CHAPTER 496: CHAPTER 496

Old Chen had been Zhao Ying’s old driver for decades, driving for the Zhao Family.

Though he can’t say he watched Su Lu grow up, he pretty much saw both Shen Xun and Su Lu come into the world.

He also saw how distressed Zhao Ying was when Su Lu got lost.

He felt particularly sympathetic toward Su Lu, and naturally, he was very gentle with Zhao Xiaole.

Old Chen smiled and said, "Young master, don’t worry, there should be nothing wrong."

But this didn’t comfort Zhao Xiaole, who complained, "I can’t help but worry, Uncle Chen, you know that when Su Xiaolu gets strict, she’s really fierce."

Old Chen coaxed, "Then I’ll speak up for you. I’m old, and she has to give me some respect."

"Great!" Zhao Xiaole cheered up a bit.

Bo Jingshen stood silently to the side, thinking that it wasn’t the kid who Su Lu would deal with first, but rather him, the big guy.

When they arrived at Su Lu’s gallery, her largest shop and the first she had started, it was naturally bigger than her other branches, a three-story building fronting the pedestrian street.

This year, they had also broken through the back and taken over a small building behind.

By the time Bo Jingshen and Zhao Xiaole arrived, Su Lu was in the courtyard between the two buildings, holding a cup of coffee, drinking and watching the workers carry piano after piano into the back building.

As the scene was quite busy, Bo Jingshen and Zhao Xiaole, like thieves, cautiously approached her, trying hard to lower their presence.

Su Lu glanced at them, looking unamused, and gave Bo Jingshen a glare.

Bo Jingshen gave an attractive smile, trying to win her over with his charm.

Just as Su Lu was about to speak, a worker came up, wiped the sweat from his face, and handed her a form, "Boss, please check the pianos that were just carried in, and if there are no issues, you can sign here."

"Okay." Su Lu walked in, naturally not having time to deal with Bo Jingshen.

Bo Jingshen stopped the worker and asked, "What are you setting up?"

"It’s a piano room." The worker wiped his sweat and pointed to the building in front, "The previous piano room is being emptied. According to Boss Su, she wants to connect all the rooms to make one large room, turning it into a dance studio."

Upon hearing that, Bo Jingshen paused, thinking this might be another preparation for Jing Qiao.

Su Lu already had the form, was signing it while walking out from the back building, "I just checked, and there’s no issue. Thank you all, you can go to the front office to get paid. There are cold drinks downstairs, it’s hot today, have some, don’t get heatstroke."

"Aye! Okay. Thanks, boss!" The worker left with the form.

As Su Lu approached, Bo Jingshen put on a nervous look but still protected his son.

Seeing him like this, Su Lu laughed, "Knowing I would be angry, why did you still take him out to eat junk?"

"He likes it, just occasionally. If I don’t treat him to good food, how would he love me more?" Bo Jingshen said.

Su Lu, not bothering to argue, nodded, "Fine, fine, I forgive you this time. Don’t do this next time, Xiaole’s stomach is weak, I’m afraid he’ll get sick."

With that, Bo Jingshen took it more seriously, "I understand, I’ll be careful next time."

"Right, why did you ask Old Chen to come pick us up?" Bo Jingshen asked.

Su Lu took his hand, "Come with me."

Entering the front building, Su Lu waved over a young girl wearing a dirty apron, "Yali, come here."

The young girl addressed as Yali rubbed her hands and approached, "What is it, Teacher Su?"

"Take my son to your studio to play with some clay," Su Lu said.

Yali was in charge of the pottery studio, where she occasionally held fun clay workshops for children.

Yali smiled, "Sure. Let’s go, little Xiaole, let’s play with clay."

"Woah!" Zhao Xiaole was thrilled; after all, what child doesn’t love playing with clay?

Su Lu dragged Bo Jingshen upstairs, then pushed open the door to her own office.

Upon entering her office, the first thing Bo Jingshen smelled was a distinct odor of alcohol.

Then, he saw the man sleeping on her office sofa.

Bo Jingshen was shocked and found himself speechless for several seconds.

"What, what’s going on?" Bo Jingshen was puzzled, "Why is he sleeping here?"

The man sleeping on the sofa was none other than Jing Su.

Su Lu sighed heavily, "I took my staff to the restaurant next door for lunch and saw him drinking too much there."

"By himself? At noon? Drunk?" Bo Jingshen found it hard to believe, as these three factors seemed unlikely for Jing Su.

Su Lu explained, "There were a lot of dishes and bowls on the table. I asked the waitress, and it seemed to be a business meal, but by the time I saw him, everyone else had left, and he was drinking alone, already drunk. Given his status, both the waitresses and the managers were in a difficult position and didn’t know what to do, so I brought him back."

Bo Jingshen didn’t expect this situation; hearing Su Lu’s words, he frowned deeply.

Su Lu added, "I don’t think big brother is usually like this, so he must be troubled by something."

"He’s such a big guy; I’m surprised you could bring him back." Bo Jingshen initially thought that Su Lu had asked Old Chen to pick them up because she realized he had taken Zhao Xiaole for junk food.

Now it seemed that the real reason Su Lu had Old Chen pick them up was because of Jing Su.

Su Lu laughed, "How could I manage to bring him back? I was dining with all the girls today, and no one could move him. Luckily, the workers who carry the pianos were about to start their shift, so I asked them for help."

Su Lu pulled him out of the office, "Let him sleep a bit longer."

Bo Jingshen also felt helpless, "It just so happens that I visited Song Boyuan this morning, and he also mentioned Jing Su’s issue."

Bo Jingshen relayed to Su Lu what Song Boyuan had told him.

After listening, Su Lu was silent for a moment, "Sigh, I really can’t make head or tail of these things. I’ve been in Beijing for a few years now, and my mom has always been protective, so I didn’t get to know much about these troubled matters, but I still know somewhat, a lot of things indeed work this way, indeed, not everyone is Song Boyuan. People like Song Boyuan are rare."

Bo Jingshen then accompanied Su Lu to see the new piano rooms and the vacated three floors of the front building which were going to be turned into a dance room.

Bo Jingshen asked, "Is this being saved for Jing Qiao?"

Su Lu was startled, "Hey, how did you know?"

"How could I not know you?" Bo Jingshen glanced around the rooms, "If these rooms are combined, it’s quite a sizable space."

"Yes, indeed. Wait until Xiao Qiao has her surgery done and has recovered, by then the renovation here should be complete and the smell gone, it would be perfect for her to come here." Su Lu had everything planned out.

Bo Jingshen said, "Okay, I’ll get Xiao Song to invest."