Because of the video's circulation, Young Master Wang's attempt to fabricate another reason failed. He was completely kicked out of the Wang family’s company by his grandfather, who promoted a younger member of a branch and gave this younger member the engagement with Lele.
Watching the other party's success grow day by day and eventually marrying a beautiful wife and having twins, while he and his parents were completely forgotten by the main branch, he could only regret it, but regret was useless now.
Of course, that's a story for later.
At this moment, Tang Yao was unaware of all the events that would follow. After serving the snacks to Xiao Kui, she realized she had unintentionally appeared in the frame, but she didn't mind much at the moment.
"You must be Boss Tang! How come your food is so delicious? The meat and vegetables taste different from other places."
"You don't know? Boss Tang's poultry are fed ginseng. Of course it's delicious! I live on Donghai Island and I traveled for almost a day just to eat here." Other diners snatched to answer.
Tang Yao smiled: "I'm glad you like it."
"Boss Tang, are there any rooms left? Can I stay? I still have so much food I want to eat." Xiao Kui blinked her starry eyes with a hint of pleading in them.
"Yaoyao, perfect timing! A guest in a single room just called to say they can't make it. Should we arrange for this miss to stay there?" Xiao Ling, who happened to be passing by the glass-enclosed restaurant, chimed in.
The diners all sighed, regretting not speaking sooner.
"You're so lucky! Okay, let's arrange for this miss to stay there. We accept food orders from the room too and don't have to come to the restaurant." "Tang Yao said to Xiao Kui.
Xiao Kui packed her things and followed Xiao Ling to the single room that had been arranged for her.
The environment was quiet, clean, and hygienic. The green plants in the room were pleasing to the eye.
She carried a selfie stick the whole way. Of course, she had asked Tang Yao beforehand if she could record.
Now that the Xu Family had fallen, Tang Yao no longer hid.
Li Yuanyuan sat in the living room in a daze, while Zhang Ru was taking a nap. She could hear quiet conversations coming from the balcony next door. It seemed like the new guests had checked in.
However, none of this interested Li Yuanyuan.
In the evening, Tang Yao received a call from Xu Haocheng.
"Elder Sister, Xu Anguo and Sun Yulan are missing. I saw them looking at your video during the day. They're probably looking for you. Be careful. I'll buy the fastest train ticket and come over right away."
"Okay." "After saying that, Tang Yao hung up the phone.
Meanwhile, Sun Yulan and Xu Anguo had indeed arrived to find Tang Yao and had already gotten off the plane and boarded a bus to Wanhua Town.
"Let me tell you, you better speak properly later. Whether we can get new start-up capital from Tang Yao to start over depends entirely on our attitude today. We'll have to stay there no matter what," Xu Anguo sternly instructed.
"Understood." Sun Yulan shrank back slightly. Since the Xu Family went bankrupt, Xu Anguo's temper had become increasingly volatile. He would beat and scold her at the slightest provocation.
"I didn't expect this girl to be so formidable. After our bankruptcy, the Chen Family was targeted and attacked, and now they're not far from bankruptcy either," Xu Anguo sighed. "Still, she's a girl. If we beg her a few times in person, she should soften her heart." Sitting on the bus amidst a cacophony of smells, Sun Yulan frowned and covered her nose. Who could have imagined that the country girl everyone had looked down on would have such a background?
Recalling Xu Wan's demeanor when she left, Sun Yulan was filled with regret.
She had loved this very person as her own daughter for so many years and even alienated herself from her own biological daughter.
They caught the last bus, so by the time they arrived in Wanhua Town, it was already dark.
After hailing a flower cart, they discussed what they would say to Tang Yao.
But when they arrived at the guesthouse entrance, they were dumbfounded. The door was tightly shut and there was no one there.
The two exchanged a glance and Sun Yulan stepped forward to knock on the door.
“Yaoyao, it’s Mom,” Sun Yulan’s tone was unusually gentle. “Dad and I have come to see you.”
Sun Yulan knocked for a long time, but there was no answer from inside. It was quiet, as if no one was there.
“Keep knocking. If she doesn’t come out, we’ll make a big scene and let everyone know she’s ignoring her own parents,” Xu Anguo said viciously.
“Alright, you two beasts!” At this moment, a sharp voice came from across the street, interrupting their plan.
The person who came was Aunt Li from the convenience store across the street, with Xiao Duo behind her. Both of them had come out to see what was happening after hearing the knocking.
Unexpectedly, they overheard Xu Anguo’s scheme.
"Yaoyao went to the capital to find you two with such joy and the result was that you treated her badly! You sent her back! My Yaoyao has always been the most obedient child. I've long wanted to go to the capital to settle accounts with you two! I'll beat you two beasts to death!" Although Aunt Li was gentle with Tang Yao, she had been quite fierce in her youth. Otherwise, a lone woman couldn't hold up this small shop.
Aunt Li rushed over with a broom. Xiao Duo followed suit with her little face flushed red with anger.
Although Aunt Li only explained it was an anonymous donation, she wasn't stupid. She could roughly guess that it was entirely due to Tang Yao's donations that she could attend school and her gratitude towards Tang Yao was exceptionally strong. She couldn't stand anyone slandering Tang Yao.
Sun Yulan and Xu Anguo, who had lived a life of luxury for so many years, had never seen anything like this before and fled in terror.
They could only discuss staying at the guesthouse.
However, their faces had been on the news and most of the younger family members had seen it. A few hotels recognized them and immediately said they were full.
Finally, they had no choice but to hide their faces and check into a shady motel that didn't require ID.
Upon entering the room, a musty smell hit them, making them cough.
"What do we do now? That girl must be deliberately refusing to open the door!" Sun Yulan fumed.
"Tomorrow we'll go to the guesthouse and play the victim. Rumors spread like wildfire in this small town. Tang Yao probably has some pride too," Xu Anguo said grimly.
They slept fully clothed that night, but the next day, things didn't go as he expected.
As soon as they stepped out of the small motel, they heard the landlady spit behind them. The sound was undisguised.
Although Sun Yulan and Xu Anguo were puzzled, they decided not to cause trouble and left the motel without looking back.
To their surprise, almost everyone they encountered on every street they walked down looked at them with disdain and anger.
Their suspicions deepened.
When they reached the street where the guesthouse was located, they found a pretty little girl sitting on a small stool, speaking to a group of townspeople.
"Yao Yao must have been so scared going to the capital alone. I never imagined they would do something like this. Now that they see Yao Yao has earned some money, they're asking her to support them. Tell me, neighbors, where does such a good thing come from?"
The little girl was Xiao Yue. Usually gentle and mild-mannered, she spoke with surprising conviction, captivating her audience.
"Yeah, they looked down on Yao Yao for being from the countryside, and now they're clinging to her. How dare they?"
"My goodness, even tigers don't eat their cubs."
"Treating a fake heiress like a treasure, unbelievable. Poor Yao Yao."
"Don't let me see those two, or I'll kick them out! Old Tang and his wife were so kind back then. Yao Yao still brings us neighbors vegetables and fruit every now and then."
These people were notorious gossipers in town. Within half a day, the news would be all over the town.
Sun Yulan was frightened and instinctively took a step back, but Xu Anguo grabbed her arm: "Why are you backing away? We have no other choice. If we don't get the money this time, do you really want to live that kind of impoverished life?"
The two were about to grit their teeth and step forward when a tall figure blocked their path.
Xu Anguo looked up and saw it was Lu Bei from the Lu family!
He hadn't known at first that this man was Lu Nan's younger brother. Later, it seemed the Lu Family had played a significant role in suppressing the Xu and Chen families.
“What do you want? Still trying to cause trouble for Tang Yao? What, you don't even want the old house you're living in anymore? I guarantee, if you take one step, your Xu Family will never recover.” Lu Bei's voice was slightly cold. He was still wearing a suit, tall and long-legged.
“Young Master Lu, look, there must be some misunderstanding here. It's all that girl Xu Wan, she deliberately misled us.”
“Get lost!”
Xu Anguo was furious, but dared not provoke him. He could only leave dejectedly with Sun Yulan.
The two were filled with regret. If they had treated Tang Yao better, this powerful figure might have become their son-in-law.
After successfully spreading the word about what Xu Anguo and Sun Yulan had done, Xiao Yue took her small stool back to the guesthouse.
