First, then, love.

At 6 p.m., the New Year's Eve dinner was officially served.

Eight dishes in total filled the large mahogany round table.

Braised lion's head meatballs, steamed grouper, braised prawns, and several hearty dishes prepared by He Zheng himself and cooked by Shu's mother.

Outside the window, night has fallen.

Fireworks were allowed in the villa area, and the deafening crackling of firecrackers illuminated the dark night sky with colorful fireworks.

Inside, the heating was on full blast, and the aroma of food mixed with the scent of wine made everyone feel warm and cozy.

Mr. Shu was in a great mood today and personally went to the bottom of the wine cabinet and took out a bottle of Feitian Moutai that he had treasured for more than ten years.

As soon as the bottle cap was unscrewed, the rich and mellow aroma of soy sauce-flavored liquor instantly filled the restaurant.

"Come on, Xiao He, it's Chinese New Year today, have a drink with me."

Without saying a word, Shu's father took the wine bottle and poured it into the white porcelain cup in front of He Zheng.

He Zheng quickly stood up, picked up the wine glass with both hands, and accepted it steadily with a very low posture.

"Thank you, Dad."

The clear liquid was poured in, totaling a full two ounces.

Without hesitation, He Zheng picked up his glass, clinked it with his father-in-law's, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, the strong liquor burning down his throat, but he didn't even flinch, his expression unchanged.

"Impressive drinking capacity!" Mr. Shu's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed loudly.

Having been in officialdom for a long time, Shu's father was used to people who would make excuses and play tricks at the dinner table. He valued the uninhibited and straightforward manner at the dinner table the most. He Zheng's unpretentious and straightforward manner was exactly to his liking.

"Another glass!" Mr. Shu continued pouring wine with great enthusiasm.

After a few drinks, Mr. Shu's face began to flush, and he started talking non-stop.

He pulled He Zheng aside to chat about current affairs, the security situation in the southern part of the city, and their past experiences living in the military compound.

He Zheng sat beside him, his back straight, listening attentively, occasionally whispering a few words of agreement, his analysis of the situation incisive and neither humble nor arrogant.

Shu's mother brought out the last bowl of sweet fermented rice balls and placed it in the middle of the table.

"Xiao He, don't just drink alcohol, eat something sweet to fill your stomach. This fermented rice is homemade, it won't make you drunk."

The way Shu's mother looked at He Zheng was even more affectionate than when she looked at her own son.

"Thanks to Xiao He for helping with today's meal. His knife skills and efficiency are amazing. I can really trust Yao Yao to work with you from now on."

Shu Yao rolled her eyes. "Mom, it's Chinese New Year, can you please stop putting one down and praising the other? I helped wash the vegetables just now, okay?"

"You call that washing vegetables? You've just torn all the leaves to shreds, you're only making things worse," Shu's mother bluntly exposed.

A burst of laughter erupted at the dinner table, creating an exceptionally harmonious atmosphere.

After several rounds of drinks, a bottle of Moutai was emptied, most of which ended up in He Zheng's stomach.

Mr. Shu was quite drunk, his face flushed.

He pulled a thick, bright red envelope from his pocket and slapped it directly into He Zheng's hand.

"Here you go! The first year the son-in-law is married into the family, there are some rules to follow."

The red envelope was very thick.

He Zheng was taken aback for a moment, and subconsciously wanted to decline.

"Dad, I can't take this money. I have money of my own."

"Just take it! Stop talking nonsense!" Mr. Shu glared at her, displaying the authority of a father-in-law. "This is my daughter's emergency fund. If she throws a tantrum or acts up in the future, use this money to buy her some good food or a bag to appease her. Don't take it personally."

Shu Yao sat next to her, stuffing a piece of pork rib into her mouth, her cheeks bulging.

Upon hearing this, her peach blossom eyes widened.

"Dad! How can you be so biased towards outsiders?! Who's your real son anyway?!"

Shu's mother smiled and smoothed things over, placing a piece of fish into He Zheng's bowl.

"Alright, alright, we're all family, why be so formal? Xiao He, take this, it's a token of our appreciation."

He Zheng didn't refuse anymore, accepted the red envelope, and carefully put it into the inside pocket of his coat.

