Chapter 109

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Cough, cough."

Lin Xiyu's heart trembled at the words "East Gate," and she covered her mouth, coughing twice.

Dongguan Street, which old Jinan locals also called Lao East Gate, was the newly built Small Commodity Wholesale Market, known as East Gate Small Commodity Wholesale Market.

"What did you go to East Gate for?"

Aunt Da indeed sensed something was wrong, and her face darkened further.

"Ow, Mom, why are you here?"

Hearing her mother's voice, Sister was so startled she nearly jumped up from the ground.

"What are you feeling guilty about?"

A mother knows her daughter best. Seeing her reaction, Aunt Da immediately sensed something was off: "This is my home. Can't I come?"

"Who's feeling guilty?"

Sister's eyes flickered, and she stiffened her neck in denial: "I'm not."

"Xiyu, you tell me!"

Aunt Da didn't believe her, her scrutinizing gaze falling on Lin Xiyu: "What exactly is going on?"

"Ah, I... say, say what?"

Lin Xiyu hadn't expected Aunt Da to suddenly turn on her, directing the accusation at herself.

"Don't tell me you don't know?"

Aunt Da cut straight to the point: "Those few coughs just now weren't right. What tricks are you two sisters up to? Besides selling clothes at the Night Market, what else are you hiding from us?"

"Um, actually, it's nothing... it's just that Sister, she quit her job..."

Under Aunt Da's Death Stare, Lin Xiyu steeled herself, jumped up from the chair, and pushed Sister out the door.

"You dead girl, daring to quit without saying a word."

Aunt Da indeed flew into a rage, grabbed a feather duster, and chased them out of the house.

The Small Courtyard was in an uproar of chickens flying and dogs jumping.

The two sisters dodged around, and the sudden commotion alarmed the neighbors on both sides.

"Leilei's mom, what's wrong again?"

"How did the two children anger you again?"

"They were fine just now, but as soon as Leilei came back, she started making a scene."

Wang Daye's family and Zhang Dashan and his wife all came out of their houses.

"Grandma, um, I'll go take a look."

Guben couldn't sit still either. He was about to rise from the chair when Grandma pressed his shoulder and firmly pushed him back down.

"Sit still, don't move."

Grandma smiled kindly, not taking the outside commotion to heart at all: "These two children are too willful; they should learn a lesson."

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

Uncle had long grown used to it. He put down his chopsticks and calmly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand: "My eldest sister has always been this temper. She'll come back once she's tired from hitting them."

"It's going to rain soon."

Auntie also said: "They won't make a scene for long. Just listen to it; no need to take it seriously."

Guben's mouth twitched as he watched the unperturbed family, unsure what to think.

—

"Boom—"

Another clap of thunder sounded outside the window. In an instant, the rain poured down, raindrops as big as beans fell from the sky, striking the windows with a pattering sound.

"It's raining. Stop fighting."

"You'll get soaked if you stay outside for a while."

"Getting caught in the rain is bad for your health. Go back quickly."

As expected, just as Auntie had predicted, once it started raining, neither the peacemakers nor the onlookers had the mood to watch the show anymore.

The Small Courtyard was instantly empty of people.

Lin Xiyu and Sister ran back soaked to the bone, and without prior agreement, both hid behind Grandma.

Aunt Da followed them in, about to raise the feather duster for two more strikes.

"Stop!"

Grandma shouted sternly, making her tremble all over.

"Is this ever going to end?"

Grandma displayed the full dignity of the Head of the Family: "Making such a scene in front of outsiders. What kind of propriety is this?"

"Mom, this child is simply outrageous."

Aunt Da was still displeased: "Quitting her job is such a big deal, and she dared to hide it from us."

"She was wrong to hide it, but don't you bear any responsibility as her mother?"

Grandma rebuked sternly: "Have you ever communicated with her properly? Whenever things don't go your way, it's either hitting or scolding. How can the child open her heart to you? You should give her an Opportunity and let her tell you."

"You make it sound like you know the truth..."

Aunt Da grumbled unhappily: "These past few days, she's been staying at your place, and I haven't had a chance to see her."

"It's my fault, alright?"

Grandma laughed in anger: "Look at yourself now—how are you any different from Leilei? She learned it from you, a tyrant at home and a coward outside, only knowing how to torment your own family."

"My mom and I are not the same."

The female cousin refused to back down: "I'm not a bit timid when fighting outsiders. Whoever dares to snatch my husband, I'll scratch her face."

"Listen to her, what is she saying?"

