Chapter 51: Red Envelope

The wind chime jingled softly, its delicate sound filling the air. Liang Qiao stood up to grab something and noticed a black car parked not far from the glass door. The car window was slightly open, revealing a faint orange glow inside and the vague silhouette of a man’s profile. Maple Leaf Town was exceptionally quiet at night, with few people around.

Even if someone were out for a stroll, they would only wander by the lake. A car like this seemed out of place, as if it didn’t belong here.

He glanced at it briefly before turning back and returning to the sofa. He handed Meng Ying a tissue.

He had thought Tan Huan’s story was already quite poignant, but Meng Ying’s was even more heartbreaking. Under the camera’s gaze, everyone fell silent. Zhao Qiao, acting as the big sister, wrapped an arm around Meng Ying and patted her shoulder. “It’s okay, it’s all in the past now.”

Having drunk some alcohol and shared her story, Meng Ying’s eyes were slightly red, but she didn’t cry. She just hugged her knees and shook her head with a smile.

The story was indeed heavy.

She started with her unrequited love, then moved on to the relationship, how she had been unaware she was a stand-in and had foolishly thought it was love. Finally, she spoke of the pain of discovering the truth.

In the end, Meng Ying said one thing: “Actually, the most painful part isn’t being a stand-in. It’s that the love I gave wasn’t reciprocated in the slightest.”

“‘He doesn’t love you’—those four words are the greatest sin.”

Li Yuan’er sniffled hard. “Exactly! That’s the real sin. That man has no heart! He doesn’t deserve you!”

“I understand what you mean,” Tan Huan said. “Not being loved is terrifying.”

In love, compromising and enduring hardship often comes down to that one word: love. But not only did he treat her as a stand-in, he didn’t love her at all. That was a blow to her self-esteem.

Liang Qiao didn’t say a word, just silently handed Meng Ying tissues. She was still beautiful, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her skin pale as paper under the light, with a faint blush. How could anyone not love a woman like this?

“Actually… is it possible that he did love you but just didn’t realize it?” Zhao Qiao hesitated before asking, then quickly waved her hand. “No, no, he’s definitely a scumbag.”

She spoke very softly.

Her eyes filled with guilt as she looked at Meng Ying. As she spoke, she nudged Xu Yi.

Xu Yi picked up his phone and typed.

Xu Yi: What a piece of trash!

Xu Dian: Are you guys on *Leisure Time*?

Xu Yi: Not telling you.

Xu Dian: I saw it.

Xu Yi: Your mom told you to get lost.

Xu Dian: What did you all talk about?

Xu Yi: Don’t try to fish for information.

Xu Dian: You already know everything you need to know.

After sending the message, Xu Dian extended his arm out the window, a cigarette between his fingers. The ash drifted away.

The night was chilly, and his arm felt cold. He turned his head to look at the inn, where the wind chime continued to jingle. From this distance, he still couldn’t see clearly.

He couldn’t see Meng Ying.

Or his parents.

The black car lingered for a while longer before the man retracted his arm, gripped the steering wheel, and drove away from the Lover’s Lake.

The willow branches by the lake swayed gently as he left.

The night deepened.

The emotional stories had been shared.

Meng Ying’s drunkenness had subsided a bit, and her emotions had settled. Tan Huan glanced at the time and said, “It’s late. Let’s get some sleep. We have new guests arriving tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Li Yuan’er said, reaching out to help Meng Ying. Zhao Qiao pouted and said, “Step aside, I’ll help her.”

“Sis!” Li Yuan’er protested, clearly unhappy.

Zhao Qiao ignored her and helped Meng Ying up. Meng Ying smiled and said, “Sis, I’m fine. I’m much more sober now.”

“Why are you calling me ‘sis’ again? Call me ‘auntie’…” Zhao Qiao’s voice trailed off, lacking conviction. Her son was her own flesh and blood, raised by her, but she never expected him to turn out like this.

She couldn’t understand it.

Xu Dian had always been popular with women, but that shouldn’t excuse his behavior.

“No, I’ll call you ‘sis.’”

Zhao Qiao paused, then relented. “Fine… okay.”

