Not feeling as good after not seeing Song Qiao for several days, Xia Xueqing decided to go shopping with some classmates on the weekend.
"Xueqing, I heard your sister had an accident at the factory a few days ago. How is she now?" Han Lili, her closest friend, asked with concern as they walked down the street.
"Ugh, don't even mention it. It's all that heartless brother-in-law's fault..." Xia Xueqing snorted, about to vent to her classmates, when she was interrupted.
"Hey, what's that smell?"
"It's so stinky."
Two classmates nearby took a deep sniff and immediately frowned.
"Hey, you guys don't know yet?"
"A new snack shop opened recently, called Xiang Piaopiao Stinky Tofu. It smells bad but tastes great."
"I had someone buy some to try the other day, and it was really delicious!" Han Lili explained to the others, being quite knowledgeable about the delicacies near their school as a food lover.
Hearing this, the other classmates' eyes lit up, and they immediately suggested:
"What are we waiting for? Let's go buy some!"
With that, they headed straight for the tofu shop in front of them.
"Hey, wait up," Xia Xueqing hesitated.
She was now very sensitive to the term "stinky tofu" and couldn't help but think of Song Qiao whenever she heard it.
"Didn't we already book a table at Chunfeng Restaurant for today? If you eat now, you won't have any appetite later," Xia Xueqing said.
She really didn't want to take her classmates to Song Qiao's tofu shop and quickly made an excuse to stop them.
"Yeah, I almost forgot," the classmates said with regret. They were all poor students and couldn't possibly give up a pre-booked feast for a few skewers of stinky tofu.
"Haha, no need to be disappointed. I forgot to tell you earlier, Chunfeng Restaurant has recently partnered with Xiang Piaopiao Stinky Tofu."
Han Lili smiled slyly and continued, "Any customer who dines at Chunfeng can get a free sample of Xiang Piaopiao Stinky Tofu at the entrance."
"Although the portion isn't large, it will satisfy your craving today."
Xia Xueqing froze. Why was this stinky tofu so persistent? How could a high-class restaurant like Chunfeng, of all places, cooperate with Song Qiao's unpresentable stinky tofu?
But seeing the eager looks on her classmates' faces, she couldn't say anything to dampen their spirits. She could only grit her teeth and follow them.
Fortunately, Song Qiao, as the owner, probably wouldn't be standing at the restaurant's entrance. As long as she didn't run into him, it would be fine.
Xia Xueqing tried to comfort herself.
...
Song Qiao was also happy today because, as of today, he had finally saved enough money, 30,000 yuan, to redeem his house.
He even had enough left to pay Lin Jing and Li Lili their salaries for the month and the shop's rent.
Despite his usually calm demeanor, he was a little too excited to wait. He eagerly finished his work and rushed home to celebrate with his wife and children.
So, he quickly called Li Lili, who had returned to the shop to pick up goods, and they headed to Chunfeng Restaurant together.
Before they even got close, they saw Lin Jing tirelessly promoting the shop's stinky tofu to passersby at the entrance.
The weather was hot, and sweat beaded on her forehead.
Song Qiao felt a surge of emotion. They had truly worked hard for him during this time, and they had both gotten quite tanned from the sun in the past few days.
Without any hesitation, he took out 1600 yuan from his bag and called Lin Jing and Li Lili over to thank them.
"You two have worked hard these past few days. I've saved up the money, so this is your salary for the month. The extra 300 yuan each is a bonus."
As he spoke, he divided the money equally into two portions and handed them to each of them.
Lin Jing and Li Lili were stunned. They had only worked for less than half a month, and the boss was already paying them so readily, even giving them an extra 300 yuan as a bonus.
From what they knew, many shop owners only settled their accounts once a year, and a boss as generous as Song Qiao was rare.
"Boss, we're not in a hurry. If you need the money urgently, you can take it first," Li Lili quickly waved her hand, feeling a little embarrassed.
Lin Jing nodded in agreement. They knew that Song Qiao still had a debt of 30,000 yuan to repay.
Song Qiao smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I've already gathered the money."
"This money is rightfully yours. If the business does well next month, I'll give you another bonus."
Lin Jing and Li Lili were overjoyed. After working in the city for only half a month, their salary was already comparable to that of many white-collar workers.
They no longer stood on ceremony with Song Qiao and accepted the money he handed them.
"Saving up 30,000 yuan in half a month, you're my idol."
"Thank you, boss."
Lin Jing was so excited after receiving her salary that she hugged Song Qiao.
...
Xia Xueqing and her group arrived at Chunfeng Restaurant under the scorching sun.
They happened to witness the scene before them.
Xia Xueqing recognized Song Qiao embracing Lin Jing at a glance and immediately flew into a rage, wanting to rush forward and teach him a lesson.
But then she remembered her classmates were with her and hesitated.
She was naturally proud and didn't want her family's brother-in-law to be involved in such a scandal, or she would never be able to hold her head up at school again.
She stomped her foot hard, mentally cursing Song Qiao's ancestors eighteen times.
"Xueqing, what's wrong? Your complexion doesn't look good," Han Lili noticed Xia Xueqing's unusual behavior and asked with concern.
"I, I'm fine. It's just too hot, I think I'm getting heatstroke."
Xia Xueqing covered her forehead with her hand and pretended to look distressed as she explained.
"How about I don't go in today? You guys go ahead and eat."
After saying this, Xia Xueqing turned and left quickly.
She had to rush home and tell her sister about this, so she wouldn't be deceived by this man anymore.
...
Song Qiao, of course, was unaware that his brief hug with Lin Jing had led to a misunderstanding with Xia Xueqing.
After giving a few instructions to Li Lili and the others, he prepared to deliver the 30,000 yuan in cash to Duan Kun first, to avoid any unforeseen complications.
It wouldn't be too late to celebrate with his wife and daughter after he got the house deed back. If he was lucky, he might even be able to bring them home tonight.
Once the family was reunited, Song Qiao would have a great weight lifted from his heart. Then, he would unleash his business acumen, maximize his profits, and provide his wife and daughter with a happy life...