Chapter 172 When She Glanced Over At Yan Beicheng, She Discovered That He Still Had A Solemn Expression. (1/2)

Lin Chu frowned and closed the box. She proceeded to put it back into the bag and returned it to Dai Huimin. ”This is too expensive.”

”No, no, this is nothing! Compared to what I owed you, this is nothing!” Dai Huimin hurriedly shook her head with an expression that looked as though she was about to bawl.

She knew that Lin Chu hated it when people cried and so she held it in. ”I owe you so much more. Compared to what I owe you this is truly nothing. I never raised you properly as you were growing up, and I've felt any responsibility toward you. I see you've grown up well, but not due to any of my efforts - I've never done anything for you.”

The old principal knew that she was looking for Lin Chu, hence she looked for her as well and told her everything that Lin Chu had gone through. Dai Huimin always had the feeling that Lin Chu had a good life, and according to the old principal that treated her so well, she must never have suffered since she was a child. At least it would be better than if she were to live with her. Thus, she felt a slight pain from losing her daughter alongside a pang of guilt, but it was not particularly severe.

Once she heard the old principal's stories, she knew what she had done was wrong. Later on, it was not even because of Huang Changxian blocking her, it was because she could not bring herself to as she was ashamed to face her. The guilt in her heart was hard to swallow, and she constantly held onto it, deepening her sorrow further.

She also did not allow Xu Jiaojiao to disturb Lin Chu anymore, and even had a quarrel with Xu Jiaojiao about it. At that point, she even had the urge to strike Xu Jiaojiao.

She felt that since she could no longer do much for Lin Chu, and she had wronged her in the past, then the least she could do now was not cause her any trouble and make her angry.

This was up until Xu Jiaojiao saw the news of Lin Chu and Yan Beicheng getting married. She felt that since she had never done anything for Lin Chu, she proceeded to take out her savings and went to the mall to pick out the pair of dragon and phoenix bracelets in hopes that Lin Chu would accept them, and hoping that she would fulfill a small part of her meager duties.

”You're married now, and I can't do anything for you. I've thought about it, and I had no idea what to give you. I then thought about my hometown and this custom. I'm not capable, and not as great as the Yan Family. I also don't know any powerful people, have no connections and don't have a lot of money. But, I still wanted to do my best. This bracelet… is all that I can offer you. I can't do much, but what I can do, I'll do my best for you. Lin Chu, I beg you please accept this. Just let… Let me do these small things for you, even just a little bit!”

Lin Chu felt tears well up in her eyes, and her heart got tender from her words. ”Actually, as long as you wish me well, that's enough for me. If you wanted to gift something to me, they don't need to be this much. I understand your intentions, and I've received it. You should leave this pair of bracelets for Xu Jiaojiao. When she gets married, she'll need it as well.”

”Are you… Are you unwilling to accept them?” Dai Huimin asked in an upset tone.

”No, please don't misunderstand. I've really received your kind intentions, and I know you're not scheming anything. I also know that you really want to do these things for me. I get it, and it's not that I'm rejecting your kind intentions. On the contrary, I've accepted them. However, I know your family's financial circumstances and so I believe this bracelet should be kept until they are more of use to you.” Lin Chu explained softly.

Seeing that Lin Chu was not rejecting it and had explained everything to her in a soft manner, Dai Huimin believed her.

However, she still insisted on giving her the bracelet. ”Our family's financial situation is not that bad now, really.”

”Me and your uncle… I mean my husband, we've opened up a small restaurant. It's not big and we're currently renting the ground floor of a residence next to the street. He's a cook and is quite skilled, but he's unable to constantly work under someone. So, we took out our savings and opened our own shop years ago. He serves normal stir-fry dishes, pork ribs with rice and dumplings. They're not expensive things, so the revenue is not high. The business is going well though, those that work nearby as well as primary school students would spend more than ten Yuan per day to eat until they're full.”

