Chapter 8 (8)
"Welcome!" Yu Jia shouted instinctively when she heard the door open. As her voice spread, she looked up and saw Li Ren's sister—her sister-in-law—standing at the order counter. With a smile on her face, Yu Jia asked her why she was here so late, handed her the menu, and asked what she wanted.
The sister-in-law looked at the menu and ordered a random dish. Yu Jia added a few more pieces of beef and served her the most expensive bamboo fungus chicken soup. The sister-in-law took a few bites. Yu Jia urged her to eat more. A while ago, the sister-in-law said she was going to the big city on a business trip. Then, she said she didn't have time to see her. The sister-in-law and the sister-in-law missed each other. I don't know why she came this time.
After they had almost finished eating, Yu Jia asked her why she had come. The sister-in-law said she was there to collect some of her brother's belongings. Where? At work? Why hadn't she been notified?
Yu Jia felt strange.
The sister-in-law had a fierce look on her face.
"Why did I ask you to come all the way here? You should have called me." Yu Jia complained slightly and explained.
Li Renmei raised her face and faced Yu Jia, saying sternly, "Sister-in-law, our family is not feudal. It's okay for you to take another step! But things must be done openly. You are still the widow of a martyr, so you must be careful with your words and actions!"
Yu Jia's hands trembled with shock. "Little sister..."
Li Ren's sister retorted, "Word spread back home, and Dad had to be hospitalized after hearing it. Mom still can't get out of bed! Sister-in-law, you're in love or remarrying, and no one can stop you, but you can't do it secretly and ruin my brother's reputation!"
"No...sister...is there some misunderstanding..." The incident happened suddenly and Yu Jia was at a loss.
Li Renmei came prepared and sneered, "Sister-in-law, how did you open this shop?" Yu Jia told the truth, "The house in my hometown, the provincial capital. Didn't my family know when I sold it?" Li Renmei looked up and looked around. "What kind of location is this? How could I afford to open this shop if I sold the house in my hometown? Sister-in-law, don't play tricks on me." She pointed to the billboard on the wall. "Jiayuan, Jia is you, who's Yuan?"
Although innocent, Yu Jia still blushed, "Partner."
"Does my brother know that person?"
"know."
"Did you plan to form a partnership before my brother died?"
"Little sister...you can't say that..."
"You can do it? I can't say it?" Li Renmei said without hesitation. "Sister-in-law, let's get this straight today. Why did my brother leave the big city and his bright future behind to go to the northwest? What was he hiding from? Why can't he just sit there in your house? Yes, my brother is gone now, there's no evidence, but everyone has their own standards. Don't go too far! You're still Sisi's mother, and Yueyue is still receiving a martyr's family subsidy! Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?!"
It was a true blast! I felt like crying, but I couldn't even cry! What Li Ren's sister said was completely contrary to the facts. From the past to the present, whether Li Ren was there or not, what had Yu Jia ever done that was beyond the pale?! Morally, she was confident that she was blameless.
"Rumors... misunderstandings... sister... it's all misunderstandings..." Yu Jia's voice trembled. Even in this situation, she was unwilling to reveal the truth to her sister-in-law. She had to save face for Li Ren, and for herself. Furthermore, her sister-in-law was coming at her so aggressively, how could she possibly listen to anything she said? It was frustrating!
"Sister-in-law, we are all women. Let me give you a piece of advice: be kind. Even if you lose face, don't lose your integrity!" Under the bombardment of her sister-in-law, Yu Jia almost burst into tears.
Rumors are terrifying! Who made this up? It's ridiculous! What's going on between her and Bai? What could possibly be? Even if they were the same age, a divorced woman with children, how could a young man like her? That's unbelievable! She just treats him like a younger brother. They're willing to invest in this small restaurant, partly out of friendship and partly because they can make money. And this is being gossiped about?!
