Chapter 77 Chemistry

Chapter 77: Tacit Understanding

Lu Yun was closing out the month's books. Business at the shop had picked up after early autumn, and the money she was making had her grinning from ear to ear. To celebrate, Lu Yun went to buy gifts for everyone. She needed to buy gifts for the Lu family, and even more so for Zhou Yanze. But as she was choosing gifts, Lu Yun realized that every time she picked a gift for Zhou Yanze, she put in the most effort. She picked out so many options but kept worrying Zhou Yanze wouldn't like any of them.

Lu Yun told Zhou Yanze about this dilemma, deliberately saying, "So I didn't pick out a gift for you."

Zhou Yanze: "Really? Every time you pick a gift for me, you put in the most effort!"

He actually got excited over something like that? Lu Yun handed Zhou Yanze a tie. "Here's your gift."

After Zhou Yanze tried on the tie, he said seriously to Lu Yun, "Next time, don't stress about picking out a gift for me, because as long as you chose it, I'll love it!"

Lu Yun: "But I can't just grab anything. If it's not something thoughtful, then it doesn't really count as a gift, does it?"

Chen Qiao's shop was doing alright—at least compared to Lu Yun's. She was just a hard worker. After cashing in and closing her books, she showed up bright and early with a dim sum spread for Lu Yun. Of course, Lu Yun hadn't forgotten Chen Qiao when choosing gifts either—she also brought Chen Qiao morning tea, from a spot that had blown up recently and was pricey. When the two met, they realized they had brought morning tea from the same place! Chen Qiao laughed so hard she nearly fell off her chair!

Chen Qiao: "See? We're totally on the same wavelength!"

Speaking of being on the same wavelength, Lu Yun thought of Zhou Yanze. She and Zhou Yanze were pretty in sync too!

Last week, Lu Yun went home to tell her dad she was craving watermelon. Her dad asked, surprised, "Didn't Zhou Yanze already mention that to me?" Lu Yun had never said a word to Zhou Yanze about it. Her dad even said he was going to teach Zhou Yanze how to pick watermelons! Lu Yun had been planning to ask her dad to teach her how to pick watermelons! She loved watermelon, and she couldn't just judge them by looks every time she and Zhou Yanze bought one!

Lu Yun went to ask Zhou Yanze if he was planning to buy watermelons with her dad. Zhou Yanze said, "We can't just pick watermelons by looks every time, right?"

It was exactly what Lu Yun had been thinking!

Chen Qiao: "What are you smiling about? That sweet smile of yours—you're not thinking about your husband, are you?"

Lu Yun: "Mm."

Chen Qiao got shown up again. She said, "You don't actually think you two are more on the same wavelength, do you?"

Lu Yun nodded, a little embarrassed. "Mm-hmm."

Lu Yun told Chen Qiao about the watermelon-picking incident. Chen Qiao was a little huffy at first, but then she got envious. If only she could find a man who was that in sync with her. Of course, the most important thing was sincerity, because that's what created that kind of connection. Without sincerity, who would even bother doing stuff like that?

After work, Zhou Yanze took Lu Yun to pick out watermelons. This time, they weren't going by looks. Zhou Yanze looked dead serious and meticulous.

Zhou Yanze: "This one's a keeper—it's gotta be sweet!"

Back home, the two of them dug into the watermelon. Zhou Yanze scooped out the sweetest center piece and handed it to Lu Yun to try. He asked, "How is it?"

Lu Yun: "Congrats, you've picked up another skill!"

Zhou Yanze smiled. "That's awesome!"

Lu Yun was stressing over who to pick as store manager. Her new shop was about to open, and she planned to move a store manager over from her current shop. Lu Yun was happy with the friend Li Meng had recommended, but that person had joined the shop more recently. If she made her the store manager, Lu Yun worried the other two employees might have a problem with it.

As Lu Yun was mulling it over, Zhou Yanze sat next to her, doing nothing, and fed her some crab roe pastry—her latest favorite snack.

Lu Yun munched on the crab roe pastry and quickly came up with a solution. Her eyes crinkled into little crescents. "It's all because of the crab roe pastry!"

Zhou Yanze: "Then it's because of me."

Lu Yun asked deliberately, "Why?"

Zhou Yanze: "Because I fed it to you."

Zhou Yanze quickly added, "But if you say it's the crab roe pastry's doing, then it can be the crab roe pastry's doing."

Lu Yun laughed so hard she was shaking all over. "Of course it's because of you!"

The next day, Lu Yun went to resolve the store manager issue. She told the two veteran employees about how hardworking and capable Li Meng's friend was—almost outshining Li Meng herself—and how much she'd improved.

Lu Yun: "She'll be the store manager of the new shop. Don't get discouraged, you two. I'm planning to keep opening new shops. If you step up your game, you can go manage other shops too. If you don't step up, you can keep working here, and maybe you'll get a shot at being assistant manager. Li Meng, keep up the good work too. I really trust you, and there's room to grow."

Li Meng: "Thanks, boss!"

After resolving that matter, Lu Yun needed to recruit again. For the new shop, Lu Yun planned to have two employees and one store manager. Hiring people wasn't easy either. Lu Yun spent over a week on it before finally finding two people. One was a local married woman, and the other had moved to the city with her husband. The first one had kids while the second didn't. The first one didn't have to worry about childcare, so it wouldn't get in the way of work.

