Chapter 18

Ye Mingzhu entered the room and saw Ye Wanqing sitting on the edge of the bed packing things. She immediately sidled up to her. “Sister, Mom and Dad are going to find the station leaders tomorrow. What are you planning to do?”

“What can I do?” Ye Wanqing asked in return.

Ye Mingzhu choked. “How about…… you go beg Mom and Dad not to go find people?”

Ye Wanqing: “My stall makes a lot of money. Don’t you want this stall to be taken into the family? If the family looks after the stall, your pocket money will increase. No matter whose share is reduced, it won’t be yours.”

Ye Mingzhu thought for a moment and stopped speaking.

With her silent, Ye Wanqing also did not take the initiative to speak and continued packing.

After a long while Ye Mingzhu called her again. “Sister, why are you packing things? You’re not planning to run away from home, are you?”

“Where can I run to?”

“Oh……”

The night grew deep.

Ye Wanqing lay on the bed looking at the dim night outside the window, long without any sleepiness.

In her previous life, at eighteen she had no life plans and was also at a loss because Liu Lizhen insisted she had been hanging around with little hooligans, ruining her reputation.

Under Ye Xiangdang’s persuasion and Liu Lizhen’s curses, she followed the Ye family’s arrangements and muddle-headedly married Wang Jiabao.

Yet that marriage only existed for one night.

The next day when the sun rose, Wang Jiabao refused to acknowledge it and insisted the Ye family had deceived him. Clearly the one betrothed to him was Ye Mingzhu, yet the one sent over was her, Ye Wanqing. He simply did not think about the fact that Ye Mingzhu was only fourteen and simply could not marry so early.

Wang Qiang and Zhao Yan could not control their son and were also unwilling to control him, so they told her to endure. Ye Xiangdang and Liu Lizhen also told her to endure, saying that being a daughter-in-law was never smooth sailing and a man’s heart had to be won by herself.

But she felt disgusted and did not want to endure. After a few days she divorced Wang Jiabao.

Speaking of divorce—actually at an age that was not yet legal she had only held a wedding with Wang Jiabao in the town and had never obtained a marriage certificate. She simply picked up her luggage that contained only a few pieces of clothing and left.

Because she was rejected by the Wang family, and under those circumstances, the Ye family and the Wang family completely cut off contact and could be considered to have become enemies. But it was not because of her—rather Ye Xiangdang felt he had lost face.

Everyone thought she had lost her chastity that night, and even Wang Jiabao himself thought so. But actually when the drunk Wang Jiabao pounced on her that night, she was nauseated by the alcohol smell from his mouth and kicked him away. The blood on the bed was from Wang Jiabao’s arm being scratched by a wooden splinter; he had rubbed it on himself.

Because of this failed marriage, the gazes people directed at her were all disdain mixed with sympathy, and within the sympathy was also a few points of superiority, feeling that she would have difficulty finding a good family to marry into later.

Fortunately she also did not want to marry, so she simply did not explain and continued living alone.

She had a high school education. Later she found a job as a substitute teacher on her own and taught at a primary school in the town.

She taught well, worked conscientiously and diligently, and both leaders and colleagues liked her. Students also respected her. Relying on herself she obtained a formal establishment and became a privately run teacher. Her days passed quietly and steadily.

Yet this stability only lasted a few years. Because at twenty-five Wang Jiabao still had accomplished nothing, gambled and drank heavily, and no one was willing to marry him, the Wang family thought of her, this so-called daughter-in-law, and entangled themselves again.

She naturally was unwilling and was beaten by the drunk Wang Jiabao until she was hospitalized.

That time was also the first time Ye Xiangdang’s eyes turned red for her, saying he regretted not arranging things well for her……

Yet even if he regretted, so what?

Later the Wang family thick-skinnedly used the life-saving favor from back then to demand that the Ye family must give a daughter to marry into the Wang family, coming to the Ye family to make trouble every day. Didn’t Ye Xiangdang still “earnestly” advise her, saying something about a good woman not marrying two husbands?

She knew Ye Xiangdang truly had a bit of father-daughter affection for her, but he valued too many other things, and she was not his biological daughter. That tiny bit of father-daughter affection was simply not enough to move him in any way.

