My Youth Began With Him

“Haha, we don’t really believe in selecting a lucky date… next Sunday’s pretty good…”

“Next Sunday? Let me check.”

Huo Mian took out her phone and looked at her calendar. It was the 16th of the lunar calendar. Not a bad date.

“Hm, that works. Let’s make it next Sunday, then. I’ll select the food at the hotel.”

“Sis, it doesn’t have to be fancy. It’s just an engagement party.”

“No way! My little brother’s engagement party… we can’t just eat whatever. Leave it to me. We have to have a good party even if we’re only inviting our own people.”

“Haha, alright then, thanks Sis.”

“Don’t thank me. Just work hard.”

“I promise!”

Huo Mian was so happy about Zhixin’s engagement that she ate two bowls of rice.

After the meal, she lay lazily across the sofa, watching a T.V. program.

Her mother went to the kitchen to clean up and Zhixin cut up some fruits for Huo Mian, placing them atop the coffee table.

“Sis…”

“Hm?”

“How are you feeling? Is the little man behaving in your stomach?”

“How do you know it’s a boy?” Huo Mian looked at Zhixin as she pulled off a grape.

“Haha, Little Bean told me. I’m so happy!”

“So you’re also biased towards boys.” Huo Mian rolled her eyes at Zhixin.

“What? No! I’m not biased towards boys, okay? I love Pudding and Little Bean! It’s just that… you already have daughters… and two at that… Wouldn’t it be great if this one’s a son? Plus, once he grows up, I can teach him to play soccer, I can buy him video games, and I can teach him to chase after girls. Hahaha…”

“So as his uncle, you’re going to be a bad influence?”

“All boys have to go through these things to grow up, haha. I saw a story recently. It made me believe in a lot of these things.”

“What story?” Huo Mian placed her head atop Zhixin’s shoulders and said sweetly.

Suddenly, she was overcome with feelings of nostalgia. When she was in high school, Zhixin was still just a stupid little kid.

Now, in the blink of an eye, he was getting engaged. Time really waited for no one…

“It’s a story about two men. A show gave them 2000 yuan each and had them go after women. Whoever successfully beds the women wins. The winner gets another 5000 yuan as a reward.”

“What happened?” The story piqued Huo Mian’s interest.

“The first man went for a steady and honest route. He spent 1500 to buy the girl a cellphone and used the remaining 500 to treat her to dinner. After their dinner, the girl took the phone, thanked him, and left. He failed.”

“What about the second?” Huo Mian asked.

“The second one was more strategic. He first spent 1500 to rent a BMW. Out of the remaining 500, he used 320 to buy the girl a Chanel lipstick, telling her to wear it every time they go on a date, and the remaining 180 on a bowl of dumplings, saying it was his favorite food and how it reminded him of his mother’s cooking. The girl naturally thought that the man was rich. He knew enough to buy her Chanel, which showcased his great taste. He also liked his mother’s dumplings which meant he was filial and kind. Without a second thought, she got into his car. They didn’t even go to a hotel. They did it in the car. Obviously, he was successful.”

“Wow, the second man’s so clever.” Huo Mian was a little shocked by the tactics of some people.

“Yeah, there’s a popular saying nowadays that goes… the longest road I’ve taken is the web you’ve weaved for me,” said Zhixin.

“Hahahaha, classic!” Huo Mian laughed.

“Sis, if you met Su Yu and Qin Chu at the same time, would you still have chosen Qin Chu without a second thought?”