui will be sad," Zhan Zhongxiao said.
Liu Nanfeng's eyes widened, and he could only manage a "Damn it" after a long pause.
"You're already fawning before you've even met her? What if she's an ugly monster? Do you think you'd still be fawning then?"
"Impossible. She was very pretty when she was little."
"People who were pretty when they were little are usually not pretty when they grow up, and those who weren't pretty then often become beautiful later."
"Wenhui is the exception to the rule, hehe..." Zhan Zhongxiao giggled foolishly.
"Wait, do you know what she looks like?"
Seeing his foolishly smug look, Liu Nanfeng began to suspect something.
"No, no..." Zhan Zhongxiao waved his hands repeatedly.
"You definitely know. You contacted Wenhui. No, Wenhui's mom sent my mom a photo?" Liu Nanfeng quickly guessed the truth.
When elderly people introduce potential partners, they usually exchange photos first.
Seeing that he had been found out by Liu Nanfeng, Zhan Zhongxiao
sheepishly pulled out his phone and opened WeChat.
"Huh? When did you add my mom on WeChat?" Liu Nanfeng asked in surprise.
Although Yu Huilan and Liu Zonghe were already elderly, they both had their own WeChat accounts.
However, they rarely communicated via WeChat. Even when they did, it was usually to share inspirational quotes or popular but misleading food safety videos circulating online.
As Zhan Zhongxiao opened WeChat, a photo appeared before Liu Nanfeng's eyes.
The background of the photo seemed to be the entrance of a park, and the time was likely winter, as there was still some snow on the bare tree branches.
The person in the photo was tall and slender, wearing a long blue coat and a headband. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders.
Perhaps due to the cold, she was holding her hands to her mouth, breathing warmth into them. Her bright white teeth and outstanding aura, combined with her smile, gave off a very sweet impression.
"Whoa, I didn't expect Shen Huangmao to grow up to be so beautiful?" Liu Nanfeng exclaimed in surprise.
"Far from as beautiful as your wife, far from as beautiful as your wife." Zhan Zhongxiao said, hastily putting away his phone.
"Look at you, you cowardly thing. Even if she's beautiful, I won't do anything to her. Besides, what's the point of you being so nervous about me? Without me, Liu Nanfeng, there's still Ma Nanfeng, Li Nanfeng..."
"You're different," Zhan Zhongxiao thought.
Of course, he wouldn't say that out loud. He wasn't just guessing; he had asked Shen Wenhui beforehand, which was why he was so nervous.
"But my wife is indeed prettier than Wenhui," Liu Nanfeng said proudly.
Hearing this, Zhan Zhongxiao said meaningfully, "Of course. People are not meant to be compared. As long as you are satisfied with yourself, that's all that matters."
Liu Nanfeng understood the implication but didn't point it out. Instead, he smiled and said, "Should we start over? Or should we start making lunch?"
Zhan Zhongxiao glanced at the time, it was almost eleven o'clock, so he got up and said, "I'll cook two more dishes. You get the beer from the refrigerator."
Zhan Zhongxiao's claim of having a chef's certificate was not an exaggeration; his cooking skills were quite good. The two chatted back and forth and drank quite a bit, though it was just beer, so they weren't drunk, just full of liquid.
Although Liu Nanfeng had a powerful constitution, drinking too much still made him feel bloated, and he had to go to the restroom several times. However, the nutrients in the beer were all absorbed, filtered into clear water, and then expelled.
"I didn't realize you could eat so much. You're even more of an eater than me," Zhan Zhongxiao said, surprised by Liu Nanfeng's appetite.
"That's why I didn't buy much."
Liu Nanfeng checked his watch; it was almost time for his meeting with Feng Hongjin, so he proposed to take his leave from Zhan Zhongxiao.
"I'll treat you in a couple of days—no, wait. Wenhui will be back in a couple of days. I'll treat you all then."
"We'll see about that. Why are you being so formal with me?" Zhan Zhongxiao said nonchalantly.
"Alright, I'm leaving then. You don't need to see me off."
"Drive safely."
"Got it."
Liu Nanfeng rode his electric bike towards the meeting point with Feng Hongjin.
However, he didn't see Feng Hongjin anywhere from a distance, which made him feel a little strange. Was she still not here, hiding in the river?
After parking his electric bike and about to descend the steps to the embankment, he heard a voice next to him say, "Big brother, you're here!"
Liu Nanfeng was startled and looked towards the sound. He saw Feng Hongjin's small hands gripping the edge of the embankment, her small head sticking out as she peered at him.
Good heavens, she was so high up. How did she climb there?
Liu Nanfeng quickly stretched his neck to look. He saw the little one clinging to the side of the embankment, appearing from a distance like a red plastic bag stuck to the edge.
Liu Nanfeng was truly amused by her appearance.
Feng Hongjin was not an ordinary child, after all. Despite the height of the embankment, she landed on the ground lightly as if she felt nothing.
ps: Still