With his parents' blessing for his marriage to Liang Jingyue secured, Liu Hui had been in high spirits these past two days. He and Liang Jingyue brought their parents to visit the Han Tang Hospital. When Liu Hui's parents learned of the hospital's achievements, they were utterly stunned, though they quickly swelled with pride realizing it was their own son who had accomplished all this. Liang Jingyue and Liu Hui then took them sightseeing around the famous spots in Bashan, sampling all sorts of local delicacies. Accompanied by their son and daughter-in-law, Liu Hui's parents had an immensely joyful time.

Liu Hui enjoyed a few precious days of happiness with his own parents. Tomorrow was New Year's Day, 2011. Liu Hui had stepped into his office to handle some urgent paperwork when Mei Peng pushed the door open and walked in.

“Boss, I’ve arranged everything for the New Year celebration. But there’s one matter that requires your final approval,” Mei Peng stated.

“What kind of issue is there that you, Director Mei, can’t decide on your own and must come specifically to me for?” Liu Hui asked jovially, teasing Mei Peng in his excellent mood.

“It’s like this. We’ve already given red envelopes to all the hospital staff, with the lowest envelope containing at least one hundred thousand yuan. Now, I’m considering the Special Operations Ninth Unit from outside. They have contributed immensely to our security over the last few months. Apart from that initial security breach, their subsequent protection has been impeccable, saving us a lot of trouble. Shouldn’t we offer them some token of our gratitude?” Mei Peng explained in detail.

“I see. So you feel they’ve made a great contribution to our hospital and want to give them red envelopes, but you’re worried about what higher-ups might think?”

“There’s a little bit of that. I’m afraid they’ll accuse us of trying to win over and corrupt state officials. Things are being scrutinized quite strictly these days!” Mei Peng expressed some concern.

“They have indeed made significant contributions to our hospital’s safety during this time, so we should definitely treat them like our own staff and offer them appreciation. Let’s give each of them a hundred thousand yuan red envelope! I doubt the higher-ups will have any issue with something this minor,” Liu Hui thought it over and decided to proceed with giving red envelopes to the Ninth Unit. Although they serve the state, the hospital has benefited greatly, so an expression of thanks is warranted.

“Alright, I’ll get right on it. But Boss, I have one question for you,” Mei Peng said.

“Go ahead.”

“Everyone else issues red envelopes before the Spring Festival. Why are you giving them out on New Year’s Day?” Mei Peng was confused.

“Oh, we give out New Year’s Day envelopes for New Year’s Day, and then we’ll give out Spring Festival envelopes when the Spring Festival arrives,” Liu Hui clarified.

“Ah, you mean we’ll be handing out red envelopes again for the Spring Festival?” Mei Peng was astonished.

“How many people do we have in the hospital now? Less than a hundred, right? Even giving out two rounds a year won't matter much. What we need now are people loyal to the hospital. We’ve made a fortune running this place, we can’t be stingy; we must let them share in the benefits that the hospital’s development brings!”

“But won’t such frequent red envelope distributions have some unforeseen side effects?” Mei Peng still worried slightly.

“Enough. This isn't the time to dwell on that. The situation is unique right now, so let’s proceed as planned. Once we get to that stage, we’ll revise the rules then,” Liu Hui cut the conversation short.

That evening, Liu Hui gathered his parents and Liang Jingyue’s family for an early New Year’s celebration. The two families’ relationship was solidified, everyone had a wonderful time, and the bond between them grew much closer.

The next day was New Year’s Day, 2011. Liu Hui had planned to invite his parents to celebrate at the hospital, but his father declined, saying he wasn't comfortable in crowded settings, so his mother naturally stayed home to keep him company. Left with no choice, Liu Hui attended the evening banquet only with Liang Jingyue.

As soon as Liu Hui arrived at his office at the hospital, he found Jiang Nanyi from the Special Operations Team waiting for him.

“Heh heh, Team Leader Jiang, Happy New Year!” Liu Hui greeted him with a smile.

“Happy New Year, Boss Liu,” Jiang Nanyi managed a strained smile.

“Team Leader Jiang, you didn't just come here specifically to wish me a Happy New Year, did you? Has something gone wrong?” Liu Hui asked lightly.

