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The reborn of paranoid boss cannon fodder wife(356-360)
🕑 Added 2024-05-22 15:06:34 +0000 UTCChapter 356: Baa Baa Baa
In the countryside, mountains surrounded them, with layers of peaks and valleys. Clear springs flowed through the mountain streams, and the air was fresh and tranquil.
Last time, there was only one cow grazing by the small river, but this time there were five or six calves, and a group of lambs appeared on the hillside, making the mountains resound with "Baa Baa Baa."
The sky was blue with drifting white clouds.
The gentle breeze made the grass bend.
The pure and beautiful nature entered their eyes and hearts, reminding Bai Lu of an ancient poem.
"The sky is vast, the wilderness boundless, where the wind blows, one sees cattle and sheep grazing low." - The Ballad of Mulan.
Just as she finished speaking, a gust of wind blew past, and Bai Lu sneezed.
A pink knitted jacket draped over her shoulders.
The second sneeze didn't come out.
"Where did you find this jacket?" Bai Lu, being led away by Xiao Cheng, was also curious. She touched the jacket on her shoulder and said, "I remember not seeing it for a long time. No, I think I saw it yesterday, but I didn't see it this morning. I wonder where it went..."
The mountain path was littered with gravel.
Xiao Cheng, leading the girl who was more focused on admiring the scenery than watching the road, walked ahead.
Xiao Wei and Luo Shiliu followed behind, and the drivers also got out of the car and followed to the Xiao family's village.
Bai Lu's question was answered by Xiao Cheng with two words: "On the chair."
She had been busy with her hairpins early in the morning, unable to see anything, with her eyes and heart only on her hairpins.
The comb was on the table, and she even asked him to help her find the comb. Xiao Cheng simply helped her comb her hair.
She said she wanted to tie a low, fluffy bun.
He tied it for her, but she said it didn't look good, messy and without any order, like a straw head.
The hairpins wouldn't stay in place.
Then she did it herself, and after messing around in the room for half the morning, she came out for breakfast.
Xiao Cheng found out that... it was pretty much the same as the one he tied.
She thought it was very different, and Xiao Wei even said it was very beautiful, making her trust her own skills even more.
Xiao Cheng glanced sideways, and a strand of hair that wasn't tied properly fell on her face. He picked it up and tucked it behind her ear.
She suddenly turned her head. "Be careful, did you cover the pearl hairpin?"
It was clear that she liked the pearl hairpin very much.
Liked it to the point of being able to ignore people.
Xiao Cheng glanced at her, rewrapped her low bun, once and then twice.
"It's not covered."
Bai Lu reached out to touch it herself before feeling reassured. "When we go up the mountain to pick fruit later, can you watch the hairpin for me? Otherwise, if it gets knocked off by a branch later, I won't know where to find it. The mountain is so big."
"Sure." Xiao Cheng agreed to her request and raised his hand. "I'll take care of it for you."
Bai Lu pushed his hand away. "Not now!"
"The elders haven't seen it yet! I want to tell them that this is a gift from you. Last time when Xiao Wei and I came, the elders asked why you didn't come! "
Xiao Cheng withdrew his hand expressionlessly, not knowing whether he was happy or unhappy, and replied with just one word.
"Oh."
Bai Lu thought she had hurt his hand by slapping it and was about to blow on it to make it up, but Li Hongying and Xiao Guofu had already walked over to greet them. "You're here, it's still early. You must have left early, haven't you had breakfast?"
"If you haven't eaten, I'll go pick some corn for you to cook first to fill your stomach, and then I'll make something delicious for lunch."
Xiao Cheng remained silent with a cold face.
Bai Lu let go of his hand directly and ran to walk with Li Hongying: "We've already eaten."
"Trucks parked on the side of the road are all here to transport fruit. The destination for fruit exports has been confirmed by a large factory. Starting today, we will collect as much fruit as we have, and we can inform the villagers to start picking fruit in large quantities."
"So quickly finding a market, you guys are amazing! Let me tell you..." Li Hongying and Bai Lu were chatting happily, discussing all the details.
Meanwhile, it was awkward in the back.
Xiao Guofu and Xiao Cheng couldn't even hold a conversation.
Luo Shiliu and Xiao Wei had already tactfully distanced themselves, avoiding a situation where trouble could spread.
In the front, they were still chatting: "Lulu's hairpin is so beautiful, with so many white pearls, combined with your beautiful face, it can make people go straight into their dreams~"
"Where, it's not... but I also think the hairpin is very beautiful, it's a gift from Ah Cheng."