It was getting late. There weren't many customers in the store. Yu Jia tried hard to control herself and not cry. Another customer came in, in a hurry. "Sister Jia! Give me the pork ribs set!"
It was Yu Meng. Furious about not getting the wind farm project, she came to Yu Jia to complain. Yu Jia's eyes were red. Yu Meng asked, "What's going on?" She glanced at Li Renmei and smiled, "Oh, rare guest! My little sister is here!" Li Renmei recognized Yu Meng and called her "Sister Meng."
Yu Meng smiled and said, "This is nostalgia. Why are you crying?"
Li Renmei was angry, "Sister Meng, don't meddle in our family affairs." Yu Meng was about to argue again, but Yu Jia grabbed her and said, "Xiao Meng! Stop it!"
Yu Meng was still stern, "Little sister, if you want to eat, then eat. I will give you enough! If you want to cause trouble, even if Sister Jia agrees, I will not agree."
Li Renmei retorted sharply, sneering, "Why don't you agree? What gives you the right to refuse?"
Yu Meng smiled and said, "Jiajie's affairs are my affairs. I probably know more about the whole family situation than you do." Yu Jia was still trying to stop Yu Meng. But Yu Meng refused to listen. Li Renmei said, "What do you know? Do you know why my brother insisted on going to the northwest? Do you know the pain in his heart? Do you know what it feels like to be betrayed? Do you know the insults a martyr suffered before and after his death?"
Yu Meng understood a little and said immediately: "Your brother wants to go to the northwest for his own career. Sister Jia tried to persuade him, but he didn't listen."
"Why didn't he listen?"
"He's only concerned with his own advancement."
Li Renmei chuckled, "Sister Meng, since you want to come forward, why don't you explain it clearly? What is the relationship between my sister-in-law and that Bai Yuankai? Why is my brother hiding from them?"
Yu Meng burst out laughing, as if listening to a foreign language. "They? Little sister, are you telling a story? Or making up entertainment gossip?" Yu Jia reached out to pull Yu Meng, her tone changed. "Stop talking!" Yu Meng twisted her body. "Do you know how much Sister Jia suffered from your brother in the past? How many tears she shed? It was your brother who filed for divorce, did you know that?!"
Li Renmei shouted, "Why does he want a divorce? If there is nothing wrong with my sister-in-law, why would he ask for a divorce?"
"He's cheating!" Yu Meng roared in shock.
The other guests were so frightened that they quickly retreated.
"You're lying!" Li Renmei didn't believe it.
"Only Yu Jia could tolerate him for so long!" Yu Meng, fuming about not being able to take over the wind farm, also vented her anger here, "Your brother is a bastard!"
Li Renmei jumped up, wishing she could tear Yu Meng apart with her bare hands. The two men struggled with each other, with Yu Jia caught in the middle, sometimes pushed to the left, sometimes pushed to the right.
Another person came in. Seeing this scene, he hurried over to separate them.
Yu Meng was pulled aside, still yelling, "Xiaobai! Don't bother me! I'm going to teach this guy a lesson today!"
Yu Jia tried to hold onto Li Renmei, but she pushed her hard. She stumbled, but Yuan Kai managed to steady her. Li Renmei squinted her eyes and approached, asking, "Are you Bai Yuankai?"
"Exactly."
"Very good, everyone is here, you adulterer! Let's have a fight!" As she said that, Li Renmei started to fight again.
Bai Yuankai subdued her with one hand. Her arm was twisted, unable to move. Every time Yuankai exerted force, she cried out in pain.
"Adulterer and whore!" she continued to scream. "Police! Police!"
Yuan Kai said, "Calm down and let's talk."
Li Renmei knew the situation and said, "Okay, okay, calm down, calm down," and asked him to let go. Yuan Kaisa opened his hand, and Li Renmei jumped away like a chick escaping the claws of an eagle, pointing at Bai Yuankai and asking, "Let me ask you, what is your relationship with my sister-in-law?"
"friend."
