Chapter 75: The First Guest

At nine o’clock the next morning, Lin Duo arrived punctually at the school gate, her fan-themed backpack slung over her shoulders. Wang Linshu was already waiting there, waving excitedly at her.

The two walked to the bus stop together, patiently waiting for their ride. Wang Linshu recounted amusing anecdotes from their class, attempting to showcase his sense of humor.

Lin Duo, however, noticed something new. She measured the top of her own head with her small hand, then measured Wang Linshu’s.

“Have you grown taller recently?” she asked.

“Yes, I was only 170 centimeters during the middle school entrance exam last year, but when I measured myself last week, I was already 176!” Wang Linshu looked exceptionally proud. “I knew it! My grandpa and dad are both over 1.8 meters tall. How could my genes suddenly mutate?”

“No wonder… I’m already 164 centimeters, yet you’re still so much taller than me, just like before.”

“Actually, it’s better for girls not to be too tall. I recently saw a post online that claimed the ideal height difference between men and women is 17 centimeters.”

“17 centimeters, huh… Tall boys do give a greater sense of security.” Lin Duo had grown accustomed to viewing the world from a female perspective, and instinctively, she felt taller boys were more pleasing to the eye.

Just then, the bus slowly pulled into the station. The two of them swiped their cards and boarded, one after the other.

The bus was still relatively empty. Lin Duo found a window seat, and Wang Linshu sat to her left.

During the ride, Lin Duo spent most of her time gazing out at the scenery. Wang Linshu, on the other hand, stared at Lin Duo almost the entire way.

He even felt a sudden surge of poetic inspiration. “You watch the scenery from the bridge; the one watching the scenery watches you on the bridge.”

Lin Duo sighed with a hint of exasperation. “You’ve been staring at me for a whole year in junior high, and you still haven’t had enough!”

“I can’t help it. Who told you to be so beautiful? I could never get enough of looking at you in a lifetime.” Wang Linshu had seemingly learned a trove of sweet nothings from somewhere.

“Look all you want, but don’t forget our agreement!”

“Hehe, of course not.”

****

Back in the familiar fruit shop, her adoptive mother, Wu Bijuan, would always greet Lin Duo with a joyful smile. “My girl is back! Go upstairs and get some rest. Oh, isn’t this little Wang? Long time no see.”

“Hello, Auntie!” Wang Linshu offered a respectful slight bow.

Wu Bijuan’s eyes twinkled as an idea sparked within her. “Duoduo, there are still drinks in the fridge upstairs. Why don’t you take little Wang up to sit for a while?”

Though somewhat reluctant, Lin Duo dutifully complied. However, as they ascended the stairs, she made a point to remind him, “My dad is catching up on sleep in the room, so let’s keep our voices down later and not disturb him.”

The apartment upstairs wasn’t large, spanning approximately 70 square meters. It featured a standard layout of two bedrooms, one living room, one bathroom, and one kitchen.

Her adoptive parents slept in the larger bedroom, while Lin Duo occupied the smaller one. This smaller room was originally intended for a hired worker, but Lin Duo now occupied it.

This was one reason why the Yue couple hadn’t hired more staff. Hiring someone meant providing accommodation in addition to their salary, making the cost prohibitively high.

Consequently, they preferred to work harder themselves, saving more money for their beloved adopted daughter.

Lin Duo skillfully retrieved a bottle of drink from the fridge and handed it to Wang Linshu. “Here, drink up, then let’s head downstairs.”

Wang Linshu took the drink, his eyes scanning the surroundings curiously. “Which one is your bedroom?”

“The one on the left. Why, do you want to take a look inside?”

Wang Linshu nodded repeatedly.

Lin Duo didn’t consider her bedroom a particularly private space, so she readily led Wang Linshu inside. “Just sit on the bed; it’s more comfortable than the sofa.”

“Your room is so tidy!” Wang Linshu meticulously scanned every corner of the room, as if trying to memorize its layout.

Lin Duo casually sat to his right. “Because I don’t like clutter! A clean and tidy room not only makes it easy to find things, but it also brightens my mood every time I see it.”