If Ye Xiangdang were given another choice, he would definitely still have her marry into the Wang family to repay the life-saving favor rather than let Ye Mingzhu marry over.

Did Ye Xiangdang not know the Wang couple was difficult to deal with, or that Wang Jiabao was a rotten person? He knew!

Precisely because he knew, he did not let Ye Mingzhu marry over, afraid she would suffer grievances.

But what about her?

In her previous life she had still been moved because Ye Xiangdang had cried for her and felt a trace of comfort in her heart. Now she no longer felt that way.

Having experienced a lifetime, especially that matter she had unintentionally discovered before her death, she only felt it was ironic.

In this life her life belonged to herself. She was no longer that foolish Ye Wanqing.

The Ye family wanted to scheme against her again?

Hah……

—

The next day, perhaps because she had slept too late the previous night, Ye Wanqing got up a little late.

She usually got up earlier than Ye Mingzhu, but today she had no idea when Ye Mingzhu had gotten up and left. She had not heard the slightest sound.

When she finished washing up, carried out the luggage she had packed the previous night from the room, and prepared to leave, she happened to run into Liu Lizhen coming out holding a plate of buns and mantou.

The two of them looked at each other. Liu Lizhen rolled her eyes and deliberately raised her voice to call Ye Xiangdang. “Old Ye, time to eat. Your favorite pickled vegetable buns, steaming hot and delicious.”

“You eat first.”

“Raising an ungrateful wolf has made me so angry I’m already full. What is there to eat? After you finish eating I’ll first go find people at the bus station, then come back and eat a little.”

Ye Xiangdang, who was reading the newspaper inside the room, could of course guess she was deliberately saying this for Ye Wanqing to hear. His face immediately darkened.

He walked out of the room. “If you don’t know how to speak then don’t speak. Can’t the food even block your mouth?”

Just as he was about to say a few words to Ye Wanqing, Ye Wanqing pulled open the main door and walked out, leaving the couple only a slightly thin back view.

Ye Xiangdang glared at Liu Lizhen and lowered his voice. “Say a few less words and you won’t die!”

Liu Lizhen pursed her lips and finally stopped speaking.

—

Recently the temperature had risen a little. The trees that had been withered for a winter were putting out more and more tender buds.

Ye Wanqing walked through the bus station carrying luggage that contained only a few pieces of clothing, knowing that the so-called home could be considered completely unable to be returned to.

After rebirth she had never again called them “Mom and Dad” even once, nor said “going home” even once. Yet truly taking her own things out of the Ye family still left a deep sense of loss in her heart.

What to do afterward—she temporarily had no idea and could only take one step and see one step. However, the Ye family wanting her stall—she would never let the Ye family get their way.

When she walked to the entrance of the waiting hall, Ge Yuan was standing by the pushcart, a cigarette held between his long, powerful fingers as he smoked, looking free and unrestrained.

Seeing her come, he quickly crushed out the cigarette butt.

“Nothing happened last night?”

“Nothing.” Ye Wanqing shook her head.

Yet Ge Yuan did not believe it. His gaze fell on the small bundle in her hand, his eyes deep. “You were driven out? It’s because of me that you were implicated.”

“No. I wanted to leave myself.” Ye Wanqing smiled. “Even without anyone else, I couldn’t get along with the Ye family. Moving out of there was only a matter of time.”

“What will you do from now on? How about…… how about living at my place……” At this point Ge Yuan did not continue.

He knew Ye Wanqing would not agree.

Although at this time many people were dissatisfied with the marriages arranged by their families and talked about free love, there were not many good girls who would move into the man’s house before marriage. Otherwise just dealing with the rumors and gossip would be enough suffering.

Indeed……

Ye Wanqing smiled and glanced sideways at him. “I already have an idea about a place to live. These next few days you don’t need to worry about me. Quickly help me find a house. If you can also find a storefront, that would be even better.”

Ge Yuan’s eyes sank. “You can’t continue with the stall either?”

“……” Ye Wanqing was silent for a moment and did not hide it from him. “The stalls in the waiting hall are rented to family members of bus station employees. Strictly speaking, I did benefit from the Ye family’s light. If the Ye family goes to find the station leaders, the station will most likely not stand on my side—after all I am the younger generation.”

