Translator: Lonelytree
However, Zheng Haiyang’s happiness didn’t last for long. Xiao Lingyu explained, “I don’t have the stock to sell daily. However, whenever I do have excess stock, Grandma Song will come to buy every time.”
Zheng Haiyang frowned. “Miss Xiao, does this mean my grandmother might come back empty-handed since you have limited stock?” He felt bad for his grandmother.
Xiao Lingyu quickly clarified. “Oh no. I will always reserve some for Grandma Song. If I have excess stock, I will call Grandma Song in advance, and she will come to pick up the vegetables very early in the morning.”
“Good!” Zheng Haiyang was relieved. “In the future, I shall get grandmother to buy more of your crops. That way, I won’t have to come to this hotel to fight for food with others!”
Xiao Lingyu smiled but said nothing.
Gu Ziye cut in, “Haiyang, will there be a problem for you to rent that shop to Miss Xiao?”
Zheng Haiyang answered, “Of course. It’s not a problem. The lease is expiring next month. I’ll stop renewing the lease with the current renter and rent it to Miss Xiao instead.”
Xiao Lingyu was worried, “Is that okay?”
Zheng Haiyang waved his hands. “They are not a good renter in the first place. Since they’ve violated the contract, I have the right to kick them out. Since Miss Xiao has the need, I’ll get to save myself the trouble of finding a new renter. Moreover, my grandmother has rented her house to you. It means that she likes you. For both Gu Ziye and my grandmother, I have to rent that shop to you.”
Zheng Haiyang added, “Miss Xiao, do you know the house you’re currently renting was built by my Grandpa when he married Grandma? He gave it to her as a wedding present. Grandma and Grandpa only moved after my uncle had his grandson! They were very reluctant to leave. It was a waste for the house to sit there, but they couldn’t bear to sell it. So they wanted to rent it, but they were afraid that they wouldn’t find a good renter. Therefore, the house had been worrying them. Grandma must have believed in your character to rent the house to you.”
Xiao Lingyu did overhear the conversation between Grandpa Song and Grandma Song before she rented the house. However, she didn’t expect Grandma Song actually build the house as a wedding present for Grandma Song. No wonder they cared so much for it. This house was a testament to their love and affection for each other.
Zheng Haiyang said, “Miss Xiao, would you like to see the shop now? It’s about 100 square meters. Will that be too small?”
Xiao Lingyu chuckled, “100 square meters is still too small? Then what is big?” Then, she added with more seriousness, “A shop of that size is enough.” She was not going to start a vegetable market. She was going for quality over quantity.
“Then, shall we go now and have a look together?” Gu Ziye suggested. “The shop is in the city center. If you’re not satisfied with the shop, we can look at the others.”
Xiao Lingyu was concerned, “But it’s business hours now. Won’t we be interrupting the owners?”
Zheng Haiyang huffed, “They should be thankful that I’ve not kicked them out! I’m bound by the lease to let them stay until the end of this month. Then, I’ll send them packing!” He added, “Plus, the shop is mine. The lease is almost up, so it’s within my right to end the lease and find a better renter.”
“Alright then.” Xiao Lingyu was persuaded.
This was her first step into the business world, so she had to be prepared.
The group left the hotel.
They had no idea the storm they had left in their wake.
…
“Master Gu! Master Gu!” A waiter rushed into the kitchen.
Gu Rufeng frowned and scolded, “Xiao Lin, why are you in the kitchen when you should be outside working?”
Xiao Lin smiled mysteriously, “Master Gu, guess what I saw earlier?”
Master Gu said unhappily, “You shouldn’t be looking at anything but the customers and their needs!”
“Master Gu, it’s not that. I saw President Gu walking around and laughing happily with a girl. She might be his girlfriend.” Xiao Lin revealed.
Master Gu stopped cooking. He said excitedly, “What did you just say?”
Xiao Lin repeated, “I saw President Gu walking around and laughing happily with a girl. She might be his girlfriend.”
“Are you sure you didn’t see wrongly?” Master Gu asked suspiciously.
“Yes!” Xiao Lin confirmed. “President Gu brought her to his private room. President Gu’s friends are there too. Master Gu, do you think President Gu was introducing his girlfriend to Young Master Zheng and the others?”
Master Gu’s face darkened. “Okay. You should get back to work.”
Xiao Lin huffed, “Master Gu, President Gu has a girlfriend. Aren’t you going to take a look? President Gu’s girlfriend is very beautiful. She’s tall and fair-skinned. She is very pretty.” At this point, his eyes shone with starlight as he fantasized, “If I had such a beautiful girlfriend, I would definitely be so happy.”
Master Gu said, “Sadly, you don’t, so get back to work, or I’ll deduct this month’s bonus.”
Xiao Lin quickly ran back to work.