"That's why it's so beautiful. Each pearl is filled with Ah Cheng's thoughts..."
Xiao Guofu felt that the atmosphere had warmed up a bit, and the pressure around him wasn't so heavy.
Just as he was about to speak to Xiao Cheng, a loud and piercing horn interrupted.
Another car came from behind.
It wasn't a truck or a freight car, but two black sedans.
They arrived at the foot of the mountain and were blocked by the trucks, unable to enter the Xiao family's village, so they honked arrogantly to make way.
Everyone turned to look.
Including the grandmother and grandfather who were just about to compliment the beautiful pearl hairpin on Bai Lu's head, and the Xiao family members.
After honking for a long time, and the truck still didn't give way, the people in the black car were obviously impatient.
They directly opened the door and got out of the car.
"It's those people from last time!" Li Hongying recognized the figures getting out of the car one after another.
"There are also a few new faces, the one who fainted from the smell of cow dung last time is missing, but the other four leaders are all here, so it's definitely not a good thing this time!"
Bai Lu had also seen the figures coming from afar, as well as the three new public officials.
With their work badges hanging around their necks, they took them out from their uniforms as soon as they came closer, making it clear at a glance.
Market Supervision... Food Safety Supervision...
They really brought people from the top.
Before the people arrived, Bai Lu returned to Xiao Cheng's side and also gave a heads-up to Luo Shiliu and others.
"Officials carry a knife on their heads, it's not wise to confront them head-on."
Xiao Cheng didn't say anything, but it was Wang Hao who couldn't help but speak up first: "A bunch of bastards!"
"Why don't you stay in the southern city properly? What's the point of climbing up to Xiao's village all the time! In previous years, it's not like they only collected fruit from Xiao's village. Where haven't they been to collect? Why are they targeting Xiao's village? Are Xiao's village's fruits worth their weight in gold?!"
Whether the fruit was worth its weight in gold, Bai Lu didn't know, but the fruit trees on the mountain were almost becoming deities.
In Xiao's village, nine out of ten fruit trees on the mountain were over decades old, and hundred-year-old trees were common.
The fruits on the trees were not only not shriveled, deformed, or small, but they were sweeter, juicier, and more fragrant.
They were as crispy as they should be, as sweet as they should be, leaving people salivating, and the taste lingering in their minds after eating.
The public officials had already arrived in front of them, showing them a sampling inspection notice: "We have received a report that the fruits to be sold to other provinces from Xiao's village have safety issues that could harm human health, and we need to do a sampling inspection."
The man's face was serious, without a hint of frivolity, standing tall and straight, his uniform making his identity prominent.
A sampling inspection notice laid out the evidence for execution on the table, reasonable and legal.
Xiao Cheng glanced indifferently over it, and scoffed, "On the 5th of last month, there was a report of rotten and maggot-infested fruits traded by Jiang Zhiguang with wholesalers. I wonder what the results of your department's inspection were and whether any announcements or punishments were made?"
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 357: Ridiculous
Jiang Zhiguang hadn't even spoken before he was preemptively attacked, instantly putting him at a disadvantage.
All the tightly hidden secrets were dug up by Xiao Cheng, completely humiliating them.
"That was just a malicious report without evidence from the wholesalers, and it has already been dealt with!" Xiao Cheng sneered.
Looking down on Jiang Zhiguang, he cast a cold, mocking glance at the group of people opposite who were acting guilty.
Even though he didn't name names, those with guilty consciences were incensed by his insinuations.
They felt that their authority was being challenged.
"Regardless of whether it was a malicious report or not, if there are safety issues with the food, our regulatory department has the right to investigate and penalize. We have already verified whether the fruits traded by Jiang Zhiguang with the wholesalers have any safety hazards."
"No need to inform irrelevant parties of the outcome. The report we received now is about the fruits from Xiao's village having safety issues, so we must take inspection measures. If irrelevant parties obstruct again, it will be considered malicious interference with official duties."
"Just..." Wang Hao began to argue, but was quickly silenced and pulled back by Xiao Dazhuang.
Luo Shiliu also held his arm to stop him from moving.
Starting a verbal battle would only escalate the conflict.
Bai Lu gently tugged at Xiao Cheng's hand and spoke before him: "Comrade Li is overthinking. We are law-abiding citizens and will certainly not interfere with official duties."
"However, you may have come too early. We haven't started picking fruit yet, and the samples you need for inspection are still on the mountain." ... Feel free to pick them yourself.
Pick as many as you want.