At that time, either she would compromise with the Ye family, hand over most of the stall’s income, or even work for the Ye family for free; or the stall would be directly managed by Liu Lizhen with no relation to her at all, and in order to stop others from gossiping the Ye family would even more want to drive her out of the county town to calm the rumors.

Even if the person who rented this stall was her, and even if Director Li took special care of her, if Liu Lizhen made a fuss, what could Director Li do?

If she insisted, she would only put Director Li in a difficult position.

And she did not want that.

“Okay!” Ge Yuan nodded hard. “I’ll go think of a way right now. I…… don’t you worry!”

I will never let you suffer even a little grievance again.

He wanted to say this sentence, yet did not say it out loud.

A man’s responsibility was not spoken—it was done. Once he found the house and settled the storefront, as long as she smiled, that would be the greatest praise for him.

“Brother Yuan, thank you.” Ye Wanqing’s almond eyes held a smile as she gently looked at the tall man in front of her. “I have over a thousand yuan in hand. Rent the house for as long as possible, and the same for the storefront…… I’m counting on you.”

“Okay.”

—

Ye Wanqing tidied up the stall and asked Wang Fang to look after it for a while. She herself used the excuse of going to the restroom but actually went to the second-floor logistics department to find Director Li.

She had thought for a whole night. Considering that if Liu Lizhen came to make trouble this stall was absolutely something she could not keep, rather than waiting until then to be passively beaten she might as well take the initiative and make the Ye family’s efforts come to nothing like drawing water with a bamboo basket.

Perhaps she could even use this opportunity to earn a sum of money as capital for a comeback.

Even if she could not earn any, as long as the Ye family could not take advantage of her, she would feel comfortable inside.

“You say you’re not continuing the stall and want to transfer it out?” Director Li raised her head in surprise. There was understanding in her gaze, as well as sympathy and pity. “Child, have you truly thought it through? This……”

“I’ve thought it through.” Ye Wanqing smiled and nodded. “However, right now this stall is extremely sought-after. I want to collect a transfer fee. I don’t know if anyone is willing.”

“Of course there is. I’ll find people for you!” Director Li efficiently flipped through her work notebook while muttering, “I’ll find a few families with deep backgrounds who are also fierce and capable. That way once the stall is transferred, Liu Lizhen won’t dare to make trouble!”

Business in the waiting hall was good. Previously when station people competed for the remaining three stalls they had almost come to blows. Now that Ye Wanqing wanted to transfer the stall, what was collecting a transfer fee? There would definitely be people who wanted it!

Anything that could create trouble for Liu Lizhen—Director Li did with special enthusiasm.

With Director Li making contact, in less than half an hour four families came. All of them were interested in Ye Wanqing’s stall and were not afraid of the Ye family making trouble.

Once the people had mostly arrived, Director Li waved a hand. “Wanqing, you can begin.”

Ye Wanqing walked forward under the burning gazes of the four families, cleared her throat, and said, “Uncles and aunts, hello. You all probably know why I want to transfer such a profitable stall, so I won’t say much more and will start directly.”

Her stall was good—the most eye-catching among that row of stalls with the largest passenger flow. This was a visible advantage. She only briefly introduced it and did not say more.

But the moment she said she could teach people how to make sour plum drink and oden for a fee, the eyes of the four families lit up at once.

The stall was important, and good-selling goods were equally important!

The sour plum drink and oden Ye Wanqing made tasted extraordinarily good, and even the tea was better. How popular her things sold—they all knew, and had previously secretly envied and been jealous in their hearts.

Because of this benefit, after Ye Wanqing proposed that the transfer fee would be five hundred yuan, the four families’ reactions became much more tolerant.

“Right now I can earn over a hundred a day from the stall. A transfer fee of five hundred yuan is only five days’ income. It sounds like a lot, but the benefits it brings are even more. I believe the uncles and aunts can calculate this account clearly.”

“The tuition for learning sour plum drink and oden together is also five hundred. You can freely choose whether to learn or not—no forcing. That stall is good. Whatever you sell can make money.”

“The stall transfer fee has five hundred yuan as the bottom line. Uncles and aunts, you have five minutes to consider. Write the price you are willing to offer on a slip of paper and hand it to Director Li. The highest bidder gets it.”

