Chapter 319: Recalling Past Events
The restaurant was doing good; it was jam-packed with visitors. The food was cheap and fine, causing many regular customers to come back. Coupled with favorable public praise that quickly passed from mouth to mouth, a lot of new customers came after hearing it.
At this time, Su Lingyun could be said to be half-worried and half-pleasantly surprised because of successive expansion of the restaurant, sill unable to accommodate all the coming guests. Tables were booked every day, and within the span of two hours after the restaurant was opened, all the tables and boxes had been reserved for noon and evening.
“Yunde, how about we get a few other stores next door?” asked Su Lingyun with a frown inside the office.
After a month of rest and recovery, Tang Yunde’s body had recovered well and was almost similar to a normal person’s at present. Upon hearing his wife’s words, he smiled and said, “If you want it, then let’s get it. The restaurant is doing great, and making a little bit more of money is always good.”
"Pfft…"
Su Lingyun couldn’t help laugh, shooting white eyes at her husband as she said all smiling, “You’re rich, I know that. And you may not have a liking to the restaurant business. But I can never get used to the life of a rich lady. I feel more secure making money by doing down-to-earth hard work.”
“Little Yun, we are husband and wife, the closest person to each other in this world. I have given you all my bank cards as well as my stocks. What else is making you feel insecure? Besides, I have promised to never leave you again, so you can put your heart at ease. Having a steady and secure life and enjoying it. I’ll support you unconditionally in whatever you wanna do.”
Warmness filled Su Lingyun’s heart upon hearing it, as her eyes filled with tenderness. Suddenly, she said, “Tell me, if I did my hair and such, would I look younger?”
Caught by surprise, Tang Yunde was at a loss whether he should feel amused or cry, “Even without it, you’re always the most beautiful in my eyes. But if you wanna do it, I’ll accompany you.”
“Nah, I don’t need to be accompanied.”
Though she said it like that, yet her heart was somewhat moved. But since she hadn’t ever done such a thing, as well as knowing that it was rather expensive, she decided against it.
She had tasted living in hardship and being poor!
However much money she made, she didn’t want to waste a penny for it.
“Knock, knock…”
The office’s door was knocked and opened from the outside. As Tang Xiu entered holding Gu Yin, he could see Su Lingyun and Tang Yunde sitting on the sofa chatting.
“Grandpa! Grandma!”
Gu Yin broke away from Tang Xiu’s hand and ran over cheerfully.
Su Lingyun was pleasantly surprised the moment she saw Tang Xiu. After hugging Gu Yin and kissing her delicate, cute little face, she then looked at Tang Xiu and said, “Brat, you unexpectedly came back without noticing me in advance. Ah, look at your skin color. You’re so dark and thin. You must have gotten into some hardships outside, right?”
“I didn’t get into any hardships, mom,” Tang Xiu faintly smiled and said, “I just got tanned by sunlight. It’s normal.”
Having said that, he then looked at Tang Xiu, nodding to him and said, “Dad!”
Seeing Tang Xiu back, Tang Yunde was somewhat excited inwardly. Especially when Tang Xiu called him ‘Dad’, it made him excited inside. With a smile, he replied, “It’s great that you came back! Your mom has literally been talking about you every day recently, for fear that you suffered some hardships out there.”
Tang Xiu shook his head, expressing that he was fine, as he said, “Mom, let’s go home! I already told Big Sis Mu to prepare a meal. Just leave the restaurant business to the others.”
“Okay. My son came back, so I gotta make time for him even if the business is busy,” Su Lingyun nodded with a smile and said,” Ah, right sonny. I put your university admission notice inside your bedroom’s drawer.”
“I plan to go to Shanghai tomorrow night and register two days later,” said Tang Xiu.
“Xiu’er, your auntie sent some things a few days ago. They were put in your bedroom drawer. If you don’t want to stay in a college dormitory in Shanghai, you can stay in the villa outside. I’ve also bought some real estates in Shanghai, you can find the deeds, keys, and whatnot in your drawer also. You can stay in any villa you pick,” said Tang Yunde.
Buying villas in Shanghai?
Somehow, Tang Xiu was bit surprised. Everyone knew that the housing prices in Shanghai were astronomical, for which a lot of people couldn’t afford. After hesitating, he asked, “Dad, listening to you, you’re rather rich, no?”
Tang Yunde was silent for a moment before he nodded and said, “I had been harmed by someone and fell into a stupor all of a sudden. I haven’t fulfilled my responsibilities to your mother, or else, the both of you wouldn’t have had suffered so many hardships for so many years. Anyways, let’s talk while having the meal.”
