Chapter 86: 90: Spring Water Family Chapter 86 Let You Choose, Who Do You Choose?

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Only three sets?"

Hu Jing's gaze dimmed slightly, a bit regretful.

"Sister wants how many sets?"

The female cousin wouldn't let a money-making opportunity pass, immediately showing her attitude: "You want a lot, I'll go check the warehouse tomorrow and stock up especially for you."

"I need......"

Hu Jing counted on her fingers and calculated: "Thirty-six sets."

The boss lady looked surprised: "You want so many, what for?"

"Our school is participating in the Youth Palace choir competition, we need matching clothes."

Hu Jing explained with a smile: "This set of clothes is white and green matched, quite fresh, and the price is suitable too; buy it back and the principal will definitely agree."

"Sister is a teacher?"

Hearing there was big business, the female cousin's mouth was as sweet as honey: "No wonder your temperament is different, one look and you're a cultured person."

"Thirty-six sets of clothes, can you do it?"

Hu Jing was made to blush a bit by her praise.

"Thirty-six sets is a bit much, I can't guarantee it."

The female cousin deliberately kept her cards close, not saying anything definite: "When do you need it at the latest? If the warehouse doesn't have it, I'll help you apply for a transfer, bringing it over from somewhere else."

"At most one week."

Hu Jing counted on her fingers again: "The choir competition is in early July; we buy it back to try on, and if the sizes aren't suitable, they still need modification."

"One week is no problem."

The female cousin readily agreed: "No stock on the Jinan side; transfer it from Shanghai, there's enough time."

The boss lady was slightly surprised: "You really sell Shanghai foreign trade clothing?"

"Of course, export converted to domestic sales; otherwise the price wouldn't be so cheap......"

The female cousin answered without blushing or panting; if Lin Xiyu didn't know her inside out, she would have thought it was real.

"Then it's settled."

Hu Jing looked delighted: "Let me pay you a deposit first?"

"No need."

The female cousin fawned and acted cute: "You're the boss lady's friend, which means you're my friend; we're our own people, no need to be so polite; just come take care of my business often in the future, Sister."

"How can I be so embarrassed......"

While speaking, Hu Jing took fifty yuan from her bag.

"What's there to be embarrassed about?"

The female cousin refused to take it, forcing it back into her hands: "Sister insists on giving it, that's looking down on me; could it be you dislike that I haven't been to university, and think I'm not qualified to make friends with a teacher?"

"You can't say that."

Hu Jing laughed and cried at once: "I didn't think that way......"

"The little girl is a scene person, good at handling things."

The boss lady sincerely sighed: "So young and already knows how to do business; you'll definitely have plenty of friends in the future."

"Thank you, Boss Lady, for thinking highly of me."

The female cousin very generously cupped her hands, having quite the air of a night market big sister.

——

"Tsk tsk, this sister is capable, a real hand at doing business."

In the shop separated by a wall, Liu Ye looked through the window, clicking his tongue in wonder: "Setting up a stall at the night market is a waste; with this skill, better to take over a shop and open your own clothing store."

"How much money can you make opening a clothing store?"

Wang Fan rubbed his eye sockets with an egg, disdainful: "Better to follow me, open a company, do renovations......"

"You really want to do renovations?"

Liu Ye's eyes lit up, and he also became spirited.

"Do it, why not do it?"

Wang Fan said confidently: "Old city renovation will be a major trend in future city planning; the more buildings are built, the greater the demand for renovation; this piece of cake in the home decoration market must be shared."

"Alright, Wang Fan......"

Liu Ye admired him from the bottom of his heart: "You little brat, living up to being Iron Abacus; wherever there's money to be made, you go and scheme your way in."

"This isn't something I came up with......"

Wang Fan, no matter how thick-skinned, couldn't take credit in front of the person himself: "It's Guben's precise analysis of future construction industry niche markets."

"What, what niche market?"

Liu Ye didn't understand, looking completely baffled again.

"Forget it if you don't understand."

Wang Fan laughed and teased him: "With your pig brain, even if I explain it a hundred times, you still won't understand."

"Tsk, who are you looking down on?"

Liu Ye complained indignantly, about to retort, but his eyes rolled and he changed his mind.

"Brother Bin, you're really going into renovation—bring me along, will you?"

He thrust himself forward with a thick-skinned grin, calling "Brother" so warmly it was sickening.

"I only put up the capital; I don't get involved in running things."

Guben's burning gaze kept following the graceful, alluring figure outside the window, too lazy to spare him a single look.

"Brother Bin saying that means you've agreed."

Liu Ye shamelessly talked to himself: "Wang Fan puts up the money, I run it, and us three brothers start a company together."

"Get lost."

Wang Fan was unhappy and wanted to kick him again: "Why should I put up the money while you freeload? No sincerity in cooperating—get as far away as you can."

