20demayo Chapter 141 Taking the Initiative to Apologize
Chapter 141 Taking the Initiative to Apologize
At dawn, just as a faint glimmer of light appeared in the eastern sky, the sun seemed still asleep, peeking out only slightly above the horizon, casting a pale, fish-belly white hue over the sky. The whole world was immersed in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.
As usual, Su Yuning was awakened by a few rays of light sneaking in through the gap in the curtains. She rubbed her sleepy eyes groggily, then stretched and slowly climbed out of her warm bed.
After getting up, Su Yuning didn't linger and quickly finished washing up. Then, she casually threw on a loose-fitting garment and hurried towards her family's vegetable garden. Along the way, the fresh air carried the scent of earth and grass, making her feel relaxed and refreshed.
However, the moment Su Yuning stepped into the vegetable garden, the scene before her made her freeze in place. In the distance, in the vegetable patch, Chestnut Girl sat quietly, motionless, like a beautiful sculpture. Her gaze was fixed on the distance, as if she were contemplating something important.
Seeing this, Su Yuning was filled with doubt, and her pace quickened unconsciously. Soon, she arrived in front of Chestnut Girl and asked somewhat anxiously, "Chestnut Girl, what are you doing here so early? Did something happen?" As she spoke, a look of confusion appeared on Su Yuning's face, and her eyes were fixed on the other girl, trying to find some clues from her expression.
When Chestnut Girl saw Su Yuning approaching, she quickly stood up and replied with a smile and great sincerity, "Sister Su Yuning, I came here today specifically to apologize. I did some things wrong before, and I hope you won't take it to heart."
Upon hearing this, Su Yuning was slightly taken aback at first, then smiled and waved her hand, saying, "Oh, Sister Chestnut, there's no need to be so formal! I'm a very easygoing person and never hold grudges. Let bygones be bygones, let's not talk about it anymore!" After saying that, she gently patted Chestnut's shoulder to indicate that she didn't mind.
Upon hearing this, Chestnut Girl's eyes flashed with admiration. She smiled and praised, "Miss Su is truly magnanimous. Such a broad mind is truly admirable! However... besides apologizing, I have another important matter to tell you." As she spoke, she took out a key from her pocket and handed it to Su Yuning.
Su Yuning looked at the key in Chestnut Girl's hand and asked with a puzzled expression, "What kind of key is this?"
The girl with the chestnut-shaped hairpin smiled even more broadly and explained, "These are the keys to our family's factory. From now on, the factory will be under your management!"
The news struck Su Yuning like a thunderbolt, causing her to take two steps back and shake her head in refusal, saying, "No, no, this is absolutely unacceptable! The factory is, after all, your family's property. How can an outsider like me interfere? You should find someone else!"
"Miss Su! I truly apologize to you from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me! It's all my fault for being so narrow-minded. Seeing Gu Wanfeng and you so close made me feel so jealous. I'm so sorry, please be lenient and don't hold it against me!" The girl blinked her big, watery eyes, her expression extremely sincere, and she spoke each word with utmost seriousness and earnestness.
"Oh, it's alright, I already forgave you." Su Yuning smiled slightly and replied softly, her voice clear and melodious, like a nightingale singing in a valley. She then continued, "It's just that I feel like I'm already completely overwhelmed just taking care of the vegetable garden and doing some small handicrafts. I really don't have the extra energy to do anything else, lest I exhaust myself."
But who would have thought that Miss Chestnut was determined to help Su Yuning? With a serious expression and resolute eyes, she handed Su Yuning a bunch of glittering keys, then said in an extremely gentle tone, "You must keep these keys safe! Whenever you suddenly feel like starting a business again, just take them and get to work. To be honest, you've always been so good to me, so I have to find a way to treat you well in return."
Hearing this, Su Yuning felt a surge of warmth in her heart, her gratitude overflowing. She quickly reached out and carefully took the bunch of keys, nodding repeatedly as she replied, "Okay, I'll accept these keys for now. Thank you so much for your kindness, Miss Chestnut!"
"By the way, Miss Chestnut, what kind of work do you do now?" Su Yuning asked curiously.
"To be honest, when you left the capital, I used the factory's location to set up a tutoring center, but it was shut down after only three days. Later, I sought advice from someone, who asked me if I had ever done anything wrong. Although the question was a bit awkward, I admit I made a mistake and ruined your business. The advice they gave me was to apologize to you, and that way, my life would become smoother," Miss Chestnut replied.
After hearing her reply, Su Yuning couldn't help but laugh out loud. Her laughter was as clear and melodious as silver bells, echoing in the air: "Oh dear, some people are just talking nonsense! How can you take such things seriously? You're so cute!"
Upon hearing this, Chestnut Girl's face blossomed into a radiant smile, her eyes curving like crescent moons. She nodded gently and said, "But I think his analysis makes a lot of sense. Later, he gave me a particularly brilliant idea. He said that since the school couldn't be opened smoothly, I might as well stay home and write books. This way, I could earn money to supplement the family income and also pass the time. And most importantly, if the children were born in the future, it would be convenient for me to take care of them while I was writing books at home."
