The Tale Never Ends Chapter 143 Plans For New Year's Eve

Now that Lin Feng had mentioned this, only then I remembered that I had spoken to Xiao Yu's mother two days ago! It was the time we make some plans with Chongxi about this.

Lin Feng noticed my look and sn.i.g.g.e.red. The waiter came with our beer and we ordered three bowls of Laba congee. "How about a New Year's Eve dinner?" he suggested when the waiter spun and left, "We can get everyone together. Xiao Yu and her mother, Chongxi and his teacher, my parents with Yuanyuan's parents, and of course, your parents and Edelweiss! All three of us together, and we'll settle the matters in one go!"

This was one of the few times that I could not help but admire Lin Feng. As the elder member of our trio, he has always exhibited a rea.s.suring and comforting presence by helping us plan everything ahead for us and giving us his support and help. He had never ceased to be a person we could count on. "All right then, Brother! We'll do it your way! Let's us get on tonight!" And we drank toasts to our plan and its success...

Finis.h.i.+ng our dinner, we made sure our take-out order of a Chinese street rice platter and a Laba congee was ready and we drove back to the Center. It was late after one in the afternoon when we got back and Chongxi must already be seething by now.

We drove quickly back to the Center. But when we reached the front, there was a crowd of people surrounding the entrance as if they were watching a spectacle. "What the h.e.l.l in the world is going on," I asked myself.

We got down the car and swam through the crowd to see a man standing at the opened door of the Center, yelling angrily towards inside. Amongst the crowd was a mother who was there with her child. The mother and child were talking about what happened. From the sound of it, she was one of the first onlookers to witness everything. "As they spoke, the plump uncle gave this man two slaps and kicked him in the b.u.m when the latter is coming out..." So it must be Chongxi who gave the man two slaps on the face and as the man was coming out, he had even given the man a kick to his behind. The man stood at the door, shouting loudly, "So you think that you are powerful, eh? All you of this Center? You'll see! You'll regret this!" Before he could utter another word, Lin Feng rushed to him. He lifted the man off his feet by the scruff of his neck before dropping him like a sack of rubbish. I could only watch with my mouth hanging open. "You're so good at yelling, eh? Let's see if your fighting is as good as your tongue!"

Knowing that he could never best Lin Feng in a fight, the man scrambled to his feet and immediately ran away, vanis.h.i.+ng into the crowd.

With the end of the spectacle, the crowd began to disperse. We went inside and Chongxi began explaining what happened. The man was here because of the message we left at the abandoned factory. But before he could say much, Chongxi began walloping him and this was how the show and the crowd started.

Having met more than his fair share of such unscrupulous reprobates in his past, Chongxi quickly dismissed him and turned his attention to the food we brought back, whining about how late we were and how he would have starved to death waiting for us. "But people are already calling you Plump Uncle," I almost blurted out loud, "Does that not mean anything to you?"

Chongxi wolfed down his lunch in no time and inhaled the bowl of Laba congee. Lin Feng was sipping on his cigarette, studying him disapprovingly. "s.h.i.+yan and I have discussed," he said to Chongxi who was finally smiling at his starvation being satisfied, "We'll book a nice New Year's Eve dinner at a nice restaurant and we'll..."

He went on telling Chongxi of our plan but the latter's expression soured at the end. "Well, it's a good plan, Brother," he replied, "But you know how he is, my teacher... He does not tidy himself nor clean himself up... Moreover, he is forever in the same set of dirty clothing... Never mind his table etiquette which might frighten others..." Indeed, no ordinary person could stand sitting beside Old Man Chen on a table. Chongxi already had the grace of not mentioning one of his most-feared habits: the venomous tongue of his that could even put a rattlesnake to shame! But Old Man Chen was by no means a fool; he would surely understand the need for subtlety especially when this was a matter of happiness for his own foster son. Nevertheless, perhaps it would be more prudent to get Father to speak to him personally.

