Chapter 194: Chapter 186: Prince Huang’s Silly Laughter 2
Su Xiaomeng blushed and leaned against her grandfather, "It’s good to have Grandpa dote on me."
Bai Fengmao patted Su Xiaomeng’s hand and continued, "Then on New Year’s Day, Sixian and Chengji are coming to my place."
"Okay."
Bai Sixian nodded, and then Bai Fengmao looked at Su Chengji, "At that time, Sixian’s brothers and sisters-in-law will also be there, you should be more attentive. Got it?"
"Dad, don’t worry, I will definitely pay attention."
Su Chengji answered confidently.
But Bai Fengmao was not the least bit assured.
"Oh, by the way, you all should go to the Yin Family this New Year’s Day, then come to my place for the Spring Festival."
Bai Fengmao said.
"Grandpa..."
Unexpectedly, Su Xiaomeng called out softly again.
Bai Fengmao became a little unsettled, "Don’t tell me that old guy Yin Shaohui called and booked you again?"
Su Xiaomeng hurriedly gave her father a look, and Su Chengji quickly looked away, knowing better than to step into the line of conflict at this moment.
But this little interaction between father and daughter didn’t escape Bai Fengmao’s notice.
Bai Fengmao immediately understood, "Back to Chengdu?"
Su Xiaomeng nodded, "Grandpa and Grandma have been looking forward to this all year..."
Bai Fengmao was a bit unhappy, but he couldn’t show it openly.
Speaking of which, he just acknowledged his granddaughter this year, but her grandparents have been doting on her for twenty years...
"Why don’t you go back to Chengdu next time for New Year? You have two kids with you, and Chengji’s place is just a two-bedroom. How can it accommodate your whole family?"
"Dad!"
Su Chengji raised his hand, "You don’t need to worry about that, when they return, Xiaomeng and Xiao Yin can take the kids to stay at the villa."
"Villa? A gardener like you bought a villa?"
It wasn’t that Bai Fengmao looked down on Su Chengji, it was just...
"Dad, you misunderstood, it was Xiao Yin who bought it."
Bai Fengmao looked at Yin Shixiu...
Yin Shixiu explained unhurriedly, "When it was bought, I didn’t let Mom and Xiaomeng know, it was under Dad’s name, since we’ll be going often in the future, I thought a bigger house would be more convenient."
Sometimes, Bai Fengmao had to admit, Yin Shixiu really was considerate in every aspect.
"If Grandpa doesn’t mind the distance, you can come too, the house is big. Chengdu is a nice place," said Yin Shixiu.
Bai Fengmao waved his hand, "Forget it."
He did want to see the place where his daughter had lived all these years, but back then he was strongly against his daughter and Su Chengji being together.
He had never even greeted Su Chengji’s parents, so even if he were to meet them, or even thank the Su Family for their care over the years, it wouldn’t be appropriate to do so during a time like the Spring Festival.
"Grandpa... are you upset?"
Su Xiaomeng waved her hand in front of him.
Bai Fengmao rubbed the little girl’s head, then smiled, "Am I such a petty person? I thought I was already early, after all, the Spring Festival is in February, and it’s only December now. Who knew you two had already decided long ago."
"Dad, after visiting Chengji’s relatives, I’ll come back to accompany you."
Bai Sixian said.
Bai Fengmao nodded, and at this moment, Bai Sixian’s phone rang, the driver for the Bai Family had arrived.
Everyone stood up, and Bai Fengmao asked Su Xiaomeng and Yin Shixiu to stop, as Bai Sixian and Su Chengji escorted him downstairs.
The driver’s car was parked outside the building’s main entrance.
Bai Fengmao glanced at Su Chengji, "Are you free tomorrow?"
Su Chengji nodded quickly, "Once in Beijing, I’m definitely free."
Bai Fengmao patted his shoulder, "Tomorrow, how about us two old men have a small drink together?"
"Dad... you shouldn’t drink."
Bai Sixian hurriedly said.
Bai Fengmao smiled and said to Bai Sixian, "Don’t worry."
Turning around, Su Chengji and Bai Sixian each stood on one side to see their father out, only to hear their father say softly, "A man, in this lifetime, there are some drinks that must be had no matter what, the toast on your wedding day, the full moon wine when your child is born, and... the celebration wine when your child gets married..."
Su Chengji’s body stiffened slightly, the driver got out to open the car door for Bai Fengmao.
Bai Fengmao stood by the car door, looked at Su Chengji, "Well? Chengji... will you allow this old father to have this celebration drink?"
In an instant...
The usually carefree and straightforward Su Chengji felt his heart twist into a knot...
The cold wind was piercing, Su Chengji closed his eyes, bent his knees, and knelt in front of Bai Fengmao...
Only to hear him say, "I’m sorry... for taking your beloved daughter away for twenty years..."
Bai Fengmao’s cloudy old eyes were brimming with tears.
"Get up."
Su Chengji looked up, tears streaming down his face, he wiped his nose and stood back up.
Bai Fengmao patted his shoulder, "It’s just that my daughter has had a decent life, although it’s nothing like a Bai Family’s princess, I’m a generous old man, and in all these years, I won’t hold it against you..."
