“Tsk tsk, isn’t this just human nature!” Su Tang had long known about Luo Xingchen’s family circumstances, but hearing that they really dared to treat her friend that way she couldn’t help but let out some sarcastic words.
What family bonds? What father-son affection? Once money was involved, all of those beautiful ideals would fly away. Human nature, ah, did it really have to be so ugly, so pragmatic?
Luo Xingchen smiled along wryly, “En, it’s human nature!”
Truth be told, as the years went by she would sometimes tell herself that she was already used to it. That she had been doing this for so long that she had even forgotten she was a woman but, occasionally, she had to admit she was very tired. At the end of the day, she was also a regular person. She had truly worked hard on behalf of her family to establish this connection with Su Tang and bring back an excellent opportunity for cooperation and development.
But what was her reward? Her father feared her. Her mother didn’t understand her, and was even more afraid than her father. Her mother would praise her for working so hard, but she also spent every day in fear, not knowing what the future would hold. After all, the more Luo Xingchen stood out, the higher chance that she would be found out. And what then? Would her mother be divorced?
All these things weighed heavily on Luo Xingchen. She was a normal person, so she would get tired too. But whenever she came to visit Su Tang, although the furnishings around weren’t lavish, she at least had a friend she could see eye to eye with and relax in front of.
Facing hardships was, of course, difficult, but when she came here she at least felt that there was one other person who understood her, one person who she could freely express her emotions in front of with having to be constantly guarded.
“It seems you can’t stay long this time, right?” Su Tang asked.
Thinking about it, the Spring Festival was only half a month away. Luo Xingchen was undoubtedly very busy, so Su Tang estimated she wouldn’t be able to stay very long before she needed to leave again to handle her matters. As for the matters regarding the Luo family, Su Tang didn’t feel there was a need to say things too clearly. After all, the two of them already had a certain understanding.
However, after hearing that question, Luo Xingchen glared over at Su Tang and muttered: “Tang, I’ve just arrived, but you already want to kick me out?”
But before Su Tang could reply to the playful question, Zhang Cuilan arrived with the freshly brewed honey hawthorn tea and set it on the table in front of them. Then she asked, “One of the little brothers from the Luo family asked me where to put all the things Master Luo brought along?”
When Luo Xingchen heard mention of the things she had brought, she hurriedly said to Su Tang, “These are all New Years’ gifts I’m sending to you.”
As she spoke, she pulled a list of all the items she had brought along out of her sleeve and handed it over to Su Tang. Su Tang wasn’t polite and directly received the list. Then she handed it over to Zhang Cuilan and said, “Collect everything and have them bring them over to the shop.”
Although the cafe’s courtyard wasn’t huge, there were still a few empty rooms where things could be stored.
Having received Su Tang’s answer, Zhang Cuilan neatly saluted and then went to tell the servants from the Luo family who had just started unloading the goods to quickly pack them back up. All the hustle and bustle also drew the curious Su Nuo out of his room, and he followed Zhang Cuilan over to take a look.
When Luo Xingchen heard this, she made a gesture and sent her two followers outside so she could have a proper conversation, and then said: “Wait, shop? What shop? Have you opened a shop?”
Su Tang nodded, “En, that’s right. When are you planning to leave? I’ll make you some cakes and toffee that day to take back with you as a return gift. After all, these goods, they’re all from you, right?”
Su Tang didn’t believe for a second that the Luo family, who had only just decided to begin cooperating with her, would especially send her some New Years’ gifts. It was unlikely that they would take her so seriously. Instead, these gifts were all probably given to her by Luo Xingchen personally.
And, indeed, when she glanced at the gift list just now she had seen that the name signed at the bottom was ‘Luo Xingchen’, so she felt her guess was right. But, from the start, she had believed more in her cooperation with Luo Xingchen than her cooperation with the Luo family. It had always been a cooperation between the two of them before anything else.
Luo Xingchen slowly took a sip of her tea. The honey hawthorn tea brewed with water from the space was the perfect mixture of sour and sweet and, as it touched her tongue, Luo Xingchen suddenly felt a bit more spirited and she nodded along.
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tl begging corner:
Thank you!