The car slowly drove from the bustling department store into the back street, where tall, verdant trees could be vaguely seen surrounding the area. The car stopped, and in a corner alley, there was a low-lying house, its walls painted in the color of kraft paper.
A motorcycle was parked in front of the door, and on the other side were many green plants and photos, creating a retro atmosphere.
Jiang Yu was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected to find such a charming little shop in such a secluded corner. She had never seen anything like it in all the time she had been here. She really should wander around and maybe find an even better shop.
"Smack."
A snap of the fingers flashed before my eyes, pulling my wandering mind back to reality.
"What are you thinking about?"
Seeing the woman's dazed expression, Su Yujing mistakenly assumed she was nervous about the environment and couldn't help but show concern.
"It's nothing, I just feel that in this kind of atmosphere, we should be able to design better clothing styles."
Jiang Yu smiled, looking at the man beside her. Since returning from the provincial capital to negotiate the contract, he had changed a lot. He was no longer the carefree person he used to be, and now he often appeared in front of people in a suit. He exuded an air of nobility, giving off a feeling of unapproachability.
"If that's the case, I'll have to look for these kinds of shops and take you out to see them more often. It would be best to get you a laptop so you can work anytime."
The man continued, a wicked grin spreading across his face. His cocky demeanor caused quite a stir among the customers coming in and out of the shop.
"This guy is so handsome. His smile is so captivating."
Many blonde, blue-eyed beauties approached them to chat.
"Sorry, let's talk about work, not personal matters."
After coldly refusing, Su Yujing opened the coffee shop door and gentlemanly let Jiang Yu in. The two showed perfect understanding, heading straight to their respective seats upon entering.
Jiang Yu glanced around and saw a woman by the window dressed in a Hong Kong style outfit with bold red lipstick, looking really cool.
Upon hearing the door open, she reflexively glanced over and spotted the man who had come with Jiang Yu. She paused, somewhat surprised.
With a poised and generous personality, he waved:
"Miss Jiang."
Jiang Yu nodded knowingly, waved to Su Yujing, and walked towards the woman's table. As soon as she sat down, the woman couldn't wait to...
"Would you like something to drink? Order whatever you like, it's on me."
Having said that, she handed over the menu. In her opinion, Jiang Yu probably had never been to such a high-end shop before. After all, the threshold was too high; she was only able to get in because of her uncle, Commander Bai's, status.
"Italian coffee, please."
Jiang Yu glanced at the menu in the other person's hand, but did not take it. Instead, she spoke to the waiter waiting to order.
"This coffee is very bitter, would you like to order another one?"
Bai Ling kindly reminded him, but secretly thought: It seems he really has never had coffee before; even ordering a drink was just a casual remark. The man who was with her earlier probably gave her a quick, impromptu explanation, but it wasn't clear.
"No need, I like this one. In early summer, I always feel sleepy when I'm working in the afternoon. Drinking something bitter helps me stay awake."
Jiang Yu refused outright. She should treat women gently; after all, she was the female lead, and those who opposed her should be the villains.
But she hadn't done anything wrong, nor had she ruined any relationship. Yet, because of her negligence, the clothing store had been made the scapegoat, so she absolutely couldn't treat her kindly. Besides, she couldn't possibly not know what exactly happened that night and who was behind it.
Jiang Yu couldn't accept someone pretending to be ignorant while actually knowing the truth and putting on a show of being a pure and innocent woman.
"good."
Bai Ling didn't try to persuade her any further. She sensed a pressure in the woman's eyes. Even though her background and experience were far superior, she didn't know where this feeling came from.
I can't explain it, I really can't.
While waiting for their coffee, neither of them spoke a word. Each was calculating the other's thoughts, wondering if they could strike first.
Seeing this, Jiang Yu didn't waste any words. She took a sip of the coffee the waiter handed her; it was bitter, but enough to make her clear-headed, and asked:
“Ms. Bai, you said on the phone that you wanted to talk to me about the clothing store. Could it be that you have already found the person who framed you and Shen Ying? If so, please be merciful and help clear things up. Let my clothing store go.”
She didn't want to talk too much with the woman, lest Bai Ling suddenly appear with her protagonist aura and subdue her.
"No, this matter involves too many people, and it can't be investigated in a short time. I asked you out today mainly to check on things. If it has caused significant losses, I'm willing to help."
There's no way to make money, but finding another job to supplement the family income and cover daily expenses is still possible.
Bai Ling looked distressed, making people mistakenly believe that she was the victim.
"No need. Finding a job is no problem for me. But Miss Bai, since you're already here, why don't you try to persuade Commander Bai? Isn't he your uncle? Besides, this whole thing has nothing to do with me. It doesn't make sense to take your anger out on him."
Jiang Yu sneered. Looking into Bai Ling's eyes, she spoke each word clearly.
“Before I contacted you, I had already spoken to my uncle about this matter. But as you know, it involves not only my reputation but also the disgrace of the entire family. He wouldn't budge, and if I continued to speak, I wouldn't be able to help at all, and I would be considered shameless.”
After saying that, Bai Ling lowered her eyes, looking aggrieved.
"Since that's the case, then I think there's nothing more to say between us. One day, this matter will come to light. When that time comes, we'll see how the Bai family handles it."
Jiang Yu scoffed, finding the man's words utterly absurd. All talk of shame and disgrace was nonsense. She knew the full story from that day; Commander Bai must have known his niece was infatuated with Shen Ying to have acted this way.
They wanted to make a big fuss about this so that they could fulfill her wish.
"I asked the shopkeepers next to the clothing store, and they said your store has a lot of customers, a constant stream. This can't go on forever, so maybe..."
Her hesitant manner suggested that she shouldn't be the one to say what was about to come. Jiang Yu disliked this evasive approach, so she suppressed her emotions and said:
"I might as well give Shen Ying to you. Anyway, there's no affection between us. This way, I can not only shut your uncle up, but also help me get the clothing store back."
"No...that's roughly the gist of it. Miss Jiang, I've had someone inquire about the relationship between you two. There's practically no affection between you, so why can't you separate? Besides, if the shop closes, it's your money you'll lose!"
Is it worth it for a man?
Bai Ling kept denying it, then admitting it. This answer seemed to be difficult even for herself.
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