Master Gu chopped the vegetables angrily. ‘Gu Ziye, that brat! How can he not tell me about it when he has a girlfriend? And to think, he’d introduce her to his friends first before his third uncle! No, I need to go take a look.’
Everyone in the Gu Family was concerned about Gu Ziye’s marriage. After all, he was already 26 years old. ‘If the girl is really that brat’s girlfriend, I have to bring her back to the family for everyone to see.’
Gu Rufeng instructed his disciples to take over and left the kitchen. He headed to Gu Ziye’s private room.
On the way, Gu Rufeng asked a passing waiter, “Is President Gu in the private room?”
The waiter shook his head, “No, President Gu has just gone out with Young Master Zheng and the rest.”
Gu Rufeng asked, “Did President Gu bring a girl with him?”
The waiter answered truthfully, “Yes.” Then, he smiled, “Master Gu, that girl is very beautiful. She matches President Gu.”
Gu Rufeng’s face darkened, and he said, “Alright, I got it. Go back to work!” He felt so left out. Everyone at the hotel knew about Gu Ziye’s new girlfriend but not him. He would have to interrogate Gu Ziye when he returned.
…
Xiao Lingyu followed the guys to Zheng Haiyang’s shop at Salvation Road.
The shop was currently a boutique. There were some customers inside. Business was good. Xiao Lingyu had no idea why the owners didn’t want to pay rent. They probably thought Zheng Haiyang didn’t need the money and thus were trying to take advantage of him.
Beside the shop was a large supermarket and so it had a large parking lot in front of it. Nearby were the high-end residential areas like Mountainside Residence, Epicenter Residence, and Happiness One Residence.
Xiao Lingyu couldn’t be more satisfied with the shop location.
Zheng Haiyang asked, “So Miss Xiao, what do you think? This place is not bad, right?” He added proudly, “The shop rental is quite high, and that’s why the owners haven’t been paying. They said they didn’t have enough profit to cover the rental… But look at their customers! Regardless, I’ll just get what they owed from their lease. But, I swear I’ll be careful with my next renter, so I won’t get scammed again!”
Gu Ziye coughed twice to warn Zheng Haiyang. ‘Why would you say those things? What are you insinuating? Are you really doing me a favor or not?’
Zheng Haiyang immediately fell silent.
Xiao Lingyu caught their quick interaction, but she didn’t mind.
She smiled and nodded. “Young Master Zheng, don’t worry. I won’t evade the rent. I plan to start an organic vegetable and fruit store. Plus, I have the cooperation with the Gu Family Hotel as capital. Therefore, I will have the rent available for the starting months. After the business takes off, I’ll pay the rent on time too. Plus, the shop is in such a good location, so it’s expected that the rental will be high.” However, based on Xiao Lingyu’s knowledge, the rental for this shop would skyrocket even more a few years later. So, technically, setting up her shop here at this moment was a strategic move.
Zheng Haiyang coughed embarrassedly, “Miss Xiao, you’re being too polite. Of course, I believe you. You have my grandmother’s vote of confidence. I know you are an honest person… unlike my current renter. By the by, you should just call me Haiyang. Young Master Zheng sounds so weird and uncomfortable to me.”
“Yes, Miss Xiao, you can call me Ziye too.” Gu Ziye added. Only then did he realize Xiao Lingyu had been referring to him as President Gu. “We’re friends now, so you should stop calling me President Gu. It’s so strange.”
“Miss Xiao, you can call me Yifan!”
“Miss Xiao, and you can call me Xuan Hao!”
Xiao Lingyu was overwhelmed by their show of friendliness. She nodded and smiled, “Okay, then. Please don’t call me Miss Xiao either. You can just call me Lingyu!”
“Okay!”
Zheng Haiyang said, “Lingyu, since you like this shop, I’ll have the owner move out within the month so you can move in as soon as possible.”
Xiao Lingyu nodded. “Okay. Call me when you need to sign the contract.”
“Of course!” Zheng Haiyang replied.
Xiao Lingyu smiled, “Thank you, Haiyang.”
“No, Lingyu, thank you for solving my problem.” Then, Zheng Haiyang added shyly, “Lingyu, can you reserve some of your vegetables for me in the future? I don’t need much, only some to snack on.”
Xiao Lingyu’s vegetables were too delicious. He couldn’t get enough of them.
Xiao Lingyu smiled, “Does Grandma Song know you’re such a foodie? But, alright, I’ll try to save a small batch for you in the future.”
After Xiao Lingyu settled on the shop, she parted from the men. She had something else to attend to.
…
After Xiao Lingyu left, Zheng Haiyang and his friends asked Gu Ziye, “Ziye, where did you find Xiao Lingyu? And does she have a boyfriend?”
Gu Ziye shook his head and said, “I’ve only known her for two or three days. As for her relationship status, I’m not sure. But I know she is close to Chief Jiang Tao from our police station!”
“What?!” Zheng Haiyang and the other two were shocked..