Chapter 164
When Ye Yunniang returned to Sunset Alley, the news quickly spread to every household in the neighborhood.
Acquaintances came to visit Ye Yunniang.
Hong Yan came over with her son and daughter.
Ye Yunniang paid a little more attention to Tuantuan. Tuantuan really liked Li An and trailed right behind him.
Li An, who was usually impatient with children other than Li Ping, showed extra patience and played with Tuantuan.
Hong Yan now had both a son and a daughter, a doting husband, and a comfortable life. She had gained a little weight and smiled more often. She and Chun Xing had a very good relationship.
Chun Xing also came over with her two children.
Ye Yunniang brought out some snacks from Lincheng for them to taste.
During the more than half a year they were away, Ye Yunniang and Cai Damei had used their previous excuse, claiming they went to Lincheng to escape the floods.
Shushu also made an appearance in the alley; she was the daughter Cai Damei had adopted, taking the surname Cai—Cai Shuyi.
Changing Shushu's surname was a decision Cai Damei made after learning from Ye Yunniang about everything Bao Min had done.
Ye Yunniang knew about it, naturally, because Jiang Mingzhe had told her.
Jiang Mingzhe felt that Cai Damei had the right to know about the bad things Bao Min had done to him.
"My Shushu doesn't need a father who would even scheme against his own daughter."
Previously, Cai Damei was only angry that Bao Min had hidden the real reason behind Ye Yunniang's abduction. Now, she felt nothing but disgust for him.
Cai Damei bought mud and bricks and completely sealed the door in the wall between Courtyards 3 and 4.
Hearing the news, Bao Min rushed over and blocked Cai Damei's way.
"Madam, don't seal it," Bao Min pleaded. "Madam, I was wrong. You can punish me however you want, but please don't seal the door."
"Bao Min, let's part amicably." Cai Damei pulled her hand back and continued laying bricks.
"No." Bao Min tried to stop her again, but Cai Damei pointed her trowel directly at him.
"Bao Min, don't force me to hate you."
Bao Min didn't dare to move, watching helplessly as Cai Damei sealed the door shut bit by bit.
Cai Damei then gathered all the belongings Bao Min had left in her room and brought them out.
"Take your things and go."
"Madam, do I still have a chance?"
"No," Cai Damei replied, crisp and resolute.
Bao Min was too calculating. Both she and Yunniang were honest people; they could never outscheme him. For the sake of a peaceful life in the future, it was best to stay far away from Bao Min and the Bao family.
After leaving the Li residence, Bao Min went to find Jiang Mingzhe.
"Jiang Mingzhe, you are truly sinister."
"Being my father isn't that easy," Jiang Mingzhe chuckled. If Bao Min wanted to be his father, he still needed a lot more practice.
"Jiang Mingzhe, just you wait. I will definitely make you call me father." Bao Min left after dropping this harsh remark.
After tidying up the house and meeting the neighbors, Ye Yunniang planned to go and reopen the Baise Embroidery Shop.
Cai Damei took the children to visit Cai Xiaomei and her family.
Ye Yunniang arrived at the Baise Embroidery Shop first.
Zhou Lingling was inside cleaning.
"Lingling."
"Aunt, you're back?" Zhou Lingling was delighted.
"Yes, we're back," Ye Yunniang said, looking around the shop. It was cleaned spotlessly.
"Did you clean all of this?"
"Yes, whenever I have time, I come over to clean up."
When Ye Yunniang and the others went to the prefectural estate, they had given the key to the Baise Embroidery Shop to the Zhou family, asking them to check on it when they were free.
Zhou Lingling felt that her great-aunt and aunt had helped her family a lot. So, whenever she had time, she would come to the Baise Embroidery Shop to sweep and wipe things down.
"Thank you for your hard work, Lingling."
"It's no hardship, cleaning just takes a bit of time." Zhou Lingling felt what she did was nothing special. "Aunt, are you going to reopen the embroidery shop?"
"Yes, the Baise Embroidery Shop is my shop from now on." Ye Yunniang didn't hide the truth.
"You bought the embroidery shop, Aunt! You're amazing." Zhou Lingling was full of admiration.
