Wife, please behave yourself.

Chapter 28 Concern
Ning Mengyao hadn't had a good night's sleep in a long time.

After being turned away from the supermarket, her tense nerves finally relaxed. She was woken up by her alarm clock and hurriedly got out of bed.

After washing up, changing my clothes, and tidying up the lunchboxes that were sitting in the kitchen, I hurriedly went out.

I jogged down the stairs and strolled to the street.

He walked hurriedly, not forgetting to check his phone in his pocket.

I flipped through the text messages I saw last night before falling asleep, and the scene was exactly the same as the one I saw before drifting off.

Li Mingche did not return home all night.

Not even a single text message was sent.

Realizing this, Ning Mengyao didn't have time to think about the reasons. She was about to be late for work, so she could only suppress her doubts for the time being.

As she approached her workplace, a lively crowd in the distance caught her attention.

Most of the people gathered there were children.

I reckon they're all elementary school students.

Standing at the entrance of the bookstore, the bustling scene was so loud that she could hear the noise from the crowd even across the street.

Look left and right to make sure there are no passing vehicles.

I crossed the road and slowly arrived at the store.

As he took out his keys and opened the flower shop door, his gaze remained fixed on the bookstore next door.

Liu Changcun was smiling.

Smiling happily.

He took the banknotes from the elementary school student, gave him change, and then leaned against the door frame to watch the group of children draw blind boxes.

Cheers erupted, and Ning Mengyao, who had just opened the door, was wondering what the children were cheering for.

The child holding up the little note shouted.

"Medium spicy! I want medium spicy!"

"..."

Has the bookstore been converted into a breakfast shop?
Why is this little boy constantly shouting "medium spicy"?

Unable to dispel her doubts, Ning Mengyao forced herself to stop paying attention to such external matters after regaining her composure.

Upon entering the flower shop, I began my daily tidying work.

The work at the flower shop is not complicated; it only gets busy on certain holidays.

Trim flowers that are not suitable for sale and spray them with water mist to keep them moist.

They moved the flower pots from the entrance of the store out one by one.

Occasionally, a signature is required for delivery orders.

Ning Mengyao returned the pen to the driver, and after he received her signature, she drove away from the store.

Turning around, I saw the freshly arrived bouquets at the door being transported back and forth into the store.

As time went by, the noise gradually subsided.

Ning Mengyao was carrying goods, but her steps faltered.

He turned his gaze toward the shops next door and looked at the figure at the entrance of the bookstore.

"Were those kids... all here to borrow books?"

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Ning Mengyao, after hesitating for a long time, finally took the initiative to ask.

Upon hearing this, the man who had been facing away from her turned around.

Upon seeing Ning Mengyao in front of him, he responded in a rather good mood.

"Borrowing books is secondary; the main thing is to try my luck with blind boxes."

"Blind boxes?"

"This is it."

I picked up a cardboard box from the makeshift table. It looked like a shoebox, but it was covered in small, broken holes.

He shook his head and noticed the confusion in Ning Mengyao's eyes.

Liu Changcun began to explain.

"One yuan for each draw, and the grand prize is a cash reward. These kids love it."

"..."

Ning Mengyao still didn't quite understand.

Although she was puzzled, she didn't ask too many questions. Carrying the goods, she seemed to have thought of something, and simply left a message saying "Wait for me" before quickly returning to the store.

When she reappeared, she was carrying a clean lunchbox.

They came to stand in front of Liu Changcun.

"The food yesterday was delicious, thank you."

Liu Changcun took the lunchbox handed to him and looked at the brand-new lunchbox in his hand.

I casually put it aside.

"You look better today. Did you catch up on sleep during your night shift last night?"

"They've already been asked to leave."

"..."

Hearing the woman's indifferent response, Liu Changcun was clearly not expecting such an answer.

Looking at Ning Mengyao's calm expression, it seemed that being turned away from the supermarket had not affected her at all.

