yournovel Chapter 469 The Rich Old Man
Chapter 469 The Rich Old Man
Chapter 469 The Rich Old Man
Everyone stood in unison beneath the entrance, their eyes fixed on the slightly forward-leaning figure across the street—
Old Yu was bending down to light the fireworks.
He stared intently at the lighter in his hand, and with a "whoosh," a dark blue flame shot up instantly, precisely touching the fuse of the firework.
In an instant, the sparks began to hiss.
Old Yu reacted quickly, straightened up abruptly, turned around and sprinted towards the door like a gust of wind, his agility appearing exceptionally nimble in the night.
Just as he reached the door, a series of loud, crackling sounds suddenly erupted from all directions, like a rapid drumbeat that stirred the heart.
At the same time, colorful fireworks bloomed one after another in the night sky, decorating the entire night scene like a dream.
The box of fireworks that Lao Yu lit was particularly impressive.
"Whoosh-"
The first firework shot out like an arrow released from a bow, or a cannonball fired from a gun, trailing a long, brilliant tail flame and emitting a sharp and exciting whistling sound, reaching the deepest part of the night sky in the blink of an eye.
"boom!"
With a loud bang, the fireworks exploded, turning into countless tiny golden sparks that scattered like flowers from a fairy's shower.
Because of the close proximity, the dazzling light and awe-inspiring sound captivated almost everyone, making their nerves tremble.
In this visual feast, Lin Yourong unconsciously tightened her grip on Yu Huan's left arm.
Her almond-shaped eyes widened, and her mouth, hidden beneath her mask, opened slightly as she exclaimed in genuine surprise, "So beautiful!"
"Hmm!" Yu Huan nodded slightly, equally captivated by the magnificent scene before her.
His face beamed with a bright smile. He turned around, patted his father on the shoulder as he ran up to him, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Dad, you really went all out this year!"
His voice, filled with joy, remained clearly audible amidst the booming fireworks.
Old Yu turned around cheerfully, looked up at the second huge blue firework bursting in the sky, and shouted back, "With this firework, next year will definitely be prosperous!"
"That's right! In the new year, our family will definitely get better and better!" Yu Huan said, glancing at the door and meeting the gaze of her neighbor, Uncle Li.
He immediately raised his hand enthusiastically, a sincere smile on his face, and waved to Uncle Li.
Just then, several children from the neighborhood, attracted by the dazzling fireworks, chased each other and skipped over.
The children stood not far away, each with their little heads tilted back, their eyes fixed on the sky. They would occasionally huddle together, whispering to each other, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
Beautiful times pass by in a flash.
As the last firework burst brilliantly into the night sky with a deafening roar, the whole world seemed to fall silent, leaving only the faint smell of gunpowder in the air.
Teacher Wu turned around and quickly went into the room. A moment later, she came out with a large handful of colorful candies in her hands.
With a kind smile on her face, she walked briskly among the children and distributed the gifts to them one by one.
The moment the children received the candy, they cried out "Thank you, Grandma!" and "Thank you, Auntie!" in unison, their clear, childlike voices echoing in the air like silver bells.
Many adults from the neighborhood were also drawn by the atmosphere and strolled over from their homes one after another, warmly exchanging New Year's greetings.
For a moment, laughter and cheers filled the air.
Looking at the lively scene, Yu Huan turned his head and looked at Lin Yourong beside him.
The two exchanged a knowing glance, a smile appearing in their eyes.
Yu Huan decisively took Lin Yourong's hand, gently squeezed her palm with her fingers, then leaned close to her ear and whispered, "There are too many people around, let's leave first and go brush our teeth and wash our faces."
"Ah."
Lin Yourong nodded gently, her smooth hair swaying slightly with her movements.
The young couple had just walked hand in hand into the courtyard when Grandpa Yu, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, followed them with a smile.
He casually closed the back door, his deep, magnetic voice carrying a warm and approachable quality, as he called out, "You Rong."
Upon hearing the sound, Lin Yourong immediately stopped and turned around.