The moment Ye Wanqing’s words fell, the room became noisy.

“Highest bidder gets it? To get this stall, it definitely won’t be only five hundred yuan!”

“You really think five hundred yuan can get the stall? You’re thinking too much!”

“Old Chen, how much is your family offering?”

“You say how much your family is offering first, then I’ll tell you!”

“This method won’t work. I don’t agree!”

“……”

At the critical moment Director Li stood out. “All right, quiet! Getting this stall for five hundred yuan is a huge gain. Getting it for one thousand yuan is absolutely not a loss either! If you don’t agree to a sealed bid, then openly bid. Whoever offers the higher price gets this stall! Otherwise what else can be done? Giving it to any one family is not giving face to the other three—should they just fight it out?”

There was only one stall, yet four families wanted to buy it. After the families thought about it, they also felt that only competitive bidding was the way. However they unanimously disagreed with a sealed bid and insisted on open bidding—whoever was willing to spend the money would get the stall.

Not relying on luck, but on strength!

Ye Wanqing: “……”

Uncles and aunts, as long as you’re happy.

After a fierce struggle the Chen family won with one thousand five hundred yuan and successfully obtained the stall, laughing proudly among the heroes.

Actually the Chen family also felt the pain, yet once they thought that this transfer fee was only half a month’s pure profit, and after half a month it would be pure profit—and large pure profit at that—they immediately felt comfortable all over.

Ye Wanqing received an unexpectedly high price and was also very sensible. She directly proposed that if the Chen family wanted to learn sour plum drink and oden, she would give them a half discount—no…… for two hundred yuan she would teach them half-selling, half-giving.

Who would have thought that the Chen family daughter-in-law who had spent a large sum to buy the stall was so wealthy and generous that she even disagreed.

“Wanqing, I know your family’s situation. You’re not having it easy either. Your Aunt Chen won’t take this advantage of you. As long as you teach properly without holding anything back and teach my daughter well, that’s enough. Also…… that pushcart of yours looks pretty good. How about transferring it to me together? If you still want to continue using it, then have someone make me one exactly the same, okay?”

At this time materials were still in short supply. Finding connections to make such a convenient pushcart was truly not easy. Besides, the Chen family daughter-in-law was also worried that if Ye Wanqing received three hundred yuan less she would not teach with full care. Only when the money was given fully could requests be made easily.

“Okay!” Ye Wanqing of course agreed in one breath.

She still had use for her pushcart and planned to walk around the streets these next few days and continue setting up a stall.

The Chen family wanted a custom-made pushcart—she could introduce someone. She only made the price aspect clear to the Chen family. Previously she had asked an acquaintance to make it and had not even paid the person herself yet, so she temporarily could not give an exact price. The Chen family also expressed understanding.

Ye Wanqing did not know from where Ge Yuan had ordered the pushcart for her, but if one could be made, a second one could definitely be made. At that time she would ask the price and report it to the Chen family. If they could accept it, it would also count as bringing a business deal to Ge Yuan’s friend.

Pretty good!

—

Once the transfer fee was settled, the Chen family quickly went to fetch the money and returned.

Ye Wanqing completed the handover of the stall rental rights with them, then arranged to go to the Chen family that evening to teach their daughter how to make sour plum drink and oden so as not to delay their stall the next day.

This way both sides were satisfied.

At this time it was not yet nine o’clock. Ye Wanqing had already received the full two thousand yuan and was chatting and laughing with Director Li and the Chen couple when Liu Lizhen finally arrived in a threatening manner and knocked on the door.

The moment she entered and saw so many people in the room, and that Ye Wanqing was actually also there, Liu Lizhen was instantly stunned.

However she quickly self-righteously filled in a big drama in her mind of Ye Wanqing being reluctant to part with the stall and crying to the station leaders to make a decision for her.

Putting on the appearance of an elder, Liu Lizhen furrowed her brows and began to reprimand Ye Wanqing.

“Ye Wanqing, you need to understand a few things! The stalls in the waiting hall are benefits for the family members of station employees. Without your father working at the station, could you have gotten this stall? The stall belongs to the family. Letting you occupy it for free for so many days and the family not settling accounts with you is already something you should secretly rejoice over. Stop pushing your luck here!”

