7 Spring Wine Town

Ye Rui did not expect Huo Fang to notice her embarrassment. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and she looked up at him in surprise.

The man stood outside the car door, broad-shouldered and long-legged with a robust frame. Dressed in black, he possessed a naturally sharp and dangerous aura, much like an avenging deity. Yet, for this seemingly cold but actually attentive "brother-in-law," Ye Rui found herself not so afraid anymore.

Ye Rui let out a light breath and said gratefully, "Thank you for opening the door for me, brother-in-law. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have known how to get out."

Huo Fang looked down at her, extended a finger with distinct knuckles, and pointed to a spot beneath the car window. His voice was steady. "There is a recessed button. You need to press it before opening the door."

Sitting in the car, Ye Rui followed the direction of his finger and looked carefully. Sure enough, she spotted a dark groove on the door that she hadn't noticed before. A pleasant surprise lit up her delicate, soft face, and she smiled. "Yes, I see it."

Huo Fang stood outside the door, his dark, heavy eyes fixed on the smiling young woman. His Adam's apple bobbed as he prompted, "Want to try?"

Before the words had even finished landing, Ye Rui didn't react immediately. The man then took a step back, placed his large hand on the car door, and with a sharp click, shut it firmly once more.

"..."

Ye Rui sat in the back seat, tilting her head as she stared at the closed door. Only then did she realize that Huo Fang's "try" meant she should try opening the door herself. At this thought, she couldn't help but laugh, revealing the sweet little dimples on her fair cheeks. She hadn't expected this "brother-in-law" to have such a teacher-like demeanor.

Her eyes curved into crescents. She leaned toward the door, looked down carefully, and upon spotting the dark groove, she extended her fingertips and pressed down with a tentative effort.

With a "click," the door slipped open a crack. Ye Rui pressed her palm against it, subconsciously holding her breath, and pushed the door open with a firm shove.

The door opened.

Ye Rui got out with light, graceful movements. After mimicking his actions and closing the back door, she looked up at Huo Fang and said happily, her eyes bright, "Big brother, I learned how to open the door."

Having learned how to open the car door on her first ride, even a girl as quiet as Ye Rui couldn't hide her joy. Huo Fang watched the girl, whose eyes were now curved like crescent moons, and gave a low grunt of acknowledgment, his expression revealing nothing more.

The "brother-in-law" was stern and did not show his emotions easily. Ye Rui felt a belated sense of awkwardness. She bit her lip and quickly added, "Big brother, I’m heading home now."

With that, she didn't say anything more and walked toward her front gate. The gate was not latched, so she pushed it open and stepped inside, then turned to close it behind her. As the gate swung shut, through the gap, Ye Rui caught a glimpse of the car parked outside her house and the tall man standing beside it.

Withdrawing her gaze, Ye Rui lowered her lashes, slid the bolt into place, and walked into the courtyard.

***

Zhou Qingyuan sat in the car, completely absorbed in exploring the interior. He hadn't noticed, nor did he have the mind to care about, his fiancée getting out of the car. He sat in the back, touching this and looking at that, until finally, his eyes locked onto the driver's seat.

He took a deep breath, trying to control his expression and remain refined, not wanting to look like someone who had never seen the world. But the dark steering wheel and the matte center console held an incomparable attraction for him, striking every one of his nerves. His deep envy was almost impossible to contain.

So, when the driver's door was pulled open and he saw Huo Fang get in and start the car, he couldn't help but ask, "Big brother, how much did this car cost?"

Huo Fang turned the steering wheel with one hand, his voice steady. "Not much."

Huo Fang was not a man who enjoyed extravagance. Although this off-road vehicle cost a high six-figure or nearly seven-figure sum on the market, he had met a car dealer in Southeast Asia a few years back. The man owed him a significant debt of gratitude, and upon learning that Huo Fang intended to change vehicles, he enthusiastically facilitated a private transaction for him.

Huo Fang acquired the car at a steep discount. However, when Zhou Qingyuan heard his reply, he frowned almost imperceptibly, clearly disbelieving him. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something more.

Huo Fang looked up at the rearview mirror. "Give me directions."

Zhou Qingyuan met the man's dark, heavy gaze and extended his hand out of reflex. But once he realized his reaction, he felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort and didn't speak again.

***

In Chunjiu Town, the Zhou family clinic was located right on the main street; they had purchased a storefront a few years ago and moved the practice there. However, the family residence was on the west side of town, not far from the town's lotus pond.

At this moment, the lights in the Zhou family courtyard were on.

After parking the car, Huo Fang picked up a black travel bag from the passenger seat and stepped out. He walked to the trunk and began to unload the generous nutritional gifts he had prepared. Zhou Qingyuan followed, and upon seeing the expensive items, he reached out to help, pushing aside his earlier awkwardness.

At the same time, Zhou Qishan and his wife knew their nephew would arrive tonight and were waiting in the main hall. Hearing the commotion outside, Zhou Qishan looked at his wife, Sun Guiyun, and pushed up his reading glasses. "Did you hear the sound of a car outside?"

