241 241 — New Year's Eve At The Han Family

The other members of the family took their seats in order. Han Leifeng was sitting beside his father at first, but before the dinner began, the patriarch suddenly asked him to sit opposite his father, which was the spot normally reserved for Han Jingse's father Han Lixian.

Liu Zhizhen's eyes burned with anger but she quickly covered it up. Even her son never had the honour, but a mere b*st*rd could now sit on her head. She was furious.

Han Lixian did not think anything was wrong with his father's arrangement. Infact he was happy about it, since it meant that his father would not have the time to care about him. He had suffered a lot under his father's hands due to the gambling incident last time.

Pan Yinli wasn't so amenable. Much like Liu Zhizhen, she was very angry. Why did the first house always have to climb over her family? Why was their illegitimate son sitting on the side of the second house, on her husband's seat?

Several times she tried to speak up, but Han Jingse kept pinching her. Already this New Year Eve dinner was going to be hard to swallow, but if her mother said a word, they may not even be able to eat at all.

It would be a disgrace to be sent out on such a night.

More than this trivial slight, she was more preoccupied with Qiao Mingran's recent coldness towards her, and she had been unable to shake off the sense of unease she had been feeling lately.

So due to their various considerations, everyone remained silent and pretended not to have thoughts.

Pleased, Han Jianfeng said a few words happily, "You have all worked hard this past year. Although it was a tough year, we stayed together as a family, and we even got a new addition," he added, looking at Han Leifeng with a smile.

Without caring that Han Leifeng didn't spare him a glance, he continued cheerfully, speaking to Bai Meixiang, "Grandson's wife, you have also worked hard. Let go of the sad past and look forward."

Bai Meixiang gave a small smile and bowed her head, acquiescing to his words. Only she knew what she was thinking about in her mind.

Han Jianfeng concluded, "For tonight, let us enjoy a meal as a family and be motivated to do better in this coming year."

He picked up his chopsticks and took some food, and then everyone else followed suit.

The huge table was filled with traditionally auspicious dishes, from dumplings to vegetable spring rolls, and glutinous rice cakes. Meat and fish dishes were in abundance, as well as good fortune fruits.

The table was laden with dishes symbolizing fortune, wealth, and longevity. The essence of the holiday was family reunion and unity, but the people sitting around it were as distant and divided in mind as ever.

The atmosphere would have been depressing if not for the occasional words spoken by the ladies to each other.

After the meal, they gathered in the sitting room for a while. The television was put on, and the Spring Festival Gala was in full swing.

Since it was still a while before midnight, they had to stay awake to guard the new year. They sat in twos and threes, but no one said a word. If not for the television, the silence would have almost been eerie.

Feeling suffocated, Han Leifeng got up abruptly and went outside for some fresh air. Watching him go, Han Jianfeng frowned.

This grandson was good, more capable than Han Zhi, but it was precisely because he was this capable that Han Jianfeng was concerned.

The Han family needed an heir, but it would be best if it was one they could control. A smart heir that did not have the best interests of the entire family and company at heart could be a huge problem.

Unfortunately at this point, they had no choice.

Han Leifeng went into the family garden. The place still looked bare, but already, one could see little green buds adorning the bare plants.

He looked up to the sky, feeling despondent. Even the new moon hanging high up in the sky and shining brightly could not improve his mood.

It was going to be a new year soon, making it nine years since he left the only family he had ever cherished.

Even now, he wondered how they were doing. He thought it was a good idea to leave them be at first, but now he wasn't so sure.

What if Pei Yueran resented him?

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his trousers, selected one and lit it in one smooth movement. As he drew one puff and released it, the smoke formed rings in the air before they dispersed.

By the time he had burned through two sticks, his mind was made up. He would go and check up on them in City A after the holiday.

He wasn't sure if they would still be living in the same house as nine years ago, but knowing his wife, he was almost sure she wouldn't have left the place.

She was loyal to a fault and would probably feel bad leaving the place they built their memories in.

She trusted him, but he let her down.

The thought made his heart ache the more.

"You sure know how to make smoking look like an art."

At the sound of that voice that was as light as breeze, Han Leifeng paused slightly, but he soon became indifferent again. He didn't even acknowledge the person's presence, much less respond.

Bai Meixiang walked forward and stood beside him, looking up to the sky, "If I asked you to teach me, would you?"

"Not free," was Han Leifeng's answer.

Bai Meixiang did not feel offended. She was only teasing him after all. This brother-in-law always had this sort of expression on his face, like everything happening around him was none of his business.

"So what are you doing outside on this important night, alone?" She asked as she lifted her eyes to meet his.

Han Leifeng gave her a glance before turning away indifferently, hands in his pockets. He was not very inclined to this conversation, but he didn't quite know how to send her away.

Bai Meixiang's actions were not the kind that could be easily understood. If she directly came on to him, he could respond mercilessly and make her run away in tears.

If she remained distinctly aloof, he would not even acknowledge her presence.

But this her neither here nor there approach, this polite friendliness whilst carefully keeping her distance, was very confusing to him, and he hadn't quite decided on the strategy to use with her.

That was why he still replied to her words, albeit in clipped sentences, and stayed away from her every chance he could get.