Chapter 540: Chapter 540: I’ll Pay You More!
Wen Yi’s arrival attracted a bunch of uncles and aunts, and he received quite a few red envelopes.
This kid, though young, clearly understands the principle of "a mouth that eats does not speak, hands that take are soft".
As such, for each person who gives him a red envelope, he gifts them a bright smile.
If anyone wants to hold him, he doesn’t refuse and instead cooperates with open arms.
Xiao Yu was very interested in Wen Yi. When Master Zhou was holding him, she was either touching Wen Yi’s small hands or his head and cheeks.
She even had the urge to pinch his chubby little cheeks until he cried.
But fearing a scolding from Chichi, she shifted her gaze away from Wen Yi’s plump little face, "Sis, are you settling down in Yangcheng?"
Yi Chichi, who was talking with Gu Xinghua, was surprised by this question, "No."
She had no reason to settle down in Yangcheng out of the blue.
Her man was still out at sea, she couldn’t have him come home only to find his wife and child and mother missing.
Seeing Xiao Yu’s gaze fixed on the luggage, she explained, "We’re going to Beijing to visit relatives."
In other words: moving for settlement is not happening.
Xiao Yu suddenly understood and murmured an oh, no wonder they had so much luggage.
After chatting with everyone for a while, Yi Chichi and her group took their luggage and went to the guesthouse.
"Mom, do you and Xiao Jiu want to go out for a stroll?"
"Let’s rest first, talk about it after dinner."
They had gotten up too early in the morning, and after ferry rides, trains, and buses, her whole body was sore, and she desperately needed rest.
Glancing at Wen Yi who was already fast asleep, and Qin Jiu who was nodding off like a little bird pecking rice, Wen’s mother looked at Yi Chichi, "Why don’t you rest for a bit too?"
Yi Chichi shook her head, "I’ll pass on the rest, I need to draw."
Gu Xinghua was notorious for being a workaholic, always seizing every chance to make her draw.
Moreover, Ning Jiandong also had something for her to handle.
So she said, "Mom, you guys rest first, I’ll take care of some work and come back to call you for dinner, okay?"
"Okay."
Thus, Yi Chichi left Wen’s mother and others at the guesthouse and went straight to Ning Jiandong’s office.
When she arrived, not only were Gu Xinghua and Ning Jiandong there, but also the head of the purchasing department.
Yi Chichi greeted each person, and after they nodded in response, Ning Jiandong continued talking with the department head, while Gu Xinghua made tea for her and brought it to her.
"Uncle, you’re too polite."
In the sweltering summer heat, her Uncle Gu was overly hospitable, even using boiling water to make tea, which she just couldn’t drink.
"Drink it while it’s hot."
Gu Xinghua was someone who always had hot tea in hand, and seeing Yi Chichi put the cup aside, he eagerly invited her, "This is pre-Qingming Longjing tea that your Uncle Ning got, a good tea, it would be a waste not to drink it."
In other words: hurry and give it a try.
Yi Chichi graciously declined, "I can’t drink it, it’s too hot."
Seeing Gu Xinghua blow the cup a bit and then sip the tea while bearing the heat, she couldn’t help but remind him, "Uncle, people who like hot food and drink are prone to esophageal cancer."
Gu Xinghua paused his action of blowing the tea, "Where did you hear that?"
"Grandpa Zhang told me, my Uncle Yaozi and others said the same."
Worried he wouldn’t believe her, she named a few people, "They’re all very skilled doctors."
Gu Xinghua immediately put down his cup—his niece’s words he could ignore, but a doctor’s words had to be heeded.
However—
"Does that mean I can’t eat hot meals or drink hot tea from now on?"
"Not exactly, distinguish between hot and scalding."
Gu Xinghua got the point, "Then I’ll let it cool."
Before he finished speaking, he skillfully took out paper and drawing tools from the shelf and laid them on the desk in front of her.
"Make use of the time to draw."