”Coincidentally, there's a block just next to our restaurant where a paralyzed old lady lives at. She needs someone to help her defecate and urinate, and nothing more. I go over twice a day to help her go to the toilet, and once she's done, I put her back into bed. I was given one thousand and five hundred Yuan per month.”

”All of this together gives me a few thousand Yuan a month.” Dai Huimin brightened up as she thought of it. ”So, don't worry about Jiaojiao's, I'll have enough to afford hers as well.”

Dai Huimin then carefully handed the bag back to Lin Chu, but did not dare put it in her hands. She was afraid she would be unhappy, so she let go of it and let the bag fall to the ground.

Although the gold bracelet was protected by a box, it was still very valuable for Dai Huimin as it was her first time buying such expensive things.

Dai Huimin's expression was timid and nervous, and the hand she used to carry the bag trembled constantly. She looked at Lin Chu with a desperate expression across her face.

Lin Chu had always been someone that could be coaxed, not coerced. However, as she looked at Dai Huimin's appearance, she did not have the heart to say any harsh words. Despite this, she did not dare accept it either - her heart was truly conflicted.

Dai Huimin's gaze trembled as her eyes expressed her sorrow. She lowered her head, unable to speak, and slowly picked the bag back up and held it in her arms. One could see her frustrated expression as she was obviously disappointed but unable to show it in front of Lin Chu. It would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Lin Chu frowned slightly and asked, ”You haven't eaten right?”

Dai Huimin was stunned and froze, her lips trembled as she looked up but was unable to speak. Then, she slowly shook her head.

Lin Chu gave it a thought and continued, ”Have a meal with me.”

Dai Huimin did not know whether it was so that Lin Chu could have a talk with her and set it straight that she should never bother her again or whether it because she had opened up a little toward her.

Being able to have a meal with Lin Chu still made her happy, and the corner of her eyes sparkled with tears even though she was too excited to say a word. She nodded, as she was simultaneously cried and laughed.

When Lin Chu saw this scene, she did not know how to feel. She could not say that she had gotten closer with Dai Huimin and had felt the blood connection since she still felt like a stranger toward Dai Huimin and was not able to reveal too many emotions.

Watching Dai Huimin tip-toe around her made her heart go soft and she became quite apologetic.

Even though she said she would treat Dai Huimin as a stranger, in truth she knew was kinder toward a stranger than toward Dai Huimin.

Lin Chu then began to doubt herself about whether she had treated her with the right attitude.

She saw how Dai Huimin felt so uneasy and was quite afraid of her. She wanted to approach her but did not have the courage to.

Lin Chu heaved a sigh and said, ”Follow me.”

Dai Huimin happily agreed and gave her a quick nod, then quickly rubbed off her tears and carefully trailed after Lin Chu. It was as if she were a servant, and she acted as if she was even lower than Aunt Zhuang.

Lin Chu noticed this and slowed down so that she was walking beside Dai Huimin.

Dai Huimin slowed down as well and maintained her distance behind Lin Chu's back.

Lin Chu, ”...”

Lin Chu turned around and glanced at her but said nothing. She walked toward Shao Huai and saw Shao Huai hesitating so she said, ”We're just getting a meal nearby. You can go back first. I'll explain to Beicheng.”

Shao Huai glanced at Dai Huimin once more, as if he was not at ease. In the end, he obeyed Lin Chu's wishes and nodded before driving away.

Lin Chu brought Dai Huimin to a nearby restaurant. On their way there she gave Yan Beicheng a call.

Shao Huai had informed Yan Beicheng beforehand, so when Lin Chu called, Yan Beicheng was not surprised.

Lin Chu told him that she had met up with Dai Huimin and wanted to bring her out for a meal. Yan Beicheng did not object and just asked, ”Do you want me to accompany you?”

Lin Chu thought about it and smiled. ”That'll be great, if you're not busy then come over.”

Lin Chu had brought Dai Huimin into the restaurant at that moment and told Yan Beicheng the name of it.