"I'm putting up the money, I'm putting up the money, alright?"

Liu Ye nimbly dodged and haggled: "You take seven, I take three. I'm not like you—your family's in the building materials business, filthy rich."

"You're dreaming. Want in? Bring a hundred thousand first."

Wang Fan didn't want to waste words on him and just reached out for the money.

"You want it now?"

Liu Ye looked a bit stunned: "A hundred thousand isn't a small sum. I've been short on cash lately and can't come up with that much in a short while."

"No money, get lost, you bastard."

Wang Fan's face showed dislike: "You don't even have this little bit of money, and you still want to hang around with us?"

"Give me ten days, okay?"

Liu Ye smiled with a thick-skinned grin: "Within ten days, I guarantee I'll come up with the money."

"Fine."

The corner of Wang Fan's mouth curled slightly, a triumphant smile: "Since you're being so sincere, I'll give you one chance—ten days at most, no extensions."

"Brother, from now on you're my real brother......."

Liu Ye was extremely fawning and ingratiating, then scampered off to the shop next door and bought iced draft beer and soda back.

Wang Fan picked up the draft beer and gulped it down in one breath until the bottom was showing.

Guben, taking the opportunity to curry favor, took three bottles of soda and sent them over to Lin Xiyu and her aunt and uncle.

"Tsk tsk."

Liu Ye looked at his attentive, solicitous manner and couldn't help tsking twice more, about to make a few more cutting remarks, when Wang Fan blocked his mouth with the beer cup he hadn't finished.

——

"Hahaha, we made a killing today—all fifty pieces of clothing sold, 150 yuan! We made a full 150 yuan! At this rate, making 2000 a month isn't a dream."

With Lin Xiyu as this living draw, before 10 o'clock the clothes they brought were all sold out.

The female cousin divided the 150 yuan into three shares, giving one each to her and Uncle.

Lin Xiyu wasn't affected, happily stuffing her own 50 yuan into her pocket, her money-grubbing little expression making people unable to help but smile.

Guben reached out and pinched her cheek.

The tender, smooth touch made one's heart itch.

One pinch wasn't enough, so he couldn't help reaching out again, wanting to pinch a few more times.

"You want to climb Taishan looking like that?"

Lin Xiyu didn't let him succeed, glanced at the bruise at the corner of his mouth, and unhappily slapped his hand away.

"What's this little injury......."

Guben didn't take it to heart: "People who play basketball get collisions all the time—who hasn't had a time when they got hurt?"

"You're something......."

Lin Xiyu was angry that he still wouldn't tell the truth: "Stay away from me tomorrow, don't come bother me, I don't want our classmates gossiping."

"Isn't that going a bit far?"

Guben didn't take her words seriously and deliberately teased her: "It's just a bumped lip, is it really necessary to avoid suspicion like this? Don't tell me you're really afraid people will think you're a little wildcat and that you bit this injury yourself?"

"Pah, you're the one who bites people."

Lin Xiyu was both shy and annoyed, pushed him away with some force, and jumped onto Uncle's tricycle.

"Tomorrow at 4 PM, I'll come to your house to pick you up."

Guben didn't stop her, waved at her, and said goodbye with a smile.

Lin Xiyu ignored him and urged Uncle to drive.

Uncle was also a man of experience—how could he not see what was going on? He stomped on the accelerator, the electric tricycle started up, and spat a mouthful of smoke and ash at Guben.

"Cough cough."

Guben was both exasperated and amused, watching the electric tricycle rush out of the bustling crowd, turn into the alley and disappear from sight, before reluctantly withdrawing his gaze.

——

Another fulfilling and meaningful day passed.

The female cousin both worked and ran a clothing stall, her brain cells too depleted; she rarely didn't dislike the hard bamboo mat, simply washed up, lay down, and fell asleep.

Lin Xiyu also slept soundly, replenishing her energy and spirit.

Next morning, she first went to her female cousin's classmate's home to restock for two days, then on the way back took a detour to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to ask about the prices of insulated boxes and folding beds.

The folding bed wasn't cheap—70 yuan—and she didn't have enough money, hesitating whether to go back and get money, when Aunt Da called out to her from behind.

Aunt Da worked as an accountant at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative; running into her at the mall wasn't unusual.

Lin Xiyu wanted to mediate the mother-daughter relationship, so she spoke good words for her female cousin without reserve, truly praising her achievements in selling clothes at the Night Market these past two days.

"This child just likes to mess around pointlessly."

Aunt Da heard that money was made and her complexion improved somewhat; although she still disliked everything verbally, her heart had softened a bit.

"Aunt Da, I came to buy a folding bed for my female cousin."

Lin Xiyu played the family card: "She's unaccustomed to sleeping on the ground and hasn't slept soundly for two days."

"She's just being petty, bringing it on herself......"

