Chapter 255: A Stab to the Heart

Chapter 255: Chapter 255: A Stab to the Heart

"Haha... listen to you go on. Are those dried fish and meat snacks really that delicious?"

Luo Hongyi’s words clearly delighted Zhang Minzhen. His vivid description sent her into fits of laughter. "Well, if they really like them that much, you can be a little more generous with them. It’s no big deal. I’ll just make more and send them over later."

"That’s right. They’re easy for us to make, and since they’re homemade, you know they’re clean and safe to eat."

Wen Xiu, also laughing heartily, added generously, "You should take a lot more with you when you go back this time. Just let everyone eat their fill for once. Since they’re your business partners and not just anybody, we should be generous. That way, they’ll be more willing to put their all into working for you, right?"

She knew that even though Luo Hongyi called them his partners, he actually owned eighty to ninety percent of the business; the others only held small shares.

"Eat their fill? No way, Grandma. You have no idea what bottomless pits their stomachs are. It feels like no amount of food could ever satisfy them. I’m worried I’ll go to all the trouble of lugging everything back, only for them to snatch it all before I can even have a couple of bites to get my energy back."

Luo Hongyi’s dramatically pained and stingy act once again had Wen Xiu and Zhang Minzhen roaring with laughter. Wen Xiu was even laughing so hard that tears started streaming down her face.

This was soul-crushing.

Gu Nuan Nuan watched the scene unfold, so furious her vision began to blur. She was on the verge of standing up and exposing the man’s deeply hidden scumbag nature right then and there. ’It’s so infuriating!’ But all she could do was take one deep breath after another to keep herself in check. After several breaths, a sliver of her sanity returned. To vent her frustration, she lowered her head and secretly transferred all the rice from her bowl into her storage space. Then, she shot a vicious glare at the culprit, set down her bowl, and mumbled, "I’m full," before standing up and walking away.

"Huh? Nuannuan, you’ve barely touched your food. Why aren’t you eating?" Seeing Gu Nuan Nuan leave the table, Wen Xiu and Zhang Minzhen’s laughter died down. They both glanced at her bowl, puzzled.

Luo Hongyi felt a wave of bitterness. ’I know what’s going on,’ he thought, ’but how can I possibly explain it?’ He could only lower his head and silently shovel a huge mouthful of rice into his mouth. Then, with his cheeks puffed out, he looked up, feigning a concerned expression that rendered him unable to speak. "..."

Luo Xiaohu glanced at his boss’s ridiculous act and had to look away. ’Life is a stage, and it’s all about the performance,’ he thought. ’I can’t believe the boss is actually so convincing...’

Wen Xiu and Zhang Minzhen, however, saw nothing wrong with Luo Hongyi at all.

Wen Xiu asked, "Maybe Nuannuan doesn’t like the food today?"

"That can’t be. The braised fish, the soy-fragrant beef, the stewed pig’s trotters—these are all her favorites." Zhang Minzhen thought for a moment, then smacked her forehead. "Oh dear, maybe she was in the middle of something and I interrupted her... It was because Hongyi came, wasn’t it? It’s all my fault. I was so excited I didn’t even notice her heart wasn’t in the meal. I just kept calling for her and insisted she come out..."

"Oh, for goodness’ sake, why did you have to call her out? She must have been right in the middle of something important that couldn’t be interrupted..." It wasn’t uncommon for Gu Nuan Nuan to skip meals when she was completely engrossed in her research. Wen Xiu quickly concocted this scenario in her head, nodded, and then cheerfully turned back to Luo Hongyi. "It’s fine, it’s fine. We’ll just keep eating. Nuannuan’s a grown woman. If she gets hungry, she knows how to find food."

"Exactly," Zhang Minzhen said. She reached over and placed another helping of food into the bowl of Luo Hongyi, who had just managed to swallow his mouthful of rice. "Have some more."

Luo Hongyi glanced a few times in the direction Gu Nuan Nuan had gone before turning back with a calm smile and a nod. Though he continued to chat and laugh, his thoughts had already flown out the door with her. After dinner, he took out a beautifully wrapped box. Opening it, he revealed a pair of his-and-hers watches and placed it in front of Zhang Minzhen. "Aunt Zhen, I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it to your and Uncle Song’s wedding. A few of my business partners and I chipped in to get you a gift. It’s nothing extravagant, just a small token of our goodwill, so please don’t refuse it. After all, we’re all still counting on your dried fish and meat snacks."

"Oh, you don’t need to be so formal with your Aunt Zhen..." Zhang Minzhen started, embarrassed, but she couldn’t help but let out a laugh at his final remark. She gave him a sideways glance, though a touch of worry crept in. "None of your partners even know me. For them to give a gift out of the blue... be honest, did you force them to pitch in for this? Won’t they hold it against you if you did?"

"Heh heh—"

Luo Hongyi smiled, placing the pair of watches in Zhang Minzhen’s hand. "Don’t you worry. I know my limits. The watches aren’t all that valuable; it’s really the thought that counts. See? We had them engraved with your and Uncle Song’s names on the back, along with our blessing." Luo Hongyi flipped the watches over, pointing to the engraved names ’Zhang Minzhen’ and ’Song Yong’ and the three words, ’Forever and Always.’"

"Aunt Zhen, even though they’ve never met you, they’ve been eating your dried fish and meat snacks for ages. After accepting so much, they feel indebted. I just casually mentioned that you and Uncle Song were getting married, and they decided amongst themselves to bring the money right to my door. I had no choice but to accept. The main reason is they’re afraid that if they didn’t contribute, they’d be too embarrassed to keep fighting over the delicious snacks you send. That’s the power of good food for you."

"Haha, you kids," Zhang Minzhen said, her heart swelling with emotion as she looked at the engraving on the back of the watch. She blushed and nodded. "Alright, I’ll accept it. Please thank them for me when you go back. I’ll make another big batch of dried fish and meat over the next couple of days. Don’t forget to take a share back for each of them, as a thank-you gift from me and your Uncle Song."

Zhang Minzhen did a quick mental calculation. The timing would be a bit tight, but thankfully, she had the right equipment now. Using a dehydrator to make the dried fish and meat wouldn’t be too difficult.

"Deal. When I get back, that whole crew of theirs is going to go wild with joy," Luo Hongyi accepted without hesitation.

--

"Boss, your game is on another level," Luo Xiaohu said with a look of pure admiration as he followed behind Luo Hongyi. "Even though you’re usually so far away, you’ve still managed to charm my godmother and her grandma until they absolutely adore you. Forget about our sister-in-law being unhappy—even I’m getting a little jealous just watching you."

"What are you running your mouth for?"

Luo Hongyi gave Luo Xiaohu a swift kick to the rear without a moment’s hesitation. Where was the easygoing, charming man from the dinner table who had been joking around with Wen Xiu and Zhang Minzhen?

Even though he was dressed casually and not in one of his usual crisp suits, there was no hiding the uniquely sharp and formidable aura about him—an imposing presence that was impossible to ignore. "I told you to take care of business," he said. "Now get a move on."