Chapter 109 I'm going to Shanghai.
When Shen Rong saw the Yongyuan sign, she remembered that their pastries were quite good, so she decided to bring some back for her son, and of course, she wanted to eat some herself too.
She asked the driver to stop the car in front so she could get out and buy it herself.
Yongyuan was doing good business. There were a few people ahead of her, and the waiter invited her to sit down and wait.
Next door was a small tavern, and everyone coming and going smelled of alcohol. Chen Rong covered her nose and moved to the other side.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the tavern. Two waiters carried a drunkard out and threw him at the crossroads.
"A poor wretch like you, trying to learn to drink like everyone else, showing up early in the morning. It's really bad luck for our shop to run into you. The manager is being kind by not charging you for your drinks, so get out of here. If you cause any more trouble, we won't be so polite."
The drunkard grabbed one of the men's legs and yelled, "I have money, I want to drink, give me some wine! You're all looking down on me!"
The waiter kicked him and spat, "You've gotten yourself all confused by the sour soup."
He was still angry after saying that, so he kicked it a few more times.
The drunkard hunched over in pain, and passersby, unable to bear the sight, began to criticize him.
The waiter, getting a bit angry, retorted rudely, "What's it to you? Who does this drunkard think he is? He's eating and drinking for free, so you're going to pay for it!"
"You're running a business, how can you beat people up?" someone said, expressing their indignation.
"That's right, that's right. Even if they didn't have money to pay, why did they beat them to death after they were already kicked out?" someone chimed in.
Seeing that he was about to incite public outrage, another waiter immediately stepped forward to explain: "Gentlemen, you've misunderstood. Our boss is the most amiable and generous businessman on this street. How could he possibly beat a customer just because he ate a free meal? My brother here isn't good with words, and you probably don't know that business is tough these days. Our boss is having a hard time too. This customer has been drinking at our tavern for almost half a month and hasn't seen a single copper coin. We're a small business, and we can't afford to lose money! He comes as soon as we open, and we had no choice but to kick him out. If you don't believe me, you can ask Manager Zhu. Hasn't our boss done everything he could?"
The Manager Zhu he mentioned is the head manager of Yongyuan Restaurant next door.
When Manager Zhu was singled out, he could only step forward to explain: "We're all small businesses, and business is tough, this..." He sighed with a smile, a hint of pity in his voice.
Some people are still saying that even so, you shouldn't hit people.
The tavern owner rushed over with a smile, had someone help the customer who had fallen to the ground to his feet, and apologized profusely: "It's all my waiters' fault for being so careless. Please forgive them. Hurry up and soothe the customer before sending him off properly." He looked at the waiters.
The crowd came over to help him up, but the drunkard stopped on his own: "No need, I'm not drunk. Shopkeeper, I'll pay for the drinks. I, Wu Xinbai, won't eat for free."
Wu Xinbai, Shen Rong turned her head, and sure enough, it was him! He had been looking down, so her face was not clear, but Shen Rong was not interested in the drunkard and did not go forward.
She frowned slightly, wondering how she had ended up looking like this.
She had no liking for Wu Xinbai and had no intention of going up to acknowledge him; the packed snacks were just what she needed.
"Take care, Mrs. Lu," Manager Zhu said courteously as he saw her off.
Shen Rong was a regular customer of Yongyuan Restaurant. They had even delivered takeout to her home a few times, so they were naturally aware of her identity.
He hadn't walked far carrying his things when someone followed him. Shen Rong didn't stop, but the person behind him quickened his pace.
"Mrs. Lu... Mrs. Lu." His voice was hoarse, as if he was just tentatively calling out.
Shen Rong frowned, but still stopped and turned to look at him.
"What is it?" Shen Rong asked coldly.
Wu Xinbai was speechless. Why had he called her over? It seemed like there was nothing wrong.
"I heard she left Jincheng, is that right?"
Shen Rong nodded: "Yes, she's married, so naturally she should go with her husband. Don't you think this kind of concern is unnecessary, Wu?"
Wu Xinbai's face turned pale, whether from drinking or from being choked by Shen Rong's words, it was hard to tell.
He lowered his head, not daring to look at her. Emboldened by the alcohol, he spoke with a hint of reproach: "I know I'm not good enough for her, but you don't need to rush her into marriage. I can tell she doesn't want to!"
Shen Rong sneered: "You really are not good enough for her, Wu Xinbai. You're a man, don't you have any sense of responsibility? Why did she get married? It's all because of you. I think you'd better not show your face in front of us, or I'm afraid I won't be able to resist beating you to death!"
"Lu Xuan is the apple of the Lu family's eye. She has never suffered since she was a child. All her misfortunes started when she met you. If we had known that you were such an irresponsible person, we should never have let her associate with you in the first place."
"Don't blame your elders for how things have come to this point between you and Lu Xuan, and don't think it's because your family doesn't approve or that you're not good enough for her. If you really thought you weren't good enough for her, you wouldn't have had the chance to get close to her in the first place. Since you dared to take her away, why couldn't you protect her and let your family bully her? Is this what you call 'love'? How cheap."