Inspect whichever fruit you want, it's up to you.
Even if Li Minglang and the others didn't hear Bai Lu's last words, they could still sense the insincerity behind her forced smile.
"What you're saying is nonsense! How can you inspect fruits that haven't been picked yet? Go pick the fruits immediately! Do you expect us to go up the mountain and pick them for you?!" Jiang Zhiguang had long been displeased with Bai Lu.
She had ruined his plans twice.
The fruits on the mountain in Xiao's village were of high quality, juicy, sweet, and fragrant, with an excellent taste. They had the best reputation among similar fruits.
They were most suitable for use in fruit processing factories in the southern city, with the widest sales range.
Buying low and selling high had always been their top purchasing strategy, a secret route to enormous profits.
Only the fruits from Xiao's village could force them to resort to fair purchasing.
They didn't care much about fruits from other areas; it didn't matter how much or how little they bought.
There wasn't much controversy.
But now, this lucrative route had been suddenly cut off by Bai Lu. Not only did Jiang Zhiguang hate Bai Lu, but the other three major purchasing merchants at the scene also detested her to the core.
In previous years, they could easily buy fruits from Xiao's village for just two or three cents, but this year, they couldn't even buy them for five cents.
They had also suffered major losses.
Even if they couldn't regain access to the fruits from Xiao's village this season, they wouldn't let anyone else have them.
When all the fruits rotted on the trees and no one dared to collect them, the poor villagers in Xiao's village would know whom to beg for help next season.
Xiao Cheng pulled Bai Lu behind him, blocking those resentful gazes, his expression cold and stern.
In a chilling tone, he said, "You have no tact."
There was not a hint of doubt in his words, making Jiang Zhiguang and the others feel like Xiao Cheng was looking down on them for lacking tact.
Each of them turned pale with anger.
"Who is in charge of Xiao's village? Find someone who can speak for the village to come out and handle this according to the rules." Li Minglang didn't want to argue with Xiao Cheng anymore.
But Grandma looked at Xiao Cheng seriously and said, "He is the one in charge. He can speak. Didn't he say a lot just now? If you have any issues, just talk to him."
Grandpa also said, "His name is Xiao Cheng, he is from the Xiao family."
Xiao Guofu, as the patriarch and village head, had no objections. There were some things he couldn't handle, and it was more appropriate for someone else to deal with them to ensure the well-being of Xiao's village.
Li Hongying naturally had no objections, nor did the villagers. Everyone echoed their sentiments.
Everyone tacitly avoided mentioning Bai Lu.
Bai Lu was being targeted, which was dangerous.
Even with courage and wit, pushing her into the limelight at this critical moment would only make her situation more dangerous.
Seeing the situation, Wang Yang, who came with Li Minglang, didn't dare to do anything to Xiao Cheng. He just wanted to resolve the situation quickly.
"So why don't you go pick the fruits now? If you don't pick them, how would the comrades know which fruits you want to export and whether they meet the standards!" Wang Yang said urgently.
"Ridiculous." Bai Lu stepped out from behind Xiao Cheng and stood side by side with him, facing the adversaries.
"The fruits haven't even been taken out of Xiao's village yet, and you already know they have safety issues. The fruits are still hanging on the trees, and you already know who you're going to sell them to...
"We haven't even decided which fruits to sell, and you already have plans to inspect them.
"I dare to ask, after the inspection, what fruits can we sell and what fruits can't we sell? Do we have to follow the standards you set?"
Bai Lu's words were directed at Jiang Zhiguang, but the targets were obvious.
Not everyone has the same rights.
Jiang Zhiguang wanted to retort, but found that every word Bai Lu said was true.
He couldn't refute her at all.
The fruits hadn't been sold yet, so why inspect them? It wasn't like they were being picked for personal consumption.
Jiang Zhiguang believed that even if he had more reasons to pressure the inspection, Bai Lu would surely have more arguments to refute him.
Blaming himself for being too anxious, knowing that when Bai Lu mentioned Xiao Cheng as the likely manipulator behind the export of fruits from Xiao's village, he hastily brought people over.
But he came too early, missing the best timing.
However, it wasn't the worst timing either.
"The trucks parked at the foot of the mountain were called here by you, right? You're here to pick fruits to sell, who would believe that? Do you believe it yourself?"
Bai Lu retorted, "Whether I believe it or not, how can you inspect the fruits that haven't been picked yet? What's the point of inspecting them now with no evidence or scene? You're just condemning the fruits without proof, which is unfair."