"Thanks to the supermarket owner, I was able to get a good night's sleep last night, which is rare for me."

As the person who was asked to leave, Ning Mengyao appeared quite nonchalant.

Seemingly unwilling to continue this awkward topic, she looked again at the shoebox in Liu Changcun's hand, pondered for a moment, and then asked.

"By the way, you just said this is... a blind box?" "Yeah, want to try it?"

"May I?"

"As a loyal customer of the bookstore, this time it's free for you."

He smiled and replied, then handed the blind box to the woman.

I looked down at the box, where the squares were almost completely poked through.

Ning Mengyao considered it for a moment, and finally just randomly picked one of the remaining squares to poke.

"Let me see……"

Seeing that the other person did not take out the slip of paper from the compartment, Liu Changcun took it out for them instead.

Looking at the three words "consolation prize" printed on the note.

Without even thinking, he put it back in his pocket.

Then, he switched hands to hold the blind box and took out the only piece of paper from the other pocket.

"You're lucky, you've won the jackpot."

"..."

“I saw it all; it’s obvious you just changed it.”

Ning Mengyao is not an 11-year-old girl.

At 29 years old and with normal vision, she immediately recognized Liu Changcun's substitution.

Despite being exposed on the spot, Liu Changcun did not show the slightest embarrassment.

Instead, he jokingly said with a smile.

“My daughter didn’t notice my little tricks when she tried it out. It seems that Miss Ning is smarter.”

As he spoke, he handed over the slip of paper with "First Prize" printed on it.

"But I'll leave this to you. I hope it will bring you some good luck in the future."

The words "First Prize" on the slip of paper caught Ning Mengyao's eye.

Just as Liu Changcun said.

Ning Mengyao has indeed had some bad luck lately.

First, she witnessed what appeared to be her husband's inappropriate behavior, and then she received a notice from the supermarket advising her to leave.

Even though she had just witnessed the other person replacing the note.

But now, looking at the slip of paper with the first prize printed on it, a warm current surged up from the still heavy heart.

I looked at the hand holding the note, still in the act of handing it over.

After a long moment of stunned silence, Ning Mengyao finally reached out and took it.

Looking at the three words printed on the paper.

"Thank you……"

I express my sincere gratitude.

This is a thank you to Liu Changcun for making her happy.

"Really...thank you."

Ning Mengyao's gaze gradually blurred, and she could see the ground in front of her less and less.

She didn't want the man in front of her to see her embarrassing side.

I could only desperately try to hold on, increasing the frequency of my breathing.

I had hoped that marriage would bring her happiness.

But reality is completely different from what I imagined.

Burdened with foreign debt, they are desperately trying to repay it.

The communication gradually cooled, and the husband stayed out all night.

She hadn't received any care or attention in a long time, nor had she had any normal conversations with others.

Ning Mengyao's broken family background left her feeling particularly unloved.

Or even just a little bit of care, that small act of kindness, could make her, who has suffered so much, realize the value of being alive.

Li Mingche was once like a light in the darkness, illuminating her path forward in life.

Now, Li Mingche is like a gradually engulfing darkness, painting her already blurry life black once again.

Perhaps it was just like the note Liu Changcun gave her.

As long as she works harder, happy days will gradually come her way.

If only she... tried a little harder.

"No need for thanks, but if possible, I would like to enjoy refreshing lemon tea again."

With her face downcast, Ning Mengyao's true expression was unreadable.

Standing in front of her, Liu Changcun only saw that she was stunned for a long time.

Until you raise your hand and wipe away the corners of your eyes.

When she raised her face again, her eyes were already red.

Unlike the fake smile of the past.

At this moment, Ning Mengyao's face was filled with a genuine smile.

"I will prepare the best lemon tea in the world for you."

Two adjacent shops in the morning sunlight.

Two people standing in front of the shop.

"Most definitely."

(End of this chapter)