Chapter 492 - This Is Your Uncle (1/2)

Old Master Huo was feeling delighted because of the gift that Su Qingsang had given him earlier on, but when he saw a tall figure coming in, his smile grew even wider.

“Yichen, come here.”

“Uncle.” Zhang Yichen walked up to Old Master Huo and said, “it’s been a long time since we’ve met, uncle. You look as energetic as ever.”

“Not as energetic as you,” said Old Master Huo as he looked at Zhang Yichen from head to toe. Zhang Yichen was in his thirties, looking composed and reliable.

He had a tall, sturdy body, and the muscles that he had grown in the army made him look very different from ordinary people.

“Why didn’t you come here with your mom the last time?”

“They had their own things to do, and I didn’t intend to join the party.”

While speaking, Zhang Yichen caught a glimpse of a parrot and the person standing next to the parrot.

The expression on his face froze for a moment as his eyes scanned the whole of Su Qingsang’s face.

When he came in, Huo Jinyao was standing by Su Qingsang’s side. Huo Jinyao was bigger than Su Qingsang, so he was covering half of Su Qingsang’s body.

Zhang Yichen couldn’t see Su Qingsang clearly until he walked up to Huo Jinyao.

“Jinyao, this is…”

He already had the answer, but he asked the question anyway.

“Uncle, this is Su Qingsang, your niece-in-law,” said Huo Jinyao. “Qingsang, this is the uncle we talked about earlier. His name is Zhang Yichen, and he is my great-aunt’s youngest son. He is young, but he is a senior colonel already.”

“Uncle,” greeted Su Qingsang. The smile on her face was a little stiff. She didn’t think that she would see Zhang Yichen again right inside her family home after she had run into him earlier that afternoon.

What surprised her, even more, was the fact that he was her husband’s uncle.

Thinking about what Zhang Yichen had done to her earlier in the afternoon, which could almost be considered flirting, Su Qingsang suddenly started to feel awkward.

“Hi, good to see you,” said Zhang Yichen. After being shocked for a moment, he adjusted his expression immediately. Then, he reached a hand toward Su Qingsang, as if it was the first time he was seeing her.

“Good to see you too.” Both Old Master Huo and Huo Jinyao were present when he reached his hand out, so Su Qingsang had no choice but to shake his hand.

His hands were larger than Huo Jinyao’s, and the texture of his palms was a little coarse. Su Qingsang quickly retracted her hand after shaking his hand for less than a second.

Zhang Yichen gave her another glance because of her sudden reaction. Then he said, “I couldn’t make it to Jinyao’s wedding, and I came here in a hurry today, so I didn’t have the time to prepare you a gift. Please forgive me for that.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, uncle. We’re family, after all, so you don’t have to bring me a gift.”

He was a young man, but Su Qingsang needed to call him uncle because he was indeed Huo Jinyao’s uncle. Thinking about what he had done earlier that afternoon, Su Qingsang still felt a little uncomfortable.

However, she realized one thing. He was a serviceman. Hence, back in the afternoon, he was probably carrying out some kind of secret mission that was not to be known by someone like her.

With that realization, the fear and dislike Su Qingsang had held for Zhang Yichen began to fade.

“I do owe you a gift. I will bring it to you next time.”

Zhang Yichen looked at Su Qingsang’s eyes. She had dropped her eyelids, so he could only see her red lips.

Recalling how close they had been in each other’s presence earlier that afternoon, he, for some reason, felt his throat growing tight.

He turned his eyes to the parrot, then to Old Master Huo, asking, “Uncle, what were you guys laughing about just now?”

“About this,” he said, pointing to the parrot. Thinking about what had happened earlier on with the parrot, Old Master Huo’s wrinkled face was once again layered with a faint smile.

“Qingsang doesn’t want me to feel lonely, so she bought a parrot to keep me company. We were talking to it just now.”

For some reason, the parrot had been quiet since Zhang Yichen entered the door.

However, at that point, Old Master Huo had no time for the parrot. He asked Mr. Cheng to take the parrot to the backyard. Then, he waved at Zhang Yichen and signaled for the latter to sit down next to him.

He liked Zhang Yichen a lot. Like people said, nephews could get very close to their uncles. Zhang Yichen lived in the army most of the time, but he didn’t fail to visit Old Master Huo every time he came to Rong City.

“I heard from your mother that you’re now a senior colonel. I haven’t gotten a chance to congratulate you yet. Young senior colonels like you are quite rare.”

“Not so rare. Besides, they promoted me for my father’s sake. It’s nothing.”

“Stop being so humble. Not even your father could have gotten you promoted if you hadn’t made an actual contribution. You have to perform meritorious service to elevate yourself to higher positions.”

Zhang Yichen smiled without denying it.

Su Qingsang looked at Zhang Yichen, recalling how she had seen him bravely help other people twice now. The unhappiness she had towards him was now gone, as she learned that he was a serviceman.

During dinner, Old Master Huo let Zhang Yichen sit next to him, and Huo Jinyao next to Zhang Yichen, between himself and Su Qingsang.

Huo Jinyao and Zhang Yichen seemed to be quite close. Su Qingsang saw Huo Jinyao leaning toward Zhang Yichen from time to time to talk to him, mainly about their past.

When Ms. Zhou served them some soup, Huo Jinyao poured some of it for Su Qingsang in a bowl and put it before her as he always did.

“This soup is full of nutrients. Ms. Zhou made it for you exclusively. Try it!”

Liu Tongjia and Huo Mingguang had already gotten used to Huo Jinyao and Su Qingsang’s sweet interaction during every meal.

Nevertheless, the corner of Liu Tongjia’s mouth twitched when she heard what Huo Jinyao said. Ms. Zhou didn’t make the soup exclusively for Su Qingsang. She made it for Liu Tongjia because she seemed to be feeling a little tired these days.

Liu Tongjia had moved her lips, preparing to say something. However, she chose to stay silent when her eyes landed on Zhang Yichen.