CHAPTER 450: 157 AUNT’S BEDROOM MORNING ✩✩✩✩✩ NEVER-ENDING STRUGGLE BETWEEN CATHERINE AND EVELYN_3

"Xiao Yan!"

Upon seeing Li Zhiyan, He Tingting walked in excitedly, but as she recalled the cardboard on her back,

a sense of inferiority welled up in her heart.

"Aunt Ting, it’s so hot, why are you wrapped up so tightly? Aren’t you afraid of the heat?"

"I’ve gotten used to it, I’ve lived like this for so many years."

"Don’t worry, Zhao Liang—that scumbag—has already been arrested. You can take off the veil now."

He Tingting pondered for a moment and then removed the veil, placing it into her pocket. When her sweet and fair face appeared before Li Zhiyan’s gaze,

his heart skipped a beat.

Aunt Zhao had said her elder sister-in-law was beautiful, and indeed she was. However, Aunt Ting’s life had truly been tragic.

"Aunt Ting, let’s have a meal together."

"Alright, Aunt will treat you to lunch."

He Tingting thought lunch would cost no more than thirty yuan for the two of them, but after Li Zhiyan took her to a fancy restaurant and ordered a private room,

her face turned pale.

"Aunt Ting, go ahead and order something."

"You order, Xiao Yan. Aunt isn’t picky about food."

Li Zhiyan didn’t think much about it and ordered dishes worth several hundred yuan. While his life might not be as extravagant as those of wealthy women, it was no longer as frugal as it had once been. Financially, he was free from the pressures of life.

"Aunt Ting, stop picking up scraps. Collecting cardboard doesn’t bring in much money anyway. Why not work part-time at my shop? My Mixue Ice City isn’t far from here."

"You can come to work whenever you’re free during the day."

The shop’s operations were managed by a system acting in place of the owner, so Li Zhiyan hiring someone wouldn’t make any difference.

"Xiao Yan, Aunt can’t take advantage of you."

"If Aunt works part-time, just pay me 1,000 yuan a month."

"Aunt, we’ll discuss the salary later. I’ll first take you to have a look this afternoon."

"Alright."

He Tingting resolved in her heart that she’d only accept a salary of 1,000 yuan.

"Xiao Yan, you’re really incredible to be a boss at such a young age."

"Aunt Ting, I just got lucky. Aunt, does it still hurt?"

He Tingting couldn’t help but recall the moment when Li Zhiyan embraced her; her sweet yet pitiful face began to flush.

"It doesn’t hurt anymore. Shumin’s medicinal wine works wonders."

"Aunt, I think you should stand up to your fate."

Li Zhiyan gently took He Tingting’s slender, snow-white hand in his.

"Aunt, your hands are so beautiful. It’s such a waste for you to be collecting cardboard."

"Besides, you shouldn’t keep enduring Zhao Liang’s domestic abuse. If you make up your mind, I can protect you."

Li Zhiyan understood that the enmity between himself and Aunt Zhao’s eldest brother was irreconcilable, so saving Aunt Ting was just something he did in passing.

"Xiao Yan, let Aunt think it over."

In truth, He Tingting was long fed up with the never-ending abuse. Her husband and son would beat her whenever they were idle.

However, she still hesitated because of her fear that Zhao Liang might desecrate her parents’ graves.

"Alright, Aunt, let’s eat first."

As they ate, Li Zhiyan and He Tingting chatted away. Gradually, a smile appeared on He Tingting’s face.

Many of Li Zhiyan’s words made He Tingting feel a warmth she had never experienced before.

After lunch, Li Zhiyan went to settle the bill, then made a trip to the restroom.

He Tingting walked up to the cashier and asked, "How much for room 666?"

"Madam, the total cost is 398 yuan."

He Tingting froze there, clutching her old hand-sewn wallet. The largest bill in her wallet was only fifty yuan, and the scattered change added up to just ninety yuan, not nearly enough.

"Madam, the gentleman has already paid."

"Oh..."

A sense of loss washed over He Tingting’s sweet face. She was over forty years old, yet she’d needed Li Zhiyan to pay for their meal.

"Aunt Ting, you’re ready? Let’s go."

"Alright."

Returning to the private room to retrieve the cardboard, He Tingting followed Li Zhiyan out of the restaurant.

"Aunt Ting, let me carry that for you."

"It’s quite heavy, Xiao Yan. Aunt can manage by herself."

"Aunt Ting, I can handle it."

Taking the cardboard off her back, Li Zhiyan looked at Aunt Ting’s fair face and said, "Aunt Ting, let’s sell this stuff."

"Alright, there’s a recycling station up ahead."

As they walked, He Tingting said apologetically, "Xiao Yan, Aunt feels really bad letting you pay for lunch when I’m the elder."

"It’s alright, Aunt. Who pays doesn’t matter. Once Aunt Ting starts earning money, you can treat me to a meal then."

"Alright, I definitely will!"

...

After selling the cardboard for 12 yuan, He Tingting placed two five-yuan bills and two one-yuan coins into her worn, hand-sewn wallet.

Li Zhiyan silently cursed Zhao Liang and Zhao Zhihao as beasts, thinking about how Aunt Ting’s hard-earned money from collecting cardboard would still get stolen.

"Aunt Ting, let’s go to your part-time job."

Li Zhiyan took Aunt Ting’s hand and led her to his Mixue Ice City store. Once there, he spoke to the female store manager.

Immediately, Aunt Ting was hired.

When she received her employee uniform, He Tingting felt as though it wasn’t real. After so many years, she’d avoided interacting with others and had long been disconnected from society.

"Aunt Ting, go ahead and change into it."

"Xiao Yan, Aunt has something to tell you."

He Tingting pulled Li Zhiyan to the store entrance and hesitantly said, "Xiao Yan, this uniform isn’t thick enough for me to wear comfortably."