Meng Ying felt sober enough and didn’t need Zhao Qiao’s help. She chatted and laughed with Li Yuan’er as they walked toward their room. Zhao Qiao and Xu Yi watched Meng Ying’s retreating figure for a while before leaving themselves. In the living room, the camera quietly continued recording, and the cameraman packed up his equipment to rest.

No one asked Meng Ying who the man was.

Or what had become of him now.

No one brought it up.

Back in the room, Meng Ying and Li Yuan’er took turns showering. Li Yuan’er was very considerate, letting Meng Ying go first and saying she’d wait outside in case Meng Ying felt dizzy or unwell. Meng Ying felt like she was being treated like a child, which made her laugh. She ruffled Li Yuan’er’s hair, grabbed her pajamas, and headed into the bathroom.

The sound of hot water running filled the room.

Li Yuan’er thought for a moment and asked, “Meng Ying, so are you and Boss Xu just… casual now? Does he know about your past relationship?”

“No wonder you don’t love him. After going through something like that, how could you fall for someone again?”

The sound of water wasn’t loud.

Meng Ying could hear Li Yuan’er’s words. She lowered her head, letting the hot water run through her hair, droplets cascading down.

She didn’t respond.

From outside, Li Yuan’er added, “Boss Xu is so pitiful.”

“Hmph.”

Meng Ying smirked.

He really was pitiful.

Perhaps it was because she had shared her story, but Meng Ying slept well that night. The next morning, she almost overslept. When she woke up and hurried to the kitchen, she was greeted by a delicious aroma. Peeking in, she saw Mrs. Xu already bustling around in an apron. Turning around, Mrs. Xu exclaimed, “Oh, Meng Ying, you’re awake!”

“Sis, you’re up so early cooking?” Meng Ying walked in and saw soy milk, fried eggs, bread, and steamed buns—quite a spread.

“Yes, we’re leaving tonight, and I couldn’t bear to part without making you breakfast myself,” Zhao Qiao said, wiping her hands and adjusting Meng Ying’s collar.

Meng Ying was momentarily stunned, looking down at Zhao Qiao’s fingertips.

Even her own mother had never cared for her like this.

She glanced at Zhao Qiao, who smiled warmly, her eyes filled with affection.

So this was what it felt like to be loved by an elder. Meng Ying softly said, “Sis, your cooking is amazing.”

“Yours is better.”

“Yours is better,” Meng Ying insisted, walking over and picking up a steamed bun with her chopsticks. She took a bite and exclaimed, “Wow, this is so good!”

“Slow down, don’t burn yourself,” Zhao Qiao cautioned.

Meng Ying looked up and met Zhao Qiao’s peach-blossom eyes.

When those eyes were filled with warmth, they were truly comforting.

The night deepened.

The emotional stories had been shared.

Meng Ying’s drunkenness had subsided a bit, and her emotions had settled. Tan Huan glanced at the time and said, “It’s late. Let’s get some sleep. We have new guests arriving tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Li Yuan’er said, reaching out to help Meng Ying. Zhao Qiao pouted and said, “Step aside, I’ll help her.”

“Sis!” Li Yuan’er protested, clearly unhappy.

Zhao Qiao ignored her and helped Meng Ying up. Meng Ying smiled and said, “Sis, I’m fine. I’m much more sober now.”

“Why are you calling me ‘sis’ again? Call me ‘auntie’…” Zhao Qiao’s voice trailed off, lacking conviction. Her son was her own flesh and blood, raised by her, but she never expected him to turn out like this.

She couldn’t understand it.

Xu Dian had always been popular with women, but that shouldn’t excuse his behavior.

“No, I’ll call you ‘sis.’”

Zhao Qiao paused, then relented. “Fine… okay.”

Meng Ying felt sober enough and didn’t need Zhao Qiao’s help. She chatted and laughed with Li Yuan’er as they walked toward their room. Zhao Qiao and Xu Yi watched Meng Ying’s retreating figure for a while before leaving themselves. In the living room, the camera quietly continued recording, and the cameraman packed up his equipment to rest.

No one asked Meng Ying who the man was.

Or what had become of him now.

No one brought it up.

Back in the room, Meng Ying and Li Yuan’er took turns showering. Li Yuan’er was very considerate, letting Meng Ying go first and saying she’d wait outside in case Meng Ying felt dizzy or unwell. Meng Ying felt like she was being treated like a child, which made her laugh. She ruffled Li Yuan’er’s hair, grabbed her pajamas, and headed into the bathroom.

