Chapter 98 Will Mother Get Married?

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Will Mother Get Married?

The distance from the school to Xinghua Lane is not far. Children were playing and laughing, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the entrance of the lane.

As soon as she reached the alley entrance, the gazes she felt were suddenly drawn to her reappeared. Shen Tang frowned and quickly looked around, but apart from the passing crowds, she couldn't discern anything unusual.

Lu Zhao noticed his movement and, seeing the troubled look on her face, asked, "What's wrong?"

Shen Tang hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up: "Lately, I've been feeling like someone is watching me, but when I go to look for them, they're nowhere to be found."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhao's expression immediately turned serious: "When did this happen? Do you know who it was?"

Shen Tang shook her head: "It's been just these past few days. I don't know who it was, and I haven't offended anyone recently. I really have no clue."

Lu Zhao said, "Then try not to travel alone recently. I will also send some brothers to strengthen patrols in the North Street area in the next few days."

"Your shop isn't too far from the government office. If anything happens, remember to ask someone to come find me."

Shen Tang nodded and said gratefully to him, "Thank you very much, Brother Lu."

"We're all neighbors, it's only right that we help each other out, no need to be so polite."

They soon arrived at their doorstep. Shen Tang and Manman were about to wave goodbye to Lu Zhao and the others when Granny Wang from next door saw them as she went out to take out the trash and teased them.

“You two are a perfect match, standing together you look like a family. Your families live close by and know each other well, so I think it would be great if you just became a family.”

He then teased Lu Zhao, "Ah Zhao, this Lady Shen is a good woman. If you like her, you'd better hurry up and make your move."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang and Lu Zhao's faces instantly turned completely red.

Suppressing her embarrassment, Shen Tang explained to her, "Grandma Wang, Brother Lu and I are just friends, so please stop teasing us."

Grandma Wang said, "Friends develop feelings over time, don't they? It's not easy for a woman like you to raise a child alone. You can't do without a man in the house. I think Lu Zhao is a good match. You can't really stay single forever, can you?"

Shen Tang didn't expect that the more she explained, the more excited Granny Wang became, so she could only smile awkwardly and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Seeing this, Lu Zhao quickly stepped in to defuse the situation: "Grandma Wang, Madam Shen and I are really just friends. I know you mean well, but this matter involves a woman's reputation, so please don't make jokes like this."

He then quickly said to Shen Tang, "Go inside quickly."

Shen Tang gave him a grateful look, then waved politely to Granny Wang and went into the courtyard.

When it was time to go to bed at night, I, who usually fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, tossed and turned a little.

Shen Tang picked her up and laid her flat on his lap, asking, "What's wrong?"

With both hands cupping her face, she asked, "Will Mother marry Uncle Lu in the future?"

Why do you ask that?

“It was those old ladies and aunties who were talking. They said that my mother and Uncle Lu were a good match, and they even asked me if I wanted Uncle Lu to be my father.”

Shen Tang paused for a moment, then asked gently, "So what does Manman think?"

Manman frowned slightly, her face full of struggle. She thought for a while and then said seriously.

"Although Manman likes Uncle Lu very much, it is still her mother who likes her."

Shen Tang laughed instantly: "You're so young, how would you know about liking or disliking?"

Manman pouted, somewhat dissatisfied, and said, "I know, I like my mother, I like Aunt Yun, I like Grandma Chen, Uncle Lu, and I also like Brother Congcong, so Manman is willing to play with them."

“I don’t like Tiger because he swears and likes to pull my pigtails. I’ll be unhappy if I have to play with him.”

"So aren't adults the same? You can only play together if you like it."

Shen Tang was surprised that a four or five-year-old child could have such a set of logic. She pinched her little face and said.

“Manman is right, but Mother and Uncle Lu are just friends and will not get married.”

Full of curiosity, she asked, "Does Mother not like Uncle Lu?"

"No, Uncle Lu is a very good person. My mother likes him, but it's just a friendly liking, not romantic love."

Manman listened, but her little head was a bit confused. If they liked each other, why couldn't they play together? Sigh, adults are so complicated...

Seeing Manman's confused expression, Shen Tang rubbed her head and said, "This is an adult matter, children shouldn't think about it. Go to sleep."

