All of November, He Xiaoyuan was busy with the Rusu Fashion case.
The so-called “family-run” store indeed had impressive revenue. Their production, online sales, and after-sales processes were complete, and importantly, they had their own design team. The couple in charge handled different roles, with sharp market sensitivity.
The previous investment company had collaborated with them for two years, providing sufficient funds to expand the team and scale.
But the couple had been unhappy with the investors. First, they didn’t understand the capital model, giving away too many shares, losing too much profit. Second, the investors tried to insert their own people into Rusu, but these people were unruly, and the couple had no patience for them.
This time, the previous investment company withdrew their stake. While it stung a bit for Rusu, it unexpectedly allowed the couple—who had been on the brink of divorce—to regroup and align their efforts.
Xiao Qiyi happened to be from the same hometown as Rusu’s female owner and had known the couple for some time. This provided a natural opportunity for collaboration.
In mid-November, He Xiaoyuan followed Xiao Qiyi on several trips to Z City. Beyond gathering necessary materials and understanding the company’s situation, he also visited several of their main contract factories and toured Rusu’s warehouse.
He Xiaoyuan went in the capacity of an investor, but ended up learning a lot about e-commerce along the way.
The couple and several Rusu managers treated him with exceptional courtesy. When it was time to leave, they insisted on loading his car with local specialties and company clothing.
He Xiaoyuan felt overwhelmed by their generosity. He could eat the local treats and distribute some at the office—but what to do with the clothing? Most of it was for middle-aged or plus-size women. Should he sell it online?
Xiao Qiyi, driving, chatted casually: “Give it to family. Middle-aged clothes are perfect for uncles, aunties, grandparents. Plus-size can go to the taller, well-built aunties and older sisters. And if that’s not enough, there’s always your social circle.”
He Xiaoyuan, sitting in the passenger seat, pondered this thoughtfully.
Xiao Qiyi asked, “By the way, Xiaoyuan, did you get your driver’s license?”
He Xiaoyuan snapped back to reality: “I just passed it last week.”
“Great! Once you’re comfortable driving, you can handle business trips. I’ve driven enough—I get back pain just touching the steering wheel.”
He Xiaoyuan remembered that Chang Bei had also complained about not wanting to drive and asked Xiao Qiyi: “Does no one like driving?”
“It’s tiring,” she replied. “Long trips are fine, but city driving is really frustrating. Traffic jams everywhere.”
Then she casually added: “Now that you have a license, are you thinking about buying a car?”
He Xiaoyuan glanced at her and said, “Not for now.” In his mind: buying a car? He had never seriously considered it—buying a house came first. He reasoned that if he really needed a car for frequent trips later, he could buy one. Maybe start with a second-hand car.
But cars weren’t a priority for him; he’d think about it when necessary.
What he did focus on, however, was something else: Xiao Qiyi was right—he could distribute the clothes to relatives.
But he realized he hadn’t seen his relatives in a long time. Not because he was avoiding them, but life had kept everyone busy since his graduation. Except for a quick visit to his younger aunt during the National Day holiday, he hadn’t actively made the effort to meet anyone.
He Xiaoyuan admitted he carried some emotional baggage regarding family: he always felt they treated him perfunctorily, not wholeheartedly, and he never felt a deep connection with them.
But now he wasn’t a student anymore—he was a working adult. He understood he needed the courage and decisiveness to face relatives just as he faced work responsibilities.
After thinking it through seriously, he decided to visit, taking advantage of the opportunity to distribute the clothing and local specialties.
Before leaving, he counted the items, sorted the Rusu clothes, and allocated pieces for his elder and younger aunts, two uncles, and their spouses. He knew he couldn’t be careless—at first, he considered buying replacements if the clothes weren’t suitable. But upon opening the packages from Rusu, he realized they were all high-end lines, priced in the four- to five-digit range.
He Xiaoyuan was pleasantly surprised and quickly sent a thank-you message to Rusu.
