Chapter 922: Chapter 234: New Year’s Celebration (Part 2)

"So many people are going, won’t there be a queue of hundreds of meters?"

Xu Lin thought Ms. Ren wanted to go to the big temple in the county town. This big temple had a huge crowd throughout the day.

And the big bosses in the county wanted to offer the first incense, costing hundreds of thousands per stick, making it very lively.

But Xu Lin didn’t want to get involved in such a bustling scene.

"We’re going to the brigade’s temple to offer incense, not to the county town — where would a line hundreds of meters long come from?"

Xu Lin’s village and Ning Yuhuan’s village were the same; both were part of a small group. The brigade was like the old production team, equivalent to a big village with more than a dozen small groups beneath it.

There was a temple at the brigade.

Ms. Ren said, "Mom doesn’t have any acquaintances in the village. Come with me."

"Alright, I’ll go with you."

Xu Lin agreed without much thought. Ms. Ren was quite lonely, as someone like her was destined to be out of place among the women in the village. They were mostly ordinary people, while Ms. Ren was a successful professional, a societal elite with a very respectable job, earning several million a year. She and ordinary people hardly had any common topics, and she only came back for these few days during the Chinese New Year. It would be strange if she could become familiar with anyone here.

So at eight-thirty, Xu Lin accompanied Ms. Ren on a walk to the brigade.

There were actually quite a lot of people on the way, men and women, young and old alike, as if half the village had gone out to offer incense. Xu Lin’s small group was quite populous, with over two thousand people.

At the big temple, Xu Lin and Ms. Ren took the incense, then queued to offer incense and pray, though the queue wasn’t long.

Leaving the temple, Xu Lin remembered Ms. Ren’s complaint about Dad consulting the old master two days ago and teased, "Didn’t you say Dad was superstitious the other day?"

"I’m offering incense not for anything but for you two to be healthy."

"You rascal!"

"Hehe, my bad," Xu Lin chuckled.

For the next hour or more, Xu Lin accompanied Ms. Ren as they strolled around.

For an urban woman like Ms. Ren, the rural environment was quite novel, like a rural experience day for city folks. Farmers might think: What on earth is this? Are city people idiots?

But city folks are different: Oh, this rural experience is quite interesting.

Ms. Ren was the latter.

For someone affluent like her, many things in the countryside seemed quite amusing.

"Without Yanyan this year, something feels missing," Ms. Ren said after walking for more than an hour.

"I’ll pick her up the day after tomorrow, and you’ll see her soon then."

"But the New Year is already underway. Today is the first day; it’s the most festive time!"

"That’s true."

At noon, Xu Lin and the others returned to the village.

At the large playground in the village, Dad was chatting with a group of people.

Xu Lin, now in the village, was probably the tallest man there.

He was 1.9 meters tall and strikingly handsome.

Soon, everyone noticed him.

"Cheng, isn’t that your son?"

"Cheng, your son is really tall and handsome!"

"He looks just like his dad!"

"And like his mom too, they’re cut from the same mold."

Actually, Ms. Ren and Xu Cheng looked a bit alike. Couples who have lived together for a long time start to have some similar features in their appearance.

Xu Lin walked over and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Dad said, "Our Xu Clan in the city is planning to build a Xu Family Ancestral Hall, and they’ve reached out to our village, so we’re discussing this matter."

Xu Lin suddenly understood.

There were officials among Xu Lin’s ancestors, some who passed the imperial examination and other notable figures, so they weren’t insignificant.

Of course, Xu Lin wasn’t thinking so far ahead; he believed that after four generations, you wouldn’t have to consider it; those relatives would be so distant they’d be practically unrelated.

However, if it were a particularly formidable family, that’s another story. A single command could directly challenge the local government.

Clearly, Xu Lin’s family wasn’t that formidable.

At this moment, someone patted Xu Lin on the shoulder and said, "Our Xu Family has produced a celebrity like you, Xu Lin. We must build that ancestral hall!"

Xu Lin replied, "I’m not quite a celebrity—just doing small things."

Referring to Mr. Xu, Xu Lin didn’t think he ranked highly.

When he could be commemorated on school walls alongside figures like Einstein, then Xu Lin would consider himself to have brought glory to his ancestors.

"You’re only nineteen; the future is long, who knows what big figure you might become later!"

