Chapter 257: The Best Birth-Day Gift

Gong Xue covered her mouth instinctively, or she surely would have shrieked.

Wei Ming closed the door and said casually, "You can sit wherever you like. I'll wash up first. Oh, this is normal, don't worry about it."

While Wei Ming was washing up, Gong Xue secretly tucked something under the pillow, then acted as if nothing had happened.

Once he came out, he didn't even bother putting on pants before he started kissing her, his mouth tasting remarkably fresh.

Sister Xue felt her undergarments were about to suffer again and pushed him away: "Aren't we going out to shop today? And to see a movie."

Wei Ming held the petite Sister Xue and lowered his head to take a look.

The good sister gently soothed him: "How about I use my hand?" Just like that time in the courtyard; the first time was raw, the second should be familiar.

Wei Ming didn't agree; he got up to put on his pants. He needed to save it for the night; for now, he had to exercise restraint.

"So where are we going to shop?" Gong Xue asked with a smile after they went downstairs. "I can be your guide."

"Let's get breakfast first. What do people in Shanghai eat for breakfast?"

"Let's have small wontons; there's a place selling them right over there."

"Good, I'll listen to you."

After a light breakfast, Gong Xue asked again where they should go.

Wei Ming said as they walked, "I want to buy a house for us in Shanghai. Do you know where we should go?"

Hearing this, Gong Xue froze completely, a mix of shyness and love, emotion and excitement.

"Buy, buy a house?"

Wei Ming: "That's right, buy a house."

If they had their own place, he reckoned he could have finished things last night.

But Gong Xue still offered a word of caution: "Didn't you already buy a courtyard house in Beijing? That's two houses for you already."

No, it was three.

Wei Ming explained: "But you're in Shanghai. No matter where you end up, your family home is in Shanghai, so we should get a place here. Don't worry about the money; you have no idea how rich I am."

Gong Xue truly couldn't imagine it. After buying a courtyard house, could he still have ten thousand left?

However, the question of buying a house also stumped Gong Xue. Currently, housing was primarily allocated by work units. Although the construction of commercial housing had been promoted from the top down since last year, the response hadn't been that fast.

She had heard that Shanghai had also piloted commercial housing, but there were only twenty-some units, and they were only sold to overseas Chinese. Wei Ming had foreign exchange, but he lacked the qualifications.

Then there were those who already held private property and intended to go abroad, just like buying a courtyard house in Beijing.

Seeing that Sister Xue couldn't offer any good suggestions, Wei Ming proposed: "Where are there many old Western-style houses? Let's see if anyone wants to sell."

Courtyard houses in Beijing were starting to be returned to their original owners; presumably, old Western-style houses in Shanghai should be getting returned as well. It wasn't impossible to run into someone looking to sell before moving abroad, after all, this was the great Shanghai, where the emigration rate was even higher than in Beijing.

Gong Xue did know about this.

"There are quite a few old Western-style houses in the district where we are, Jing'an."

Jing'an District wasn't large, but it had once been home to over a dozen private gardens like Zhang Garden, Xu Garden, Yu Garden, Xin Garden, Nan Garden, and the Aili Garden, a gathering place for the super-rich.

Gong Xue recalled: "I remember."

She had a deep memory of this place because her eldest brother had been hospitalized there when she was small. She remembered there were many beautiful Western-style houses, but she could only look at them from outside the walls. Back then, she thought that the people living inside must be princesses.

Later, she found out they weren't princesses, but cadres—places where cadres worked.

"Is it far?" Wei Ming asked.

"Not far. Just keep walking along Shaanxi North Road, and you'll see them in under twenty minutes. I hear there are many former residences of famous people."

Twenty minutes wasn't long. Wei Ming and Sister Xue strolled leisurely through the streets of Shanghai. Overall, Shanghai girls dressed in more trendy styles. If Oriental Dongfang Dongfang Xintiandi could open a branch here, he reckoned the market would be even bigger.

