Chapter 12 – Reading the Newspaper

After Xu Shiqi returned home, she went straight to the store. Just in time, the health bureau officials had come back. The leader was a refined middle-aged man wearing black glasses, a department head. He said the test results were out, and there were no issues at all.

Since the samples had only been taken early that morning, the Xu family hadn’t expected the results to come so quickly. As noon approached, Wang Yuan insisted on inviting the department head and his team to stay for a meal. The department head refused repeatedly but ultimately agreed with a smile.

After a satisfying meal, the department head took off his glasses and squinted at them, saying, “If you had such connections earlier, you should have let me know. It would have saved us a lot of worry.” Xu Zhongda and Wang Yuan didn’t understand the implication, but Xu Shiqi caught the meaning. She smiled and offered him a cigarette, saying, “We will count on your support for our store in the future.”

Before leaving, the department head made a pointed remark: “Disasters can come out of nowhere, but where did that stone that hit the roof come from?”

Hearing this, Xu Shiqi immediately recalled the question that Wen Jialuo had mentioned. She quickly pulled her father, who was still waving goodbye to the departing vehicle, and asked, “Has anyone shown interest in taking over our store recently?”

Xu Zhongda scratched his head. “No, not that I know of.”

“Then you haven’t offended anyone, have you?”

Xu Dad started to think hard.

Her mother reacted quickly and immediately asked her daughter, “Are you suggesting that what happened at our store was a setup?”

Xu Shiqi nodded. Since her parents were honest people, they wouldn’t entertain dishonest thoughts, so they wouldn’t have suspected that someone could target them. The stone fell quickly and heavily, catching everyone off guard; it was something they had never considered. It was only through Wen Jialuo’s reminder and the department head’s hint that she realized what might have happened.

At this moment, the family was struck by the revelation, standing at the store’s entrance and reflecting deeply.

There was an unsettling feeling that cold eyes were watching them from behind, ready to throw another stone at any moment. The three Xu family members shivered in unison, exchanging glances.

After thinking for a long time and questioning everyone in the store, they still had no idea who might have thrown the stone, which left them feeling very troubled.

Xu Shiqi remembered Wen Jialuo’s words and dialed her number.

“Hello, who is this?”

The voice on the other end was cold and stiff, carrying a metallic quality through the phone.

Xu Shiqi paused for a second before saying, “This is Xu Shiqi.”

They had shared a few meals together, talked by an undeveloped or abandoned artificial lake, and even spent a night under the same roof, but essentially, they were still strangers. Therefore, it was not surprising that she didn’t receive a warm response, especially since she herself was being polite during the conversation.

Though the other party didn’t seem to enjoy it, Xu Shiqi expressed her gratitude and quickly conveyed her inquiry before the other person grew impatient.

“Since that department head said something like that, it proves someone must be stirring up trouble from behind. To achieve their goals, it’s likely someone from the health bureau was involved. However, since this matter was handled by my mother, I doubt anyone would dare to be an accomplice now. But finding out who the mastermind is might be difficult since you don’t have any clues or suspects. If I can come back this weekend, I can take a look around your area.”

Wen Jialuo spoke calmly, her demeanor a stark contrast to the pale, weak girl troubled by stomach pain. However, Xu Shiqi still sensed an inherent confidence in her words, a quality that stemmed from her upbringing, which couldn’t be labeled as arrogance.

Standing outside the store while on the phone, Xu Shiqi instinctively glanced around her surroundings upon hearing Wen Jialuo’s last statement. Then, she focused on a point in the distance and slowly walked over, continuing to speak on the phone: “I think I’m close to guessing the answer, Wen Jialuo. Let’s talk later.”

After hanging up, Xu Shiqi found herself in front of a storefront undergoing renovations.

Although the renovations hadn’t been completed, an advertisement was already hanging outside. It featured some signature dishes, and even reservations for New Year’s Eve dinner were highlighted.

“Xu Family Delicacies” was located on a street that formed a small recess behind a hotel due to the terrain. This recess was less than fifty meters long, but there were various entertainment venues on both sides. People looking for fun would naturally want to eat something, but this area had only the “Xu Family Delicacies” restaurant until now. Adding another restaurant would inevitably take away some of their customers—perhaps that was the reason the stone fell, as a precautionary measure.