Aunt Da had her scar exposed by her daughter, flew into a rage, shook her feather duster, and wanted to strike her again.

"Enough, stop while you're ahead."

Grandma darkened her face and scolded sternly: "You two, each say one less word."

"Grandma, may I say a few words?"

Guben couldn't stand it anymore and tentatively offered a suggestion.

"Go ahead."

At this moment, Grandma found no one pleasing to the eye, only him.

"I know about Sister Leilei quitting her job..."

Guben analyzed calmly: "To be honest, I don't quite agree with her continuing to work at the Soy Sauce Factory. The factory's profits are poor, and it's very likely that in the not-too-distant future, it will follow in the footsteps of other state-owned large factories, with employees having their work seniority bought out and being forced off their jobs. Rather than waiting until then, it's better to plan ahead and seek better opportunities."

"Mm-hmm."

These words hit the female cousin right in the heart; her eyes lit up, and she kept agreeing: "I just feel the Soy Sauce Factory has no future and can't last long, so I wanted to find a way out for myself."

"Is your current job fine, then?"

Aunt Da couldn't stand her sophistry.

"The decoration business has a bright future."

Guben had his own view: "With the rise of real estate and the continuous increase in residents' income, more and more people will have a need to improve their living environment, moving from bungalows to buildings, from small units to large units. The rise of the property market will surely boost the decoration market."

"That's absolutely right."

The female cousin quickly kept up with the rhythm: "In the Qinglong Back Street area, many new buildings have been built, heard they are commercial housing that can be freely bought and sold. Rich people buy houses, and they definitely need decoration."

"Our decoration company hasn't officially opened yet, but people have already come to consult. Today I received several groups of people. They were very interested in the model rooms and left their phone numbers. These are all potential customers. If I persuade them a few more times, I can close the first deal."

—

"Relying on those few deals you closed to feed a whole bunch of people?"

Aunt Da looked down on it: "You'll end up drinking the northwest wind sooner or later, and the company will definitely go bankrupt."

"Aunt Da."

Lin Xiyu glanced at Guben and smiled bitterly: "You can't say that..."

"Aunt Da doesn't understand the company's operating mode, so it's natural she has concerns..."

Guben smiled indifferently and gave her a reassuring gaze: "Let me say it. The decoration industry is deep water. The main costs are labor and building materials. Labor is easy—there are people waiting for odd jobs at the labor market every day, easy to find."

"For building materials, we also have an advantage. Wang Fan's father is in the building materials business. He can get goods at no cost and doesn't even need a warehouse for storage."

"Most importantly, the real estate developers who do business with his father are long-term partners, mutually beneficial. Giving him some benefits and letting him contract a few projects guarantees his annual income."

"I also saw this advantage of his, so I invested to cooperate with him and establish the decoration company, doing business together."

—

He was eloquent and analyzed well, making people unable not to believe him.

"So by your account, you're making pure profit!"

Uncle understood and sighed with emotion: "If there's business, do it; if there's no business, you don't even need to feed people. The building materials are Wang Fan's own family's, and decoration can bring business to his dad. Pure profit with no capital!"

"It's not that there's no cost at all."

Guben explained patiently: "Currently, the shop the company rents hasn't had its property rights purchased, requiring 20,000 yuan in rent per year. Also, Sister Leilei's salary is 1,000 yuan a month, plus her commission—all counted as costs."

"Leilei makes 1,000 yuan a month?"

Uncle sucked in a breath of cool air, and Auntie also showed an envious expression.

"Hehe."

The female cousin raised her eyebrows proudly: "Otherwise, why would I quit? What future is there at the Soy Sauce Factory? I couldn't earn 1,000 in a lifetime."

"You have a share in the decoration company too?"

Aunt Da finally calmed down upon hearing this and showed a smile: "Why didn't you say so earlier? If I knew it was your company, I wouldn't have been anxious."

"I was about to say..."

Guben laughed helplessly: "You didn't give me a chance."

"Cough cough."

Aunt Da's old face turned red, and she smiled embarrassedly: "I made you laugh. I'm just a bit quick-tempered."

"Mom, you're more than just a bit quick-tempered..."

The female cousin rubbed the red marks on her arms and complained: "It's because I'm thick-skinned and can take a beating. Otherwise, you'd have beaten me to death long ago."

"What are you saying?"

Grandma is old and can't stand the word 'death': "A little kid, always saying 'death'—what kind of talk is that?"

"It's you, always making Grandma angry."

Aunt Da seized the opportunity to put eye medicine on her daughter.