But it didn't matter now; according to Gong Xue, clothing stores with the Dongfang Dongfang Xintiandi model had already opened. Whether it was the service or the clothes, they were copies of Dongfang Dongfang Xintiandi. The business was quite good, and there was more than one, though they were all individual proprietors.

It seemed the individual proprietors in Shanghai were faster to act.

The two walked along Shaanxi North Road until they reached the intersection with Yan'an West Road.

Gong Xue said: "There are many old Western-style houses here."

And there was a park. Near the park, they saw one with a distinct European architectural style. Wei Ming immediately wanted to go over and take a look.

Gong Xue said directly: "This seems to be the editorial department for the *Cihai* dictionary of the Zhonghua Book Company."

Wei Ming was disappointed: "It's a work unit's place. I wonder who the original owner was?"

"This one? It used to be the Ho Tung Mansion. You know who Ho Tung is, right?"

An old man's voice came from behind Wei Ming and Gong Xue. He was dressed elegantly; though old, his demeanor remained, every bit the Shanghai *lao kele* (old-school gentleman).

"Sir, are you talking about the Ho Tung who held sway in Hong Kong?"

"Oh, the young man has some knowledge. That's right. Although his family mainly lived in Hong Kong and Macau, they also held sway in Shanghai. They invested in many companies. The real estate in the Daming Road, Tanggu Road, Nanzhun Road, and Emei Road area in North Bund was almost entirely the Ho family's property. There was also the Taiping Garden over there, which was also the Ho family's, but it was all nationalized after the founding of the country." The old man spoke of these old Shanghai stories with great familiarity.

As the first tycoon of Hong Kong and the head of the old Four Great Families, the Ho Tung family's assets were indeed vast. The later Macau gambling king Stanley Ho owed some of his success to his great-uncle.

Wei Ming was very happy; he had finally met someone who understood. Perhaps he could provide some help for his house-buying endeavor.

"Sir, do you know of any old Western-style houses that have been returned to individuals and are for sale?"

"The old Western-style houses around here are basically occupied by work units. I haven't heard of any being returned to individuals. Young man, why are you asking about these?" the old man countered.

Wei Ming said honestly: "I'm from out of town, and my partner's family doesn't have enough room, so I want to buy a house."

The old man laughed, feeling it was absurd: "Are these houses something a young man like you can covet? It's simply wishful thinking!"

Wei Ming also laughed: "This has nothing to do with age, and buying a house depends on how much money one has, doesn't it?"

The old man looked Wei Ming over again, wondering if he was the son of some prominent family. Seeing him with a beautiful girl, he felt it was quite possible.

He had always been disdainful of young people who flaunted their wealth based on their parents' legacy, but making money wasn't shameful.

"If I really find one for you, and the deal goes through, I'll want a commission... three percent." The old man had originally extended a palm, but finally, it turned into three fingers; five percent felt a bit too greedy.

Wei Ming first asked: "May I ask how to address you, sir?"

"My surname is Fei. You can call me Uncle."

"If it can really be done, three percent is no problem. But I'm curious, do you know where Juyuan No. 2 is? Could you take me to see it?"

Uncle Fei was surprised: "Juyuan No. 2? The Shi family's Juyuan No. 2 building?"

Wei Ming: "Exactly."

"Young man, what is your surname?"

Wei Ming: "My surname is Wei. I'm distantly related to the Shi family."

Gong Xue had heard Wei Ming say that his grandfather's elder sister had married a Shanghai banker, who must have been from this Shi family.

Uncle Fei said: "Then follow me."

Juyuan, formerly known as Nan Garden, had originally belonged to Jian Zhaonan and Jian Yujie, the brothers who owned the Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company, covering 15,000 square meters of land.

After Jian Zhaonan passed away, his younger brother donated part of the land to the Buddhist Jingye Society according to his will, and the rest of the land was sold off in blocks. Twenty-two Western-style houses were built by various owners, including Dai Jitao, a sworn brother of Chiang Kai-shek, and Zhao Puchu, a patriotic religious leader.

There was also the Shi family, who bought two plots of land, which were Juyuan No. 2 and No. 16. The former was occupied by the eldest branch, and the latter by the second branch.