Though she suspected this, Xu Shiqi had no solid evidence to confront anyone directly. When she returned to her own store and shared her suspicions with her parents, they surprisingly remained calm.

“We can’t go around accusing people without evidence,” her father said.

“We haven’t dealt with them before; how could they be so malicious?” her mother added.

Xu Shiqi sighed; this was making her uneasy. If she were still working away from home, they would never have informed her about such a situation. If they couldn’t find someone to help, they would have to bear the burden themselves and suffer losses. If her suspicions were correct, the other party would certainly seize the opportunity to push them out of business. Knowing her parents would react this way, Xu Shiqi chose not to say anything further, instead pondering how to eradicate the problem completely.

At that moment, Xu Zhongda cheerfully said, “Let’s take a step back; if it really is them, it’s not a problem. We’ll just be more vigilant and engage them in a fair and just competition—let the facts speak for themselves and see whose food tastes better!”

Xu Shiqi was at a loss for words. Looking at her father’s enthusiastic demeanor, he seemed to radiate joy, still very charming even in his fifties. Her mother, of course, sided with her father, and the two rolled up their sleeves to rush into the kitchen, excitedly discussing plans for an activity to dispel the bad luck.

This was her happy family. In her parents’ eyes, the store was important, but their only daughter was everything to them. Their relaxation was not only due to resolving the store’s issues but also because their pride and satisfaction in watching their daughter shine couldn’t be hidden—no matter what happened, as long as she was there, it was enough.

To ensure the smiles on their faces would remain, Xu Shiqi silently reassured herself that her choice was the right one. Even if she knew which category of people she belonged to, she would firmly resist the tempting allure of forbidden fruit. Even without that dangerous apple, she would not lose the basic sustenance needed to survive. So, what was so difficult about it? She just needed to close her eyes, block her ears, and hold her breath.

But despite how simple it should have been, Xu Shiqi couldn’t ignore the pain inside her, which felt like being slowly stripped away. She sat there, feeling a bit dazed. It felt like she sat there for a century, with no one around her.

“By the way, Shiqi, I almost forgot…”

A voice suddenly sounded from behind her, startling Xu Shiqi. When she turned back, she wore an expression of calm.

“Mom, what’s the matter?”

“I forgot the most important thing,” Wang Yuan asked curiously, “Who did you ask for help? It seems like the department head didn’t come last time, but they seem to be quite important.”

Xu Shiqi smiled slightly. “Do you remember Bao Hua? Wen Bao Hua?”

“Of course,” Wang Yuan replied immediately, “She’s that high school classmate of yours who just got married, right? Look at her…”

To prevent the topic from drifting uncontrollably to a problem she didn’t want to face, Xu Shiqi quickly said, “I just asked her for a favor.”

“Oh, that’s quite impressive,” Wang Yuan chuckled. “I just discussed it with your dad. Since the person you invited helped us so much, we should express our gratitude. Why don’t you have your classmate invite her friends to the store for a meal? We can thank them in person.”

Xu Shiqi thought about Wen Jialuo’s attitude. For them, it truly wasn’t worth mentioning, and her mother probably wouldn’t be willing to come down to this small restaurant: “No need, Mom. She doesn’t care about such little favors.”

“Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?” Wang Yuan frowned. “What if people think we’re ungrateful? That department head’s attitude seemed quite good; I doubt he’s just anyone.”

Xu Shiqi felt a bit helpless. If they didn’t handle this well, her parents might always have a knot in their hearts, as if they owed someone.

“Otherwise, I’ll make a call and ask,” Xu Shiqi decided to call Wen Bao Hua.

Wen Bao Hua laughed on the other end and said it really wasn’t necessary, especially since her aunt had gone to the province to visit her uncle and would probably be gone for a while.

“Or…,” Xu Shiqi glanced at her mother’s expectant face and thought for a moment before saying, “Why don’t you and Wen Jialuo come to the shop together this weekend?”

“Alright, I’ll call her and let her know,” Wen Bao Hua agreed.

“I’ll contact her,” Xu Shiqi said as she hung up. “They’ll come to our shop for a meal this weekend; that should be fine, right?”

“Mm,” Wang Yuan nodded, then blinked and asked, “Who is this Wen Jialuo?”

“Ah?” Xu Shiqi was taken aback. Seeing her mother’s eyes blinking with a hint of ambiguity, she felt a bit exasperated. “She’s her cousin; actually, she’s the one who helped out.”

