Jiang Ming asked curiously after finishing speaking to Song Tingfan, "Boss, have you been a soldier? I heard people say you were in the army."
Song Tingfan, who was not very talkative in front of outsiders, nodded.
Jiang Ming admired him, "I wanted to go last year, but the governnt said I was too short and wouldn’t let ."
Upon hearing this, Song Tingfan sized him up, "Why do you want to go?"
"My family is not in a good condition, others always bully us, only when I make sothing of myself, they won’t dare to," Jiang Ming said a little shyly, gulping down a big mouthful of rice.
Lin Qiao, who had asked about Jiang Ming’s family situation when hiring him, knew that his father had died young, his mother was frail and sickly, and he had a younger sister of seven or eight.
All the family burdens fell on him alone.
She glanced at Song Tingfan, eting his eyes, then quickly looked away.
Song Tingfan said deeply, "Work well here, we won’t treat you badly. You can make sothing of yourself without being a soldier."
He could pull so strings for soone, but he never broke the rules, or others would always hold it against him and find a chance to report him.
He wouldn’t risk himself, he still had a family.
"Work hard, once this shop gets going, we will open another one, and surely, the shopkeepers will first pick from among you experienced hands," Lin Qiao nodded in agreent and then glanced at everyone, "Everyone the sa, work steadily at the shop, wages will surely increase."
Everyone beca happy upon hearing this, and Jiang Ming, who had just wanted to head to the frontier, imdiately raised his hand to show his loyalty, "Boss, I’ll definitely work hard."
"Alright, as long as you work hard, you won’t miss out," Lin Qiao said, also with a purpose, as recently so people were envious of Fan’an Shop’s business and tried to poach the cooks.
Luckily, it was Wei Yun who found the cooks, bound by contract, so they couldn’t be poached.
A al went by with everyone in good spirits, and Lin Qiao didn’t bother with the dishes, heading into the room to begin tallying yesterday’s accounts.
After a while, Song Tingfan ca in, walked straight to the cabinet, took out a bundle, a glimr of expectation in his eyes, "Aunt Lin asked to bring the wedding dress for you to try on."
Hearing this, Lin Qiao glanced at the wedding dress, nodded, "I’ll try it on later."
"I want to see if it fits," Song Tingfan stood still, seeming as if he wouldn’t leave until she tried it on.
In disputes with the "antagonist," Lin Qiao never won, so she had to put down her brush, stand up and take it, change into it after he went out, the wedding dress wasn’t luxurious, just with a lotus at the chest.
Li Guifen had taken the asurents, so it naturally fit.
"It fits."
Lin Qiao responded to the shadow at the door, and the next mont, a deep male voice said, "I’m coming in," and then pushed the door open.
Lin Qiao didn’t expect him to co in, having already untied the belt—luckily, she was wearing an inner garnt and hurriedly tidied her clothing.
Song Tingfan paused briefly in his steps, quickly shifted his gaze, "I thought you had finished changing."
Lin Qiao pretended not to be embarrassed, "Just the belt left."
"Is it done?"
"Done."
She replied, and only then did Song Tingfan look over, a flash of amazent in his eyes—her fair skin made the red wedding dress appear even whiter, coupled with her blushing cheeks, she was lively and bright.
His pronounced Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed twice, then he walked over and lifted his hand to adjust her collar.
The two were sowhat close; Lin Qiao naturally withdrew half a step.
Song Tingfan noticed, but pretended not to, and after a while, released her, having observed her intently again, "Beautiful."
"As long as it’s beautiful."
Lin Qiao patted her dress, just as she was about to ask him to leave, he said, "In the future, I’ll buy pretty dresses for you to wear every day."
Hearing this, Lin Qiao felt a warmth in her heart, looked at him, "Having clothes to wear is enough."
"No, Mother said you have to buy pretty dresses for your wife," Song Tingfan’s expression was very serious.
For a mont, Lin Qiao regretted agreeing to the sham marriage. What if, in three years, he still insisted?
What should she do? What about him?
She shouldn’t gamble with emotions.
"Ting..." Fan
The words hadn’t left her mouth when he cut her off, "I’ll be going out, change back," he said and left without waiting for her response.
Outside the room, Song Tingfan’s hand unconsciously clutched at his clothes; was she starting to regret it?
Couldn’t be.
Even if she regretted, it couldn’t be.
He had to marry her.
In the afternoon, when the shop wasn’t too busy, Song Tingfan went back to the village again, as he’d been doing often lately.
Lin Qiao, in her spare ti, calculated the days—just about seven or eight days left until the wedding.
The wedding day happened to be her birthday.
This date surely wasn’t considered; it was mostly likely Song Tingfan’s suggestion.
She couldn’t help but tap her own forehead; was she out of her mind back then?
"Boss, that rascal ca again, I urged him a few tis, and he still wouldn’t leave." Jiang Ming knocked on the door and called out to her.
No need to ask to know who the rascal was, Lin Qiao frowned slightly, what was wrong with Niu Er? Was there sothing wrong with his head?
Then she opened the door and went out to the main hall, seeing Niu Er lounging with a leg crossed, she glanced around, finally took a broom, walked over, and hit him a few tis, "Get out!"
"Ouch." Niu Er retreated several steps, using his hands to shield his head, "Widow Song, I was wrong, I was wrong, can’t you forgive ?"
"Get out, co in again and I’ll report you to the officials," Lin Qiao stopped sweeping after he retreated to the doorway.
"Don’t be angry, now listen to —what I said that day was just in a hurry, you can’t marry that brat Song Tingfan, he doesn’t have good intentions, he’s fancied you for a long ti now." Niu Er, several steps from the door, went on, "I’ll have my father co propose to your family, how much bridal price you want, I’ll give it."
"Niu Er, those words from that day would have driven any ordinary woman to drown herself, you can’t just cover it up with a claim you said it in a hurry."
Lin Qiao looked at Jiang Ming and the other helpers nearby, and added, "In the future, if he cos to the shop, just beat him out, whatever it costs, the shop will cover it." Having said this, she placed the broom behind the door and turned to head back inside.
Niu Er, anxious to co back in, was stopped by Jiang Ming and the others, "Widow Song, isn’t it enough I admitted I was wrong? Widow Song!!"
Jiang Ming pushed him out with great effort, "Don’t bother our Boss, otherwise our Big Boss will beat you up, he was a soldier, after all."
"Big Boss my ass, I’m your Big Boss. If he dares, let him co beat ; I’m not bragging, but even standing right in front of him, he wouldn’t dare." Niu Er spat on the ground.
"Pah, our Big Boss could beat two of you, just go, our Big Boss will be back soon," Jiang Ming said irritably.
After a good while, Niu Er finally left.
When Song Tingfan returned, the shop was busy, though not making cakes, just frying dishes and such.
He scanned around, didn’t see Lin Qiao, and stepped toward the courtyard.
At that mont, Jiang Ming, carrying a tray, stopped him, worriedly said, "Big Boss, that rascal ca again today, the Boss might be frightened, she hasn’t co out of her room for a long ti, even when we asked her, she said she was fine, but she hasn’t had dinner."
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