Chapter 126: Preparing for Christmas

It was confirmed today that I have appendicitis. The pain is intense, and I’m breaking into a cold sweat while typing this. I’ll likely have to stop updating for a day or two starting tomorrow as I head to the hospital. I hope you all understand. I really can’t hold out any longer!

Moving into the new house, it was impossible for Qiu Fengyu to keep it quiet, even if he had wanted to. The Britt family and several other acquaintances showed up uninvited, bringing some food along. Qiu Fengyu ended up preparing some dishes as well, and they simply turned the gathering into a housewarming party.

All things considered, Qiu Fengyu’s house was quite spacious. Many were particularly envious of his swimming pool. Even though the weather had turned a bit chilly, some people had brought swim trunks and took a few laps in the water. Qiu Fengyu played the host, pouring drinks for everyone and using his phone to capture the moments.

He was mostly sending the photos to Alyssa, while Ryoko Kiba acted like the lady of the house, greeting guests—a sight that made Tim, standing nearby, grit his teeth. He turned to Davis and remarked, "Look at that woman..."

Davis chuckled. "Women—you’re still too young, you really don't understand them. Better not meddle in their affairs."

Tim shrugged dismissively and wandered off to secretly drink some rum. Usually, Qiu Fengyu only allowed him to drink beer, so he was taking advantage of the party to have a little something extra.

The party lasted from six in the evening until eleven at night. Everyone had a great time. People always enjoyed visiting because the food Qiu Fengyu prepared was simply too delicious.

Afterward, looking at the mess left behind, Qiu Fengyu shook his head. It was too late to clean up tonight; he would have Tim and Davis help him tomorrow.

Once the cleaning was done the next day, Qiu Fengyu brought two bags of cash over from the noodle shop and placed them in the basement. He first tucked them into a dry box, planning to buy a larger safe another day for better storage. He also took advantage of the evening to move the weapons he and Tim used into the basement as well.

It looked like he would need to install a hidden compartment in the basement; otherwise, the weapons would be easily discovered. He intended to keep buying more weapons over time; at the very least, a good sniper rifle and some heavy firepower were necessary for a rainy day.

With everything taken care of, Qiu Fengyu nodded with satisfaction and locked the basement. Tim was just moving his own things out of the Britts' house. He didn't have much—just some clothes and books.

Seeing Qiu Fengyu come out of the basement, he asked, "Are our things in there?"

"Yes. Starting tomorrow, we'll buy some lumber. We'll build a concealed cabinet ourselves to store our gear," Qiu Fengyu said with a smile. "You can handle your own room—don't ask me to help you!"

"I know!" Tim laughed, then carried his belongings inside.

Qiu Fengyu then went into April's room, recorded a video, and sent it to her. Shortly after he sent it, she called back, unable to wait a moment longer. Her tone was full of excitement; she was overjoyed.

"Is that my room? I want to come over and see it!" was her first sentence.

"That's up to you; it’s your room, after all. You can keep a set of keys," Qiu Fengyu laughed. "Though... compared to the villa you stay at in Beverly Hills, I hope you won't be disappointed."

"The Beverly Hills villa isn't mine; I just live there. Reese needs someone to keep her company," April replied, shaking her head. "And as it happens, I’m the person she needs, that’s all. But... one day, when I become a famous Hollywood screenwriter, I’ll buy a villa of my own there."

"Alright, I wish you success in becoming a hot-shot Hollywood screenwriter soon," Qiu Fengyu said, nodding at the phone before hanging up. He hung up quite abruptly; he and this woman were just not on the same wavelength.

After the call, Qiu Fengyu wandered through the house. After all, this was the first home that was truly his own. He had lived the life of a drifter before, spending his days in explosions and gunfights, so he had never had a permanent residence. He wasn't the type to save money for a house either; in those days, you could die at any moment, so it felt more practical to spend every cent you earned. In fact, everyone like him did the same.

It felt like a dream. He never expected to own a real house of his own. It was as if he had suddenly found his roots. Qiu Fengyu seemed quite infatuated with everything.

After moving in, he parked his car in the garage and bought various tools for car maintenance. He also purchased some lumber to thoroughly renovate the basement, building a hidden compartment to store all the weapons and buying a large safe to secure the cash.

This money couldn't be deposited in a bank; it had to stay in cash.

Christmas was only two days away. This would be his first Christmas here, though he felt little connection to the holiday; it didn't seem to have much to do with him. Tim, however, was very excited, dragging Qiu Fengyu out early in the morning to find a Christmas tree.