She then looked toward Director Li with a slightly dissatisfied expression. “Li Jiaohua, I came over just to tell you that from now on our family’s stall will be run by me. Don’t you cover for Ye Wanqing. She’s just a child who doesn’t know how to be considerate of her parents at home. You’re the director of the logistics department, an adult of several decades—you can’t join her in this nonsense, can you? When you were little and almost starved to death from poverty, my mother still helped you!”

The moment the three words “Li Jiaohua” came out of Liu Lizhen’s mouth, Director Li’s expression instantly changed.

She most hated others calling her by her name, yet Liu Lizhen, whether because she was missing a brain tendon or on purpose, every time they met would call “Jiaohua, Jiaohua,” as if they were acquaintances of several lifetimes.

To put it bluntly, they were only from the same village. When they were little the Liu family’s conditions were better than the Li family’s, and she had eaten a few sweet potatoes given by the Liu family’s mother. She was not an ungrateful person and after becoming successful had also sent heavy gifts to the Liu family in thanks, yet always being controlled by past favors also made her find it annoying.

The moment Director Li thought of Ye Wanqing having transferred the stall to the Chen family, and that Liu Lizhen would probably go crazy after learning the truth, she urgently wanted to see her expression crack.

She slowly put down the teacup and smiled. “Liu Lizhen, this stall is no longer the Ye family’s. It’s the Chen family’s.”

“What do you mean?” Liu Lizhen furrowed her brows.

The Chen family daughter-in-law was happy to cooperate with Director Li. She shook the contract she had just signed and chimed in, “The stall was rented by Ye Wanqing. The rental contract has Ye Wanqing’s name signed on it. Now she has transferred the stall to me. From now on I am the stall owner.”

“How is that possible?!” Liu Lizhen instantly became anxious and shouted in a sharp voice, “That stall belongs to the Ye family. What right does a child like Ye Wanqing have to transfer it? You must have seen that she is young and coaxed her into transferring it! I don’t agree—I absolutely don’t agree!”

This one sentence of hers offended everyone in the room.

Director Li’s face completely sank. “Liu Lizhen, speak some reason! When Wanqing rented the stall she wasn’t a child, yet when transferring it out she becomes a child, and we all become bad people who deceived and bullied her? Why don’t you think about why she was forced to transfer the stall out?”

Liu Lizhen: “What else could it be? Isn’t it just that her thoughts have run wild and she won’t listen, jumping up and down wanting to go against the family? I’m her mother. The decisions she makes don’t count—what I say counts! This stall belongs to our Ye family. Tomorrow I’ll come set up the stall!”

The Chen family daughter-in-law did not show weakness either. “I already said the stall has been transferred to me. Can’t you understand human speech? I paid a transfer fee of one thousand five hundred. It’s not forced buying and selling. No matter where you go to speak, I have reason!”

“Just return the one thousand five hundred to you and that’ll be fine, right? We’re not transferring the stall anymore!” Liu Lizhen reached out to pull Ye Wanqing. When she could not pull her she pinched her. “You’re stupid! Quickly return the money to them and say you’re not transferring anymore!”

Ye Wanqing dodged her hand. “No.”

“What right do you have to say no? I’m your mother. What I say counts.”

Ye Wanqing curved the corners of her lips. “Adoptive mother.”

Liu Lizhen said righteously, “So what if I’m the adoptive mother? As the adoptive mother I still raised you for eighteen years. Ye Wanqing, you must remember the kindness! Back then your birth mother had too many children and couldn’t raise you. She cried and begged in front of your father and me. If I hadn’t softened my heart and taken you to raise, you would have starved to death long ago!”

Director Li raised her brows in surprise and could not help saying, “Liu Lizhen, aren’t you talking nonsense? How do I remember that after you married you couldn’t have a child for several years and were tormented by your mother-in-law until you had no way out, so you went back to your natal home crying and begging your mother? Your mother acted as a matchmaker and persuaded Liu Lixiu for a whole month before Liu Lixiu loosened her mouth and let you take the child home?”