Yi Chichi was speechless, this was truly like Zhou Bapi, not even giving her time to catch her breath.
"I haven’t even taken a sip of water."
"Drink soda."
Ning Jiandong, proficient in catching every detail, didn’t let his ears idle while chatting happily with the purchasing director; he heard Yi Chichi and Gu Xinghua’s conversation clearly.
At the sound, he immediately got up, opened the fridge door, and took out a bottle of Beibingyang for her.
He even thoughtfully opened it for her.
"Focus on drawing, we’ll discuss Xiao Liu’s matter after you’re done."
This was about Liu Lan.
"What’s up with Liu Lan? Couldn’t deliver the goods on time?"
Since Yi Chichi followed the army, she had given Liu Lan the contact information for the Friendship Store and Ning Jiandong the contact information for Kao Shan Village.
After all, she wasn’t in Yangcheng all the time, she had to find time to visit.
If there’s an emergency, direct contact is more time-efficient and convenient for communication than indirect contact.
"No, it’s good news. You draw first, and I’ll talk in detail after discussing work with Uncle Chen."
All right.
So, the situation turned into Ning Jiandong discussing business with the director, while Yi Chichi focused on drawing with her paintbrush.
Gu Xinghua kept coming and going, busy with something unknown.
As time passed, just as she was getting ready to color, the table was suddenly knocked on.
"Xiao Yi, it’s time for dinner."
As Ning Jiandong spoke, Yi Chichi immediately lifted her head, "It’s dinner time already?"
Without waiting for him to reply, she put down her paintbrush and stood up, "I’ll go to the guesthouse."
"No need."
Ning Jiandong stopped her, "Before I called you, your Uncle Gu had already sent someone to deliver the food."
Gu Xinghua nodded repeatedly, "That’s right, I sent Xiao Yu."
It’s just nearby, only a few steps away.
"You can eat in the canteen or at a restaurant, depending on your mother’s choice."
Worried that she might not be reassured, he added, "It’s done in your name. After eating, if you don’t want to return to the guesthouse, Xiao Yu will bring them to the Friendship Store to shop, and then come fetch you."
This arrangement was quite thoughtful, considering every aspect.
All Yi Chichi could do was accept the lunchbox he handed her and start eating.
Ning Jiandong and the others ate with her; the dishes were prepared by the private kitchen of the canteen, the staple was rice, and there was also some chili sauce for her.
The bright red chili sauce looked delicious, and after tasting it, she found it not only looked delicious but was indeed delicious.
It really stimulated the appetite.
Seeing her enjoy it, Gu Xinghua joked, "Want to take a couple of bottles with you?"
"You have extras?"
"Yes."
He explained, "Master Lei opened a small plot behind the canteen to grow a variety of vegetables, including peppers. The peppers grew so well that there were too many to eat, so they made sauce to supply the canteen."
"How much is a bottle?"
"Fifty cents."
It’s not expensive, quite cheap actually.
"Then when you return the lunchbox later, bring me ten bottles."
The trip from Yangcheng to Beijing takes a few days, and using some chili sauce to whet the appetite and enhance the flavors would be great.
The journey won’t be boring.
"Alright."
With this topic concluded, Yi Chichi then talked with Ning Jiandong about Liu Lan’s matter.
Learning that the two pieces previously sent by Liu Lan were spotted by another client who wanted to pre-order them with a slight pattern change upon delivery, she wondered, "Then Uncle, you could just directly tell Liu Lan, why find me?"
She didn’t have time for Chaotic Needle Embroidery.
"You need to redesign the pattern for her."
Ning Jiandong decisively placed a burden on her, "You know, Comrade Xiao Liu is good at embroidery, but not at drawing."
Yi Chichi stood silently for a moment, glanced at the tasks given by Gu Xinghua, then looked at Ning Jiandong, lamenting, "They say teaching a disciple starves the master, but it seems in my case, the disciple’s issues become the master’s responsibility, it’s really unfair."
"I’ll pay you extra!"
