Entertainment from Divorce

On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, the capital city was clear after the snowfall. The world was covered with a thick layer of white snow. The sunlight shone on the snow, reflecting a dazzling white light, but it could not dispel the chill of deep winter.

In the detached villas of Ruishan Community, the morning sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the living room, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Tan Yue's mother, Li Yulan, was picking vegetables with Chen's mother, and the aroma of millet porridge wafted from the kitchen.

Chen Ziyu leaned back on the sofa, holding a parenting book in her hand, occasionally exchanging a few words with the two mothers, presenting a picture of peaceful contentment.

Tan Yue, dressed in a light gray suit, sat at the dining table slowly drinking porridge. While listening to his mother and Chen's mother chat about the differences in New Year customs between Jishui and the capital, he took out his phone and quickly browsed work messages.

Today is the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, the last working day before the new year for Brilliant Entertainment. Although most of the finishing work has been completed, there are still some scattered matters that need to be finalized.

However, compared to usual, today's workload is much less, and I don't have to work non-stop like the past few days.

"Xiao Yue, is today your last day of work? Go home early after you're done, don't linger at the company." Li Yulan put down the greens she was holding, picked up a vegetable bag for Tan Yue, and spoke with concern.

Li Yulan and Tan Zhaohe have successfully arrived in the capital.

"Okay, Mom." Tan Yue nodded with a smile, took a bite of her steamed bun, and said, "I'll come back as soon as I finish what I'm doing. It won't be a problem. There's nothing major going on at the company today, just some wrap-up work."

Chen Ziyu looked up at him and said gently, "Be careful on the road. The roads are slippery because the snow has melted, so drive slowly. If you're tired, don't push yourself. Come back and rest early."

"Don't worry, I will." Tan Yue reached out and gently touched her belly. "I gave Lao Liu his annual leave. He drove to the company by himself today and will come back by himself tonight. He doesn't need to wait for me."

After breakfast, Tan Yue said goodbye to his family, picked up his briefcase, and left the villa.

The snow in the yard had been swept to the roadside, and the sunlight shone on the snow, making it sparkle.

He opened the car door, got into the driver's seat, started the car, and slowly drove out of Ruishan Community.

Some of the snow on the road has melted, revealing a wet surface. Occasionally, there is still some unmelted snow, which makes the car slip slightly when driving over it.

On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, many companies had already closed for the holidays, but there were still quite a few cars on the road, mostly people rushing home for the New Year. The traffic was slow, but it was filled with a strong festive atmosphere.

More than forty minutes later, Tan Yue arrived at the company.

The snow in the square in front of the office building has been cleared away, two large red lanterns hang at the entrance, and the character "福" (fortune) is pasted on the windows, exuding a festive atmosphere.

In the lobby, the receptionist, wearing a red sweater and with a smile on her face, greeted Tan Yue respectfully as he entered: "Good morning, Mr. Tan!"

"Good morning." Tan Yue nodded slightly and walked quickly towards the elevator.

In the elevator, he ran into a few employees, who all greeted him with smiles, their voices filled with the joy of an upcoming holiday.

"Happy Chinese New Year, Mr. Tan!"

"Happy Chinese New Year," Tan Yue replied with a smile. "Everyone, finish up your work, be careful, and go home for the New Year as soon as possible."

Upon entering the office, Chen Ye had already placed the documents that needed to be processed that day on his desk, neatly arranged in a stack.

"Good morning, Mr. Tan. These are the documents that need your review and signature today. They include the list of staff on duty during the Spring Festival, details of year-end bonuses, and preliminary plans for new programs after the Spring Festival submitted by the program department."

"In addition, all employees' Spring Festival benefits have been delivered and are placed in the lobby on the first floor. We will notify all departments to collect them later."

"Okay, I understand." Tan Yue nodded, sat down behind his desk, and slowly flipped through the documents.

The list of duty personnel was submitted by each department, and all of them were employees who volunteered to stay on duty. Tan Yue carefully reviewed it, confirmed that nothing was missing, and signed his name.

The finance department had checked the year-end bonus details multiple times, and the amount was accurate, so he signed it without any problems.

After finishing the documents, Tan Yue picked up his phone and sent messages to the directors of each department, reminding them to finish up the last day's work and then arrange their holiday.

Compared to the busy days of the past few days, the office is unusually quiet today.

Occasionally, the sound of employees' footsteps and hushed conversations could be heard in the corridor. Most of them were discussing what to do after the holiday and where to go for the New Year, their tone full of anticipation.

