In less than ten minutes, the motorcade pulled up in front of a brightly lit grand hotel.
By this time, the parking lot at the entrance and the nearby roadsides were already packed with cars. They all belonged to the Wanlong Syndicate, as they had paid a premium to book the entire hotel.
Cheng Lei was led out of the car by Liu Yutong, and immediately after, he witnessed the most shocking scene of his life.
At the hotel entrance, two rows of men in black suits stood ramrod straight with their hands behind their backs. The lines stretched all the way from the doors into the interior of the hotel.
Seeing Liu Yutong arrive, they immediately bowed in unison and greeted her.
"Eldest Miss!"
This grand display gave Cheng Lei, a country boy who had barely ever been to the city, a violent start.
"Don't be afraid, they're our people," Liu Yutong comforted him, then led him into the hotel.
If the spectacle outside had scared him, walking into the hotel made him feel as though his breathing had stopped entirely.
Inside the massive banquet hall, there were hundreds of tables, and every single one was packed with men in black.
And this was only the first-floor lobby. The second-floor banquet hall also held hundreds of tables, equally filled to the brim with men in black.
Nearly two thousand people were gathered together watching the Spring Festival Gala, though most were drinking, playing finger-guessing games, chatting, and boasting.
When they saw Liu Yutong appear, they stood up in unison at the very first moment and greeted her together once again.
"Eldest Miss!" multiplied by thousands.
The scene was incredibly awe-inspiring.
Cheng Lei could feel his own legs trembling.
There were simply too many of these men in black, too orderly, and too imposing.
It felt as if he had stumbled into a black ocean that could completely swallow his tiny figure at any moment.
His brother's company... was terrifying.
Fortunately, he had a sister with a powerful aura right beside him, which allowed him to barely suppress the nervousness in his heart.
Liu Yutong led him onto the stage, picked up a microphone, and made an introduction.
"Everyone, this is Cheng Gang's younger brother, Cheng Lei."
"Cheng Gang is a hero of our company. The family of a hero is our family. Let's give him a warm round of applause to welcome him!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd erupted into applause.
"Brother Xiaolei, welcome!"
Followed immediately by a second, a third, a tenth, a hundredth...
"Welcome, Brother Xiaolei!"
"Gangzi is a good man, and his brother is our brother too!"
"Don't be afraid, Xiaolei. Your big brothers will look out for you from now on!"
"..."
Nearly two thousand people expressed their welcome to Cheng Lei in their own ways. Some waved, some nodded and smiled, some raised their glasses, and some shouted at the top of their lungs that they would protect him.
Cheng Lei stood there blankly, feeling the tide of enthusiasm rushing toward him.
It was strange. He was clearly very afraid of these men in black, but for some reason, a very special sense of security welled up in his heart.
These people indeed looked very dark and intimidating, but the looks in their eyes when they gazed at him were very warm. He had only ever seen this kind of warm gaze in his brother's eyes before.
Finally, he held it in for a good while before stumbling out a few words: "Thank you, thank you, older brothers and sisters!"
Afterward, Liu Yutong led him to the main table to sit down.
"Serve the dishes!" Ma Da immediately shouted loudly behind him.
The hot dishes that had been prepared long ago began to be brought out one by one. Braised carp, Four Joy Meatballs, sliced boiled chicken... the spread was incredibly lavish.
This was specially reserved for the main table by Ma Da.
After the dishes were served, no one touched their chopsticks. Instead, they all looked toward Liu Yutong.
Liu Yutong picked up her beverage glass and stood up. "Brothers, sisters, everyone has worked hard this past year!"
"The New Year is here, and I don't have much else to say. I only hope that at this time next year, we can still sit together like we are now, sharing a New Year's Eve dinner, safe and sound, without a single person missing."
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!!!"
Cheng Lei also raised his glass.