“Yaoyao, I saw them leave. Also, Mr. Lu came.” Xiao Yue said.
Tang Yao turned her head and saw Lu Bei walk in from outside with a suitcase in tow.
Although he was wearing a hat and mask, she recognized him immediately.
"Are you planning to stay long?" Tang Yao asked, somewhat surprised.
Lu Bei nodded. "I finally finished things in the capital and came over. Or are you saying you don't welcome me?"
Although it was a blank sentence, Tang Yao detected a hint of coquettishness in it.
"No, you messaged me saying you were coming, so I reserved a room for you," Tang Yao smiled.
Lu Bei's expression softened as he followed Tang Yao into the guesthouse.
He was staying in the same room as before, with a balcony overlooking Tang Yao's balcony.
Lu Bei seemed quite satisfied.
"Now that you're here, what about your schedule and the filming?" Tang Yao asked.
“That movie I acted in before was practically my final work. I had planned to retire from acting and go behind the scenes after finishing that one,” Lu Bei said. “I acted in movies to overcome a psychological trauma I’ve had since childhood. Now that’s gone, I want to rest.”
“Didn’t I tell you? I have my own studio and have invested in a jewelry company. The annual returns are pretty good.”
Luo Zhengzheng wasn't indifferent to her younger brother's college entrance exam results; in fact, she knew from her previous life that he had done very well and had been admitted to his dream university, Tsinghua University.
The college entrance exam papers were the same as in her previous life. She was only reborn. Before her younger brother took the exam, she didn't disturb him. Nothing had changed, so her younger brother's grades naturally wouldn't change either.
Now that she knows the final result, why worry so much? Of course, it was more important to have fun with her son.
Luo Can told Wang Zehao about working odd jobs at his elder brother-in-law's company. Wang Zehao was somewhat reluctant when he heard that he was going to work at Luo Can's elder brother-in-law's company, but considering the money in his pocket and his university tuition, he agreed to Luo Can's suggestion.
The next day, Luo Can went to the company with Elder Brother-in-law and saw Wang Zehao waiting there early at the company entrance.
Wang Zehao looked at the man beside Luo Can and was slightly taken aback. This was Luo Can's elder brother-in-law?
Thinking of Luo Can's elder sister's appearance, he thought, "Only a man as aloof, noble, and exceptionally handsome as him can be worthy of her."
Gu Shi glanced at Wang Zehao and nodded to him: "Come in together."
Wang Zehao followed Luo Can nervously. Glancing at Luo Can's elder brother-in-law's back, he thought to himself that he must work hard and not hold Luo Can back.
Meanwhile, Luo Zhengzheng and her group took a plane back to the capital and then each went to their own home.
Luo Zhengzheng was unaware that her younger brother had come to the capital. After lunch, she slept with her son in her arms all afternoon before going out shopping. It was truly exhausting, as she was constantly walking around.
When Gu Shi returned home from work that evening, he saw Luo Zhengzheng sitting on the sofa playing with their son. A twinkle appeared in his eyes as he asked, "You're back?"
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and nodded. Then she looked at Luo Can behind him and asked, "When did you arrive?"
Luo Can walked over, sat down next to her, and hugged little Chengjia in her arms, saying to elder sister, "Came yesterday."
He asked his nephew, "You haven't seen Maternal Uncle for so many days, have you missed me?"
Chengjia sat in Maternal Uncle's lap: "I miss Maternal Uncle."
When Luo Can heard that his nephew missed him, he was delighted: "Missing maternal uncle? How do you miss me?"
Chengjia tilted his head: "Sleepy think."
Luo Can pinched his nose: "Thinking about me while you were sleeping?"
Chengjia clapped his hands happily: "Sleepy thinking."
Luo Can quickly said, "Okay, okay, it was sleepy think. You little rascal, you even think of me while you were sleeping."
Then he turned to Luo Zhengzheng and asked, "Elder Sister, have you forgotten anything?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him and said with a smile, "What could I possibly forget?"
When Luo Can saw that Elder Sister hadn't even remembered his college entrance exam, a major event in his life, he felt angry because she didn't care at all. He said unhappily, "Think again."
Luo Zhengzheng shook her head again.
Gu Shi glanced at Luo Can, curled his lips, and went upstairs to change his clothes.
Exasperated, Luo Can pointed at himself and said, "I'm a grown man sitting here. Shouldn't you have some preconceived notions about me when you see me?"
Luo Zhengzheng blinked, seeing his exasperated look, and chuckled, "Oh~, your college entrance exam results are out. How did you do?"
Seeing that she spoke casually and didn't seem to care much about his grades, Luo Can said with a hint of frustration, "I did well."
After saying that, he was very unwilling to accept and complained: "Elder Sister, I care about everything about you, but you don't care about anything about me. You don't even care about something as important as the college entrance exam."
Luo Zhengzheng naturally denied it, saying it wasn't true, and retorted, "How could that be? I bought you a lot of gifts this time I went out."
Luo Can looked at her, a smile involuntarily spreading across his face. His displeasure vanished, and he asked curiously, "Elder Sis, what did you buy for me?"
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "They're all in your room, go see for yourself."
Luo Can jumped up and ran to his room in a few steps.
Luo Zhengzheng could still hear his cheers from the living room, and shook her head with a smile.
Just then, her phone rang. She looked and saw it was mom calling. When she answered, Yuan Mei's voice came through the phone: "Luo Can called me last night, saying son-in-law gave him a car, and he even took the keys. He said he'd give them back to his elder brother-in-law if you didn't agree. How can he be so thick skinned? He already took the keys and still give them back to Son-in-law! What is Son-in-law supposed to think? He just took the car, a car worth over a million, without any hesitation! It infuriates me! If it weren't for his good performance on the college entrance exam, I would have gone over there to teach him a lesson. It's outrageous! If he hadn't told me you were in Hong Kong, I would have called you already."
Her main concern was what others might think. The Gu Family had a few brothers; if they knew her son-in-law bought a car for his younger brother-in-law, what would they think of Zhengzheng? Marrying into a wealthy family and then supporting her own brothers—did that sound nice?
Luo Zhengzheng was unaware that Gu Shi had given Luo Can a car. After a moment of recollection, she realized that something similar had happened in her past life, when she hadn't allowed Luo Can to accept the car.
As for this life, she said, "I didn't know about this. Since it was given to him by his elder brother-in-law, he might as well accept it. I've already gone home."
Being overly polite was actually a sign of estrangement.
As the mother and daughter were talking, Gu Shi changed his clothes and came downstairs. He saw her making a phone call and sitting on the sofa to rest.
Luo Zhengzheng tried to persuade Mom a few more times, but seeing that Mom still insisted on not letting Luo Can accept the car, she handed her phone to Gu Shi: "My mom. You gave Luo Can the car, but she won't allow it."
Gu Shi answered the phone and called out, "Mom!"
Luo Zhengzheng looked over and heard Gu Shi say, "Luo Can did well on his college entrance exam, so as his elder brother-in-law, I naturally want to reward him. Don't worry, this car isn't expensive. It won't encourage him to be wasteful."
Gu Shi talked to his mother-in-law for a few minutes, dispelling her concerns and accepting the car with peace of mind.
He then inquired about his mother-in-law and father-in-law's health, whether the crops had received enough rain, and even asked about the chickens, ducks, and geese his mother-in-law raised. Only then did he hand the phone to Luo Zhengzheng.
Luo Zhengzheng glanced at him, thinking to herself, "Isn't it a bit strange that a CEO is worrying about chickens, ducks, and geese?"
Picking up the phone and holding it to her ear, Yuan Mei's voice rang out: "Since Gu Shi gave him a gift, he should accept it. After all, it's Gu Shi's kind intention. If he doesn't accept it, Gu Shi will overthink it."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled: "It's good that you can figure it out."
Yuan Mei added, "Let him learn more from his elder brother-in-law. Even if he only learns a fraction of it, I won't have to worry about him all day long."
It was clear that Gu Shi has won over his mother-in-law and she spoke highly of him whenever she talked about him.
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "He's not bad either. I'll tell him."
After hanging up the phone, she looked at Gu Shi and said in a good mood, "Have you seen the shirt, cufflinks, and glasses I bought for you?"