If it weren’t for the Liu family’s mother putting aside her face and staying at Liu Lixiu’s husband’s home refusing to leave, insisting that Liu Lixiu save Liu Lizhen, grinding the still-in-confinement Liu Lixiu until she had no way out—with the sisterly relationship of Liu Lizhen and Liu Lixiu who had pinched each other since childhood, would Liu Lixiu have agreed?

Dream on!

She remembered that after Liu Lizhen took the child away she was afraid Ye Wanqing would become close to Liu Lixiu and not acknowledge her as mother, so she simply did not allow Liu Lixiu to come to the door to see the child. The two of them had a big fight over this and even made the Liu family’s mother fall ill from anger.

For many years afterward Liu Lixiu never again went to Liu Lizhen’s door.

Director Li truly had not expected that in Liu Lizhen’s heart the living facts had actually changed appearance. She, a beneficiary, had actually become a kind-hearted great good person.

“You…… you’re talking nonsense!” After being exposed by Director Li like this, the previously high-and-mighty Liu Lizhen instantly could not hold herself up anymore.

She looked at Director Li, then looked at Ye Wanqing’s expression, and her heart panicked.

The matters of the past had been so many years ago. She could say whatever she wanted and no one contradicted her. After saying it for so long she herself had believed it.

These years she had always regarded herself as Liu Lixiu’s benefactor, feeling that Ye Wanqing being adopted into the Ye family to become a city person was taking a huge advantage. If she had followed that village woman Liu Lixiu she would have been a barefoot peasant for life. Yet she had forgotten that there was still an insider like Director Li present.

Director Li could not be bothered to argue with her. “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you know clearly in your heart. I have no time to manage your family affairs, but the stall matter has already been settled. Stop making unreasonable trouble.”

Liu Lizhen’s face was pale as she still wanted to struggle. “This…… this doesn’t conform to the rules.”

The Chen family daughter-in-law laughed loudly. “Speaking of rules—your Old Ye’s retirement and rehiring, and letting Ye Mingzhu take over the job, does that conform to the rules? Liu Lizhen, you’d better first manage your own family’s affairs properly, don’t you think? Your daughter’s job inheritance matter hasn’t been settled yet!”

Long before deciding to compete for the stall, Director Li had already spoken of the possibility that the Ye family might make trouble. They all knew and were not afraid.

Chen Jianguo was a leader at the bus station, and she herself also worked in the bus station cafeteria. The two of them were dual-employee. Taking over this stall was done under the public eye and with a transfer fee paid.

It was fully justified and they were not afraid of arguing!

If the Ye family wanted to make trouble, they would deal with Ye Xiangdang. Not to mention anything else, simply blocking Ye Xiangdang’s retirement and rehiring and Ye Mingzhu’s job inheritance would be enough. Chen Jianguo was a leader of some rank and still had this bit of authority.

If it truly came to hard confrontation, who was afraid of whom?

The moment the Chen family daughter-in-law said these words, Liu Lizhen’s expression became even uglier.

She did not dare continue making a fuss.

Today the matter had not been accomplished and she had also lost a large amount of face. She glared furiously at Ye Wanqing, then turned and rushed outward.

Ye Wanqing watched her walk far away and lowered her eyelids.

Seeing this, Director Li let out an “aiyo,” regretfully slapped her forehead, and quickly walked over to take her hand. “Look at me! Just now I only focused on confronting people and forgot to consider your feelings…… This, did it make you feel bad?”

“Not bad. I was going to know sooner or later.” Ye Wanqing raised her head and smiled at Director Li.

Speaking of it, she still had to thank Director Li.

With the memories of her previous life, she had actually long known the truth and understood that the words Liu Lizhen said differed from the facts. But as a younger generation, no matter how much reason she had, going against Liu Lizhen would be unfilial, and many things she herself found inconvenient to say.

By a twist of fate, today Director Li had spoken everything clearly. This actually counted as helping her, giving her reason to break free from the shackles of the “kindness” the Ye family held over her.

—

The stall would only be transferred to the Chen family tomorrow. Ye Wanqing decided to stand the final shift well.

It could also be considered having a beginning and an end.

She had delayed a long time upstairs. After receiving the transfer fee she went to the bank to deposit the money, which took even longer. The moment she returned to the stall, Wang Fang let out a breath of relief.

