Chapter 70: Two Places

Precisely because I am the person involved, I have the right to judge the reasons behind Qin Xiaomo's actions. Her reason for slandering Goddess Su in front of Yang Xiaoyu was also very simple: she merely wanted to use Yang Xiaoyu's influence to provoke Su Xuefei, thereby driving her away from my side. Although such a tactic made me feel somewhat saddened inside, it was undoubtedly the most correct choice.

Seeing Yang Xiaoyu sitting to the side, pouting in muffled anger, I offered a wry smile, feeling a touch of desolation in my heart. Once upon a time, Qin Xiaomo had sought me out to talk about Su Xuefei; from initially acting as a matchmaker to now urging us to break up, it was truly an ironic transformation.

Beneath this vast web of fate, everyone is changing—either transforming from naive to mature, or from indifferent to cheerful. Every single one of us grows amidst these intersecting points and lines, gradually drifting away from dreams and returning to reality, feeling a sense of strangeness when facing our former selves.

"How are your preparations for the Christmas event going?" I continued to write messages to Yang Xiaoyu in the notebook.

"It's still proceeding according to the original plan. During the day today, a few shop owners have already approached me. By then, the props we can use and the spaces we can utilize will increase significantly." Although Yang Xiaoyu was angry, she still discussed work with a serious demeanor. After all, this beverage shop could be said to be my final possession, and it was also a place where Yang Xiaoyu had poured in a tremendous amount of effort. It held extraordinary significance for both of us.

"How is the financial situation? Can we pull together enough funds to run the event?"

"Based on the budget, given the shop's current earnings, we won't be able to meet the requirements for all expenses on Christmas Day. That means a portion of the costs will need to be covered out of our own pockets... But you don't need to worry about this, Boss Yang. I still have some savings left here, and the surplus can be temporarily covered by me."

As expected, insufficient funds remained the primary issue for this event. Although adopting a collaborative approach allowed us to save a large portion of our expenses, the beverage shop itself still had to shoulder the majority of the costs for the core segments. This also involved the issue of revenue distribution once the event concluded, which was why I had always advocated for collaborative events where everyone pursued their own needs, while remaining reluctant to let other shops invest capital into it.

I shook my head, disagreeing with Yang Xiaoyu's idea of shouldering the extra expenses entirely on her own. This shop belonged to everyone; when problems arose, everyone should brainstorm solutions together rather than leaving one person to bear the burden alone. Perhaps it would succeed this time, but what about the next time? And the time after that? If the results truly proved unsatisfactory, it would deal a considerable blow to both "Seeking" and Yang Xiaoyu. I could never agree to such a risky approach.

"How much is the budget falling short by?" Su Xuefei, who had been sitting quietly to the side, suddenly spoke up to ask.

"Mind your own business. This has nothing to do with you." Yang Xiaoyu retorted sharply at the goddess.

Su Xuefei seemed to have anticipated this outcome and cast a pleading look in my direction.

"Xiaoyu, how much is the shortfall?" I had no choice but to write in the notebook. In truth, I also wanted to know the exact figure. Regardless of whether it was huge or negligible, only by understanding it could it be resolved.

"Around thirty thousand yuan." Seeming deeply dissatisfied with my behavior of seemingly speaking up for Su Xuefei, Yang Xiaoyu muttered under her breath before glaring at me angrily.

I looked at the goddess in bewilderment; due to my hearing issues, I hadn't managed to catch what Yang Xiaoyu had said. Su Xuefei then made a "three" gesture with her hand for me.

Thirty thousand... This might be a substantial sum to me, but for an event of this scale, it was an acceptable outcome.

"Has this month's money been transferred to Shiyu's account?" I wrote.

"Not yet. But I always feel we shouldn't rely on Sister Wenrou for this. After all, she has already invested so much into the shop; if we can't fulfill our promises, I'd feel rather sorry towards her... Actually, it's fine for me, but mainly you have such a good relationship with Sister Wenrou, Boss Yang. Delaying the payment really is a bit unjustifiable." Yang Xiaoyu seemed to have considered this issue as well, which was why she contradicted me the moment I brought it up.

I nodded in agreement. If I were to trouble Sister Shiyu over this paltry sum of money, I would be far too incompetent. Apart from retaining some living expenses, I had essentially remitted my salary from the past few months back home. Right now, coming up with tens of thousands in cash on the spot was truly beyond me.

"I'll figure something out about this... You don't need to worry about this part for now. Just focus on arranging the event properly." I told Yang Xiaoyu. As the saying goes, anything that can be resolved with money is never a true problem. At the same time, anything that requires money to accomplish is never worth worrying over.

Yang Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. I glanced at the electronic clock on the wall; it was getting late. Su Xuefei seemed to sense my intention, standing up and smiling as she said to Yang Xiaoyu, "Let's wrap up our chat about work for today. It's getting late, and Yang Chen's body still needs proper rest. Let me send you back first."

"Send me back?" Yang Xiaoyu looked at me and Su Xuefei suspiciously, saying in a sarcastic tone, "What, does Boss Yang intend to spend the night in this beauty's boudoir?"

