Chapter 382: Preparing Yangyuan Residence

At these words, the Mengs frowned. Instead of being pleased, they felt the amount was far too little.

Meng Qiaofei knew perfectly well that these people were ungrateful wretches who could never be satisfied, but this was her mother after all; she couldn’t just leave her to fend for herself. Besides, given her current income, giving them five thousand a month wasn’t a huge burden.

“But I have one condition,” Meng Qiaofei continued after a moment of silence.

“From now on, you are not to come looking for me or the Xu Family for money under any pretext, nor are you to cause trouble for Yang Xun and Yueyue.

“If you make a scene again, you won’t get another cent.”

Hearing this, Meng’s Mother clutched the bank card, her fingers trembling slightly. She gritted her teeth and said, “You earn so much, and you’re just brushing us off with five thousand?”

“If you don’t want it, then forget it,” Meng Qiaofei said, snatching the bank card back.

Seeing this, Meng Zehai looked as if all the strength had been drained from his body. “Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. “We’ll do as you say.”

Meng Qiaofei nodded and stood up to leave. She paused at the door. “Mom, I… I don’t want to be used as your tool anymore. Consider this five thousand as repayment for raising me.” With that, she pushed the door open and walked out.

Less than an hour after Meng Qiaofei left, Wu Sinic took advantage of the time Meng Zehai and Meng’s Mother were out grocery shopping to hurriedly pack her belongings.

“Mommy, what are you doing?” Meng Xiaobao sensed something was wrong, his eyes filled with anxiety.

“I’m going to borrow some money from a friend. Be a good boy and wait for Daddy at the hotel. Don’t run off, okay?” Wu Sinic coaxed softly.

“No! Don’t go!” Meng Xiaobao wailed, desperately clutching Wu Sinic’s clothes.

Terrified that Meng Zehai might return at any moment, Wu Sinic shoved Meng Xiaobao away and left without looking back.

By the time Meng Zehai and Meng’s Mother returned, Meng Xiaobao had cried until his voice was hoarse.

Meng Zehai picked up his phone. Just as he was about to call Wu Sinic, a message popped up: “Meng Zehai, I’m done with you. I’m leaving Xiaobao with you, and you can pay off the debts yourself. We’re going our separate ways!”

His fingers trembled. His face turned from livid to pale, and then to a deathly ashen gray.

Meng’s Mother’s piercing wails echoed in his ears. “That heartless bitch! Running away and abandoning her own child—she’ll get what’s coming to her!”

Ultimately, Meng Zehai took his elderly mother and his child and scurried back home in disgrace, never daring to cause trouble again.

Meanwhile, renovations at Yang Xun’s shop were in full swing.

The first-floor lobby had already taken shape. The framework for the bar was up, and the warm white walls paired with natural wood accents created an elegant and cozy atmosphere. Small private booths had been partitioned off as well, each fitted with soft woven bamboo lights. Instead of solid walls, the booths were enclosed by sheer gauze curtains. When the breeze blew, the fabric fluttered, creating a perfect ambiance while still ensuring privacy. Up on the third floor, the activity area was spacious, lined with neat wooden shelves meant for storing materials and tools.

Dressed in a sharp business suit, Sun Rao stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows on the third floor. Holding a notebook, she was confirming the final details with the renovation foreman.

“Add another row of display shelves here,” she instructed. “Keep the height moderate so it’s easy for customers to reach the sachets and bracelets.

“Also, build a few swings in that corner over there.”

The foreman jotted down each point, nodding in agreement.

Sun Rao remained by the window, the sunlight tracing her sharp silhouette. Her short hair shimmered in the light. Her phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed in concentration, unable to hide the earnest dedication in her gaze. She closed the notebook and turned, just in time to see Yang Xun coming up the stairs.

“How is it? Going smoothly?” Yang Xun asked with a smile.

“Of course. It’s actually going faster than expected. The first and second floors are pretty much done, and the third just needs a few finishing touches. The signboard is ready and will go up as soon as the exterior waterproofing is painted,” Sun Rao replied, casually flipping open her notebook to show him. As they stood close, their breathing mingled.

“Here is the list of our first batch of employees,” she added. “We hired eight people in total, all girls in their early twenties with good presentation and communication skills.”

Yang Xun took the list and scanned it, his gaze pausing on one particular name. “Lin Xiaoyue applied too?”

“She heard you were opening a shop and submitted her resume. She performed very well during the interview,” Sun Rao explained. “She mentioned she can work on weekends and holidays. Since our foot traffic will spike on weekends, we definitely need part-timers.”

The corners of Yang Xun’s lips curled up, and he nodded in satisfaction. He had already promised to cover Lin Xiaoyue’s tuition and living expenses, yet she still chose to work part-time. It showed that she was a hardworking, ambitious, and grateful girl.

“This girl named Lin Zhi scored excellently on all assessments, and she’s very eager to learn,” Sun Rao continued, pointing to a candidate on the list who boasted both striking looks and a stellar resume. “She majors in traditional Chinese medicine. I think our shop desperately needs a talent like her.”

Yang Xun raised an eyebrow slightly. “A traditional Chinese medicine major? That perfectly matches our needs.”

“Exactly. She said she previously worked in an herbal pharmacy, so she has a solid foundation in identifying and mixing medicinal herbs. I plan to make her the store manager so she can take full charge when I’m not around.”

“Sounds good. As long as you think she’s a good fit,” Yang Xun laughed, leaning down to plant a kiss on Sun Rao’s lips.

Sun Rao’s pretty face flushed. She glanced around before asking in a charming, sultry voice, “Ah Xun, are you free tonight? It’s been a while since we…”

“Sure, we’ll go to your place, but it’ll have to be later tonight,” Yang Xun agreed without hesitation.

Ever since Sun Rao took over managing the shop, she had moved out into her own place. After all, living with Yang Cai made it impossible for her to see Yang Xun privately. However, Yang Xun had been equally swamped these past few days, leaving them no time to date.

After their chat, Yang Xun headed to the research and development lab at Yangyuan Residence to start mixing beverage formulas.

His desk was cluttered with porcelain bowls and glass bottles of all sizes, filled with various medicinal herbs and experimental samples. A notebook with dog-eared pages lay open on the table, densely packed with formula records.

Yang Xun picked up a freshly mixed drink. It was a warm amber color, and through the glass, a few tiny petals could be seen floating inside. He lowered his head and took a sniff. A faint scent of osmanthus mixed with the refreshing aroma of herbs wafted up—it wasn’t overpowering, but it instantly put him at ease.

He made another note on his formula sheet, then picked up his phone to snap a picture and sent it to Xu Yue. “It’s a new product, but I haven’t thought of a name yet. Want to help me name it?”

Xu Yue quickly replied with a message: “It looks so warm and inviting. How about ‘Wen Yan’?”

“Wen Yan… a gentle color. I like it, let’s use that,” Yang Xun replied with a smile, then placed the cup of Wen Yan on the windowsill.

He had designed over twenty drinks for this series, categorizing them by season and health benefits. For spring, the flagship drinks were Qinglan and Shuying, which focused on soothing the liver and relieving stress. Summer featured Bihe and Qinglu to clear heat and cool the body. Autumn offered Wen Yan and Qiuji to nourish the lungs, while winter boasted Nuanyang and Guiyuan to warm the womb and restore vitality.