327 Choices
Li Xiangjun forced a smile. “It’s impossible to have something between me and that guy.”
Yue Jiaojiao did not utter a word.
“Jiaojiao, I originally thought that after you guys found out about me and Fang Tianli, you wouldn’t let me be the shop’s manager anymore…”
“We don’t need to go that far. Even if Fang Tianliu…” Yue Jiaojiao’s expression was gentle as she raised her hand to pour Li Xiangjun another cup of tea. “Fang Tianliu has also been worried about this kind of thing and even specially instructed us to do so.”
Yue Jiaojiao wasn’t trying to put in a good word for Fang Tianliu. She was just stating the facts. As for how the two of them would develop in the future would entirely be up to them.
She would not meddle in other people’s lives.
“Fang Tianliu said that you are more capable than him and that the shop is doing better and better because of you. You and Fang Tianliu are both our friends.”
Li Xiangjun’s eyes were filled with tears. “I’ve been so nervous this whole time…”
“Business is business, and we are us,” Yue Jiaojiao consoled her softly. “But it’s been a long time since I’ve received any news from Zhao Zhan.”
“We haven’t seen each other since the incident before he went to Bei City.” Li Xiangjun shook her head, looking dejected. “If it wasn’t for the workshop’s people going to Huai County, I wouldn’t have known that he went to Bei City with Zhao Zhan.”
“The road to Bei City is long, I hope that Fang Tianliu won’t become a burden to Zhao Zhan.”
Yue Jiaojiao had been observing the changes in Li Xiangjun’s expression.
The sadness on her face was still obvious even though she tried hard to hide it.
“Fang Tianliu has gone through a huge change, his temperament has become much more stable.”
Yue Jiaojiao thought of Fang Tianliu’s disheartened look and let out a long sigh. “It’s a good thing that he agreed to accompany Zhao Zhan to Bei City. Otherwise, I’m really worried that he wouldn’t have been able to think things through and done something serious.”
Li Xiangjun’s hands on her knees suddenly clenched.
Yue Jiaojiao lowered her gaze. “How is the business at manager Li’s inn? Ever since Zhao Zhan went to Bei City, I haven’t been to the town. Seeing you today, I kind of miss the specialties of the Rising Cloud Inn.”
“The Rising Cloud Inn has already been transferred out.”
Li Xiangjun leaned back on the chair as if she had collapsed. Her eyes were fixed on her toes, and her mind was wandering. “We sold our house too. I came back from Huai County this time to help my parents pack their things and go to Huai County.”
“The Fang family is in trouble, and Fang Tianliu and I are… Well you know. I can no longer be thick-skinned and live in his house.
“Before I came back, the teething man had already chosen a house in Huai County. I’ve already paid the deposit and rent. Our family will be staying in Huai County from now on.”
Yue Jiaojiao could not help but straighten her body.
She took a pillow and hugged it to her chest. She looked at Li Xiangjun in confusion. “Has the housing price in Huai County become that ridiculously high? Isn’t it enough to buy a house in Huai County if we sell the inns and houses in Wangshan?”
Moreover, Manager Li’s family had been running the inn for decades, so it would have been impossible for him to not have a bit of money left.
Li Xiangjun tugged at the hem of her clothes. “Too many things have happened recently. It’s hard to explain.”
Her face was filled with rejection.
Yue Jiaojiao was afraid that asking too much would poke at the hidden pain in her heart, so she didn’t pursue the matter.
“It’s good that you’re in Huai County, so you don’t have to run between Huai County and the mountains.
“Besides, Manager Li and the others can accompany you in Huai County. It’s good that the family can stay happy and harmonious.”
Li Xiangjun’s mouth twitched, and she turned her head to glance at Yue Jiaojiao before lowering her head again.
She seemed to have something to ask.
“My lady, here’s the wonton soup.”
Madam Qin placed the tray on the table and took two bowls of small wontons from it. She handed them to the two of them. “Miss Li, try my cooking. I’m not sure what you like, so I’ve diluted the vinegar and chili.”
Yue Jiaojiao was famished. Now that she was pregnant, all she could think of was food.
There was a bowl of small wonton soup placed in front of her. It looked red and smelled sour.
Compared to her bowl, Li Xiangjun’s bowl was much lighter.
“Thank you, Madam Qin. Li Xiangjun sneezed at the sour and spicy taste.
She then looked at Yue Jiaojiao, who had already picked up a spoon and was eating happily.
“Jiaojiao, I’m so envious of you.” Li Xiangjun came back to her senses and picked up her spoon. “Tell me, is it better to marry someone who loves me or someone who I love? Which of these two lives is more blissful?”
Madam Qin had given her a lot of chilies, so Yue Jiaojiao used her hand to fan her mouth.
“In my opinion,” she said after swallowing all the wonton in her mouth, “Of course, I have to marry someone I love… But that comes with conditions.”
Li Xiangjun stretched her neck forward, her face full of curiosity. “What is it?”
“The prerequisite is that he must love me enough for me to feel it.”
Li Xiangjun looked disappointed, but she continued to ask, “What if I can only choose one?”
Yue Jiaojiao raised her head to look at her.
Her eyes were as clear and bright as the stars as if she could see through people’s hearts.
“If there are only these two, why should I choose them?”
After Yue Jiaojiao finished speaking, she looked away and used the spoon to stir the hot steam in the bowl.
“If I can only have one of these two, I’ll choose to live a happy life on my own.”
Seeing that Li Xiangjun’s mind was wandering, Yue Jiaojiao laughed and pushed the bowl in front of her, pretending to be relaxed. “Madam Qin’s soup wonton is really amazing. If you don’t eat it, it’ll go to waste. A lifetime is a long time. Just follow your heart and choose a life that can make you happy.”
Li Xiangjun was deep in thought.
“Jiaojiao, even if you look like a lady from a prestigious family, your thoughts are more open than many of them.”
Yue Jiaojiao only smiled and did not reply.
“Between Fang Tianliu and I…” Li Xiangjun suddenly stopped. “I was the one that let him down.”
...
“Jiaojiao, I thought you would want to know why I treated him like that.”
Yue Jiaojiao shook her head. “I do want to know what happened, but you don’t look like you want to tell me. I don’t want to make things difficult for you. I won’t want to force you to share. However, if there’s anything that makes you unhappy, you can still tell me anytime.”
Madam Qin quickly walked in from the door and waved the thick envelope in her hand. “The letter that you’ve been waiting all day has arrived. Zhao Zhan has sent more than one letter.”
Yue Jiaojiao couldn’t care less about the little wontons in front of her and hurriedly took the letter from Madam Qin’s hands. “The relay station must have been transporting the letters at different speeds, so they were all gathered together and delivered to me.
“Madam Qin, pick something from the kitchen and send it to Lizheng later. We must thank him for his efforts.”
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