The clothes on the shelves, though limited in style, were all exquisitely made and of superior quality. Wearing them significantly enhanced one's entire demeanor.
Although customer traffic was not high, Chen Lishu focused on a high-end positioning, which was inherently a gradual accumulation process, and she was not in a hurry.
"You've seemed preoccupied these past two days. Did something happen?"
After closing shop, Chen Lishu asked, having sent Xiao Cui home.
"Something did happen," Wang Aixiang hesitated before recounting the entire incident in detail.
After Wang Dazhu had said those things in front of so many people that day, her mother-in-law, despite saying nothing, had been mostly silent these past few days, and Xiaopeng had also expressed strong opposition.
"What did Dazhu say?"
"I haven't told him. It's my own business, why should I make him troubled too?" Wang Aixiang said, smiling self-deprecatingly. "Fortunately, I've been busy with the branch store these past two days, so we haven't seen much of each other. He's a good man, worthy of a better woman."
Chen Lishu took her hand. It felt slightly rough to the touch. A woman's face could deceive everyone, but her hands never would.
She too had once supported a family with these delicate hands. Wang Aixiang deserved better more than anyone.
"Auntie Aixiang, compromising out of desperation is not a solution. If it were just one person's unrequited feelings, yours or Wang Dazhu's, I wouldn't advise you. Although you are a mother, you cannot sacrifice your entire life. You've already done enough."
"A woman must first learn to love herself before she can better love others. Xiaopeng is at an age where he might just be shocked by the sudden news and unable to accept it. You just need to talk to him properly."
"And your mother-in-law, if she truly cares for you, she should respect your choice. Besides, you don't have to bear everything alone. You can tell Wang Dazhu about your situation and see what he thinks. Feelings require communication. Women can be independent, but don't be too strong-willed."
Wang Aixiang's eyes turned slightly red. No one had ever spoken to her so much.
"Lishu, if only I were as carefree as you."
Chen Lishu smiled faintly. There was no such thing as being carefree; it was merely a sudden awakening after being hurt.
Upon returning home from the branch store, her mother-in-law Li Xiulan had already prepared dinner. Ruirui, seeing her enter, immediately ran to her, his small face beaming with excitement. "Mom, today Sister can call me Ge Ge."
Chen Lishu was surprised. "Really?"
Ruirui nodded vigorously, then went to the playpen and crouched down, looking at Xiaobai. "Xiaobai, say Ge Ge, Ge~ge."
Xiaobai, about to pick up a stuffed toy, heard her brother call her, looked at him, and then turned away again. But in that brief moment, Xiaocheng was faster and snatched the stuffed toy away.
Xiaobai's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She didn't cry or fuss but turned in another direction and crawled over to grab a rattle.
Ruirui was a bit disappointed. "When I got back from school, Xiaobai clearly called me Ge Ge, and she even called me several times."
Chen Lishu patted his shoulder. "Take your time. When these two little shadows are chasing after you calling you brother, you might even find it annoying."
Ruirui looked up and said earnestly, "I won't. I'm their brother. By the time they're as old as me, I'll be even bigger. I'll study hard and earn money to buy them delicious food."
Li Xiulan came out from the kitchen just as she heard Ruirui's words and couldn't help but laugh. "Then you'll have to earn more. These two have such big appetites. The two biscuits you gave them after school were all eaten, and they also drank milk and ate half a bowl of noodles."
Li Xiulan had given him a few biscuits to tide him over when he got back from school, fearing he was hungry. The two little ones saw it and became very anxious. Later, Ruirui shared one with each of them. It was then that Xiaobai had called him Ge Ge.
Remembering something, Ruirui went to the kitchen, opened the cabinet, and took out two biscuits.
"Xiaobai, Xiaocheng, look what this is?" Ruirui waved the two biscuits in front of them.
The two little ones, who had been indifferent, immediately crawled over at the fastest speed when they saw the biscuits in Ruirui's hand.
"Na na," Xiaocheng said, clasping his little hands in front of his chest and making a thankful gesture.
"De de," Xiaobai said happily, her big eyes curving and her small mouth splitting into a wide smile.
Seeing their eager expressions, Chen Lishu couldn't help but feel amused.
She turned to Ruirui and said, "Give each of them only a small piece. Dad will be back soon, and then we'll have dinner."
Meanwhile, in the old residential area in the western part of the city, at a time when households should have been eating dinner, few chimneys were emitting white smoke.
After the agreements were signed, residents began to move out. For the few who had difficulties, Gu Xingdong organized manpower to help.
"Auntie Li, is this all of your belongings?" Li Hongyu placed the last bag into the cart of the tricycle and turned to an old lady standing beside him.
"No more, no more. Thank you so much for your help this time. Otherwise, my old man and I wouldn't have known what to do. From the looks of it, we can have dinner at our new home tonight."
Li Hongyu replied, "It's just doing what we can. Then, please, you and Grandpa get on, and we'll set off."
The old lady waved her hands repeatedly. "No, no. There's so much stuff. My old man and I can walk."
Further down another street, after confirming that all personnel had moved out, Gu Xingdong and Gu Xingye were directing the demolition work.
As a bulldozer had just pushed down a house, a group of people, numbering about a dozen, approached from not far away. Leading them was "Mei Qiu."
"Stop, stop. Who allowed you to proceed without my permission?"
Signaling the bulldozer to continue, Gu Xingdong took a few steps toward "Mei Qiu."
"Do you know that this project was always handled by us?"
Gu Xingdong's eyebrows rose slightly. "And then?"
"Mei Qiu" snorted disdainfully. "Do you know why those companies didn't dare to take it? It's because they didn't want trouble. If you know what's good for you, get out with your people now and voluntarily give up this project in the west of the city."
One of "Mei Qiu's" subordinates waved the iron bar in his hand and threatened fiercely, "If you end up with broken limbs, we can't guarantee anything."
"You've got a big mouth," Wang Kuo said, shuffling over and standing two steps to the front left of Gu Xingdong. "You've picked the wrong people if you want trouble."
"What's a lame cripple showing off for? Get out of the way." The other party intentionally wanted to intimidate Gu Xingdong and take the lead. He raised the iron bar in his hand and swung it towards Wang Kuo.