No! Lin Yi saving her was one thing, the humiliation sheâd suffered was another! There was no way she was just letting this go like that. She was Feng Xiaoxiao, and Feng Xiaoxiao didnât hesitate. She wasnât indecisive!
Harrumphing, she hardened her heart. She said sheâd make him pay; she wouldnât go back on her word.
Monday morning the next day, Lin Yi went to pay Mr. Tang a visit with the shark fin heâd just cooked. Stuff like this wasnât very special to two young misses like Mengyao and Yushu.
Naturally, Mr. Tang was very much delighted at the sight of Lin Yi visiting with shark fin, as was Mrs. Tang. Lin Yi appearing in their lives had caused nothing but miraculous changes.
âLin Yi, Iâve thought about it. After moving weâll buy a store. Itâll cost a bit more, but weâll be able to start a barbecue shop.â Mrs. Tang voiced her thoughts on the matter. It was a decision sheâd made after she heard about Lin Yiâs suggestion to open a shop from Tang Yin.
âThatâs great!â Lin Yi nodded. âThen youâll be able to have the shop at the front and the living space at the back, and you wonât need to worry about having a place for the time being.â
âThatâs right.â Mrs. Tang seemed a little discomforted as she spoke. âBut, the money we borrowed from you⦠It might take longer to pay you back. We did make some money these days, and along with whatâs left from paying Old Tangâs surgery fees, we should have enough to pay for the store.â
Mrs. Tang knew that having Tang Yin say this to Lin Yi would certainly be too embarrassing for her, so she decided to be the one to say it anyway. Even if Lin Yi rejected it theyâd be fine, since it would be her taking the humiliation.
âAh, you donât need to pay that money back,â Lin Yi said with a smile. âYou can tell me if itâs not enough.â
âIt is, itâs enough!â Mrs. Tang replied with a wide smile. She turned to Tang Jucheng. âOld Tang, see! I told you that itâd be fine with Lin Yi!â
âThatâs good.â Tang Jucheng sighed in relief. He was quite nervous about being indebted. Lin Yi might be Tang Yinâs boyfriend right now, but they were werenât engaged. Owing that amount of money to Lin Yi had constantly unsettled Tang Jucheng.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âMom, why are you so greedy!â Tang Yin was a little unhappy. She wasnât really against using Lin Yiâs money now, but she had borrowed it for her family! It didnât sit well with her that she still felt like she owed him! Now that her parents couldnât pay Lin Yi back, the debt fell onto her. How was she supposed to handle that?! What if she couldnât pay it back?
âTang Yin! Greed? What are you saying! Isnât our family in a difficult time!â Mrs. Tang glared at her daughter, thinking that the girl sure didnât understand how to use her resources. Couldnât she have just asked for a bit more if Lin Yi was so generous? They could have purchased a larger store or even gotten one with a second floor!
Tang Yin lowered her head, upset and feeling wronged. She couldnât argue against her mother. She might say something embarrassing if she did, so Tang Yin decided to just stay silent.
âWell, Uncle Tang, Aunty Tang, Iâll be going to school with Tang Yin then,â Lin Yi said with a smile as he helped get Tang Yin out of the awkward situation.
âOkay, it is almost time. Donât be late!â Mrs. Tang said with a smile as she walked Tang Yin and Lin Yi to the door.
Before leaving, Lin Yi turned around and pushed a debit card onto Mrs. Tang.
Mrs. Tang paused before accepting it with a smile, understanding that Lin Yi was giving it to her as she slipped it into her pocket. He had done it behind Tang Yinâs back too, meaning that this was absolutely free money, not a loan.
There wasnât any evidence, and Tang Yin didnât even see it.
Other than the shark fin, Lin Yi had also come today to give Mrs. Tang the debit card. He wanted her to get the barbecue shop set up quickly and lessen Tang Yinâs burdens.
âWhat did you give my mom just now?â Tang Yin had sharp eyes and noticed the movement.
âNothing.â Lin Yi smiled.
âDid you secretly give her money again?â Tang Yin guessed. She wasnât stupid.
âNope, just a small accessory,â Lin Yi said nonchalantly.
âOh.â Tang Yin sighed in relief, still worried that sheâd have a hard time paying Lin Yi back for everything she owed him.
Lin Yi drove Tang Yin to school and parked the car on the food street. He was getting out when Xiaoxiao drove up and parked beside him in her Audi TT.
Xiaoxiaoâs car took up another vendor spot, but none of the vendors dared say anything. After all, this was someone who knew Lin Yi. No one in their right mind would get themselves involved.
âHoney!â Xiaoxiao waved at Lin Yi after parking her car.1
âWhat!â Lin Yiâs eyes widened. He turned and looked at Xiaoxiao, wondering if she had gone insane. Was she seriously calling him honey now?
The look on Tang Yinâs face darkened as she looked at Xiaoxiao, confused. Xiaoxaio had been overly intimate with Lin Yi back at the cafeteria, and it had been enough to make her uncomfortable. What did she think Tang Yin was, calling Lin Yi her husband in front of her like this?
âLin Yi, didnât you say youâd talk to her about it?â Xiaoxiao ran over and hugged his arm. âYou liar! You told me youâd give her a break up fee and break up with her! Whyâre you still with her?â
âFeng Xiaoxiao, are you out of your mind?â Lin Yi was angry at Xiaoxiaoâs absurdity.
âLin Yi, I think I might be pregnant. Can you take me to the hospital to check?â Xiaoxiao continued, not responding to what Lin Yi said.
Tang Yin frowned as she looked at Xiaoxiao. Considering what Lin Yi had just said, she didnât believe Xiaoxiao.
But anyone would have suspicions when hearing something like that. âWhatâs going on?â
âDidnât Lin Yi give you a break up fee?â Xiaoxiao looked at Tang Yin, confused. âIâve known Lin Yi for a long time! I wanted to let you be the mistress because I felt bad for you. I was willing to share, but since you werenât cooperating, I had no choice but to have Lin Yi say bye bye to you.â
Tang Yin paused. She didnât really believe what Xiaoxiao was saying, but she couldnât help herself from having some suspicion with how confidently and boldly Xiaoxiao spoke those words!
Honor and reputation was very important to a girl. Why would Xiaoxiao, who didnât even have a boyfriend, dirty herself by saying things like that?
She noticed some passing students look in their direction, and felt her face heat up with embarrassment and frustration. What Xiaoxiao was saying was obviously being used to attack her! Even if she was lying, Tang Yin still felt uncomfortable about it. This would make the people listening think she was trying to steal Xiaoxiaoâs man!
Never would Tang Yin have imagined that sheâd be the main character of a love triangle!
âLin Yi, talk to her and clear it up. Iâm going. Come find me at lunch!â Tang Yin said to Lin Yi before quickly walking away, not wanting to get looked at with those confused eyes any longer.
Lin Yi, on the other hand, looked at Xiaoxiao, looking a little pissed off. âWhat do you want, exactly?â
âLin Yi, I like you!â Xiaoxaio tilted her head up and stared into Lin Yiâs eyes, her face completely red. âI canât take it anymore! Iâm in love with you! I thought I could hold myself back, but after you saved me yesterday⦠I canât stop myself anymore!â
1. Literal translation is âhubby.â