Chapter 576: Two Unwelcomed Customers

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Gui Hua was enjoying her hot and spicy soup, remarking, “I have plenty of free time these days. My brother and sister-in-law returned from the city last night. They’ll manage the shop while I’m away. I won’t be the third wheel. I’ll even pack some soup for them later.”

As Li Hua passed by Gui Hua’s seat, she responded, “Alright, come by in the afternoon. I’ll tell you the story then, but don’t complain if it’s boring.”

Gui Hua gave a thumbs-up, continuing to dip her fried dough sticks into the soup. The crispy dough, coated in the rich, spicy soup, was irresistible. Each bite was a burst of flavor, making her forget any sorrow. She couldn’t help but continue eating, unable to stop herself.

By three in the afternoon, Sister Hua’s Gourmet Shop was less busy. Gui Hua grabbed a few bottles of drinks and some snacks from her shop and went to find Li Hua. She distributed the drinks among the adults in the shop, keeping one for herself.

As for the little girl, Gui Hua gave her a few bottles of the shop’s sweet syrup drinks. These drinks were packaged in plastic containers shaped like gourds, bananas, peaches, and other fruits, each filled with syrup that matched the color of the fruit.

Gu Zi’s eyes were fixed on the banana-shaped syrup drink in her daughter’s hand, which undeniably stirred up her childhood memories. She remembered having these drinks before she started school. Her favorite flavor was banana, mainly because she found the shape appealing.

She remembered that all these syrup drinks tasted the same, sweet, a very straightforward kind of sweet.

However, as she grew older and the variety of snacks increased, she stopped having these syrup drinks. They were deemed unhealthy by modern health experts and phased out.

The simple joy these syrup drinks brought her now only existed in her memories. Gu Zi hadn’t expected that these drinks were already available in the 1980s.

She looked at Gui Hua, gulping, “Can I have one of these?”

Gui Hua was surprised that this beautiful woman was eyeing the children’s syrup drinks with such longing. She found it endearing and quickly handed her a drink, “Here, enjoy!”

Gu Zi accepted it, her joy evident. It was her favorite banana shape.

She bit into the top, and the sweet syrup instantly filled her mouth. Satisfied, she turned to Li Hua, “Sister-in-law, are you ready? Let’s start!”

As she sipped her syrup drink, she urged a blushing Li Hua to start the love story of her brother and sister-in-law. How could she miss out on such a story?

Li Hua, who had finally mustered up the courage, seemed to shrink back a little. She lowered her gaze, her face flushed, and began her story in a soft voice, “Let’s start from when we first met. We met while foraging for wild vegetables on a hill. I was seven, and he was eight. We both wanted the same plant. I held onto a few leaves, and so did he.

“I’ve always been shy, but he didn’t seem too bold either. We stood there in silence, neither willing to let go of the plant. In the end, I started crying out of frustration, and Lin Cheng let go. I got the plant.

“I remember that even before my tears dried, I was already smiling. I was thrilled. Lin Cheng was the first boy I had defeated. I decided then that I would marry him because I thought he was easier to bully than me. I could control him. If I married someone else, I would be the one being controlled…”

Li Hua’s story was quite lengthy but interesting and sweet. Gu Zi listened with a hint of envy.

After all, it was a love story of childhood sweethearts, a lifelong commitment. No one could resist such a story. The three young women sat together, chatting and laughing, with a little girl playing nearby. It was a picture of contentment.

However, this tranquility was soon disrupted by two unexpected guests. Their car pulled up in front of Sister Hua’s Gourmet Shop, seemingly city dwellers drawn by the shop’s reputation.

But when Gu Zi saw who stepped out of the car, Gong Zhan and Mo Li, her smile froze. It wasn’t out of concern, but rather a growing realization of how unworthy Gong Zhan was of the original host’s deep love for him.

This man didn’t love anyone but himself. When the original host was at her most miserable, he accepted the real heiress, Lin Miao. Now that Lin Miao was in jail, he was free to be with Mo Li, their relationship as complicated as ever.