Chapter Seventy-Three: Gift (Part Two)

  "Mom, you're not feeling well, let me do it." Shen Mu Ran hurried in front of Shen Yan Ran, bent down and put the goods from the box on the shelves one by one.

  Shen Yanran looked at her daughter's back, a hint of a smile of approval on the corner of her mouth. Since moving out of their original home, she and her daughter had rented a small house to temporarily live in.

  This home store is now their mother-daughter's livelihood, although everything has just begun. For Shen Yan, relying on herself to live is indeed something she has never tried before. And her daughter, after this incident, has also become more mature and sensible than in the past. Whether at her new school or at home, she is sensible and obedient, making Shen Yan feel sorry for her daughter.

  The bell above the door rang out as someone pushed it open, and the mother-daughter duo quickly turned around with a faint smile. "Hello, welcome to 'Mù', we..." The rest of their words were swallowed up in their throats as they stared blankly at the woman who had just walked into the store, her eyes filled with interest as she gazed at the small trinkets on display. Tears gradually welled up in their own eyes.

  "Benefactor." Shen Yanran pulled her daughter and they both knelt down on the ground with a thud.

  "Eh?" The woman turned around, and it was actually the adult Gu Huanli who had condensed her soul. She looked at Shen's mother and daughter kneeling on the ground, seemingly furrowing her brow to recall something, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on her face. "We really have fate, don't we?" As she spoke, she reached out her hand to help Shen's mother and daughter up.

  Shen Yanran looked at her with tears in her eyes, muttering to herself, "Since that day..."

  "Shh." Gu Huanli placed her index finger on her lips, making a silencing gesture. Then, she slightly curled up the corners of her mouth, and this smile was warm and soothing, just like an angel from heaven, bringing peace and tranquility. "I'm here to buy something today, can you please help me see what's suitable as a gift?"

  "Yes." Shen Yanran wiped away her tears and walked to Gu Huanli's side, saying softly, "I don't know who the young lady wants to give the gift to? Since Christmas is coming soon, our store has launched a series of Christmas home goods, would you be interested?"

  "I want to give it to my brother." Gu Huanli leaned forward, carefully examining each piece of work. One of the strangely shaped cups caught her attention, "Are these goods all handmade?"

  "Yes." Shen Yanran lifted her head and looked around her store, with a hint of pride, "Some are my past works, just that at that time I was idle, after finishing them, I put them in the storage room. The storage room couldn't hold them, so I put them in the rented warehouse. Accumulated over time, now it has become the salvation of life."

  Gu Huanli put down the cup in her hand and looked at a group of oil paintings full of childishness hanging on the wall.

  The wind whispers; the grass is soft and silky; the sunshine is radiant.

  A lovely little girl sat by the winding river, wearing a pale blue dress with pink cherry blossoms, her long black hair neatly hanging down to her waist, and bright eyes full of smiles. The girl was fishing, and in the small bucket beside her, two fish were swimming happily.

  A tabby cat fan appeared out of nowhere, blinking its shiny black eyes and hiding by the tree.

  "Oh, what a cute kitty, are you lost?" The girl's smile was very warm and friendly.

  "Meow~~~" The tabby cat didn't fear life, and ran swiftly towards the girl, but its target was the bucket of water beside her - the fish inside. By the time the little girl reacted, it was already too late.

  "Ah, you stop it, no, shut up..." After a flurry of chaos, the little fish that was just playing in the bucket earlier had already been snatched away by the tabby cat.

  Watching it scurry away in a panic, a lovely smile appeared on the girl's face.

  ……

  Three paintings, simple yet vivid. Gu Huanli couldn't help but ask curiously, "Could it be that you used to study art?"

  "Yes, when I was young, full of passion, I even went to France to study painting. Who would have thought that I would meet...” Shen Yanran's eyes reddened and she let out a low sigh, "Meeting the right person at the wrong time, even if it's the right one, is still wrong."

  "Mom." Shen Mu Ran walked to his mother's side, considerately holding her hand to give her strength, and curiously looked at Gu Huan Lian. Children are naturally prone to idolization, let alone the benefactor who saved them in times of crisis.