While he was sending it, the apartment’s electronic lock beeped. Lu Chen entered, carrying He He. Since He Xiaoyuan moved into this apartment, this routine—either he visiting Lu Chen or Lu Chen bringing the cat over—had become familiar and comforting.
Seeing Lu Chen enter, He Xiaoyuan wasn’t surprised. He glanced up briefly, then returned to his phone to reply to the Rusu messages.
After a moment, he pulled out his calendar and work notes, planning when he could find an open time to visit his aunt.
Lu Chen set He He down, glanced at the pile of clothes by He Xiaoyuan, and teased: “Were you stocking up? That many?”
He Xiaoyuan, still holding his phone, said: “Rusu was just being overly generous.” He gestured casually: “Some of these cashmere sweaters are yours if you want them.”
Lu Chen hummed and said, “You keep them.” He moved closer, looked at He Xiaoyuan’s phone, and asked, “Still busy?”
“No, just sending my thanks to Rusu. I realized the clothes they sent are all high-end, quite expensive.”
Lu Chen picked one up from the sofa casually.
He Xiaoyuan had already chosen a time to return home, switched pages, and was preparing to message his aunt that he would come on December 3rd. His thumb hovered over the keypad as he paused, looking thoughtfully at Lu Chen.
Lu Chen noticed immediately: “Hmm?”
Seeing that He Xiaoyuan had something on his mind, he asked directly: “What’s up?”
He Xiaoyuan pressed his lips together, thought for a moment, and asked, “Ge, are you close with your family—like aunts and uncles?”
Lu Chen was a little surprised by the question.
Without overthinking it, he replied, “Not really. We’re not close.”
He Xiaoyuan nodded thoughtfully.
“Why? Why are you asking?” Lu Chen probed.
He Xiaoyuan pressed his lips again, then spoke slowly: “I’m planning to go back home at the beginning of next month.”
Lu Chen, aware of some of He Xiaoyuan’s family situation, didn’t comment but listened patiently: “Mm.”
He Xiaoyuan hesitated, thinking aloud: “I… I’m not really sure how to face them.”
Lu Chen looked at him attentively. “They treat you badly?”
He Xiaoyuan shook his head. “No, not really.”
“Then you just don’t like them?”
“Not to that extent,” He Xiaoyuan replied.
“Not familiar?” Lu Chen asked.
“They’re okay,” He Xiaoyuan said.
Lu Chen didn’t push further; he just waited for He Xiaoyuan to speak.
He Xiaoyuan stepped back a few paces, leaning against the armrest of a single sofa, phone in hand, and slowly said, “It’s just that…” He paused, unsure how to put it.
Finally, he gave a concrete example: “Don’t families usually have a group chat? When I got my job at Sipu, someone in the family asked if I had, and when I said I did, the chat just went silent.”
He looked at Lu Chen. “You know what I mean?”
Of course, Lu Chen understood immediately. “You mean the good things that happen to you… your relatives aren’t necessarily happy to see them?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded.
Lu Chen asked, “And after that? When you joined the company, did they tease you?”
He Xiaoyuan shook his head. “No. After that, I got busy with work. Except for that one National Day visit to my younger aunt’s house, I haven’t seen the others.”
Lu Chen finally understood what He Xiaoyuan was hesitating over.
“So, you’re unsure what attitude to take with them?” he asked. “Should you be close, or keep your distance? Or just ignore them entirely?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded.
Lu Chen said firmly, “Then just meet them and see.”
He Xiaoyuan agreed with that approach.
“But,” Lu Chen continued, “decide whether you want your approach to depend on their attitude, or whether you take the initiative and let them follow your lead. You need to decide for yourself first.”
“Being passive or active can completely change the outcome.”
He Xiaoyuan thought for a moment, letting out a prolonged hum, half in thought, half in hesitation.
Lu Chen observed silently, letting the young man work through it himself—it was his personal matter after all.
