CHAPTER 296: CHAPTER 296: HONESTY (EXTRA) _1

She didn’t know what to say next. Her head hung low, her expression awkward.

Huang Xiaojue stared at her, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "I knew you’d tell me."

She smiled too. She was relieved she’d told him herself, rather than waiting for him to ask. He felt the same. As long as she was candid, it proved the matter no longer weighed heavily on her mind.

"I’d actually returned this card to Wan Donglin, but his mother insisted on giving it to me. She said it was compensation because I’d injured my head and she felt sorry. She was very firm, and I just wanted to get away quickly, so I didn’t refuse it then. I want to discuss this with Xu Xiaoya and completely return the shop to Wan Donglin, to sever ties with him once and for all."

What did Liu Daqing mean by this? Huang Xiaojue wondered. Even if they wanted to compensate, they wouldn’t give this much. If Wan Donglin had this attitude, it would make more sense. He’d just be using the boutique as bait, a way to keep pestering her. But Liu Daqing doing this? It’s inexplicable.

He suddenly grew a little anxious. "Xixi, are you sure you don’t have any other injuries?"

She shook her head.

"No, I’m taking you to the hospital right now for a thorough check-up."

Yan Xixi realized Xiaojue probably thought she was hiding a more serious injury; otherwise, Wan Donglin’s mother wouldn’t have offered so much money.

She chuckled. "Honestly, I just have a minor abrasion."

Seeing she wasn’t lying, Huang Xiaojue heaved a long sigh of relief. "Don’t worry, Xixi. I’ll figure out a way to return this shop to Wan Donglin properly and put an end to any ideas he has of harassing you."

"Okay. I’ve already given Xu Xiaoya a heads-up; she can look for another job anytime."

With the weight off her mind, Yan Xixi seemed remarkably relaxed. He glanced over and saw her leaning back in the recliner, eyes closed in exhaustion. There were faint bluish shadows under her long lashes. Clearly, she hadn’t rested properly for days. Today, she had pushed herself to come home with him and deal with everything. Utterly spent, she had drifted off to sleep even as they were talking.

He gently draped a blanket over her, his heart a tangle of emotions. He couldn’t feel as carefree as Yan Xixi. There was something she definitely didn’t know: this boutique wasn’t rented; Wan Donglin had bought it. The entire three-story shop was already registered in Yan Xixi’s name. Such a lavish gift, a prime downtown property... If a man wasn’t after something, why would he spend such an absurd amount of money? You could say he was captivated by her beauty, but what kind of woman hadn’t Wan Donglin seen? Did he really need to spend this much? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t had other women before, so why hadn’t he been nearly as generous with them? And now, learning about Liu Daqing’s stance, he couldn’t afford to be careless. It seemed that mother and son were far from ready to give up.

「Auspicious Start to the New Year.」

The first thing Xu Xiaoya did upon returning from her hometown was head straight to the shop.

The shop had just reopened after a few days’ break, so customers were scarce and not all the employees had returned yet. This quiet interlude allowed her to review the latest inventory reports over a cup of coffee.

"Welcome, sir. Please come in."

She looked up, paused for a moment, then quickly rose to greet him. "Young Master Wan, you’re here?"

This was Wan Donglin’s first visit to the shop. Anxious about his purpose, she bustled about, offering him tea. Wan Donglin said casually, "Just carry on with your work. Don’t mind me; I’m just looking around."