Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Yang Juanjuan indeed had this intention, wanting to take more from Ye Xiaohan. Whether it was cosmetics or men, if possible, she didn't want to leave even a fragment for Ye Xiaohan.
From the moment Liu Bei entered, his gaze was fixed on Ye Xiaohan. His expression changed several times, growing darker and darker, yet he said nothing as he watched Ye Xiaohan and Yang Juanjuan engage in a war of words.
Liu Yuan shifted his gaze and guessed the general situation. No wonder these two always felt that Ye Xiaohan seemed a bit distracted; it turned out there was trouble brewing in the backyard.
Now there was a good show to watch.
Liu Yuan had never had a good impression of Liu Bei. In his eyes, Liu Bei was utterly useless, merely surviving by relying on a woman. It was truly a disgrace to manhood.
He couldn't understand what kind of judgment Ye Xiaohan had to associate with someone like him. She even rejected a man like himself, who was superior in every way, just for Liu Bei.
Since he couldn't have Ye Xiaohan, he wouldn't let Liu Bei have her easily either. He decided to stir the pot and make things even messier.
With this determination, Liu Yuan secretly revealed a sinister smile and deliberately moved closer to Ye Xiaohan. In front of Liu Bei, he struck up a conversation with her, intentionally using ambiguous language.
“Xiao Han, this is your fault. Since Liu Bei brought a distinguished guest, how could we let the guest bear the expenses? How about this: I'll take care of the bill,” Liu Yuan said, changing from his previous formal address to directly calling Ye Xiaohan by her name.
Ye Xiaohan was taken aback by Liu Yuan's suddenly familiar tone. She instinctively wanted to retort but then caught sight of Liu Bei's cold gaze piercing through her.
Before she could think it through, the words slipped out: “I overlooked it; we all know each other well enough not to fuss over such trivial matters. But really, with our relationship, do I still need to charge you?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ye Xiaohan regretted them. Why did she let her mouth run without consulting her brain? To spite Liu Bei by bringing in someone like Liu Yuan—wasn't that just like how Liu Bei had brought Yang Juanjuan to irritate her?
Why did she act so childishly without hesitation? Where had her adult intelligence gone?
No matter how much Ye Xiaohan regretted it internally, the words were already out and couldn't be taken back. Stubbornly putting on a brave face meant she had to endure the turmoil inside her heart and deal with this mess before her.
After this incident, the relationship between Ye Xiaohan and Liu Bei became even more strained. Their interactions dropped to an all-time low. Even when they encountered each other at home, they ignored one another completely; for a time, if one was present, the other would take their meal into their room rather than sit at the same table.
Eventually, whether they came to an understanding or were simply afraid that their bad atmosphere would affect others in the household, they managed to sit together at the table again. However, everyone kept their eyes on their plates and minds elsewhere during meals, with only Yang Juanjuan's delicate voice breaking the silence from start to finish.
Sighing, Ye Xiaohan pushed aside the pile of account books on the table. Business at the shop had improved, but Liu Yang couldn't manage all the accounts alone; she had no choice but to help out as well.
Yet her mind was restless; she couldn't focus at all. Ye Xiaohan struggled to concentrate but found it impossible. How would she ever open a branch store in the future? Once that happened, she'd only be busier than now.
"Get up," she thought, the matters concerning the branch should have been brought up by now. But with everything in such disarray, she had neither the energy nor the mood to address it, so it just dragged on.
"Miss Ye," someone knocked on the open door.
Ye Xiaohan looked up at the sound. "Oh, it's Uncle Li. What brings you here? Is Qi causing trouble with Round again?"
"No, no. Qi is being good and is off playing with Round. I saw you were struggling with the accounts, so I made some lotus seed soup to help you relax." Li Yi placed the tray on a clear spot on the table, careful not to disturb the scattered account books.
Ye Xiaohan took the lotus seed soup and absentmindedly stirred it. "Thank you, Uncle Li. I'm fine; it's just that I've worried you all."