Gu Shi was also in a good mood. His wife was back and he no longer had to stay home alone. She even bought him gifts. His eyes were full of joy: "You have good taste. They all suit me well."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "Of course, they were all purchased based on your preferences and your style."
Gu Shi was in a better mood and picked up his son: "Where's Luo Can? Go to Mom and Dad’s side for dinner."
Luo Zhengzheng called out to Luo Can, who came out of the room and happily hugged elder sister's arm: "Elder Sister, how did you know I liked those sneakers?"
Luo Zhengzheng, of course, wouldn't say that he often wore them in her past life, and said, "Don't you young men all like these kinds of sneakers? I just randomly bought them."
Luo Can didn't care whether she bought them randomly or not. He just got the shoes he wanted.
Luo Zhengzheng pointed to a pile of bags on the ground and said to Luo Can, "Carry these. These are for Jiajia's grandparents."
Carrying the bags, Luo Can walked beside Gu Shi and said to him, "Elder Brother-in-law, my elder sister went shopping and even bought a gift for mother-in-law. Don't you think my elder sister is filial?"
Gu Shi went along with him, satisfying his little wish: "Filial."
Upon hearing his words, Luo Can felt that his goal had been achieved and he quickly caught up with elder sister and followed behind her.
Gu Shi: "..."
He felt a pang of helplessness. Younger Brother-in-law was too naive and talked too much. Should he remind Wife to keep a close eye on him to prevent him from being deceived?
When the group arrived at the patriarch's villa, Gu Ming and Wang Yaning's family of three, Gu Xian and Liu Hanyue couple, and Gu Ling and Yu Shuang's family of three were all present.
Although Ye Li video called her grandson every night, she missed him terribly because she couldn't hold him in her arms since it was all through a computer. She took her grandson from her son's arms, kissed him, and then put him on the sofa to play with his older siblings.
Luo Zhengzheng gave her parents-in-law the things she had bought for them. Her mother-in-law received some clothes and jewelry, while Chengjia’s grandfather received some fine tea.
When buying gifts for their father-in-law, the daughters-in-law would usually choose tea, since he liked to drink tea. If sent other things, he might not like it and then not giving would probably be better.
Gu Xian sat silently on the sofa. When he saw Gu Shi, he couldn't help but mutter, "These women, they bought so much stuff, why don't they just take the whole store home?"
The key point was that even though it was bought, that woman Liu Hanyue didn't buy him a single hair.
Gu Shi looked up at him and said, "Men earn money for their wives and children. Otherwise, what are we working so hard for?"
Gu Xian looked somewhat dissatisfied and said, "It's fine to earn money for your wife, but that woman bought so many things for herself and didn't buy me anything. Do these women even care about their husbands? Did fourth younger sister-in-law not buy you anything either?"
Gu Shi leaned back calmly on the sofa, looking relaxed: "Of course not. Zhengzheng not only bought me a shirt and cufflinks, but also a pair of glasses."
Gu Xian said indignantly, "When they go shopping together, fourth younger sister-in-law always buys you things, but Liu Hanyue deliberately doesn't buy me anything."
Luo Can suddenly chimed in from the side: "Then you should think about how you've offended second elder sister-in-law in the past."
Gu Xian: "......"
Seeing that he didn't speak, Luo Can continued, "If you treat second sister-in-law well, she will definitely treat you well in return. If you don't treat her well, of course she won't remember you. Anyway, you deserve it and suffer the consequences of your own actions."
The young masters of wealthy families were full of tricks and schemes. He wasn't just saying this to Gu Xian; he was clearly also saying it to Gu Shi.
Gu Shi patted him on the shoulder, reminding him to talk less, lest he get beaten up.
Gu Xian looked at him: "Have you ever been beaten up?"
Luo Can glanced at him: "You want to hit me? You might not be able to beat me."
He's 1.85 meters tall, strong and muscular, while Gu Xian was considerably shorter and thinner, looking like a weakling. He couldn't possibly beat him. Besides, he was not stupid. With elder his brother-in-law sitting right there, who would dare hit him?
Gu Xian looked at Gu Ming: "I have a helper."
Luo Can looked at Gu Boyuan: "I will tattle. Uncle Gu will definitely side with me."
Did he really think he was stupid and would dare to say whatever he wanted to anyone? None of the school teachers have ever called him stupid, so he was fearless.
Every time he came to elder brother-in-law's house, Uncle and Aunt liked him very much. When they came over for dinner in the evening, there would always be two of his favorite dishes on the table.
Since he was a guest, even if his uncle was unhappy, he would side with him if there was a fight with Gu Xian.
Gu Xian raised an eyebrow. Kid, you've got some nerve, provoking me in my own home.
Gu Shi rubbed his temples and stood up: "Luo Can, dinner's ready."
Luo Can followed obediently behind him, looking incredibly well-behaved.
Gu Xian thought to himself that he had misjudged him before. This was actually a slippery little rascal, with calculating abacus sounding very loud.
Liu Hanyue appeared behind him at some point and said sarcastically, "Not bad, being petty with a child and even threatening him."
Gu Xian was displeased: "Is that a child? He speaks with veiled barbs, deliberately poking at people's sore spots."
Liu Hanyue sneered, "What he said isn't wrong. My ears find it quite pleasing."
"I'm Li Miaomiao, the head of the advertising department at Chuqing Children's Clothing. I saw your work a couple of days ago and I think little Yun Shu would be perfect as the spokesperson for our new children's clothing line, so I wanted to ask if you'd be interested in collaborating with us."
Yun Chuman looked at Yun Shu in surprise. The little girl tilted her head in confusion.
She thought for a moment and said, "Thank you for the invitation, but could I have an hour? I need to ask my daughter's opinion on this."
And also, to check if this Chuqing children's clothing company was reliable.
"Of course, you can contact me anytime you have an answer," Li Miaomiao added after a pause, "We are very sincere, please consider it carefully."
"Okay, we'll contact you again."
"You must contact me again."
Li Miaomiao reminded her again before hanging up.
She put away her phone, glanced nervously at the man in the sharp suit in front of her, and tentatively said, "President Gu, Ms. Yun said she wants to ask Yun Shu's opinion and will give me an answer in an hour."
"Hmm." Gu Jijing responded, slowly flipping through the documents in his hand, on which were prominently displayed photos of Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu.
The large office was quiet except for the sound of rubbing papers.
Li Miaomiao nervously scratched her cheek, momentarily bewildered, unable to understand why she was there. Chuqing Children's Clothing was one of the Gu Family's initial businesses, but it had long been marginalized in recent years. They'd never even seen President Gu, let alone his secretary.
She only knew that she had submitted a report to headquarters a couple of days ago, wanting to sign Yun Shu as the spokesperson for the new children's wear line, and this morning she was brought to President Gu's office.
"Why did you choose Yun Shu as the spokesperson for the new children's wear line?" Gu Jijing put down the documents in his hand, looked up at her, and asked calmly.
"Huh?"
Li Miaomiao glanced at the small red mole on his nose and paused, quickly averting her gaze and lowering her head. "A friend of mine works at an art gallery, so I had the opportunity to see Ms. Yun's work. At the time, I felt that little Yun Shu's image and expressiveness perfectly matched the theme of the new product."
"Later, I watched the live stream of 'Every Family Has Its Own Affairs' and discovered that she and little Yun Juan are siblings. Little Yun Juan has been a highly praised child star in the past two years, which further convinced me that little Yun Shu is very capable! I will definitely secure this spokesperson position for the new product!"
She became increasingly excited when she got to the professional parts.
"'Every Family Has Its Own Affairs?" Gu Jijing flipped through the materials and indeed saw the name.
Hearing his voice, Li Miaomiao instantly calmed down. Realizing where she was, her confidence waned. She reminded him, "It's a family variety show."
Gu Jijing hesitated for a moment before turning on his computer. A moment later, he suddenly turned and asked, "Why do you have Ms. Yun Chuman's contact information? Did a friend at the gallery give it to you?"
"No, no, no, that's the artist's privacy. My friend's younger cousin brother's third elder cousin sister works for the 'Every Family Has Its Own Affairs' program. I found out from her."
"En," Gu Jijing responded indifferently, his attention returning to the computer.