"Thank you, Mom and Dad."

Under the dining table.

Shu Yao quietly reached out her left hand and, following the edge of the tablecloth, touched He Zheng's hand, which was resting on his thigh.

The man's palms were hot, still burning from the strong liquor he had just drunk, as he rubbed the back of her hand.

She grabbed him, her fingers deftly slipping between his, their fingers intertwined.

He Zheng paused.

He didn't show it on his face, still sitting upright and listening to his father-in-law's boasting, his hand holding the food didn't even tremble.

The counterattack under the table was unusually fierce.

His large hand took the initiative, dissatisfied with simply holding hands. His thumb forcefully pried open her knuckles, palm to palm, their ten fingers tightly interlocked with astonishing force.

Shu Yao's hand was sore from his grip, and she tried to pull it back, but he held it so tightly that she couldn't move at all.

She could only blush and gently kick his shin under the table with her toe, warning him to behave himself.

He Zheng remained expressionless, continuing to clink glasses with Shu's father without even glancing at her, while his hands under the table became increasingly brazen.

Fireworks were still exploding outside the window, and the TV inside was showing the Spring Festival Gala, with the laughter of the sketch comedy actors echoing throughout the living room.

Year-round.

*

It's 11:30 p.m.

The New Year's Eve dinner was a joyful occasion for both host and guests.

Mr. Shu was drunk and staggered as he walked. His mother half-supported and half-dragged him back to the master bedroom to rest.

The living room fell silent.

He Zheng rolled up the sleeves of his cashmere coat, revealing his strong forearms, and helped in the kitchen to put the leftover food on the table into the dishwasher and wipe the countertop clean.

Shu Yao leaned against the kitchen door frame, holding a tangerine in her hand, peeling it while watching him.

"He Lao Er, your skills in winning people over are impressive! My parents are completely bewitched by you."

Shu Yao didn't say.

Not only that, even the family's demented grandfather adored He Zheng.

Several times, he mistook him for his deceased regimental commander brother and followed him around calling him "Second Brother".

He Zheng put the washed dishes into the drainer, dried his hands with a towel, and turned to look at her.

"Our strength speaks for itself; we don't need to bribe them."

He walked over, bent down, and ate a segment of orange she had just peeled.

"Sour," he frowned.

After finishing his work, he drank more than a pound of Moutai, but his eyes remained clear and his steps were steady, showing no signs of drunkenness.

But the strong smell of alcohol on his body and his alarmingly high body temperature couldn't lie.

The two returned to Shu Yao's bedroom.

This was the room she lived in during her teenage years. When she was little, her parents were busy with work and didn't have time to cook for her or take her to school, so they sent her to her grandparents' house.

We'll pick them up over the weekend.

So before Shuyao entered the second year of junior high school, she basically lived a "boarding life at her grandmother's house".

However, ever since Grandma passed away, and Grandpa stopped recognizing people...

She rarely came back.

Her room wasn't small, with a large wardrobe and a desk with a bay window, but the bed was small, a 1.5-meter single Simmons bed.

The bed sheets and duvet cover were all pink and blue with small floral prints, and there were several plush toys she used to have piled up on the headboard.

Everywhere you look, there's a delicate, feminine fragrance.

He Zheng took off his coat and threw it on the computer chair, his gaze sweeping over the desk.

Under the glass plate on the table were several photos of Shu Yao from her middle school days.

Wearing a loose blue and white school uniform, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, holding a cello, and without makeup, her features had already blossomed into bright and charming beauty, exuding a unique flamboyance of adolescence.

He Zheng bent down and gently tapped the girl's innocent face in the photo through the glass with his fingers.

"High school photos?" he asked.

"Hmm, it's the second-year high school arts festival," Shu Yao leaned over for a glance, "Isn't it pretty corny?"

"Not rustic at all, quite wild," He Zheng commented.

He turned his head and stared at her now.

"If I had met you back then, I would have risked my life to bring you back to the compound."

The remarks were those of a bandit, so domineering and unreasonable.

Shu Yao blushed and pushed him away, "Stop talking nonsense and go take a shower. You smell like alcohol, it's awful."