Chapter 30
"Don't be afraid, child. Come with us, don't stay with them."
With that, the group pulled Tang Yao to the other side, leaving behind an embarrassed Xu Anguo, a jealous Xu Wan with red eyes, and the others.
"What's up with Tang Yao? How does she know so many people? She's really something, not even helping her own parents." Sun Yulan said discontentedly.
"Alright! Stop talking!" Xu Anguo growled, turned, and left.
The surrounding gazes were too scorching. Many were there to laugh at them.
They couldn't stay at this banquet any longer. Even if they did, they would only embarrass themselves.
Watching Tang Yao leave, Chen Yuxuan subconsciously felt a pang of regret. He was about to go find Xu Wan when Mother Chen grabbed his arm.
"What's wrong, Mom?"
"Why are you still going to see her? Tang Yao is the true heiress of the Xu Family. Xu Wan can't help you at all. What's the use?" Mother Chen said.
Father Chen didn't speak, but clearly agreed.
"Don't go and disgust people. Do you think no one knows about your son's messy affairs?"
Mother Chen was about to scold him when she turned around and saw Huang Hui. The words caught in her throat.
"Also, please leave. You're not welcome here," Huang Hui said.
Being personally driven away by the host family, Father and Mother Chen still didn't understand why and only assumed they were implicated by Xu Anguo's family.
"Look, we've come sincerely to celebrate Elder Ji's birthday. We're not very familiar with the Xu Family."
"Is that so? It seems you not only enjoy plagiarism, but you're also quite adept at judging situations." Huang Hui sneered.
The Chen Family was about to retort when they suddenly remembered something, and their faces instantly turned ugly.
Father Chen still held a sliver of hope and asked, "Is H Clothing your business?"
Huang Hui didn't answer, only leaving them with a cold snort before turning and leaving. Before leaving, she instructed the people guarding the villa not to let them in again.
Father and Mother Chen looked ashen-faced. It was all over now.
Unlike their dejected departure, Tang Yao at the banquet was the center of attention. Even Lu Bei couldn't squeeze in and could only stand outside looking helpless.
A short while later, Lu Nan arrived, bringing with him Cheng An as his companion.
The handsome man and beautiful woman stood together, looking exceptionally well-matched.
Lu Nan approached his younger brother, followed Lu Bei's gaze, and saw only a side profile surrounded by a crowd.
Lu Nan recognized all these people. They were influential figures in their respective fields, yet they were now addressing Tang Yao with amiable smiles, calling her "little lass."
Lu Nan raised an eyebrow slightly, realizing that the girl his younger brother liked was no ordinary person.
Tang Yao's smile was now somewhat stiff as she held up her phone, asking everyone to add her on WeChat.
These elders were simply too enthusiastic for her to handle.
One offered to buy her a year's worth of clothes, another a villa, and yet another offered to introduce her to a potential partner.
Tang Yao felt that this grand banquet had instantly transformed into a matchmaking corner in a public park.
Finally, Lu Bei squeezed in, found an excuse, and led Tang Yao away.
The people at the banquet were equally incredulous. What did this girl do? Many even sent their subordinates to investigate.
The result, however, was just an ordinary guesthouse owner. This outcome was even more unbelievable, considering that a guesthouse owner had easily gained the connections they had worked so hard to acquire. Was this what they meant by God feeding them good fortune?
Tang Yao also officially met Lu Nan.
"I've heard about you a few times from Lu Bei. Finally, I've met you in person. Miss Tang is very beautiful," Lu Nan said with a slight smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Lu," Tang Yao replied politely, her expression poised and graceful.
Judging from Tang Yao's expression, it was clear that his younger brother was still in a state of unrequited love.
Standing nearby, Cheng An winked at Tang Yao. After their last meeting, Cheng An had somehow obtained Tang Yao's phone number and added her on WeChat.
The two occasionally chatted on WeChat and had gradually become familiar with each other.
During the banquet, Ji Mingquan repeatedly showed off the flowers Tang Yao had given him, demonstrating his immense joy.
During the meal, Tang Yao was seated at the head of the table by Huang Hui and Ji Mingquan to show their respect.
The banquet passed by in a whirlwind of eating, drinking, and chatting.
Upon leaving, Tang Yao received numerous gifts, some from the elders and return gifts from Huang Hui and Ji Mingquan.
She filled Lu Bei's trunk to the brim.
After the banquet, Tang Yao's trip to the capital came to an end.
She quite liked the dress and put it directly into her spatial storage.
The next morning, she packed her things and prepared to fly back.
Lu Bei had some business to attend to in the capital and planned to visit the guesthouse before the next episode of his variety show aired.
However, he still came early in the morning to take Tang Yao to the airport.
Wearing sunglasses and a mask, Lu Bei helped with luggage and check-in, leaving Tang Yao with no role to play.
"Thank you this time," Tang Yao said to Lu Bei at the boarding gate, carrying the backpack she had brought with her.
"It's nothing. Be careful on the journey. Let me know on WeChat when you arrive," Lu Bei's voice was muffled by his mask.
Tang Yao waved to him and turned to walk into the boarding gate.
