Chapter Thirty-Four: Pastoral Style

  "What nonsense are you talking about?" Ning Qing said with a pout, pushing Du Huahua away. "You go sign yourself, I'm going to take another look at my own stall."

  "Alright, I'll call you after I've signed. " Du Huahua smiled brightly and got on the escalator by herself.

  Quickly, the location is not bad, Ning Qing was satisfied with the place she chose. This place, even if she came to do business herself, should be fine. She casually took out the key and opened one of them, examining it carefully.

  "Whoosh", the glass door of the opposite booth was pulled open, and three girls were excitedly discussing something.

  "This door is made of frosted glass, and you can vaguely see inside. If a spotlight were installed, shining on the clothes, it would look very beautiful from the outside."

  "The facade has been chosen, now it's time to rent a house. If we continue to live in someone else's home, we will be swept out the door."

  One of them, slightly older and plumper, about twenty-seven or eight years old, stretched out her toes to tap the floor, seemingly keeping time, while humming with her nose, "Living in their house is giving them face, they helped us before when we were in the countryside, now living a few more days won't kill anyone, what's there to fear?"

  "Aunt, let's find a place and move in quickly. I can't stand squeezing with them anymore." Gaoting said to the older one, turning around to ask the slightly smaller one: "Can you stand it?"

  "I'm still hurting inside, and you're asking!" The little heart looked at the one called Auntie and asked curiously: "When are we going to find a house?"

  "No use, can't even take a little criticism, how can you accomplish great things in the future?" The older one grumbled with a toothache-like tone, "Renovate this place first and then look for another house. We'll buy the renovation materials ourselves, we can save a lot of money that way."

  Several aunts and cousins discussed several decoration plans, Ning Qingming listened to them and figured out that the aunt's name was Zheng Mei, the slightly shorter one was her elder niece Zheng Jingchun, and the taller one was her younger niece Zheng Jingxia. The few people came from the countryside to Guangzhou, wanting to find some business to do, and are currently temporarily living in their former neighbor's home.

  "Go to the management office and see if there's a ladder. Borrow one. Also, measure how high this wall is. Take note of the dimensions. When it's time to buy wallpaper, we won't make any mistakes." Zheng Mei instructed Zheng Jingxia. She took out a ruler and measured the floor. Muttering to herself: "The actual area is less than 14 square meters. Can't fit a sofa. Only a single leather chair can be placed."

  Looks like a former businesswoman. Just looking at her handling things, I've learned a lot. Ning Qing was silent and motionless, quietly observing the other person measuring this and that, instructing another niece to take down the dimensions, explaining where to put the water dispenser, where to put the office desk and so on.

  "Wholesale is different from retail. The customers are big clients. Sometimes, one order can be enough to eat for a year. This cannot be taken lightly." Zheng Mei educates Zheng Jingchun. She raises her head and sees Ning Qingming smiling at her across the way. She straightens up, nods, and greets him saying: "Is this your place?"

  "Really!" Ning Qingming also nodded. Smiling and saying: "I'm Ning Qingming. Are you Sister Mei?"

  "Call me whatever you want!" Zheng Mei waved her hand. "Just don't call me Aunt Mei! I'm most afraid of those who are younger than me by a few years, yet think they're superior just because they're younger. Go ahead and call someone 'Aunt'."

  Ning Qingmin thought of her own past experiences and nodded, saying: "Yes. Nowadays, girls all think they're young. At the drop of a hat, they call people 'auntie'. They think that once you've passed twenty, you're an old hag."

  "Haha", Zheng Mei loved to hear this, ran over to see Ning Qing's booth, and laughed saying: "Your booth is opposite mine, the area must be the same, when it's time to decorate, you can refer to mine."

  "Thank you, Mei Jie. I'm not familiar with decorating shops, so I'll have to ask for your advice again when the time comes."

  Zheng Mei took a closer look at Ning Qingmian, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. "You're about the same age as my niece, yet you have the ability to come buy a storefront? Not bad!"

  Ning Qing was just about to respond when her phone rang. Du Huahua said on the other end, "I'm at the gate, come out!"

