Super Zoo

Word spread that Suming had come back, and with a wife as beautiful as flowers and jade, Sun Town instantly buzzed with excitement. Those who stayed in the town were mostly the elderly, infirm, women, and children, with no taboos to worry about; there was no need for discretion, so a great crowd of aunties and young wives all swarmed to the Su family's home to see the new bride. Nangong Yan blushed furiously, and she hadn't even crossed the threshold yet. "I used to fret over nothing, but with such a pretty girl, which of the girls I know could he possibly fancy?" Auntie San, who took it upon herself to play matchmaker, said cheerfully as she held Nangong Yan's hand, squinting her eyes while sizing her up, "Such an impressive bearing, so elegant. Girl, believe me, I've seen plenty of young women, and with your figure, you're sure to have a big, chubby boy first pregnancy!" Nangong Yan felt almost unbearably embarrassed; if there had been a crack in the ground, she would have dived right in. The aunties and young wives around her, all married, just laughed and said one was not enough. Nowadays city folks could have a second child, and with Suming overseeing such an extensive business, you'd expect at least one son and one daughter. "You joke, auntie, but when they throw their wedding feast in the future, do you think we could do without you?" Mrs. Su intervened on behalf of Nangong Yan, ushering her into the house while holding her hand, her face splitting with a smile, "Sit down, girl. Was the journey tiring?" she asked, and then she glared at Suming, "Such a grown man but doesn't know how to be considerate. That darn plane of yours, it's just terrifying to ride, isn't it? The trip here would've been better by car." Suming just smiled; it seemed he had become a professional at being glared at. "It wasn't tiring; I slept all the way," Nangong said as she pulled out a card from her wallet, speaking with a smile, "Auntie, he suddenly decided to come home, and I didn't have much prepared. Here is this card for you. For spending, just swipe it directly. If you ever want to travel or shop, or if you're feeling unwell, you can call the number on there. They will help with everything." After Suming had deposited more than a hundred million, the manager of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of Yangchuan Sub-branch turned up at the zoo with the client manager Luo Sha that very day, initiating an upgrade of Suming's card to the legendary black gold centurion. With this card, one could enjoy 24-hour uninterrupted VIP services, which were very convenient for elderly people living in the mountains. When Suming received this card, he couldn't help but secretly scorn it, what with all this nonsense about a symbol of nobility, a prestigious status among high society. Back when he only had a few million in his account, Luo Sha had been exalting the centurion card to the skies. Now, with a billion in the bank, he didn't even have to ask; the bank was practically begging him to sign up. In the end, it was all about money; as long as you had enough, even a dog could be a noble. "Even if you fancy catching a show to kill time, just make a call, and everything will be taken care of," Nangong Yan explained the uses of the black gold card in front of all the aunties in detail. Everyone in the courtyard was left speechless and dumbstruck. Suming thought to himself without saying a word that even though the girl meant well, from now on, he'd need to station a few competent animals in Sun Town to ensure his mother's safety throughout the year. In fact, why not just send a team of Lure People? "This... how much money does this cost? Girl, keep your money for yourself, auntie doesn't need money," said Mrs. Su, who along with everyone else present was hearing about such a use for a bank card for the first time. She looked at Suming, asking with surprise. "Auntie, I'm just wrapping the Buddha with borrowed flowers. This card belongs to Suming; please rest assured and accept it," Nangong Yan said. After chatting for a while, dinner time arrived. Sensing the moment, the aunties tactfully bid their farewells and left. The household was left with three people and a mountain of yellow peaches. Nangong Yan had casually mentioned to Suming's younger aunt 'Peaches are my Love for Life,' which spread through the town in no time. It wasn't long before over a dozen families delivered baskets of peaches; even those without peaches at home were ready to pick them from the back mountain. Suming hurried to stop them, worrying that they would not get through the two or three hundred pounds of peaches already before them... During the family banquet, Mrs. Su and Nangong both drank some red wine, while only Suming sipped his iced red tea, unfazed. Mrs. Su had worried about Suming's marriage for years, and now finally welcomed home a daughter-in-law, feeling nothing but sheer joy. After learning about Nangong Yan's family background and how she met Suming, she was even more pleased, her smile never leaving her face throughout the meal. "You young people decide your own way of living, whether you work or not, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters," Mrs. Su said, then sighed and continued, "Previously he had a piece of jade, a treasured heirloom passed down through the Su family, but the kid shattered it. This is my first time meeting you, and I don't have any gifts for you. Take this, consider it a meeting present." As she spoke, Mrs. Su slipped a gold ring off her finger. The gold ring was simple in style, a thin band with no pattern or engraving, but it bore many scratches—a testament to its age. "This is the wedding ring I shared with his dad. It's not worth much, but it's got some sentimental value. So long as you don't mind it being old, girl," she added. Nangong Yan glanced at Suming with a smile, and seeing him smiling silently, she accepted the ring and slipped it on her left ring finger, saying, "Auntie, I'll wear this on my left hand for now. In the future, when he gives me another one, I'll wear it on my right hand." "Exactly, exactly! Suming, your mom is warning you, Nangong quit her job for you, so you better take it seriously!" Suming scratched his head and chuckled. With these two joining forces against him, he basically stood no chance of resistance—not even the thought of it had room to survive. While the family was eating dinner, there suddenly came a noise from outside the courtyard. Someone had entered. The folks of Sun Town were simple and honest, and today, with Suming returning home, some might come over for a visit. The door outside was left unlocked. Someone pushed the house door open from the outside, and a strong smell of alcohol hit them; Suming couldn't help but frown. The man who entered was somewhat unfamiliar, with unsettling, slanted eyes, not tall but sturdy, clutching a beautifully packaged gift box of Moutai liquor. Upon entering, the man quickly scanned the room and when his eyes landed on Nangong Yan, he obviously froze for a moment, staring at her for a good two or three seconds. "What do you want?" Suming frowned. The man with slanted eyes quickly recovered, put the gift box on the table, and enthusiastically said to Mrs. Su, "I heard my big brother brought back a beautiful wife, so I prepared to come over to congratulate you, auntie. But then some friends from the city came to play, and they insisted on drinking with me. Got a bit too drunk. Please don't be upset with me, auntie." After saying that, he grinned at Suming, took out a cigarette, and offered it to him, "Big brother, you don't recognize me, huh? I'm Su Lijun. Forgot, huh? When we were kids, we used to go crab hunting in the river naked together." Su Lijun? Suming did vaguely remember such a person, a distant cousin, beyond five degrees of kinship. This guy was at least ten years older than Suming, and claiming they had gone crab hunting together was just an attempt at forging a connection. Suming only remembered that this fellow used to be the local loafer everyone looked down on, detested by both man and dog. When parents educated their children, they would say, 'Don't ever follow the example of Su Lijun.' By the time Suming was in high school, this guy had gone off to do business, and for many years, there was no news from him. Looking at his attire, the business seemed to be doing well. The clunky Motorola phone in his hand was one that Suming saw Ren Chen with, worth 125,000. "Big brother, I've come today because there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Su Lijun said as he dragged a chair over, sitting down comfortably at the table.