Aunt Ruxue's Suspicion, The Gold Medal Saleswoman

"Aunt Ruxue, I actually have a question that I've been curious about for a while..."

"What exactly is your relationship with Maomao?"

"Is she adopted? Or is she a relative's child?"

This had always puzzled Lin Yu.

Today, he had laid his "cards on the table" first, giving him the courage to ask her to reveal hers.

Du Ruxue glanced at Lin Yu, slightly intrigued, and countered:

"Didn’t you ask Maomao about this?"

Lin Yu shook his head: "..."

Well...

It wasn’t like he couldn’t ask, right?

People who are overly mature tend to overcomplicate things.

Especially when it involves someone else’s privacy.

Would asking be too intrusive? Would it make her uncomfortable? What if she didn’t want to answer? What if it brought up painful memories?

After some thought, he realized that if he had asked Maomao directly, she probably would have answered.

Du Ruxue replied:

"Maomao... is a child who survived an earthquake."

"Her parents shielded her with their bodies when the house collapsed."

"Somehow, this little ten-year-old girl miraculously survived."

"I saw the news while abroad and was deeply moved by her parents’ sacrifice."

"After returning home, I found her locally and adopted her."

Hearing this, the mystery in Lin Yu’s heart was finally solved.

So, in a way, Maomao’s background was quite similar to his own.

The only difference was the timing of their adoptions—his had come a bit later.

But the pain of losing parents was something neither of them could escape.

After listening to Du Ruxue’s explanation, Lin Yu fell silent for a moment.

He thought to himself that an adult’s discretion in avoiding such questions was still necessary.

If he had asked Maomao directly, wouldn’t that just be reopening old wounds?

"I see, so that’s how it is..."

"Aunt Ruxue, do you still plan to take Maomao back soon?"

"If this question is too personal, you don’t have to answer."

Without hesitation, Du Ruxue turned the tables:

"If you thought I wouldn’t answer, you wouldn’t have asked."

Lin Yu: "..."

Ugh.

Sharp intuition indeed.

Lin Yu had to admit that the atmosphere now felt more relaxed.

After answering one somewhat private question, asking another slightly more intrusive one seemed easier to accept.

Du Ruxue pulled out her phone and started scrolling.

Lin Yu sat quietly beside her, waiting.

Did she need her phone to help answer this question?

Or was there something stored on it that she wanted to show him?

After waiting at least two minutes, Du Ruxue finally turned the screen toward Lin Yu.

On the webpage displayed was...

A list of food vendors at Wanda Plaza!

Lin Yu’s eyes widened: "???"

Du Ruxue asked, sounding conflicted:

"What do you think we should eat after shopping at Wanda Plaza?"

"You know Pingchuan better than I do—any recommendations?"

She looked at Lin Yu expectantly.

Lin Yu: "..."

Oh.

So she just wasn’t going to answer, huh?

What kind of eccentric personality was this?!

At least saying "I’d rather not say" would have been acceptable!

He had been waiting in anticipation for nothing.

This seamless topic shift—who could even react in time?

"I... I’m fine with anything."

"I don’t go to Wanda Plaza often..."

As if he could even eat now—he was too annoyed to be hungry!

So the two aunts had decided to go to Wanda Plaza, huh?

Pingchuan didn’t have many high-end shopping malls.

The last time Lin Yu had been there was when he took Aunt Qimeng shopping.

Aunt Qimeng herself never went there otherwise.

Thinking about it...

After their late-night conversation the previous evening,

she must have learned about Aunt Ruxue’s income level and didn’t want to take her to a less impressive place.

For Lin Yu, it didn’t matter either way.

Today, he only had one role to play...

The bag-carrying lackey!

---

An hour later.

At the entrance of Wanda Plaza.

The three of them stepped out of a taxi and walked inside.

Before leaving, Lin Yu had wondered—

Would a high-powered businesswoman like her really have a luxury car and chauffeur pick them up?

But no.

She had chosen to take a taxi with them, keeping things surprisingly low-key.

The two aunts walked arm in arm ahead, their closeness unmistakable.

Lin Yu followed closely behind, struggling to keep up.

Were women always this fast when shopping?

Could they even see what was around them, or were they just charging forward blindly?

"Hey, handsome! It really is you!"

"I thought I was seeing things at first!"

Lin Yu turned at the sound of someone calling him "handsome."

Wait, wasn’t this...

The saleswoman from the bridal shop?

Lin Yu: "!!!"

Ahead, Chen Qimeng and Du Ruxue turned at the voice.

One look nearly gave Chen Qimeng a heart attack.

Chen Qimeng: "!!!"

How could they run into her again?!

Du Ruxue glanced at Chen Qimeng and asked curiously:

"Dream, do you and Xiao Yu know this mall employee?"

Instinctively, Chen Qimeng’s self-preservation kicked in.

She wanted to deny knowing her.

But unfortunately—

The saleswoman’s cheerful wave came faster than her reply.

And Chen Qimeng was far too polite.

If someone greeted you with a smile, how could you just ignore them?

That would be so rude!

Forcing a smile, she waved back.

But she remained frozen in place, not daring to bring Du Ruxue any closer.

"W-well, you could say we know her."

"She’s a salesperson we met while shopping here before."

"She’s... nice."

Du Ruxue was far too sharp.

And right now, her primary personality was in full control.

She didn’t miss a single trace of Chen Qimeng’s discomfort.

If this saleswoman was truly as "nice" as Dream claimed,

why was she acting so awkward?

Unless...

This woman’s very presence was something that embarrassed Dream.

From her angle, Du Ruxue could see Lin Yu’s profile clearly.

Instead of pressing Chen Qimeng, she focused on his reaction.

The intensity of her gaze made Lin Yu feel like his face was on fire!

Even from a few meters away,

he could hear the uncertainty in Aunt Qimeng’s voice.

Aunt Qimeng!

You’re losing your cool!

Aunt Ruxue didn’t know the saleswoman—there was no need to act guilty!

If she had just responded calmly, they could’ve brushed it off.

After all, once the saleswoman started talking to Lin Yu,

she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to chat with Aunt Qimeng.

But now?

Aunt Ruxue’s curiosity was definitely piqued!

---

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