novelraw Chapter 93 Family Dinner
Chapter 93 Family Dinner
Chapter 93 Family Dinner (Part 2)
Ding Heng and Bai Ma looked at each other again, both of them looking astonished.
Before they could react, Ding Wenjie and Qu Zhen had already walked over.
"You're all here? Come in and have a seat."
Qu Zhen spoke gently, gesturing for everyone to walk into the private room. She then instructed Secretary Huang behind her, "Tell them that the dishes can be served."
The private room was large, decorated in a Chinese style, and there was a large round table by the window that could seat ten people.
Everyone took their seats. Ding Heng and Hua Qing sat on one side, Bai Ma sat next to Qu Zhen, and Ding Wenjie sat next to Qu Zhen.
Ding Heng introduced himself confidently and with a natural and appropriate smile.
"Hello Aunt Qu, I'm Ding Heng. It's a pleasure to meet you. I've had a wonderful time in Sichuan these past few days. Thank you for the arrangements and for taking such good care of me."
After saying that, he took out a gift box and handed it over with both hands.
"I didn't have time to prepare anything. This is a handmade Hunan embroidery silk scarf from my girlfriend's family. I think it would suit you, Auntie. I hope you like it."
Qu Zhen accepted the gift box, smiled faintly, and glanced at Ding Heng and Hua Qing.
"You two kids are so thoughtful."
She paused, then corrected him gently, "However, Auntie's surname isn't Qu."
Ding Heng was completely bewildered.
Ding Wenjie helped explain: "Your Aunt Quzhen is Tibetan. Generally, Tibetans don't have surnames. Her full name is Quzhen Lamu."
Ding Heng was taken aback, then turned to look at Bai Ma beside him.
Quzhen then introduced, "This is my daughter, Yangjin Baima, one year younger than you. She will be your younger sister from now on."
After saying that, she patted Baima's head.
"Bai Ma, call him uncle, call him brother."
Baima first turned to Ding Wenjie and obediently greeted him, "Hello, Uncle."
Then, turning to Ding Heng, the expression on his small face visibly fell.
Her eyes were filled with reluctance, but she finally forced out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Greetings, Brother!"
Ding Heng replied with a smile, "Hello, little sister."
Good heavens!
My dad went to Tibet and ended up seeing Droma? And she's a damn rich woman named Droma!
He looked at the mother and daughter again. The mother, Quzhen, was dignified and poised, while the daughter, Baima, was delicate and lovely, but neither of them showed any characteristics of an ethnic minority.
However, upon closer listening, Quzhen's speech does indeed have a Tibetan accent, similar to that of "Cheese Snow Leopard".
Ding Heng then joked, "Judging from your sister's accent, I thought you were locals, Auntie."
Qu Zhen sighed and chuckled, "Although this girl grew up in Tibet, when I sent her to Chengdu to study when she was fourteen, she picked up a Sichuan accent, and now she speaks to me with that accent."
Chengdu, as the second "provincial capital" of Tibet and the main base of the entire southwest region, is where many wealthy Tibetans choose to settle down and let their children receive Han Chinese education.
Baima pouted, unconvinced: "Then how do you want me to talk? Like this—"
Her tone suddenly changed, and she began to imitate the accent of "Cheese Snow Leopard".
"Pema, don't eat random things. Your mother is doing this for your own good—"
Before Baima could finish speaking, he received another slap on the back of the head.
"Smack."
Qu Zhen withdrew her hand, her expression unchanged: "Be serious!"
Bai Ma covered the back of her head, looking aggrieved.
Ding Wenjie smiled and shook his head, picking up a piece of food for her: "Alright, alright, Ram, we're all family now, there's no need to be too harsh on the child."
After reprimanding Baima, Quzhen withdrew her hand, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and casually recounted how she met Ding Wenjie.
She smiled and said, "Speaking of which, it's fate that I met your father."
Ding Heng immediately chimed in, "Auntie, please tell me! My dad's been keeping it a secret from me!"
Ding Wenjie waved his hand: "There's not much to say—"
Qu Zhen, however, persisted, saying, "In June, your father went to Hoh Xil to photograph Tibetan antelopes, but the weather suddenly changed, and his car got stuck in the riverbed—that place is deserted and there is no cell phone signal. He was stranded there for several days and almost died."
"and then?"
Ding Heng was shocked to hear this; he realized he had almost become an orphan.
Qu Zhen smiled and said, "Some of my ranch employees found him while patrolling the mountains and rescued him. I happened to be inspecting the ranch that day."
Ding Wenjie sighed, "I was completely disoriented at the time. It was only thanks to your Aunt Qu Zhen having a personal doctor that I was able to save my life."