Li Renmei snorted, "What friend? A sex buddy?"
Yu Meng interrupted and cursed, "She just has dirty thoughts!"
Yuan Kai said calmly, "Good friend."
"Nothing else?" Li Renmei pressed. "Swear to heaven, swear a bloody oath!"
"We knew each other before your brother passed away," Yuan Kai said. "We've been in frequent contact recently. I think this store has a future, so I invested in it."
"Is it that simple?"
"It's that simple."
"What the hell? What else?"
"I don't think I need to tell you anything else."
Li Renmei sneered, "Very good, you feel guilty."
Yuan Kai said like a great lawyer, "Yu Jia is free, and so am I. We are unmarried, and she has nothing to do with me, but I have the right to like her and pursue her. This does not violate public order and morality, and it is not illegal."
As soon as the conversation ended, all three women were shocked. Yu Jia was shocked that Yuan Kai actually said he liked her; Yu Meng was shocked that Li Renmei was telling the truth. Xiaobai and Jiajie might really be... experts; Li Renmei was shocked that this pair of bastards could be so shameless! What kind of love could they even talk about?
Li Renmei took out her cell phone and shouted, "Good! Very good! Very good! Say it again if you have the guts." She wanted to record it.
Yu Meng shouted, "Enough! Call the police if you do this again! You are disturbing social order!" Li Renmei saw that she was outnumbered and could not gain any benefits, so she withdrew her troops in time, cursing and retreating.
The people left. Yuan Kai wanted to comfort her, but Yu Meng said, "Go back first, I'll take care of this." Yuan Kai insisted, looking at Yu Jia. Yu Jia quickly turned away. Yu Meng was anxious, "Isn't it enough?! Let's go!" Bai Yuankai had no choice but to leave.
It was almost eleven o'clock, and Yu Jia and Yu Meng were the only two people left in the small restaurant. In one night, Yu Jia felt that her heart exploded twice. The first time was when Li Renmei was making trouble and throwing dirty water. It was a good thing that Yu Meng came. She poured out the truth that she dared not and was unwilling to say. Whether they believed it or not, this was the fact. The second time was Yuan Kai's defense and confession. He liked her and he wanted to pursue her? Yu Jia was a little dazed. She would rather believe that it was just his desperation sophistry, similar to a lawyer defending someone in court, always finding some extreme means. She was just a middle-aged woman, widowed, with children, and heavy burdens. Right now, she was concentrating on running the restaurant well. She had thrown everything about love and remarriage out of her mind.
However, after Bai Yuankai's blatant "reminder," Yu Jia seemed to sense something. And then there was the time they'd been on a research trip to Japan, when he'd been so gentlemanly, thoughtful, and protective. Would he have been able to do this without some initial affection? Furthermore, would he have invested in this restaurant without any initial affection? In the past, Yu Jia had simply attributed Yuankai's actions to "profit"—the restaurant's profitability. Now, thinking about it, it felt inadequate, not a necessary or sufficient condition.
Yu Jia was lost and in pain, afraid of bringing trouble to her friends and convinced that there was no chance for her and Xiao Bai. Yu Meng sat across from Yu Jia, and the two of them remained silent for a long time.
Yu Meng was also shocked. When she was in love, she always took the initiative. But Sister Jia was different. She did the most daring thing quietly - maybe she didn't do anything, but isn't it more powerful to have no tricks?
Yu Jia took a deep breath.
Yu Meng smiled enigmatically and asked, "Is there one?"
Yu Jia was stunned for half a second, "No." She understood what she meant.
Yu Meng asked again: "Is there any?"
"No!" Yu Jia vehemently denied.
Yu Meng waved her hand and changed the subject. "Okay, okay, no, no, I don't have anything right now. I don't even have a wind farm." She planned to complain to Yu Jia. Yu Jia didn't mention that Luan Chengyun had talked to her about this, but simply suggested that Yu Meng not expand her business so much all at once.
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