Tan Yue leaned back in his chair, picked up the warm water on the table, took a sip, and looked at the snow scene outside the window, feeling particularly at ease.

The year's work is coming to an end, all company matters have been properly arranged, family members are all by my side, and the upcoming Spring Festival is just around the corner; everything is filled with warmth.

At noon, the company cafeteria opened for lunch on time.

Tan Yue and his employees went to the cafeteria for lunch. The cafeteria was bustling with activity as everyone sat together, eating and chatting, with the topic inevitably turning to the Chinese New Year.

Tan Yue found a seat by the window, ordered a simple meal of two dishes and a soup, and ate quietly.

Occasionally, employees would come over to greet him, and he would respond with a smile.

After lunch, Tan Yue returned to his office and felt a little tired, so he lay down on the sofa to rest.

The busy days left him with a rare chance to relax, and he fell asleep soon after closing his eyes.

After some time, the office door was gently pushed open, the footsteps were very light, and they did not wake him.

Tan Yue only slowly opened his eyes after the person walked to the sofa and coughed softly.

"Awake? Did I disturb you?" Xu Nuo asked with a smile, holding a folder in her hand, and sat down on the chair next to the sofa.

He was wearing a casual suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he had a smile on his face.

Tan Yue sat up, rubbed his eyes, and yawned: "No, I just woke up. What brings you here? Have you finished your work?"

"It's almost done, everything's wrapped up." Xu Nuo said with a smile, "I came to tell you that I'm going back to Jishui early tomorrow morning. I bought a high-speed rail ticket for 8 a.m. to go back and spend the New Year with my parents."

“Okay, that’s fine. Go back early and help your uncle and aunt with some chores.” Tan Yue nodded naturally. “I won’t be going back to Jishui this year. My parents have come to Beijing, so we’ll be spending the New Year here.”

“I know, your mom called my mom a few days ago and told her.” Xu Nuo said with a smile, “That’s good, you can spend more time with President Chen. She’s pregnant and it’s not convenient for her to travel back and forth. After the New Year, I’ll go back to Beijing and we’ll get together again.”

"Okay." Tan Yue looked at him seriously. "Be careful on your way back tomorrow. The 26th and 27th of the twelfth lunar month are peak travel days. There will definitely be a lot of people on the high-speed train and on the road. Also, the weather has been bad these past few days, and it might even snow. Be careful."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Xu Nuo nodded with a smile. "I've already booked the tickets and packed my things. I'm just bringing some simple luggage, it won't be a hassle."

Tan Yue paused, then changed the subject, his tone teasing yet full of concern: "There's something else, it's a recurring topic, so don't find me annoying. You're thirty-five this year, the same age as me, and my child is almost born, while you're still single."

"Your uncle and aunt must be so worried. They must have arranged a lot of blind dates for you when you go back this time, right?" Hearing this, Xu Nuo smiled helplessly and scratched his head: "Hey, you know what, my mom called me a few days ago and said that she has arranged three blind dates for me. They are all from our local Jishui. She told me that I must meet them when I go back."

"I knew it," Tan Yue said with a smile. "Stop being so perfunctory and take it seriously. At our age, it's time to settle down and start a family."

"Find a suitable person, settle down, and have someone to take care of you. Your uncle and aunt can rest assured. I know you used to say you were busy with work, but now that the program department is on track, you should take some time to think about your own life."

Xu Nuo put away her smile and nodded seriously: "I know, I understand what you're saying. I used to be too focused on my work, and I felt that I didn't want to start a family until I achieved something."

"Now that the company is doing better and better, I'm not as busy anymore. This time when I go back, I will take blind dates seriously and won't be as perfunctory as before. If I meet the right person, I will make the most of it."

Seeing his serious expression, Tan Yue nodded in satisfaction: "That's right. I'm looking forward to your wedding."

"Don't worry, your wedding banquet will be well-attended," Xu Nuo said with a smile.

Remembering something, Tan Yue got up, walked to his desk, picked up a gift bag that had been prepared beforehand, and handed it to Xu Nuo.

"Oh, by the way, I prepared some things for Uncle and Aunt, all local specialties from Beijing, and some health supplements. Please take them to them when you go back. It's just a small token of my appreciation."

The gift bag contained local specialties from Beijing, such as roast duck, donkey rolls, and glutinous rice cakes, as well as two boxes of health supplements suitable for middle-aged and elderly people, all of which Tan Yue had specially selected.

Xu Nuo glanced at the gift bag, and without any hesitation, reached out and took it: "Okay, I thank you on behalf of my parents. You don't need to be so polite, we're all family."