On the weekend, Lu Yun and Zhou Yanze went back to the compound. Every time they returned to the compound, they always got some gossip, and this time it was about Han Gang.

Han Gang and his wife had a fight, and she went back to her parents' house. That description didn't seem wrong, did it?

When Lu Yun saw Han Gang at the compound, she thought she'd see Han Gang's wife. Not only did she not run into her, but she also saw Han Gang with a grim face. Lu Yun thought the Han family and the Sun family had fought again. After going back, she asked her dad what was going on.

Lu's dad: "I don't know. I just know that Han Gang came back that day, and he's been staying at the compound for several days now. His wife hasn't come back either."

Lu Yun asked Zhou Yanze, "Could it be that she knows her husband might be a bit too close with other women outside?"

Zhou Yanze: "Maybe."

In the afternoon, Han Gang's wife came over, carrying big and small bags. When the Han family saw Han Gang's wife, not only were they not angry, but they enthusiastically said it was all Han Gang's fault.

Han's father: "You, Han Gang—if you're going to fight with your wife, fine, but being immature is one thing, and then you actually came back home! We tried to persuade him several times. Thank goodness you're sensible enough to give him a way out!"

Han Gang's wife smiled and glanced toward the Lu family's place. Lu Yun found it a bit strange.

Aunt Han clicked her tongue. "Look at their son. You'd think their son was their daughter, and they wanted their daughter to find a rich man!"

Sun Zhi was also very dissatisfied with the Han family. Han Gang seemed to be living well, but Sun Zhi looked down on him too. Anyway, he wouldn't marry into a woman's family. "Maybe Han Gang enjoys it?"

Aunt Han: "Before Han Gang got married, they mocked Widow Li's family. They said that even though Widow Li's daughter-in-law seemed to have a good life, she still had to listen to her mother-in-law. Tsk tsk tsk. Who's really in charge in Widow Li's house? It's Widow Li herself. And the Li Cai family fawns over Widow Li to treat Li Cai better. Now that Han Gang's life is good, the whole family still has to fawn over Han Gang's wife together. I'm still curious—why do you think Han Gang came back to his parents' house?"

Sun Zhi: "When couples fight, it's always one of a few things: cheating, money, or family conflicts."

Aunt Han: "It's not cheating, is it?"

Sun Zhi: "Han Gang cheated?"

Aunt Han: "What do you mean Han Gang cheated? It must be Han Gang's wife who cheated!"

In the afternoon, Han Gang and his wife were going home. Han Gang's wife dawdled around the compound, and when she saw Lu Yun and Zhou Yanze come out, she hurried over to greet Zhou Yanze, saying she had seen him before. Even Han Gang's attitude toward them was especially good. The Han family even came forward enthusiastically to introduce themselves. Lu Yun and Zhou Yanze's attitude was merely polite.

Han Gang's wife brought up wanting to buy a house at a discount. Lu Yun immediately knew why Han Gang's wife had come back for Han Gang. Lu Yun smiled and refused without even dancing around the issue, then took Zhou Yanze home with her.

Zhou Yanze: "Your parents live in the same compound as them."

Lu Yun: "I know what you're thinking, and I know you're doing it for me. But if you help the Han family, won't they come asking for your help next time? And besides, why should we help him? What's more, even if we don't help, they wouldn't dare do anything."

Lu Yun wanted the Lu family to move to the courtyard house. Once her dad's shop opened, Lu Yun would go persuade them. Her dad's shop was quite close to Lu Yun's courtyard house. Recently, Lu Yun had been enjoying buying commercial properties and collecting rent. She also planned to buy a few more shops, and if possible, another courtyard house.

Lu Yun and Zhou Yanze went out for a late-night snack. Han Gang and Han Gang's wife were also there eating. Lu Yun and Zhou Yanze got to witness some drama.

Han Gang: "What's going on between you and that man?"

Han Gang's wife: "What do you mean what's going on? We're just friends. Can you stop acting like such a jealous husband?"

Han Gang: "You didn't come to the compound today to see me! You came for the Lu family's son-in-law!"

Han Gang's Wife: "I haven't done anything wrong, so why should I go to the shared courtyard to find you? I was waiting for you to come around! Haven't I treated you well since we got married? I gave you money, a house, and bought stuff for your family, and you're throwing a fit over this? If you're not satisfied, you can divorce me!"

Han Gang: "How dare you bring up divorce!"

Han Gang's Wife: "Why can't I? If you're not satisfied, for your sake, I'm willing to divorce you."

Han Gang's wife is really something else!

Lu Yun and Zhou Yanze made their way back, and Zhou Yanze asked Lu Yun, "Are we gonna fight in the future?"

Lu Yun: "Fight? Probably, yeah—every couple fights."

Zhou Yanze: "I won't fight with you."

Zhou Yanze could promise not to fight with Lu Yun, but Lu Yun couldn't promise her temper wouldn't cause a fight. She didn't say anything, and Zhou Yanze said, "If we do fight, even then, let's not mention divorce, okay?"

Lu Yun: "Alright, I won't bring up divorce. It's just that I don't know what we'd even fight about."

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't imagine them fighting, but Lu Yun just couldn't be entirely sure.

Author's note:

None