After a moment, He Xiaoyuan pressed his lips together and nodded. “Mm, I’ll decide.”
Just then, He He walked over, pressing his fluffy body against He Xiaoyuan’s leg. He Xiaoyuan bent down, scooped up the cat, pressed their foreheads together, and cheerfully asked, “Little cutie, do you like Daddy more, or do you like Gege more, hmm?!”
Lu Chen smiled. He He didn’t meow but seemed to respond with understanding: “Compared to He He, I like Xiaoyuan Gege more.”
He Xiaoyuan held He He close, gesturing toward Lu Chen, and teased the Maine Coon: “Daddy’s a bad guy.”
He He meowed softly.
On December 3rd, He Xiaoyuan went to his aunt’s house.
Lu Chen drove him in his X7, the back seat and trunk packed full.
When they arrived, they carried the gifts up to the elevator together.
Before the elevator doors closed, He Xiaoyuan waved to Lu Chen outside.
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow. “Call me when you leave. I’ll come pick you up.”
He Xiaoyuan nodded, standing amidst the boxes, looking obedient and continuing to wave: “Bye-bye.”
The elevator doors closed.
Alone now, surrounded by paper bags, He Xiaoyuan felt a little unsure.
He hadn’t seen his family in a long time and didn’t normally keep in touch.
Should he take the initiative?
Yes, he decided. Every step in life should be in his own hands, shouldn’t it?
At his aunt’s house, facing the familiar red couplets on the door, He Xiaoyuan raised his hand and pressed the doorbell.
When the door opened, he had prepared a smile for whatever awaited. It was his aunt, eyes bright with joy. Upon seeing him, she exclaimed in delight and immediately turned to the house: “It’s Xiaoyuan! It really is Xiaoyuan!”
The house instantly came alive:
“Xiaoyuan’s back?”
“Where’s the boy? Come in quickly!”
“Xiaoyuan, you finally came home!”
He Xiaoyuan was somewhat surprised. As the door opened, he stepped inside with his bags and immediately saw his younger aunt, uncles, and other family members coming out. He instantly felt the warmth and joy of their welcome.
“Why did you bring so many things?”
“You came back, that’s enough. Did you purposely buy gifts? Child, earning money isn’t easy, don’t waste it.”
“Wow, so many! That’s too much!”
To his surprise, besides the cousin from his elder aunt’s house, all the children of the other uncles and aunts were also there.
Everyone had gathered together, creating a festive atmosphere.
Inside the living room, the coffee table was piled high with fruit and snacks—it truly felt like a holiday.
He Xiaoyuan placed the bags on the sofa and began distributing them. The elders playfully scolded him for spending too much, but their smiles were unmistakable.
He Xiaoyuan explained, “I didn’t spend recklessly. These were gifts from our partners, and I thought they could be useful, so I brought them back.”
His younger cousin curiously reached into one of the bags her mother was holding: “What’s in it, Ge?”
He Xiaoyuan replied, “Clothes.”
Auntie had already noticed the brand and exclaimed in surprise, “This brand—this brand is very expensive!”
Led to the sofa by his younger uncle, He Xiaoyuan smiled and said, “It really wasn’t bought. Someone else gave it to me.”
Eldest Aunt smiled. “That’s thoughtful. You brought so much—did you bring everything back?”
She sighed to her husband beside her. “This kid is still just as sincere as ever.”
In that instant—truly, in just that instant—He Xiaoyuan’s heart settled.
Before this, he had thought long and hard about what attitude he should take when facing his family. Now he understood: being able to get along peacefully and happily was what he wanted.
It was true that no one in the family group chat had congratulated him on finding a good job, but at least for now, his relatives were still happy to have him back. The fact that they had all deliberately gathered at Auntie’s house said enough about everyone’s attitude.
As his heart settled, He Xiaoyuan also quietly felt that he had, to some extent, judged others with a petty mind before.