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Chapter 121: Chapter 121 ’Our Family’s Business
When she came out of the school, Tong Yao was still a bit dazed. She never expected things to be sorted out this easily, which was completely different from what she had anticipated beforehand.
Principal Zeng did not just agree to lease out the building, but he also signed a five-year contract with them. For the next five years, the rent wouldn’t go up. Tong Yao was so pleased that she almost couldn’t stifle a cheer.
With the store location set, the first bucket of gold that truly belonged to her was within her grasp.
"Are you happy?" Si Chen asked, looking at Tong Yao’s excited little face with a faint flicker of perplexity in his eyes.
"Of course! I am going to draft a blue print when I get home later, hire a few people to renovate the store, and buy a fridge. Then, I can also sell cold drinks, and no one can steal my market anymore." She had planned all of this well in advance, just waiting for it to be put into action.
Now that the lease for the storefront was set, a huge rock lifted off her heart. She felt exceptionally relieved. Who wouldn’t be giddy with joy?
Si Chen turned up the corner of his mouth and asked in a low voice, "Did you call home yet?"
"No, not yet." Tong Yao shook her head, "You go back to the hospital to work. I have nothing to do this afternoon, so I’ll first make a phone call before heading back."
Si Chen looked at the sun overhead and said, "It’s still early, I can take you to make that call first and then head back."
"That works too." In the scorching midday heat, Si Chen was willing to ferry her around on his bike – why not?
They quickly arrived outside the school, but before they could reach their bicycle, they were stopped by He Fang.
"Miss, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Tong Yao turned to look at He Fang who was walking towards them and replied with a frown, "Whatever you have to say, say it here!"
"This..."
He Fang glanced hesitantly at Si Chen, seemingly finding it inconvenient to speak with him present.
"You two talk. I’ll go fetch the bike." Si Chen eyed He Fang impassively and strode towards the bicycle parked under the shade of a large tree.
Watching Si Chen’s retreating figure, He Fang said enviously, "Your man is really good to you. You’re like a little kid around him."
If Aqiang were here, he wouldn’t have perceived that subtle message. When Tong Yao’s husband looks at her, his eyes are filled with indulgence. It was a look that He Fang was very familiar with - the same one her father had when he looked at his grandson.
Tong Yao: Was she like a child in Si Chen’s presence?
Was that so?
Wait, she was straying from the topic because of He Fang’s words.
"Just say why you’re looking for me! I’m in a hurry to leave."
Tong Yao was rather decisive and straightforward. She reciprocated the goodwill she received from others, but conversely, for those who betrayed her, she was absolutely ruthless and never gave the betrayers a second chance.
A dog that bites humans never loses its vicious nature, it’s always bound to bite again.
Before He Fang could speak, her eyes grew red and she began to choke up, "Miss, I know I was wrong for stealing your recipe and stealing your business here. I don’t want to betray you, but I really have no other choice. You know how things are at my house. Aqiang doesn’t care about me or Niuniu, he doesn’t care if we live or die. If he’s in a bad mood, he beats me, if he drinks, he beats me, if he loses money gambling, he beats me, if he asks me for money and I don’t have any, he beats me. If I don’t make money, he’ll kill me."
"You haven’t stopped me just to have a sob story, have you?" Tong Yao’s eyebrows knitted even more tightly. Instead of feeling sympathy for He Fang’s words, she felt that He Fang somewhat deserved what she got.
If He Fang was willing to be a slave, even if she were to find an emperor for her, it would be futile. If she’s willing to endure her husband’s beatings, nobody could help her.
"Miss, I just wanted to apologize to you, otherwise, I won’t be able to rest easy." He Fang sniffed, biting her lips, struggling to speak, "Miss, could you, on Niuniu’s account, leave a way out for us? My family lives a good life, your man is a doctor in the hospital, even if you don’t work at all, you still won’t have to worry about food or clothing. But I’m different, if I don’t make money, my family won’t survive. Miss, I beg you, please don’t be so ruthless, I am even willing to kneel down and beg you."
Tong Yao could see through it all. After all the fuss, He Fang was worried that she had gone into the school to request the principal to ban her from selling drinks here. He Fang had been thriving in business earlier that morning, how come just now she started to play the victim. So it turned out she was hiding these thoughts.
Thinking about it, Tong Yao coldly scorned, "Your hardship is caused by your man, not me. Why should I give you my business? It’s a business that earns thousands a month. If I begged you for a few sentences more, wouldn’t you give me my business back?"
How ridiculous.
Whoever had that much sympathy can be a good Samaritan. She certainly didn’t plan to be one.
"Miss, do I really have to kneel and kowtow to you?" Tears streamed down He Fang’s face, and she was ready to kneel down and kowtow to Tong Yao. From the looks of how happy Tong Yao was when she came out, He Fang was sure that Tong Yao had achieved something. He Fang was really worried that the school would step in and prohibit her from setting up her stall at the school. She had thought about it for a while and decided to swallow her pride and beg Tong Yao. 𝖓𝖔𝖛𝔭𝖚𝖇.𝔠𝖔𝔪
If she loses the milk tea business, Aqiang will kill her. In the future, she and Niuniu will have to beg in the streets.
"What are you trying to do?" Si Chen, who was pushing the bicycle over, pulled Tong Yao to his side and looked at He Fang with a frown. "You each have your own business. Don’t make such a fuss."
"I..." He Fang, who was about to kneel down, froze at Si Chen’s arrival. Seeing Si Chen’s cold expression, she couldn’t bring herself to kneel.
He Fang was somewhat familiar with Tong Yao’s temperament since she’d known her for so long. That’s why she dared to use this tactic in front of Tong Yao. However, she didn’t dare to do so in front of Si Chen.
He Fang was in her twenties, not much different in age from Si Chen. Being watched by such a handsome guy in such a condition made her blush with embarrassment. It felt like she was stripped naked and thrown on the streets.
"Let’s go!"
Tong Yao did not want to waste any more words with He Fang anymore, so she held onto Si Chen and they left.
After riding a bit on the rear seat of the bike, Tong Yao thought about what had happened just then and felt a bit irritated, "Annoying! He Fang just picks the easy targets. Why isn’t she begging Yuan Erhua stop competing with her?"
Si Chen replied with a light laugh, "She may have picked the wrong target."
"And you’re laughing."
Tong Yao raised her little fist and punched lightly on Si Chen’s back, huffing, "She snatched our business, not just mine."
’Our business,’ ’Our home,’ the three ordinary words he had been heard countless times from Lin Fengying and Si Xiaohui. However, when they came from Tong Yao at this moment, a different feeling rose in his chest, making him feel as pleasant as being bathed in the spring breeze.
The corners of his mouth uncontrollably curled up into a slight smile.
