Chapter 70
“Many friends have commented, ‘Why are boys wearing makeup?’ or ‘Why are you giving such expensive products to your child?’” Li Chi’an calmly responded to the comments. “But I believe that a child’s creativity and desire to explore are more precious than any cosmetic. Colors have no gender, and interests have no gender boundaries.”
She took some products out of the makeup box and applied them to her face. "Look," she said, "these products haven't lost their function just because my child used them. On the contrary, now when I use them, I think of my son's happy expression, and this set of cosmetics has a more special meaning for me."
The comments section was filled with various opinions, some in favor and some against.
Li Chian responded to several comments, saying, "Some people say I'll spoil my child, but I don't think so. Respecting a child's desire to explore and setting boundaries are not contradictory. I tell my child that the most important thing is to ask others before touching their things; that's respect. And when I voluntarily give something to them, that's the concept of a gift."
When the live stream ended, Li Chian received unprecedented likes and attention.
Many mothers left comments saying they were inspired, and quite a few shared their experiences of breaking gender stereotypes.
After the broadcast ended, Li Chian found his son standing at the door of the study, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"Mom, I can't sleep."
"What's wrong?"
I'm hungry.
She picked up her son and went to the kitchen to heat up some milk.
Just then, Li's mother came out of the room with her hair down, saying, "The soup is in the pot, remember to drink it."
"Mom, you're still awake?"
It's almost 11 o'clock now, and according to her usual routine, Li's mother should be asleep.
"I was just asleep when I heard you talking, so I woke up." Li Muka turned to the side, glanced at the study, and saw the computer was still on. "Aren't you finished yet?"
"You're done with your work, go back to sleep."
Li Chian poured his son a glass of warm milk.
Chen was taking a small sip of her drink when she suddenly asked, "Mom, when I grow up, can I wear dresses and put on makeup like you?"
"Why are you suddenly asking this?" Li Chi'an's first reaction was worry.
She was wondering, what if Zuizui grows up and really wears dresses and makeup?
Can she accept it?
But soon I realized that I was being bound by preconceived notions.
"I think your dress is so pretty today, I want to wear it too." The little one's eyes were full of affection for his mother.
Li Chi'an's heart softened completely. "Of course, as long as you like it."
She kissed her son's forehead. "You can do anything that makes you happy without hurting anyone else."
After finishing his milk, Chen, the youngest child, held onto his mother's hand and wouldn't let go, saying, "Mom, will you sleep with me?"
"Didn't we agree that you're a boy and Mommy is a girl, so we can't sleep together?"
"But Mom, you haven't spent time with me in so long," Chen Zui said dejectedly. "Can't you stay with me until I fall asleep before going to your own room?"
"Alright."
After Chen Zui fell asleep, Li Chi'an tucked his sleeping son in by the moonlight streaming through the window.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating his son's peaceful sleeping face and the set of cosmetics on the bedside table.
She suddenly remembered something, and quietly took out the lipstick her son had used. Carefully, she wrote on the inside of the lid of his collection box:
"To my future baby, may your life always be free, always colorful, and painted by yourself."
...
The sea breeze, carrying a salty and humid scent, swept across the coastline. Rose Manor was situated on a high ground overlooking the sea, with its white walls and red tiles, and its Mediterranean-style buildings standing out in the sunlight.
Many flowers were planted at the entrance of the manor.
There are many newly transplanted roses, but they have not yet bloomed due to the season. However, the rose garden is still full of flowers recently.
Many of Li Chian, Gao Yinxi, and Xu Zhuwen's relatives and friends, upon learning of the opening of Rose Manor, sent flower baskets to celebrate. Early in the morning, various florists delivered flower baskets on time, which were neatly and beautifully arranged at the entrance of the manor, creating a stunning sight.
Li Chi'an stood on the highest terrace of the manor, watching the bustling scene at the entrance.
She wore a well-tailored ivory white suit, her hair neatly pulled back, with only a few stray strands falling casually to her ears. Dressed like this, she looked more capable and efficient than usual.
"Are you nervous?" Yu Shi appeared behind her without her noticing and handed her a glass of warm water.
Li Chian turned around, took the water glass, and his fingertips lingered lightly on the back of Shi's hand for a moment. "A little. A long time ago, I dreamed of having a house with a lawn and a garden. I never thought that the garden of my dreams would appear before my eyes now."
