Chapter 32: A Day and Night Journey (Part 1)

  It's been a few days since I fired those two incompetent employees with lightning speed, and the days have passed in a blur. During these days, I've been completely absorbed in my own world filled with fruits and cream, oblivious to everything outside, and utterly content.

  But now someone insists on intruding into the Peach Blossom Spring where I am the only one.

  "Yao Yao~ My good Yao Yao~ Just tell me what you really thought at that time, I'm super curious!"

  Xiao Yu didn't care that I was still cutting the durian, she grabbed my arm and shook it violently. I couldn't bear it anymore and used a piece of durian skin to poke her hand.

  "Ah!" Xiao Yu cried out in pain, releasing her grip and quickly retreating a step back. She glared at me with a pained expression, "You... you... heartless thing! I was so worried about you, and this is how you treat me? No wonder Father rushed to your side as soon as he got out of the small dark room!"

  Xiaoyu was officially released at dawn today, and as soon as she turned on the computer, she excitedly made dozens of calls to me and A Qian in the middle of the night, and sent N messages asking us to go out for a midnight snack. Finally, she even sent a voice photo of her crazy laughter in the little black room.

  I was lucky to have turned my phone to silent mode before putting it in the living room for charging.

  However, when I and my aunt arrived at the dessert shop in the morning, we saw a tall beauty standing in front of the dessert shop door swinging her arms and dancing to an old-age fitness dance, with many onlookers around.

  My aunt and I stopped in perfect sync, standing silently on the spot until she finished jumping before going back to open the door.

  After seeing her, she immediately poured out the bitter water of these days in the small black room. Originally, I was eating stir-fried noodles while listening with relish, but after Cloud Sister and the others came to work, they started talking about how I publicly defended Cheng Qiao that day.

  I immediately wolfed down the fried noodles in three to five mouthfuls, and took advantage of their distraction to slip into the kitchen. Then Xiaoyu, after hearing many versions of the story, rushed over to find me and get to the bottom of things. And that's how things developed into the current situation.

  I continued to cut the durian flesh into strips with a poker face and said, "If you don't come here, are you going to Ah Qian and Tony's place to spread your light and heat?"

  Xiaoyu clapped her hands and sighed, "But I really didn't expect those two to actually succeed in getting back together. Remember when we were in front of Tony and swore that Ah Qian would never go back on her word? We told him to give up early. But now Ah Qian has quietly gotten back together with him, and what's even more surprising is that we don't feel any sense of contradiction about it. It just goes to show that everyone is a mysterious woman like a deep well of ice."

  I hadn't even picked up the phone when Yan Tao suddenly walked by us, politely waving at me with a smile: "Hello boss lady."

  I smiled wryly at him: "Actually, you really don't have to be so formal. And don't be so stiff, or I'll end up like the landlord class."

  Yan Tao smiled brightly, his big white teeth seeming to shine: "Yes. Boss lady, I'll take the desserts out now."

  I nodded: "Thanks for your hard work."

  Looking at his back, Xiao Yu clicked her tongue: "Who is this guy? He doesn't look bad, a small attack won't be a loss."

  "If you want it, I'll give it to you, but he's still single." I stroked my chin and thought for a moment. "As for why Ah Qian was easily conquered, I think it's because of the mixed-blood baby's charisma."

  "Ugh, and it's a kid again! I hate that sort of thing the most!" Xiao Yu said with disgust, rolling her eyes.

  "Right, you also grew up from that little thing to become a 175cm giant."

  "This is not the same thing at all, okay? I was... No, you're changing the subject. Who are you trying to fool?" Xiaoyu's eyes flashed with anger as she pointed at me, "Quickly, tell me what were you thinking when you said that ambiguous sentence back then."

  I sighed: "Where is it related to ambiguity, I just want to simply maintain his reputation and expand my reputation at the same time."

  "Why did Yun Jie say that your affectionate and romantic appearance almost made her spit out her breakfast? Lan Jie and Xi Jie also said that you are openly declaring to the whole world that Xiao Qiao is already your wife..."

  "I interrupted her: 'You also believe in the gossip spread by a group of women approaching menopause, shut up and be a natural fool all day?'"

  "What about Ah Xiu? She's even younger than you, didn't she also say that you're favoring Xiao Qiao and want to promote him to be the boss? And if you really want to explain to those two scumbags why Xiao Qiao is treated so well, just tell them he's helping out as a friend for free, isn't that okay?"

  I fell silent for a moment. Hesitantly, I said: "Actually, I originally thought that if I didn't mention Xiao Qiao's free help and firmly stood with him on the same front line, it would give everyone an illusion that I unconditionally trust and protect the store employees, and even make me appear as a holy mother boss. But, according to what you just said, did I misjudge?"

