Chapter 8: Feeling sorry for a man who has bad luck all his life

Gu Aihua’s face lit up, nodding rapidly, “Okay, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Hurry up.”

Zhao Sumei breathed a sigh of relief. She knew Gu Jingyao would deal with Lin Moran.

Who could tolerate a woman who had cuckolded them?

Gu Jingyao spoke, “Before I came to Liuli Street, I just had a case. The suspect robbed a department store. He said he knew my sister, Gu Aihua, and that she told him that department stores are public property, so it’s okay to steal a little. Now he’s been caught, but he’s not entirely to blame.  The blame lies with my sister. If she hadn’t said those words, he wouldn’t have made this mistake.”

Before Gu Jingyao finished speaking, Gu Aihua exclaimed excitedly, “What does that have to do with me? I don’t remember saying anything like that. What does his stupidity have to do with me? I didn’t even know about this!  Why are you blaming me?”

The matter of the eighty yuan vase hadn’t been resolved yet. If she were arrested again, her life would be unbearable; her mother-in-law and husband would definitely kick her out!

Zhao Sumei also became anxious, “Jingyao, what does this have to do with your sister? We’re talking about the porcelain jar.”

Gu Jingyao’s face remained expressionless, “Mother, sister, I agree with you on this matter. My sister only said some words, she didn’t incite him. He committed the crime and was caught; what does it have to do with my sister? If he wants to blame her, I’m the first to disagree.”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

Zhao Sumei was relieved.

Gu Aihua’s heart settled back into her chest, “My brother is the most reasonable.”

“So, the loss your sister suffered from buying the porcelain jar has nothing to do with Moran?”

Gu Jingyao looked up, his gaze like a cold light directly at Gu Aihua, “Did Moran tell you to buy this jar? Did she tell you that this jar could be sold to foreigners? Did she guarantee that this jar was worth a hundred yuan?”

Four questions in a row, leaving Gu Aihua speechless.

Zhao Sumei was also shocked. She hadn’t expected Gu Jingyao’s attitude to be like this. She was so angry that she shouted his name, “But, Gu Jingyao!”

“Comrade Zhao Sumei, coercion and forced sales are illegal.” Gu Jingyao didn’t give an inch.

The atmosphere in the shop became tense.

“If Lin Moran doesn’t buy it, does your sister have to bear the consequences alone?”

“Otherwise? They’re all adults, shouldn’t they be responsible for their own actions?” Gu Jingyao raised an eyebrow and asked back.

“Gu Jingyao, I raised you for nothing. If you won’t let Lin Moran pay, you pay!”

Zhao Sumei said domineeringly.

Gu Jingyao’s eyes turned cold, then he looked up, “Think carefully before you speak.”

His voice was not loud, no different from usual, but this moderate voice carried the authority of a person in power, making people dare not act rashly.

Zhao Sumei immediately wilted.

Gu Jingyao was subtly warning her.

Zhao Sumei’s eyes rolled.

The day Gu Jingyao returned, she had specifically asked him to help her third son find a job after he returned from the army.

Her third son’s job hadn’t been secured yet. If she angered Gu Jingyao now, what if he didn’t help?

Compared to her son’s job, Gu Aihua’s few dozen yuan vase was insignificant.

She couldn’t lose the bigger picture.

Gu Aihua sensed something was wrong and pleaded with Zhao Sumei.

Zhao Sumei raised her hand and slapped her head, “You stupid girl, you have no sense!  You’re playing with antiques! You’re going to ruin yourself! You cover your own losses, does your brother owe you anything?”

“Get out of here!”

After speaking, Zhao Sumei grabbed Gu Aihua’s ear and dragged her out of Lin Moran’s shop.

The first woman, seeing the situation was unfavorable, immediately followed.

“They… were indeed unreasonable.”

After Zhao Sumei and the others left, only Gu Jingyao and Lin Moran remained in the shop.

After a long while, Gu Jingyao spoke, his voice apologetic.

“It’s alright.”

Lin Moran replied.

She had seen this kind of person and this kind of thing before.

In the face of profit, especially in the antique business, where one could easily get rich or go bankrupt, human nature was easily revealed.

“I’ve been busy with work lately.”

Gu Jingyao continued.

“Oh.”

Lin Moran replied indifferently.

There were no more customers.

Only the two of them were left.

Only the sound of Lin Moran polishing the antiques filled the shop.

Gu Jingyao sat in a chair, sometimes closing his eyes to rest, sometimes opening them to look at Lin Moran.

Lin Moran worked as diligently as ever.

No matter the task, she would always be patient and meticulous, giving a sense of reliability.

After five years, she had truly matured.

When he first met her, her face was pale, her body thin and small, her hair dry and yellow, and her figure slender. Now, her figure was more attractive, with a touch of mature charm.

Such a charming woman had been his wife for five years. If she had married someone else…  The thought made Gu Jingyao’s heart sink inexplicably.

Lin Moran didn’t know what Gu Jingyao meant by staying in the shop.

He didn’t speak or move, just sitting in the chair.

If he hadn’t been fair to Gu Aihua just now, she would have kicked him out.

She had planned to give him a piece of her mind, but he changed his tone and severely reprimanded Gu Aihua, whom she thought he would protect.

This reversal was unexpected.

And it made her look at him more favorably.

She had polished the few antiques repeatedly, and Gu Jingyao still hadn’t left. Lin Moran was about to remind him to leave.

But when she looked up, she found that he was asleep in his chair.

Asleep, his back straight, his hands gripping the edge of the chair, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes not fully closed, long eyelashes casting deep shadows on his eyelids.

The afternoon sun shone through the window on his high nose bridge, making his face handsome and three-dimensional.

Perhaps due to professional habit, having been in dangerous environments for a long time, whenever someone walked past outside, or a car passed by, his ears would twitch involuntarily.

Lin Moran’s brows furrowed slightly. Even asleep, he was extremely alert.

He looked like he hadn’t slept well for a very long time.

Before, she would have felt sorry for him.

Now, she would only sneer, pitying men is bad luck.

When she was about to close the shop, Gu Jingyao woke up.

“I’m off work too, let’s go.”

Lin Moran packed up, preparing to close the shop.

Gu Jingyao clenched his fist, taking a moment to come to his senses.

He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in a long time. He hadn’t expected to sleep so well on the chair in Lin Moran’s shop that afternoon.

“Okay.”

Lin Moran closed the shop and prepared to go home.

After walking for a long time, she suddenly noticed Gu Jingyao following her.

It was almost dark. Wasn’t he going home to be with his white moonlight?