Li Miaomiao looked at him blankly. And then? What should she do now? Why wasn't she allowed to leave? Was she supposed to leave on her own? But wouldn't that be impolite?
She cried inwardly, "Someone save her who just met the President for the first time!"
On the other side, after hanging up the phone, Yun Chuman still felt that Chuqing Children's Clothing was strangely persistent towards Yun Shu.
"Who is it, Mommy?" Yun Shu asked, blinking her big eyes.
"Is it for Little Shu?" Yun Juan asked, also curious.
Yun Chuman nodded. "Yes."
Yun Shu pointed to herself in surprise. "Looking for me? What do they want with me?"
"An elder sister saw Mommy's painting of Little Shu and she thinks you're very cute, so she wants you to be their children's clothing spokesperson."
Yun Chuman didn't hide anything.
"Children's clothing spokesperson?" Yun Shu tilted her head, not quite understanding what that meant.
Yun Juan, on the other hand, was very surprised. He said excitedly, "It's a model! A model for photos! I knew Little Shu is the cutest! Which elder sister, Mom, has such good taste?"
Actually, Yun Chuman wanted to take this opportunity to let the two children understand their interests and hobbies. She was struggling with how to say it when she heard Yun Juan's string of compliments and almost couldn't help but burst into a grin.
She tapped Yun Juan's little nose. Feeling ticklish, the child wrinkled his nose.
"A model?!" Yun Shu's eyes lit up; she knew what that meant!
She stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "Is it really looking for Little Shu, not elder brother?"
"Oh? Does Little Shu want elder brother to wear girls' clothes?" Yun Chuman smiled.
Yun Shu stole a glance at elder brother.
Yun Juan's alarm bells immediately went off: "If you dare nod, I'll... I'll... I'll do what?"
He pondered for a long time but couldn't think of anything he could use to threaten Little Shu.
Yun Shu smiled at him, playfully sticking out her tongue.
Yun Juan sighed helplessly and turned to Yun Chuman, asking, "So, Mommy, did you agree to that elder sister's offer?"
"Not yet," Yun Chuman shook her head.
"No?" Yun Shu's face fell instantly upon hearing this. She lowered her head, her little shoulders drooping, and asked cautiously, "Mommy doesn't want Little Shu to be a model?"
Just like before, she didn't want her and elder brother to appear on TV together.
"Of course not, it's Little Shu's business, so I need to ask Little Shu's opinion before I can give an answer." Yun Chuman patted her little head.
Yun Shu's eyes flickered slightly. Right, Mommy didn't hate her appearing on camera anymore; she even drew her in her paintings!
She snuggled closer to Yun Chuman, nuzzling her arm like a kitten: "Mommy, I'm sorry."
I doubted you.
"Why are you apologizing out of the blue?" Yun Chuman smiled. "Before you make a decision, can you listen to my thoughts?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu exchanged a puzzled look. Although they didn't know what she was going to say, they obediently nodded, placing their little hands neatly on their laps, and looked up at her intently.
Yun Chuman felt a little nervous under the gaze of the two pairs of eyes. She coughed lightly and asked, "Do you remember when I told you to do what you like and are interested in?"
The two children nodded. They remembered, but hadn't decided what they were interested in at the time.
"But little Juan and little Shu haven't told me what you're interested in," Yun Chuman said, counting on her fingers. "You have so many things you want to do now: go to kindergarten, film variety shows, little Juan wants to audition for a movie, and little Shu has an offer to be a children's clothing spokesperson."
Yun Juan and Yun shu followed her in counting on their fingers; it seemed like quite a lot.
"Are all of these things you're interested in?" Yun Chuman asked. "You need to understand that if you go to kindergarten, you'll have to go every day. Filming variety shows now requires at least three days a week, and then you'll have to film movies and be a spokesperson—you might not even have time to sleep."
Worried, the two children frowned. "What will we do then?"
Not sleeping was not an option. They were still growing and not sleeping would stunt their growth.
Yun Chuman pretended to think for a moment before saying, "Kindergarten and recording the variety show are relatively easy to handle."
"You two aren't old enough for kindergarten yet, so it's not too late to go after this variety show ends. In the meantime, I can teach you all sorts of things."
The two children exchanged a glance.They liked their mommy teaching them new things.
Yun Chuman continued, "The difficult part is what happens after you start kindergarten."
"Little Shu, with your abilities, becoming a spokesperson will likely lead to occasional acting assignments, just like your brother. But acting means sacrificing part of your school life."
"In that case, I want to ask you if you truly enjoy acting? Only if you genuinely enjoy it will you not feel terrible or overwhelmed when sacrificing your school life and putting in double the effort."
"I love it! Mom, I want to try, starting with that spokesperson role!" Yun Shu exclaimed without hesitation, her eyes shining.
She had always enjoyed acting when she helped elder brother with his scenes, but she had never dared to express herself.
Actually, she didn't quite understand mommy's words of ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘sacrifice’. She only knew that seizing this opportunity would allow her to truly step onto the stage.
Yun Chuman wasn't surprised by her reaction. Her guess was right—Yun Shu was very interested in acting.
She smiled gently, "Okay, I'll contact your elder brother Mo later to ask if Chuqing Children's Clothing is reliable. If there are no problems, we'll take this job."
As for balancing studies, that could be discussed later.
Yun Shu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded vigorously with happiness, "En!"
Yun Juan glanced at younger sister enviously, fidgeting with his fingers in a troubled manner.
"Little Juan, what about you? Tell Mom, do you like acting?" Yun Chuman said, looking into his eyes. "Good children don't lie."
Yun Juan pouted, avoiding her gaze, and said awkwardly, "Don’t really like, but I want to act..."
"Why?" Yun Chuman was taken aback.
"Because I need to earn money to support the family!" He looked up, his little face serious.
"Elder Brother, I'll help you earn money to support the family!" Yun Shu said firmly.
The two children earning money—more like supporting her than supporting the family.
Yun Chuman scratched her head, wondering how unreliable she was in the eyes of the two children to be burdened with the responsibility of supporting the family at such a young age.
She smiled helplessly: "Little Juan is a responsible and well-behaved child, but if you want to earn money to support the family, you don't have to do it only through acting."
Yun Juan frowned: "Nowhere else will hire me. I'm a child laborer now."
Yun Chuman almost laughed out loud. He knew he was a child laborer.
She coughed twice, forcing the laughter back: "Don't you know you can earn money by painting?"
Yun Juan's expression brightened at the mention of drawing: "Painting... works?"
"If you draw well, you can earn a lot of money," Yun Chuman asked, "Does Little Juan like painting?"
"I like it! I like it!" Upon hearing that painting could earn money, Yun Juan immediately abandoned his acting career.
Yun Chuman grinned mischievously, "So, do you choose to continue acting, or do you choose to learn to paint with me?"
Yun Juan paused for a moment, jumped up, and threw himself into her arms, "Painting! I want to learn to paint with Mommy!"
Yun Shu looked at them enviously. She didn't like painting, but she wanted to be with mommy and elder brother.
Yun Chuman noticed her expression and pinched her cheek, "Then Little Shu will be our exclusive model for painting from now on!"
Exclusive model? That meant she could be with mommy and elder brother!
Yun Shu also rushed over and hugged Yun Chuman, rubbing her cheek against her shoulder.
Yun Chuman patted the two children's chubby backs, "Alright, it's settled then. Now I'll contact your elder brother Mo and ask him if Chuqing Children's Clothing is reliable."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu reluctantly let go of her and sat down on either side of her. Yun Chuman took out her phone, found Mo Rongwen's chat interface, and sent a video call request.
The other end answered quickly.
Mo Rongwen was dressed in ancient attire, looking like he was on a film set.
Yun Chuman, having sorted the two children's interest-based activities, was in high spirits and casually greeted, "Yo, nephew."
Mo Rongwen: "...I'm hanging up."
Yun Chuman immediately calmed down and said quickly, "Little Shu got a spokesperson offer."
Mo Rongwen withdrew his hand: "Tell me the details."
Yun Chuman: ...
Was the double standard so obvious? Mo Rongwen's fluffy little one learned all this double standard from him!
Author's Note:
【Yun Family Diary】
Yun Juan: I need to earn money to support the family!
Yun Shu: I need to earn money to support the family!
