At eleven o’clock at night, the last table of guests at Wanbao Hall left, full and satisfied.
"Brother Cheng, Sister Xiao Er, if there’s nothing else, we’ll head back to the dormitory first."
Zhao Ling led a group of young women and spoke to Chen Cheng and Xiao Meier.
Xiao Meier nodded, "Go back and rest early, you worked hard today."
After everyone left, only three people remained in the store.
"Is Sister Lin still busy?" Xiao Meier checked the time, "Why don’t you send her a message to ask."
Su Liya wasn’t in a hurry; since the incident, she hadn’t experienced nightlife past ten o’clock for a long time.
Since Wen Shulin hadn’t called, it meant her wonderful day hadn’t yet ended.
Chen Cheng had just finished communicating with Feng Biao. Hearing Xiao Meier, he nodded, "Okay, I’ll ask."
Su Liya quickly stopped him, vigorously shaking her head.
"Mommy must still be busy, that’s why there’s no message," said Su Liya.
Chen Cheng looked into her shrewd eyes and knew this young girl didn’t want to go home.
"But it’s so late, if you don’t go back..."
Xiao Meier was also uncertain, she asked, "How about I and Xiao Cheng escort you home, and then you can notify Sister Lin?"
Su Liya still shook her head, "Sister Xiao Er, I don’t want to go back."
Su Liya looked into Xiao Meier’s eyes, "That home has no warmth. I’m alone, Mommy is busy all day, I barely even see her."
Her eyes reddened slightly, and her voice lowered, "At least here, there are people to talk to. If I go back, it’s just so..."
"Really too lonely!" Su Liya pouted.
Xiao Meier, unable to stand seeing the young girl cry, quickly embraced Su Liya and gently patted her back, comforting her:
"There, there, don’t cry, Sister Xiao Er understands how you feel, is it too lonely being at home alone?"
Su Liya nodded emphatically, "Yes!"
"It’s okay, if Sister Lin doesn’t come to pick you up tonight, you can come stay with us at our home, okay?"
Su Liya sniffled, looked up at Xiao Meier with tear-filled eyes yet showed a sweet smile:
"Really? Can I stay at your and Mr. Chen’s house?"
"Of course, you can!"
Xiao Meier affectionately scratched her nose, "You, you’re too sensible. Speak up about what’s on your mind, don’t keep it bottled up inside, okay?"
Su Liya happily nodded and hugged Xiao Meier tightly, as if she had found a reliance.
Chen Cheng watched this scene, knowing that Su Liya’s words were seventy percent true and thirty percent false.
But he didn’t expose her lies; instead, he suggested, "Since your mom hasn’t come yet, do you want to go out? Finish what wasn’t completed last time?"
"Yes!" Xiao Meier also wanted to cheer up Su Liya.
Otherwise, if Wen Shulin really came later and saw her looking sad, she would definitely think that Su Liya had been wronged at Wanbao Hall.
"Go to the Ghost Market, take a walk?" Xiao Meier suggested, "Didn’t you miss it last time?"
Su Liya’s eyes sparkled with excitement, evidently looking forward to visiting the Ghost Market.
Xiao Meier smiled and ruffled her hair, "However, we have to agree first, once at the Ghost Market, you must not run off. You need to stick closely to me and Brother Cheng, understand?"
"Understood, Sister Xiao Er!"
"Let’s go then," said Chen Cheng as he picked up his coat and headed out the door.
Xiao Meier also took Su Liya’s hand and followed.
The night was deep, but the Ghost Market under the shadow of the Big Willow Tree was just beginning.
The variety of quirky stalls, a dazzling array of goods, and those strange trading rules all made Su Liya, who was visiting for the first time, feel amazed.
Her presence also became the most dazzling sight in the Ghost Market.
Xiao Meier needn’t be mentioned; having come here so many years, she was known by all the big and small stall owners.
With the recent success of Wanbao Hall, it made everyone feel that the owner of Fennel Noodle House had truly turned her luck around.
So, when Xiao Meier appeared, many stall owners greeted her warmly, inquiring about the business in Wanbao Hall, their words filled with envy.
And Su Liya, with her delicate features, fair skin, and mixed-race appearance, especially while holding Xiao Meier’s arm, instantly attracted countless gazes.
"Sister Xiao Er, are all these things for sale real?" Su Liya’s eyes widened; she had already spotted several antiques and paintings that she had only seen in the National Museum before.
But now, they appeared on street stalls, which really surprised her.
Xiao Meier smiled faintly, "I’m not sure, you should ask Xiao Cheng, he’s the professional."
Su Liya, hearing this, immediately became interested. She turned to look at Chen Cheng and curiously asked, "Mr. Chen, are these antiques real?"
While observing the surroundings, Chen Cheng explained with a smile, "Real and fake, fake and real, the Ghost Market is a place where it’s hard to distinguish the authentic from the counterfeit; it all relies on eyesight and luck."
He pointed towards a stall selling porcelain,
"Look at that blue and white porcelain over there, at first glance it looks like Yuan blue-and-white style, but if you observe the glaze and body closely, you can spot the flaws; it’s probably a modern imitation."
Su Liya followed Chen Cheng’s direction, not understanding much, but her admiration was already surging.
"What about the jade over there?"
Su Liya pointed to another stall, asking, "Is there any real jade?"
"That’s even harder to say." Chen Cheng laughed and shook his head, "Why, do you want to buy?"