I stood up awkwardly. It was only after Yang Xiaoyu's remark that I realized there was indeed something ambiguous about Su Xuefei's words just then. I could only blame my thick nerves for not catching it earlier.

Seeing me stand up, Su Xuefei found it hard to say anything further. The three of us then put on our coats and headed out.

Taking a cab to the downstairs of Yang Xiaoyu's apartment building, this girl insisted on dragging me out of the car, claiming she had a few crucial things to tell me.

"Boss Yang, how on earth did you hook up with her?" Yang Xiaoyu pulled me into the entrance hallway with a displeased expression. "Where is the boss's wife?"

Hearing Yang Xiaoyu bring up Luo Qing left a bitter taste in my mouth, as if I were a thief with a guilty conscience, or as though a long-buried painful memory had been rudely torn open. For a moment, I didn't even dare to look at her.

"Did you guys quarrel again?" Yang Xiaoyu sighed as she looked at my dejected appearance. "Brother Yang... I know I have no right to meddle in your relationships with anyone, but you must think twice this time. Because with this woman, I can sense she's different from the others. Once you fall for her, you'll never be able to escape."

I didn't know whether Yang Xiaoyu's words were meant as praise or criticism for Su Xuefei. Yet, everything was developing in directions we could never have foreseen. None of us knew what the future would look like. Was a single choice or a single act of waiting ultimately right or wrong?

"Brother Yang, you treat me like your own younger sister. By the same token, I look at you as my own older brother. Trust me just this once."

Yang Xiaoyu spoke those words with utmost sincerity, but looking into her eyes, I had no idea how to respond. Because right now, I possessed no right to choose whatsoever. Fate was no longer something I chose; rather, fate was choosing me.

Sitting back inside the taxi, Su Xuefei looked at me with a trace of curiosity, while I merely shook my head at her. In my mind, Xiaoyu's parting words kept echoing relentlessly: "A woman who can change her own personality and habits simply out of love for a man is a dangerous woman."

I simply could not comprehend the meaning behind that statement. Su Xuefei was exceptionally brilliant in every single aspect; what reason was there to label her as "dangerous"?

Taking a cab to the residential complex where my rental apartment was located, to my surprise, Su Xuefei also got out of the car with me. Meeting my puzzled gaze, Su Xuefei said softly, "Having been in Yichun for so long, I've never been to the place where you live. Besides, I'd worry if you came back all by yourself. After all, your body is still recovering."

Zhao Kewen's apartment remained locked up as tightly as usual. Most of the time, she didn't come back to stay, and I wondered if she had already purchased a new place outside. I had constantly been wondering how things were going between her and Zhang Chuang. Ever since she said she would properly resolve the matter last time, we hadn't been in touch.

Pulling out the key, I suddenly halted my movements, staring blankly at the door of the rental apartment.

I didn't know when it had begun, but this place had seemingly transformed into a tiny home shared by Luo Qing and me. Inside were the furniture we had purchased together, along with memories of our shared laughter, playful antics, and even quarrels. Although the two of us hadn't spent a prolonged period in this little home, we had gone through periods of separation and reunion, traversing the seasons of falling leaves and drifting snow... This place bore the weight of our destiny and memories, concealing the most wonderful past shared by Luo Qing and me...

My hand holding the key trembled slightly, failing for a long time to make a move to unlock the door.

"Yang Chen... Should I go back instead?" Su Xuefei reached out to clasp my hand, her voice gentle, yet I detected a hint of grievance and sorrow within it.

In the end, I failed to open that door. Perhaps my inner self remained riddled with contradictions and choices, leaving me incapable of doing anything against my conscience. Was I still desperately trying to protect something?

Walking along the roadside with the goddess, gazing at the street where not a single taxi appeared in either direction, I felt a wave of self-reproach.

"Yang Chen, let's take a photo together." Su Xuefei skipped forward a few steps playfully, pulled out her phone, and snapped a few pictures of me. I simply didn't bother to dodge; after all, looking as destitute as I did now, what else was there left that I couldn't face?

Su Xuefei nodded in satisfaction as she looked at the photos on her screen, then trotted back to my side. Adjusting the phone to selfie mode, she held it up, nestled close into my arms as she gazed at the lens and whispered, "One, two, three."

Afterward, she struck a few other poses to take pictures with me, and I also took her camera to snap numerous solo shots of her. Unawares, this street—which should have felt bitterly cold and agonizingly long—began to exude an atmosphere of relaxed joy. My repressed mood was also eased to a certain extent.

At last, after walking less than two hundred meters, the goddess and I managed to hail a taxi. Upon stepping out of the car, I stood bewilderedly outside the hotel's towering background lights, completely at a loss as to where I should go.

"Yang Chen, let's head up..." Su Xuefei sensed my hesitation and said to me, "Aren't there two beds in the room? You can just sleep in the other one."

I nodded, yet felt a wave of contempt for myself at that moment. With a home refusing to be entered and no money to pay for a hotel room, what on earth was I actually doing?