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Chapter 351: Chapter 351 The Competitor
Si Chen had arranged a hotel room for Song Yu near the hospital, but the moment they left, Song Yu checked out and returned to live under the bridge with the refunded money.
Si Chen and Tong Yao followed him all the way and saw his pitiful figure curled up under the bridge. They didn’t approach him, instead, they silently retreated the way they came, as if they had never been there.
Under the night sky, Tong Yao thought of Song Yu under the bridge and commented, "It seems like Song Yu’s determination this time is quite strong."
Si Chen furrowed his brows in contemplation for a while and finally spoke, "Let’s see how things unfold. If he’s really looking for a job, the refund money from the hotel is enough to last him for half a month."
Recognizing the unspoken meaning in his words, Tong Yao blinked and asked, "If he really wants to earnestly find a job, will you help him?"
"Xiaohui brought him to Kyoto. If he does stay and wants to earnestly work, I don’t mind lending a hand." Si Chen held Tong Yao’s hand and steered her to walk along the edge of the road. When he saw occasional bikers riding past, he would instinctively shield her to prevent her from being bumped into.
"That’s true." Tong Yao nodded, "Despite his slick mouth, Song Yu is not a bad person. If it weren’t for Xiaohui, he probably would be quite resourceful too."
Everyone has a selfish side and seeks to maximize their own benefits, as long as they’re not committing serious crimes or immorality. It’s difficult to define people as simply good or bad.
Some people just have a weaker moral compass or, to put it bluntly, a lack of integrity.
Si Chen didn’t like to judge others and said, "If he sincerely wants to find a job, he will start tomorrow. If he can stick with it for three days, I’ll lend him 20 yuan."
Even close siblings should settle accounts clearly. This saying was always applicable. Si Chen didn’t want to be too involved with Song Yu, but if Song Yu could work hard and endure hardships, he wouldn’t mind lending some help out of respect for his determination.
Tong Yao tilted her head and smiled warmly at him, "Ahchen, despite your frosty exterior, you do have a warm heart! I always thought you didn’t like Song Yu and wouldn’t want to help him at all."
Si Chen gave a small smile, "I’m supporting his perseverance and willingness to labor hard."
Tong Yao nodded seriously, "If he really gets dedicated to a job, he won’t become rich overnight but at least his life wouldn’t be too harsh. As long as he can be hard on himself, remaining in Kyoto would certainly have a brighter future compared to staying back in Li City."
Now is a time when social economy is booming. If he seizes the opportunities, even a paid job would allow him to save a little money and live comfortably. 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝔭𝔲𝔟.𝖈𝔬𝔪
Of course, this presumes that he won’t act like Xiaohui, trying to outdo others by spending beyond his means.
As for money, spend more if you earn more, spend less if you earn less. Don’t dream of spending big when you are low on cash, as that won’t lead to a good life anywhere.
Si Chen remained silent, "His decision is ultimately up to him."
Tong Yao nodded, "I’ll keep an eye on him for the next few days."
When Tong Yao mentioned observing Song Yu’s movements, she didn’t intend to give it much heed. But unexpectedly, the next day she met Song Yu near her milk tea shop, gobbling down a steamed bun on the street. He didn’t expect to see Tong Yao there, and his face turned red with shame.
Hesitantly, he stuttered, "Sister-in-law, I’ve thought about it, I decided to stay in Kyoto."
If he returned to Li City now, he would become a laughingstock. No matter what, he was a man of high qualifications and believed that he would be able survive in Kyoto.
He had planned to endure hardship temporarily and save some money. Once he had some savings, he would switch to a more comfortable and promising job to show Xiaohui that he was not useless.
Honestly, at his very core, Song Yu still had feelings for Xiaohui.
Tong Yao’s eyes flashed with a sly light as she asked deliberately, "Didn’t you say you were without money? Where did you get the money for your meal?"
Song Yu felt a bit embarrassed and spoke in a low voice, "I cancelled the room reservation you arranged for me last night and didn’t stay there." At that time the landlady was quite furious and rebuked him for quite a while before reluctantly refunding the money.
"Oh..." Tong Yao nodded, "If you’ve found work, and are really struggling to cover your meals, you can come to us!"
Song Yu felt a warmth in his heart and his eyes turned instantly red. The comfort he felt from those words in a far-off land was a feeling only he understood.
"Sister-in-law, I’ve already found a job as a helper for a renovation project. I don’t know much right now and the salary is a bit low. But it includes meals and accommodation, and once I learn more, I’ll get a raise."
After being hit hard by reality, Song Yu had finally seen the truth. Sweet-talking to woo women was useless. Once it came to managing a household with chores and bills, he needed to earn money diligently. If he couldn’t provide for his wife, she would look down on him.
He had also reflected well on his actions when he first came to Kyoto. Had he worked diligently towards getting a job, Si Chen might have even respected him. Because of his intention to live off Xiaohui, he ended up in this state.
Just then, a voice from afar yelled, "Song Yu, are you done eating? Hurry up and come here, we need to start working."
A man from a distance suddenly called out. Song Yu quickly replied, and then bid farewell to Tong Yao. He ate his steamed bun while rushing towards the man.
Tong Yao didn’t pay much attention to the encounter with Song Yu, thinking it was just a simple chance meeting. However, she didn’t anticipate meeting him again three days later.
A new tea shop was opening up just across the street. Song Yu turned out to be one of the renovation workers there.
Song Yu felt somewhat guilty and specially went to Tong Yao to explain. Tong Yao didn’t mind, mostly surprised that business competitors sprung up so fast, opening up a shop directly across from hers and even naming it similarly.
Her shop’s name was ’KouKou’, while the shop across the street was named ’Coco’. At first, Tong Yao just assumed it was regular business competition. However, she soon discovered two more ’Coco’ milk tea shops opening up next to each other on the same street.
It was clear that this was not mere business competition, but a targeted initiative.
Tong Yao started wondering who the owner of these stores could be. She asked Song Yu about it, but he didn’t know the name of the owner and had never seen them. All the renovation details were discussed between the foreman and the owner.
Meanwhile, things weren’t looking bright on Si Chen’s side either. Zhao Rongwei was still unconscious, and Zhao Wenyu was becoming increasingly agitated. He caused several disturbances, and after seeing Zhao Wenkai speaking with Si Chen in the corridor, he believed that the two were in cahoots.
After a few noisy disturbances which caught the attention of the police, despite the fact that they sided with the hospital knowing they were innocent, Zhao Wenyu insisted that there was an illicit transaction going on between Si Chen and Wenkai. Wenkai didn’t offer any explanation and continued to display a faint smile.