Yun Chuman: Another day of being supported by these two little cubs.
Li Yuanyuan ate a few bites before putting down her chopsticks. Even so, she ate significantly more than usual. Zhang Ru was very pleased, feeling that bringing her daughter out to play was the right decision.
In the garden just a wall away, tourists were strolling around with great interest.
The diners who had made reservations at the glass restaurant were already seated.
Xiao Kui was one of them. She was a food blogger known for her heartwarming and appetizing food videos, and for her genuine and honest reviews, never acting as a paid promoter. This earned her millions of followers.
She wasn't initially interested in the glass restaurant at the guesthouse. She'd eaten at many beautiful restaurants. However, she noticed that netizens who had visited the glass restaurant commented online that the food was delicious.
Some fans even messaged her, hoping she would try it, as the guesthouse had opened reservations for the glass restaurant and they were hesitant to try it but worried about being disappointed.
For Xiao Kui, guesthouses weren't professional restaurants and the food was mostly the same—either ordinary or not good, not delicious.
However, since it was her fans' request, she booked a spot online for a few days later.
Today, it was finally her turn.
She sat in a quiet, inconspicuous corner, set up her filming equipment, and then began selecting the dishes she wanted from the menu.
The menu offered everything from simple home-style dishes to more complex ones, encompassing almost every cuisine. The prices weren't cheap for this small town.
Xiao Kui frowned slightly. She considered herself a semi-foodie, having eaten at many high-end restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries.
Generally, restaurants that offered a mix of cuisines were mediocre. The owners seemed to know a little about everything but weren't experts at anything.
So, she decided to give it a try and ordered a few of the more representative dishes.
A single serving of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Dongting Wild Duck, Stir-fried Lamb with Scallions, Mapo Tofu, and Winter Melon Soup.
"Hello, everyone, good afternoon! Guess where I am right now?" Xiao Kui said, lifting a pole fixed to a stand and spinning around.
She had started a live stream. Soon a considerable number of fans had gathered, greeting her with laughter and chatter.
Every frame was as beautiful as a painting. Even Xiao Kui, who had seen many beautiful restaurants, had to admit that the scenery here was truly stunning.
"This is the Garden Within The Memories that everyone's been messaging me about and urging me to come eat here! To be honest, this is my first time livestreaming food from a guesthouse. I ordered a few specialties and will try them all for everyone in a bit."
After showing her fans the surrounding scenery, Xiao Kui fixed her phone back on.
"It's so beautiful! I really want to go, but I have to work."
"Ahhh, Xiao Kui finally went! I made a reservation too, but it's next weekend."
"Me too, next Friday! This guesthouse is so popular lately!"
"You guys all made reservations for the restaurant, but I'm different. I booked a room for the week after next, so I can have a good time for a week. I heard that even if you don't get a restaurant reservation, you can get food sent up to the room."
"I heard it's delicious! Slurp, my mouth is watering!"
"It really was delicious! The meat and vegetables were absolutely amazing. I went before filming the variety show and still crave it."
The comments flashed by quickly and Xiao Kui interacted with the viewers while watching them.
Time flew by and soon her dishes were served one after another, filling the table to the brim.
Xiao Kui placed a single serving of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in front of her, swallowing hard. She hadn't expected the dishes to smell so good. The color, aroma, and flavor alone were enough to impress. In her experience, it couldn't be bad.
She stirred it with a spoon. The broth was golden and thick, with various delicious ingredients rising to the surface as she stirred.
Under the expectant gazes of the viewers, Xiao Kui put a spoonful into her mouth.
Xiao Kui's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the live stream camera: "The flavor is so rich and fragrant. It has that gelatinous texture from simmering for hours. The ingredients are very fresh. Instant food can't compare at all."
Watching her eat with such relish, the viewers almost wanted to squeeze into the screen.
"Don't just eat, say something!"
"It's making my mouth water!"
"It looks so delicious! Such a big abalone is real?"
Xiao Kui resisted the urge to finish the whole bowl, moved the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup aside, and started on the next one.
Each dish was incredibly delicious, with tender and juicy meat.
The winter melon soup was sweet and flavorful, while the Dongting Wild Duck was perfectly braised, tender yet firm.
The stir-fried lamb with scallions was fragrant, tender, and juicy, with absolutely no gamey taste.
The Mapo Tofu was fragrant, hot, and smooth. A spoonful mixed with rice was absolutely heavenly.
Xiao Kui ate with gusto and her mouth kept watering. She did not want to stop. In the end, she was completely stuffed.
Clutching her stomach, she said to the camera, "Babies, order everything here without hesitation. Every single dish is no worse than what a five-star chef would cook. Compared to that, the price isn't actually that expensive. In a five-star hotel, this meal would cost at least a few thousand."
At this time, Tang Yao entered from the doorway, carrying a small tray with delicately crafted pastries.
"These are pastries made by my family chef. Please have a taste."
There were quite a few diners and guests today. Tang Yao helped serve the dishes.
As the pastries were placed on Xiao Kui's table, the camera clearly captured Tang Yao's face.
"Isn't that Boss Tang? Haven't seen her in ages."
"Boss Tang's skin is so fair it practically glows. She's so beautiful."
"Didn't the Xu Group go bankrupt recently? I wonder if the Xu Family regrets it now?"
"@President of the Xu Group, @Magnolia Blossom, @Wanwan is not Wanwan."
"The person upstairs is really brave."
At this moment, Xu Wan was sitting alone in a high-end private room. She had indeed come across this live stream.
Seeing Tang Yao's increasingly radiant face on the screen and the praise in the comments, her face almost contorted.
When Young Master Wang was pursuing her, he was quite attentive, but after they got together, his attitude changed drastically, especially after the Xu Family's complete bankruptcy.
She hadn't used those expensive cosmetics and skincare products in a long time and her skin was now nowhere near Tang Yao's.
Last night, after touching her somewhat rough face, Young Master Wang clicked his tongue and his face was full of disappointment.
Today, she was waiting for Young Master Wang in the private room for over an hour, but didn't dare to lose her temper and only scrolled through her phone to ease her anxiety.
Suddenly, she stumbled upon Xiao Kui's live stream.
The mocking comments continued, making her tremble with anger, but she was powerless as she didn't dare show herself.
Another hour later, slightly tipsy Young Master Wang finally arrived.
"You're here! I've been waiting for so long," Xu Wan said. Her voice was deliberately sweet and coquettish, which Young Master Wang found quite endearing.
He immediately embraced her and comforted her for a while.
When Xu Wan blushed and withdrew from Young Master Wang's embrace, a waiter entered.
The two ordered several dishes, during which Young Master Wang kept groping her, completely disregarding the waiter's presence.
Xu Wan tried to push him away a few times without success. Meeting the waiter's meaningful gaze, she felt deeply humiliated.
After they finished their meal and left the private room, Xu Wan coaxed Young Master Wang into taking her to buy a handbag again.
Young Master Wang was currently very attentive to her and generally agreed to most of her reasonable requests.
As soon as they stepped out of the restaurant, a slap landed on her face.
Xu Wan was completely stunned. In all her life, apart from the time Xu Anguo hit her, she had never been slapped before.
"Who do we have here? It's just the fallen heiress of the Xu Family, isn't it?" The woman in front of her wore exquisite makeup, carried a small, expensive handbag, and was expressing disdain.
Through her blurry, tear-filled eyes, Xu Wan recognized her. This woman used to be her good friend. Her family wasn't as well-off as the Xu Family and every time they hung out, she was always flattering her.
"Wang Xiaopeng, is this the woman you found outside? This kind of trash? From what I see, you don't want to have the wedding in a month, huh?"
"No, Lele, this woman is pestering me. I'm here today to clear things up with her." Knowing he would get his head bitten off if he lost this marriage prospect, Young Master Wang immediately decided to sever ties with Xu Wan.
"Is that so? Still hugging her while saying this? Ha, do you think I'm stupid? I'll go home and cancel the engagement. I have the evidence. You can explain it to your family yourself. You’re not the only men around my age in the Wang Family. I give you two, b*tch and dog, my blessing. You're a perfect match. May you live happily ever after." The woman waved her phone, gave the two of them a disdainful look, and then turned and left with her friend.
She stood up and grabbed Young Master Wang's clothes.