That night, none of us remained at the Center. Everyone went home to brood about the New Year's Eve dinner. I told Father about it. He was quiet for a moment, gently lifting his flask and took a sip from it as if deep in contemplation. Finally, he spoke, "Well, are you sure you'll be able to book any tables at a good restaurant this time of the year? Last I remember, the bookings have already begun piling up three months ago. I'm afraid only restaurants that are hardly nice and respectable are still available by now. This will not do, I'm afraid..."

Indeed! I would never have realized it if not for Father's reminder! It was already too late for us by now! Even the places for a decent restaurant next year would already be fully booked by now! Then Father feigned a cough and said, "Urm... Look here..." He turned his palm face-up, and produced a set of keys. I looked at him with narrowed eyes as he explained, "This is the keys for the house your mother had just bought for you and Ala at the city center of Tangshan. We've just finished the paperwork today. Feel free to have a look if you have the time. I think it's a nice spot to have our New Year's Eve dinner there. I'll be cooking myself, for the sake of Old Man Chen!"

I was frozen as Father dropped the keys into my hand. When did this happen, I almost asked. Guessing my thoughts, Father chuckled and said, "Your mother has been busy these days, bringing Edelweiss with her to look at houses, although you know nothing of it. Do you think your mother will be able to sit still when you've already brought home a wife for yourself? She's excited!" A rush of warmth nearly wet my eyes as the care Mother had shown me. Then I remembered about Father saying he'd be cooking himself. This reminded me about Old Man Chen. "Urm, Father," I said again, "Well... You know about Old Man Chen... Don't you think that we ought to let him know that he needs to dress more appropriately during the dinner? Well, you guys are more or less like sages or venerable hermits to the likes of common people; he needs to at least dress the part!" Father snorted and chuckled. "What makes you think that I have not thought of that?"

Filled with good news, Edelweiss and I went back to the Center the following morning and we met up with Chongxi and Lin Feng. Both Lin Feng and I had been given the green light to proceed with the dinner, including Chongxi himself, although he still retained certain reservations.

We hung a sign with a message that said "Out for business. Kindly contact the number: 186..." and we drove towards Tangshan proper to the house that Mother had bought for me and Edelweiss. With Edelweiss pointing the way for us, we wound through the busy streets of Tangshan to find that the house was not in the sw.a.n.kiest area in town but the outskirts of the city. But to our tremendous shock and disbelief, the house was by no means modest or simple; it was a bungalow villa! "Heavens! Mother must have emptied her entire fortune for this!"

The jaws of all three of us were hanging wide as we cruised slowly through the exclusive residence area filled with luxurious bungalow villas and jaunty cars. Edelweiss directed us to our new home and we stopped the car in the garage of the s.p.a.cious villa. Finally, we stood at the door, still hardly believing our own eyes as I slid the key into the lock and twisted it...

It was the residence of anyone's dreams; a mansion that appeared only on films or television. I would never have believed that I would be staying in a house as grand as a palace! It was the first time I heard that homes could be customized and built to its owner's liking and preferences directly by the developers. There was absolutely no need for us to renovate the house. At the center of the palatial living hall, sat a water fountain that was ornately furnished to the finest detail. Then again I began to wonder, "Would I have to worry about my utility bills every month for such a large and luxurious home..."

But we were satisfied: the house was the perfect venue for the New Year's Eve dinner. But I did not fail to notice a hint of morose delectation flas.h.i.+ng briefly on Edelweiss' expression. She must be missing Aunt Ulan, I thought. It has been some time since she arrived here.

I clapped gently on her shoulder and said, "Well, Aunt Ulan might not be here for this New Year's Eve dinner. But we can go and visit her later!" She awoke from her momentary stupor and looked at me blankly and nodded, beaming with smiles as she rested her head on my shoulders.

But what a tragedy it was that the moment of bliss and happiness had to be broken abruptly. My phone rang suddenly. I took it out and peered at the screen. I was looking at a stranger's number.