With a pair of bright, smiling eyes, she looked at Grandpa Yu and politely replied, "Grandpa, Happy New Year!"
Yu Huan also stopped and turned around with a curious look on her face.
He wondered to himself, what was wrong with the old man?
"Happy New Year!" Old Master Yu said with a smile, as he unzipped his coat, took out two thick stacks of red bills from his inner pocket, stepped forward, and handed them to Lin Yourong.
His face beamed with undisguised joy and affection as he said, “You Rong, this is your first time visiting during the New Year. Grandpa doesn’t have anything else of value to give you, and the red envelope is too small to hold all of this, so this is all I can give you. This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it.”
Lin Yourong was stunned, filled with surprise.
She never expected that the old man would suddenly take out two thick bundles of red banknotes.
That's incredibly extravagant!
For a moment, she was at a loss and hurriedly waved her hands to refuse: "Grandpa, this won't do, this is too much money, I really can't accept it."
Her eyes were full of sincerity and determination, and she subconsciously took a small step back.
Old Master Yu refused to give up and took another step forward, determined to stuff the money into Lin Yourong's hand.
He muttered to himself, "Don't refuse. This is your first time celebrating the New Year at our home. It's a gift for you and a sign of Grandpa's approval. I'm so happy that you and Huanhuan are together. You're such a sensible and filial child. I love you so much. You must accept it."
"Grandpa, I really can't accept this. I appreciate your kindness, but it's just too much." Lin Yourong hurriedly put her hands in her pockets, turning to look at Yu Huan with a helpless expression, her eyes full of pleading. Seeing this stalemate, Yu Huan's lips curled up slightly, and he began to tease her wittily.
"Honey, just accept it. Grandpa really likes you and loves you. Look at Grandpa's attitude. If you don't accept it, he'll only have money left in his pocket. He'll probably keep thinking about it and won't be able to sleep at night. Grandpa has a pension, so this little bit of money is nothing to him. Just consider it Grandpa's recognition and blessing for you."
Upon hearing Yu Huan's witty remark, Old Master Yu's smile widened even more.
He nodded repeatedly, calmly agreeing, "That's right. At my age, I don't have many expenses, and my pension is quite substantial. Yourong, this amount of money is nothing to me, so please accept it."
Lin Yourong's gaze lingered between Yu Huan and Old Master Yu, her eyes filled with conflict.
She bit her lower lip and said softly with some hesitation, "Grandpa, I know you mean well, but this money is really too much, and I feel really bad about it. How about... how about I take less, and just consider it as me accepting your kindness?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Huan turned to the side and gently patted Lin Yourong's shoulder, saying with a smile, "Just take it, otherwise Grandpa will feel uneasy."
Lin Yourong hesitated for a moment, but finally reached out and took the two thick stacks of banknotes.
Seeing this, Grandpa Yu nodded in satisfaction, a pleased smile spreading across his face, and said cheerfully, "Good child, that's right."
Looking at the scene before him, Yu Huan smiled slightly and teased, half-jokingly, "Old man, you're still up at this hour? You didn't do this just to avoid people and deliver this 'greeting gift' to your granddaughter-in-law, did you?"
After hearing this, Grandpa Yu reached out and patted Yu Huan's arm hard, and joked, "As expected of my grandson, he guessed what I was thinking right away."
Yu Huan put one arm around Lin Yourong's arm and playfully pulled her closer to him. He gave the old man a thumbs up and said in a humorous tone, "As expected of my grandfather, this gift is quite generous! He's really too kind!"
Grandpa Yu was amused and laughed heartily, looking exceptionally kind.
He waved his hand, feigning annoyance, and said, "You're such a smooth talker." Then he turned and slowly strolled into the house. After a few steps, he suddenly turned back, a mysterious smile on his face, and said to Yu Huan, "Huanhuan, since you're missing the New Year's Eve dinner tonight, you won't get a red envelope!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Huan immediately feigned heartbreak, clutching her chest with both hands and making an exaggerated expression on her face, shouting loudly, "Old man, you're too cruel! Just because I missed the New Year's Eve dinner, this red envelope is gone just like that! This is a huge loss for me!"
