Chapter 70: Reason
Lin Zihan spent a full three minutes patting down the “dust” on the sofa before finally sitting back down.
Let’s set aside, for now, Ye Zhibai’s suspicion that this blonde girl might have obsessive-compulsive disorder due to her extreme “cleanliness.”
Though it took a little more time, at least Lin Zihan finally sat back down.
Thus, the conversation could continue.
During the brief chat, Lin Zihan learned a shocking fact!
“Huh?! This restaurant belongs to Xiaobai’s family?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
“Seriously? Wow… I noticed the wages here were quite high, so I thought I’d work a few days as a part-timer, and it turns out I ended up working at Xiaobai’s family’s place?! Should I marvel at how good I am at finding jobs, or at how vast the Ye family’s businesses are… Honestly, it’s amazing.”
Wait, so you’re just finding out too?
What a coincidence.
It seemed that even Xiaobai, the eldest daughter of the Ye family, only just realized this was part of her family’s business.
So, in terms of information, we’re all on the same page!
Since her sister was chatting with Lin Zihan, Ye Zhijun realized that her one-on-one time with her sister was temporarily over.
But that was okay! After all, her sister deserved her own social space.
Looking on the bright side, at least this time Zhijun could openly eavesdrop without needing to dress up in her detective outfit—much more relaxed.
Oh, right… there’s also the matter of how Lin Zihan calls her “Xiaobai.” Zhijun had already taken note of that in her mental ledger.
Go ahead and call her that if you want—since my sister says it’s fine, I can’t punish you.
But don’t let me catch an opportunity.
When the time is right, I’ll just kick you and clear the debt!
For now, all Zhijun could do was refill her sister’s teacup and fulfill her duties as the little sister.
To be honest, this was the first time Lin Zihan had ever seen the usually haughty second miss of the Ye family serving tea so attentively, and with such a happy smile on her face.
Ahem, it just goes to show, that Ye Zhibai is truly special.
Lin Zihan gave a wry smile and filled their teacup.
With a playful smirk, she leaned down slightly, aligning her teacup perfectly with Ye Zhibai’s on the table, and gave it a gentle push forward.
—It was like a virtual toast with Ye Zhibai’s cup!
Hehe… Zhiyun didn’t notice. I secretly had a tea toast with Ye Zhibai, how satisfying.
Ye Zhibai, meanwhile, noticed that the water level in her teacup had never dropped below two-thirds!
And as for Lin Zihan… what was she doing with that cup? So strange.
Inwardly, she thanked Zhijun for her diligent efforts.
Ye Zhibai usually has been pondering a question for a while.
“Lin Zihan… Zihan, can I ask you something?”
“Ye Zhibai, go ahead! As I always say, between friends, we should speak openly and hold nothing back.”
“Okay, I just wanted to know—has your family been struggling financially recently? You said before that your family’s flower shop could support your living expenses, so why take on a part-time job? And does your mom know you’re working?”
Pfft, Guang Yu thought this was just absurd.
Ye Zhibai early asking a caring question, but coming from her frosty face, it sounded more like an interrogant Fortunately, everyone here—including the one god—knew that while Ye Zhibai had a cold exterior, her heart was warm as boiling water.
Lin Zihan clasped her hands together in front of her, her fingers tightly interlocked.
From her expression, it was clear that answering Ye Zhibai’s question wasn’t easy for her.
“To be honest, Ye Zhibai… my family encountered a localized financial crisis. The global financial storm hit our house hard, so… boohoo, it’s been rough.”
“Don’t joke around, I’m asking seriously.”
“hehe, sorry, sorry~ Alright then. How to explain this… The flower shop’s doing fine race with only, no real changes from before, and our daily expenses are still covered. It’s just that I recently bought a few things for myself—some extra expenses. It cost quite a bit, several thousand, so I couldn’t rely on the flower shop’s income. I figured I’d work part-time over the summer to cover it.”
“You bought… something?”
Bought something, and it cost several thousand?!
That’s odd—Lin Zihan isn’t the type to splurge. She’s very frugal.
You could tell from how she never added any extras when she bought her never adding carefully with money.
To be fair, this was Lin Zihan’s business.
But if it’s something she’s telling Ye Zhibai, then it’s not personal anymore.
Between good friends, nothing is left unsaid—it’s not just an empty phrase.
Lin Zihan didn’t hesitate or beat around the bush and directly revealed her recent “big purchase.”
“Yeah, a few thousand yuan. I bought some skincare products, mostly for my mom. After all, if you’re going to buy cosmetics, you shouldn’t settle for cheap roadside products. Low-quality makeup can damage the skin, so if you’re going to buy, you might as well get good ones. I’m planning to save up and place the order soon…”
As she spoke, Lin Zihan suddenly realized something and hurriedly clasped her hands together, pleading with the Ye sisters.
“But, but! Ye Zhibai, Zhijun! Now that I’ve told you, please, please don’t tell my mom! If she finds out I spent thousands on makeup for her, surely scold me to death! I still want to live a few more years! When I give it to her, I’m going to lie and say I bought it from a roadside vendor for a few dozen yuan. That way, I’ll be safe for sure!”
It’s not that serious, friend!
Guang Yu: Look at you, all panicked—once again, Guang Yu’s fishbone tower collapsed from the shock.
Ignoring Guang Yu’s muttered curses, Ye Zhibai gently shook her head, indicating she wouldn’t say a word.
Zhijun, with her sharp tongue but soft heart, crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side.
“We’re not the type to snitch like that. But really, you’re the one to talk—if money’s tight, why suddenly buy luxury items? Several thousand yuan… hmm… that’s quite extravagant.”
Zhijun, thank you for stopping in time before making more cutting remarks.
Ye Zhibai understood that in Zhijun’s mind, spending thousands of yuan was akin to buying a small in-game purchase—no big deal, barely worth mentioning.
But oh, Zhijun, your ability to understand the struggles of the formerly or currently poor is so kindhearted! Calling “a few thousand yuan” a luxury—how thoughtful you are!
When Zhijun asked this question,
Lin Zihan’s expression subtly changed.
Her emotions shifted, showing a mixture of gratitude, comfort, joy, and hope.
And all of these emotions were reflected in her rosy right eye, which was focused entirely on Ye Zhibai’s figure.
“It’s all thanks to Ye Zhibai. Ye Zhibai, remember when you told me that I usually hate my mom, that I still love her? After I went home, I thought about it for a long time, and in the end, I realized you were right! Even though my mom can be pretty extreme and unreasonable at times, it’s her fault. She’s just a poor soul, deceived by life. Besides, she’s still my mom…”
Feeling a warmth in her heart,
Lin Zihan lowered her head, then lifted it again, smiling with the same genuine brightness she had when she said goodbye to Ye Zhibai days ago, holding the sunflower.
“So, when I realized I didn’t hate my mom, I also noticed… she’s gotten so many more wrinkles. I figured, I can’t do much for her, but at least I could buy some skincare products to help her out. Hehe, that’s something I can do—it’s within my ability!”
