Chapter 48

Is it really my fault?

Mrs. Qin sat in the chair, her face blank. She did not want to listen, but every word Li Qi said forced its way into her ears, echoing in her mind. Each word was reasonable, leaving no room for her to refute. Recalling the scenes from her husband's final moments, a piercing pain welled up inside her, making her feel as if she could not bear it any longer.

After a long while, Mrs. Qin weakly waved her hand and sighed, "All of you, go down. I am tired." Then she turned to Xiao Tao and said, "Xiao Tao, you also go down."

"Mrs. Qin!"

Since Mr. Qin's death, Xiao Tao had never seen Mrs. Qin so sad.

Mrs. Qin frowned, her voice filled with sorrow, "Are you not going to listen to me?"

"I—!"

Xiao Tao's face darkened. She turned and glared at Li Qi fiercely before reluctantly walking out.

Wu Furong also closed his eyes and sighed, turning to leave. Suddenly, he noticed Li Qi still standing there, a smile on his face. He immediately shouted, "What are you still standing here for?"

Li Qi chuckled, "Mrs. Qin hasn't given me a clear answer yet, so I dare not leave."

"What answer?" Wu Furong asked, puzzled.

Li Qi shrugged, "I just want to know if Mrs. Qin thinks I was wrong in what I said. Uncle Wu, you heard it too. Mrs. Qin said that if I was wrong, she wouldn't let me off. As a commoner, I can't stand up to Mrs. Qin, so whether I live or die, Mrs. Qin should at least give me an answer, so I can prepare."

"Li Qi, don't push it too far," Wu Furong shouted angrily.

"Push it too far?"

Li Qi shook his head, "When Cai Yuwai bullied you and forced you to sell Zui Xian Ju, that was pushing it too far."

Wu Furong was speechless, feeling utterly ashamed.

The decline of Zui Xian Ju was partly his fault. Over the years, he had been suppressed by Cai Minded, leaving him powerless. If not for Li Qi, Zui Xian Ju would have long been under Cai's name.

"Uncle Wu, please go out first!"

At this moment, Mrs. Qin suddenly spoke.

"This—!"

Wu Furong looked troubled.

Mrs. Qin knew what Wu Furong was worried about. She glanced at Li Qi and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Li is a learned and noble gentleman, he won't bully a widow."

He won't now, but who knows about the future!

Li Qi smiled inwardly but maintained a righteous expression, "Of course, I, Li Qi, am known for not retaliating when hit or insulted."

What a shameless person!

Wu Furong glared at him, feeling even more uneasy. But seeing Mrs. Qin's displeased face, he had no choice but to leave, waving his sleeve and storming out.

After Wu Furong left, Mrs. Qin gestured, "Mr. Li, please sit."

"Thank you, Mrs. Qin!"

Li Qi chuckled and quickly sat down, picking up the cup of tea on the table and drinking it all in one go. After all the talking, his mouth was dry.

Seeing Li Qi's appearance, Mrs. Qin recalled how he had lectured her with such righteousness earlier, feeling both angry and amused. She nodded, "Mr. Li's words were indeed a lesson. I do feel guilty towards my late husband and my ancestors."

"I wouldn't dare to call it a lesson."

Li Qi waved his hand and slowly said, "Actually, Mrs. Qin, the one you are most guilty towards is yourself. Whether you are happy or not, it's still one day. Why not try to live happily and make each day meaningful? If you want to change, I have a secret to forget your sorrow."

"Can it really make one forget sorrow?"

Mrs. Qin asked curiously, "Is there such a miraculous medicine in the world?"

"Of course!"

Li Qi chuckled, "To forget sorrow is actually very simple—just keep yourself busy. Once you are busy, all your sorrow and pain will be forgotten. Why don't you try it? It will surely work."

Mrs. Qin looked somewhat puzzled, nodding, "What you say makes sense, but how can I keep myself busy?"

"Very simple!"

Li Qi snapped his fingers and chuckled, "Take charge of Zui Xian Ju's business."

Mrs. Qin immediately understood, smiling bitterly, "I see, all your talk was just to get me to take charge of Zui Xian Ju."

Li Qi smiled awkwardly, not speaking, which was a tacit acknowledgment.

"You have truly gone to great lengths!"

Mrs. Qin shook her head helplessly, "But I am curious, why do you keep trying to get me, a widow who knows nothing about business, to take charge of Zui Xian Ju?"

Li Qi smiled slightly, "Because I want a fair partnership."

"A fair partnership?" Mrs. Qin asked, puzzled.

Li Qi nodded, "Exactly. If I were just an outsider or a servant at Zui Xian Ju, whether you take charge or not would have nothing to do with me. But now, we are partners, which means we are equal in status. Think from my perspective, if you work hard in the shop every day, getting up early and staying late, while I stay at home, drinking tea, watching plays, and taking baths, but we both get the same share of the profits, what would you think?"

"I—!"

Mrs. Qin opened her mouth, a blush spreading across her cheeks, making her look even more beautiful and alluring.

Seeing Mrs. Qin speechless, Li Qi quickly pressed on, "These past few days, Uncle Wu and I have worked hard for Zui Xian Ju, almost to the point of exhaustion, but you have never come to visit us. This is truly disheartening. This is why I changed my mind and no longer want to partner with you."

Li Qi was indeed very angry with Mrs. Qin. When the stinky tofu was first introduced, it caused a sensation in the city, but as the owner of Zui Xian Ju, she didn't even come to take a look. If they were to formally partner in the future, it would be unbearable to do all the work while only getting half the profit.

Hearing this, Mrs. Qin felt even more ashamed, her face turning even redder. After a long while, she asked softly, "So, what do you think I should do?"

"Very simple. When Zui Xian Ju officially opens, I hope you can also stay in the shop to help. Of course, I don't expect you to do the dirty and tiring work. Just manage the accounts, collect the money, and direct the staff. If you have any questions, you can ask Uncle Wu or me."

Mrs. Qin thought for a moment and asked, somewhat shyly, "If I agree to take charge of Zui Xian Ju, will you stay to help me?"

Li Qi's earlier words had awakened her. She really wanted to manage Zui Xian Ju well, but she knew that without Li Qi's help, it would be impossible with just her and Wu Furong.

"Of course, in a fair environment, I wouldn't want to leave a kind, beloved, and charming partner like you. Oh, I mean, a business partner," Li Qi chuckled.

"What about people and flowers? If you keep being so frivolous, I will have you thrown out," Mrs. Qin spat, feigning anger.

Is this frivolous?

Clearly, it's praise! This lady must have been cooped up at home for too long.

But this was Mrs. Qin's territory, so Li Qi didn't dare to overstep, reluctantly saying, "Oh!"

Seeing his aggrieved look, Mrs. Qin felt a wave of helplessness. But she knew Li Qi wasn't being frivolous on purpose. She smiled bitterly, "Alright, since that's the case, let's settle this. It's getting late, go back with Uncle Wu."

"Ah? It's already very late! Don't you want to let me stay overnight?"

"What?"

"Goodbye, Mrs. Qin!"

Li Qi quickly ran out.