“Did you fall into the toilet? I thought something had happened to you and was so worried that if you still didn’t come back I was going to call people to look for you!”

“I’m fine.” Ye Wanqing smiled and told her about the earlier events.

Wang Fang was an understanding person and sighed. “You’ve been wronged.”

If there was no other way, who would be willing to transfer out such a profitable stall? Ye Wanqing had good skills. Holding this stall in her hands was like holding a hen that laid golden eggs every day!

What a pity. As long as this stall remained in her hands for one day, the Ye family would make trouble for one day.

Raising kindness and birth kindness were both kindness. As a younger generation, if Ye Wanqing could not win against Liu Lizhen she would lose the stall; if she won she would end up with the reputation of an ungrateful wolf…… Thinking it over and over, only the path of transferring the stall was the best choice.

Clean and easy, and not too much of a loss.

Meeting Wang Fang’s sympathetic gaze, Ye Wanqing lightly shook her head. “I’m not wronged.”

Wang Fang thought she was forcing herself to be strong and said another long string of comforting words.

Ye Wanqing pressed her lips into a smile and did not explain.

She herself knew that although she had lost a stall, this did not count as anything. Because she had the ability to prop up another stall, or even a storefront. She believed she would only live better and better!

What she did not know was that her local-tyrant man, for her sake, had almost lost the stubble on his face from anger.

—

“Old Zhong, I’ll ask you one last time—are you moving or not!” Ge Yuan was so angry he rolled up his sleeves, yet the person opposite was not the least bit afraid.

“What ‘Old Zhong’? No respect for elders—call me Grandfather!” The old man held a cigarette between his fingers, tapped off some ash, and was extremely leisurely, yet his words were infuriating. “I’ll also answer you one last time—I’m simply not moving!”

In the quiet and elegant small courtyard, one old and one young stubbornly confronted each other. In the end it was still Ge Yuan who softened first. Facing an elderly man with a face full of vicissitudes, he truly had no way—he could not make a move.

“Tell me, what will make you willing to move to my place.”

“First call me Grandfather.”

“……Grandfather.”

“Ai, good grandson.” Old Zhong laughed heartily like an old child. “These old bones of mine—what would I move to your place for? You say you want to support me in old age. No need. I can take care of myself! In the previous years it was you who protected me, otherwise I wouldn’t have lived until now. So the things I gave you—just hold them with peace of mind and stop worrying about me all day.”

“……” Ge Yuan scratched his hair, his face flushed red. “But if you don’t move to my place, my little girl has nowhere to live.”

The cigarette in Old Zhong’s hand almost dropped from fright. “……Say that again.”

“I’ll say it!” Ge Yuan threw caution to the wind and particularly unscrupulously puffed out his chest. “I said I like a little girl. She’s urgently looking for a house right now. I don’t feel at ease letting her live in other houses. Only your place is quiet and free and close to my home. You move to my place and let her live here.”

“Why doesn’t she live at home?”

“Her family doesn’t treat her well. I have to protect her!”

“So it turns out you’re not wanting to support me in old age—you’ve taken a liking to someone else’s cabbage and want to dig it up?” Old Zhong suddenly covered his heart, his expression heavy with grief. “I misjudged you!”

“Just say whether you’re moving or not!”

“Call me Grandfather.”

“……Grandfather.”

“Good grandson……” Old Zhong thought for a moment. “I’ll move. Move as soon as possible.”

He had finally watched the piglet he raised grow up and learn to dig up cabbage. He could not hold him back. Previously he had not agreed to move to the Ge family’s small courtyard because he did not want to add trouble for Ge Yuan. Now the situation was different again.

However Old Zhong also had a request.

“Bring that girl over for me to take a look.”

Ge Yuan’s face instantly became full of vigilance. “You’re already sixty-five. What do you want to do?”

Old Zhong considered himself a refined and elegant literati. At this moment he was also so angry he wanted to curse. He slapped the stone table and roared at the top of his lungs, “This old man is already sixty-five—what do you think this old man wants to do?!”

The Ge family had no elders. This old immortal of his had to check for him and put in a word of control? Hey yo, this little brat was truly infuriating!

Ge Yuan: “……”

“Get lost! Otherwise this old man won’t move!”

Ge Yuan lightly coughed. “That…… this afternoon I’ll come move you.”