One must know, she had been hoping to become Madam Wang, which was why she had been dealing with this man for so long.
"Don't you even know who you are? Want to marry into the Wang family? Are you even qualified? I was just playing around with you. You used to be so arrogant, but now you're obedient." Young Master Wang pulled Xu Wan's hand away and lightly patted her face. "Isn't it just about making money? I have brothers, want me to introduce you?"
Tears welled up in Xu Wan's eyes and she slapped him: "You bastard!"
The slap was naturally halted. Young Master Wang pushed her away, dusted himself off, and strode away.
A barrage of scorching gazes fell on Xu Wan. She couldn't stand it any longer and hurriedly left.
She didn't know that the scene had been filmed by a busybody and posted online.
These kinds of videos always get a lot of views and quickly circulated among netizens.
"Isn't that Xu Wan? The fake heiress who framed Boss Tang."
"Now she's even become a mistress. Tsk tsk tsk, sure enough, evil begets evil."
"Actually, this man is the most disgusting, lying to both sides. Xu Wan is annoying, but she seems unaware."
Xu Wan's hiring of online trolls to smear Tang Yao and spread rumors had been discovered. Some netizens have revealed that a mother and son were cyberbullied and resulted in the mother to fall and become paralyzed. Xu Wan and the Xu Family's reputation were completely ruined.
In the following days, the sisters-in-law went shopping at several places including Secoo and Landmark Plaza. Liu Hanyue wanted to go to other places as well. She was also planning to buy a car.
Wang Yaning stopped her: "You've already bought quite a lot these past few days, tens of millions spent, right? This is revenge spending. I remember you have three cars in your garage. It's unnecessary."
These past few days, she had followed behind her, watching her frenzied shopping, and was truly astonished.
Second Younger Sister-in-law was clearly mad and her words were impulsive and reckless. To prevent her from regretting it later, she could only offer a word of advice.
Like Luo Zhengzheng, who also spent a lot of money on this trip to Hong Kong. But from her expression, it was clear that she was peaceful and happy while shopping. This was truly enjoying life.
But as a woman, she could understand second younger sister-in-law. Putting aside the fact that she was from a wealthy family and had been spoiled by her parents since childhood until being unable to tolerate the slightest disrespect, no woman could tolerate her husband's infidelity.
Gu Xian's actions had clearly infuriated her, so Liu Hanyue, to get revenge, spent all his money.
This act, clearly driven by spite, seemed irrational and irrational actions were often regretted.
Liu Hanyue said sheepishly, "It's all Gu Xian's fault for being so extravagant. He's only saved so little money after all these years. Can't even shop to satisfaction."
Actually, she had never shopped so freely before. Towards the end, she felt a little guilty, and then she wondered why she felt guilty. Shouldn't Gu Xian be the one feeling guilty? She was willing to spend his money and not make a scene, which was giving him face. He should be grateful.
Luo Zhengzheng suggested, "You could buy some real estate."
Once one had a certain amount of luxury goods, they became less unusual. Even when venting one’s anger, one could still leave oneself some room for maneuver. Second Sister-in-law has brothers and when she married Gu Xian, the Liu Family gave her a considerable dowry. Presumably, the Liu Family wouldn't give her much more in the future.
Gu Xian could still go out and cause trouble now. Who could guarantee he'll settle down with Second Sister-in-law in the future? Although they didn't divorce in their previous life and even had children, how could others know how a couple was truly living well unless they were the ones involved?
It was better to acquire more assets that could appreciate in value, giving oneself more security.
Liu Hanyue's gaze shifted to Wang Yaning, seeking her opinion. After her shopping spree and looking at the piles of things, a sense of loss involuntarily arose after the momentarily satisfaction.
Wang Yaning looked at her and said sincerely, "I think what Fourth Sister-in-law said is quite good. It's good to acquire some fixed assets. Or invest in some business. If you feel you can't rely on men, it's better to increase your own financial security."
What was financial security? Naturally, it was money. Money gives people courage. With money, what kind of life couldn't you live?
Wang Yaning added, "You and Gu Xian don't have children. If Gu Xian has other ideas, you might not get much."
What she didn't say was that as long as it didn't involve shares, her father-in-law might give Liu Hanyue some subsidies out of consideration for their family's past friendship, but not much.
Logically, given her status, she shouldn't be saying these things to Liu Hanyue, but as a woman herself, she couldn't help but say a few more words.
Liu Hanyue's eyes reddened slightly. She tossed her hair and listened to their advice: "We still have tens of millions left. Forget about doing business. I don't know anything about that. Let's just buy some real estate."
After saying that, she looked at the two women and asked, "We've been in Hong Kong for a few days now. Shall we go home tomorrow?"
Luo Zhengzheng and Wang Yaning readily agreed.
That evening, Gu Shi came home from work and saw Luo Can sitting on the sofa watching TV. He paused and asked, "How did the exam go? Why didn't you tell me so someone could pick you up?"
"I came with my classmates. It's the same transportation." Not seeing Elder Sister and Jiajia, Luo Can smilingly asked, "Where's my elder sister?"
Gu Shi changed into slippers and came in. "She went shopping in Hong Kong. Didn't you call her?"
Hearing this, Luo Can slumped onto the sofa and looked disgruntled. "My elder sister doesn't care about my college entrance exam at all. She knows the results will be out in a few days, but she didn't even call to ask. Instead, she went shopping. I was planning to surprise her, so I didn't tell you guys when I came."
Gu Shi poured himself a glass of warm water. Hearing his words, he thought to himself, "Your sister doesn't just not care about you, she also doesn't care about me? Did I say anything?"
Thinking this, he tried to soothe the fuming younger brother-in-law in a good mood: "You have to understand, some people don't think about anything else when they're buying things, even if you're their younger brother. Try to understand."
Luo Can didn't want to understand at all. He harrumphed a few times and said stubbornly, "She doesn't care about me, so I don't care about her either."
After saying that, he suddenly looked at Gu Shi and asked gloatingly, "Has my elder sister forgotten about you too? Is that why you have a deep understanding about it?"
Without such a deep understanding, one couldn't say something like that.
Gu Shi paused in his drinking. So, younger brothers-in-law were always a nuisance. What was frustrating was that one couldn't do anything about it.
Looking at his expression, Luo Can didn't feel any sympathy. Instead, he felt a bit gloating. He thought to himself, "So what if you're a rich young master, the president of the Ye Group? With my elder sister, you're still just like me, forgotten by her."
Gu Shi put down his water glass, sat on the sofa, and said calmly, "The SUV that Assistant Guo ordered has arrived. I originally planned to give it to you regardless of how you did on your exams, as a coming-of-age gift. But in the time it takes to drink a glass of water, I completely forgot where the car keys are."
Luo Can: "..."
He thought since Elder Brother-in-law had given him a watch, he wouldn't give him a car. Unexpectedly, there was. And in the time it took to drink a glass of water, Elder Brother-in-law told him he'd forgotten where the car keys were. Surely he wasn't suffering from dementia at such a young age?
Luo Can sat up straight, looking at Gu Shi with disdain: "You really forgot where you put the car keys?"
Was he kidding him?
Gu Shi saw the disdain on his face, raised an eyebrow, and said seriously, "I really forgot."
Luo Can scrutinized him and scoffed, "You're only twenty-eight, not even thirty yet, how could you have such an illness? It shouldn't be like this."
Gu Shi's brow twitched. He asked, "What do you mean?"
Luo Can continued, "My elder sister is only twenty-four. She's so young and beautiful. Although you're rich and good-looking, your brain isn't up to par..."
"Shut up!" Gu Shi snapped, pulling the car keys from his pocket and shoving them into Luo Can's hand. "Here."
Luo Can looked at the car keys in his hand, glancing at Gu Shi's expressionless face, and said with a smile, "Elder Brother-in-law, one moment you have amnesia, one moment you recover your memory. The ninety-one-year-old grandma next door in our village was like that. Do you really not need to go to the hospital for a checkup? After all, you're so young?"
But inwardly, he thought, even though he'd taken Elder Brother-in-law's car keys, Elder Sister might not agree. He should at least ask her opinion.
Now that Elder Brother-in-law has given him the car keys and if he kept refusing, wouldn't Elder Brother-in-law, being a company manager, feel looked down upon? Would he feel inferior or embarrassed?
