Free Web NovelChapter 420: Chapter 418: Sui’er Pays a Visit
A sweet expression appeared on Gu’er’s face as she reminisced about her and Sun Jiaming, so she didn’t answer Marina.
Marina understood as soon as she saw Gu’er’s expression. Gu’er and Sun Jiaming were still as close as ever, just like her and Dingzi. Marina broke into a genuine smile. ’I didn’t get it before,’ she thought, ’but now I finally understand why married couples love being inseparable.’
"Does it hurt? Are you uncomfortable anywhere? Let me tell you..."
Gu’er snapped out of her reverie and changed the subject, sharing her own experiences with Marina and telling her what to do when she felt unwell.
Marina listened intently, knowing Gu’er meant well.
The two of them shared confidences for a long while before heading out together.
The moment they stepped out, Sun Jiaming’s and Dingzi’s eyes were glued to them. Sun Jiaming’s reaction was one thing, but Gu’er never thought she’d see the day Dingzi would be so obvious. It was more than enough to prove how much he truly adored Marina.
Grandma Dingzi shot Gu’er an anxious look. Gu’er gave her a reassuring nod and a smile, and Grandma Dingzi’s worries melted away. As long as her grandson and his wife were happy together, she could rest easy.
Life settled back into a peaceful routine. Sun Jiaming and Li Zhi were frequently at the mall. The renovations on the fourth floor were nearly complete, and they had begun recruiting food vendors. Every potential restaurateur wanting a spot in their mall was rigorously vetted.
First, they inspected the hygiene standards. Filthy establishments were an automatic rejection. Poor sanitation was a recipe for food poisoning, and they wouldn’t risk it.
They also rejected anyone using poor-quality or substandard ingredients. They had a responsibility to their customers.
Once a vendor passed the hygiene inspection, Sun Jiaming and Li Zhi would sample their food. If it tasted awful, they were rejected.
If they passed all those hurdles, the final check was pricing. Exorbitantly high prices were another reason for rejection. After all, these vendors represented the mall’s image. If the prices were completely unreasonable—say, a bowl of noodles that costs one yuan to make is sold for a hundred, even if it’s delicious—people would accuse the mall of being a rip-off. ’A business like that can open its own shop somewhere else,’ they reasoned. ’They don’t belong in our mall.’
Furthermore, they assessed the owner’s character. Arrogant, domineering, or pretentious types were also turned away. They couldn’t have vendors scaring off customers.
Once a vendor met all the criteria, they had to sign a contract with the mall and pay a security deposit. If they received customer complaints, were caught defrauding patrons, or caused an incident, they could forget about getting that deposit back. Moreover, they would be held liable for any damages.
It wasn’t that the mall needed the money. Rather, the deposit served as an incentive for the vendors to do their best, work diligently, and treat customers well. After all, no one wants to forfeit their own money.
Of course, the mall also provided security for those who operated in good faith. With the mall’s high foot traffic, any vendor with decent food and reasonable prices was practically guaranteed to make a profit.
This stringent process scared off plenty of opportunistic vendors who were just looking to make a quick buck. The ones who remained were the cream of the crop.
Despite these strict requirements, there was no shortage of applicants. Before the food court even opened, they had already collected fees from over a dozen businesses that had passed inspection and signed their contracts.
Liu Yuan was responsible for the general operations of the first three floors, while Sun Jiaming and Li Zhi were busy with the new food court every day. Dingzi and Marina were in their honeymoon phase. As for Gu’er, aside from taking the occasional stroll downstairs, she had largely stepped back from business matters. If anything required her input, they would come to her house to discuss it. She wasn’t allowed to go to the mall; with so many people there, getting accidentally bumped was a serious risk and no laughing matter.
Fortunately, there was always someone at home, so Gu’er never got bored. And just like that, June arrived.
June was already quite hot, but their region wasn’t unbearable. Compared to the sweltering south where the heat could give you heatstroke, it was practically cool.
Still, it was summer, and Gu’er preferred not to go out. She would open all the windows in the house and sit in a shady spot to read.
"Someone’s here."
Hearing the knock on the door, Aunt Zhao hurried to answer it. ’It’s almost noon,’ she wondered. ’Who could be visiting now?’
"Sui’er, what are you doing here?"
Aunt Zhao was quite surprised to see her. If it had been Chen Fengjiao, that would have been expected, but Lin Sui’er rarely visited of her own accord.
"I’m looking for my sister. Is she home?"
Lin Sui’er glanced inside.
"She is, she is! It’s too hot to go anywhere. Your sister’s over there reading. Go on in."
Aunt Zhao replied quickly.
Lin Sui’er changed her shoes, entered the house, and saw Gu’er lounging in a rocking chair.
"You sure look comfortable. Unlike me, running around in this heat."
Lin Sui’er grumbled, setting down her bookbag.
Gu’er looked at her. The hair on Lin Sui’er’s forehead was plastered to her skin with sweat, her cheeks were flushed, and her nose was beaded with perspiration. She had clearly been suffering under the blazing sun.
"You did it to yourself, who else is there to blame? Couldn’t you have waited to come over until it cooled down tonight?"
Gu’er remarked.
"Well, I was in a hurry to see you! And here you are making light of it."
As she spoke, Lin Sui’er grabbed a glass of water from the table and GULP, GULP, drank it all down.
Gu’er picked up the nearby pitcher and poured her a fresh glass. "That was my glass," she said. "Honestly. Too lazy to even pour your own water."
"I’m in your house, aren’t you supposed to pour water for me? Besides, you’re my big sister. What’s the big deal if I drink from your glass?"
Lin Sui’er said nonchalantly.
Gu’er glanced at her. She and Lin Sui’er were on good terms these days. They were sisters, but sometimes their dynamic felt more like a friendship.
"So, spit it out. What was so important you had to run all the way over here in the middle of the day?"
Gu’er asked.
Lin Sui’er fell silent, her earlier carefree attitude gone.
Gu’er wasn’t in a rush. She waited quietly for her to speak.
"Do you think..."
Lin Sui’er managed a few words before getting stuck again.
Gu’er set down her book and looked at her, still not pressing the issue.
"What do you think I should do from now on?"
Sui’er finally asked, as if it took all her courage.
"That’s so vague. What do you mean, ’what should you do from now on?’ Didn’t we talk about this last time? Other people can only give you advice. What you choose and what you do is ultimately up to you."
Gu’er hadn’t visited the Lin family home recently, so she truly didn’t know what Lin Sui’er was referring to.
"We’re about to go on summer break."
Lin Sui’er said, not responding to Gu’er’s question.
Gu’er frowned slightly.
"Are you saying you plan to drop out of school after the break starts? You want to tell Dad, but you’re a little scared, is that it?"
Gu’er thought she was beginning to understand.
But to her surprise, Lin Sui’er gently shook her head.
"Sis, I’ve been thinking a lot about school lately. I don’t want to quit. I want to switch schools, I want to finish my senior year of high school, and I want to take the college entrance exams. I know it might be a little late for me to suddenly want to study hard, but I really want to keep going. I’ll make up for all the time I’ve wasted, I’ll work hard, I swear. But you know, transferring schools will be a huge hassle. Dad would have to get involved, and I don’t even know if he’d be willing. On top of that, I’m not that young anymore. And while it’s true the family doesn’t need me to earn money, if I keep studying, I’ll just be spending more of the family’s money. Also... if I go back for my senior year, I’ll be older than everyone else. I bet they’ll all laugh at me. My mind is a mess, and I’m so anxious about it. That’s why I came to you for advice."
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