Tang Xiu knew Tang Yunde had a story to tell. Even as how he had turned into a vegetative state, he wasn’t yet clear about it.
“Pack up first, mom. I’m going to see Banshou and Dingzi and discuss something with them.”
"Go!"
Tang Xiu left Gu Yin there and left the office alone. After he found Banshou and Dingzi, he brought them to a secluded place on the roof of the restaurant.
“Boss, could you tell us about our change of work now?” asked Banshou curiously.
“The both of you are the men I subdued the earliest. I’ve been keeping an eye on you both for a long time, and compared with before, you’re now a lot mature. So, I’m prepared to give you a very important and challenging work,” said Tang Xiu.
Banshou and Dingzi exchanged looks as happy expressions filled their eyes. Tang Xiu’s approval and recognition made them very excited.
“I’m planning to adopt a group of orphans, but it’s evidently unrealistic if I myself go to the orphanages to adopt them. Hence, I want you two to form two teams and find me good-natured kids across the country. Their ages are best around two to eight years old,” said Tang Xiu.
Confused, Banshou asked, “Why do you want to adopt so many children, Boss?”
“Don’t ask,” said Tang Xiu faintly, “I want you to find street children, and they should be of good character. I’ll send some people to check later. If you do this job well, let alone doubling your salary, rising it ten times higher isn’t a problem.”
"Really?" Dingzi's eyes stared with eyes wide, looking ecstatic.
“Absolutely!” Tang Xiu laughed and said, “Before you two set up a team, I’ll give you a sum of money each. I’ll give an extra reward to anyone who does the job well. I assure you that this reward will be even better than money.”
“Boss, how big is the team you need?” asked Banshou quickly.
“It doesn’t need to have a lot of people. Each of you can only take up to six people. I have to tell you, there are millions of street urchins in this world, but don’t pick everyone you find. What I want is the kind of smart, sensible and good-natured children. Do keep in mind that I want the best, don’t make up the numbers with inferior ones.”
Banshou and Dingzi instantly understood Tang Xiu’s meaning. The duo nodded and indicated that they understood it clearly.
“Later on, I’ll transfer five million yuan to each of your bank accounts. However you spend it, it’s your call. But remember- each of you has to find twenty street children within two months,” said Tang Xiu.
Two months?
Banshou and Dingzi exchanged looks yet again, a strong fighting spirit igniting inside them.
Tang Xiu said again, “Two months later, some people will contact you, and you will have to hand over forty street children to them. Wait until they take the street children, after which a series of tests will be conducted to screen out some of them. Between the street children you found, whoever has more children staying will prove which one of you did a better job.”
“Boss, about the street urchins who get screened out, what are you going to do with them?” asked Banshou.
“For them to be found by you is also a kind of fate. So I naturally will not allow them to be alone, forsaken and living a precocious life just like before. As for the arrangements, you don’t have to think about it,” said Tang Xiu faintly.
“Understood!” The duo replied at the same time.
Several minutes later.
While holding Gu Yin’s hand, Tang Xiu left the restaurant along with his parents. As they returned to South Gate Town, it was already 9AM.
On the table, fine dishes had been personally served by Mu Qingping; of whom, under Su Lingyun’s request and insistence, also joined the dinner. Then, Su Lingyun helped Mu Qingping pick up the leftovers dishes, whereas Tang Xiu and Tang Yunde went to the study room on the second floor.
“Xiu’er, I’ve been to this study room, but I didn’t touch anything inside.”
From the maids, Tang Yunde knew that Tang Xiu forbade anyone to enter his study room. He woke up and found he already had a grown-up son for whom he especially treasured. Hence, he explained about it for fear that Tang Xiu would be unhappy.
“It’s okay, Dad. It’s for the employees,” Tang Xiu said and continued, “Anyways, let’s talk about your matters! We haven’t had a chance to chat since you woke up.”
Tang Yunde forced a smile and said, “Listening to your tone, I kind of have a feeling that you’re the father and I’m the son.”
Tang Xiu looked distracted and stared blankly for a moment as he didn’t know what to say.
He wasn’t used to having a father since he used to have only a mother before. All of a sudden, he got a father, hence, it was beyond his control when his habit took off.
“Let’s chat, Dad!”
Tang Xiu sat on the sofa and casually took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.
“Pass me one!”
Clamping it on his fingers, Tang Yunde lit it up and slowly said after a few puffs, “Actually, before I became a vegetable, I was already rich. It’s been 20 years now, and my identity and status were rather sensitive back then. Even the Tangs who knew my other identity were very few, amounting to, perhaps, no more than ten.”
“What was your other identity? A soldier?”