“The day after tomorrow!”

“How about tomorrow?”

“Get lost, quickly!”

Ge Yuan: “……”

“Also, you little brat, have some ability! Don’t get dizzy after hearing a few sweet words. What if someone tells you to set a fire or kill a person and you go do it? You must have some sense of limits, do you know?”

“How is that possible? She listens to me!” Ge Yuan proudly raised his brows.

—

When it was time for lunch, Ye Wanqing, the same as before, warmed the leftover buns from the morning and planned to just eat two more skewers of oden to make do for a meal.

Yet before the buns could enter her mouth, a low voice drilled into her ears.

“You’re only eating this for lunch?”

Ye Wanqing raised her head and looked. It was actually Ge Yuan.

The tall and big him stood in front of the stall, staring at her in disbelief as if he had discovered a new continent. His eyes were full of heartache, as if her only eating a few buns for lunch was suffering a great grievance.

“Why are you here?” Ye Wanqing quickly put down the buns. “Have you eaten lunch?”

Ge Yuan put on a stern face and shook his head, then said in a cold voice, “Don’t eat the buns. I’ll go out right now and buy you a meal. Wait!”

After speaking he turned and left.

Ye Wanqing quickly called out to him. “Brother Yuan, if you’re buying then buy portions for two people. We’ll eat together.”

Ge Yuan’s footsteps paused for a moment. He did not turn around, yet nodded.

“Wanqing, are you two dating?” Wang Fang came over, her face full of curiosity. “I can see he’s quite tense about you and treats you well.”

Previously when Liu Lizhen went to the Ge family to make trouble, she had already discovered it.

Whether a man cared about a woman or not could be seen from the look in his eyes.

“Yes.” Ye Wanqing could not help smiling. “Every morning he has to bring me six buns. Even if I tell him to buy fewer he won’t listen, afraid I’ll go hungry. But how can I finish them all? What I can’t finish I eat at noon, which just solves one meal. I never expected he’d run into it today.”

He even knew how to put on a cold face toward her—truly growing in ability.

Wang Fang was very envious. “Don’t be in the midst of blessings without knowing it. A man who knows how to feel heartache for people is still the best.”

“Mm. I also think so.”

Wang Fang was a careful person and not gossipy. She cautiously did not ask more about other people’s private matters. After chatting a few sentences she no longer teased Ye Wanqing.

However when Ge Yuan returned with the food and she saw the string of aluminum lunch boxes in his hands, Wang Fang again drew in a cold breath. “How many dishes did your boyfriend buy?”

“……” Ye Wanqing counted. “Maybe…… about six or seven?”

Wang Fang: “……”

Knowing Ye Wanqing was going to eat, Wang Fang considerately said she would watch the stall for her for a while so she could eat with peace of mind. Ye Wanqing thanked Wang Fang, dragged a high-backed chair in her hand, and pulled Ge Yuan to sit by the flower bed outside the waiting hall.

The aluminum lunch boxes were opened one by one and placed on the chair. Ye Wanqing held it in again and again but finally could not hold it and laughed out loud.

“Brother Yuan, are you feeding a pig?”

Heartache that his little girl did not know how to take care of herself had made Ge Yuan buy too much in a fit of anger. He himself also knew it, yet he firmly refused to admit it. “……I can finish it!”

“This is feeding a pig.”

Ge Yuan: “……”

“By the way, just now the stall owner next to me asked if you were my boyfriend. I was too embarrassed to say yes. Brother Yuan, you’ve already kissed me so many times—when are you going to give me a status?”

“Haven’t I been that for a long time already?” Ge Yuan was only surprised.

He had always thought he was a person with status!

“But you never confessed to me. You have to ask me whether I’m willing to date you, and only when I agree will it work.”

“……” Ge Yuan thought for a moment and actually had no words to answer.

Thinking that he had to formally establish the relationship like this, his entire face flushed red with embarrassment. After holding it in for a long time he suddenly extended his hand toward Ye Wanqing and said in a rough voice, “If you’re willing to date me, then give me your hand to hold!”

Ye Wanqing had just wanted to tease the big man a little. Finally waiting for this sentence, she quickly asked the fatal question: “What if I don’t give it to hold?”