The more she talked, the angrier she became, and her ridicule grew even more ruthless: "You let a girl leave alone, do you even consider yourself a man! Wu Xinbai, if it weren't for Lu Xuan pleading for you, do you think you could still be here living a life of debauchery?"
What do you mean? Why is it because of him? Seeing Shen Rong about to leave, Wu Xinbai grabbed her arm: "Mrs. Lu, what do you mean by that? What happened to Lu Xuan?"
No wonder she changed so much; Wu Xinbai was very flustered.
Shen Rong dismissed his hand with disdain: "It's none of your business."
Wu Xinbai was completely flustered, running around like a headless fly, muttering, "I need to find her, I need to find her."
Yes, that's right. He went to beg Lu Xuan. He went to beg for her forgiveness. Thinking this, he suddenly came to his senses.
"Stop." Shen Rong's expression hardened when she saw that he really wanted to go find someone.
Wu Xinbai didn't dare to look up at her cold face.
"What are you going to do? It's over between you two. You know what kind of person Lu Xuan is. She won't let her family stand up for her. So you should stay here and not waste the last bit of affection you have left."
"She has her own life, and you have your own life. You two are no longer compatible."
Wu Xinbai's lips trembled: "Without her, what's the point of my life?"
Shen Rong seemed to have heard a funny joke.
"Don't blame your incompetence and cowardice on our Lu Xuan. She's not that great. You were doing just fine before you met her. Don't act like some kind of love saint. It's disgusting. Everyone's in their prime. Lu Xuan would be better off without you. So don't get in her way. You're such bad luck!"
“Go live your own life. Don’t wait until you’re old and have accomplished nothing, then blame all your disappointments on our Lu Xuan. That would be a real disaster. Don’t let her think that meeting you was the most regrettable thing she ever did. You think getting yourself drunk every day is a sign of deep affection? Our Lu Xuan can’t take that.”
The words were too harsh, and Wu Xinbai's face turned pale, looking like he was about to faint. Shen Rong didn't want to look at him anymore, so he softened his tone and said, "You are a fine young man, and you should have your own ideals and ambitions. The country is in a time of crisis, and a good man should do something worthwhile. If you want to die, you should at least die with some value. Drinking yourself to death is just adding a burden to society."
Wu Xinbai was stunned by the blow, not even noticing when Shen Rong left.
He murmured under his breath, "Revenge, ideal."
After a long while, he started laughing, and the laughter grew more and more maniacal. Suddenly, he slapped himself twice. The people around him thought he was crazy and moved away.
Shen Rong felt much better after cursing. She didn't care what Wu Xinbai was thinking. The driver brought the car over, and she got in and drove away.
Meeting Wu Xinbai reminded her of Lu Xuan. Judging from their appearance, they should have just arrived in Guangfu. She wondered how they had settled in.
She first went to the Shen residence to bring some snacks to Shen's mother, and the mother and daughter chatted for a while.
"Why didn't you bring the child with you?" Chen's mother had been missing her grandson for the past few days.
“It’s not good to leave him alone at home. If you’re busy, you can bring him over. I miss him terribly.”
Shen Rong snuggled against her, a hint of jealousy in her voice: "This daughter can't compare to her grandson."
Chen's mother laughed at her, "How old are you? Still competing with your son for his affection."
She stroked her daughter's hair and said, "I'm not used to you not being home. Your father and your older brother are always so busy. Why don't you move back in?"
Shen Rong shook her head: "Forget it, it's too much trouble. It's not that far away. If you really miss him, just give me a call, and I'll pack him up and send him over right away."
Mother Shen smiled and said, "That's fine. At least we're both in Jincheng, which is much better than before."
The mother and daughter cuddled together for a while, and when they estimated it was time for Xiaoming to wake up, Shen Rong took her bags and went home.
Gui Chun said that Lu Lin had also returned and was in the study. She handed the things to him, changed into her house shoes, and went straight to the study.
The door was pushed open roughly. Lu Lin frowned, but when he saw it was her, he smiled and put down what he was holding: "What did you buy?"
Gui Chun said she left home very early.
"Crab roe bun, want some?" Shen Rong pinched a small bun out of the paper package and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Fresh out of the oven, you're really lucky." She looked around the room but didn't see her son.
This is quite strange; the father and son didn't cling to each other at all. Before, whenever Lu Lin came home, Xiao Ming would pester him relentlessly.
Lu Lin shook his head: "It's too noisy. I asked Da Mao and Er Mao to take him out to play."
If someone plays with him, he can even abandon his father.
Shen Rong noticed his furrowed brows and reached out to touch the lines on them.
"He's always frowning, and now he's got marks on his face and he's not handsome anymore."
Lu Lin grabbed her hand and punished her with force, and Shen Rong sat on him: "You misspoke. Handsome guys are good-looking even with wrinkles. You're an old handsome guy."
"Why are you back so early?"