She thought about it again and felt that Yan Beicheng did not really fit in sitting in the big dining area with them. Yan Beicheng was way too eye-catching, hence she asked the waiter whether there was a private room.

There was one available, and even though there was an extra 15% surcharge for it, Lin Chu did not mind and went ahead and grabbed it.

She then told Yan Beicheng the name of the private room so he could directly enter later on.

Once they entered, Lin Chu ordered several dishes. It was not a lot, just enough for the three of them.

The waiter had just left when Yan Beicheng arrived.

Originally, when facing Lin Chu, Dai Huimin would get nervous as she had never seen Lin Chu when she was growing up. Even if they were connected by blood, she was still a stranger to her. Furthermore, Dai Huimin had an indescribable feeling that Lin Chu's temperament and grandeur made one unable to resist looking up to her. So, when she was with her, she would always be on edge.

Lin Chu herself was not aware of this, it was just that she had been around Yan Beicheng for such a long time that she had inevitably been influenced by his grandeur aura. Even her habits and nuanced movements were like Yan Beicheng's now.

Moreover, she was always with Yan Beicheng, or Chu Zhaoyang and the others, and her aura had inevitably been influenced by them. An average person would find Chu Zhaoyang and the others intimidating, but Lin Chu had grown used to them. Even her attitude toward them was casual now, so over time, her temperament naturally grew similar to theirs.

Jiang Changdai and Lu Weining were constantly looking down on Lin Chu's origin, but they had never taken a closer and serious look at Lin Chu. Otherwise, they would have discovered that both of them could not compare to Lin Chu now!

When Yan Beicheng arrived and sat next out Lin Chu, the aura they gave out was completely unbeatable. It made Dai Huimin unbearably nervous. Initially, she could not even speak out due to excitement, but now she was practically speechless because she was so tense.

When Lin Chu saw this, she could not bear it and said to her, ”Don't be nervous, he doesn't bite.”

Dai Huimin decided to boldly raise her head since Lin Chu had said this in a nice tone. However, when she glanced over at Yan Beicheng, she discovered that he still wore a solemn expression. The courage she had just gained immediately shriveled back down, and she then embarrassedly smacked her lips and drooped her shoulders again.

As the waiter placed the dishes on the table, Lin Chu thought of Xu Jiaojiao and asked, ”You guys… are you okay lately?”

Dai Huimin suddenly raised her head back up, barely having the time to conceal her expression of pleasant surprise that was written all over her face before trying her best to conceal it.

Nevertheless, she kept looking at Lin Chu instead of Yan Beicheng. Even if she felt immensely pressured, at least she was able to speak out now.

”Great, we're doing just fine!” Dai Huimin nodded her head excitedly as if she were pounding on garlic. Despite this, both her hands were still placed under the table on top of her knees, clenching onto it as she continuously twisted her fingers.

It was rare for her to chat with Lin Chu in a peaceful manner, so Dai Huimin was pleasantly surprised and cherished the moment. She also refused to give in to her nervousness and continued talking, ”Didn't I tell you just now that we've opened up a small restaurant? Although we've invested quite a lot of our savings, judging by our income since opening, the investment is very worthwhile. Your uncle's quite good at cooking. If you don't… don't mind, you could… could come by our place for a meal. Let him cook you up some great dishes for you to try. He has several hand-made dishes and they're all delicious.

”I… I'm quite good at cooking as well, even though they don't look as good as his. The dishes he makes are restaurant-style food, while the food I make is mostly home-style food. If you're willing, I… I could cook some for you.” The more Dai Huimin spoke, the more she trembled.

Lin Chu was not opposed to the idea, yet she did not agree to it either.

Just the fact that she did not bluntly reject her was enough to make Dai Huimin happy. Her heart grew warmer and she felt a little bit of hope forming as her eyes reddened as well.

Although, when she suddenly thought about Lin Cu's identity now, she was not so sure anymore.