"Not at all. You took us in, allowing us to avoid wandering the streets; that is a great kindness. I'm old now and can't be of much help, but at least let me do what I can to express my gratitude."
Li Yi had lost his family and even his home had been sold. After many twists and turns over the years, he was left with only this place. He felt truly grateful to Ye Xiaohan.
Though he didn't know how Ye Xiaohan and Liu Bei had interacted before, he could tell from their brief exchanges that there was still some affection between them.
It was a pity to see two young people who clearly cared for each other now acting like enemies, ignoring one another. Li Yi felt regret for them. It was rare for two people with feelings for each other to meet in this world.
Especially after witnessing many stories of unfeeling individuals, it made it even more precious when two good people could start and end well together. If he could offer advice, he would want to encourage them, hoping for a change in their situation.
"Miss Ye, are you still angry about Miss Yang?" Li Yi said. "Even I can see that Liu Bei still cares for you; his relationship with Miss Yang is merely out of familial obligation—he doesn't want to show his displeasure to his aunt."
Ye Xiaohan knew this all too well; the problem lay within her own heart. She no longer knew whether she was angry because Liu Bei was deliberately trying to provoke her or because she feared he might completely give up on her in the future.
Shaking her head, Ye Xiaohan took a spoonful of lotus seed soup and tasted it. The lotus seeds were tender and sweet, perfect for cooling off during this season.
"Uncle Li, this lotus seed soup is delicious! It's even better than what's at Fortune Restaurant. With your skills, one would think it came from some fancy restaurant!" Ye Xiaohan finally showed some spirit and gave Li Yi a thumbs-up.
Seeing that she didn't want to discuss things further, Li Yi refrained from pressing her. Having lived long enough and seen many things, he understood that matters of the heart were best resolved by those involved.
Hearing Ye Xiaohan change the subject to compliment his cooking skills brought a shadow over his face. "Back when my wife and daughter were still here, I would always cook this lotus seed soup for them during hot days; they loved it. Alas, life is unpredictable—one must cherish those who are present."
Ye Xiaohan fell silent, mourning not only for Li Yi's tragic past but also moved by his words. The vastness of mountains and rivers seemed distant; it was better to cherish those who were right before her.
She understood the reasoning behind it all, but when it came to her own situation, how could she remain as clear-headed as an observer?
Just like Li Yi, who had been wise all his life, engaging in trade and earning a comfortable living. In the end, even he had misjudged a moment and ended up in such a predicament.
Wait a minute, a lifetime spent in trade?
Ye Xiaohan suddenly lifted her head and stared at Li Yi. As she looked, she nodded continuously, saying, "Not bad, not bad. Very good."
With such an experienced elder before her, she had been so blinded that she hadn't even noticed such an outstanding candidate. Li Yi had done quite well in business back in the day; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to afford such a large house or accumulate so much wealth and luxury.
Li Yi was puzzled by her gaze and asked, "Miss Ye, what are you doing? Is there something inappropriate about me?" Was it because he was getting old that he was becoming careless, even spilling soup?
"No, it's appropriate, very appropriate!" Ye Xiaohan had a plan forming in her mind. She was in need of a trustworthy and experienced shopkeeper, and there was no one better suited than Li Yi.
Li Yi's background was tragic; he had nowhere else to go. After spending some time together, Ye Xiaohan could sense that Li Yi was a man of his word. If he were to take over the shop, he would surely manage it with dedication.
This way, Ye Xiaohan could finally step back from the daily operations of the store and focus solely on researching formulas. To be honest, she had little interest in business.
Opening Peach Blossom Studio had been a last resort; now that there was someone more suitable to take over, she welcomed the opportunity for ease. For Ye Xiaohan, her true expertise lay in medicine, and that was where her interests lay as well.
Moreover, if Li Yi joined the shop, even without Ye Xiaohan present in the future, with his experience and cleverness, he would be able to carry on the business successfully.
Comment 0 Comment Count