Su Chengji sniffed and smiled, "Thank you, Dad."
Bai Fengmao glanced at him, "That ’Dad’ sure rolls off your tongue smoothly."
"Of course, I’ve been practicing for twenty years!"
Bai Fengmao looked at the fair-skinned, handsome middle-aged man in front of him, whose eyes were red with guilt towards his old father.
He patted his shoulder, "Go inside, it’s cold out here."
With that, Bai Fengmao got into the car.
Su Chengji naturally didn’t go inside immediately; instead, he held Bai Sixian’s shoulder, watching the private car drive away.
Bai Sixian turned to look at her husband, lifted her hand to wipe his tears, "Men don’t cry easily."
Su Chengji looked at his wife, pulling her closer into his embrace, and kissed her hair, "Wife, I’m sorry..."
"...Enough already, Su Chengji."
Bai Sixian rolled her eyes at him; she didn’t want to stand in the cold winter wind with her foolish husband being unnecessarily sentimental.
Su Chengji wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist, looking down at her, "Should we stay at a hotel tonight?"
Before the words were fully out, Bai Sixian elbowed him in the stomach and walked directly inside, ignoring him.
Su Chengji pouted, "Just kidding, geez..."
Every year when Christmas comes, the city becomes steeped in a strong Christmas atmosphere.
The happiest ones are the kids and some young couples.
The university campus is a place even more lively than the commercial streets.
However, this doesn’t mean the university gives students the day off for a Western holiday.
Classes still go on; Su Xiaomeng had a major class in the morning and later attended a lecture on translation techniques given by a professor from the English department.
Even though she was quite drowsy, she still managed to pick up a few things.
After class, Su Xiaomeng didn’t go home; around two o’clock, the school’s activity center was holding a Christmas event.
Yin Meng dragged Su Xiaomeng along to join in the fun.
Su Xiaomeng didn’t refuse; her parents had planned for a nice family atmosphere at a Western restaurant, taking the two kids and her grandfather there for dinner.
She didn’t go home first, planning to head straight to the restaurant when it was time to eat.
Christmas Eve always brought back some unpleasant memories for Su Xiaomeng, but she did her best to ignore them.
But after ignoring them, there was still something bothering her...
Yin Shixiu had gone on a business trip to the United Kingdom.
He would be gone for a whole week...
Su Xiaomeng was missing her husband a bit, especially since Yin Shixiu had said he would catch a flight back tomorrow.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the closer it got to his return, the more restless her heart felt.
Su’s mother said it was because she was still too young, and that in a couple of years she wouldn’t feel so restless anymore.
"What are you daydreaming about? Hurry and get a red hat."
Yin Meng urged Su Xiaomeng.
"Oh, oh!"
Su Xiaomeng snapped back to reality, walked to the entrance of the activity center, and took two Christmas hats from a volunteer.
Yin Meng snapped a Christmas hat onto her head, took a picture, and then led her inside.
The inside of the activity center was livelier than she had imagined.
Happy music, sweet snacks, endless laughter from the games, and prizes purely meant to create an atmosphere.
"Wow... so much fun..."
Su Xiaomeng couldn’t help but remark, it was only the afternoon, yet it was as lively as a midnight party.
Yin Meng and Su Xiaomeng wandered around in the crowd, tasted some snacks made by juniors, watched young men and women dance in the ballroom, and saw some quirky folks having a blast with games.
"Do you want to play that game where two people are wrapped in a sack and see who jumps to the finish line first?"
Su Xiaomeng, seeing several couples stumble into the sponge mid-way, laughed until her stomach hurt and pointed it out to Yin Meng.
Yin Meng thought for a moment and decided there was no harm in participating, so she nodded, "Sure, let’s go sign up."
With that, the two went to sign up, but just as Su Xiaomeng finished writing her name, meant to write Yin Meng’s, her hand whimsically wrote "Bai Shunyuan."
Su Xiaomeng blinked and turned, meeting Bai Shunyuan’s calm gaze.
"You..."
"Everyone else has a man and a woman; just you two girls, what are you? A pair of lesbians?"
Su Xiaomeng glared at him, "Don’t you know how to speak? Is there a rule against two girls joining together?"
Su Xiaomeng wasn’t sure why Bai Shunyuan popped up at this time, or what his intentions were, but she knew one thing...
It definitely wasn’t for a good reason!
Bai Shunyuan looked at the staff, "Can two girls participate together?"
The staff was about to nod, but Bai Shunyuan’s threatening demeanor was too obvious, and the underclassman handling registration couldn’t take it, quickly saying, "No, no, it’s all in pairs."
Su Xiaomeng frowned and immediately said, "Alright then, I won’t participate."
With that, she turned to leave the registration line, but just as she took a step, her arm was grabbed...
Bai Shunyuan gripped her arm, not looking at her, just directly asking the staff, "Can you withdraw from the game after signing up with a name?"
This was a Christmas event; games like these didn’t really have strict rules.
But... Bai Shunyuan, being a local figure in A University, was someone better avoided if possible.