Chapter 44 Three Rules: Chen Junbo's Second Confession (2)...
For Li Yang, his one sentence was worth more than a thousand words.
This worry had weighed on her young heart ever since her parents disappeared. Later, she was busy making a living and had no time to think about it.
These past few days, perhaps it's been triggered by the old master Zhang's tender affection for his children that day, but I often find myself staring blankly at the endless stream of gourds and melons in the middle of the night.
Today, Chen Junbo's hairpin, seemingly unintentionally, hit the bullseye.
“But I don’t know where they would go. I’ve been to every place in town. They must not be in Songshan Town anymore.” She believed that as long as Chen Junbo said he would help her find them, he would. But were her parents still in town?
She murmured, revealing her plan to the other person, "I originally intended to wait until the engagement expired, and after earning enough money, I would set off to find my parents..."
Chen Junbo's brow twitched. "You're leaving Songshan Town?"
The girl nodded earnestly, tears welling in her eyes. "No matter where they went, I believe that as long as we search city by city, we will eventually find them."
Chen Junbo: "You signed that marriage contract to raise money to find someone?"
“Yes.” Li Yang’s eyes gleamed. “At that time, our whole family will be together, with a father, a mother, and money.”
Chen Junbo: "A family? Together?"
Li Yang snapped out of his daze and saw that the other party looked displeased.
Chen Junbo frowned and asked, "Do you still have this plan now?!"
That day you suspected me and Ziyan, so I ordered the rehearsal of this new play to be brought forward to today, just so you could see it with your own eyes and resolve your doubts.
You've been holding back your anger and ignoring me for several days in a row. I'm anxious and at a loss. After listening to Bi Fang's suggestion, I hurriedly had this hairpin made by a craftsman.
You said you wanted Mr. Zheng's paintings, and I ignored his several eye-rolls, risking my reputation to get you this pile of paintings.
Everything you've said, I've remembered. I'll do everything you want. Even so, you still intend to abandon me?
"Chen Junbo, I don't mean to abandon you..." Li Yang's words were not necessarily true, but to Chen Junbo, they sounded like the sound of a battle horn.
"Zhaozhao, I will do my best to find your parents. I love you, but I just want to know if I have a place in your heart?"
These words, each one like a drumbeat in Li Yang's heart, were as if he had laid bare his feelings and presented them to her, forcing her to see and hear them... She heard them and saw them, and her heart ached at the sight, and her face turned red with embarrassment. It felt as if tiny thorns were gently scratching her back, and she couldn't help but shrug her shoulders.
“Chen Junbo…” Li Yang calmed her racing heart and parted her lips slightly, “The words you said that day, words of affection, I heard, and I was happy too… but…”
"That's enough!" Fearing she might say she was leaving again, Chen Junbo quickly said, "As long as you're happy, that's enough."
Is that enough?
Li Yang was frozen in place, staring blankly at him.
As if knowing what she was thinking, the man coaxed her softly, "Zhaozhao, this is enough."
He gripped her shoulders with both hands, bent down and brought his face close to hers, his fingers tightening as if to prove something.
“I love you, that’s true. In the past, I only knew business, and I was used to manipulating people’s hearts. But with you, I’m completely at a loss. I’ve never experienced anything like this before, and I never expected anything like this. I thought most couples in the world were like my father and mother, full of resentment. But these days, you just barged in like that. You’re so vindictive and always yelling and screaming…”
Seeing Li Yang's stunned expression turn red instantly, he changed the subject and said, "You are clear-cut, kind-hearted, and intelligent... I never imagined I would meet someone as vibrant and radiant as you..."
Thinking of you at home, all I want is to go home a little sooner… Now you say that as long as you're happy, that's enough… Zhaozhao, believe me. I said I'll do anything you want. I'll take care of finding your mother and father-in-law; please don't leave me, okay?”
This guy! What nonsense about 'father-in-law and mother-in-law'! Who gave you permission to say that?!
Li Yang was so overwhelmed by his words that he couldn't react.
"Zhaozhao, do you trust me? Trust me, just this once."
Chen Junbo tightened his grip on her shoulders, his voice pleading, his expression filled with expectation and unwavering determination.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze seemed to slip in through the curtain, making one's heart itch. Li Yang inexplicably hiccuped and quickly looked up at the man opposite her. Seeing that he was stunned, she smiled and her face was reflected in his dark eyes.
"Chen Junbo, let's make a three-point agreement! From now on, you are not allowed to wrong me, you are not allowed to lie to me, and you are not allowed to hide anything from me."
At this moment, when they were talking about three rules, Chen Junbo felt a warm feeling in his heart. He raised his hand and pulled the other person into his arms. "Are three rules enough?" he said with a smile. "Even if there are thirty rules, I will follow your lead."
With her neck stiff, she leaned weakly on his shoulder, a scene reminiscent of her mother leaning on her father's shoulder in the past. Li Yang felt a long-lost sense of peace in his heart.
From now on, she had a powerful backer, a source of confidence, and a safe haven where she could let her guard down.
Her thoughts raced, and she mimicked her mother's usual coquettish manner, reaching out to hook her arm around the man's waist and burying her head in his shoulder, only a pair of dimples appearing faintly at the corners of her mouth.
Chen Junbo was taken aback, his ears flushed, and he felt the woman's warm breath on his skin. He raised an eyebrow and heard the woman whisper, "Chen Junbo, how did you know my nickname?"
Chen Junbo: "Mm."
Li Yang looked up at him and said, "Go ahead and say it."
The young woman's innocent and charming appearance seemed to Chen Junbai intimidating. She pursed her lips and said, "I had Bifang ask the maid next to you."