This is also her first time starting a physical business. Watching the project go from its inception to its successful launch, only she knows the full range of emotions she has experienced.
Yu Shijiu's deep eyes were gentle as he said, "Your manor is not just a guesthouse, but a healing space that the three of you created together. Being here makes people feel peaceful, comfortable, and relaxed."
“Great, this is exactly the result we wanted.”
Li Chi'an smiled and looked into the distance, where the sea and sky blended into one.
To create a space where urban dwellers can find healing and relaxation, relieving their restless souls and stress.
This idea originated from the period when she was preparing for divorce, a time of torment, pain, and constant mental anguish. She would wake up crying many times in the middle of the night, with no one to turn to, no one to confide in, and no one to save her.
She often thought how wonderful it would be if there were a place where weary souls could rest temporarily and receive true healing.
It was this idea that led her to reach a consensus with her two friends, Gao Yinxi and Xu Zhuwen, which resulted in the rose manor that resembles a garden today.
"Mom!" A clear child's voice came from the bottom of the stairs.
Chen, dressed in a white Chinese-style suit, ran over and hugged Li Chi'an around the waist.
Yu Shi naturally squatted down and helped Chen Zui straighten his crooked bow tie. "Did you have fun playing with the little girl just now?"
Some children from the neighborhood were attracted by the lively atmosphere of Rose Manor today and came to play. Chen, the youngest, immediately joined them in playing. It was only after seeing that he had a playmate that he came up to see Li Chi'an.
"Uncle Yu, Sister Lego gave me a transforming robot!" Chen Zui excitedly held up the toy in his hand.
"What do you want to say?" Li Chian whispered a reminder.
"Thank you, Uncle Yu, for taking care of my mom!" Chen Zui blinked his big eyes and said something surprising.
Li Chi'an was taken aback, but then burst out laughing and picked Chen Zui up in his arms. "You're welcome, it's my honor."
Watching the tacit interaction between the two, one big and one small, Li Chi'an's eyes welled up slightly.
"Let's go downstairs. Yinxi and my sister probably need some help," Li Chian said to Shi, regaining his composure.
With LEGOs already here, guests will gradually arrive as well.
Yu Shi put Chen Zui down and naturally took the little guy's hand, "Come on, you're the little host today, so you'll continue to help Mom entertain the guests."
Chen Zui puffed out her small chest and held Yu Shi's hand tightly.
...
At the entrance of the manor, flowers were in full bloom and guests were gathered.
Xu Zhuwen, dressed in a champagne-colored long dress, was having a pleasant conversation with a tall, handsome foreign man.
"So, your manor's philosophy is to combine local healing culture with modern hospitality management?" the handsome Italian man, Andrea, asked in broken Chinese, his eyes full of admiration.
However, Xu Zhuwen still communicated with him smoothly because she could understand some Italian.
“Yes,” Xu Zhuwen nodded, “We don’t want to just be a place that provides accommodation; we hope to create a space where guests can relax, recharge, and even gain inspiration. For example, we have specialized aromatherapy courses, meditation workshops, and handicraft experiences in collaboration with local artists.”
“That’s fantastic! Italy has many similar agriturismo, but they focus more on food and rural experiences. Your spiritual healing dimension is unique.” Andrea took out a business card from his suit pocket, handed one to Xu Zhuwen, and said, “This is my contact information. I have a small vineyard in Tuscany. Next time you come to Italy, please let me do my best to be your host.”
Xu Zhuwen took the business card. It was thick and solid, with Andre's name and the logo of a wine trading company printed on it in a simple manner.
She recalled what Lego, a partner of the estate, had said: the André family's wine business was very large, supplying many five-star hotels in the country.
She took out her phone and added Andrei on WeChat.
"Bamboo and Brush!" Lego's loud voice rang out.
She was wearing a black evening gown and high heels today, exuding a cool and elegant beauty.
She walked over with two glasses of champagne, handing one to Andre. "Hey, I knew you'd like it here. Zhu Wen is a legendary figure in the wine industry in Xianghai City. You must have enjoyed chatting with her."
Andrei laughed, his deep gray eyes filled with admiration for Xu Zhuwen. "Miss Xu is indeed impressive."
