Chen Xuefeng's concerns were both amusing and frustrating for Guan Qingtong. However, from her mother's perspective, it was understandable.
Failing to convince her mother otherwise, and under the watchful and probing gaze of suspicion, Guan Qingtong hastily excused herself, claiming she was busy with work.
Sometimes, the more you try to explain, the worse it gets. It's better to let time clarify things, allowing the truth to reveal itself gradually.
Lately, thanks to her relentless efforts, Guan Qingtong had not only mastered the management of her café's social media account but had also managed to gather a few thousand followers. Her videos, although clearly promoting the café, were full of quirky ideas that often left viewers pleasantly surprised.
As a result, the account's popularity had soared, with engagement levels reaching new heights. Many viewers, after trying the café's coffee, expressed a desire to meet the creative mind behind the witty and intriguing content.
With the growing online recognition, Guan Qingtong began to feel a unique sense of accomplishment. Under Su Yirao's guidance, she successfully pushed the account to new heights, seizing every opportunity to experiment with live streaming to further boost the café's visibility.
The content and strategies for these live sessions had been thoroughly discussed with Su Yirao, and under her mentorship, Guan Qingtong had grown significantly. Where she once hesitated over the smallest decisions, she now handled challenges with calm, thoughtful solutions as the account continued to gain traction.
For instance, when many followers expressed disappointment at not being able to visit "Qiyu" Café in person, Guan Qingtong proposed to Zhou Huiying the idea of offering instant coffee products online, to reach those distant fans.
Zhou Huiying had witnessed Guan Qingtong's growth and was thrilled at the prospect of expanding her self-developed coffee brand. However, with "Qiyu" Café's physical stores thriving and Zhou's energy spread thin, she had little time or resources to devote to an online instant coffee venture. Hence, under Su Yirao's direction, Zhou entrusted this new project entirely to Guan Qingtong.
Guan Qingtong spent half a month planning before deciding to pivot the video content slightly, focusing on the process of sourcing high-quality coffee beans. This not only reassured customers about the product's quality but also added an engaging narrative to the videos.
"What? You're going to Yun City for on-site filming?" Chen Xuefeng exclaimed in alarm.
In the past half year, as Guan Qingtong's career had flourished, Chen Xuefeng, fresh out of the hospital, had only been concerned about her daughter's stability and the future sustainability of her seemingly dependent living situation. Everything else had been going smoothly.
Yun City was known for its coffee beans but also had a reputation for its rugged terrain and some rather notorious incidents in the past. Although it had calmed down in recent years, as a mother, Chen Xuefeng couldn't help but worry.
"I'm fully prepared, Mom. Our whole media team is going—several people in total."
Indeed, Guan Qingtong's team had grown, and she now held a small leadership role.
Chen Xuefeng, still uneasy, asked, "Are there any boys going? Boys are stronger and can protect you."
"Mom, you're worrying too much," Guan Qingtong replied.
Seeing her mother's concern, Guan Qingtong added, "Yes, there are. Two boys will be carrying the camera equipment."
"Is Xiao Yu going?" Chen Xuefeng asked, referring to Gao Xiaoyu, a male colleague who had often worked late with Guan Qingtong and had even driven her home a few times, leaving a positive impression on Chen Xuefeng.
"Yes. Not only is Gao Xiaoyu coming, but Su Yirao will be there too, so you don't have to worry."
Guan Qingtong knew exactly what her mother was hinting at with her mention of Gao Xiaoyu, which is why she brought up Su Yirao.
Sure enough, Chen Xuefeng paused, her concern momentarily abated, but she hesitated before speaking again.
"You said before that you and Su Yirao were just pretending, and I believed you. But now, to others, it looks like..."
"I think it's fine," Guan Qingtong replied casually.
She wished things could stay this way forever, but...
"What's so fine about it? You're just wasting each other's time. You and she are both of an age where you should be considering marriage," Chen Xuefeng pressed.
"I don't feel like it's a waste of time. I think it's great," Guan Qingtong countered, noticing her mother's displeased expression. She added, "My career is just starting to take off, and I don't want to get distracted."
"Those things aren't mutually exclusive!" Chen Xuefeng insisted. "What if you both end up as old spinsters, regretting it when it's too late?"
At that moment, Su Yirao emerged from the study, holding a cup of water.
"As long as Qingtong wants to be with me, it doesn't matter if we grow old together. I don't mind," Su Yirao said with a smile.
"Auntie, nowadays, many young people marry and have kids later in life. Qingtong is only twenty-three—there's no rush," Su Yirao added, trying to ease Chen Xuefeng's worries.
Chen Xuefeng wanted to argue further but, seeing the smiles on both Su Yirao and her daughter's faces, and remembering their current situation of living under someone else's roof, she held back.
"Su, could I speak to you in private for a moment?"
"Mom, what do you need to talk about that I can't hear?" Guan Qingtong asked, feeling uneasy.
"You don't need to worry about it. Go pack your bags for Yun City. I just want to have a few words with Su," Chen Xuefeng replied firmly.
Su Yirao pressed her lips together, giving Guan Qingtong a reassuring glance before following Chen Xuefeng into the master bedroom.
The bedroom door closed, leaving Guan Qingtong outside, frustrated at being shut out. She leaned against the door, straining to hear, but to no avail.
With a huff, she turned away and began packing.
Inside the bedroom, Su Yirao and Chen Xuefeng sat facing each other.
"Su, we've known each other for half a year now. I think I've got a good sense of your character—you're a good person and have treated Qingtong very well," Chen Xuefeng began.
Su Yirao nodded slightly, listening intently.
In the original novel, it was Su Yirao who had caused Guan Qingtong's suffering. Her actions now were as much about making amends as they were about wanting to genuinely help Guan Qingtong.
"I understand why you asked Qingtong to pretend to be your girlfriend to avoid pressure from your parents," Chen Xuefeng continued.
Su Yirao's brows furrowed slightly. "Auntie, are you saying you think I'm holding her back from finding a partner?"
"If Qingtong feels that way, I'll make it clear to everyone that she's single again," Su Yirao added, her tone cooling as her patience began to wear thin.
"At first, I did think that," Chen Xuefeng admitted. "But later..."
She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "I know my daughter. At first, I thought her feelings for you were just admiration and gratitude. But then I realized..."
"When she was little, she loved this one toy. But because we couldn't afford it, she never asked for it. She saved up her allowance for months before finally bringing it home," Chen Xuefeng recalled.
"And once she had it, she was so afraid we'd think it was a distraction from her studies that she hid it away, only bringing it out late at night when no one could see."
Su Yirao listened, still unsure where this was going. "Auntie, what are you trying to say?"
"You're that toy—something she cherishes but is afraid to hold too close," Chen Xuefeng explained. "She likes you."
"She enjoys playing the role of your girlfriend. She's happy to do it."
"I'm a pretty open-minded mom. If you have feelings for her, then that's great."
"But if you're just using her as a shield, then please, let her go. Don't let her get too attached," Chen Xuefeng pleaded.
Su Yirao's eyebrows shot up, her breath catching, but she remained silent.
Chen Xuefeng sighed, adding, "When that toy broke, she cried for days and wouldn't eat. As her mother, I can't bear to see her heartbroken again."
Chen Xuefeng: A mother's job is to worry. I can't sit back and watch this anymore.