How can I justify myself as a Magnate if I don't indulge myself?

As the end of the year approached, it was still quite congested on the highway. A trip that was supposed to take around five hours, Gu Heng ended up driving for a grueling eight hours...

He even took a detour to drop off Tao Miaomiao in Tongcheng, which added another hour to the delay...

However, as the buildings on both sides of the road became more familiar, Gu Heng started to feel an inexplicable nervousness rise within him...

The phrase "nearer to home, the greater the fear" seemed quite fitting to describe his current state...

.....

Inside the old apartment's living room, several people sat around a television, cracking sunflower seeds and chatting idly while showing off their sugar-coated mandarins.

Gu Heng's grandparents had passed away before he was born, but he had one elder uncle, one younger uncle, and two aunts. In Gu Heng's generation, there were six or seven cousins making the Gu family a prosperous one.

But in the countryside...

After the household was divided, they could only nominally be considered one family.

Ordinarily, if it weren't for the holidays, these people would not gather together.

Gu Jianguo sat on the sofa, smiling and listening to the others' idle chatter.

"Third, there's no water left, pour me some water," Gu Jiandang, Gu Jianguo's eldest brother, said in the manner of a leader.

Gu Jiandang, Gu Jianguo, Gu Jianjun, it really was a tradition of naming in the '70s and '80s...

"Eh!"

Gu Jianguo's father, Gu Jianguo, who had injured his foot and undergone surgery years ago, causing a slight disability, responded and limped over with a hot water kettle to fill the cup in front of Gu Jiandang.

"Do you think Xinran will still recognize me as her big uncle after returning from her internship with a Fortune 500 company?"

As Gu Jiandang took the cup from Gu Jianguo, he didn't even glance at his younger brother but instead turned his head with a smile and asked the others.

Gu Heng's younger uncle, Gu Jianjun, quickly spit out the sunflower seed shells from his mouth and eagerly replied, "Big brother, what are you saying? Even if she goes for an internship with a Fortune 500 or studies abroad, she couldn't forget her big uncle!"

Now she's the pride of the Gu family, one of these days when I have time, I'll go to the town and inquire about any college student subsidies from the government, and see if I can help her apply for one."

"I may not be capable, but having been an official in the village for so many years, I still have some sway," Gu Jiandang said, his back involuntarily straightening as he spoke, despite claiming his own lack of abilities.

Upon hearing this, the aunt sitting to the side broke into a grin, "Then we'll have to trouble you, big brother. You don't understand, living expenses in Shanghai are so high. You know, Jianguo and I don't have much ability, we can't afford it. We've relied on you all these years to take care of things."

Laughing, Gu Jiandang waved his hands in response, "If Xinran is doing well, it means our Gu family is doing well. We're all family; I'll help however much I can."

Listening to their conversation, Gu Jianguo's face revealed an awkward forced smile...

It was hard to imagine that this man, acting as the head of the house, was his elder brother...

A few years back, he had asked his elder brother to help him and his wife apply for a rural housing subsidy for the disabled, which hadn't been approved after all these years.

Yet now, his brother was actively applying for a subsidy for his younger brother's family.

Moreover, it wasn't just Xinran who was returning home today, but also his son...

But none of these people had mentioned him...

Just then, Xu Hong, busy in the kitchen, walked over, apron-wrapped: "Jianguo, call your son and ask when he'll be home. It's already seven or eight in the evening, and I can't settle down. It's the depth of winter, and I heard that accidents are especially common on the highways..."

Before Gu Jianguo could respond, a sudden commotion came from the yard.

Before the others could react, Xu Hong rushed out of the kitchen. She pushed the door open, and a powerful beam of headlight shone in from outside...

At once, everyone inside the house stood up and headed towards the doorway.

....

Seeing that short figure beneath the high beams, Gu Heng instantly knew who it was. He unbuckled his seat belt with the fastest speed of his life and flung the car door open, dashing out.

"Mom!!!"

Still several meters away, Gu Heng shouted with all his might.

Not completely sure before, Xu Hong's eyes immediately reddened when she heard the voice, running towards Gu Heng with unprecedented speed...

If it's to see you, I think I would definitely run...

This phrase was originally an intimate expression used by couples online, but at that moment, it was perfectly embodied by Xu Hong...

"You scoundrel!! I thought you didn't want me as your mom anymore!!"

Having not felt her son's warmth for more than two years, over eight hundred nights, Xu Hong wrapped her arms around Gu Heng and couldn't bear to let go, crying while forcefully patting his back...

"I was wrong, I was wrong..."

On the way back, Gu Heng had imagined countless scenarios of meeting his mother and what he could do to make her happy. But at that moment, he cast all those preparations aside and just repeated those words, his voice quivering with remorse.

Gu Jianguo also slowly limped over to Gu Heng.

"Dad, I'm back..."

Gu Jianguo's eyes reddened too, but he wasn't as demonstrative as Xu Hong. He simply nodded again and again, "It's good you're back, it's good you're back!"

Xinran, who had gotten out of the passenger seat, didn't interrupt Gu Heng's family moment. Instead, she walked towards her own parents.