Wang Linshu quickly thought of another question. “Have your friends been to this room before?”

“No. My home is rather small and modest, so I haven’t invited any friends in before. You’re the first, aren’t you?”

“I’m the first? Hehehehe…” Wang Linshu began to giggle foolishly for no apparent reason.

“You just wanted to see my room, didn’t you? Now you’ve had your wish.” Lin Duo couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. “Alright, there’s nothing much to see here, and it’s a bit stuffy. Let’s go downstairs and sit for a bit, and maybe help Mom with the business.”

Since Yue Renhui had just returned from a delivery that morning and was exhausted, he needed to catch up on sleep. Thus, Wu Bijuan was managing the shop alone.

With several customers, she naturally found herself a bit overwhelmed. As Lin Duo and Wang Linshu descended the stairs, they heard a customer rudely demanding attention.

“Where are the staff?! Where’s the boss?! Are you all dead?! If no one comes to check me out, I’m taking these things and leaving right now!”

Lin Duo quickly approached with a cheerful smile. “My apologies, sir. My mother is a bit busy, so I’ll help you check out.”

The customer placed his items next to the cash register, his expression softening slightly. “That’s more like it. By the way, how old are you, little sister? Do you have a boyfriend?”

Lin Duo was about to answer, but Wang Linshu interjected, glaring angrily at the customer. “Hey, what business is it of yours whether she has a boyfriend or not?”

The customer, who seemed to have a rather short temper himself, snapped, “Can’t I ask?! Who the hell are you?! Believe it or not, I’ll slice you with a knife!”

“Come on! Cut me then! If you don’t, you’re a grandson!” Wang Linshu retorted with equal aggression.

Lin Duo had to step in and mediate. “Alright, alright, let’s keep the peace! Um, the fruits are seven kuai and eight mao in total. Cash or card?”

“Seven kuai and eight mao?” The customer seemed dissatisfied. “Can’t you round it down to 5 kuai? Your little helper here was quite rude earlier and severely insulted my character.”

What kind of rounding was that? Fortunately, Lin Duo, with over a year of experience in the fruit business, knew how to handle it.

She looked at the customer with a pitiful expression. “We’re a small business, and if we lose money, my parents will scold me. Please don’t be like this, sir?”

Lin Duo was already delicate and lovely in appearance. Coupled with such a piteous expression, the customer, not entirely heartless, finally relented.

“Alright, alright. Seeing as you’re such a young girl helping your parents with their business, it’s not easy. I’ll make an exception this time. Here, seven kuai and nine mao. The one mao is your tip, no need for change!”

“Thank you!” Lin Duo did her best to suppress her resentment, forcing out a sweet smile.

Once the customer had walked away, Wang Linshu could no longer contain his anger. “That customer was too much! Are all the customers around here like that?”

“Of course not. Most customers are very friendly; it’s just that in a big forest, you’re bound to find a few odd birds.” Lin Duo patiently replied, as she recorded the recent transaction.

“That’s how it is with small businesses—fierce competition, and we rely on repeat customers. My father actually has it even tougher. Every time, before three in the morning, he has to drive to the wholesale market in Kongqiao to source goods, and he has to carefully inspect and confirm the quality of the fruit.

There was even one time when the back door of his delivery truck broke during transit, scattering fresh fruit all over the road. Passersby quickly picked it all up, and he lost a lot of money. But who could he even complain to?”

Wang Linshu fell silent for a moment. “Even though my grandpa and dad are in the same business, I never knew it was this hard.”

“Your family are big bosses; you only need to manage the accounts and administration, not the actual operations or deliveries, so we’re still different.” Lin Duo closed the ledger and looked up. “The work here is actually quite boring. Shouldn’t you go back and rest or do your homework soon?”

Wang Linshu, however, stubbornly pulled up a chair and sat next to Lin Duo. “No, I want to experience the specific operational process of a fruit shop. After all, I’ll be inheriting my father’s business in the future!”

“Then suit yourself! But I won’t be paying you!”

“It’s fine. Being able to stay with you is the best reward.”

“Can you please not be so cheesy!…”

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