Chapter 88 A Joyous Event
“I can manage to handle a few hundred thousand. Don’t talk to me about self-esteem or saving face. Now is the time to get things done, not to show off.”
She looked up at Zhou Shufen with sincere eyes.
"this……"
Zhou Shufen was speechless for a moment.
She had just declined Guo Zhenyi's offer of help.
Now that Yao Mingzhu has taken the initiative to borrow money again, I feel warm inside.
But she still couldn't decide whether or not to accept the offer.
Money is a matter of personal relationships, and she was afraid that she would never be able to repay this favor in the future.
"Let me tell you, what kind of relationship do we have? If you keep making excuses, I'm really not happy!"
Seeing that she remained silent, Yao Mingzhu quickly added a sentence, deliberately putting on a stern face, frowning, and pouting, pretending to be angry.
"You don't consider me a friend, do you? If you don't accept this money, don't ever call me 'Mingzhu' again!"
"Oh, my dear sister, how could I possibly refuse after you've put it that way?"
Zhou Shufen finally relented, her eyes slightly burning, and her voice softened.
"Then I'll thank you in advance. I'll definitely pay you back as soon as I have the money. I won't skimp on the interest either; I'll remember every penny."
They hadn't known each other for long, but Yao Mingzhu always treated her sincerely, never playing tricks on her or expecting anything in return.
They helped her a lot when she first started her business, introducing clients, renting venues, and bringing in resources; they thought of everything for her.
She's actually willing to give money to help her out in an emergency; she's truly a benefactor in her life.
"Why are you still saying these polite things to me?"
Upon hearing this, Yao Mingzhu immediately glared at her, her tone reproachful.
“I trust your character and know you’re not the type to default on debts. Take the money and use it. Pay it back whenever it’s convenient for you. Don’t feel burdened! Don’t keep thinking about ‘paying it back’ all the time, making yourself seem like an outsider.”
She placed her phone on the coffee table, her expression serious.
“If you keep being so formal, we can’t continue our friendship! Friendships are about sincerity, not calculation. If you insist on calculating everything, then our friendship is over.”
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything more, alright?"
Zhou Shufen couldn't help but laugh out loud.
She raised her hands in surrender and said in a relaxed tone, "From now on, I won't mention repaying the money or interest, okay? You let me focus on my work, and I'll let my results speak for themselves."
She simply stopped mentioning repaying the money and instead picked up the fruit plate and pushed it towards Yao Mingzhu.
"Come, come, try my new oranges, they're very sweet and will help cool you down."
Yao Mingzhu sat for a while longer, until the steam in her teacup had long since dissipated.
The sky outside the window gradually darkened.
She glanced at her phone and suddenly remembered that she had an appointment with a designer that afternoon to discuss the shop's renovation plan, so she quickly stood up.
"Aunt Zhou, I have to go now, I still have a lot of things to take care of."
As she spoke, she slung her bag over her shoulder and straightened the hem of her clothes.
Zhou Shufen immediately stood up from the sofa.
"Are you leaving so soon? You can sit a little longer."
"It's really no good, we can't afford to delay."
Yao Mingzhu waved her hand.
"Things went smoothly, so please don't worry. We'll talk about it in more detail later."
Zhou Shufen nodded, no longer trying to stop her, and smiled as she saw her to the door.
Yao Mingzhu waved to her, then turned and walked down the stairs.
Until her figure completely disappeared around the corner of the corridor.
Zhou Shufen gently closed the door, a smile she couldn't suppress still lingering on her lips.
By the time Zhou Haiqing and Qin Guifang returned home, it was already evening.
The afterglow of the setting sun streamed into the living room through the glass of the balcony.
Zhou Shufen was humming a little tune as she moved back and forth between the rooms, carrying a trash bag in her hand.
She hummed a song softly as she worked.
"Mom, why are you so happy today?"
As soon as Qin Guifang opened the door, she saw her mother busy at the doorway.
"Did he win the lottery? Otherwise, where would he get such energy?"
As she changed her shoes, she winked at Zhou Shufen.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shufen burst out laughing.
"I didn't win the lottery, but it's not that bad."
She clapped her hands, walked to the center of the living room, her face beaming.
"What good news is it?"
Qin Guifang took off her coat and hung it on the hanger, then casually asked a question.
She said it casually, but she actually guessed right?
She blinked, somewhat surprised.
"We're just waiting for you all to come back so we can celebrate together!"
Zhou Shufen's voice rose a few decibels.
"Yao Mingzhu came today and sat for almost two hours. We talked about opening a store, and she actually offered to lend me some money. It's not a small amount, but enough for our start-up capital! Now all our funding problems are solved!"
As she spoke, she waved excitedly, her eyes shining.
"Great! This is wonderful news, we must celebrate!"
Qin Guifang clapped her hands, a smile bloomed on her face, and she even walked with a lighter step.
"Such great news can't just be talked about; we need to celebrate with some real action! Let's have an extra meal tonight!"
She became more and more excited as she talked, and turned to walk towards the kitchen, muttering to herself.
"Let me think... I'll make braised pork ribs, stir-fry some steamed fish, and serve it with a cucumber salad..."
Zhou Haiqing hurriedly reached out to stop her, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"Oh my goodness, stop fussing. You need to get enough nutrition for two people right now, and the kitchen is full of grease and fumes, which isn't good for you or the baby."
As he spoke, he gently pushed her toward the living room.
"I'll show off my skills today! You just sit back and enjoy the delicious food."
"You? Cook?"
Qin Guifang turned to look at him with a hint of disbelief, raising her eyebrows slightly.
"You burned an egg when you were frying it last time, and you still dare to say you want to be in charge of cooking?"
Zhou Shufen smiled and grabbed her hand, pressing her down onto the sofa.
"Yeah, let's step aside and let him show off. Besides, it's a good thing that people want to improve; let him give it a try!"
"We guarantee everyone will be satisfied with their meal!"
Zhou Haiqing patted his chest confidently and went into the kitchen, closing the kitchen door behind him.
He rolled up his shirt sleeves, opened the refrigerator to rummage for ingredients, and hummed an off-key tune.
The clattering of pots and pans and the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables filled the air.
As soon as the oil in the pan heated up, it sizzled, and the aroma immediately wafted out from under the door, quickly filling the entire room.
Soon, the aroma filled the air, making people's mouths water.
Zhou Haiqing was quick and nimble, her movements so skillful that they were truly impressive.
While stir-frying the vegetables, he adjusted the heat and also made sure to simmer a pot of bone broth.
In the blink of an eye, he brought out a table full of delicious dishes.
Zhou Haiqing also took out a bottle of red wine that he had been treasuring for a long time from the cabinet and placed it on the table with a smile.
"Come on, let's clink glasses and celebrate this happy moment!"
He uncorked the bottle and poured a small cup for Zhou Shufen first.
"Qin Guifang is pregnant and can't drink it, so I'll just have a little bit with you as a token."
He explained with a smile, then poured himself another half glass.
Zhou Shufen picked up her wine glass, her eyes sparkling.
"This toast is to our good days, and to the future of our store!"
The group gently clinked their glasses, which made a crisp "ding" sound.
After a few drinks, we had almost finished our meal.
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