“I thought it was a man,” Wang Yuan said, a little disappointed. “Didn’t you go on a date last night?”

Although that wasn’t the case at all, Xu Shiqi couldn’t help but feel a bit warm in her cheeks, even if the reason was entirely unfounded. But she maintained a facade of impatience, saying, “Mom, what are you talking about? Didn’t I say not to pry into my affairs anymore?”

“Alright, alright,” Wang Yuan quickly shook her head and started to retreat toward the kitchen. “Just let us know when they’re coming.”

Xu Shiqi sighed deeply, her shoulders slightly drooping as she fiddled with her phone, feeling a bit lost in thought.

This kind of conversation would probably happen many times in the future, like a series of tough battles. The walls in her heart, no matter how high they rose into the dark sky, would eventually be shattered inch by inch, exposing the glaring sunlight. By then, what would she have left to shield herself from that scorching heat?

She didn’t want to be burned away like this, but what could she use to build the walls, the bricks, after a day of deep silence?

Shaking her head, Xu Shiqi dispelled those gloomy thoughts. She had long been accustomed to such moments of daze and self-reflection, but she wasn’t as resolute as that girl, always feeling a bit fatigued.

She dialed Wen Jialuo’s number again to inform her about the meal invitation. Although she didn’t mention the reason, Wen Jialuo seemed to understand and eventually agreed.

It was already past two in the afternoon, and the voice on the phone sounded weak, as if metal had been melted. Xu Shiqi couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”

“What?” Wen Jialuo replied casually.

“Did you skip lunch again?” Xu Shiqi instinctively blurted out.

“…” There was a moment of silence on the other end. “Are you spying on me?”

Xu Shiqi was taken aback. “You could figure that out with your pinky toe!”

The girl’s voice on the other end sounded lazy, slightly low and somewhat complaining: “My aunt called this morning and said there was something at home, so I didn’t have lunch today.”

“Can’t you cook for yourself?” Xu Shiqi looked up at the sky, thinking this question was probably pointless.

Sure enough, the girl sounded increasingly indifferent: “It’s fine if I don’t eat; I’ll eat tomorrow anyway.”

“No way! You had a stomachache yesterday. If you don’t go find something to eat, I’ll tell Bao Hua that your stomach problems have flared up again.”

“…Xu, Shiqi!” The girl’s voice immediately turned cold, calling her name stiffly, as if the anger transmitted through the air.

Alright, Xu Shiqi thought to herself, when they talked about other topics, they were relatively polite, but curiously, once the topic of food came up, it was like they weren’t strangers anymore.

“Okay, I’ll go eat,” the girl finally seemed to take a deep breath, and surprisingly, she obediently agreed before hanging up without any further greeting.

Xu Shiqi stared at her phone in surprise. Did this actually work?

However, she was soon enlightened. About half an hour later, she received a call from Wen Jialuo.

“I’m already eating, but the food is terrible, and the soup is awful too.”

Xu Shiqi felt helpless. “What should we do?”

“You find a book and read something to me; I’ll listen while I eat.”

“Ah?” Xu Shiqi nearly sprayed the tea she was drinking, hastily coughing twice. “What did you say?”

The girl’s voice seemed a bit smug yet filled with malice: “Aren’t you supposed to supervise me while I eat? Then you have to see it through.”

“But why do I have to read something to you?” Xu Shiqi stood up and then sat back down, feeling utterly perplexed.

“Um…” The girl seemed to seriously think for a moment. “You’re the only one whose voice I can somewhat tolerate.”

Xu Shiqi rolled her eyes, but unfortunately, the girl wasn’t there to see it. “You really… do you really want to listen?”

“Faster.”

Feeling defeated, Xu Shiqi walked to the counter and casually picked up a newspaper, flipping through it. Suddenly, she raised her eyebrows and smiled. “What are you eating now?”

“…Just drinking soup?”

“Oh, listen up; I’m starting to read.” Xu Shiqi cleared her throat and began to read in a gentle and soft voice, emphasizing, “Hemorrhoids aren’t a disease, but when they hurt, it’s really a pain…”

“Pfft…”

Hearing the sound coming from the phone, Xu Shiqi finally couldn’t hold back her laughter and buried her face in the newspaper, dropping her phone on the ground.