“Nothing has gone wrong. I just wanted to ask about the red envelopes. You know we’re not supposed to accept red envelopes from the assignment targets while we’re on duty,” Jiang Nanyi stated.

“So that’s what this is about. Your Special Operations Ninth Unit has protected our hospital’s safety, and our rapid development wouldn't be possible without your contribution. You are practically half our staff, so giving you red envelopes is perfectly normal.”

“But…”

“No buts, just accept them. If the higher-ups try to penalize you, just say that I forced them upon you and that you couldn't refuse. If you don't take them, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“This…” Jiang Nanyi looked slightly embarrassed.

“Let your men take them. While the money isn't astronomical, it can certainly improve their family's lives a bit. I’ll take responsibility for this; they surely have to give me face, don't they?”

“Then we’ll accept them. Thank you, Boss Liu,” Jiang Nanyi readily agreed after hearing Liu Hui’s resolute words.

“Team Leader Jiang, there’s no need to be so formal between us,” Liu Hui chuckled.

“Boss Liu, I actually wanted to tell you something,” Jiang Nanyi suddenly remembered his secondary reason for the visit.

“Please speak, Team Leader Jiang.”

“It’s like this: Today is New Year’s Day, and a leader from headquarters is visiting Bashan to offer New Year greetings and has summoned us to report on our duties. So, we need to leave for one night and will return tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, I see, your work takes priority. Team Leader Jiang, please leave without worry. We will heighten our vigilance tonight,” Liu Hui wasn't concerned upon hearing this.

Han Tang Hospital did not take the day off. Every employee received an unprecedentedly large red envelope, filling them with excitement and a heightened sense of belonging and loyalty to the hospital. At five in the afternoon, work ended, and preparations for the celebration venue began. Every employee worked diligently, making the hall neat and beautiful.

Since the Ninth Unit personnel were absent tonight, Liu Hui, just in case, recalled half of the security staff from the training center outside the city. Wu Yuanjia was put in charge of coordinating the personnel for the venue setup, while Huang Huali remained at the training center outside the city.

At seven in the evening, the entire hospital was brightly lit, and Han Tang Hospital’s New Year’s Eve celebration officially commenced. When Liu Hui, Liang Jingyue, Mei Peng, Liu Lin, and other key hospital leaders appeared, the reception hall erupted in enthusiastic applause. Mei Peng spoke first on behalf of the hospital, delivering a passionate address that left the employees intoxicated by the bright future he painted.

The employees, feeling unsatisfied after Mei Peng’s speech, clamored for Boss Liu Hui to address them. Liu Hui coughed lightly, took the microphone, and said simply, “Eat well, drink well, and have fun.”

The crowd paused momentarily, then broke into applause for Liu Hui’s succinct speech. For this celebration, Liu Hui had spent a fortune hiring several currently popular celebrities to perform for the staff. The employees were thrilled to see stars they usually only watched on television. The atmosphere reached its peak. Liu Hui finally let loose, joining the crowd in revelry. Everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

The celebration banquet at Bashan Hospital finally concluded at midnight. The hospital staff were remarkably conscientious, volunteering to clean the entire venue before finally departing.

That night, Liu Hui had a sudden impulse: he wanted to pull Mei Peng and Zhou Tengyun aside to chat and reminisce about their arduous past. Seeing how happy the three men were, Liang Jingyue and Liu Lin decided not to interrupt their mood and took their leave first.

Liu Hui, Mei Peng, and Zhou Tengyun headed to Liu Hui’s office. Liu Hui opened a drawer, pulled out a file folder, and handed it to Zhou Tengyun.

Zhou Tengyun opened the file folder with a puzzled look, taking out a stack of documents. After just a glance, he asked excitedly, “Boss, these are the property deeds from my hometown and the IOUs from my relatives. Why do you have them?”

“Old Third, we haven’t been attentive enough to you lately. A few days ago, I was chatting with Old Second and realized your property deeds were still mortgaged to the bank, along with the loans from Cai Lufeng’s relatives. So, I had Old Second retrieve them for you,” Liu Hui said, placing a hand on Zhou Tengyun’s shoulder. Beside him, Mei Peng also placed a hand on Zhou Tengyun’s shoulder.

