Chapter 230 - A Sweet Family (Part Two)
After a long argument, it was eventually concluded that Jing Zhongxiu had caught one fish more than Huang Lihan did.
Jing Zhongxiu was very happy that he beat Huang Lihan. He was feeling proud so he gave the newly-sliced fish to Shangguan Ning and said, “Ning, here is the fish I got. Eat as much as you can.”
Huang Lihan lost in the end, but he didn’t want to yield. Instead, he said, “Ning, here is the fish I got, eat as much as you.”
Shangguan Ning took both the plates and threw one portion into her hot-pot and the other into Jing Yichen’s on the sly. She said clearly, “Thanks, Dad, thanks Uncle.”
Then she praised them that they were very skilled at fishing and both of them got quite satisfied even though they hadn’t eaten much.
Huang Lihan had not been so happy since he divorced Lin Yu. He not only had his beloved niece beside him today, but also his old buddy whose son had become his niece’s caring husband. He felt very satisfied.
Jing Zhongxiu was also quite happy and cheerful today. He had been more dismal than Huang Lihan, because he had not had such a happy and lively meal post his beloved wife left him.
Also, thanks to Shangguan Ning, his son was getting more outgoing and was no longer so isolated. Their decade old, frozen relationship had also begun to thaw.
He hoped that the four of them could have more get-together and eat around this small-sized round table.
Huang Lihan had been a good friend to Jing Zhongxiu for so many years that they shared the same ideas. But Huang Lihan was more open and usually spoke what he thought. Therefore, he said happily, “Ning, come to my home for food each week with Yichen, Jing... your dad can be here too. Look at us sitting together, we are a family. It is fixed then, your dad and I will get the fish and you two just sit and eat!”
Both Shangguan Ning and Jing Yichen liked the current feeling. They exchanged a look and nodded at the same time.
“Done, Uncle! You can go fishing with dad more often so that we can enjoy the fish banquet again. I remember eating twice when I was little, but I haven’t eaten any after I grew up!”
“No problem! It is fixed then. But you ate more than two fish banquets when you were young, at least four or five times, right, Jing?”
“Yes, should be four times. She always said that the fish we got, had too many bones and she would not want to eat more. But every time she would eat so much that we had to stop her in case she got too full.” Jing Zhongxiu nodded.
A smile spread over his face when he thought of the young Shangguan Ning.
“Ah?” Shangguan Ning was confused. So she had met Jing Zhongxiu several times, but she had no memory of it. She only remembered meeting him once.
Jing Zhongxiu understood her confusion. Suddenly, he burst out laughing. “You naturally don’t remember me. You had your eyes fixed upon the fish rather than me.”
Huang Lihan laughed along. They started to talk about the fun things that had happened with a young Shangguan Ning, which interested Jing Yichen a great deal. He listened attentively and laughed along everytime that they narrated something funny.
As they were talking, Shangguan Ning suddenly thought of an idea. She asked Huang Lihan instantly, “Uncle, I have decided to find you a partner. What kind of women do you like?”
A slice of fish got stuck in his throat and he choked on it. Jing Zhongxiu couldn’t help but burst into laughter sitting next to him.
“Huang, Ning is very filial. She cares deeply about you!”
Huang Lihan picked up a glass of water and gulped it down. His aged face flushed as he shook his head. “Don’t mess around with me. I am living a happy life without anyone controlling me. I feel free. Don’t mention this ever again!”
It was so embarrassing. What did he, a middle aged man, need a partner for? Jing Zhongxiu was laughing at him, all through.
Shangguan Ning didn’t think that it was anything to be embarrassed about. She just wanted to find someone who could keep Uncle company and take care of him. But she didn’t expect that he and Jing Zhongxiu would react in such dramatically opposite ways.
But Shangguan Ning didn’t insist when Huang Lihan spoke so seriously.
Thy finished the hot-pot happily and then started to play cards.
However, President Jing Yichen had no idea how to play them.
Shangguan Ning finally found out what this genius couldn’t do.
Jing Yichen could drive the fastest car, invade the highest-level cyber system, could even speak a dozen foreign languages and of course he was a master at handling an enormous business empire. But he couldn’t play cards.
Jing Zhongxiu finally realized that he must have lacked in educating his son on recreational activities and had only managed to teach him the tough educational things.
But Jing Yichen was smarter than all of them. After the first round itself, he got a good understanding of the game. He started to win from there on.
The entire night, Jing Zhongxiu and Huang Lihan kept losing money. Shangguan Ning teamed up with Jing Yichen and held the deck of money which Jing Yichen won. She almost got tired of counting the money but happiness shown out of her eyes.
Laughter burst out in the living room of the villa every now and then. Sometimes Huang Lihan and Jing Zhongxiu argued, because they kept blaming each other for not cooperating well. As a result, Jing Yichen kept winning.
It was already eleven when they finished playing. Since it was late and both Jing Zhongxiu and Jing Yichen had had some wine, they stayed back at Huang Lihan’s villa.
Shagguan Ning went to freshen up whilst Huang Lihan instructed the servants to get the rooms ready.
Jing Zhongxiu and Jing Yichen were the only people left in the living room.
Jing Yichen had thought about talking with his father during the past few days and now they happened to have some free time.
He told Jing Zhongxiu about Lan Yu and then asked, “Did you suspect that someone is planning something bad? Is that why you have arranged for Lu to be Ning’s assistant?”