  "Hello." Gu Huanli's eyes were very bright, but they seemed illusory and unreal, like a mirage, without any warm golden light. "What is your name?"

  "Deeply moved."

  Gu Huanli crouched down, looking at Shen Muran at eye level. Suddenly, she took out the silver-plated enamel sugar box with golden patterns that Ye sent her and opened it, handing it to Shen Muran's face, "Very delicious white chocolate, eating one piece won't grow worm teeth"

  Shen Mu Ran looked up at his mother with a sudden movement, then picked up a piece and ran to the back with a shy expression, hiding and not coming out again.

  "This child, usually so brave, what's wrong with her today?" Shen Yanran smiled apologetically, her eyes involuntarily lingering on the silver-plated enamel-painted gilded sugar box in Gu Huanli's hand. This was absolutely not a counterfeit, yet she carried it around so casually...

  It seems that this woman's background is not to be underestimated.

  "It doesn't matter." Gu Huanli put away the box of sweets and continued to admire the goods in the store. She had to admit that Shen Yanran was indeed very talented, her oil paintings were simple yet not pretentious, her ceramic products were delicate yet not lacking in grandeur, most importantly, each piece of work had her thoughts and ideas running through them.

  "Do you know how to run a gallery?" Gu Huanli suddenly asked, her obsidian-like eyes carrying a hint of seriousness in the sunlight refracted through the glass window.

  She gazed at Gu Huan Lian with a dazed expression, looking at her skin that was whiter than snow and seemed almost translucent. She looked at the crimson, eerie Manjusaka flower on her neck, and at her slender, ghostly black cashmere coat. Such a woman was like a ferry boat returning from the other side of the Yellow Spring, carrying with her layers of cloud and smoke from past events. Standing on the ferry that never stopped, those who wanted to leave had to hand over their souls to the ferryman, letting the colorful fragments sink into the water, letting their heart break but unable to bleed scorching hot blood.

  Words are stuck on the tip of the tongue, simple yet hard to express. However, painful memories are like a raging fire, burning mercilessly in an icy body. Two extremes depict the temperature of silence. Not cold, but slightly cool; not warm, but with a fiery glow. This scene hovering around zero degrees is deeply buried in those watery eyes across from me, carrying a faint light that sharply pierces the bitter words that are too ashamed to be spoken.

  Shen Yanran didn't dare to think about the so-called "future" journey, nor did she have a vast sky and earth that could be called "broad". Her only thought now was to raise the two children to adulthood and comfort Chu Lintao's spirit in heaven.

  "I'm very sorry, I don't have experience in this area, but I have the patience and perseverance to learn." Shen Yanran had never spoken so candidly before, she didn't feel ashamed, and even had a certain inexplicable feeling about her own honesty. She stretched out her hand and gently placed it on her slightly bulging belly, yes, she hoped to give this child a peaceful and stable life, and even more hoped that he would have qualities and morals far surpassing those of his father.

  Yes, it seems like the past is already over, and from now on, all the time will be spent holding back tears and memories, for the sake of the child, to live strongly.

  Gu Huanli's lips curled up into a faint smile, "If you're interested, we can discuss it. On the condition that this store's profits must satisfy my financial advisor, and I don't want this matter to affect your and the child's health."

  "Me..." Shen Yanran hesitated for a moment.

  "Let's just consider it a small test." Gu Huanli had no intention of providing financial support to Shen's mother and daughter like alms. Although she was destined to be used, why did she have to use them? At least, let her prove her own value first.

  "I believe I can fully meet your requirements. However, I must be honest with you, once my enemies find out about this store, I'm afraid something like that night will happen again." Every time Shen Yan thought of those vicious thugs and the danger her daughter had faced, her hatred for Gu Wenjuan surged like a tidal wave.

  Gu Huanli's mouth corners floated with a faint mockery. Since Chu Lintao knew about "Night", wouldn't Shen Yanran know too? However, if that matter wanted to be settled, it was likely that the power of Li Tian would have to be borrowed. Unfortunately, lovely Auntie had done some things that were really over the top. For the sake of the Gu family, she could only reluctantly discipline her, lest the world behind their backs poke fun at the Gu family's spine.

