章 42: Chapter 42: The Subtle Rivalry Between Gu Wanzhou and Rao Shiyun
For Li Zhiyan, Li Meifeng had always had a soft spot. After all, the boy had helped her resolve more than one tricky situation in the past.
"Alright," she said into the phone. "Let's visit that kid tomorrow. I'll call Gu Wanzhou and see if she's free. It's better if we all go together to celebrate and give him a proper red envelope."
"Sure, I'll meet you at your office, and we'll head out together," Rao Shiyun replied, though her heart sank slightly at the mention of Gu Wanzhou.
After the call ended, Li Meifeng's words lingered in her mind. Is there really something between Zhiyan and Gu Wanzhou?
She knew it was irrational to feel this way—after all, wasn't she already planning to reconcile with her husband at the end of the year? But a pang of jealousy gnawed at her. Why did Zhiyan tell Gu Wanzhou about the internet café but not her?
---
Later that night, as the cool glow of her bedside lamp bathed the room in a soft light, Rao Shiyun hesitated before dialing Zhiyan's number.
The memory of their encounter under the willow tree resurfaced—a memory that had haunted her every quiet moment since. She could still recall his warm breath, the playful tug at her tongue as he clumsily followed her instructions.
Her cheeks reddened as his voice came through the phone.
"Hello? Rao Auntie?"
The drowsiness in his voice made her pause.
"Ah, Zhiyan, did I wake you?"
"No, no, not at all," he replied quickly. "I was just resting my eyes. I'm young and full of energy—you don't need to worry about me."
Rao Shiyun smiled faintly, though her mind betrayed her, conjuring images of that energy.
"I heard you've opened an internet café," she said, trying to sound casual.
"Yeah, Auntie. How did you know?"
"Gu Wanzhou told me," she replied, her tone a touch cooler. "If she hadn't mentioned it, were you planning to keep it a secret from me forever?"
Li Zhiyan immediately caught the hint of jealousy in her voice and scrambled to explain.
"It's not like that, Rao Auntie. I didn't tell anyone. Gu Auntie only knows because the previous owner is her cousin. She just happened to be there when I bought it."
Hearing this, Rao Shiyun felt a weight lift from her chest. So it wasn't that Gu Wanzhou held a special place in his heart—it was mere coincidence.
"Well," she said, her tone softening, "I also heard that the location isn't ideal. Is everything okay?"
Her concern warmed his heart. Older women like her were always so considerate, so different from the younger girls he knew, who only seemed interested in taking advantage of him.
"It's true the location isn't great," he admitted, "but don't worry, Auntie. I have a plan to turn things around."
Rao Shiyun suspected he was just putting on a brave face. She knew how young men were—they hated admitting weakness, especially to someone they respected.
"Alright, Zhiyan. If you need any help, just let me know. Tomorrow, I'll come by with Li Meifeng to visit your café."
"Sure, Auntie. I'll see you then."
After ending the call, Rao Shiyun leaned back against the headboard, her thoughts a jumbled mess. Why does he occupy my thoughts so much?
She shook her head, trying to dispel the guilt creeping into her heart. She had a husband, a son. How could she let her emotions stray like this?
---
The next day, at the crack of dawn, Li Zhiyan arrived at his café to check on things.
The system had been working overtime, implementing features like loyalty rewards, personalized gaming setups, and instant download speeds for movies and games. The upgrades had already begun to attract more customers.
By afternoon, the café was bustling, and the familiar ching-ching of coins being deposited into the system rang out like music to his ears.
---
Meanwhile, at Li Meifeng's office, Rao Shiyun arrived to pick her up.
"We ready to go?" she asked.
"Give me a minute," Li Meifeng replied, scrolling through her phone.
"What are you looking at?"
"Oh, just a comparison chart for skin tones," she replied nonchalantly. "I'm coffee bean brown, but I think you're more of a peach blossom pink. What do you think?"
Rao Shiyun sighed. "You really need to stop spending so much time on these ridiculous websites."
Li Meifeng shrugged, shutting her laptop with a grin. "What can I say? I live for the spice. Now, let's get going—Gu Wanzhou and her entourage are already waiting for us."
---
When they arrived at the rendezvous point, Gu Wanzhou's sleek Mercedes was parked next to a BMW. Leaning against the car was Zhang Hongbin, who seemed engrossed in conversation with Gu Wanzhou.
"This guy really pulled out all the stops," Li Meifeng whispered, gesturing toward a middle-aged man standing nearby.
"That's Wang Shengli," she continued. "He owns a chain of internet cafés in Zhejiang. Zhang Hongbin must've begged him to come."
Rao Shiyun frowned slightly. She hadn't been able to find anyone in her network to help Zhiyan, yet Gu Wanzhou had managed to bring an industry expert.
As introductions were made, Wang Shengli's eyes lingered on Rao Shiyun. Her poised demeanor and elegant figure had clearly caught his attention.
"Ms. Rao, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said, offering his hand.
"Likewise," she replied politely, though she could feel his gaze lingering a moment too long.
---
At the café, Li Zhiyan greeted them warmly, his eyes lighting up when he saw the familiar faces.
"Rao Auntie, Gu Auntie. Welcome! And thank you for coming, gentlemen."
Wang Shengli wasted no time, his eyes sweeping over the café's interior. "The location is less than ideal," he said bluntly. "It's no wonder the previous owner struggled."
Zhang Hongbin chimed in, his tone smug. "Zhiyan, you're young. Business isn't just about enthusiasm—it takes experience. Let the adults handle this."
Li Zhiyan held back a smirk. If only they knew about the system's intervention.
"Thank you for your advice, Uncle Zhang," he said politely, though his gaze shifted to Rao Shiyun.
She caught his look and felt her cheeks heat up slightly. Memories of their last conversation—and the unspoken emotions lingering between them—flooded her mind.
"Zhiyan," Gu Wanzhou interrupted, handing him a thick red envelope. "Congratulations on your new venture. Here's a little something from me."
The weight of the envelope suggested it held no less than three thousand yuan.
"Thank you, Gu Auntie," he said, smiling warmly.
Seeing this, Rao Shiyun quickly pulled out her own envelope, determined not to be outdone.
"Zhiyan, this is from me," she said, her tone soft but firm.
As he accepted her gift, their fingers brushed briefly. She quickly looked away, her heart beating faster than she cared to admit.
Standing off to the side, Wang Shengli could only watch. He had hoped to impress Rao Shiyun with his expertise, but it was clear her attention was elsewhere—focused solely on the young man who had effortlessly captured the admiration of every woman in the room.
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