Tang Yue personally saw Tang Zhengde off onto the vehicle, and in her palm, she still held the living expenses Tang Zhengde had specifically given her. There wasn't much money, but it represented all of Tang Zhengde's fatherly love.
Although Uncle Ming clearly stated that her tuition fees were sufficient, Tang Zhengde still insisted on giving her money.
Taking a deep breath, Tang Yue felt even more resolute in her desire to earn money, so that she could also provide a good life for Mr. Tang and her mother.
"Xiao Yue, why are you still standing here foolishly? I've been looking for you for ages, let's hurry or we'll miss the bus," Tang Mingli said, after searching around the school gate without finding Tang Yue, and quickly approached her upon seeing her standing by the roadside.
Walking alongside Tang Mingli, Tang Yue talked about the money Tang Zhengde had just given her, and also about his recent departure.
Tang Mingli clicked his tongue and said, "My second brother really treats you like his own daughter. I already told him that I would provide your living expenses, but he still insists on sending money over—how much does he mistrust me?"
Tang Mingli bought the tickets and looked for the bus, and only when they were seated did he continue: "Xiao Yue, you used to not acknowledge my second brother, why have you changed your mind now?"
Curiously eyeing her, Tang Mingli observed her from head to toe. The old Tang Yue seemed somewhat distant, but now, she exuded a sunny disposition, and her smile was especially comforting.
"Can't I grow up?" Tang Yue glared at him, feeling annoyed by his repeated reminders that she had previously been blind to Mr. Tang's kindness.
"Sure," Tang Mingli nodded, chuckling, "Xiao Yue, speaking of which, you've changed so much since I last saw you; you're far more likable now. You used to be frosty, just like a hedgehog, quite a match for Si Yu."
"Is that the same person who came back to the village with you last time?" Upon hearing 'Si Yu', Tang Yue immediately thought of the time in the alley when Mo Siyu saved her, and how he had asked her to call him 'uncle'.
She felt like she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Yes, Mo Siyu. You wouldn't know, but back in high school, he and I had played around the entire county. Si Yu was also like you initially, frigid and standoffish."
"How did you become good friends then?" Tang Yue asked, her heart slightly racing.
"Of course, it's because of your uncle's charm," Tang Mingli bragged proudly.
Tang Yue rolled her eyes.
Tang Mingli cleared his throat before saying, "We fought, and that's how we became friends. But really, his skills were excellent."
Tang Mingli couldn't help but fidget a bit as he said, "Back then, we were just like your age in Senior High School, and I was considered tough in the village, but compared to him, I was simply..."
Thinking about it, Tang Mingli still felt sore all over.
"He was so skilled at such a young age?" Tang Yue's eyes filled with admiration, and it seemed only natural; to Tang Yue, Mo Siyu was almost capable of anything.
"Exactly," said Tang Mingli. Whenever he talked about Mo Siyu, there was much he could grumble about. Since graduating from high school, they occasionally met, but the gap between him and Mo Siyu seemed to grow wider.
Mo Siyu's sports car was rarely seen all year round; he clearly intended to make a fortune as well.
Upon arriving in the Provincial City, Tang Mingli was not stingy this time and wanted to stay in a hotel, but Tang Yue stopped him, saying, "Uncle, staying in a hotel costs quite a bit of money. With that money, we could buy a few more pieces of clothing."
"But, if we stay at the station, will you be able to bear it?" Tang Mingli was a bit worried; he knew how much his elder brother cherished this stepdaughter.
"It's not cold now." Tang Yue insisted, saying that at this time, saving a bit of money counted for something. If it wasn't for wanting to get more familiar first, she would have wanted to take turns with her uncle to come and purchase goods, to save one person's travel expenses.
Tang Mingli couldn't win against Tang Yue's persistence and also wanted to save some money, so he didn't skimp on food for Tang Yue. The uncle and niece ate heartily, and early the next morning, right as the wholesale market opened, they headed straight for Wei Jiahong's shop.
The wholesale market was large, and Wei Jiahong's shop was located in a corner on the second floor. If they hadn't searched for a long time, they might not have found Wei Jiahong's shop.
Wei Jiahong was visibly pleased to see the uncle and niece, and asked, "How did it go? I told you my clothes sell well, didn't I?"
"Sister Wei, your clothes are really nice, so we are here again," Tang Yue said with a sweet smile. After greeting her, Tang Yue noticed that there were many new styles in Wei Jiahong's shop.
Tang Yue gave Wei Jiahong all the styles she liked, including restocking on the jeans that were a big hit last time.
This time, they brought all the money they earned last time, and were able to stock up on more goods.
While choosing the styles, Tang Yue deliberately picked the most attractive and most affordable ones.
"Lass, with your sharp eye, you don't seem like a young girl at all." Wei Jiahong laughed and explained the wholesale price to Tang Yue.
Tang Mingli, on the other hand, felt overwhelmed.
After stocking up on a large quantity of goods from Wei Jiahong, Tang Yue then dragged Tang Mingli to other stalls to pick several styles that were not available at Wei Jiahong's shop, spending all the money down to the last penny. The uncle and niece then proceeded to the bus station with their goods fully loaded.
As soon as she got on the bus, Tang Yue closed her eyes to sleep, planning to get back to the county town a bit earlier than the other day, have lunch, and then get ready for another busy afternoon.
Having not slept well the previous night, Tang Yue tried to catch up on some sleep on the bus, while Tang Mingli dared not sleep, watching over their many goods, as he couldn't rest easy otherwise.
Once in Wangjiang County, Tang Mingli, dragging the goods, proceeded to the stall they had set up.
The stall had been set up the day before and was enclosed with old cloths. Today, once they put the goods inside, Tang Yue started getting busy.
"Xiao Yue, I'll go buy us something to eat." Tang Mingli was about to head off to buy some food when customers started gathering around, bombarding them with questions about what new clothes they had brought back.
Business that comes to the door should not be turned away.
Tang Mingli kept flipping out items one by one, while Tang Yue began to describe them. She had a good memory; she didn't need to check the purchasing invoices to remember the cost price of the clothes and their selling price, and just by looking at someone, she could roughly tell what size they wore.
Those who hadn't been able to buy clothes last week were eagerly waiting here. Seeing them have new stock, they immediately started snatching them up.
Busy and bustling, the afternoon passed quickly, and only when it became dark outside and lights were lit, did Tang Mingli and Tang Yue stop for a break.