Chapter 451: Chapter 385: Birth Mother Indifferent Like a Chrysanthemum? The Young Miss Sabotages Everything with a Backhand 25
“Auntie is very concerned about you,”
Su Zhiruan couldn’t help but feel moved.
She lowered her head, her chopsticks casually picking up the dish closest to her.
Perhaps it was her actions and tone that led Xie Yanshang to mistakenly think that Su Zhiruan was reminded of her own family.
Thus, Xie Yanshang paused his reaching hand.
In the past, he hadn’t known much about the Su Family, but ever since Madam Xie and a group of high-society ladies discussed and lamented the various abuses and bullying Su Zhiruan endured at home, he had become slightly curious and had done some investigating.
He hadn’t realized until he looked into it that Su Zhiruan had faced so many calamities at home.
This was no pampered daughter of a wealthy family, she was even worse off than the poorest household’s daughter during their roughest days.
Seeing her profoundly moved by the goodness of her mother, Xie Yanshang felt that he should offer some comfort, especially since she was still a child.
Xie Yanshang, knowing he was older than Su Zhiruan, unconsciously assumed a senior position to give her some advice when he spoke.
“I also have some understanding of your family. If you don’t mind, I have some advice for you. After all, I am older than you. If you find it useful, then the meal you treat today will not be in vain.” Xie Yanshang put down his chopsticks, gently wiped his fingers with a napkin, then looked at Su Zhiruan with a serious expression.
Su Zhiruan raised her eyes, putting down her chopsticks as well, ready to hear what advice Xie Yanshang had to offer.
And just then, unseen by the duo, the restaurant owner took it upon himself to take over a waiter’s job. He held a tray with a dish, intending to deliver it to Su Zhiruan and Xie Yanshang’s private room.
But as he stood at the doorway, he suddenly halted.
The people inside seemed to be speaking. The owner became alert immediately.
Since she was the daughter of a regular customer and now probably accompanied by the young master of the Xie Family, Su Zhiruan was still a minor girl, and if she were being mistreated, even if by a privileged family, he would not tolerate such things in his establishment, nor could he face Su Qin or his regular customers.
Thinking this, the owner ultimately handed the dish tray back to the tip-toeing, tear-filled waiter behind him. He pressed his ear tightly against the door, trying to overhear the conversation inside.
During the renovation of the restaurant, he was worried about customers discussing business secrets, so he made sure there was excellent soundproofing; because of this, he could only catch fragments of the conversation now.
Meanwhile, inside, Xie Yanshang was giving some advice to Su Zhiruan.
“Since your family is already like that, you shouldn’t have any expectations of them anymore. What you need to do next is to study hard, strive to get accepted, and then equip yourself with knowledge and skills to become financially independent,”
“I am older than you, and perhaps the experiences that have shaped me might not be of much use to you, but I still suggest you put aside family concerns and focus on your studies to tread a better path in life.” Xie Yanshang’s advice was very pertinent, and Su Zhiruan nodded in agreement.
She knew that although she was physically the minor Su Zhiruan, her heart had matured a lot, having experienced so many worlds. Her intellect and temperament had also grown significantly.
But seeing Xie Yanshang giving her advice with such sincerity, Su Zhiruan also expressed her gratitude by nodding.
“You are a good child. Study well, rid yourself from your family, and you will surely have a happy life,”
After saying this, Xie Yanshang was also surprised that he had spoken so much to a minor girl today. However, he didn’t reject these feelings, nor did he find anything inappropriate about them.
This made him somewhat puzzled. Usually, when dealing with his family’s incompetent collateral relatives or the covetous uncles, he always showed an impatient attitude, but today, he had spoken such profound truths to a girl he had only met a few times.
He had expected her to be like other rebellious high school students, indifferent to his words, but when he met her gaze, he saw her eyes were clear, bright, and attentive, nodding as if she was taking to heart everything he said.