Although he wasn’t old, he believed he was quite considerate and wouldn't want to embarrass him directly and could only accept the keys. He was quite satisfied with himself.
Gu Shi glanced at him sideways: "How about I have your elder sister come back and take me for a checkup, and we can talk about what happened after you got drunk that night?"
Luo Can rolled his eyes inwardly. So stingy. He put his car keys in his pocket, looked at Gu Shi, changed his expression, and said ingratiatingly, "Elder Brother-in-law, you're my biological elder brother-in-law, you can't harm me! If my elder sister finds out about this, will I even survive tomorrow?"
Gu Shi's tone was light: "Now I’m the biological elder brother-in-law."
Luo Can got up, poured him a glass of water, and handed it to him: "Elder Brother-in-law, you must be tired from work, have some water!"
Gu Shi glanced at the glass in his hand, unmoved: "I just drank some, I'm not thirsty."
Luo Can put the glass on the coffee table, his eyes flickered slightly, and he said through gritted teeth, "At worst, I'll put in a good word for you with my elder sister."
Gu Shi's expression softened slightly, and he looked at him with a smile: "I'll remember those words."
Luo Can: "......"
The phrase ‘Old ginger was spicier was certainly true.
After sorting out his younger brother-in-law, who had been wanting a good scolding, Gu Shi asked him with a satisfied expression, "How did your college entrance exam go?"
When Luo Can heard him ask about the college entrance exam, he perked up: "Anyway, my score is high enough to get into my dream university?"
Gu Shi: "Tsinghua?"
Luo Can looked astonished: "How did you know?"
Gu Shi: "What can you possibly hide with that mouth of yours?"
Luo Can felt guilty. Gu Shi continued asking, "What major did you apply for?"
Luo Can honestly replied, "Computer Information Engineering, Elder brother-in-law, what do you think of this major?"
"It's not bad, as long as you like it," Gu Shi said.
Younger brother-in-law was still young, so he had to give him some carrots. He praised, "You did really well on the exam. The car is deserved."
Luo Can smiled smugly, touching the car keys in his pocket, and asked excitedly, "Elder Brother-in-law, what kind of car is it?"
What if elder sister agreed to let him accept the car?
Gu Shi then asked him, "Quite wild. You don't have a driver's license yet, do you?"
Luo Can let out a soft "Ah," and then deflated: "No."
But then he got excited again, because elder brother-in-law understood him and knew his preferences.
Gu Shi glanced at him and said, "I'll find you a driving instructor so you can learn to drive first, and then get your driver's license. Don't go do a summer job anymore."
Luo Can frowned: "I made an appointment with my classmate to hand out flyers."
Gu Shi glanced at him and said directly, "The company needs two employees to do odd jobs and run errands. You and your classmate can go to the company and work as employees for a few days. You'll learn something better than handing out flyers outside."
Lest that Zhengzheng always feel heart ache for younger brother.
Luo Can stared at him: "Learning to drive?"
Whether one owned a car or not, getting a driver's license was always a good idea.
Gu Shi said, "You will learn to drive in the morning and work at the company in the afternoon."
Luo Can was quite satisfied. Getting carried away, he started rambling on and on: "Elder Brother-in-law, you're wonderful! I'm so lucky to have an elder brother-in-law like you. It's like a thousand Buddhas have appeared in the world..."
Gu Shi quickly interrupted him, knowing that if he continued, all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens would descend to earth: "Your greatest fortune is having a good elder sister."
Luo Can thought about it and realized it made sense. If it weren't for elder sister's sake, would elder brother-in-law even know who he was?
He said with a smile, "Elder Brother-in-law, please don't tell my sister my college entrance exam results. I want to give her a surprise."
Gu Shi nodded in agreement with a twinkle in his eyes.
After obtaining the ginseng, the two exchanged contact information and Wen Guhua hurriedly left. After all, having fun wasn't his ultimate goal.
When Tang Yao returned to the small garden, everyone was still discussing the flowers and plants, with many taking photos with their phones or cameras.
It was as lively as a New Year's celebration.
It wasn't until Xiao Li prepared several tables of delicious food that they finally turned their gaze away from the small garden.
Considering that this group of guests was mostly elderly, Xiao Li prepared relatively light but delicious dishes.
While enjoying the delicious and nutritious meals surrounded by greenery, everyone instantly felt all their fatigue disappear.
However, being elderly, they went back to their rooms for a nap after the meal.
Tang Yao breathed a sigh of relief.
Almost everyone wanted her to sell them the flowers and plants from the guesthouse and were exceptionally enthusiastic towards her, with a few even offering to introduce her to their grandchildren.
Tang Yao was one step away from fleeing.
Back in her small building, she said weakly to Xiao Yue trio, "I'm going to rest for a while. Don't call me unless it's absolutely necessary. If I don't come out for dinner, please bring it to me."
Xiao Yue nodded, but didn't leave immediately. Instead, she placed her hand on Tang Yao's forehead: "36.2 degrees Celsius. No fever. Are you feeling unwell?"
Her hand was the most accurate thermometer.
Xiao Yue's concerned tone warmed Tang Yao's heart.
"It's nothing, I just sometimes want to be alone," Tang Yao smiled.
Xiao Yue was relieved and turned to leave.
Tang Yao took a nap, waking up at three in the afternoon.
Her room door was very soundproof. Her parents had deliberately changed it during her senior year of high school to prevent guests at the guesthouse from disturbing her studies.
Tang Yao went to the rooftop, made herself a cup of tea, and then lazily nestled into a recliner.
She could see a number of people strolling leisurely in the garden not far away, all commenting on the flowers and plants.
The sounds of voices reached her ears, the recliner swayed gently, a light breeze caressed her face, the sunlight softly shone on her body, and the aroma of tea slowly wafted into her nostrils.
In this atmosphere, Tang Yao squinted her eyes, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep again.
When she woke up, she found herself covered with a blanket. Just as she got up Xiao Yue brought up a steaming bowl of food.
Xiao Yue trio could freely enter and leave Tang Yao's small building. Tang Yao trusted them so much entirely because of the robots' programming.
The evolution of robot intelligence was nothing new in that interstellar world. There had even been instances of robots fighting humans. Therefore, they were more cautious about making modern robots. Whether for military or domestic use, if they showed even the slightest sign of disloyalty, their self-destruct program would be activated.
However, her three robots were far too gentle, seemingly completely unrelated to the interstellar people's worries.
Xiao Yue placed the food on the rooftop table, setting out the bowls and chopsticks before beckoning Tang Yao over.
"Xiao Li made Buddha Jumps Over the Wall today. She said you'd definitely like it," Xiao Yue said softly.
Upon hearing "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall," Tang Yao's mind conjured up images of thick, fragrant broth. She immediately propped up from her recliner.
The lid of the clay pot was lifted and white steam instantly rose, along with a burst of aroma.
Tang Yao first scooped a bowl of thick, golden soup. One sip and the savory aroma filled her mouth, leaving a lingering, delightful aftertaste.
The warmth spread from her mouth all the way to her stomach.
The ingredients were stewed to perfection, tender and delicious.
Tang Yao felt utterly blissful.
She finished an entire pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup by herself and was so full that she had to stand up and walk around a few times to aid digestion.
If Xiao Yue trio could eat human food, she would have loved to share this heavenly delicacy with them.
After staying for a few days, the first group of guests had to leave the guesthouse because their purchased stay had expired.
Upon leaving, their sons, grandsons, or their dedicated bodyguard teams all gathered at the guesthouse entrance.
After waiting and waiting, they didn't see their loved ones. Looking inside, they saw everyone surrounding a pretty young girl.
Unable to resist the pleas of the group of elderly people, Tang Yao could only agree to a limit of one pot for each person.
Everyone cheered and went to choose their favorites.
An elderly man remained, looking at Tang Yao with eager eyes: "Tang girl, I want to buy a piece of wood, the kind you use for the table in the dining room. That kind of old wood is very hard to find. The price is negotiable, or you can sell me the table itself."
Tang Yao sighed, "There's another piece of wood in the backyard, I'll sell it to you. Don't even think about my table."
The old man immediately beamed.