She mumbled, ”I know that you're probably used to eating great food, and probably… probably not used to the meals we make…”

Lin Chu hesitated for a while, but replied, ”Not really, we eat the same as you. We don't eat such expensive meals all the time.”

Dai Huimin felt hopeful, and her tear-filled eyes grew brighter. ”Our small restaurant was opened with a conscience in mind, so the ingredients are all fresh. Even the cooking oil we use is decent peanut oil, not that cooking oil that has been used and discarded, and not even that genetically modified oil. You can eat them with ease.”

Dai Huimin smiled embarrassedly. ”Our lives are getting better each day, and Jiaojiao found a job as well. I heard it was Lin or some sort of company, I've never heard of it but she said the company's not bad. The welfare benefits are okay as well. I've asked her to do well and be more down-to-earth, and not beg for a promotion. As long as the requirements are met, then the treatment won't be so bad.”

Dai Huimin saw that Lin Chu did not have an annoyed expression on her face and sneaked a glance at Yan Beicheng. Yan Beicheng had an expressionless face, and even his eyebrows were not raised in the slightest.

He took some Thai style sweet and spicy shrimp and peeled it, then placed it on Lin Chu's plate. He saw Lin Chu's bowl of fresh vegetable soup that was half empty and scooped more for her until it was filled.

Dai Huimin had carefully observed them since the beginning of the meal. Yan Beicheng was not just eating his share, he was constantly making sure that Lin Chu was eating well. He gave her food based on what dishes she like the most, and on what was missing from her plates.

She noticed that the whole time, Lin Chu barely picked up anything with her chopsticks, she just ate what was placed in front of her.

Dai Huimin suddenly felt that Yan Beicheng was not as intimidating as he seemed. Even if Yan Beicheng's public identity was such, he was still a normal person. No other men would even be as considerate as he was to spoil their wife as much as he did.

Even youngsters who were madly in love did not act this way.

Seeing Lin Chu living well, she felt comforted and silently felt that Lin Chu was truly blessed.

When she looked at Lin Chu and Yan Beicheng, Dai Huimin thought of Xu Jiaojiao and said, ”Jiaojiao had also recently gotten herself a boyfriend. That child had always had a lot of self-love. When she was in school she had never dated, nor did she date when she got to college. I actually felt that it would've been great for her if she dated in college. She refused to, and as she's a child with her own ideals I didn't want to pry. But recently, she's had lots of pretty clothes and bags. She's constantly bringing back stuff, such as skin care items, and buying me and her dad a lot of things.”

As she continued, Dai Huimin was afraid that people would hear her and tilted forward. ”Yesterday I heard something when she was sneakily having a phone call at home. The door was closed so I couldn't hear her clearly, but you could vaguely hear that she's in love now, and the things that she brought back these past few days had been gifted to her by her boyfriend. It seems like he's in the same company as her and is her superior. He also seems young and promising so that's good.”

Lin Chu's gaze dropped slightly. She heart hesitated on whether or not she should let her know. However, upon looking at Dai Huimin being so happy, she did not have the heart to dissapoint her.

Dai Huimin glanced at Yan Beicheng once more, and quietly moved to Lin Chu's side and whispered, ”Seeing Jiaojiao with such a capable boyfriend, I'm happy as well. I know that this way, you'll have more confidence in our family since I know that you're not lacking anything yourself.”

Dai Huimin then curled her fingers and shifted more. ”But I still wanted to give you more, like…”

Like a mother would do for her daughter.

Lin Chu looked at Dai Huimin with conflicted feelings. Perhaps Dai Huimin was not very intelligent, but she was able to tell with certainty that up until this moment, Dai Huimin did not harbor any ill intentions toward her.

She was truly looking forward to Xu Jiaojiao living a good life. As she listened to her, she knew she was proud of Xu Jiaojiao. Even if she knew that it was unnecessary, Dai Huiming wished that her household would get better, and that they would be able to support Lin Chu if anything were to happen.