Lin Yourong, holding two bundles of banknotes in one hand, burst out laughing at Yu Huan's lively and playful antics.
The initial awkwardness caused by receiving a large red envelope from the old man dissipated considerably in this relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
She gently poked Yu Huan's waist and said coquettishly, "You, you're always being cheeky. Grandpa is so old, and you're still joking with him."
Grandpa Yu watched the young couple's intimate interaction with a smile in his eyes.
He waved his hand, deliberately put on a serious face, and said, "It's not that Grandpa is stingy, it's just the family rule. But..." He paused for a moment, and a meaningful smile slowly appeared on his face, "If you can bring me a big surprise this year, maybe I'll be so happy that I'll give you an even bigger red envelope."
Well, the old man is starting to subtly urge them to have a baby again.
Yu Huan understood immediately and laughed heartily: "Stop worrying about us all the time. It's the New Year, you should get some rest. You've been staying up so late, your body can't take it. If you get sick from exhaustion, we'll be so worried!"
The old man shook his head slightly upon hearing this, but a smile appeared on his lips.
He slowly pulled another red envelope from his pocket, waved it in his hand, and said with a smile, "You're one of the guys who knows how to talk."
Yu Huan quickly walked up to Grandpa Yu, snatched the red envelope, and said with a grin, "Grandpa, you're really something else! You scared me half to death just now. I thought there really wouldn't be any red envelopes this year. Hehe, wishing you boundless happiness and longevity! Happy New Year!"
Lin Yourong couldn't help but chuckle as she listened.
Yu Huan seemed to be eagerly opening the red envelope and peeking inside.
Whoops!
In previous years, there were always two red bills, but this year I have a small stack in my hand, and if I count them roughly, there are probably more than ten.
He looked up abruptly, his face beaming with delight, and exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Wow, this year's red envelopes are so generous!"
“You were the first to get married, so your red envelope is definitely thicker than theirs, several times more.” The old man explained with a smile as he turned and opened the courtyard gate, walking steadily into the house.
Yu Huan looked at the old man's straight back, gave him a thumbs up, and pointed at him.
Then, raising his chin towards Lin Yourong, who was smiling, he teased, "Look, a rich old man is just so handsome!"
Lin Yourong chuckled at his joke, but gently patted the two stacks of red bills in her hand into his arms.
She turned her head and saw the old man's figure disappear around the corner, then said coquettishly, "You can keep this money!"
Yu Huan quickly covered the bills in his arms with both hands, gently nudged her with his shoulder, and said excitedly, "What do you mean I should keep them? I'm just keeping them for you!"
After saying that, he brazenly stuffed the red envelope and money into his coat pocket.
Compared to the 20,000 yuan, Lin Yourong asked with more concern, "Grandpa went to bed without washing up?"
Yu Huan smiled and replied, "He had already washed up when we were moving things."
"Oh." Lin Yourong nodded.
Afterwards, the young couple washed up together.
After brushing their teeth and washing their faces, the two of them felt refreshed and energetic, and returned to the main room without feeling sleepy at all.
At this moment, the main hall door was already tightly closed.
The room was quiet and peaceful, with soft light shining in every corner.
Old Yu and Teacher Wu stood side by side in front of the door.
The two leaned slightly forward, their heads close together, chatting in hushed tones, occasionally punctuated by soft laughter.
Old Yu glanced at Yu Huan walking ahead and immediately gave her some instructions.
"Huanhuan, even though it's late now, we still need to sort out those gifts and pack them in bags. You two will have to get up early tomorrow. There are three uncles, one son-in-law, and your maternal uncle's family to visit. You'll be busy visiting all these relatives."
Upon hearing this, Yu Huan readily agreed without hesitation: "Okay! Dad, don't worry about this little thing, we've got it covered. It's so late, you and Mom should go and get some rest."
"It's alright, more people means more work." Old Yu waved his hand with a smile.
Ultimately, he was also a little worried and wanted to give the newlyweds, who had no experience with social interactions, a good vetting experience.
(End of this chapter)