Chapter 8: A Debt of Gratitude Must Be Repaid

The moment the soles of her shoes touched the ground from the last step, Li Tian’er instantly regained the poise of the eldest daughter of the Li family. She straightened her back and lifted her chin slightly; even in plastic slippers, her presence radiated with an impressive aura.

“You said my mother stopped by?” she asked.

Chen Bo stood up to greet her. “Yes, your mother wants you to come home for dinner tomorrow.”

Li Tian’er replied indifferently. Standing at five foot six, she faced Chen Bo—who was over six feet tall—without the slightest hint of being overpowered.

“Hmm, my mother must be planning to fuss over my birthday again,” Chen Bo grinned. “Did she ask about anything when she saw you?”

Li Tian’er was just contemplating how to excuse herself from helping at Chen Bo’s mother’s house the next day, but his question made her a little awkward.

“She did ask. She mistook me for a housekeeper you’d hired.”

Chen Bo burst out laughing. “My mother must really be losing her eyesight! How could she possibly think you were a housekeeper? If there were housekeepers like you, employers would be fighting over them! But why didn’t she recognize you? Our families were neighbors for years, and she visits my sister all the time. You haven’t been gone that long… I guess she’s getting old and forgetful.”

He stroked his chin and regarded Li Tian’er as if seeing her for the first time, scrutinizing her from head to toe.

All of Li Tian’er’s clothes were bought two years ago when she got married; there weren’t many to begin with, and each was worn and faded from countless washings. After her bath, she had changed into one of Li Tiantian’s old, pale blue cotton dresses, now bleached almost white, and wore blue plastic slippers with bare feet and a face free of makeup. Yet her lips were naturally rosy, her teeth white, and her thick, waterfall-like hair cascaded down her back.

In the past, even at home before the servants, Li Tian’er would never have let herself be seen without makeup. But times had changed, and now she relished the freedom of her bare, clean face, unburdened, and had no fear of Chen Bo’s gaze.

His eyes drifted to her delicate feet: the pale, graceful arches, long and shapely toes, nails with a healthy pink glow, and the elegant slant of her toenails—more exquisite and perfect than any model’s in a fashion magazine. Chen Bo felt something stir in his throat.

Noticing his lingering gaze on her feet, Li Tian’er frowned and instinctively stepped back.

Chen Bo’s infatuated gaze shifted away, embarrassed.

“Let’s have some tea together,” he offered, gesturing politely.

“No, thank you. I’ve delivered the message. If your mother asks tomorrow, I’ll leave you to think of an explanation. It’s still inconvenient for me to be staying here, so I’ll try to move out as soon as I can,” Li Tian’er replied, shaking her head. She worried that tea at night would keep her awake—and who knew what Chen Bo might put in it.

A man who spends his days flirting among flowers requires constant vigilance.

“There’s no rush to move out, unless you feel uncomfortable here. If you’re looking for work, you could consider joining my company. Whatever terms you want, I can agree to.” When people are desperate, even a single straw is a lifeline; there’s no need to worry the fish won’t bite…

“If you don’t want tea, at least sit with me for a while. I’m not a wolf or a tiger—there’s no need to be afraid of me,” Chen Bo said, inviting her to the sofa.

“Why should I be afraid of you? You’re the only friend who’s helped me in my time of need.” Li Tian’er smiled slightly, glancing at the pink popularity score above his head—still unmoved. She was now convinced: Chen Bo was a veteran of romance, skilled at pleasing women, but he would never truly fall for one.

“Yes, we’re friends. I’ll do anything you need, give you anything you want…” Chen Bo’s eyes roamed over her face. If looks could kiss, his gaze would have caressed her from head to toe.

Patience, he told himself. The time wasn’t right.

He felt that familiar rumbling in his throat, a sound that nearly suffocated him during that night two years ago…

“No, thank you. I have my own plans,” Li Tian’er said, turning to head upstairs. Chen Bo stepped forward and called out, pulling a set of keys from his pocket and handing them to her.

“These are the house keys, so you can come and go as you please. I’ll go with you to drop Kaikai at daycare tomorrow morning. Take them—don’t make me stand here holding them forever.”

“Alright, thank you,” Li Tian’er replied, taking the keys and heading upstairs.

Just then, the phone rang. Chen Bo answered, murmuring a few words. As Li Tian’er opened her bedroom door, he was still on the call. Occasionally, the bedside phone hissed with static—likely the upstairs and downstairs phones shared a line. After some time, the static quieted.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs; as Chen Bo passed her door, he paused briefly before continuing into the room next door.

Yesterday, Chen Bo had made breakfast. This morning, Li Tian’er had risen early to prepare it herself. Living in someone else’s home, she couldn’t just act like a pampered young lady and do nothing.

The most important thing is to know your place.

As Chen Bo opened his bedroom door, he heard movement in the kitchen and hurried downstairs.

“Good morning,” he said in surprise as he saw Li Tian’er.

She turned and smiled at him. “Morning! Breakfast will be ready soon.”

“Thank you for your hard work.” His eyes sparkled as he looked at her, a gentle warmth blooming in his heart.

“Most children cry their hearts out when they’re dropped off at daycare, but Kaikai was so well-behaved—he even waved and smiled at you. This child is bound for great things,” Chen Bo remarked, opening the car door and inviting her in.

“No, thank you. I’d rather walk along the street for a bit. I’m planning to buy a bicycle, so it’ll be easier to take Kaikai to and from daycare in the future,” Li Tian’er replied.

Earlier, she had observed the street: there were three fruit shops and a rice shop. She planned to negotiate wholesale deals with the owners; if she could secure just one, she could gradually expand her business. With no upfront costs, wholesaling was sure to be profitable.

“Tiantian, you have to come home with me today. Please, help me out—otherwise I won’t be able to explain things to my mother,” Chen Bo said anxiously, holding the car door open and refusing to shut it.

Li Tian’er had already taken a few steps away, but stopped, thinking his mother must insist on having her, the "housekeeper," come help cook.

“…”

“I’m begging you, just this once,” Chen Bo pleaded, pressing his palms together in earnest, his eyes full of helplessness.

Li Tian’er knew all too well what it was like to be pressured by family. If she refused, Chen Bo would have no way to answer to his mother.

“Alright then,” she agreed. Li Tian’er was not someone who bent easily, but she owed Chen Bo this much. Li Tiantian had been penniless and forced to move out, and it was Chen Bo who had taken her and her child in. Whatever his motives, at least he had helped them through a difficult time.

Chen Bo’s parents lived in an old, detached house with its own courtyard. Though the house was old, the renovations were tasteful. The garden was bursting with flowers, and there was a decorative fishpond set with pebbles. By the pond stood a table and chairs beneath a red-and-white striped sunshade, under which sat three women in cheongsams. From a distance, it felt like stepping back into the early twentieth century.