As Su Yuning listened to Chestnut Girl's detailed explanation, she nodded repeatedly in agreement: "Yes, that's a great idea! But you're heavily pregnant now, so you must take good care of yourself first. Just having any job you can do is enough. Don't overwork yourself, because your health is the most important thing!"
The girl named Chestnut obediently replied, "Yes, thank you for your concern and reminder, Miss Su. I will definitely pay attention." After saying that, her pretty face was filled with happiness and gratitude.
"Miss Chestnut, I didn't expect you to arrive so early! I wonder if you've had breakfast yet? If not, would you do me the honor of coming to my humble abode for a chat, so I can personally prepare a delicious breakfast for you?" Su Yuning asked softly with a concerned expression.
The girl with the chestnut lips raised slightly, revealing a smile as bright as spring flowers, and replied softly, "Thank you for your concern, Sister Su. I have already had breakfast in town."
At this moment, Su Yuning seemed to suddenly remember something, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes, and she continued to ask with a smile, "Oh, right! I haven't had a chance to ask you yet, did that elegant young master Gu Wanfeng escort you here this time?"
Chestnut Girl gently shook her head, her cheeks slightly flushed, and replied shyly, "That's not the case, Sister Su. Brother Gu has been very busy with affairs lately and really couldn't find the time, so I rented a car and came here by myself this time."
Upon hearing this, Su Yuning frowned, her face showing concern. She quickly and enthusiastically suggested, "Oh dear, is that so? Then when you return, how about I drive you back in a carriage? Please don't rent a carriage by yourself again in the future, you know your health is very precious these days!"
Upon hearing this, Chestnut Girl nodded happily and replied, "That would be wonderful! Thank you for your trouble, Sister Su. Besides, this is a good opportunity to take a look at the factory as well."
Seeing that Miss Chestnut readily agreed, Su Yuning smiled and nodded, then whipped her horse and gave a soft shout, "Giddy up!" The wheels rolled forward, carrying the two of them on the road back to the city.
On the bustling city streets, stalls line both sides of the road, displaying a dazzling array of mouthwatering pastries. With the annual Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the air seems to be filled with a sweet aroma, and mooncakes and other delicate desserts are especially popular, selling extremely well.
For a long time, the task of looking after the shop and buying these delicious desserts usually fell to Su Muyang. However, things are different now. Since Su Muyang became an official, the family business has been entirely managed by Princess Wan'er.
On this sunny day, with a gentle breeze, Su Yuning and Chestnut Girl strolled past the shop, chatting and laughing. Princess Wan'er, with her sharp eyes, spotted them immediately, rushed out of the shop, and unceremoniously blocked their path.
Su Yuning was a little stunned by this sudden scene. She stared wide-eyed at the furious Princess Wan'er and asked in confusion, "Second sister-in-law, what are you doing? I was just about to take Miss Chestnut home."
Princess Wan'er stood with her hands on her hips, her eyebrows furrowed, and said angrily, "Yu Ning, are you stupid?! If it weren't for this Chestnut girl stirring things up, how could Gu Wanfeng have so easily taken back our family's factory? She's already bullied you like this, and you still have the nerve to walk with her! I'm your own sister-in-law. If I didn't truly care about you, I wouldn't bother with your business!"
Upon hearing this, Chestnut Girl looked embarrassed. She lowered her head and replied softly, "I really did something wrong before, I'm so sorry..."
"What's a sorry worth? Do you know that because of your mistake, my sister's business has been ruined! Someone as unreliable and unrepentant as you is utterly shameless!" Princess Wan'er pointed at the other party in a fit of rage, scolding him incessantly. Her fierce temper drew the attention of those around her.
"Oh, alright, alright, you two stop arguing! Second sister-in-law, it's not what you think. Miss Chestnut has already sincerely apologized to me and handed over the factory keys. So, our work in the capital can continue as usual, so don't worry, you really don't need to worry about me too much." Su Yuning quickly stepped in to smooth things over, explaining the whole situation to Princess Wan'er with a serious and patient expression.
Hearing this, Princess Wan'er's expression softened slightly, but she still grumbled, somewhat annoyed, "Hmph, so that's what happened. Why didn't you say so sooner? You made me so angry for nothing. In that case, we're even. But... since we're all here, let's go to the shop and try some desserts. We just got a new batch of mooncakes today, all the latest flavors!" As she spoke, Princess Wan'er's face brightened with a smile again, warmly inviting everyone into the shop to enjoy the food.
Upon hearing this, Su Yuning quickly waved her hand and politely declined, saying, "No need, thank you for your kindness, Second Sister-in-law. I'd better get Miss Chestnut home safely first. We'll come to find you and catch up properly when we have time later."
"Alright, then be careful on your journey, and remember to come back soon!" Princess Wan'er smiled and nodded gently, her eyes showing concern.
Meanwhile, at the Gu residence, Madam Gu was happily awaiting her daughter-in-law's return. When she saw her daughter-in-law and Su Yuning walking through the gate together, a bright smile immediately bloomed on her face, and she excitedly went to greet them like a child.
"Oh my, I've been waiting for you to come back! Come in, come in!" Madam Gu said as she pulled the two of them toward the hall, saying, "You must be exhausted from the journey, right? Come, come and sit down in the hall and have a cup of tea and try the snacks I just prepared."