LEGO turned to Xu Zhuwen, saying, "He supplies most of the drinks for our bar. If Rose Manor is interested, you can also collaborate to provide customized wine lists for your restaurant and bar."
That's why she brought Andrei with her today.
This is undoubtedly a significant business opportunity for the estate.
Xu Zhuwen suppressed her joy and responded, "It is our honor, and we look forward to further discussions."
Seeing that Andrei was being led away by the other guests, Lego leaned closer to Xu Zhuwen and whispered, "How about it? I told you two would hit it off. Andrei is not only a good drinker, but also a good person, and he's a golden bachelor."
Because of information gathering and shared interests.
After being introduced to Xu Zhuwen by Gao Yinxi, Lego and Xu Zhuwen had a lot of contact and interaction in private and gradually became friends.
Xu Zhuwen, both amused and exasperated, gave her a push, "What are you doing?"
Andrei looks good.
But she had no other thoughts. After her experience with Qian Song, all she could think about now was making money and building a career.
Men should stay away; they'll only slow down her money-making process.
Lego chuckled and glanced at something in the distance. "Hey, look over there."
Xu Zhuwen followed his gaze and saw Yu Shi holding Chen Zui's hand, with Li Chi'an standing beside them. A middle-aged woman with elegant clothes and extraordinary temperament was bending down and talking to Chen Zui in a friendly manner.
"Ms. Li's boyfriend is really handsome," Lego clicked his tongue. "That lady has a great figure and a great demeanor too."
"It's her boyfriend's mother." Xu Zhuwen secretly felt a pang of worry for her cousin.
The Yu family is a well-known wealthy family in Hong Kong, and Mrs. Yu is an active figure in the local women entrepreneurs association with very high standards.
Would she accept a divorced "internet celebrity" daughter-in-law with a child?
...
Not far away, Mrs. Yu was gently holding Chen Zui's little hand, her smile kind, "Your name is Chen Zui? What a lovely name. How old are you?"
"Six years old," Chen answered generously, showing no shyness.
"Hello, Grandma Yu," the little guy added, clearly referring to what Yu Shi had just taught him.
Mrs. Yu's smile deepened. She straightened up and looked at Li Chi'an, "Chi'an, you've raised your son so well. He's sensible and polite."
Li Chi'an was somewhat surprised by his wife's kindness and relaxed a little. "Auntie, you flatter me. He is very easy to take care of, but he can be quite resilient at times."
“What boy this age isn’t resilient?” Mrs. Yu glanced at her son, who looked relaxed and at ease beside her. “You can’t fake a child’s state. Relaxed, happy, and feeling safe—that’s the most precious thing.”
She paused for a moment, then said, "How's work lately? You must be very busy."
"Indeed." Li Chi'an was not modest about this.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Yu then laughed and said, "I follow your video account. Your recent live streams about how professional women can balance work and life have been very insightful. Many of my friends are watching them."
Li Chi'an was at a loss for words and could only repeatedly say, "Thank you for your and your friend's support."
She never expected that Mrs. Yu, who was so busy with work, would actually watch her video account.
She glanced at Yu Shi discreetly; he was smiling at her, his eyes full of encouragement and… pride?
Mrs. Yu seemed to sense her unease and her tone became more amiable, “It’s not easy for women to start a business, especially with a child in tow. I admire your courage and execution in bringing this estate to fruition. If there are any suitable projects at MixC in the future, we can cooperate.”
MixC is such a large commercial complex; there are countless projects that it could collaborate with Rose Manor on.
Mrs. Yu is a good person to get along with; she's really great when things get tough.
"Thank you, Auntie." A warm feeling welled up in Li Chi'an's heart.
She knew that Yu Shi must have had some positive communication with her behind the scenes.
He lives life on his own terms; he says what he likes and acts on what he loves.
Within their capabilities, they spared no expense in using their resources and connections to support her steadily, allowing her to pursue her dreams with peace of mind.
Mrs. Yu teased Chen Zui a few more times before being called away by her other friends.
Yu Shi walked over to Li Chi'an and asked in a low voice, "How is it? My mom isn't that scary, is she?"
"How many nice things did you say to her?" Li Chi'an asked in a low voice. "Thanks, you did a good job with the ideological work."
“I was just telling her the truth.” Yu Shi chuckled and took her hand. “You’re so outstanding, anyone with eyes can see that. There’s no need for me to do any ideological work.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
