Chapter 97: Second Uncle’s in Love?

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for the Chinese people.

And New Year’s Eve dinner is, without exaggeration, the most significant meal of the year.

Rushing home to have New Year’s Eve dinner with family and relatives—It’s the single most important event for every Chinese household.

3:00 PM.

Jiang Ning was chased out of the room by Tian Wenhao.

Bored out of her mind, she considered going to the kitchen to help.

Only to be kicked out again.

With nothing else to do, Miss Jiang climbed onto the sofa, hugged a throw pillow, turned on the TV, and started channel-surfing absentmindedly.

After flipping through for a while, she finally landed on a lyrics-guessing game show.

Might as well treat it as listening to music.

However—After just a short while, Jiang Ning realized one of the judges looked familiar.

Liao Liao?

No way.

Jiang Ning was stunned for a second, then sneakily pulled out her phone, found the number, and used her aunt’s landline to make the call.

After a moment, a lazy voice came from the other end.

“Hello, who’s this?”

“Liao Liao-jie, it’s Jiang Ning.”

Hearing that, Liao Liao, who was in the middle of a facial treatment, jolted.

Her head nearly crashed into the esthetician.

She quickly apologized and motioned for the young girl to leave.

Once the room was empty, Liao Liao picked up the phone again, her voice soft and warm.

“Little girl, what made you suddenly call your big sis?”

Jiang Ning, unaware of Liao Liao’s situation, thought the brief pause was just a poor signal.

“It’s New Year’s, so I called to check in on you.”

“Check in? Who calls to check in on New Year’s Eve afternoon?”

“You little brat, don’t lie to me!”

Hearing Liao Liao’s mock irritation, Jiang Ning chuckled and told her what she just saw on TV.

After a brief silence—Liao Liao burst into hearty laughter.

“That’s it?”

“If you’re interested, next time there’s a show taping, I can take you to the studio.”

Studio?

Jiang Ning was tempted, but after thinking it over, she declined.

After all, if people with ulterior motives saw her getting close to Liao Liao, it could cause unnecessary trouble.

After that—Jiang Ning chatted with Liao Liao for a bit longer. She promised to help arrange a song for her after the holidays, and only then did the other side hang up, satisfied.

Just then—Her aunt came out of the kitchen carrying dishes.

“Come help, Ning Ning.”

“Coming!”

Jiang Ning clapped her hands and jumped up to help.

Soon after, Tian Wenhao came running out of his room at his mother’s call to help set the table in the living room.

Before long—A full table of dishes was laid out before Jiang Ning.

There was fish, shrimp, meat, vegetables—And her personal favorite: sweet and sour ribs.

She sneakily pinched a piece.

Absolutely delicious.

Maybe—This is what New Year feels like.

Family gathered around, eating, drinking, laughing, and goofing off.

Then sitting down to watch TV together, watching a different kind of Spring Festival Gala.

In that moment—Jiang Ning felt a strange kind of contentment.

Then—Her aunt suddenly seemed to remember something and said:

“When are we heading back to our hometown this year?”

“Probably the first day of the New Year? That’s what we usually do.”

Tian Cuilan took a sip of soda, the sharp carbonation making her frown deeply.

She couldn’t help but grumble.

“I really don’t get what’s so good about this stuff.”

“Ugh, it burns!”

Seeing her mom like this, Jiang Ning nearly burst out laughing.

“Mom, seniors really shouldn’t try to drink soda like the young ones. I’m worried your stomach won’t handle it.”

“You little brat, asking for a smack!”

Tian Cuilan raised her chopsticks, ready to whack Jiang Ning, but was stopped by her aunt.

“Alright, alright, Cuilan, I’ve got something to tell you.”

Tian Cuilan wasn’t really going to hit her anyway, so hearing her older sister say that, she turned around, confused.

But her aunt hesitated, as if struggling with something.

After a moment—She spoke:

“You know our second uncle from back home, right?”

Tian Cuilan nodded.

That was her late father’s second older brother—Jiang Ning’s second grand-uncle.

“What about him?”

“He’s dating. Baosheng wants us to talk to him when we visit tomorrow…”

“What!?”

“WHAT!?!?”

This time, it wasn’t just Tian Cuilan who shouted in surprise—Even the two young people quietly discussing the new shop’s location nearby let out gasps of disbelief.

“Second Grand-Uncle is dating!?”

Jiang Ning was stunned.

If she remembered correctly—Her second grand-uncle should be seventy-five this year.

A nearly eighty-year-old elder suddenly revealing he’s dating?

Jiang Ning felt like her CPU was overheating.

And the most important part—This was never in her memories of her past life.

Which meant—At some unknown point, many things had already started veering off their original path.

Was this… the butterfly effect?

On the way home that night—Jiang Ning’s ears were filled with her mom’s shocked rambling about Second Grand-Uncle finding a sixty-year-old partner.

But in her own mind, she was thinking about what to do next.

If the butterfly effect really existed—Then her original plan to replicate Hua Caishi might already be in danger.

It was possible that somewhere in Huzhou, Hua Caishi had already expanded to other cities.

While she was still cautiously waiting for the right time to move.

According to her initial plan—Jiang Ning was going to spread “Shi Ning Ji” across all of Jiangzhou within three years—before graduating high school.

But now—That pace seemed too slow.

She needed to pick up speed.

When they got home—The place felt a little cold and quiet.

The house felt a little quiet.

Jiang Ning casually turned on the TV, and the screen happened to be showing the Spring Festival Gala.

Then—Pasting spring couplets, hanging the “Upside-Down Fortune” character, putting up window decorations, and burning incense by the ground.

By the time everything was done, it was already 11 PM.

Seeing her mom sitting beside the sofa, holding the phone and starting her New Year’s call bombardment, Jiang Ning returned to her room.

She locked the door, pulled out her phone, and turned it on.

As soon as it started—The buzzing vibrations almost gave her a fright.

Looking at the screen—Goodness.

More than ten messages.

Among them, the two elegant older women, Liao Liao and Li Mingyu, had each sent several.

Then there were messages from Yao Yao, Hu Gugu, Li Mingwei, Xia Zhi, and even Du Meilan and Xiao Yuan—all sending New Year’s wishes.

Jiang Ning opened and replied to the messages from everyone else one by one.

Then she noticed two unfamiliar numbers.

Upon checking—One was Meng Qing, the other Tao Tao.

The former suggested hanging out after the New Year, while the latter was complaining about how boring school in Ningzhou was.

Jiang Ning saved both numbers and edited two New Year greeting messages to send back.

After finishing up the texts—Jiang Ning started her round of New Year phone calls.

From “Waist Concubine” Qi Wen to “Chest Concubine” Luo Shanshan, then to “Side Consort” Sun Qian and “Painting Noble Lady” Zhu Hui.

By the time she was done, her phone was nearly burning hot.

She checked the time—It was about time.

Jiang Ning put her phone away and opened the door—

Only to run into her mom just about to knock.

“What were you doing in there?”

“Go on, hurry and call your relatives and teachers to wish them a Happy New Year. We still have to set off fireworks in a bit.”

Ah, right.

She still hadn’t called Boss Yang Mei and Du Xinrui.

After everything was finally taken care of, Jiang Ning and her mom headed downstairs.

Standing in the cold wind, they counted down the time—Then lit the firecrackers.

Pop pop pop… pop pop pop…

Whoosh… bang!

Jiang Ning looked up, watching bursts of light pierce through the dark night.

She was immersed in the dazzling, multicolored fireworks.

A new year had arrived.

(End of chapter)