We've been brothers for years, and we know each other very well. There's no need for fake formalities; this friendship is kept in our hearts.

"Don't be so polite with me," Tan Yue said with a smile. "When you get off work, wait for me at the parking lot entrance, and I'll load your things into your car. I drove here myself today; I gave Lao Liu his annual leave."

“Okay, no problem.” Xu Nuo nodded. “Then I’ll go back first, finish up the last bit of work I have, and wait until I get off work.”

"Okay, sure." Tan Yue saw him to the door. "Be careful on the way."

After Xu Nuo left, Tan Yue returned to his desk, picked up the new program proposal from the program department, read it carefully, added a few more suggestions for revision, and then sent it to Xu Nuo.

After doing all that, he checked the office doors, windows, water, and electricity again. Once he was sure there were no problems, he leaned back in his chair to rest.

At 3 PM, the company notified all departments to collect their Spring Festival benefits.

In an instant, the lobby on the first floor became lively as employees came out of their offices and flocked to the lobby.

This year, the company's benefits are very generous. Everyone received a large gift bag containing headphones, a watch, and a shopping card.

People lined up and received their gifts in an orderly fashion, their faces beaming with smiles, carrying heavy gift bags, radiating happiness.

When Tan Yue came downstairs, he saw the employees receiving their benefits. The lobby was filled with laughter and was very lively.

He stood to the side, watching everyone's happy faces, and a smile appeared on his face as well.

When the head of the administration department saw him, he quickly came over and said, "Mr. Tan, your benefits have been prepared and are at the front desk."

"Okay, thank you." Tan Yue nodded. "Has everyone received theirs? Is anyone missing?"

"Everyone received theirs, nothing was missing," the head of administration said with a smile. "Everyone is very happy, thank you General Manager Tan and General Manager Chen."

Tan Yue walked to the front desk, picked up his welfare bag, and handed it to Chen Ye next to him: "This is your welfare, take it. You should also go home early for the New Year."

"Thank you, Mr. Tan!" Chen Ye accepted the gift bag with a happy smile. "Mr. Tan, I've finished up the office work and sent the duty roster to the staff on duty."

"Okay, thank you for your hard work." Tan Yue said with a smile, "Happy Chinese New Year, and be careful on your way back."

"Happy Chinese New Year, Mr. Tan!" Chen Ye said, then picked up the welfare bag and left the company with the other employees.

The employees in the lobby gradually dispersed, each carrying a welfare bag, smiling, saying goodbye to their colleagues, and saying "Happy Chinese New Year" and "See you after the New Year".

Tan Yue stood in the lobby, watching the employees leave one by one, feeling gratified.

Over the past year, we have worked side by side and made great efforts. Now we can finally rest and reunite with our families for the New Year.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, the sky gradually darkened, and the streetlights in Beijing lit up, casting warm yellow light on the snow, creating a particularly cozy atmosphere.

In the parking lot, Xu Nuo was carrying her luggage.

Seeing Tan Yue approaching, they quickly went to greet him.

"Busy working?"

"I'm done with work." Tan Yue nodded, opened the car door, took out the gift bag for Xu Nuo's parents, and handed it to her. "The things are all here. Keep them safe and don't lose them."

"Okay." Xu Nuo took the gift bag and carefully put it in her car. "You should go home early too. President Chen is still waiting for you at home."

"Okay." Tan Yue patted his shoulder, her tone sincere. "Be careful on the road, and let me know when you get to Jishui. Drink less alcohol during the New Year, go on your blind dates seriously, and contact me anytime if anything happens."

"Don't worry, I understand," Xu Nuo said with a smile.

"See you after the New Year." Tan Yue nodded with a smile.

After saying goodbye, Xu Nuo drove away from the parking lot, and Tan Yue also got into his car, started the engine, and slowly drove out of the parking lot of Brilliant Entertainment.

At this time, there were many cars on the road, all of them people going home from get off work or rushing home for the Spring Festival. The traffic was slow, but it was full of festive atmosphere.

As Tan Yue drove, listening to New Year's songs playing on the radio, he felt especially warm inside.

The year's work has come to a successful end, the company is on holiday, and the employees have all gone home for the Chinese New Year. He can also spend time with his family and enjoy the warm and cozy Spring Festival.

More than an hour later, Tan Yue's car finally drove into Ruishan Residential Area.

The neighborhood was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and red lanterns hung at the door of every household, creating a strong festive atmosphere.

He parked his car in front of the villa, got out, pushed open the gate to the yard, and walked into the villa.

The living room was brightly lit and warmly inviting. (End of Chapter)