The Shi family had many businesses, including banks, medicine, railways, and power plants, and they also had influence in the government. Someone in the family had even served as an ambassador to the United States.

So, as the War of Liberation approached, seeing the situation clearly, the whole family immigrated to the United States.

This situation was that Chiang Kai-shek couldn't win, but they would definitely lose if they stayed.

It was said that the great-aunt's family continued to run banking and medical businesses in the United States, counting among the most successful Chinese there.

In his previous life, Wei Ming had only heard some things about the great-aunt's family from his little aunt. She had studied in the United States when she was young, and everything from school selection to accommodation had been arranged by the great-aunt.

It was just that by the time Wei Ming reconnected with his little aunt, the three elders of his grandfather's generation had already passed away, and Wei Ming hadn't specifically kept in touch with the American side.

However, the great-uncle in Taiwan and the great-aunt's family in the United States had a close relationship. He reckoned they wouldn't have liked his grandfather and the forces behind him; otherwise, they could have continued living their lavish lives in the great Shanghai instead of crossing the ocean and living under others' roofs.

"Here it is." Uncle Fei pointed to a large mansion ahead, its grandeur even surpassing the Ho Tung Mansion they had just seen.

Wei Ming saw a sign at the entrance; it was now the office site for the Shanghai Electric Import and Export Company.

This location, and this building—Wei Ming recalled it; it seemed to be the Picasso Memorial Hall in his previous life, which was also an internet-famous check-in spot. Many influencers liked to take photos there, and even the TV series *The Story of Rose* had filmed there.

So this was the great-aunt's house. He had even brought a little girlfriend there once.

And according to Old Ghost's letters, he had lived at his brother-in-law's house for much of his time in Shanghai, relying on the Shi family's influence to accomplish many underground tasks.

"Do you like it?" Wei Ming asked Sister Xue.

Sister Xue smiled faintly, not knowing how to express herself. Who wouldn't like such a beautiful big house? But it was too big; it felt like it was suitable for three generations living together. She would be scared if she lived there alone.

Wei Ming looked inside from the outside: "Uncle, if this house were for sale, how much would it take to get it?"

Uncle Fei laughed: "Don't even think about it. Unless someone from the Shi family brings the title deed to reclaim it, the state certainly won't sell it."

Wei Ming asked: "Why?"

Uncle Fei thought for a moment and said: "The Shi family has always had a good reputation, having done many good deeds for the country and the people during the war. Many hospitals and universities have their donations. For such a family, even though their house was occupied, the policy is different now. It's inevitable that they must ensure that if they are willing to return, they have ancestral property to live in."

Wei Ming nodded, a sudden idea popping into his head: could he help his great-aunt get the house back?

But even if he got it back, it wouldn't be his. Staying temporarily would be fine, but he still had to buy a place of his own.

After walking around until noon, Wei Ming didn't intend to have a third party with Sister Xue during lunch, so he left his number at the guesthouse for Uncle Fei.

"You can reach me at this number for the next little while. If you can't find me, it means I've left Shanghai, and you can write to this address." Wei Ming left the address of the Beijing courtyard house.

Uncle Fei thought to himself, so he's a Beijing big shot; no wonder he talks so big.

Despite his elegant dress and broad knowledge, he had committed an economic error a few years ago and had only been released recently. He had no job and relied entirely on his wife to support him; he was truly eager to make money.

Next, Wei Ming and Sister Xue continued their date. After lunch, they bought some things on Nanjing Road before going to the cinema.

"What do you think a teenage girl would like?" Wei Ming asked Sister Xue for advice.

"Is it for your sister?"

"You could say that. It's for that pen pal of mine in Hong Kong. She's having a birthday soon, and she's helped me quite a bit." Wei Ming had never hidden Ah Min's existence from those around him.

Sister Xue's guard wasn't as high as Sister Lin's, and she earnestly helped Wei Ming brainstorm.

"If it's a girl from Hong Kong, she must be well-traveled. Why not buy some handicrafts that aren't common over there?"