Ignoring Jiang Zhiguang's hateful glare once again blocked by Xiao Cheng, she spoke softly from his side, "Then wait until we have picked the fruits and received the money. You can then legally and reasonably conduct inspections. Now, without evidence, without being on the scene, condemning the fruits is too unfair."
With that, she turned the conversation directly to Li Minglang.
"We are all law-abiding citizens who understand and abide by the law."
The last eight characters carried a hidden meaning.
Li Minglang's expression turned ugly.
Bai Lu was straightforward: "We must all act in accordance with the law, don't you agree, Comrade Li?"
Chapter 358: Good Temperament
Using the gentlest voice to speak the most righteous words, forcing away the most terrifying enemies.
This was the unanimous impression of the Xiao family towards Bai Lu.
At the fastest speed, they opened up new sales channels for the fruits of Xiao's village, purchased fruits and labor with the most sincere prices... making the people of Xiao's village admire Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu even more, from reverence to respect, full of admiration.
After Jiang Zhiguang and the others left, Xiao Guofu and Li Hongying gathered everyone at the square.
They explained in detail about picking fruits, Xiao Dazhuang's management of fruit quality, and the matter of going to another province to learn new skills.
And also, the matter of receiving double wages.
Many young people signed up.
The villagers of Xiao's village had lived in the mountains all their lives, never venturing far. The farthest they had been was to the new town, and they had never even been to the nearby city.
There were a few university students who had managed to pass the college entrance exam and went to study in distant places, but they rarely returned.
Some people left and never came back.
It's natural for people to be curious about the unknown and yearn for the outside world. Those who could leave everything behind, make a firm decision, and take action were mostly young people.
Xiao Guofu selected twenty young people with agile minds and nimble hands, both male and female.
Fifteen boys and five girls.
All of them were adults.
They were all young people who had dropped out of school before finishing junior high due to financial difficulties or various unavoidable reasons.
Originally, there were no girls who signed up. At their age, they were already eligible to be engaged to someone from another village.
Once married, they would stay at home to do laundry, cook, and take care of children. Although they wanted to see the outside world, they could only dream about it.
Deep-rooted conservative ideas and their environment made them think that this kind of life was normal.
But Bai Lu told them that there was a third way of living.
Earning money for themselves, doing what they loved.
Living the life they wanted.
Bai Lu said that girls also had the right to choose, to decide their own future.
After the recent events, the older generation believed in Bai Lu's character and agreed to let the girls go out.
The girls finally had the opportunity and courage to take that stepāthe third way of living.
Grandma's biggest concern was Bai Lu, and she instructed Xiao Cheng: "Lu Lu is so well-behaved, she might be easily targeted by bad people. Cheng Cheng, you have to be more careful in the future, don't let anyone deceive Lu Lu..."
Grandma's transition from addressing Bai Lu to addressing Xiao Cheng was very natural, and Xiao Cheng finally felt comfortable with it.
"I will take good care of Lu Lu."
The fruit trees on the mountain were very tall, and Bai Lu couldn't reach the fruits hanging too high, so Xiao Cheng pulled down the branches for her.
While picking fruits, Bai Lu smiled at Grandma standing beside the tree: "Grandma, don't worry, I'm not stupid. No one can deceive me. I will take care of myself."
Grandma, however, said earnestly, "But you've already been deceived by Cheng Cheng."
Xiao Cheng: "..."
Deceiving someone was on a whole different level than being deceived by someone.
Even nature couldn't wait another second.
Grandma also said, "Those people today looked at Lu Lu with strange eyes. Cheng Cheng, did you notice? You must protect Lu Lu well. Lu Lu will go to another province to attend university in a few days. You'll be in different places, and the outside world is very complicated, with both good and bad people..."
She hadn't finished speaking yet.
Grandma was quickly pulled away by Grandpa.
"Cheng Cheng will take good care of Lu Lu. Don't worry. Let's go pick more lychees, peaches, and pomegranates over there, and bring them back for Lu Lu and Cheng Cheng to eat."
The kind and gentle voice grew fainter and disappeared into the distance, beyond a few hundred-year-old fruit trees.
Bai Lu looked at the man with a dark face, unable to contain her laughter. She lightly tugged at his arm, where he held a large fruit basket: "Cheng Cheng..."
"I can't reach the lychees up there."
Xiao Cheng glanced at her and loosened his grip on the heavily laden branches, which turned from abundant fruit-bearing to bare branches.
He then directly lifted her onto his shoulders.
"Go ahead and pick."
Bai Lu was startled by the sudden lift.