  As I walked out of the gate, I saw Du Huahua and Du Hujia standing shoulder to shoulder, seemingly discussing something. Many passing girls couldn't help but glance at them, one strong and masculine, the other soft and beautiful, forming a powerful visual combination that drew people in unconsciously.

  Seeing Ning Qingming approaching, Du Hua's family said lightly: "Let's go eat together."

  "I'm done eating, I still have to rush back to school." Ning Qingming glanced at her watch, she still had class in the morning!

  "I'll send you back after dinner!" Du Huajia said, leading the way to the parking lot. Du Huhua also turned around and said to Ning Qingmian: "Let's go!"

  Ning Qing had no choice but to follow along.

  Just as they arrived at the entrance of the restaurant, Du Huahua received a call and said to Du Hujia and Ning Qingmian: "Manager Zheng's car is by the side of the road, I'll go over and pick up a client to have dinner together."

  "Go!" said Du Huajun with a wave of his hand.

  Only Du Hufa was left, Ning Qingmian felt uneasy and hadn't said anything when the waiter in the dining hall saw someone coming and opened the revolving door, making a please gesture, so he had to follow Du Hufa inside.

  The style of the restaurant is quite elegant, and the people who enter are all dressed up to look rich or noble. Ning Qingming glanced at his own clothes and regretted not suggesting going to an ordinary place for dinner earlier.

  Du's family noticed her actions and said lightly: "It's just eating a meal, what you wear doesn't matter."

  "Director Du, we meet again!" A voice came from another table. It was Secretary Lin, whom I had met in the afternoon. Another girl sitting with Secretary Lin was busy greeting Director Du's family. She turned out to be the secretary of another boss.

  Lin's secretary didn't know what he whispered to the girl, but the girl suddenly leaned over and glanced at Ning Qingmian with disdain. She smiled and said to Du Huajia: "Mr. Du, is this your girlfriend? It seems that the current trend is rustic style."

  Upon hearing the conversation, the waiter who was handing out menus took a look at Ning Qing's attire and his gaze also started to become strange. Ning Qing hated that he couldn't find a crack in the ground to crawl into. This Du Huo family, eating a meal, filling their stomachs, why did they have to come to such a high-end place? Wasn't this intentionally making things difficult for him?

  "When did this restaurant become a secretarial home? Xiao Ning, let's go eat somewhere else." Du Huajia stood up and pulled Ning Qingmian without leaving any trace.

  Out of the restaurant, Ning Qingming also lost his appetite. He lowered his head and said, "I'll go back first." After finishing speaking, he didn't even turn around and walked towards the bus stop. In his heart, he felt wronged to death. Why can these people insult me at will? Why? On one side, he made a vow with hatred, one day, he would make these people see him in a new light, filled with envy and jealousy.

  "Come on!" Du Hu's family drove the car over, stopped beside Ning Qingmian, opened the door and said: "It is currently during the transaction fair period, public buses are not allowed to enter this section."

  "Mind your own business!" Ning Qingming turned her head away.

  The car behind had already honked its horn, Du Hujia was helpless, jumped out of the car, didn't think twice, grabbed Ning Qingming's hand, pulled him in with a swoop, and threw him into the car. "Whoosh" The door closed, no time to help Ning Qingming fasten his seatbelt, "Vroom" The car took off.

  "Are you a bandit? You always come in so recklessly, have you ever asked about my feelings? Is it necessary to go to such a high-end place just to eat?" Ning Qingming raised his head and accused, only to feel the grievances hidden in his heart pouring out endlessly.

  Du Huajia turned his head to see Ning Qingmian with tears streaming down her face, seemingly a bit at a loss. He freed up his hand and tossed the tissue from the car's dashboard to Ning Qingmian, saying in a low voice: "Alright, then where would you like to go for dinner?"

  "They said I'm rustic, didn't they? Let's go to Xiao Zhou's place and eat some fried chicken!" Ning Qingmin wiped away her tears and said resentfully, "This time I'll take charge!"