"Later, when your dad found out it was my birthday, he said he would take some birthday photos for me as a thank you gift."
Qu Zhen sighed, "Over the years, many people have taken my photos. Professional photographers, magazine reporters, TV station staff—but the photos of me taken by your father are the only ones that are different."
"Why is it different?"
"I'm not very educated, so I can't really explain it—it just feels different!"
Ding Wenjie felt embarrassed by Qu Zhen's praise, so he coughed twice and lowered his head to drink his tea.
"More importantly, your dad is a genuinely good person and doesn't want anything from me."
Qu Zhen, in her forties, looked like a young girl experiencing her first love, her eyes sparkling. Her cheesy tone gave Ding Heng goosebumps.
"After we started dating, I always wanted to put on a photography exhibition for your dad. I covered all the costs, including the venue, but he just wouldn't agree. Could you help me persuade him?"
Ding Heng looked at his father, then at Qu Zhen.
Ding Wenjie lowered his head to drink his tea, and his ears were even a little red.
Qu Zhen looked at him with eyes as gentle as melting ghee.
Sure enough, Dad was right, this photography is good, I need to learn it!
Afterwards, Qu Zhen and Ding Wenjie discussed their future plans. In their plan, the two would live together for a long time, but would not get married or register their marriage.
Qu Zhen originally wanted to get a marriage certificate, but Ding Wenjie absolutely refused.
Ding Heng could roughly guess his father's thoughts. After all, they were an orphan and a widow. Even if they took legal precautions in advance, in the eyes of outsiders, it would still seem like they were taking advantage of someone who had no children.
As for the children of both sides, we do not require them to live together, but the family should still get together during important holidays.
For example, during the Spring Festival, Quzhen and Ding Wenjie will return to Xingcheng, and then during the Tibetan New Year, everyone will go to Quzhen's hometown.
It was a pleasant meal.
Ding Heng was neither humble nor arrogant, and spoke and acted naturally and generously, which greatly impressed Qu Zhen.
Although Hua Qing didn't talk much, she was well-mannered and always spoke at the right time. Her cool and aloof temperament made her seem more cultured in this setting.
Bai Ma was the only one who didn't seem to fit into the occasion. She barely spoke and just kept eating.
Until a dish of Kung Pao Chicken was served, the bright red chili oil, the fragrant chicken, and the numbing aroma of Sichuan peppercorns filled the air.
Baima's eyes lit up, and she picked up her chopsticks and reached for the dish.
"Smack."
Qu Zhen's chopsticks tapped precisely on the back of her hand.
Baima winced in pain, withdrew her hand, and looked at her mother with a wronged expression.
Qu Zhen put on a stern face: "Secretary Huang already told me about you sneaking some spicy rabbit head yesterday, and I haven't settled the score with you yet."
Baima felt even more aggrieved, her lips pouting so much they could hang an oil bottle on them.
Ding Wenjie chuckled and tried to smooth things over, "Lamu, the child just wants something to eat, is it really necessary?"
Qu Zhen sighed and explained, "Brother Ding, you don't know, this girl has had a bad stomach since she was little. She has had all sorts of stomach problems, big and small, and she can't eat spicy or stimulating foods."
Since arriving in Chengdu, she's developed a craving for food. I usually ask Secretary Huang to keep an eye on her, but it's always unsettling. Yesterday, she secretly ate rabbit heads and felt nauseous for most of the night.
Pema stubbornly raised her head: "I'm willing to suffer."
"Why are you like this, child? Your mother is doing this for your own good. Look at your brother—"
Qu Zhen started nagging impatiently, then pointed at Ding Heng.
"She speaks and acts with such grace and composure, and she's not much older than you. Look at Sister Hua Qing, she sits and stands so well. Why can't you learn from her?"
Ding Heng's lips twitched slightly as he listened.
Wow, when it comes to "other people's kids," feelings transcend ethnicity.
Seeing that Baima's gaze was growing increasingly dark, Ding Heng coughed lightly and turned a plate of camphor tea chicken in front of Baima.
He said gently, "Little sister, try this. It's fragrant and not spicy; it should be quite delicious."
Seeing this, Qu Zhen continued to lament to Ding Wenjie, "Brother Ding, you cultured people really know how to educate your children. I just can't handle mine—"
Unable to hold her breath any longer, Baima suddenly muttered something under her breath.
Ding Heng didn't understand; the language didn't sound like Mandarin or a dialect.
Ke Quzhen's face instantly darkened, and she raised her hand to slap her daughter on the back of the head again.
"Smack."
Then he reprimanded her sternly.
"No speaking Tibetan!"