Aunt Da glared, getting angry again: "There's a good bed at home she won't sleep in, insisting on sleeping on the floor instead."

Lin Xiyu gave an embarrassed laugh.

Those words sounded familiar—Grandma had said the same thing; no wonder they were mother and daughter.

"You're not allowed to buy her a folding bed."

Aunt Da, feeling the pinch of money, added: "She needs to suffer a bit; without hardship she won't know how good her parents are to her."

"Aunt Da......."

Lin Xiyu wanted to press her case a bit more, but seeing Aunt Da's face go from white to black, she could only close her mouth sheepishly.

——

After noon, Grandma helped Lin Xiyu pack her things.

"There are lots of mosquitoes climbing the mountain in the evening, bring some menthol oil, and bring some painkillers too in case you get a headache or catch a cold—one pill will do the trick—and Band-Aids, bring several extra just in case......."

Lin Xiyu patiently listened to Grandma's chatter, placing the things she needed into her backpack one by one in an orderly fashion.

"Bring the sewing kit too......."

Seeing her well-behaved and obedient, Grandma smiled kindly, then took out a sewing kit from the drawer and handed it over.

"I have to bring this thing too?"

Lin Xiyu looked at the eye-catching steel needles, and the corners of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

"Better safe than sorry."

Grandma, drawing on the experience of someone who had been there, warned her: "When you're out and about, anything can happen; don't count on luck. Don't look down on this little thing—it can be of great use at a critical moment."

"Alright."

Lin Xiyu was used to listening to Grandma, afraid the sewing kit would prick her, so she placed it on the outermost layer of her backpack.

"Xiyu, are you ready? It's time to go."

Guben came to pick her up right on time, exactly at four o'clock, not a minute off.

"Ready."

Hearing his voice, Lin Xiyu's heart leapt with joy, and she ran out of the house with her backpack on.

To make climbing the mountain easier, she didn't wear a skirt; a grass-green short-sleeved sweatshirt paired with knee-length blue denim shorts made her look especially fresh and pleasant.

Guben's outfit was somewhat similar to hers: a black T-shirt with military-green loose-fitting pocket pants.

A pair of vibrant young man and woman, making onlookers' eyes light up.

Grandma watched them through the window, smiling with narrowed eyes.

"Grandma, we're leaving."

Guben took Lin Xiyu's hand and bade farewell to her old lady.

Lin Xiyu's ears turned red; in front of Grandma, she didn't feel comfortable pulling her hand away.

"Go on."

Grandma fanned herself, looking kind and loving: "Go have fun, and enjoy yourselves."

"Goodbye, Grandma."

Guben said goodbye to Grandma properly, then pulled Lin Xiyu out of the small courtyard running.

As soon as the two left the yard, Lin Xiyu immediately changed her expression and forcefully shook off his hand.

"What's going on?"

Guben was puzzled: "Where did I offend you? Giving me a face the moment we step out......"

"Did you fight with Wang Fan?"

Lin Xiyu was still brooding over it; not venting made her uncomfortable.

"Cough, cough."

Guben hadn't expected her to still remember that; touching the corner of his mouth, he coughed awkwardly twice.

"Do you remember how you told me you'd handle it, that it wouldn't affect your relationship?"

Lin Xiyu was upset: "Look how you handled it—is fighting fun? Are all men like this, preferring to solve things with their fists whenever they're unhappy?"

"This kid deserves a beating."

Guben's expression looked somewhat unnatural.

Without revealing the truth, Wang Fan had admitted in front of him that he liked Lin Xiyu.

The two fought, and the loser gave up.

"If you do this, I'll feel very guilty."

Lin Xiyu didn't know the inside story; her eyes turned red, and she felt guilty and uneasy: "I don't want you two to bear a grudge because of me."

"You don't need to feel guilty."

Guben couldn't stand seeing her cry, and his attitude immediately softened: "Business is business, women are women; we can tell them apart. Even if we really part ways someday, it's none of your business."

Lin Xiyu felt choked up: "Saying that makes me feel worse."

"The two of us......."

Guben seemingly glanced unintentionally at the taxi parked at the doorway and asked tentatively: "If I let you choose one, who would you choose?"

【177】 "Of course you."

"Of course it's you."

Lin Xiyu answered without thinking.

"Then that's fine."

Guben smiled with relief: "We've been fighting back and forth, and it means nothing at all. The key is you—who you choose is what matters most."

Lin Xiyu laughed in exasperation: "Since you understand that, why do you still fight?"

"It won't happen again."

Guben patted her shoulder reassuringly and opened the car door: "Get in, or we won't make it to the Train Station."

As the car door opened, Wang Fan appeared with a Cigarette between his lips, slumped sideways on the Seat, not a trace of seriousness about him.

Lin Xiyu's Footsteps faltered, and Embarrassment instantly spread through her whole body.