She hastily clung to his neck and stabilized herself, although his shoulders were broad and safe, she couldn't help but feel nervous, her heartbeat momentarily out of rhythm.
"What are you doing... put me down."
There were still people from the Xiao family picking fruits nearby, and Xiao Wei and Luo Shiliu were not far ahead.
The tree was too big, and the branches were lush at the top, while only the main trunk and a few sparse branches were visible below.
They could be seen with just a turn of the head.
If they were seen by others, her sitting on his shoulders picking fruits... wouldn't that ruin her image!
"Don't you want to pick lychees?" Xiao Cheng not only didn't let go, but also firmly held her legs that were kicking around.
Bai Lu looked at the bright red lychees in front of her, hanging in clusters on the branches, bending the branches with their weight.
Before she could even reach out, she was besieged by gossiping gazes from all directions.
At this moment, she really wanted to cover her face.
With her face covered, no one would know who she was.
Unfortunately, Xiao Cheng chose this silent moment to ask her, "Not high enough?"
Bai Lu wanted to bury herself in the lychees: "..."
She finally realized.
Xiao Cheng, on the path of destroying her image, not only went further and further, but also became more audacious.
He didn't miss any opportunities, big or small.
Since that's the case...
Her image couldn't be ruined by herself alone!
Bai Lu decisively took off the hairpin on her head and clipped it onto Xiao Cheng's short hair.
Once it was secure, she happily started picking lychees.
Xiao Cheng: "..."
There were voices coming from all directions.
Not the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves.
It was the whispers of aunts and uncles.
He raised his hand, but before he could touch the hairpin, it was firmly grasped, soft and gentle yet tight.
"What are you doing, Cheng Cheng? Didn't you promise to take care of my hairpin for me? Are you trying to go back on your word and break your promise? Could it be that what Grandma just said was true, you actually deceived me!"
Well, things just got worse.
With the sad and sorrowful accusation from the girl, whispers started spreading from all directions. Not only were there whispers from aunts and uncles, but also discussions from the older men.
Even the birds in the sky came to watch.
Xiao Wei looked through the layers of branches, watching as his big brother withdrew his hand expressionlessly, lips pressed tightly together.
It was unclear whether he was angry or unhappy.
Anyway, he didn't remove the pearl hairpin that blinded everyone's eyes, nor did he put the girl down.
He held her even tighter, as if afraid she would fall, and firmly supported her legs.
Absolutely unprecedented good temperament: "When did my big brother's temperament become negative..."
Luo Shiliu, Wang Hao, and Xiao Dazhuang were already accustomed to it, eating lychees one by one.
"So sour!"
Xiao Guofu was dazzled by the brilliance: "I have never seen Xiao Cheng with such a good temperament. Although he didn't care much about his reputation before, no one has ever dared to ride on his head and act wildly, Lu Lu is the first one."
"Not only is he acting wild, he even accepts hairpins. It should be because Lu Lu is about to go to university, and the two will be separated soon. Xiao Cheng deliberately gave Lu Lu a farewell special indulgence."
Li Hongying rolled her eyes in speechless exasperation: "You clueless fool, what special indulgence? Clearly, it's a common occurrence!"
Chapter 359: How Does It Look?
After everything was arranged for the fruit picking and export, Xiao Cheng, Bai Lu, Xiao Wei, and Luo Shiliu returned to the town after finishing lunch at Xiao's village. Xiao Dazhuang stayed behind to oversee the quality of the fruits.
The date for going to the factory in another province to learn new skills was the day after tomorrow, and there would be a bus to pick them up.
Just as Bai Lu and Xiao Cheng finished organizing the specialties they brought back from the countryside, the phone rang.
Xiao Wei, who was nearby, placed the lychees on the fruit plate on the table and answered the phone.
It took less than three seconds.
It was just enough time for a routine greeting.
The peculiar gaze of the little fellow fell on Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu.
More accurately, it fell on Xiao Cheng.
Then he said, "Big brother, someone's looking for you."
Handing the phone to Xiao Cheng, the little fellow ran to report to Bai Lu.
"It's a woman."
Bai Lu, who was holding a broom, immediately stopped sweeping the scattered branches and leaves on the ground upon hearing this.
She turned her head to look at the main house and asked the little fellow, "Could you tell who it was from her voice? Do you recognize her?"
Xiao Wei scratched his head, trying to recall carefully. "I didn't recognize her voice at first, but thinking back now, it seems like I've heard it somewhere... Oh, right, it's the woman who spoke to you outside the old house when the new building materials were delivered."
