strictlysupreme Chapter 140 Shen Zhian's Anxiety
Chapter 140 Shen Zhian's Anxiety
Lu Tao paused...
"How can that be?" she said awkwardly, her expression shy. "Manager Shen is, after all, our guest."
"I will talk to Tian Tian and tell her to be more respectful and polite to you."
Shen Zhian scratched his head, "Oh, hehe, hehe..."
Lu Tao smiled and said, "Let's eat something first."
Thanks to Tian Tian's arrangements, the meal was served quickly.
Lu Tao stood there awkwardly. "Um... Brother Shen, you can eat slowly. I'll go back to the kitchen first."
Shen Zhian's bottom had just touched the chair when he heard her words, and he suddenly jumped up again.
"Um... Sister Lu, wait a minute."
Shen Zhian called out to Lu Tao, and nervously tugged at his belt. "Um, Lu Tao, please sit down, please sit down first."
Lu Tao slowly sat down, her cheeks slightly flushed and hot. "Brother Shen, what's wrong?"
She had a bad feeling... her eyes were fixed on the food on the table, and she didn't dare to look up.
Shen Zhian placed his hands on his legs and rubbed them back and forth.
He was feeling uneasy, his chest pounding like a young boy.
"Um, Sister Lu, ever since..."
"Ever since you rescued me, I've often thought of you..."
"I've been a widower for over ten years, and it must be so hard for you to raise the child alone..."
"If the two of us were together, we could support each other..."
Lu Tao stared in surprise as soon as he uttered his first words, stood up, and slowly backed away.
Shen Zhian stood up as well. "Sister Lu, I don't expect you to give me an answer right now."
"You can think about it slowly..."
"I, I... even if you don't agree, I, I, Shen, will still consider you a sister."
Lu Tao stumbled slightly, and she awkwardly said, "Brother Shen, please eat slowly."
Watching her hurried departure, Shen Zhian slammed his fist in frustration. "What, why were you in such a hurry?"
He muttered anxiously, "What if... they misunderstand me?"
He had just agreed to sell the land to Tian Tian, and then immediately said this to Lu Tao.
What if Lu Tao misunderstands and thinks he's using this as leverage...?
He wanted to go after them to explain, but when he opened the door, he saw that there were even more guests outside.
I think I'll explain it another time.
Back in his room, Shen Zhian found the food at Baishi Teahouse tasteless for the first time.
Lu Tao fled to the kitchen, and after sitting down next to Liu San Niang, her heart pounding with anxiety...
She clutched her chest and took a deep breath...
"What's wrong?" Liu Sanniang looked outside in confusion. "Are there wolves chasing you?"
Wolf...?
Lu Tao's eyebrows twitched slightly. What Brother Shen said was almost like talking to a wolf.
When did he...when did he develop such thoughts?
She was a widow, and when she met him, her family's situation had just improved slightly.
Her face was sallow, and she was emaciated; how could he possibly treat her like this...?
"Sister Lu, what's wrong?" Liu San Niang looked down at Lu Tao's face suspiciously.
Her cheeks were flushed... suspicious! Very suspicious!
"Did Manager Shen say something to you?" Liu San Niang guessed.
And I guessed it right away.
Lu Tao's face flushed even more. "He..."
"Oh, let's not talk about it." She shook her head shyly. "Let's not talk about it."
Her reaction made Liu San Niang even more curious.
"Tell me!" Liu San Niang rested her shoulder against Lu Tao's, blinking her eyes. "What exactly happened?"
Lu Tao couldn't resist her, and blushing, she told her what Shen Zhian had said.
Liu San Niang covered her mouth with both hands, "Really?"
Lu Tao pinched her arm, "Keep your voice down..."
The other cooks in the kitchen all looked over curiously...
Shame to death!
Fearing there would be no more gossip to hear, Liu San Niang immediately lowered her voice and asked softly, "So what did you say?"
Lu Tao said awkwardly, "What else can I say... I, I just ran back."
She covered her face... After a while, when the heat on her face subsided, she asked softly, "Third Sister, what did you say..."
"Won't he make things difficult for Tian Tian?"
Liu San Niang frowned. "Shopkeeper Shen isn't that kind of person, is he?"
But bringing this up at this point makes it hard to believe he wasn't trying to blackmail him.
Lu Tao stood up. "I'd better go tell Tian Tian."
"Alright."
When Lu Tao found Tian Tian, Tian Tian was returning from outside.
While Shen Zhian was eating, she went to instruct Zhang Fusheng to hire more male workers and also to call on those who worked with oxcarts, in preparation for clearing land again.
"Sweetie." Lu Tao grabbed Tian Tian's arm and led her to the backyard. "I have something to tell you..."
"Sweetie, Brother Shen isn't a bad person, but Mom... doesn't want to think about that right now."
"If Brother Shen mentions this matter when you go to process the land deed..."
Upon hearing this, Tian Tian understood Lu Tao's concerns.
"Mother, don't worry, Manager Shen isn't that kind of person."
“If he really brings this up, I won’t buy this land.”
"Mother, don't worry."
Tian Tian grabbed Lu Tao's arm and suddenly asked, "Mother, taking this opportunity, let me ask you..."
Are you prepared to remain a widow for my father for the rest of your life?
Lu Tao was only thirty-five years old after the New Year.
In her time, she was at the perfect age, and many women were still unmarried.
Is she destined to remain a widow for the rest of her life?
Tian Tian didn't think there was anything wrong with remaining a widow.
As long as Lu Tao is happy, that's all that matters.
Lu Tao paused upon hearing Tian Zhiyuan's name, then suddenly said, "It's not about keeping a widow's life for your father."
"It's Mother's opinion that things are fine as they are now."
Tian Zhiyuan...
Looking back now, Lu Tao couldn't help but sigh.
Tian Zhiyuan is a good man, but when faced with the Tian family, he can't protect himself, nor can he protect his wife and children.
Of course, life went on like that, and Lu Tao never complained about him.
After all... whose life is easier?
Every family has its own difficulties.
For example, Zhao Jinhua and Liu Xianglan from Qingliu Village each have their own troubles.
But in her heart... she resented him.
If he can't protect her, that's fine, but if he can protect the child...
She wouldn't let Xiang'er marry into the Chu family, nor would she let Jinghe be beaten and frightened by Wang Yulan to the point of refusing to speak.
She has no connection with the Tian family anymore, nor with Tian Zhiyuan.
She didn't remarry, not because she was a widow for Tian Zhiyuan, but because she felt that her current life was good.
Her children were by her side, her two grandchildren were also there, and her best friends were there too...
"Mom!" Tian Tian couldn't help but give Lu Tao a thumbs up. "You're right to think that way."
"But I'm worried it will interfere with your plans."
Tian Tian escorted her back to the kitchen. "Mother, don't worry. No matter how much land or money you have, it can't compare to your heartfelt wishes."
“If Shen Zhian dares to use this to blackmail me, I will immediately and firmly refuse. From now on, he will not even want to step onto the steps of our Baishi Teahouse.”