  Xiao Yu was taken aback, suddenly bursting into loud laughter. Seeing someone beside her, she lowered her voice and said: "You? Still a saint? I think you're just a water mother! How many bends did your thinking take to come up with this place? That sentence 'just because he's my person' sounds like a mix of public and private interests no matter how you listen to it. It's simply a declaration of your spiritual ownership of Xiao Qiao, whoever dares to mess with him is going against you!"

  I'm exhausted.

  Was all the gossip and rumors in the store for so long because our thinking routes were completely different? !

  He is my person... He is my person... He is my person... I blurted out this sentence, thinking it was quite righteous and moving. Was it because I watched too many idol dramas in the past, so I inadvertently borrowed it from memory?

  I thought they were just gossiping about this scandalous rumor out of boredom, and since I didn't have any intention in that direction, I was able to ignore all the subtle glances without any pressure. Even when Cheng Qiao suddenly became shy and didn't dare face me directly after that day, I just thought he was too admiring of me and didn't dare get close to me for fear of being dazzled by my holy light.

  Damn it! I've been misunderstanding the direction of the situation all along!

  Why has Cheng Qiao been accompanying Auntie diligently lately and not sticking with me?

  I remember that day after settling Wu Tian and Wen Dong's salaries, I watched their tall and short silhouettes disappear from view, and I proudly said to Cheng Qiao: "Now see who dares to question your status here."

  Cheng Qiao still stood beside the counter, lowering her head as if extremely shy, softly answering: "Thank you Ah Yao."

  I smiled with open eyes: "For you and me, it's what should be."

  A Sha asked: "It's just a small matter, why make such a big fuss?"

  I hummed: "Is this still a small matter? Ah Qian, you're not the one involved, of course you can't understand the feeling of being verbally attacked."

  She didn't say anything, and I was a bit puzzled whether what she just said was directed at me or not.

  At this time, Qiao slightly raised her head, pursed the corner of her lips and smiled faintly: "Who made him covet someone he shouldn't have coveted."

  I was momentarily stunned by his beauty from a different angle and stared blankly at him, unable to move my gaze.

  Qiao Cheng's eyes curved, her gaze lightly swept over me as she looked towards the stairs: "Only a pity, there is still one lurking."

  "Actually, the more the merrier."

  Cheng Qiao didn't respond, covered her face and glanced at me, then turned around and headed towards the kitchen.

  Then from that time on, until now, every time Qiao saw me, she would cover her face with both hands and lower her eyes, not daring to look at me straight. Today, she even asked Auntie for a whole day off...

  "Hey, hey, wake up! What's gotten into you?" Xiaoyu saw me in a daze and suddenly slapped my shoulder.

  I took a deep breath and said calmly, "It's nothing, just a rumor. Haven't I experienced enough in high school? I won't let this bother me, no need to make myself unhappy."

  Xiao Yu couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Alright, alright, you're already a seasoned veteran, impervious to blades and guns, fire and water can't touch you. Fine, I'm going to my parents' place now, I'll come back later."

  "Are you going to your parents' place? Wait a minute, I'll pack a small bucket of ice cream for you to take over. Last time your mom said she liked the lemon-flavored ice cream I made."

  After sending Xiao Yu away, I sat at the counter for a while and got up to go to the kitchen before Auntie spoke, continuing to study the color idiom series of desserts.

  As for what Xiaoyu said about coming back tonight, I didn't take it to heart at all. Anyway, she's alone, whether she comes or not has no effect on me.

  I didn't expect to receive her call just as I was about to have dinner.

  "Wow wow wow! My dad said that after tomorrow he wants me to bring someone along to visit my aunt's house, are you going or not?"

  The phone had just connected, and Xiao Yu's voice with a surprisingly piercing tone directly hit my eardrum. I smiled awkwardly at Yan Tao beside me, who was just asking me how to make a certain dessert.

  I wordlessly moved the phone a bit further away, and said in a gloomy tone: "Miss, be careful, if you go deaf, you'll have to take full responsibility! Your aunt, isn't she the one who runs a restaurant in A city?"

  "It's not my aunt, but a distant relative from the countryside. I'm not quite sure which one exactly. She called my dad today and said that their fruit trees had a great harvest this year, so she invited my dad to bring his wife, kids, and friends over to eat some fruit. Ahhh, how exciting! Purely natural organic fruits, we can pick them ourselves and eat as much as we want! Just thinking about it gets me so hyped..."

  Listening to the sound of her excitement continuing to rise without falling, I could almost imagine what kind of manic state Xiao Yu was in on the other end of the phone. Anyway, this call was made by her, and I continued to quietly tell Yan Tao about the method while patiently waiting for Xiao Yu's excitement to subside.

  Finally, after Yan Tao said a sentence "Yao Yao, you'd better make the call first, I'll wait for you here until you're done" ——

  "Hey, I've been talking for so long, are you going or not?"

  I calmly asked back while holding my phone: "Do you think I wouldn't go if it's such a good thing?"