"Okay okay okay, I'm wrong, alright?"

The female cousin was speechless at her own mother: "Grandma, don't be angry. I apologize to you. I promise I won't say it again."

"That's more like it..."

Grandma was satisfied, her brows and eyes gentle.

"I'm starving."

Seeing Grandfather smile, her female cousin started clowning around again: "I want to eat, turning grief into appetite to comfort myself—my poor little heart gets beaten as soon as I come back."

"The fish is cold; heat it up again for her."

Grandfather smiled kindly: "There are vegetable pancakes and winter melon soup too; heat them all up, let her eat something hot. She got caught in the rain and has a chill—get rid of the chill."

"I'll heat it."

Aunt Da said she disliked it with her mouth, but truly doted on her daughter; before Grandfather finished speaking, she carried the fish bowl out.

"Thanks, Mom, you're the best."

Her female cousin chuckled, her mouth just as quick.

"Hmph, just don't make me angry."

Aunt Da snorted from her nose, lifted the curtain, crossed the threshold, and went into the kitchen in the rain.

—

The rain poured harder and harder, showing no sign of stopping. Guben glanced at the clock and meant to take his leave.

"Leaving now?"

Lin Xiyu saw what he was thinking, her eyes full of worry: "It's raining so hard, you'll be soaked through in no time on your bicycle."

"Getting caught in the summer rain is nothing; just take a bath when you get home."

Guben didn't care: "You don't go to the Night Market when it rains, so I don't need to wait anymore. You should rest early too. Buy your ticket tomorrow, and I'll pick you up."

"Let me get you a raincoat."

Lin Xiyu wanted to get her own raincoat for him.

"No need."

Guben grabbed her: "Your raincoat is too small; it won't fit me."

"Uncle has......"

"Uncle is shorter than me."

"You......"

Lin Xiyu laughed in exasperation: "Why are you so stubborn? I'm giving you a raincoat, and you're picking and choosing."

"Really, no need. I don't need to wear a raincoat."

Guben had his own reasons: "Going back in the rain, Grandfather will feel sorry for me. Wearing your raincoat will only add fuel to the fire and make her angry."

"Why?"

Lin Xiyu's heart sank: "Does your grandfather still not agree to us being together?"

"Just endure two more days."

Guben smiled to comfort her: "Once you're back from BJ, she'll give up."

"Sigh."

Lin Xiyu pretended to resentfully sigh: "Dating you is harder than the eight-year war of resistance."

"You'll see the light soon."

Guben's eyes were gentle: "Once you go to BJ, it's up to your performance."

Lin Xiyu was a little nervous: "What if your sixth grandfather doesn't like me?"

"He'll like you."

Guben encouraged her in his own way: "I believe in you. You can do it."

"You're not going to screw me over again, are you?"

Lin Xiyu rolled her eyes inwardly: "Just like when filming at Daming Lake, you didn't tell me in advance, leaving me to face your grandfather's questioning alone."

"Didn't you do very well?"

Guben smiled teasingly: "Conquer Grandfather's heart with genuine talent and learning, make him submit to your brilliance, and he'll have to admit you're excellent."

"When you meet your sixth grandfather, you won't have to recite poetry again, will you?"

Lin Xiyu wailed and leaned back: "Let me faint for a while."

"No need."

Guben smiled faintly and reached out to steady her: "You just listen to me and do as I say."

"Can't you stop keeping me in suspense?"

Lin Xiyu's heart sank: "Give me a little inside information first, so I know what to expect."

"Believe me."

Guben smiled and advised: "If I tell you in advance, you'll have a psychological burden and act unnaturally."

"That would be best......"

Lin Xiyu glared at him resentfully: "Dare make me embarrass myself, and I really won't talk to you. I have plenty of people pursuing me—someone hits on me even when I go out to buy vegetables. Want me to marry his son? If you dare screw me over, I'll be like Mengmeng, dump you and get engaged to someone else."

"You've grown a temper, daring to dump me?"

Guben snorted, laughing in anger: "We need to talk this over properly. Who dares to steal my girlfriend? I won't let him off."

"People were just saying. Why are you being so scary?"

Lin Xiyu turned the tables on him. Seeing his expression change, no longer as calm as before, she secretly gloated.

"Don't hang out with Wu Meng so much from now on."

Guben narrowed his eyes, the corners slanting up, revealing a threat: "A boy-crazy girl, always hanging around men. She's corrupted you."

"She's not boy-crazy at all."

Lin Xiyu stood up for her best friend: "Don't say it so harshly, okay."