Li Yang: "Xiao Lu? Why does she tell everything to Bi Fang? Chen Junbo, if my mother-in-law wrongs me again..."
Chen Junbo: "I will definitely protect you."
Li Yang: "What if I really made a mistake?"
Chen Junbo: "From now on, you are my little boss. Your words are law to me, is that alright?" What could be so indebted to such a young girl that he couldn't give in to her?
Li Yang: "You said it yourself. If you lie to me, I'll make sure you can't find me."
Chen Junbo: "Yes, I said it."
Whispers of love flow like a spring stream, a gentle, murmuring murmur; how can the box of words contain them all?
The sun and moon pass by the window like a horse galloping past, or like floating clouds and morning glow.
Inside the flower shop in the East Market, the shopkeeper, Zhong Qian, looked gloomy and dejected, a far cry from his previous high spirits. He clenched his fists loosely and kept pleading.
"Young Madam, this, this, how can this be done?"
Hearing him say this, the three women beside him stared at Li Yang, their eyes filled with unease. These three were the sisters who had bought flowers on the street that day. Today, they had brought their mother to thank their benefactor and to discuss the 'good deed' their benefactor had mentioned.
Li Yang suddenly ducked down and crawled under the counter, then jumped onto a high stool without saying a word.
Zhong Qian felt dizzy. He had always known that the young mistress of the Chen family was somewhat unconventional, but no one had told him that her ideas were so shocking.
Early this morning, the mother and her two daughters came to the shop. Zhong Qian assumed they were there to inquire if he needed any help and was about to send them away when the young mistress arrived, saying she wanted them to stay and help make flower hairpins in the shop.
It's nothing, just an extra table and an extra account. How could it possibly be a problem for this seasoned shopkeeper?
But, but, the young mistress said that they should first choose the peonies in the shop, yes, the biggest and most beautiful peonies, and make them into hairpins for each of the waiters to wear.
A waiter wearing a flower in his hair?!?!
Before he could recover from his daze, he heard the young mistress say, "Manager Zhong, we also need to hurry up and order clothes for the shop assistants. The colors should be bright, preferably peach pink or willow green. The waist should be a inch tighter to show off the men's strong physique. We also need hats and crowns; I'll have this lady make some flower crowns for them later... And go buy some face powder; their skin tone needs to be powdered..."
Zhong Qian's head was buzzing at this moment. He thought to himself: Oh my god, my young mistress, this is a brothel, we do legitimate business, it, it, it is not the Nanfeng Boat on the canal!
This young mistress is even worse than the madam. The madam merely allowed the actors to come to the brothel and take whatever they wanted, and that was about it... But now, the young mistress simply dressed up each of the brothel's waiters as handsome young men with pink faces and flower crowns...
A thought flashed through his mind: "Young Madam, does the young master know about this?"
Li Yang tilted his head and looked at him, "What does it have to do with him?"
"Fine!" Zhong Qian slapped himself. "I'm such a chatterbox, such a chatterbox."
This set of kung fu left Li Yang dazzled. "Manager Zhong, quickly take Madam Luo and these two young ladies with you. From today onwards, Madam Luo will wear flowers in the shop, and the two young ladies can sell things in baskets on the streets nearby."
In comparison, this job was much easier. Zhong Qian led his people to quickly determine the profit-sharing ratio and sign the agreement, which was a piece of cake.
But this handsome young man in fine clothes and a flower crown really put him in a dilemma. After trembling for a long time, he realized that he did not have the courage to refuse the young mistress. He then ran back to the counter with small steps. "Young mistress, I'm afraid the waiter in the shop is not handsome enough..." As he spoke, he stole a glance at the young lady's face.
At that moment, he silently prayed that the young woman would quickly dismiss this terrible idea.
He! Zhong Qian! Although not from a prestigious family, he would never do anything sordid! He has backbone!
That's right! He has backbone...
"No way?" Li Yang raised an eyebrow, pursed his lips, pushed the abacus aside, stretched, and leaned casually against the cabinet behind him. "Then let's prepare to close down in three months."
She spoke casually and nonchalantly, but to Zhong Qian, it sounded like a death knell. He heard the young mistress tugging at his ear and shouting: "Manager Zhong, you can't be a manager anymore! You can't collect your monthly wages! You can't pay back your loans! You can't live in a big house anymore! Your wife is going to run off with someone else!"
Shaking his head, Zhong Qian looked up again and saw the young mistress leaning on the counter, propping her head up and idly fiddling with the wolf-hair brush on the table. "Manager Zhong, I don't have any good ideas either. Maybe we should just close this shop down..."
"Huh?! Why are you saying such discouraging things, young mistress? I think these waiters may not be handsome, but clothes make the man... Well, as you said, young mistress, they should wear bright clothes, like peach pink, yes, and willow green, all the same color... And buy some rouge and powder to do their makeup, it's not a bad idea, hehe, hehehehe."
Two waiters, who had been sent to gather information, were passing by the two men when they turned around and stared at their manager in disbelief, as if they had seen a deadly ghost in broad daylight.
"What are you looking at? The flower shop is closed, so you have no work to do. Go, go, go, go back to work." This man quickly convinced himself and sent the waiters back.
Zhong Qian smiled broadly at Li Yang, looking like Huang Jia or Huang Yi, the gatekeeper Zhou kept at the entrance of the banquet hall. Li Yang looked at him, frowned, and forced a smile, thinking: "That's really true, people rely on their mouths, they have two layers of skin."
Seeing the young mistress's lips curl up in a smile, Zhong Qian felt a great weight lifted from his heart: this flower shop held his bright future and connected him to General Manager Chen. Why should it be closed? Who would dare to close it?
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