I was originally going to look at the martial arts school venue, but after coming to the tea shop, it wasn't convenient to leave right away.
Luo Yang didn't have any special requirements for the venue, so he let Chen Jie rent it. The rent was said to be 3000 yuan a month for less than 100 square meters, located on the third floor.
Luo Yang still had a payment with Chen Jie, so there was no need to give her more money, and she would also pay for the renovation.
For the renovation of the martial arts school, Luo Yang only had one request, which was that the characters "Jingwu Gate" must look attractive, and a large billboard for Jingwu Gate had to be hung on the exterior of the building.
Chen Jie kept all this in mind, promising to renovate the martial arts school as soon as possible.
So, Chen Jie and Zhu Li drove away with Shuang Qiao.
Luo Yang and Hong Jiaxin stayed behind to help check the inventory of the tea shop.
Tang Guihua had many words of gratitude to say but hadn't been able to find the opportunity to speak alone with Luo Yang.
It wasn't until she needed to go up to the attic to inspect it, bringing over a stepladder to place at the entrance of the attic, that she said, "Niu Zai, could you help me go up and check if there are any cockroaches?"
The attic was a layer partitioned off between the ceilings, which could be used for resting or storing valuable items.
"Sister Guihua, let me do it," Luo Yang promptly said.
He climbed up the ladder, turned on the light, and saw that the attic was a little more than a meter high, not tall enough to stand up in, which meant he had to squat to move around.
Up there were bamboo mats, quilts, and pillows, indicating that Tang Dexing occasionally slept there.
"Sister Guihua, there are no cockroaches," Luo Yang called out.
Immediately after, Tang Guihua also climbed up.
Down below were the three beauties: An Yuying, Hong Jiaxin, and Qin Piao.
Tang Guihua and Luo Yang were together in the attic.
Just as Luo Yang was about to climb down, Tang Guihua grabbed his hand and whispered softly in his ear, "Niu Zai, thank you. If it weren't for your help, I wouldn't have been able to get the shop back."
As she spoke, her voice choked slightly.
"Sister Guihua, why are you speaking so formally? Isn't it natural for me to help my uncle with something?" Luo Yang whispered back.
Upon hearing this, Tang Guihua's face immediately blossomed with a happy smile, and her eyes held a hint of shyness.
With a seductive smile, she turned her head and bit his ear, murmuring, "You must teach that bad man a lesson for Sister Guihua, I really want to slap him."
She was referring to Lin Guofa.
"Sister Guihua, I will teach him a lesson for you," Luo Yang reassured her.
Before they went up to the attic, although Tang Guihua had taken back the tea shop, her expression still seemed unable to brighten, her mood evidently still heavy.
Now, her smile was blooming like flowers.
Seeing her in a much better mood made Luo Yang feel relieved.
The lighting in the attic was as if veiled by a layer of fog, creating a faint sense of haziness—as if in a dream, though the space was cramped and slightly stuffy.
An air conditioner was installed, but it was not on.
Luo Yang couldn't help but watch Tang Guihua smile and felt too embarrassed to look at her directly.
She held his head in her hands, turned it towards her, and faced him.
"I'm not yet prepared. I can't give myself to you. Besides, I already belong to you—no one else can take that away. What's the rush?" she said with a shy murmur.
Caught by her words, he flashed a grin.
"Sister Guihua, you misunderstood. I think you look very pretty in that outfit, and I just wanted to get a closer look," Luo Yang explained.
Upon hearing this, she burst into laughter and playfully punched his shoulder with her little fist.
"Look at the outfit, need to be that close? It's close enough as it is, yet you leaned in further. You must have ulterior motives," she laughed softly, her lips brushing his ear.
Luo Yang felt his ears burn.
"Niu Zai, there's another thing I want to tell you," she said, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"What is it?" asked Luo Yang.
"Let's run the tea shop together. You own half of the shares, and I own the other half," Tang Guihua said softly.
Firstly, to thank Luo Yang for his help, without whom she wouldn't have been able to retrieve the tea shop, and secondly, in consideration of the possibility that Lin Guofa might cause trouble again.
If Luo Yang had a stake in the tea shop, she wouldn't be afraid of Lin Guofa's threats.
"Sister Guihua, you don't have to. What's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours. Letting your brother run it is okay," Luo Yang gently declined.
"No, let's run it together. Please agree," she said softly.
She had made up her mind and wasn't going to change it.
"Sister Guihua, if that's the case, then I'll gratefully accept your kindness. Should I contribute financially for the shares?" he asked.
"No need. You just take care of the safety of the tea shop. If anyone causes trouble, you handle it," she said with a smile.