After the tour, everyone was full of admiration.
Wu Jing didn't have much money on hand either—his daily earnings were just enough to get by, with little left to save. In the capital, he didn't even dare to dream of buying a house like that. Yu Qian didn't care; he had made money and could afford it, but there was no fun for young people anymore, and his body couldn't keep up.
They were all in the entertainment industry, and everyone knew the score. Not counting Zhou You's other investments, just the returns from his film investments alone had earned him several hundred million. Buying this ten-million-plus villa was a piece of cake, wasn't it?
"I'm leaving. If I don't go now, Xie Nan will eat me alive." Wu Jing didn't want to leave; he wanted to drag it out as long as possible. No matter how tough a man was, the first time visiting his future in-laws, he'd be nervous and uneasy.
It had a little to do with money, but not much. Unless you had an obscene amount of wealth. Otherwise, blood ties, family bonds, and seniority were all there, and you couldn't relax even if you tried. Unless you didn't want to get married—but if you didn't want that, why go to your future in-laws' place?
Once a person had desires, they were easy to manipulate. The feeling of worrying about gains and losses was perfectly normal.
"Alright, go handle your business. Drive my Wrangler for the next couple of days—it'll make getting around easier. Let us know the good news." Zhou You lent his car to Wu Jing.
Wu Jing didn't stand on ceremony. He was straightforward and generous; being fussy would only invite ridicule.
Wu Jing left with Xie Nan.
Yu Qian stood there dumbfounded: "Bro, what are we doing?"
"Come on, I'll take you swimming. After Wu Jing finishes his business, we'll check out the old hometown?" Zhou You had already planned it out.
"If you said a hot bath, I'd be game. But swimming? I can't swim." Yu Qian rubbed his head, looking helpless.
"I'll just take you to see it. Swim if you want, skip it if you don't. There's a lake nearby, and we can go fishing—we both love that." Zhou You didn't have many pastimes; he didn't like drinking or karaoke, and he'd only been to a bathhouse a few times.
"Why didn't you say fishing earlier? You've got me itching for it now. It's been ages." Yu Qian couldn't help rubbing his hands together.
"Qian Ge, do you think Wu Jing will have a smooth day today?" Zhou You asked, gossiping.
"If he's already bringing her home, what could go wrong?" It was just a matter of how rough the process would be. Yu Qian had been through it and had plenty of experience.
Wu Jing was stunned right now. They'd flown in and hadn't brought any gifts—who shows up empty-handed to meet the in-laws for the first time? Cigarettes, alcohol, and tea were must-haves. Xie Nan planned to buy them after landing to avoid hauling them all that way. But when they drove Zhou You's car back and stopped at a tobacco and liquor shop to buy some, they opened the trunk and found it packed with four cases of Moutai, four cartons of Soft China cigarettes, and four boxes of tea.
She quickly called Wu Jing over. What was this? They immediately called Zhou You.
"You Ge, how did you get all this tobacco, alcohol, and tea in the trunk?"
"I prepared it for you. According to local customs, cigarettes, alcohol, and tea are essential. Four of each symbolizes 'three lifetimes, three worlds, everything going smoothly,'" Zhou You said. He had plenty of these in his place, always stocked up. He hadn't mentioned it earlier mainly to avoid the hassle of explaining.
Wu Jing stood there, genuinely moved. The stuff wasn't worth much, but it was the thought that counted. Not only did the guy lend him a car, but he also thought to prepare the gifts.
Xie Nan was a bit surprised too. She'd just met Zhou You, and he was this kind? They had nothing he could gain from them! No wonder the rumor mill said Zhou You was generous and easygoing, not one to sweat the small stuff.
"Alright, since it's all ready, we can't waste Zhou You's kindness. Let's grab some fruit to bring along." Wu Jing silently noted this. Many things weren't said with words but shown through actions.
A boss with such a fortune still thought of such small details—he really did consider Wu Jing a friend.
Wu Jing drove the car to the neighborhood. It was an old complex without separate pedestrian and vehicle lanes. He found a parking spot.
They started unloading the stuff, and now they had a problem: those four cases of liquor would take at least two trips. So be it—the old building didn't have an elevator anyway.
Xie Nan carried the fruit and went upstairs first. It wasn't that she wasn't helping; it was just that Wu Jing had to bring this stuff himself.
When Xie Nan's dad saw the Moutai and Soft China, he didn't say anything. He knew they were in the entertainment industry and made money faster than most, so they could afford this.
Wu Jing, whether from exhaustion or nerves, had a slight flush on his face. He forced a bright smile: "Hello, Uncle and Auntie."
"Hello, hello. Have a seat. It's just in time for a meal—join us," Xie Nan's dad said politely.
"I've seen your movies. You're from a martial arts background too. Can you drink?"
"Yeah, no problem," Wu Jing said cheerfully.
"Good, let's have a few drinks." Xie Nan's dad had been in the military and liked to drink, with a decent tolerance.
Wu Jing was the same—seasoned in the drinking game, with good stamina. If you asked him to make small talk, he was lost. But drinking? That was his strong suit.
For the prospective son-in-law's first visit, the drinking went well. The old couple had saved some Moutai they couldn't bear to drink before, and this time they enjoyed it to the fullest.
At first, both were a bit awkward, not knowing what to say. They were straightforward types, so they chatted briefly about how they met, how long they'd been together, what the next step was, and where they'd settle down.
As they talked and drank, before they knew it, one bottle was empty. Now both were slightly tipsy, and the conversation opened up.
Xie Nan's dad talked about his time in the military, and Wu Jing had experienced the army too. They found common ground and got more excited as they talked.
Before they knew it, another bottle was gone. Each had downed a bottle, and it looked like they wanted to keep going.
Xie Nan couldn't take it anymore and stopped them.
Her dad, a bit dizzy, raised his voice: "Not even married yet, and you're bossing your dad around? What's wrong with me having a few drinks with my little brother?"
Xie Nan and her mom were stunned. They exchanged glances, put their hands to their foreheads, and knew he was drunk.
Then Wu Jing stood up: "Xie Nan, usually you boss me around, and I take it. But now I'm having a drink with my big brother—what's the problem?"
Give it a rest, you two drunks.
They definitely couldn't let them drink anymore. They helped them to the sofa and made some hangover tea.
On the sofa, they held hands: "Little brother, you're going to have a tough time."
"Big brother, it's fine. I can handle it. It's not easy for anyone!"
Xie Nan was amused and annoyed by Wu Jing. She pulled out her phone to record it, planning to show him his embarrassing behavior the next day.
Wu Jing was something else—on the first meeting, he was already calling his father-in-law "big brother."
The next day, when Wu Jing sobered up, Xie Nan told him what happened.
Wu Jing shook his head repeatedly: "No way. I know my limits. I didn't drink that much yesterday. How could I have done that?"
Seeing Wu Jing stubbornly denying it, Xie Nan didn't argue. She just pulled up the video on her phone.
In the video, the two of them were calling each other "big brother" and "little brother," arms around each other's shoulders, singing together:
"Unity is strength!"