The sound of hot water running filled the room.

Li Yuan’er thought for a moment and asked, “Meng Ying, so are you and Boss Xu just… casual now? Does he know about your past relationship?”

“No wonder you don’t love him. After going through something like that, how could you fall for someone again?”

The sound of water wasn’t loud.

Meng Ying could hear Li Yuan’er’s words. She lowered her head, letting the hot water run through her hair, droplets cascading down.

She didn’t respond.

From outside, Li Yuan’er added, “Boss Xu is so pitiful.”

“Hmph.”

Meng Ying smirked.

He really was pitiful.

Perhaps it was because she had shared her story, but Meng Ying slept well that night. The next morning, she almost overslept. When she woke up and hurried to the kitchen, she was greeted by a delicious aroma. Peeking in, she saw Mrs. Xu already bustling around in an apron. Turning around, Mrs. Xu exclaimed, “Oh, Meng Ying, you’re awake!”

“Sis, you’re up so early cooking?” Meng Ying walked in and saw soy milk, fried eggs, bread, and steamed buns—quite a spread.

“Yes, we’re leaving tonight, and I couldn’t bear to part without making you breakfast myself,” Zhao Qiao said, wiping her hands and adjusting Meng Ying’s collar.

Meng Ying was momentarily stunned, looking down at Zhao Qiao’s fingertips.

Even her own mother had never cared for her like this.

She glanced at Zhao Qiao, who smiled warmly, her eyes filled with affection.

So this was what it felt like to be loved by an elder. Meng Ying softly said, “Sis, your cooking is amazing.”

“Yours is better.”

“Yours is better,” Meng Ying insisted, walking over and picking up a steamed bun with her chopsticks. She took a bite and exclaimed, “Wow, this is so good!”

“Slow down, don’t burn yourself,” Zhao Qiao cautioned.

Meng Ying looked up and met Zhao Qiao’s peach-blossom eyes.

When those eyes were filled with warmth, they were truly comforting.

Before long, the rest of the group woke up and were surprised to see Zhao Qiao preparing breakfast. Zhao Qiao seemed like the type who had never lifted a finger to do housework—her fingers were slender and beautiful, her skin smooth, clearly someone who took great care of herself. Who would have thought she could also cook so well?

Sitting at the dining table, Zhao Qiao leaned on Mr. Xu’s shoulder and said, “Before I married him, I was also the pillar of my family. Of course, I knew how to do these things.”

“Really? What kind of things?”

Zhao Qiao smiled without answering.

The Zhao family was a prominent and wealthy. When she said “things,” she meant that she had been sent abroad to study at the age of 15. However, because she missed Chinese food, she learned to cook it herself. After completing her studies and returning home, she directly joined the family company as chairman. Later, when her younger brother grew up, she stepped down from the position and married Xu Yi.

The others, including Meng Ying, however, assumed that her being the experienced meant she had to earn money to support the family, taking on the responsibility of providing for the household at a young age.

Meng Ying felt as if she was looking at herself.

Speaking of which, she had been the financial backbone of her family for over five years now.

After breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Xu didn’t go out to explore. Instead, they stayed in the inn to watch TV. Mrs. Xu kept pulling Meng Ying into conversation, even more warmly than the day before, and even insisted on exchanging WeChat contacts. Meng Ying obliged and added her. Afterward, Meng Ying casually browsed Mrs. Xu’s Moments.

Mrs. Xu had posted many updates, but they were all about sharing snippets of her life.

After scrolling through about ten posts, Meng Ying stopped and exited the app. Meanwhile, Zhao Qiao was quickly deleting any Moments related to Xu Dian, sweating profusely as she did so.

Then, Zhao Qiao sent a WeChat message: “It’s all your fault.”

Xu Dian: “What?”

Zhao Qiao: “Don’t expect to appear in my Moments ever again.”

Xu Dian: “…”

Xu Dian: “Fine.”

Zhao Qiao: “Hmph.”

Time flew by, and in the afternoon, Liang Qiao went to pick up another group of guests. This time, there were four people—two men and two women, all students. They weren’t couples but had come together to hang out. Maple Leaf Town didn’t have many attractions; its main draw was its beautiful scenery. *Leisure Time* specifically chose such idyllic locations for filming.