Bai Lu knew who it was.
Just as she turned her head, their eyes met.
She didn't know if it was her imagination, but Xiao Cheng's gaze seemed to be inviting her.
"Lu Lu."
Handing the broom to Xiao Wei, Bai Lu went over, but Xiao Cheng had already hung up the phone by then.
She glared at him.
Openly angry.
Xiao Cheng patted her head gently, his palm soft and comforting. "Yun Ruolin said someone from the same industry had an urgent matter to discuss with her, so she hung up first."
"She also mentioned that there's an upgraded version of the new air conditioner on the market, with improved performance and lower power consumption. Yun Ruolin's father has already sent a batch over and wants to make the first trial sales point in Pingcheng. She asked if I agreed."
Bai Lu pursed her lips. They sent the goods first and then asked if she agreed. What's the point of disagreeing now?
"If you don't agree, they'll just return the goods." Xiao Cheng's tone was indifferent, his expression unchanged, showing no attachment.
Bai Lu smiled and sat down to peel lychees. "Is it going to be a profit-sharing route, a commission route, or a friendly price?"
The phrase "friendly price" was clearer than all the previous words, and Xiao Cheng understood it.
Sitting down next to her, he also started peeling lychees. "Same price as the last batch."
That meant it was a friendly price!
As Bai Lu was about to lift her eyelids, a lychee was stuffed into her mouth, and cool words overflowed from her lips, "Does Yun Ruolin still want to have a detailed discussion about 'work' over dinner with you?"
This statement was almost without question, very affirmative, a gesture of hospitality!
Xiao Cheng raised his eyebrows slightly. "Lady boss will join us."
Another lychee was stuffed into Bai Lu's mouth. "Join you for what, to discuss work over dinner?"
"Yes."
Xiao Cheng continued peeling lychees.
Bai Lu was surprised. "Will she agree?"
Xiao Cheng answered without hesitation, "The Lady boss has half the decision-making power. If she agrees, we'll talk; if she doesn't, we won't."
The lychee in Bai Lu's mouth emitted a hint of sweetness, and she coughed lightly before asking, "Did you agree?"
Xiao Cheng: "No."
Bai Lu: "Then why did she hang up?"
"She said if we decide to go, we can head straight to Pingcheng, and she'll wait for us at the electronics store. If we don't go, she'll go by herself."
The reason was straightforward.
But whether it was a feast at Hongmen was uncertain.
Bai Lu pushed away the third lychee Xiao Cheng offered, with sufficient reason, "I'm full."
Without much thought, Xiao Cheng didn't beat around the bush either. "If you don't want to go, we can refuse the business altogether. With a friendly price for the purchase, we can set our own selling price and make money. It's such a good deal; how can we miss it? It's just a meal. Xiao Wei and I haven't been to town to eat for a long time."
Xiao Wei, who had just finished taking out the trash and returned, was stunned.
This meal... wouldn't be delicious, would it?
Whether it was delicious or not wasn't the point; the point was that Bai Lu had already changed her clothes and come out.
After changing, she asked Xiao Cheng, "How do I look?"
Bai Lu was wearing the red top Xiao Cheng bought for her last time in the city, bright and elegant, overshadowing the surroundings.
But Xiao Cheng felt like something was missing.
When he finally remembered what was missing, Bai Lu had already gone back to the room and was heading to the wardrobe.
Bai Lu's hand was released, and she watched as Xiao Cheng pulled out a package brought back from the other province, opened it.
He took out two sets of new red clothes.
Oh... Xiao Cheng always liked to buy complete sets of clothes, whether it was for him or for her.
He bought her gifts again.
He always brought back double the gifts every time he went out of the province.
Bai Lu stared at the new clothes in her arms, feeling their soft texture, the bright red color, and their novel style.
The fabric was much better than what she was wearing, and she didn't need to compare deliberately; she could tell the huge difference at a glance.
Both sets were red tops, but they had different bottoms, one pair of jeans and one pleated skirt.
Bai Lu's eyes lit up when she saw the jeans.
Xiao Cheng rarely bought her jeans; he simply didn't know how to. Last time they went to the city, he didn't even glance at the denim series, let alone ask her to try them on.
Actually, jeans were pretty good; youthful and energetic, with various styles that could match any top.
The better quality fabric was soft and elastic, comfortable to wear, wouldn't chafe the skin, loose and stylish, just right. The jeans Bai Lu held in her hand were exactly like this.
Everything was great.
She didn't understand why Xiao Cheng didn't like them.