Zhou Lingling was already old enough to remember when Cai Damei and Ye Yunniang first came to Jiangcheng.
She clearly recalled that back then, the two of them looked destitute and carried a hint of timidity.
In just a few short years, the auras of both Cai Damei and Ye Yunniang had undergone a complete transformation. Most importantly, not only had they bought a house, but they had also bought a shop; they both had their own properties.
"Aunt, I want to learn from you and Great-Aunt."
"Learn what from us?" Ye Yunniang didn't quite understand.
Zhou Lingling didn't explain, but a seed was planted in her heart. She wanted to be as capable as Ye Yunniang, to buy a house, open a shop, and have her own business.
"Aunt, can I come help out at the shop?"
"Of course you can." Ye Yunniang had just been wondering where to hire someone. "Let's agree first: a one-month trial period for 300 copper coins. You'll need to clean the shop and attend to customers who come in. If you do well, we'll sign an official contract after a month, and your wages will be determined based on your ability. If you don't do well, I won't keep you just because you call me aunt."
"I will definitely work hard and make sure I get to stay." Zhou Lingling was thrilled that she could earn money.
"Let's go, we'll head back and talk to Aunt." Ye Yunniang needed Cai Xiaomei's approval to hire Zhou Lingling.
Upon arriving at the Zhou household, Zhou Lingling couldn't wait to find Cai Xiaomei and tell her about going to work at the embroidery shop.
"Big Sister, did you really buy the embroidery shop?" Cai Xiaomei was very surprised.
"It wasn't bought. The manager of Baise gave it to Yunniang. She married Tie Yi and moved out of town, unable to return to Jiangcheng. Reluctant to close the shop, she transferred it to Yunniang. Her only request was that the name of the Baise Embroidery Shop remain unchanged," Cai Damei explained.
"Our Yunniang is truly amazing to have made such a good friend," Cai Xiaomei said enviously.
"Lingling, work hard at your aunt's place. No slacking off," Cai Xiaomei hoped her granddaughter could learn more skills from Ye Yunniang.
Zhou Lingling promised repeatedly.
After not seeing them for over half a year, the Zhou family had changed a lot. The grocery store was closed and renamed Zhou's Bean Sprouts.
As the shop's name suggested, the Zhou family mainly sold bean sprouts now.
Not only did they sell the common soybean and mung bean sprouts, but they also had pea sprouts, red bean sprouts, and more. Aside from figuring out how to grow them, Cai Xiaomei and Zhou Zhong also researched different ways to cook and eat the sprouts.
Zhou Dong had a good head for business. He took the bean sprouts and the new recipes to pitch them to major restaurants and eateries across Jiangcheng.
Now, half of the restaurants and eateries in Jiangcheng bought their bean sprouts from the Zhou family.
"Seeing you living well puts my mind at ease," Cai Damei said. She had always been worried about Cai Xiaomei's family's livelihood.
Cai Xiaomei glanced toward the front courtyard. "Sister, when you have time, please help me talk some sense into Dong'er."
"Talk sense into him about what?"
"Convince him to find another wife." Cai Xiaomei sighed. "Right now, Dong'er's mind is filled with nothing but business. He doesn't care about anything else. He leaves both children to me to look after. While I can still move around, I can take care of them and manage things for him. But if there comes a day when I can't move anymore, the household will be in chaos."
"Is Dong'er still pining for Zhang Cai'er?"
"I asked him, and he said no."
"Is it a real no or a fake no?"
"Lingling's grandfather and I discussed this privately, and I had him ask too. Dong'er doesn't miss Zhang Cai'er; he just feels like he let us down. He wants to earn more money so the children can have a better life." At this point, Cai Xiaomei took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
"Alas, it's us elders who are useless. We lack ability."
"I don't like hearing you say that. Didn't you build up this house and this shop yourself? Zhang Cai'er made mistakes; that's her problem. You can't use her to torture yourself.
"You said it yourself. You're the one who has to take care of everything, both inside and outside the house. If you keep stressing over all this nonsense and ruin your health, what will happen to your family?"