Their children and grandchildren were surprised to find that these usually decisive and meticulous elders in the business world were smiling like children. What was the charm of this guesthouse?
After everyone had chosen their desired items, Tang Yao's account instantly received eight figures, along with small gifts from the elderly.
Everyone held her hands, reluctant to part. Besides the valuable flowers, plants, and wood, Tang Yao's good looks and gentle, sweet demeanor truly made everyone like her.
One by one, the elderly left. Those waiting outside noticed that their parents or grandparents, who looked the same before arriving at the guesthouse, were completely different upon leaving.
They seemed to have better complexions and even looked younger.
When the question was asked and only got an eye roll from their elders.
"Yao Yao takes good care of us every day, feeding us well and chatting with us when she has time. Naturally, I'm healthier. Unlike you, my unfilial son, when have you ever spent time with me like Yao Yao?"
The man could only helplessly rub his nose, feeling guilty.
Zhou Yunliang's entire complexion had undergone a dramatic change. The hidden injuries he had sustained from his past time in the army didn't hurt at all at the guesthouse.
His son was delighted: "I'll take you to get checked out when we get back to the capital."
"I feel perfectly healthy now, I can even hit some little ghosts!" Zhou Yunliang patted his thigh, which had been aching for years but now felt no pain, and said happily.
Tang Yao was unaware that once these people returned home, the news of the guesthouse's health benefits would spread throughout the community.
After the guests left, Tang Yao didn't relax, as the next group of guests was about to arrive and the glass restaurant was booked.
Netizens complained on the guesthouse's Weibo account that rooms were booked too quickly and even the glass restaurant was sold out. They clamored for Tang Yao to offer a delivery service.
Seeing the growing number of complaints, Tang Yao simply posted an announcement: "Due to limited staff, the guesthouse will not offer a delivery service. Everyone is welcome to dine in the restaurant."
This announcement elicited many cries of despair, but those who watched the variety show knew that the guesthouse only had three employees.
While browsing online, Li Yuanyuan stumbled upon the hot and trendy guesthouse, The Garden Within The Memories. Looking at the beautiful pictures and remembering the therapist's advice to travel more, she clicked the link and snagged a 188 yuan single room for a week later.
Today was the day.
Li Yuanyuan didn't want to go. Her depression had relapsed and every moment felt like torture.
At this time, the door opened. Her mother, Zhang Ru, peeked in. Her voice was gentle. "Yuanyuan, didn't you book a trip to that guesthouse today? I've already called a car and the luggage is packed."
"I don't want to go. Let someone else have it," a muffled voice came from under the covers.
"Why? I saw the pictures online. I think it's really beautiful there. Maybe going there will make you feel better. How about I go with you?"
Li Yuanyuan peeked out from under the covers and looked at the starry wallpaper her parents had specially changed for her on the ceiling.
Perhaps she could try going out and seeing the world, instead of always staying in one place, confining herself.
Seeing Li Yuanyuan move, Zhang Ru was overjoyed and secretly wiped away a tear.
The mother and daughter packed their things and went downstairs, where the driver punctually arrived.
Seeing her disheveled appearance and dark circles under her eyes in the rearview mirror, Li Yuanyuan couldn't help but wipe her face.
She was only twenty-three, but looked like she was almost thirty.
Beside her, Zhang Ru tightly gripped her right hand. That arm was covered with numerous knife marks.
She knew she was causing her mother a lot of trouble, but she simply couldn't control herself.
The car smoothly drove to the station. The mother and daughter collected their tickets and boarded a bus.
Their small city was only a three- or four-hour drive from Wanhua Town.
Soon, the bus stopped at a station filled with flowers.
As soon as they got off the bus, a woman wearing a uniform with the words "Wanhua Town Tourism Bureau" on it approached and handed them a small bouquet of flowers in various colors.
"Welcome to Wanhua Town. We hope you have a pleasant journey."
"Thank you," Zhang Ru hurriedly spoke.
Looking at the small bouquet in her hand, Li Yuanyuan pursed her lips.
"This town is so beautiful and the pace of life is so leisurely. It's perfect for relaxing," Zhang Ru said to Li Yuanyuan after they exited the station.
Li Yuanyuan's eyes darted around. Everywhere was a riot of flowers. Even the scooters were decorated with pretty blossoms.
The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers and the aroma of food.
Vendors were everywhere, and the restaurants were bustling with activity at midday.
"Should we wander around a bit more, or go check out the guesthouse first? I saw pictures online. The guesthouses have a beautiful glass-enclosed restaurant," Zhang Ru asked softly.
"Let's go to the guesthouse," Li Yuanyuan said, feeling a little uncomfortable with the hustle and bustle.
Zhang Ru nodded, hailed a small flower cart, and they got in together.
Before either of them could speak, the driver asked, "To the Garden Within The Memories?"
"Yes, sir, how do you know?" Zhang Ru asked, somewhat surprised.
"The guesthouse is really popular lately. Most of the people taking the flower carts are going there. Ordinary tourists prefer to walk," the flower cart driver said knowingly.
The driver spoke as he drove the flower cart slowly towards the guesthouse.
Soon, the cart arrived at the guesthouse.
Zhang Ru and Li Yuanyuan noticed that there were many people there. Some were buying pretty fruit baskets from the small shop across from the guesthouse, some were taking photos at the entrance, and some were going straight inside.
Li Yuanyuan instinctively wanted to back out, but Zhang Ru held her hand tightly.
"Come on, it's just a few steps. If you're not feeling well, you'll be fine once we get to the room," Zhang Ru urged her daughter with her eyes pleading.
Li Yuanyuan's heart softened instantly. She followed her mother into the guesthouse with her head down.
In contrast to the outside, the guesthouse was not noisy at all. It was quite quiet. Everyone seemed to be speaking softly.
The only clear sounds were the chirping of insects, birds, and the wind.
After entering the guesthouse, Li Yuanyuan's unease and anxiety inexplicably subsided somewhat.
At that moment, a guesthouse staff member came out to verify their names and ID cards and helped them check in.
They stayed on the second floor, with windows offering views of a quiet bamboo grove behind and a small garden in front.
The room was very soundproof. Once inside, almost no outside noise could be heard.
Although it was a single room, the bed was large enough that the mother and daughter wouldn't feel too cramped.
Xiao Yue left after showing them the way. In this private space, Li Yuanyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Standing by the window, taking in the bamboo leaves rustling in the wind, and listening to the gentle whisper, she sighed, "This place seems really nice."
"Then let's stay a couple more days. Yuanyuan, are you hungry? Would you like to eat at the restaurant or have the staff bring it up?" Zhang Ru looked around the room, quite satisfied.
"I... I'll eat here." Thinking about all the people in the restaurant, Li Yuanyuan hesitated. "Okay, what would you like to eat?" Menus were placed in the room. These were new additions for the reopening.
"You decide, I don't have much of an appetite."
Li Yuanyuan showed little interest in food and rarely ate, which worried Zhang Ru.
Zhang Ru looked at the menu and chose a few light dishes.
She called the front desk and listed the names of the dishes. It was Xiao Ling who answered the phone and wrote them down before passing them to Xiao Li in the kitchen.
About twenty minutes later, Xiao Ling brought the food up.
It was served on a tray. When uncovering, steam burst out.
There was sweet and sour pork ribs, asparagus with scrambled eggs and shrimp, and a large bowl of thick, white fish head soup.
These were all Li Yuanyuan's favorite dishes.
The aroma of the food wafted into her nostrils, even attracting the attention of Li Yuanyuan, who had little appetite.
Although they only ordered three dishes, the portions were quite generous.
"Come on, Yuanyuan, these sweet and sour pork ribs smell amazing!" Zhang Ru called to her daughter after setting the table.
Li Yuanyuan went over and sat down. As soon as she did, her stomach started growling.
She hadn't felt hungry in ages.
Li Yuanyuan was stunned.
Zhang Ru happily placed an egg and a piece of pork rib on her plate: "Eat more if you're hungry. A full stomach gives you energy."
Li Yuanyuan lowered her head and took a bite of the rib. The sweet and sour tender meat almost melted in her mouth.
After eating one, she couldn't resist eating another. It was one bite after another. Zhang Ru happily ate half a bowl of rice more than usual.
As long as she was eating, it meant everything was getting better.