But even though he didn't like them, it didn't diminish her liking for them. He still bought them for her from afar.
She was really happy!
"You go out quickly; I'm going to change my clothes. When I'm done, you can see if it looks good."
Xiao Cheng was pushed out of the room.
He was pulled back in shortly after.
"Does it look good?"
The girl's bright eyes and white teeth, the red top making her look like a peach blossom, a slim waist belt outlining her graceful figure, the blue jeans adding a touch of youthful liveliness. With the sun shining brightly, she seemed to emerge from a cliff, breaking through the rocks and blossoming towards the sun.
Not only was she bright and elegant, but she also exuded dominance, overshadowing the surroundings, naturally becoming the center of attention as soon as she appeared.
Sitting at the table, Xiao Cheng supported his chin with one hand, his deep gaze taking in all the scenery. After seeing everything, he nodded slightly and looked at the skirt that had been ignored on the side.
"Don't you like skirts?"
She rarely wore the ones she bought last time.
Bai Lu was curling her hair into a bun and said subconsciously, "It's not that I don't like them, it's just not convenient to ride a motorcycle in a skirt."
It was inconvenient to wear a skirt when riding a motorcycle; getting on and off the motorcycle was very inconvenient, and it was easy to expose oneself. It was not decent. When there were no people around, it was fine, but when there were people around, getting off the motorcycle felt like being punished.
Xiao Cheng looked at the girl with her hair curled low at the back of her neck, thinking deeply.
"Ah Cheng, come over here."
The girl turned back and called him with a pearl hairpin in her hand. "Help me clip this hairpin at the back."
Xiao Cheng got up and walked towards her.
Chapter 360: Dinner
Xiao Cheng noticed that Bai Lu cherished the pearl hairpin more than any gift he had given her before.
It was as if a long-lost, precious treasure had returned to her hands.
A smile of uncontrollable joy always adorned her face, making her look rejuvenated.
Her emotions became very vivid, laughing when happy and not smiling when not.
And when she was angry, it was evident.
It seemed as if the hairpin was a huge protective umbrella, capable of shielding her from all storms, thunder and lightning, wind and rain, allowing her to be safe and carefree underneath, free to do whatever she wanted.
Do whatever she wanted.
Don't do whatever she didn't want.
Free and easy, worry-free, and happy in the sunshine.
The pearl hairpin... perhaps it held a different special meaning for her.
Xiao Wei also noticed that when Bai Lu wore the hairpin, she became much more lively and cheerful than before, with eyes that sparkled like crescent moons when she smiled.
Brighter than the sun.
Even Zhang San and Li Si could clearly feel it. Today, their boss not only seemed radiant but also quite enthusiastic.
As soon as they arrived, she asked them, "Have you eaten?"
"No, we haven't."
"Why don't you join us for dinner? The sun is setting, everyone is at home cooking and eating, and there aren't many customers in the store. Let's tidy up and close early."
Ending work early to treat them to dinner.
Where else could they find such a good boss!
Zhang San and Li Si quickly tidied themselves up, sorted out the accounts in the store, and then went to dinner with their boss.
The boss's opinion didn't matter.
Silence was considered consent, and even an expressionless face was considered agreement. Whatever the boss said, the boss would agree to.
Zhang San and Li Si had long reached a consensus, knowing whose thigh to cling to.
But they didn't know they were attending the feast at Hongmen.
"Miss Yun, Mr. Wu, what a coincidence, are you also here for dinner?" Li Si sniffed out some suspicious information.
Yun Ruolin had chosen the best restaurant in the city, Mingzhu Building, with seats by the window for the best view.
Although Pingcheng was not as bustling as the big cities outside, lacking the colorful lights of the big cities, during sunset, the red glow pierced through the branches and leaves, casting light onto the glass windows.
There was a kind of romantic atmosphere of human fireworks.
But Yun Ruolin also brought along her colleagues, adding a touch of professional seriousness to the romance.
The reply came naturally, "We arranged to meet brother Cheng here to discuss a new project."
Li Si suddenly realized that he was superfluous and nodded, "That's great! We haven't eaten yet, and the boss and the Lady boss are considerate of our hard work. They invited us out for dinner."
"Miss Yun wouldn't mind, right? I'm sure she wouldn't. Miss Yun has always been generous." Zhang San had already figured out who Yun Ruolin was from two calls for help in the past. He asked politely and courteously.
Polite and courteous.
Irresistible.
Naturally, Yun Ruolin wouldn't refuse. Her gaze wasn't even on Zhang San and Li Si.
