When it was almost midnight that evening, Wu Hao's first-ever class reunion finally came to an end. Overall, the process of this reunion was enjoyable and successful, with only a few individuals feeling envious or jealous of Wu Hao deep down.

After all, most people were pleased that they didn't have a classmate who intentionally showed off their success and treated others poorly. It was a comforting experience for everyone.

In the past, their class reunions were self-funded, and the number of attendees was never high. There were barely twenty people, not even half of their original class.

In fact, having this few people attend each time was considered good. After graduating from high school, some continued their studies at university, while others went directly to work outside.

Those who worked in other cities, of course, couldn't come back every year, and not everyone was willing to participate in class reunions.

As for those still in university, although some came from well-off families, their class didn't have any true wealthy second-generation individuals who could afford to spend thousands or tens of thousands of yuan for a class reunion.

So the people who willingly attended these self-funded class reunions were either from the city, lived nearby, or had slightly better family conditions. They would gather a few days before the Lunar New Year to catch up.

Although it had been several years since Wu Hao had contact with them, most people were still happy to have a generous classmate foot the bill.

As for intentionally belittling or mocking others, that kind of behavior didn't occur. After all, these days, there weren't many idiots like that. Even if some had reservations about Wu Hao's showy spending, they wouldn't make any inappropriate moves in public.

So, whether it was the initial dinner or the subsequent karaoke session, although Wu Hao remained the center of attention and the topic of discussion, everyone generally had a good time.

After the reunion ended, Wu Hao had a private chat with his best friend from the past, Hong Lei, and then bid farewell before returning to his hometown overnight. Hong Lei and a few others who didn't live in the city went to a nearby hotel.
---------------------------------------------------

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the 30th day of the lunar new year. Since concluding the class reunion two days earlier, Wu Hao had been staying at home, celebrating the new year with his family.

As soon as the clock struck midnight on the 30th day, vibrant fireworks erupted in the sky above Wu Hao's villa, captivating the entire Shanci Village and neighboring villages with their resounding booms and dazzling displays.

"Hong's family is setting off so many fireworks; it's almost like watching them on TV," remarked some villagers who were still awake, watching the Spring Festival Gala on television and noticing the spectacle happening at Wu Hao's house. They were naturally amazed by the grandeur of the fireworks.

Because most people in the village had never witnessed such a large-scale fireworks show before, although Wu Hao's display couldn't compare to the dedicated fireworks shows in the city, it was still considered a massive event in their village.

As soon as the fireworks began at Wu Hao's house, they immediately overshadowed the sparse sounds and lights from other places.

"Brother, it's so beautiful! It's the most beautiful fireworks I've ever seen!" exclaimed Wu Xiaoxiao, who stood in the yard with an equally excited expression.

"If you like it, I'll prepare an even bigger fireworks show for your birthday," Wu Hao replied with a smile. Although he burned tens of thousands of yuan in just a few minutes, it was a small amount of money to him. After all, his fireworks display was far inferior to the ones in some cities.

However, as soon as Wu Hao finished speaking, Zhang Huilan, who was beside him, looked reproachfully and said, "I'm telling you guys! It's nice to look at, but it's such a waste to burn tens of thousands of yuan in just a moment!"

"Mom, it's fine! Your son isn't lacking money now!" Wu Hao quickly reassured her. His frugal parents naturally felt distressed about him spending so much on these extravagant fireworks.

While Wu Hao's father didn't say much openly, his mother directly voiced her complaints. After all, both of them had been frugal their entire lives, so seeing Wu Hao spend money on these extravagant items naturally hurt their hearts.

"You may not be lacking money, but you shouldn't spend it on things like this!" Zhang Huilan continued to lecture.

Meanwhile, Wu Xiaoxiao, who was initially excited on the side, playfully stuck out her tongue when she heard her mother's words. Although she loved the beautiful fireworks display, she quickly realized her mother's point had some validity, so she obediently remained silent.

At this point, Wu Hao naturally didn't say much either and could only promise to be more restrained next time.

After the firecrackers and fireworks were set off, the new year officially began. Wu Hao returned to his room and as soon as he opened his phone, he discovered he had received numerous New Year greetings

Not only did he receive text messages on his phone, but there were also messages and wishes on QQ. However, most of these greetings were mass-sent, and only Li Xiaoyun, who had always been in contact with Wu Hao, wrote a short individual message to him.

Wu Hao had no intention of replying to the mass messages, so he only sent a reply to Li Xiaoyun.

...

On the afternoon of the third day of the lunar new year, Wu Hao was preparing to drive to the city's bus station to pick up his aunt's family. Before he left, Zhang Huilan cautioned him, "Son, be careful on the road! I heard that there have been several accidents on the road to the city during the new year."

"I know, Mom, don't worry!" Although the road from the town to the city was winding and had less-than-ideal conditions, it posed no problem for Wu Hao.

As long as he didn't encounter the same traffic congestion as last time along the way, it would be fine. Due to the poor road conditions and an increase in private cars on the road during the new year, especially with many inexperienced drivers, traffic jams were frequent.

There was even one incident where a car veered off the roadside and tumbled down the hill. The outcome of such an accident was predictable.

As for his aunt's family, although Wu Hao had only seen them when he was very young, he still had some impression of them. Moreover, he had accessed all his past memories, remembering everyone and everything he had encountered from his birth until now.