CHAPTER 453: CHAPTER 49: UNAVOIDABLE

"Mum, why hasn’t the rain stopped yet?" In the gift shop, Lin Xiaoguai was listlessly drawing a design sketch as Little Spring Breeze lay on the counter, asking somewhat listlessly.

Two days of heavy rain had left the little ones utterly bored, unable to go out and play.

"I really couldn’t tell you," Lin Xiaoguai chuckled, "Maybe you could keep an eye on the weather forecast."

Little Spring Breeze puckered his lips and stopped talking; Little Sun was watching his favorite cartoon, and he certainly wouldn’t give up the TV for him.

Sisi was drawing with crayons nearby, and Qiaoqiao was playing with play-dough, with only Little Spring Breeze unable to calm down, restless after a day of playing with his toy trains.

"Maybe you could help mum check if the kitchen cookies are done baking; I think I just heard the oven timer," Lin Xiaoguai suggested as she handed the finished design draft to Lu Xiaoting, signaling her to place it in the A-grade product area.

Little Spring Breeze still seemed a bit lifeless but trudged off to the kitchen, regardless.

Fortunately, after two days of rain, the weather cleared up on the third day, but Lin Xiaoguai’s mood had become gloomy.

"Aunt Wanwan, are you Aunt Wanwan? I’m Meilan, my mum is Lin Haohao, do you remember me? I saw you when I was a kid," Wang Meilan said excitedly.

She’d heard that many wealthy ladies liked to visit this shop, and it was also out of curiosity to see what a shop frequented by rich people looked like, so she had followed someone here. To her luck, as soon as she walked in, she spotted Lin Xiaoguai.

The smile on Lin Xiaoguai’s face faded slightly, and she responded coolly, "Oh, it’s Meilan." Had she known she would run into Wang Meilan, she wouldn’t have come today.

Lu Xiaoting and Xiang Yun, who were about to serve these customers, exchanged glances—why did they feel the boss seemed a bit unhappy?

"Meilan, is this your auntie?" The woman who came with Wang Meilan curiously looked at Lin Xiaoguai.

You had to admit, the person in question did look the part—excellent in both appearance and temperament, you wouldn’t guess she was already in her thirties, she could pass as a university student. But since she was the Head’s wife, why would she be standing behind the counter?

"Aunt Wanwan, why are you standing behind the counter?" Wang Meilan also had the same question.

"This is my shop," Lin Xiaoguai said indifferently.

Wang Meilan was indeed quite beautiful, delicate and fine; the kind of beauty that was fresh and inviting. On closer inspection, you could see a resemblance to Lin Xiaoguai in her brows and eyes.

Any person would naturally show a bit of favoritism towards a niece that resembled them.

In her previous life, Lin Xiaoguai, being in such a repressed emotional state, initially held no ill will towards Wang Meilan.

But now, knowing her true nature, Lin Xiaoguai naturally couldn’t feel the slightest bit of affection towards her.

Lin Xiaoguai had wanted to deceive Wang Meilan that this store belonged to a friend, but then thought better of it—such a lie would easily be exposed upon a little probing, which would only be embarrassing later.

"Really!?" Wang Meilan looked shocked. "No way, I heard that all the goods in this shop are hand-crafted by the owner, so you mean Aunt Wanwan..."

Lin Xiaoguai didn’t bother to pay attention, pretending to tidy the coins in the drawer, contemplating how to get rid of Wang Meilan.

In just three days, it would be Shen Chi’s and her wedding, and she certainly didn’t want any complications.

Wang Meilan was genuinely shocked. When she was very small, her mother told her about this aunt’s stories.

But no matter how beautiful, smart, and kind her mother described this aunt to be, Wang Meilan saw her as nothing more than a naïve person who got sold off, just lucky to be sold to a promising man.

Thus, while she longed for her aunt’s privileged life, deep down, she looked down on her, feeling that given the same circumstances, she would never end up as lackluster; to become such an elite yet not dare to take revenge against her own betraying family.

—Wang Meilan always had to settle scores, unable to tolerate being wronged by others. Hence, in her eyes, Lin Xiaoguai’s act of breaking ties with her brothers was a sign of weakness.

Lin Xiaoguai was unaware of her thoughts; just then, another customer entered the store.

"Mrs. Mu, are you here to discuss a custom order?" Lin Xiaoguai’s smile became a tad more genuine.

Not that she and Mrs. Mu—maiden name Feng Na—were particularly close, but since Mrs. Mu was Han Shouzhen’s close friend and they had always had a great relationship, she had to show some respect for her elder aunt.