Mr. and Mrs. Xu’s flight was scheduled for 7:30 PM. Since the flight would provide meals, they didn’t stay for dinner. This time, Meng Ying and Liang Qiao accompanied them to the airport. After getting out of the car, Zhao Qiao repeatedly held Meng Ying’s hand and said, “Make sure to keep in touch when you return to Licheng, okay?”

“Okay,” Meng Ying replied, returning the handshake. Zhao Qiao’s hand was very warm.

Zhao Qiao looked at this young woman.

At first, she had liked her because of her son.

But later, her feelings changed—she simply liked Meng Ying for who she was.

She glanced at Xu Yi.

Xu Yi, pulling the luggage, said to Meng Ying, “If you ever face any difficulties in the future, you can talk to your Aunt Qiao. We’ll help you.”

“Thank you, Uncle Xu.”

A promise from the Xu family carried immense weight.

Unfortunately, Meng Ying didn’t know this.

After seeing Mr. and Mrs. Xu off, Meng Ying and Liang Qiao got into the car to head back to the inn. Just then, Meng Ying received a call from the supermarket they had visited the day before. It was the front desk girl.

“Miss Meng, the gift boxes have all been sold out. Please come over to collect the money.”

“Can’t you transfer it via WeChat?” Meng Ying asked, glancing at the weather outside.

“Ah, the children from Maple Leaf Mountain don’t have access to phones,” the front desk girl replied. It seemed she knew more about the situation on Maple Leaf Mountain than Meng Ying and the others did.

Liang Qiao said, “Last year, it was also cash, but back then, the village chief handed it to us.”

“Alright, we’ll head over now. But how did they sell out so quickly?” Meng Ying wondered. They had just put the gift boxes out yesterday, and they were already sold out today?

The front desk girl chuckled but didn’t answer.

After hanging up, the car started toward the supermarket. Meng Ying wasn’t worried about running into Xu Dian again. As soon as she entered the supermarket, she noticed that it looked a bit different from the day before.

Some shelves were empty, and discount signs were everywhere.

The spot where the gift boxes had been displayed was now vacant.

The front desk girl said, “Miss Meng, you’ll need to go inside to collect the money from the finance department.”

“Okay, thank you.” Meng Ying walked down the same aisle as the day before and turned into the back area. Today, there was no one around, just a small door leading to the backyard.

Next to it was a half-open office door with a sign that read “Finance Department.”

Meng Ying walked in and saw Xu Dian standing by the desk, flipping through some reports. He raised his eyes and looked over, saying, “You’re here?”

The cameraman behind Meng Ying, sensing the imposing presence of the man, instinctively lowered his camera. Today, Xu Dian wasn’t wearing glasses. Liang Qiao noticed that the man’s gaze was fixed on Meng Ying. Although his face showed no expression, there was a subtle emotion in his eyes.

This guy…

He definitely likes Meng Ying.

Liang Qiao thought to himself.

He felt a bit nervous.

He wasn’t sure why he was nervous, but he just was. He glanced at Meng Ying, then instinctively stepped forward, blocking her from view, and said, “Sir, where’s the money from the gift box sales?”

Xu Dian’s line of sight was blocked. He had his hands in his pockets, narrowed his eyes at Liang Qiao, and then asked in a deep voice, “Was I talking to you?”

His presence was overwhelming.

It felt as if he were looking down at an ant.

Instantly, Liang Qiao felt awkward.

Meng Ying could sense Liang Qiao’s discomfort. She stepped around him, walked forward, and said, “Hand it over.”

Her tone was blunt.

Her expression was equally direct, staring straight at him, even with a hint of coldness.

Xu Dian: “…”

His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. Then, he reached out, opened a drawer, and pulled out a large red envelope, placing it on the table.

Meng Ying ignored him, stepped forward, picked it up, and opened it. She counted the money right then and there—all hundred-yuan bills. After counting, she realized there was twice as much as expected.

She looked at Xu Dian.

Xu Dian said, “The extra is from me.”

“I’m heading back tomorrow…”

“Okay, thank you.” Meng Ying looked at the money, didn’t bother being polite, and after speaking, turned to leave.

“Back to Licheng.”

Those three words got stuck in his throat.

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