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Chapter 452: Chapter 452: Manman, look who’s here
Maybe Shi Yan had drunk a little too much that night. Feeling a bit disoriented, he couldn’t help but reminisce about his moments with Lin Man. Most of the time, he remembered, she would belittle him.
Whenever he thought about the few times Lin Man had been kind to him, he clung on to those memories. It felt like searching for sugar in shards of glass.
He had intended to go home, but somehow had ended up outside Lin Man’s apartment building. Shi Yan didn’t go upstairs; he just stood there, lost in the light of her home.
He wasn’t sure how long he stood there when he suddenly heard someone call his name.
"Shi Yan?" 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝔲𝔟.𝔠𝖔𝖒
Shi Yan turned around and saw Tong Xiangqiao walking towards him.
Tong Xiangqiao wasn’t too sure at first, but when she got closer and was sure it was Shi Yan, she burst out laughing, "Oh my! It really is you! Shi Yan, are you here to see Manman? Why don’t you go up?"
Shi Yan’s crush on Lin Man was well-known in the Lin Family. Tong Xiangqiao didn’t particularly like Shi Yan, but she didn’t dislike him either. The main reason was Shi Yan’s generosity; he frequently brought gifts when he visited.
Tong Xiangqiao loved a bargain, so she naturally liked people like him.
Lately, Lin Man had been dumped by Zhao Wenkai, leaving her depressed and anxious. Tong Xiangqiao was worried sick, often losing sleep, fearing her daughter would never marry.
Suddenly, seeing Shi Yan coming to see Lin Man and dressing like he’d become rich made Tong Xiangqiao extremely happy, as if she’d won the lottery.
Tong Xiangqiao quickly ushered Shi Yan to their home out of fear that he might leave, not even letting him get a word in edgewise.
Lin Man happened to be leaving the room to use the bathroom when she heard the door opening. Thinking that Tong Xiangqiao had returned, she paid no mind. She was about to head to the bathroom when she heard Tong Xiangqiao’s voice.
"Manman, look who’s here."
Lin Man glanced over and locked eyes with Shi Yan, her face visibly faltered and she responded angrily, "Mom, why did you bring him here?"
Then, she stormed back into her room, slamming the door shut. Tong Xiangqiao, caught off guard by Lin Man’s reaction, awkwardly laughed and apologized to Shi Yan.
"Shi Yan, don’t mind Manman. She’s always been headstrong. Sit for a while, I’ll go have a talk with her."
As she spoke, Tong Xiangqiao quickly called Lin Jinwu to keep Shi Yan company, and she went inside to persuade Lin Man.
Lin Jinwu was very pleased to see Shi Yan. He offered Shi Yan a smoke and poured him tea. In the past, Shi Yan would have been the one gifting and serving them whenever he visited Lin Jinwu and Lin Sicheng.
Thinking about this, he glanced around and asked, "Where’s Sicheng?"
Shi Yan felt his current status was quite superior. In the past, when he visited the Lin Family, he always addressed Lin Sicheng with deference, calling him Brother Sicheng.
Lin Jinwu hurriedly answered, "Oh, he moved into his wife’s home. Our house is too cramped and has no room for him."
The house they lived in was a two-bedroom apartment with only a few dozen square meters of space. Lin Man hadn’t married yet, leaving no room for Lin Sicheng who then had to shamelessly live at his mother-in-law’s home. He did, however, return home each day for meals.
"Why didn’t you get a larger place?"
Shi Yan was trying to light a cigarette but, after feeling around in his pocket for a while, he seemed to have misplaced his lighter.
Seeing Shi Yan’s difficulty, Lin Jinwu quickly took a match and lit Shi Yan’s cigarette. After extinguishing the match, he said, "The money we got from selling the house wasn’t enough to buy a larger one. The real estate prices in Kyoto have shot up in recent years."
He then looked Shi Yan over and laughed, "Shi Yan, you look different from before. Have you struck it rich?"
"Not exactly rich, I just managed to make a small fortune. I opened a few stores with some friends." Shi Yan replied leisurely.
Hearing this, Lin Jinwu’s eyes sparkled.
Inside Lin Man’s room, Tong Xiangqiao was eavesdropping at the door. As soon as she confirmed that Shi Yan had indeed become wealthy, she quickly turned to Lin Man and said,
"Did you hear that? Shi Yan is now a businessman, he’s made a fortune and owns several stores. He’s here because he still likes you, don’t squander this opportunity."
Lin Man, still upset that Tong Xiangqiao had invited Shi Yan without her permission, retorted, "Just because he likes me, does that mean I have to like him back? Do you think I’ll like just any man?"
Lin Man didn’t believe that Shi Yan had come back to woo her. She had humiliated him before, and they had parted ways bitterly. She felt that now that Shi Yan was back, he was probably here for revenge.
Especially since she has been a bit of a mess lately, and Shi Yan caught her looking disheveled, Lin Man could only feel humiliated. How could her mother just bring someone back home like that?
For all she knew, Shi Yan was laughing at her and looking down on her in his mind.
"Are you an idiot?" Tong Xiangqiao poked Lin Man’s scalp harshly, angrily chastising her, "Do you still think you’re the pure and innocent girl you once were? You should consider yourself lucky if you can find a suitable man at this point. What right do you have to be picky when you are nothing but a used shoe left over by someone else?"
Tong Xiangqiao was enraged every time she thought about how Lin Man was taken advantage of by Zhao Wenkai and got nothing in the end.
She tried to confront Zhao Wenkai at his company but was intercepted and dragged off by his bodyguards even before she could enter. She was so terrified that she nearly wet her pants.
Later, she called Zhao Wenyu, but it didn’t help. Instead, she got a severe scolding.
That was when Tong Xiangqiao realized they were no match for Zhao Wenkai and had no choice but to swallow this unfairness.
"How dare you mention that!" Lin Man gritted her teeth in anger, "If you and dad hadn’t caused trouble at the company, would I have been dumped by Zhao Wenkai?"
Her excellent prospects had been ruined by her own parents. If she had the means, she would have left this home a long time ago.
Tong Xiangqiao felt a bit guilty mentioning this. "Let’s not talk about this anymore. It’s all in the past. Just change your clothes and freshen up before you see Shi Yan."
Seeing Lin Man sitting still, Tong Xiangqiao pleaded earnestly, "Manman, don’t be foolish. I’m your mother; I won’t harm you. If you don’t go out now and miss Shi Yan, it might be too late. You heard yourself that he’s now a big boss, owning several stores. Considering your situation, how much better a man do you think you can find? Once this chance is gone, there won’t be another."
"When I was standing with Shi Yan earlier, I smelled alcohol on him. He probably just finished entertaining some other bosses and had a few drinks. Then he remembered you. If you don’t go out now, he might lose interest when he’s sobered up."
Lin Man remained silent, her heart wavering.
She couldn’t deny that her mother was right. She was decently attractive but not exceptionally so, lacking any distinctive traits. There were plenty of women in Kyoto with similar looks.
Her relationship with Zhao Wenkai had been accidental. If she missed the chance with Shi Yan, it would be really hard to find a rich guy again. It wasn’t just about whether the rich guy would like her, but she wouldn’t even have the chance to enter their social circles.