Wei Ming thought it made sense. He went straight to the Friendship Store and bought some handicrafts from the mainland that foreigners often took with them when they left. Considering the little girl liked music, Wei Ming also bought a *hulusi* (cucurbit flute); he didn't know if they had those in Hong Kong.

Next stop, the Grand Cinema!

Today was the release date for *Good Things Come After Hardships* in major cities across the country. Posters had been visible for several days. The leadership at the Shanghai Er Yingchang had high expectations after seeing the final cut and had invested some promotional resources.

Although they didn't dare hope it would become a blockbuster like *Romance on Lushan Mountain*, it was still one of the studio's key films for the year.

Sister Xue had already taken care of the tickets in advance, so they didn't need to queue like others. However, as they went in, Wei Ming noticed on the screening schedule that there was a screening of the Xi'an Er Yingchang's *The Traitor* tomorrow morning.

Wei Ming's eyelids twitched. Sister Lin's film debut was also being released at the same time!

The two sisters were so fated; they might as well become sworn sisters.

The story of *Good Things Come After Hardships* wasn't much to speak of in Wei Ming's view. The heroine, Liu Fang, had been sent down to the countryside due to her father's political issues, where she met a young man in a similar situation, and they fell in love.

As it turned out, the young man's father was reinstated first, while Liu Fang's father remained in limbo. The young man abandoned Liu Fang and married someone from a family of equal status.

Later, Liu Fang's father's issues were resolved, and he was given an even higher position. But because she had suffered betrayal, she was disheartened and remained single.

Until she was forced into an arranged marriage by a friend of her father's to Shen Shen Zhiyuan, a talented young man of humble origins, played by Guo Guo Kaimin.

The two had met in a library before and had some mutual affection, but the matchmaker's approach was too forceful. They married without a deep understanding, which left a knot in the man's heart.

Liu Fang's ex-boyfriend also spread rumors about her, causing Shen Shen Zhiyuan great inner pain, feeling his wife was a frivolous woman, so they began a cold war on their wedding night.

Later, of course, the misunderstandings were cleared up, and everyone lived happily ever after. The silly boy ended up with a wife who was top-tier in appearance, background, and temperament.

And Liu Fang's predecessor also spread rumors about her, making Shen Shen Zhiyuan feel very painful inside, thinking that his wife was a frivolous woman, so he didn't touch his bride on their wedding night and started a cold war directly.

In this film, Sister Xue not only had high beauty, but her character was also top-notch, far more likable than the male lead who jumped to conclusions without knowing the situation.

Moreover, she had plenty of screen time, far more room for performance than in *The Herdsman*, and her acting had undergone a transformation compared to her first leading role in *Sacrificial Red*.

A good character, super-high beauty, and a plot that was still quite fresh for the audience of this era—the audience was very engaged while watching the movie, so much so that they didn't realize the lead actress was sitting right among them.

Gong Xue was a bit nervous while watching, glancing at Wei Ming from time to time. Although there were no intimate scenes between her and the male lead in this movie, there were some lingering glances, and she was afraid Wei Ming would get jealous.

Wei Ming was indeed quite chauvinistic, but he really wouldn't get jealous over this level of interaction.

However, scenes like those in *Mama, Love Me Again*—intimate scenes simply didn't exist in his version, nor were they necessary.

When the movie ended, Wei Ming and Sister Xue, who were sitting near the door, left quickly, but they could still hear many people discussing the heroine, Liu Fang, with some even calling her "Gong Xue."

This brought a touch of pride to Sister Xue's face. She then pulled up her scarf, covering half her face.

"Congratulations," Wei Ming said sincerely. "You're about to have your first representative work."

Gong Xue's eyes shone: "Do you think I acted well?"

Wei Ming: "Of course. A huge improvement. But... it's not without flaws."

Hearing him say this, Gong Xue became nervous: "Where did I act badly?"

Wei Ming: "It's not clear outside. Come back to the guesthouse with me, and I'll teach you hand-in-hand."