“I…” Zhou Tengyun was speechless.

“We are good brothers, sharing fortune and enduring hardship together. Have you forgotten what we promised each other?” Mei Peng murmured softly.

“We are good brothers, the kind who would risk life and limb for each other,” Liu Hui’s hand tightened on Zhou Tengyun’s shoulder.

“We are good brothers, brothers for this life and the next,” a smile finally touched Zhou Tengyun’s previously stern face.

“Ta-da! Look what I have here?” Liu Hui produced some cooked food and several bottles of beer from his storage space, his movements theatrical, as if performing a magic trick.

Mei Peng snatched the food, quickly tearing off a piece of newspaper to use as a makeshift tablecloth on the desk, and laid out the delicacies. Zhou Tengyun fetched wine glasses from Liu Hui’s office, placing one in front of each of the three men. Liu Hui popped open the beer, and the three began to drink heartily in the office, recounting their experiences from the past few years.

It was already one in the morning. All the Han Tang Hospital employees who attended the celebration had left. The entire hospital was silent, save for the three brothers and the night-shift security guards.

Suddenly, all the lights in the hospital went out. However, before thirty seconds elapsed, the hospital's backup power kicked in, and the entire facility was illuminated once more.

“What was that? Did the power fail?” Mei Peng pulled back the curtain. Outside, the world beyond Han Tang Hospital was pitch black.

“Good thing I anticipated this situation and installed backup power. See, it’s working now! Never mind it, let’s keep drinking,” Liu Hui chuckled.

In the deep darkness, a minivan was driving toward Han Tang Hospital. On duty tonight were two security guards named Ah Huo and Desheng. Upon seeing the van approach, they immediately grew alert. They stepped out of the guardhouse and intercepted the vehicle.

“Sorry, we were hoping you could tell us how to get to Longtou Temple Park? We’re out-of-towners, it’s very late, and since the power is out everywhere around here, we got lost. We saw the lights on here and came to ask,” two young men stepped out of the car—one was the driver, and the other held a map, explaining in heavily accented Mandarin.

“Sir, I apologize, but this is a restricted private area. Please leave immediately and seek assistance by calling the police,” the two guards blocked their path, Ah Huo speaking politely.

“Please help us out; we have very important business and must reach there. Could you just point the way for us?” The young man with the map seemed anxious and walked toward Ah Huo, brandishing the map.

“Yeah, please help us out. We’re strangers here and don't know the area at all,” the driver also looked anxious and approached Desheng.

The two guards exchanged a look; something felt very wrong. Just as they were about to take action, the young man holding the newspaper suddenly threw the map toward Ah Huo. Hidden beneath the map was a machete, which he swung at Ah Huo. Simultaneously, the other man lunged at Desheng, wrapping his arms around his neck.

The two security guards were highly vigilant and moved with surprising agility. Desheng, who had his neck choked, jerked his body forward, using a surge of strength in his waist to throw the driver pinning him to the ground. Meanwhile, Ah Huo, noticing the trajectory of the machete, executed a swift sidekick that struck the knife-wielding man squarely on the wrist. The man’s weapon flew far off to the side.

“Desheng, quickly send the signal,” Ah Huo shouted to his partner after kicking the sharp blade out of the enemy’s hand, positioning himself between the two assailants. Desheng rapidly retreated to the guardhouse, preparing to hit the alarm.

The two enemies were shocked; they hadn't expected these seemingly ordinary security guards to be so formidable, failing even in a surprise attack. They desperately lunged toward Desheng inside the guardhouse, determined to stop him from triggering the alarm. Ah Huo, blocking them, let out a cold laugh. A simple side kick sent the driver flying backward, crashing rapidly into the young man whose knife had been kicked away. The young man, caught off guard, collided violently with the driver. The two tumbled like rolling gourds and lay still. Desheng seized the opportunity and quickly activated the alarm.

Qianyu will have two updates today, the second around seven or eight in the evening. Readers, please stay tuned!

Thanks to reader DD_YinXing for the reward; he let me know that my tipping system wasn't broken.

Today is Saturday, and Qianyu still has a large number of essence points to give away. Readers who need essence points can post a request in the discussion area; Qianyu will support you with all his essence points.

Finally, I must ask for recommendation votes and collections!