Chapter 46: This Is Not Four-Dollar Lemonade

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: This Is Not Four-Dollar Lemonade

"They’ve only known each other for such a short time, and they’re already going to see a teacher together?"

Zhao Lin wasn’t a stuffy person. She was quite open-minded about the things teenagers get up to.

Going out on a date or doing something together was perfectly normal. But her niece was extremely socially anxious. Back in high school, after being paired with a boy, she went to her teacher to request a new deskmate, and then she skipped class that afternoon.

’How has she become a completely different person since starting college?’

"What does that boy’s family do?"

"I’m not too sure about that. Probably an ordinary family."

Uncle Zhang glanced at the rearview mirror, observing Zhao Lin’s expression.

"Should I intervene?"

Zhao Lin tilted her head and thought for a moment.

"She’s a teenager now; intervening won’t do any good. Besides, they live in the dorms, so it’s impossible to manage her even if we wanted to. But there’s one thing you must watch: she has to sleep in her dorm at night. If she’s not in her dorm, she has to be back at your place. She absolutely cannot stay out," Zhao Lin said.

"Video call her at night when you have a moment. If there’s even one day she’s not in her dorm, you call me immediately."

Uncle Zhang gave a wry smile.

"Second Madam, I’m just a driver. I can do it once or twice, but I can’t be calling her every single day."

"What do you mean, ’just a driver’? You’re the general manager of the hotel now. You need to learn to switch roles. Besides, you watched her grow up; you’re like a second father to her. No one can find fault with you for doing this. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have sent you here to accompany her to school."

Uncle Zhang wanted to say something, but thinking of Zhao Lin’s temper, he swallowed his words.

"Let’s head to the school first. We have enough time. I’ll take her out for a bit."

Uncle Zhang checked his watch. "I’ll ask the Young Miss first, see if she’s back yet."

"Mmm."

Zhao Lin nodded and didn’t say anything else.

She wasn’t against her dating someone. It wasn’t like they were getting married, so there was no need to worry about them being from families of equal standing.

Besides, she was also afraid of Song Jianye getting angry with her.

When that stubborn streak of hers flared up, ten bulls couldn’t drag her back.

Uncle Zhang drove to the school gate and found an empty spot to park.

"The Young Miss says she’ll be at the school soon. She’s three stops away."

"Three stops? Don’t tell me they’re coming back by bus."

"They are, in fact, coming back by bus."

"She’s never taken a bus in her life, has she?"

"I’ve always been the one driving her. She’s barely even taken the subway a few times, let alone a bus," Uncle Zhang said with a chuckle.

"But that kid, Chen Yuan, is actually a pretty good person. He’s helped the Young Miss many times. That’s probably why she’s willing to hang out with him."

Over the next few minutes, Uncle Zhang briefly recounted what he knew.

After hearing about the little things that had happened between the two, the corners of Zhao Lin’s mouth lifted into a smile.

For so many years, she’d grown accustomed to all sorts of people with ulterior motives. Now, hearing the little story between these two, she found it inexplicably sweet.

"College students are so innocent, without all those ulterior motives. They just get together for the sake of happiness," Zhao Lin said with a sigh.

"It’s just a pity she couldn’t score higher. Another dozen points or so and she could have studied electronic information, and there’d be someone to look after her."

"Second Madam, are you talking about Teacher Jiang?"

"That’s the one. When I get a chance to see her, I swear I’m going to strangle her."

"What did Teacher Jiang do?" Uncle Zhang asked, smiling.

"I suggested her daughter and my son have an arranged childhood engagement, and she said my son was robbing the cradle. It made me so mad!"

"So, are you going to visit Teacher Jiang tomorrow?" Uncle Zhang asked with a smile.

"We’ll see. My work schedule is completely packed. I barely have time to spend with Nian Nian," Zhao Lin said.

"I’ll be back again in a while. I’ll go see them then."

"Do you need me to send something over?"

"That would be fine. But don’t tell them I was here. Just drop off the gift."

"Understood."

After settling the important matters, Uncle Zhang looked out the window and said,

"Second Madam, look. The two of them are getting off the bus."

Zhao Lin followed his gaze and saw the pair get off the bus, walking side-by-side toward the school.

"This male student is quite handsome, and tall too. He’s half a head taller than Nian Nian."

Women look at faces, men look at chests; this principle is universally applicable.

"I think he’s around 185. Second Madam, if you don’t have any objections, I won’t interfere in their affairs from now on."

"Please don’t interfere. If she throws a tantrum, neither of us will be able to placate her."

"I was just worried about them not being of equal social standing. Chen Yuan is a good kid, but his family’s situation is indeed quite different from the Young Miss’s."

"They haven’t reached that stage yet. It’s likely just a mutual crush. And even if they do start dating, there’s nothing to worry about. There’s an eighty percent chance it won’t work out. It’ll be a good learning experience for her. She’s never interacted with boys before; I’m honestly afraid she’ll become one of those girls who loses her head over love," Zhao Lin said.

"But one thing remains: she absolutely cannot be allowed to stay out overnight. I won’t meddle in anything else."

A bitter expression appeared on Uncle Zhang’s face. He didn’t know much about the college student crowd before, but now that he was a manager here in University City, he had more contact with them and understood them better.

These students nowadays, when they stay out, day and night make no difference. Give them a free hour, and they’ll do everything that can be done. It was impossible to keep an eye on them.

"That milk tea place, Miyue Ice City, is it pretty cheap?"

Uncle Zhang looked up, saw the two of them going into Miyue Ice City, and nodded.

"It’s certainly not expensive. The Young Miss has been buying their lemonade often recently."

"How much is a cup?"

"I think it’s 4 yuan."

"Huh? What on earth is this?"

Zhao Lin’s chest ached with anger. ’I told her to be frugal, but I didn’t tell her to be *this* frugal!’

Other rich girls go out fearing they’ll be swindled out of their money and virtue by some Huang Mao.

And what happens with this little ancestor of ours? She goes out, and not only does she not get scammed, she ends up drinking 4-yuan lemonade.

Anyone who knew her would say she was here for school. Anyone who didn’t would think she’d eloped.

This was just killing her.

Before long, the two came out, slurping their lemonades and seeming to enjoy them with great relish.

"Honk the horn. Get her to come over," Zhao Lin said.

Uncle Zhang honked twice lightly. The sound drew the attention of pedestrians.

Chen Yuan and Song Jianye also looked toward the source of the sound. Seeing it was Uncle Zhang’s Maybach, neither thought much of it and they ambled over slowly.

But when they were a few meters away, the rear window rolled down, and Song Jianye saw Zhao Lin.

"Auntie, you’re here!"

Chen Yuan stopped in his tracks. With an outsider present, it wasn’t convenient for him to go over.

"I’m gonna head off."

Song Jianye nodded and waved at Chen Yuan.

"Bye-bye."

"Yeah."

Chen Yuan left. Song Jianye got in the car and sat in the back.

"Auntie, why are you here? You didn’t even tell me."

It was clear their relationship was very close, which was evident from the expression on Song Jianye’s face.

"I came here on a business trip and thought I’d stop by to see you." Zhao Lin was so exasperated she was almost speechless.

"What is this thing you’re drinking?"

"It’s lemonade. It’s actually pretty good. Do you want a sip?"

"What I mean is, it’s 4-yuan lemonade. It’s all made with industrial saccharin. How can you drink this?"

"This isn’t 4-yuan lemonade," Song Jianye said with a straight face.

Zhao Lin’s expression softened slightly.

"Then how much was it?"

"One cent. We snagged it on a group-buying site. Aren’t I amazing? I even know how to use group-buying apps now."