Instead, it was on the man pulling out the chair for Bai Lu.
And the little boy who had been staring at her since he entered the restaurant.
Her agreement on the phone was just a formality. She never thought Xiao Cheng would really bring his whole family.
"Has Miss Yun ordered yet?" Bai Lu politely asked with a smile.
"Not yet." Yun Ruolin replied politely, "I'm not sure what brother Cheng likes to eat, so I thought I'd wait for him before ordering, to avoid any dislikes and make sure everyone enjoys the meal."
"Just order whatever you like." Xiao Cheng took the menu handed over by Wu Qian and gave it to Bai Lu.
Bai Lu sweetly accepted it, smiled, and asked Yun Ruolin, "Does Miss Yun have any dietary restrictions? Ah Cheng and I are the hosts today, so we must make sure Miss Yun enjoys herself and leaves satisfied and happy, without any regrets about visiting our Pingcheng."
With one sentence, Bai Lu established the roles of host and guest.
The host followed the guest's lead. Both the hostess and the host were generous and considerate, taking care of the guests' tastes.
After all, guests were just guests, passing through once, and must be treated well.
Yun Ruolin's eyes narrowed slightly, and she smiled without changing her expression, "Anything is fine with me."
Zhang San and Li Si smelled a hint of gunpowder.
Yun Ruolin still wore her ankle-length white skirt today, graceful figure, flowing hair, graceful demeanor, elegant and dignified, with a generous and decent air, a different kind of noble quality.
Pure as jade, flawless, the image that used to belong to Bai Lu was now Yun Ruolin's standard.
Their appearances were evenly matched, but their styles were different.
If Bai Lu had dressed like this today, she would have been able to compare herself with Yun Ruolin and determine the winner.
Unfortunately, Bai Lu chose the domineering route today, wearing a red dress that outshone everything else, becoming the most dazzling figure in the entire restaurant.
Zhang San and Li Si felt that there was no need to determine the winner anymore. The winner was already evident, wherever all the gazes were focused.
The restaurant was crowded with people, and there were no empty seats.
All the diners in the restaurant had their eyes focused on their table, Bai Lu and Yun Ruolin.
It was obvious that Bai Lu attracted more attention, and she was also sitting inside, partially obscured from view by Xiao Cheng.
The winner was clear at a glance.
After ordering the dishes, Bai Lu showed them to the guests, adding anything they liked.
Yun Ruolin glanced at them, indicated she had no objections to the menu, and added a bottle of red wine.
The dishes were all freshly cooked and took some time to prepare.
During the wait, Zhang San, Li Si, and Wu Qian chatted about sales experiences, initially just to avoid an awkward silence, but later they found common topics and began to exchange ideas.
Yun Ruolin explained the new product to Xiao Cheng, the upgraded performance...
And also, the air conditioning company's intention to enter the southern market, asking if Xiao Cheng was interested in becoming a distributor.
Xiao Wei couldn't stomach small dishes, so Bai Lu ordered a large bottle of coconut juice.
After pouring a glass for the little guy, she closed the bottle, screwed on the cap, and placed it in the middle of the table for anyone to drink.
There was no fault in the etiquette.
Yun Ruolin looked at everything that shouldn't have existed but was happening blatantly before her eyes, feeling a mixture of emotions.
Xiao Wei sensed the unfriendly gaze and didn't hide his disdain as he stared back.
Coincidentally, the waiter brought the dishes.
All conversation ceased, and Yun Ruolin, as if nothing had happened, redirected her gaze from Bai Lu's face.
She lightly raised her wine glass and clinked it with Xiao Cheng's.
"Brother Cheng, a pleasant cooperation."
Although the matter of becoming a distributor wasn't discussed in the end, Yun Ruolin still wore a gracious smile on her face.
Her glass was three centimeters lower than Xiao Cheng's.
Xiao Cheng glanced at the girl next to him with the same smile, took a sip of red wine, just a small sip.
Yun Ruolin also took only a small sip.
The red wine was poured by Wu Qian after being opened to breathe during their discussion of work.
After one round, only Bai Lu's glass contained coconut juice.
Just before the red wine arrived, Xiao Cheng had been discussing business with Yun Ruolin and had already taken away Bai Lu's glass.
Filled with coconut juice.
With a casual remark, "She doesn't drink."
Wu Qian naturally dared not pour any more, nor could he pour any more. Yun Ruolin didn't say anything at the time.
It's unclear whether she noticed it or not.
Now, she picked up her wine glass and walked towards Bai Lu.