Gong Xue gave the bad boy a light tap, then obediently got into the car with him.

Meanwhile, in Beijing.

Zhu Lin also took her parents into a cinema showing *The Traitor*.

Just finished a screening of *Good Things Come After Hardships*, it seemed packed, with a lot of people. When they came out, everyone was discussing the heroine, either saying how beautiful she was or how well she acted.

Sister Lin's little mouth was pouting. What was most hateful was that her mother actually said to her father: "That movie just now seemed pretty good. Let's come see it when we have time."

Zhu's father: "Alright."

They entered the screening hall. Until the movie officially started, she felt it was only about two-thirds full.

Of course, it was considered a decent turnout for later generations, but in this era, entertainment was scarce, and almost any movie would have an audience. Moreover, golden-time slots could basically sell out, but now there were so many empty seats. Zhu Lin felt a bit lost; it seemed the cinema didn't value this movie much either.

And once the movie actually started, she felt even more lost. Why did she look so dark in the movie!

Her mother almost laughed out loud, feeling that the daughter in the movie was several shades darker than she was now.

Zhu Lin felt it was a lighting issue. She hadn't been that dark at the beginning, but she did get dark toward the latter half, and it was only thanks to Wei Ming's Hong Kong cosmetics that she was saved a bit.

Thinking of that brat, she wondered what he was doing right now. She missed him.

When they returned to the guesthouse, Wei Ming and Gong Xue hadn't eaten dinner. He hugged Sister Xue and started kissing her, then carried her to the bed.

"Ma Xiaowei, don't, stop, this is a guesthouse." Sister Xue said words of refusal, but Wei Ming could feel that her resistance wasn't firm.

"Today is my birthday. How about you give yourself to me as a birthday gift?" Wei Ming revealed the birthday thing and picked out his own gift.

Gong Xue laughed: "But I prepared a birthday gift for you."

"You did? Where is it?"

Gong Xue felt under Wei Ming's pillow: "I brought it over this morning. Look."

"This is?" Wei Ming paused his hand, which was busy undressing her.

Gong Xue: "Didn't you say you practice calligraphy? So I bought a set of the Four Treasures of the Study for you."

Looking at these items, Wei Ming laughed.

"What are you laughing at? Is my gift not to your liking?" Sister Xue asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Wei Ming stopped laughing: "It certainly isn't to my liking, because the gift I wanted was you. But I'm not laughing because of that."

"Wait a second." Wei Ming rummaged through his luggage and pulled out the gift he had prepared for his future father-in-law: "These are the Four Treasures of the Study I bought at Rongbaozhai, intended for your father."

"Ah?" Gong Xue took them and looked. The quality of these items seemed even better than what she had bought at Cao Sugu.

However, her heart was sweet. Wei Ming buying these things meant he intended to visit her parents and make their relationship clear.

And he also wanted to buy a house for her in Shanghai, yet she had been pushing back and forth, which wasn't straightforward enough.

Forget it, just treat it like being pricked by a needle.

She set Wei Ming's gift aside, obediently lay on the bed, and covered herself with the quilt: "I can't stay overnight here. Let's make it quick, okay?"

After saying that, she began to rustle under the quilt, undressing.

Wei Ming was invigorated: "Don't worry, Sister, my speed is legendary!"

"Still calling me Sister~" Gong Xue glared at him shyly, but her hands didn't stop, and a top was already thrown out.

Although Wei Ming felt that calling her Sister was more stimulating and romantic, at this moment, he followed her lead and changed his address: "Wife~"

Gong Xue's body trembled slightly. She hadn't intended for him to call her that; calling her "Ah Xue" would have been fine.

But since he was happy to call her "Wife," and she was happy to hear it, let him be.

Her pants came out too.

By the time she started taking off her undergarments, Wei Ming had already pressed against her, stark naked. He seemed to have magic; his clothes had "whooshed" away into nothingness~

(End of chapter)

When she started to take off her underwear, Wei Ming had already stuck to her naked. He seemed to have magic, and the clothes on his body disappeared with a "whoosh"~

(End of chapter)