After the meal, Liu Yutong arranged for someone to escort Cheng Lei to a hotel to rest. Ma Da accompanied him and even specially had someone buy him a few sets of new clothes.
Lying on the soft and comfortable large bed in the hotel, Cheng Lei just couldn't fall asleep.
Finally, he took out the phone his brother had given him and sent a text message to his brother's number.
"Brother, Happy New Year! I met your colleagues. They are all really nice, and the boss lady is especially good to me too. She even told me to call her sister. Hurry up and get well, I'm waiting for you so we can go home together."
After it sent successfully, Cheng Lei stared blankly at the ceiling again.
It all felt like a dream.
On this New Year's Eve, even though his brother wasn't by his side, he felt as if he had found something even bigger than a home.
A family.
A super large family that was black on the surface, yet full of warmth.
..................
The next day.
After waking up, Liu Yutong took a car back to her hometown.
Most of the others also dispersed, heading to their respective homes to spend the first day of the Lunar New Year, leaving only a few people in Huaicheng to accompany Cheng Lei in taking care of his brother, Cheng Gang.
When she arrived at her hometown, she was just in time for her grandparents to finish making lunch.
Gao Min had also arrived early and was helping out in the kitchen.
Liu Yutong had just parked the car in the courtyard. As soon as she stepped out, a petite and adorable figure ran out from the main room and threw herself at her.
"Sister!"
Yaya, wearing a small red padded jacket, threw herself joyfully into Liu Yutong's arms. She had her hair tied up in two little buns, and her eyes were big and bright, making her look just like a porcelain doll.
Liu Yutong bent down to pick her up and planted a kiss on her soft cheek. "Did Yaya miss her big sister?"
The little girl had been sent back to their hometown as soon as her holidays started. It wasn't that there was no one to play with her in Pearl City; it was mainly because they couldn't withstand the grandparents' daily nagging to see her.
However, since coming back, Yaya had been playing even more wildly.
In the city, there were too many cars and people, so she couldn't run around freely, and there were fewer children her age. But in the village, this wasn't an issue. After getting familiar with the place over a few days, the little girl started running around wildly with the village kids, almost turning into a little tomboy.
There was no need to worry about safety in Duan Village, as many surveillance cameras had been installed. Plus, everyone knew that this little girl was adopted by Liu Yutong, so they all looked out for her.
As for outsiders entering the village, as long as they were unfamiliar faces, they would be immediately scrutinized by the villagers, unless they were explicitly there to visit relatives.
"I did! I missed you so much!"
Yaya hugged Liu Yutong's neck tightly and said in a crisp voice, "Sister, Grandpa said he made Eight Treasure Rice today. There are lots of sweet red dates and lotus seeds inside. I really want to eat it."
"Little glutton," Liu Yutong smiled and pinched her little nose.
Hearing the commotion, the grandparents also came out of the house to welcome her, smiling warmly as they called her inside to eat.
Once the whole family was seated around the table, Liu Yutong saw a familiar yet foreign figure wearing an apron, walking in from the kitchen carrying a pot of freshly cooked pork rib soup.
"Pork rib soup is here!"
He set the soup pot down, and upon seeing Liu Yutong already sitting at the table, he instantly tensed up.
Even though he was several years older than Liu Yutong and was her older brother, he still felt uneasy, and even afraid, every time he saw her.
This person was none other than Liu Yutong's stepbrother, Liu Yushan.
"Sis, you're back. How was the journey?"
Liu Yutong nodded, then cut straight to the chase, "How have things been going with Debao lately?"
"Not... not bad. I've been getting up at six every morning to work in the greenhouse. During my lunch break, I occasionally play chess with Grandpa, and in the evening..." Liu Yushan hurriedly explained his recent situation in detail.
"It seems you've done some good soul-searching, but I hope you aren't just putting on an act for me. Do you understand?"
"I've really turned over a new leaf. I... I promise I will work hard. I..."
"Alright, sit down and let's eat."
.........