After checking her ticket, Tang Yao looked back one last time. Lu Bei was still standing there. She waved again before continuing on her way.
Left behind, Lu Bei felt a pang of melancholy for some reason.
He just wanted to finish work quickly and fly to the guesthouse.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly. He had once thought that after witnessing his mother's death, he had lost the ability to love anyone else. He hadn't expected that he would unknowingly succumb to it all.
Tang Yao boarded the plane, turned off her phone, and looked out at the blue sky and white clouds, feeling exceptionally happy.
A few hours later, the plane arrived on time. Tang Yao took a bus directly from the airport to Wanhua Town.
Because it was the weekend, there were quite a few tourists in Wanhua Town, and the buses ran frequently, so Tang Yao didn't have to wait long to get a seat.
Once on the bus, she was surrounded by chattering voices. Everyone was discussing where to go first in Wanhua Town before taking photos outside the still-unopened guesthouse, The Garden Within The Memories.
Hearing the name of her own guesthouse, Tang Yao couldn't help but smile.
Everyone was discussing whether they would run into any celebrities.
Amidst the chatter, the bus quickly arrived in Wanhua Town. Looking at the familiar town surrounded by flowers, Tang Yao took a deep breath. Indeed, even the air back home tasted sweet.
She got off the bus and two girls next to her peeked at her, occasionally whispering to each other.
Finally, one of the girls cautiously approached Tang Yao: "Excuse me, are you Ms. Tang, the owner of the guesthouse?"
Tang Yao was taken aback, not expecting to be recognized. She smiled and nodded: "Yes, hello."
The two girls were delighted, taking photos with her and saying they would definitely visit the guesthouse once it reopened.
After seeing the two girls off, Tang Yao hailed a flower-decorated car.
The car drove through the town's streets. It was the peak season for flowers, and everywhere was vibrant with life.
Upon arriving at the guesthouse, Tang Yao saw a crowd queuing to take photos in front of her house.
Across the street, Aunt Li's fruit stall was also doing brisk business because of her beautifully displayed fruit baskets.
Tang Yao put on a mask and walked through the crowd.
"You're here to buy fruit too? It's so hard to find these days, I wonder if they'll still have any left by the time I get there."
"Yes, this fruit is so delicious! Crisp, sweet, and juicy, like fruit juice. My mom and her family bought some when they came to visit last time and it was all gone in no time after they got home. I came here specifically to buy some during my vacation."
There were quite a few similar comments.
A young girl was helping out at Aunt Li's shop. Seeing her so busy, Tang Yao didn't greet her.
She returned to the guesthouse through the back door, checking on her vegetable garden and fruit trees before leaving. They were all growing very well. It seemed everyone was taking good care of them.
Stepping into the familiar courtyard, Tang Yao instantly relaxed.
Nothing had changed in the guesthouse. The flowers were still blooming brightly, and the glass dining room was so clean one could see their reflection.
It seemed that even without her, Xiao Yue and the other two were working efficiently.
However, amidst this peaceful scene, an unexpected event occurred.
"Why are you here again?" Tang Yao had just changed her clothes in her room when she saw Xu Haocheng sweeping the yard with a broom.
Xu Haocheng scratched his head. "I came from home and have nowhere to go. Could you let me stay for a few days?"
Actually, Xu Haocheng himself didn't know why he came here. After arguing with his family that day, the first place that came to his mind was this guesthouse where he had spent the night.
Here, he felt peace and warmth, something he had never experienced in his first twenty-odd years of life.
By the time he came to his senses, he was already on the bus to Wanhua Town.
When he arrived at the guesthouse, he was filled with anxiety, afraid that Tang Yao wouldn't accept him.
But when the door opened, there were only three staff members inside. Tang Yao wasn't there.
He didn't know whether to feel disappointed or something else.
Xiao Yue and the others had already programmed him as the boss's adopted younger brother, so they let him stay for now.
Those were the busiest days for Tang Yao and she didn't answer the calls, so she missed the news. “You really think of me as your elder sister? I don’t do charity here,” Tang Yao said, walking towards the glass-enclosed dining room.
Xiao Li had already prepared the food and was waiting for her.
“I can do chores!” Xu Haocheng said again.
Tang Yao glanced at him: “What can you do well?”
Xu Haocheng’s face flushed red. Indeed, in just a few days since he arrived, he had broken a few bowls and damaged two flowerpots.
“Xiao Ling, is he staying in the guest room now? When he moves out, make him clean the room himself,” Tang Yao said to Xiao Ling beside her.
Xu Haocheng lowered his head, thinking he would be kicked out, but the next second, he heard Tang Yao add, “Move all your things to my place on the first floor. It’s not right for him to stay in the guest room.”
“Okay,” Xiao Ling replied with a smile.
Xu Haocheng's eyes lit up and he jumped up from the spot: "Okay, Elder Sis!"
"Don't call me 'Elder Sis.' Who's your elder sis? You better get back to work, or you'll be sleeping on the streets." Though Tang Yao's tone was fierce, Xu Haocheng wasn't angry at all and ran out like a gust of wind.
No comments:
Post a Comment