Qiu Fengyu borrowed a pickup truck from the Britts and, following Mr. Britt's directions, drove toward the nearest mountain range near the farm. Spruce, pine, and fir were the best trees for Christmas.

These weren't common in Texas, and it took them over a hundred miles of driving to find a place that sold them. After paying fifty dollars, they were given a saw and allowed to pick out their own tree.

As they walked into the woods, they saw an elderly couple, about sixty or seventy years old, walking nearby. Seeing Qiu Fengyu and Tim, they greeted them with a smile: "Hey there, young men."

"Hello! I didn't expect to see people your age out here picking out a Christmas tree," Qiu Fengyu said. He hadn't started picking yet, leaving that task to Tim.

"The fellow who grows these trees is even older than I am," the old man chuckled, reaching out a hand to Qiu Fengyu. "Robbie Jordan. This is my wife." He introduced himself and the elderly woman beside him.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jordan." Qiu Fengyu shook the woman's hand. "Fengyu Qiu, and this is my friend Tim. Hey, Tim, come over and say hello." Tim waved from a distance, signaling that he had already acknowledged them.

"Hello, young man. Not many people your age come out to pick their own Christmas trees these days," Robbie Jordan said with a smile. "I’m a regular here. I’ve come every year for forty years, never missed one."

"That’s truly remarkable!" Qiu Fengyu exclaimed.

"The old guy who grows these trees has been here even longer than that. He was already here for years when I first came. This business... you have to truly love it to keep at it."

"Love it to the bone," Robbie Jordan added.

"I can tell that you’re the same way, Mr. Jordan," Qiu Fengyu smiled.

"Indeed. A beautiful Christmas tree takes time and effort to cultivate. A sapling takes about ten years to mature. You have to watch out for pests and drought throughout the year, and every summer, the trees must be manually pruned into a symmetrical, beautiful cone shape. After Thanksgiving, the trees go on sale, but the season lasts only four weeks. Usually, business is only brisk on weekends. But I don't go on weekends because I like to take my time and look on my own."

Qiu Fengyu laughed. "Why did you say fewer young people pick out Christmas trees?"

"Artificial trees are a disaster," Robbie Jordan shook his head helplessly. "A single phone call and one is delivered to you; you can add whatever you want to it, and when you're done, you can throw it away immediately. Young people today prefer convenience. So, the people who come here to buy real trees are generally a bit older."

They walked a bit further, and Tim was already out of sight ahead of them.

"Tim, have you picked one yet?" Qiu Fengyu shouted.

"Almost—" Tim appeared from behind a large tree, complaining to Qiu Fengyu, "I want to pick the best tree, but there’s always some flaw. Damn it, such a huge forest of trees..."

"Young man, there is no such thing as a perfect Christmas tree. Just pick one that’s decent enough to put in your house, and once you hang enough ornaments on it, it will look perfect. That’s my experience from many years!" Robbie Jordan laughed heartily at Davis.

"Alright, maybe you’re right!" Though Tim was reluctant, he had failed to find a tree that truly satisfied him after so long, which made him give up.

Dragging the tree out, they reached the evening. Tim wanted to decorate it immediately, but realized they hadn't bought any ornaments, so he had to leave the tree in the backyard and wait until the next day to go shopping.

However, the next day, before Qiu Fengyu could even leave, he received a call from April saying she was already on her way.

What was going on? Qiu Fengyu was stunned. He looked at Tim and said, "April is coming over. Does she want to spend Christmas here?"

"God knows!" Tim shrugged. "That’s your problem, not mine!"

"Well, if it’s just two men for Christmas, it does feel a bit monotonous. We can't just set up the tree and sit there drinking beer, can we?" Qiu Fengyu pretended to be indifferent.

"What about the ornaments?" Tim asked.

"We'll see when the woman gets here. They’re good at this sort of thing," Qiu Fengyu said, leaving Tim behind to prepare the Christmas meal.

"Fine, but it would be good if this house had a mistress sooner rather than later," Tim shouted at Qiu Fengyu's back. "You can’t keep avoiding this issue."

Qiu Fengyu stopped, turned around, and glared at him. "Who’s the boss here?"

"Fine, you are!" Tim said, quickly slipping into his room.

Qiu Fengyu walked into the study, found paper and a pen, and began planning the Christmas menu. Regardless of whether he liked it or not, he had to make sure Tim, who was so full of enthusiasm, wouldn't be disappointed.