Making a living in Dongguan, her fiery red lips offer me tenderness.

"Of course not, I'll find you something to do."

"Mom, there's a big rock over there. It's not convenient to talk at home today. Let's go sit over there for a while and chat."

"good!"

"Mom, since you don't have any children over there, and your husband is just a breakfast vendor with two other kids of his own, I'm guessing you two are managing your own finances separately."

"He can't completely trust you, and you can't completely trust him. Why don't you get a divorce and not go to America?"

"Ugh... why are you trying to persuade me to get a divorce?"

"I'm not advising you to get a divorce, I'm just worried that you'll have to endure another hard life."

"Mom, the world is so big, there are poor people everywhere and rich people everywhere. Money in America isn't that easy to make."

"I've heard America is a nation on wheels. Could you afford a Mercedes-Benz G-Class in the US?"

"You brat, showing off, huh? Mom can't afford it."

"You're wearing all Armani, and a green Submariner on your wrist. Where do you get so much money at such a young age?"

"Mom, ask yourself honestly, do you love your current husband?"

Wenxiu remained silent.

"Mom, if you don't really love her, don't force yourself to stay together. There's no need to take care of her child. Foreigners are particular about splitting the bill; they keep everything separate. Why make yourself suffer?"

"Come to Shenzhen with me. I bought an apartment there. It's 148 square meters, enough for you to live in."

"Wow, you've bought a house in Shenzhen. Housing prices in Shenzhen aren't cheap."

"Of course, I wouldn't buy the cheapest one. You've been to Shenzhen, so you should know what it's like. My house is in Nanshan, very close to the sea, and it cost me about 400 million yuan."

"Wow, Xiaoyang, tell Mom, how did you get so much money? Did you win the lottery?"

"What lottery winnings? I'll date a rich woman."

"Go away, brat, I should have guessed it sooner."

"Tell Mom what happened."

"It's actually very simple. I'll find a rich girlfriend, the president of a large corporation..."

Then Ding Yang told Wenxiu about Tan Yan, giving a brief overview.

"Son, you're really amazing. You're much more successful than your dad. Your dad is so quiet you'd never say a word. You're just like your mom; your mom's genes are really good."

"Is it really appropriate for you to be so self-aggrandizing?"

"Hehe, Mom has been wandering outside for so many years, but she has never had any children. You are her only son. When Mom dies, you will be the one to hold her ashes. You have to take care of Mom in her old age and see her off in her final days."

"Mom, don't say such things. It's still early. You're only in your forties. Don't talk about dying."

"Mom, are you still going to America?"

"Of course I'm going. Even if I want to break up with him, I need to get the paperwork sorted out. Mom still has some assets and savings over there."

"But this time I'm not in a hurry to go back to the United States. I want to go to Shenzhen with you."

"Mom, Tang Yan is 16 years older than me, do you mind?"

"Mom doesn't care about any of that. As long as she treats you well, that's all that matters. You're a boy, so you won't be at a disadvantage. Age isn't a problem."

"You can find someone else when she gets old."

"You're really my own mother, this is so selfish."

"Son, does Tan Yan's company need a translator?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mom can apply for a translation job. She may not have learned anything else in America, but her American English is very fluent."

"You're kidding me. That's just spoken language. Real translators need written communication skills. How many words can you write?"

"Don't underestimate me, okay? I can write words too."

"Alright, come to Shenzhen with me. We'll talk about work later. Just treat it as a vacation. Go have some fun for a few days. Maybe I'll even find you an old man."

"Go away! No respect for elders!"

"Mom, it's getting late. Tonight is Grandma's birthday celebration. Let's go home first. We can chat more later."

"OK!"

Wenxiu held her son's hand tightly, reluctant to let go. She had never been so happy in all these years.

When I got home, both my aunts and uncles came.

When her aunt saw Wenxiu, she felt a little resentful and embarrassed, but she still greeted her.

A short while later, Mr. and Mrs. Lin arrived.

"Xiao Yang!"

"Uncle, you've come too, this is too kind of you."

"It's my grandma's 70th birthday, so I should say happy birthday to her."

"Thanks!"

"Uncle, please have a seat!"

"Xiaoyang, you go about your business, don't worry about us."

At 6 p.m., Dingjia Village became lively as guests gradually arrived.

Ding Yang entertained all the relatives, busying himself with offering cigarettes and greetings. Dawei's parents also came.

Surprisingly, even the village officials came.

Second Master took a table and a piece of red paper and began writing the gift list.

These days, when people from the same village have a wedding feast, the usual gift is 100 yuan, while ordinary relatives usually give 200 yuan.

Ding Yang reciprocated with a pack of blue Furongwang cigarettes, a case of Want Want milk, a pack of longevity noodles, and a 50 yuan red envelope. He really lost a fortune.

I don't know about other places, but in Ding Yang's hometown, nobody holds weddings or celebrations. Every time they do, they lose money, especially birthday banquets, which require three meals and are a huge financial burden.

Each table seats eight people, with a seat for each child, making a total of 21 tables. Each table has one bottle of Jiugui liquor, two bottles of beer, one large bottle of Sprite, and two packs of Furongwang cigarettes. There's also a large plate of sunflower seeds, peanut water, candy, and other snacks.

In addition, each person will receive a can of Wanglaoji herbal tea and an apple.

Several large woks were being used to stir-fry vegetables.

Ding Yang's birthday banquet for his grandmother was more lively than anyone else's in the village. One bowl of braised pork alone weighed more than 4 jin (2 catties), and there were also large bowls of mantis shrimp and turtles on every table.

When hosting a banquet in the countryside, the taste is secondary; the portion size must be sufficient, because everyone will have to pack up any leftovers.

Grandma was happy on the surface, but she was also heartbroken. How could he do this? This brat, how much money is going to be spent?

Ding Yang held a wine glass in his left hand and a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor) in his right, and toasted each of the elders in turn.

Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Ding'er didn't know how many cups he drank.

At 8 p.m., the banquet ended, and each person who had eaten there took a bag home.

Everyone knows the scales in their hearts. This banquet was practically free; they even made a profit. The return gift from Ding Yang alone made back the money they had given as a gift.

After all the guests had left, only the two aunts, uncles, and a few other relatives remained.

Second Aunt said, "Xiao Yang, this is too expensive for you. You're losing a lot of money. Our family isn't as well-off as yours."

"Auntie, let's make Grandma's 70th birthday celebration more lively. Don't worry about the cost. You and Auntie can just enjoy the feast. All expenses will be covered by me. You don't need to contribute a single penny."

My aunt wasn't happy and left on my uncle's motorcycle.

Wenxiu said:

"Xiaoyang, your aunt is unhappy."

Ding Yang said, "Whether she's happy or not is none of my business. It's Grandma's 70th birthday. If I don't come back, there'll be nothing at home. They really didn't prepare at all. They should have prepared a few days in advance. They made such a rush. I'm already furious."

"They are afraid of spending money and losing face, so I don't want them to spend a single penny."

Ding Changshui walked over.

"Xiao Yang, if we do this again tomorrow at noon, we won't have enough meat. Even slaughtering a whole pig wouldn't be enough, and we won't have enough prawns either. You're being too kind."

"Uncle Changshui, if you don't have enough, I'll go to town to buy some tomorrow morning. I don't know much about this stuff, so please buy it for me. Make sure it's enough and fresh. I'll pay for it with you tomorrow afternoon."

"good!"