The two exchanged glances with each other and hastily left when they realized that she was about to call the cops on them. The crowd soon dispersed along with their departure.
…
Inside a nearby black Maybach.
That entire scene had been witnessed by Jiang Beiyuan and Xu Kuangjie from the inside of the car.
Now that the storm had calmed, the latter felt the urge to smoke, and so, he lit a cigarette and put it between his lips before handing a stick to his buddy.
Jiang Beiyuan: "I've quit."
"Eh? When did you quit smoking? …Oh, right. You must've kicked off the habit because that lass dislikes it, right?"
"What was going on earlier with those two?"
That was the focus of his attention.
There was a moment earlier when he harbored the thoughts of alighting from the car to go play hero to the damsel-in-distress, but he dispelled it knowing that his wife was not a weak person.
The other man nonchalantly puffed out the smoke he'd inhaled from the cigarette in his mouth. "They're probably green-eyed with envy and wanted to make a scene to disrupt her business. This piece of land is well located in the center of the streets with a convenient transport system and a high traffic flow, and few are able to lay their hands on a shop space here."
If he had not been entrusted by his friend to use his connections, Yan Nian would not have been able to open her flower shop here.
Jiang Beiyuan frowned with a distant gaze in his eyes and a hand on the window. "Her business is so poor. I bet it's because she doesn't have any connections, markets, or any knowledge of marketing. You go help her pave the way."
"Hey, she's your wife. Why should I be the one helping her?"
"It's exactly because she's my wife, so I'm telling you to do so."
If it were some other woman, he would not be bothered to care at all.
"What rewards do I get for always doing tasks for you?"
Huh, is he asking me for rewards now?
He sneered in response. "Find another doctor to do your treatment the next time you have hemoptysis again."
"Hey, don't you do that!"
He was well known as the top thoracic surgeon in Ning City.
With his friend smoking and drinking all day long without a regular sleeping pattern, it would be strange if his lungs were fine!
A few years ago, he performed a bronchial artery embolization on his friend, which posed no side effects nor risks to him, and up 'til now, his friend was still alive and jumping.
At the thought of this, Xu Kuangjie surrendered and gave in. There was no need to gamble his life away when money could resolve the matter.
"That lass must've received quite a shock, though. Aren't you going down to take a look?"
"…"
The other man fell silent.
His worries were evident from the crease on his forehead.
It was sunset then. From his angle, he could see a lone, petite figure from not too far away.
Her head bowed as she swept away the soil at the entrance of her shop, her fringe dangling down and covering her eyes.
She was not like this a decade ago.
That rude and unreasonable spirit of a girl delinquent was missing from her now.
"Let's just leave."
He retracted his gaze, though he was still peering at her from the corner of his eye. As he was feeling exasperated, his voice sounded sullen…
"She doesn't want to see me."
...
Yan Nian realized that the trough stage of her business was probably over.
Her shop's business had picked up tremendously ever since those two bulky people came over to make trouble the last time.
From 8 AM, her shop's opening time, and up until closing, she'd had a steady stream of customers and all her previously accumulated stocks had been sold, resulting in her needing to wake up early to get herself a fresh batch of stock.
Things went on like this for another two days until her mother, Ma Xueyan, suddenly showed up in her shop, much to her shock.
Before she could even open her mouth, the older woman sent a tight slap across her face right away!
"Well, spill it! When did you open this shop behind my back and where did the money come from?"
Her mother used to be a good-natured person.
However, since the passing of her father a decade ago, her temperament had changed. She became easily irritated and angered and would vent all her frustrations on her.
This made Yan Nian's character change, too. Initially, she would still snap back at her mother, but slowly, over time, she became taciturn and no longer wished to give any explanations to her mother.
"Can't you hear me talking to you? Where did you get the money to open such a big shop?! You didn't steal it, did you?"
"…"
She remained mum as she fiddled with the flowers in her hand.
"Wretch, are you deaf?!"
Ma Xueyan raised her hand to deliver another slap to her daughter. When she saw the incoming slap, the latter deftly grabbed her hand and slapped it aside.
"Haven't you slapped me enough?!"
"What did you just say?"
"If you're done hitting me, then get lost! Don't get in the way of my work!"