"Exactly, exactly! You’re the most outstanding young person in the village now, and before it was your dad. You two are really remarkable!"

"Third Grandpa, Fourth Uncle, you two are going back and forth, and I can’t handle it!"

Xu Lin felt overwhelmed.

To be honest, he wasn’t as formidable as Xu Cheng.

A little past twelve o’clock, Xu Lin and the others went home, and Xu Cheng said, "When the ancestral hall is built, I’ll contribute a bit of money. Our family should take a spot."

Ms. Ren couldn’t help but say, "Are you looking to be a sucker again? Xu Lin, don’t listen to him."

Xu Lin said, "Just contribute normally. If others pay a few hundred, our family is a bit wealthier, so we’ll just pay a bit more, maybe a few thousand. Any more and it’s unnecessary. Later, when I’m more prominent, the ancestral hall will have our family’s spot."

These wealthy people just love contributing more to things like ancestral halls. That’s what returning home gloriously means. After all, tens of thousands, even millions, might be a drop in the bucket for them, but the reputation and people’s praises are different; emotional value is much more important than money for them.

For example, during the Qingming Festival in those big, powerful family tombs, the richest people took the lead; those who weren’t as wealthy stood further back, and those without money might not even be able to reach the weed on the grave with a hoe.

Xu Lin didn’t mind; actually, once Young Master Xu’s identity was revealed, he could be ranked alongside formidable ancestors, even far surpass them. The current Xu Clan relatives would be proud of his existence.

By then, his relatives would be all over the world.

Because throughout history, no one with the Xu surname could reach Xu Lin’s level.

Xu Lin already had the great power to impact human civilization’s progress.

Someday he would be written in history books, whether they were criticizing or praising him—Xu Lin didn’t care, but one thing was certain: you couldn’t deny his achievements.

Xu Cheng smiled, "Dad listens to you; you’re grown up now!"

The first day of the New Year ended quickly.

The New Year was quite boring for Xu Lin.

The second day passed quickly too.

The New Year ended quietly like this.

By the third day, some people had to go to work.

Xu Lin set off for Suzhou in the morning.

He left at eight in the morning; supposed to be a seven-hour drive, but ended up taking him fourteen hours.

But it was okay; during the Chinese New Year, there were traffic jams everywhere.

At ten-thirty at night.

Xu Lin drove to the entrance of the villa area where Rong Xiyi lived; this time he didn’t go in, just waited for Rong Xiyi to come out.

"I’m here, at the entrance of the villa area. Come out."

"On my way!"

"Xu Lin, my dad’s here too. He wants to meet you, what should I do?"

"Ok, no problem."

They’d have to meet sooner or later, and Xu Lin didn’t mind.

Soon, Xu Lin saw Rong Xiyi; she was carrying a backpack and dragging a small suitcase.

Behind her, Jiang Mingyang slowly walked over.

Xu Lin got out of the car.

"Xu Lin!"

"Just get in the car first; I’ll chat with your dad."

"Oh, okay!"

Rong Xiyi glanced at Jiang Mingyang, worried he might make things difficult for Xu Lin.

But she was overthinking it.

Jiang Mingyang wouldn’t make things difficult for Xu Lin.

Once Rong Xiyi got in the car, she saw Jiang Mingyang take out a pack of cigarettes.

The older man and the younger man started smoking.

Because of the distance, Rong Xiyi didn’t know what the two were talking about.

"Mr. Xu, I didn’t expect my daughter to always be with you."

"Yanyan doesn’t have a sense of belonging at home. I’ve been taking care of her, and my mom treats her well too, so she’s doing well now."

"With you, I feel at ease."

Jiang Mingyang looked at Rong Xiyi in the front passenger seat of Xu Lin’s car and smiled, "Over the years, I’ve felt guilty towards her, my ex-wife, and my in-laws. I didn’t give her much fatherly love, and there’s always been a gap between us. I don’t know how to start."

Xu Lin was silent, smoking a cigarette.

Jiang Mingyang continued, "Mr. Xu, will you let her stay with you?"

"She is my family now. I won’t leave her; I’ll always take care of her."

"That’s good."

"Your wife, I found out she’s transferring assets in secret."

"I’ll handle it when I get home."

Jiang Mingyang exhaled a puff of smoke.