Chapter 95 (1/2)

After the game and dinner finished, everyone sat together to watch the New Year’s Gala on TV.

Shen Fu had never actually watched this before. To describe it with the current viral Internet slang: nobody watched the New Year’s Gala to watch it anymore; instead, they watched it to roast it. There were too many ways to roast it, so many that he didn’t even know where to start.

But Lin ShuYi watched it eagerly. To tell the truth, he was very interested in all the TV shows, and it was extremely easy to make him laugh. Even little skits that were full of plot holes were enough to make him laugh endlessly.

Shen Fu: …He didn’t find anything humorous about it at all.

Aunt Shen was attentively waiting for a big company to give out red packets on Alipay, WeChat, or QQ. She flipped through each one in turn, as the zipping noises never stopped. Finally, she managed to grab one, and she shoved her phone in front of Alan, overjoyed. “Look, look, I got a red packet.”

The corners of Alan’s mouth twitched as he looked at the “2.66” flashing on the screen. He still had to compliment her half-heartedly: “Dear, your luck is great.”

When Shen Fu heard that, he fished out his own phone.

There was a new function for New Year red packets in WeChat. He refreshed it quite a few times, but the most he could get was 9.99. Shen Fu turned to look at Lin ShuYi, who was staring single-mindedly at the TV. As if he didn’t need money anymore, Shen Fu sent across two dozen or so red packets all at once.

Instantly, Lin ShuYi’s phone rang.

And it kept ringing nonstop at that. When he took it out to see, it was full of the red packets that Shen Fu had sent him, covering the entire screen.

Lin ShuYi curved his eyes happily, as he exchanged a loving look with Shen Fu.

Big Brother Shen didn’t even want to lift his head anymore. Love made people lose their rationality and IQ. As the only single person in the room, Shen Bro didn’t want to stay there for a single moment longer.

He was about to get up and go upstairs when he heard his own phone ring.

It was actually from WeChat, which he very, very rarely used.

“Happy New Year.”

There was a huge red packet sitting beneath a completely unfamiliar profile picture. Unexpectedly, Brother Shen felt as if he was cured for just a moment, even though he didn’t even know who had sent it to him.

When he opened it, the sum of money was 52.0.(t/n: 520 is Chinese slang for I love you)

…

For someone to send 52.0 with a New Year red packet – if there wasn’t a hole in their brain, then there was something wrong with them. Brother Shen rolled his eyes gracefully before he started to type with his elegant fingers.

“Thanks for the red packet, you are?”

After a long moment, the phone sounded again.

“Happy New Year, I’m back.”

Brother Shen grew impatient. Who cares whether you’re back or not? “Who in the world are you?”

“… Jiang Cheng.”

Brother Shen instantly grew unhappy. He calmly pressed back before he blacklisted the person, his movements smooth and unbroken. When he looked up, he discovered that Shen Fu was looking at him.

“What’s wrong?”

Shen Fu shook his head. “Nothing.” He just suddenly felt as if his brother was gnashing his teeth.

The New Year’s Gala would be on until midnight, but by the time it was ten, nobody could endure it any longer. As a result, everyone got up, washed, and went to sleep.

The next day, it was the first day of the new year.

Shen Fu was woken up early in the morning to go hang New Year couplets. Even though the Shen family’s little manor wasn’t suited for hanging New Year couplets at all, they couldn’t get out of it because Grandfather Shen liked them. Hanging up couplets was one thing, but there were also two big red lanterns that were completely out of place.

Xiao Yu and Tao Tao had also woken up early and changed into new clothes before they came downstairs to wish everyone a happy new year.

Tao Tao wore a Chinese-style cotton-padded jacket in imperial red that made him look exceptionally festive when matched with his little round face. When he greeted his grandpa and grandma, it made Mama Shen go up to him at once and plant a big kiss on his face.

Xiao Yu also looked very dashing in his army green down-filled jacket, paired with a pair of jeans. He gave a respectful, careful bow to Grandfather Shen. “Great-grandfather, happy new year.”

Grandfather Shen beamed with joy, and he took out the two red packets he had placed into his bag. “Good children.” He gave them each one.

The red packet was thin, but very stiff. It didn’t seem like money was inside.

Next, Papa and Mama Shen, Aunt Shen, Uncle Alan, Brother Shen, Shen Fu and Lin ShuYi all gave them one each as well. The red packets were thick, and Xiao Yu and Tao Tao immediately became little rich young masters with the most cash.

Xiao Yu clutched the red packets. He didn’t open them. He walked over to Lin ShuYi and gave the red packets to him.

Lin ShuYi didn’t take them. “I’ll open a bank account for you. You should deposit your own money.”

Xiao Yu didn’t really understand, but since Lin ShuYi said it, he still nodded.

Tao Tao didn’t understand the use of these things at all. After glancing at the packets for a while, he wanted to stuff them inside his mouth.

Shen Fu quickly stopped him. “Good son, you must not eat these.”

Tao Tao blinked at him. It wasn’t very clear whether he understood or not.

Mama Shen wiped his hands with a towel before handing him a small pastry from the table. “You can’t eat that, but grandma can give you this to eat. Give it a try.”

It was a little pastry made of bright purple yams. It was covered with sesame seeds, and it was baked until it was crispy. Tao Tao’s eyes curved instantly into crescent moon shapes.

Sweet fruit and cheese were stuffed inside. Tao Tao couldn’t eat a lot of it, but trying one was still alright.