Sun Guiyun stood up. "Yes! There’s the sound of tires; I can hear it clearly!"

Hearing this, Zhou Qishan smiled happily and waved his hand at Sun Guiyun. "The child has been traveling all this way, he must be hungry and tired. The chicken soup and meat we saved from lunch—go and make him some chicken noodle soup now. Don't forget to add some greens to keep him warm."

The Zhou family had slaughtered a hen today, and knowing their nephew would arrive late, they had saved a large bowl specifically for him.

"You're rushing me to the kitchen already," Sun Guiyun said, casting a glance at Zhou Qishan. "I at least need to see my nephew first, don't I?"

Zhou Qishan laughed. "Alright, alright."

The couple walked out toward the hall. As they reached the courtyard, the front gate, which had been left unlatched, was pushed open. A tall man walked in, carrying nutritional supplements in one hand and a black bag in the other. He fixed his gaze on the two elders and said in a low voice, "Uncle, Aunt."

After years of separation, Zhou Qishan and Sun Guiyun finally saw their nephew, Huo Fang, again. Their eyes grew warm. When Huo Fang was taken away years ago, he was just a small child who barely reached Zhou Qishan's knees; now, he had grown tall, strong, and full of masculine vigor.

Looking at him, Zhou Qishan said with happy emotion, "You've returned. It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back."

Sun Guiyun wiped the corners of her eyes. "You must be exhausted from the journey. Come inside and rest." She then looked at Zhou Qingyuan. "I'm going to make your brother a bowl of noodles. You three go on inside."

Huo Fang looked at his aunt. "I'm not hungry, Aunt. Don't trouble yourself."

Sun Guiyun replied, "What are you talking about? A grown man driving all this way—how can you not be hungry? I'll cook you something warm, it will be ready in a moment. Go inside with your uncle."

Huo Fang didn't refuse again and nodded.

Watching the three men head into the main hall, Sun Guiyun turned toward the kitchen. She opened the cupboard and brought out a large bowl of chicken soup. The chicken pieces were all tender, high-quality cuts; there was no cutting corners. A thin layer of golden, glistening oil coated the surface, and the rich, delicious aroma was impossible to conceal, wafting out in curls.

Sun Guiyun started the stove, intending to use this full bowl of chicken soup to boil the noodles. It must be said that if the villagers saw this bowl of unsparing chicken noodles, they would surely remark that Sun Guiyun was truly good to her nephew.

And that was the truth. As an elder, Sun Guiyun felt genuine love for the nephew she had raised for several years. Back then, she and Zhou Qishan had discussed having Huo Fang change his surname to "Zhou," intending to raise him as their own son.

There was no other reason for it—her first two children were both girls, and she had no boys. When she tried to conceive again, there was no luck. The Zhou family ran a Chinese medicine clinic and were well-regarded in town; they couldn't go without a male heir, or the family legacy would be severed. Sun Guiyun had constantly taken tonics to strengthen her body, but the results were disappointing. She was desperate and nearly hopeless.

Then, she learned that a cousin of Zhou Qishan was a tragic figure. She lived in a village at the foot of a mountain that had been destroyed by a mudslide and flood, with many lives lost. The couple had passed away, and their young son had survived by a stroke of fate, with no one left to look after him.

The Zhou family, harboring their own private desires, brought the nephew to Chunjiu Town to raise as their own. Some villagers secretly mocked them for raising another person's son, but Sun Guiyun never paid them any mind.

To her surprise, a few years later, the Huo family came searching for their child. Zhou Qishan had no reason to refuse, and his six-year-old nephew was taken back. Though Sun Guiyun was a woman with her own private hopes, one must judge a person by their actions rather than their intentions. She had truly cared for her nephew during those years and never mistreated him. When he was taken away, she wept and could not eat for a long time. Worried, Zhou Qishan took her pulse, and unexpectedly, the situation turned around: she became pregnant again.

When the child was born, it was the Zhou family's only male heir, Zhou Qingyuan. Over the years, Sun Guiyun always believed that the years she spent raising her nephew had accumulated good fortune, allowing her to conceive again. In her heart, Huo Fang was no different from her own flesh and blood.

***

The rich, fragrant, and oily chicken noodle soup was served steaming in a bowl. Sun Guiyun stopped dwelling on the past, sprinkled green onion over the top with a beaming smile, and carried it into the main hall.

Huo Fang reached out to take it. "Thank you, Aunt."

Sun Guiyun sat in an empty chair beside Huo Fang and glanced at Zhou Qingyuan. She laughed, "Qingyuan must have gone to see Rui-ya tonight. Since you both came back together, did you see her?"

A mother knows her son; Sun Guiyun could tell by looking at him that he had gone to see his fiancée. Zhou Qingyuan's eyelids twitched.

Huo Fang’s expression remained unchanged. "I saw her."

Sun Guiyun smiled, asking with pride, "How do you feel about your brother's wife-to-be?"