"Oh, okay~"

*

The next day, while Shen Tang and A Yun were busy at the shop, a loud, aggressive shout suddenly came from the doorway: "Where is the owner of this pastry shop?!"

Startled by the sound, Shen Tang quickly looked towards the door and saw a middle-aged man with a fleshy face and a somewhat burly build, carrying a stick and looking furious. He was followed by two henchmen, and it was clear that he was up to no good.

The customers in the shop were so frightened by the sight that they cried out and scattered in all directions, instantly clearing a path at the entrance.

Shen Tang's heart tightened: "I'm the boss. What can I do for you, sir?"

The man hadn't expected the boss to be so good-looking, and his gaze towards Shen Tang suddenly became somewhat lewd.

The younger brother, seeing his older brother's behavior, knew that his lustful nature had resurfaced, so he quickly reached out and poked him in the back to remind him not to forget the important matter.

Upon receiving the warning, the man quickly abandoned his lecherous thoughts and angrily slammed the stick down on the table in front of Shen Tang with a loud "bang".

"Your boss is certainly handsome, but how can you be so ruthless in business?"

"My brother ate your pastries and is now vomiting and having diarrhea. This shows that your pastries must be made with bad, spoiled ingredients! And you still sell them for such a high price. Do you have no law at all?!"

Shen Tang was so frightened by the force of his blow that her face turned pale and she couldn't help but take a step back.

Upon hearing the man's words, she finally realized that he was probably here to cause trouble because he saw that her business was doing well.

Shen Tang asked, "Were you the ones who have been spying on me these past few days?"

The man's face stiffened upon hearing this, then he immediately retorted angrily, "What surveillance? Don't try to change the subject! My brother here has food poisoning and is so weak from diarrhea. Tell me, how are you going to compensate me?!"

Shen Tang dared not be careless about what she put in her mouth. She personally purchased all the ingredients for the pastries, ensuring they were fresh and intact, and that there would never be any situation that would cause diarrhea as the man had mentioned.

The man caused this scene for two reasons: first, to extort money, and second, to ruin her shop's reputation and make it impossible for her to continue doing business.

If she really pays money to settle things today in order to avoid trouble, it will confirm that there is a problem with the ingredients of her pastries, and who would dare to buy from her in the future?

Suppressing her fear, Shen Tang calmly said, "I can assure you that there is absolutely no problem with the pastries in my shop. I've been selling them for so long, and there has never been a single customer who got sick from them."

"Brother, you need to be based on evidence when you speak. Don't try to ruin my shop's reputation with your bare words. I, Chen Shu, will not admit to that!"

The man was surprised by the woman's audacity; despite being terrified, she remained calm and confronted them.

He grabbed his second brother and dragged him in front of Shen Tang: "You want evidence, right? This is the evidence. Look how much pain my brother is in! You still won't admit it."

Then, they quickly joined in the commotion, saying to the surrounding crowd, "Look everyone! This heartless boss sold us spoiled and poisonous pastries, and now we've all gotten sick from eating them, but he's refusing to admit it!"

The surrounding people started whispering among themselves. Seeing that he had achieved his goal, the man said to Shen Tang, "Pay up quickly, don't try to renege. If you don't settle this today, my brothers and I aren't leaving!"

Shen Tang ignored him and took a closer look at the second brother's face. He saw that the brother had a ruddy complexion and shifty eyes, and did not look sick at all. He was obviously faking it.

He instantly made up his mind: "It's not that I want to renege on my promise. I can see that this brother is indeed in a lot of pain. I'll send someone to fetch a doctor right away to treat this young man."

"If the doctor diagnoses that it is indeed food poisoning, then it is my responsibility and I will take full responsibility."

He then told Ayun to quickly fetch a doctor.

The man panicked when he heard that a doctor was needed. His brother was just pretending, and if the doctor came, he would be exposed immediately.

He had heard from his younger brother that the boss was a woman, and he thought that women were timid and that if he scared them, they would cry and beg for mercy.

They hadn't planned or prepared much; they just came with sticks, but they hadn't expected to run into such a tough opponent. They had underestimated them.

But if he just leaves like this, he won't be able to explain it to his boss...

Just as the stalemate was reaching its conclusion, a cold voice suddenly came from the doorway.

"What's going on here?!"

——————

I had something to do today, so the update is late. Sorry for waiting so long, my darlings!

The male lead should appear tomorrow.