CHAPTER 177: 176: COMPROMISE (FIFTH UPDATE)

Once out the door, Ye Ling finally quieted down.

As soon as they left the compound, Ye Ling directly spoke up, "Dad, you guys go to the company, I can go back to school by myself."

"Are there students returning to school now?" Despite being happy today, Ye He Ping found himself drunk after just a cup of baijiu.

He knew he was drunk because he was feeling uneasy inside.

"Many have returned already, don’t worry. You’ve seen my dormitory, this time when I was back home, I bought some duck feathers from the village. This bag you’re carrying doesn’t look big, but it’s quite heavy. I’ve asked someone to make a duck feather mattress to lay on the bed for warmth. Just as I’m heading back to school, I’ll stop by a sewing shop and wait; it won’t take long to make." Ye Ling understood that her father was worried about the lack of a stove in the dormitory.

"Since that’s the case, I’ll take you to the sewing shop first." Ye He Ping felt guilty towards his daughter and just wanted to accompany her in whatever needed doing.

Ye Ling tried to persuade him for half the day, but seeing her father’s insistence, she had to bring up Shen Bin to change the subject, "Uncle Shen is here too, are you really going to let him go back by himself? Besides, you’ve had too much to drink, and I’m worried about you being alone. I’m grown now, not a child, don’t worry. I’ll be taking my college entrance exam next year."

Seeing his daughter still disagreeing, Ye He Ping felt a bit disappointed inside and it showed on his face, but he agreed to her words, "Alright, you go by yourself then."

As he spoke, he took five yuan out of his pocket and handed it to his daughter, "This is New Year’s money, I haven’t given you any in the past, let me make it up to you from now."

Ye Ling knew she couldn’t refuse it anymore, pretended to be delighted, "Thanks, Dad, this is the first time I’ve received New Year’s money."

"Then let Uncle Shen give you some New Year’s money too." Shen Bin began speaking as he took out the money and placed it directly into Ye Ling’s hand.

Holding onto the New Year’s money from her father, before Ye Ling could withdraw her hand, she saw Shen Bin had already placed money in her hand, two ten-yuan bills, totaling twenty yuan.

"That’s not right." Ye Ling instinctively didn’t want Shen Bin’s money.

Shen Bin watched her silently, his eyes like lakes making Ye Ling unable to look directly. Ye He Ping laughed from the side, "Since it’s given to you, accept it. You might just become family in the future."

Family?

Upon hearing this, Ye Ling felt the money burning in her hand, "Dad, twenty yuan is too much, I can’t accept it. Besides, if we really become family, it would be appropriate to accept it then, it’s too early to take New Year’s money now."

"What’s given to you is yours, just take it." Shen Bin’s tone was calm yet firm.

Ye Ling glanced over, afraid her father would notice. She quickly forced a smile, "Uncle Shen, your monthly salary is only thirty-something, giving me twenty yuan doesn’t seem right."

"Minister Ye, let’s be on our way." Shen Bin didn’t look at Ye Ling anymore, instead, he glanced at his watch and then looked up at Ye He Ping, "There’s a shuttle bus at two at the company, if we leave for the small park now, we should get there just in time."

Ye He Ping nodded and checked his watch too, seeing not much time left, he just reminded his daughter, "Pay attention to your safety, and if there are any issues, have someone send word to the company for me."

Without mentioning the matter of the twenty yuan again, he headed west out of the compound with Shen Bin.

Ye Ling stared at Shen Bin’s back, then pocketed the money. After all, it was freely given, she wouldn’t return it regardless, as long as it wasn’t of her family’s concern.

Carrying her things, Ye Ling went about her business, while Shen Bin, upon returning to the company, received a call from Director Li, "So, did you see the girl?"

"Too young." Shen Bin bluntly replied, "Not suitable."

"Have you ever said any blind date was suitable?" Director Li’s voice rose as he spoke, then someone else took over the call, and Ye Zhenfen’s voice came through, "Shen Bin, I saw the child, she’s decent, honest and can live a life. You’ve had several blind dates and each time after one meeting, it falls through. Listen to me this time, give it a chance, and if eventually, you really find it unsuitable, then let it be. How about that?"

The pleading tone made Shen Bin unable to reject directly, "Aunt Ye, let’s drop it. I don’t think they were interested in me anyway..."

"Don’t worry about that, I’ve already called over there, Bai Xue said the child agreed, so let’s give it a try. You’re not young anymore, you shouldn’t delay further. If you want to develop in the R&D department, you’ve got to pay attention to personal matters." Ye Zhenfen advised over the phone, then hung up.

Holding the phone, Shen Bin took a long time to put it down, his brow tightly furrowed. That side agreed? At the time, no one understood the situation better than him, now it seemed things had reversed, the call had even ended before he could refuse.

After sitting down, Shen Bin quickly smoothed things over. It didn’t matter what the other party was like, as long as he didn’t go meet them, this matter would fall through in a few days, and he didn’t call back Director Li because he didn’t like their enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, back at the Ye Family, Bai Xue had vented her frustration, sulking on the bed for half a day. After hearing a call from the gatekeeper, she went to answer it and returned with a slightly better expression. She looked over her niece several times and couldn’t help but smile.

"I’ve talked to them about this, we’ve agreed, I’m sure the other side won’t have issues either. You two should try out first, you’re seventeen this year, no rush for marriage. If it works out, getting married next year isn’t too late." Bai Xue assumed her niece’s lowered head was due to shyness and grew more pleased, "If we can arrange your marriage here, just notifying your parents will suffice. Your dad tossed you here; he thinks you’re a burden at home. What kind of parents are that? But since it’s my brother, how could I not intervene?"

"Aunt, I’ll listen to you, whatever you say goes." Bai Hehua felt chilled hearing her aunt agree to the match, knowing resisting would be futile, she resigned herself.

Inevitable melancholic feelings arose internally.

Seeing her niece comply so readily, Bai Xue’s thoughts turned to her own ungrateful daughter, making her adore her niece even more, "Good child, as long as you listen to your Aunt, Aunt will ensure you don’t live a hard life."

Bai Hehua shyly nodded and smiled, lowering her head again, unsure of what to say, while Ye Qian was reading alone in her room. But looking at the questions in the book, she couldn’t figure out where to start. With the high school entrance exams yet to come, she already knew how she’d perform, making her increasingly agitated, wanting to tear the book apart. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)