  "Go to 'Night' if you can pay the price they're satisfied with, they'll fulfill your small wish." Gu Huanli took out a box of candies and handed one white chocolate to Shen Yanran, "Give it to the master of 'Night', tell him that someone has decided to make up for the chocolates owed before with this."

  Miss Shen looked at the white chocolate in her palm and was confused, "Miss, can I say it like this? If the other party asks me..."

  "The focus is not on who, but what you are willing to pay. Also, I hope you don't waste this opportunity I gave you, after all, the cost is that my favorite chocolate is gone again." Gu Huanli said as she walked to the window and stopped, looking at the deep blue sofa cushion and curiously asked, "Is this pattern hand-embroidered?"

  "Yes. This embroidery method comes from Europe, the needlework is simple and very suitable for people with no embroidery experience at all. Just wait a moment, I'll go get the piece I'm working on." Shen Yanran carefully put away the white chocolate, then turned around to retrieve an embroidered handkerchief from the back room and handed it to Gu Huanleng, "Look."

  Gu Huanli looked at the pattern on the cross-stitch, then turned it over to look at the neat stitches, hesitated for a moment, and muttered to herself, "It's still better to make a gift with your own hands, but what pattern should I use..."

  Shen Yanran looked at her embarrassed expression and smiled, "Miss can give me the pattern she likes or her own drawing, it will take about a day to produce the picture and match the thread. This way, it also guarantees that your cross-stitch work is one-of-a-kind."

  "In that case, I'll have my financial advisor bring it to you tomorrow. However, Christmas is approaching soon, so I hope you can help me get the line ready as soon as possible."

  "It's probably the girl's first time embroidering, I suggest she choose a smaller pattern, so it can be finished before Christmas and also express her sincere feelings."

  "Thank you for your suggestion." Gu Huanli picked up the strangely-shaped cup and smiled slightly, "I'll take this one, I liked it at first sight."

  Shen Yanran originally wanted to give it directly to Gu Huanli, but Gu Huanli smiled and refused.

  Put the well-packaged box into a paper bag, Shen Yanran smiled and handed it to Gu Huanli, saying softly, "I am Shen Yanran. I was chatting just now and forgot to ask for your esteemed name. It's really a sin."

  "Ryūgetsu." Gu Huanli told Shen Yanran the pseudonym she had agreed upon with Cassidy, then picked up the paper bag and smiled slightly before turning around and walking out of "Mù", getting directly into the champagne-colored Bentley parked by the side of the road.

  "Miss, I think I should tie a bell around your neck." Cassidy sat in the driver's seat, looking at the pale face of Gu Huanli, and lightly sighed as he reached out his hand to tap her between the eyebrows.

  The next second, the clothes fell on the assistant seat, and a soft voice floated from the back row, "Cassidy, I really have nothing to say about your aesthetics."

  Cassidy looked up from the rearview mirror, gazing at Gu Huanli's pure and innocent smile, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes. "Liu Yue, you should be as enchanting as a peony flower, let alone now that you bear the title of 'Charm'. If 'Night' were to see you looking like that, I'm sure he would be extremely pleased."

  "Please, I just slightly questioned your aesthetics, do you have to scare me like that?" Gu Huanli picked up the paper bag on the seat and took a look, smiling, "Huh, it's actually Hongdoubing from Jiege House, I haven't had one in a long time."

  "High sugar, high calorie." Cassidy pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to Gu Huanli, "These are the keys to the apartment and the car, I've parked the car in the underground parking lot of the apartment for you."

  "Are you trying to kill me?" Gu Huanli glared at him, took out a red bean cake and elegantly nibbled on it, the crispy skin making her blissfully close her eyes. "You can keep it for yourself. After all, my lovely financial advisor - Mr. Elivis, is also a successful person."

  "Miss, are you really sure that old abandoned factory has investment value?" Cassidy asked in a low voice.

  "Yes, in a few more years, it will become a cradle for artists and form a benign interactive circle of art, design, fashion, media, capital and power." Gu Huanli turned her head to look at the sky outside the window, which had been dyed red by the sunset, like the peony flowers blooming on the banks of the Forgetful River. "Since we will eventually have a life-and-death battle with Luo's Media, isn't it a good thing to rise quietly and even grow stronger while they are not paying attention?"