Lu Lin hasn't been home this early lately; he's usually busy until the wee hours of the morning. It's definitely suspicious that he's home so early today.
Lu Lin showed her the map on the table, and he circled a mark in the northeastern region.
"The Japanese have established a new court in Bincheng, and the deposed emperor has ascended the throne again." His tone was cold; everyone knew that this court was a puppet government established by the Japanese in Northeast China.
Shen Rong: "We will drive them away one day, and we will take back Bincheng."
Lu Lin nodded, but that wasn't the main point he wanted to make.
He pulled Shen Rong into his arms tightly, unsure of what to say.
"Is there anything else?" Shen Rong was remarkably perceptive.
Lu Lin nodded: "I'm going to Shanghai."
The Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and she's going on a business trip now? She counted on her fingers, only seven or eight days left.
"How many days are you going?" You're not going to be on the road for the whole Chinese New Year, are you?
Lu Lin shook his head, squeezed her soft fingers, and said, "It's not a few days. I'm being transferred to Shanghai. I'll go there first, and you and our son can come back after the New Year."
Shen Rong couldn't sit still any longer. Why was he being transferred there so hastily? Could something have happened in Shanghai?
Lu Lin knew he couldn't hide it from her.
Before the puppet emperor came to power in Bincheng, the Japanese in Shanghai had repeatedly provoked them, presumably to cover up the events in Bincheng. Shanghai had been following orders from the authorities to remain silent and avoid trouble. Now that the incident in Bincheng has occurred, the higher-ups know why the Japanese were deliberately provoking them, so they are preparing to adopt a tougher strategy.
Lu Lin had previously clashed with the Japanese in Bincheng, and sending him to Shencheng was also to let the Japanese know that the authorities were unwilling to compromise.
"Won't there be any danger?" If a conflict were to break out with the Japanese, there are no troops stationed around Shanghai.
"Don't worry, I'll bring enough people."
There is definitely danger, so he wants Shen Rong to set off after the New Year. If Shencheng becomes uncontrollable, the mother and son can stay in Jincheng. If he can control the situation, the two of them can go there slowly.
Anyway, it's not far away.
Shen Rong comforted herself, thinking that Shanghai was no ordinary city. It was home to powerful and wealthy families and various factions, and the people of Jincheng would certainly not give up. The Japanese were just testing the waters.
When do we depart?
"First thing tomorrow morning."
Shen Rong got up and said, "Then I'll help you pack your luggage."
Lu Lin pressed her down: "I only brought a few clothes. I'll pack them myself later. You sit with me for a while."
He hugged his wife. They hadn't even had six months of peaceful life together, and he felt a little guilty. "Take good care of our son. If you get bored, move to your mother's place. Don't worry about me. Shanghai isn't far from Jincheng. I'll call you."
Shen Rong reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, laughing and joking with him: "Then you have to clean up the mess quickly. I'll be coming on the sixth day of the new year. I've heard that Shanghai is very prosperous. I haven't been there yet, so I have to have a good look around. Don't say that I bought too much or wasted money."
Lu Lin let out a few low laughs: "How dare I?"
The warmth between the two gradually increased. Thinking that they would be separated for more than ten days, they suddenly felt a little reluctant to part. Shen Rong's cheeks flushed, and she reached out to hug his neck and kissed him.
Lu Lin reached out and pressed down on her back, about to go even further, when there was a knock on the door.
She kept calling out "Dad" and "Mom," but Gui Chun outside couldn't soothe her no matter what she did.
Chen Rong straightened her disheveled collar, gritting her teeth: "You little third wheel, you just ruin the atmosphere."
Lu Lin chuckled softly, only to be slapped on the shoulder by her: "Still laughing! It's the father's fault if the son is not taught properly, don't you know that!"
He nodded, suppressing a laugh, "Go quickly, I'm afraid he'll kick the door down." His quick temper was exactly like Shen Rong's.
As soon as Shen Rong opened the door, the little guy rushed up, staring at his mother's flushed face and asking in confusion, "Mom, why are you so slow? I've been waiting for so long."
"Mom is busy."
"What are you busy with?" Little Lu Zhan tilted his head, looking puzzled.
Lu Lin had calmed down and, fearing his wife might say something inappropriate, quickly picked up his son: "Daddy and Mommy were talking about something, why did you come over?"
He touched his son's palm; it was warm.
Lu Zhan immediately forgot about the question and hugged his father's neck, saying sweetly, "Daddy, I want to eat cake."
Shen Rong had instructed him not to eat too many sweets each day, and although Zhang Ma and Gui Chun doted on him, they dared not disobey him on this matter.
He had already finished his share of food today, but when he saw that his mother had bought a lot of delicious food, he became craving it and started asking for some. Guichun didn't dare to give it to him and told him to ask his mother.
Although Lu Zhan was young, he was very clever. Knowing that his mother was strict and his father usually spoiled him, he went to his father to act cute.
But he was too young to know that his father also had to listen to his mother, so of course he didn't get any food in the end!
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