Chapter 111: Night! Beach! Beauty!_3
It wasn't that simple. Though perhaps not difficult, it still felt like a hassle.
Just thinking about it privately was troublesome enough.
"What are your parents doing at home now?" Sun Dasheng asked, probing for details so he could make arrangements.
"They run a small business. They used to own a restaurant and made quite a bit of money, but they lost a lot because of the pandemic. Now they're operating a small diner. They keep telling me business is good and that I shouldn't worry about tuition or living expenses, but my brother secretly told me that business is actually terrible. He said they work from dawn till dusk for very little money."
"Turns out they've been lying to me."
At this point, Fang Sihan felt a wave of guilt.
I used to blame them for giving me less spending money than my classmates. Art school tuition is already expensive, and when you add the high cost of living from trying to keep up with everyone else, it's really not something an ordinary family can afford. I knew my parents were biting the bullet to support me. Even my brother, who I always thought was the favorite, had his allowance drastically cut. I always believed our family favored sons over daughters, but it seems I completely misunderstood my parents. They were just subconsciously biased toward the younger child.
Realizing all this made her feel even more ashamed.
I've been constantly thinking about how to repay them. I have money, a lot of it, all from Uncle. But I can't give it to them because I can't explain where it came from. Especially for a young, pretty girl like me, living away from home... Earning so much money before I've even started working? If the people from our hometown found out, it would cause a massive scandal.
She couldn't solve this problem, so she had been deeply distressed. It wasn't until today, when she told Uncle everything, that things changed. The insurmountable problem that had tormented her for so long seemed as simple as eating and drinking to him.
"Alright, don't keep this on your mind anymore. I'll take care of it for you."
"Just relax, okay?"
"And no more long faces and looking unhappy. It's not a good look on you," Sun Dasheng said, pinching her cheek.
Fang Sihan nodded, nestling her head deeper against him and hugging his waist tightly, as if trying to melt completely into his body.
"They're coming," Sun Dasheng's voice murmured in her ear.
Only then did Fang Sihan snap out of it, hastily letting go. She smoothed out her clothes, created some distance between them, and stood there staring at the scenery outside, feigning a look of melancholy.
"Uncle, Si Han, there you are!" Li Sili's voice called out as she approached with Yun Yuqing right behind her. "We were looking all over for you. Turns out you weren't far away."
"Uncle, what are you two looking at?" Li Sili leaned her head over to see, then wrinkled her nose. "This view is no different from where I was."
Sun Dasheng reached out, grabbed her small head, and pulled her back. "Alright, your face is about to be pressed against the glass."
"Uncle, that hurts," Li Sili pouted. Getting my pigtails pulled really does hurt.
"Okay, okay, my bad," Sun Dasheng immediately apologized. He then leaned his head forward. "You can pull my hair too, then we'll be even."
This made Li Sili laugh. She reached out and gently tugged his hair. "We're even just because you say so? Hmph! I'm pulling it twice."
She gave it another tug, then giggled as if she'd gotten away with something. Such childish behavior would be cringe-worthy on an adult, but on her, it was just right. It was actually quite cute.
"Let's go."
The tour concluded, and they started their journey back. On the way, Li Sili had a suggestion.
"Uncle, it's still early, and it'll be boring to go straight back. How about we go to the beach and enjoy the breeze?"
Hmm, not a bad idea, Sun Dasheng thought. It was the very end of late spring, perfect for an outing. There wasn't much greenery to tread on here, but the weather was just right, making a trip to feel the ocean breeze an excellent choice.
"What about you two?" Sun Dasheng asked Fang Sihan and Yun Yuqing.
Both girls nodded in agreement, so the car made a U-turn at the next intersection and headed for the coast.
「Jinshan City Beach.」
When they arrived, the four of them were dumbfounded.
It was closed. Apparently, it shut at 9:30 p.m.
But that was no obstacle for Sun Dasheng. He made a single phone call, and before long, a park manager arrived to open a small side gate for them. As they entered, the manager told them enthusiastically, "President Sun, my boss said you can play for as long as you like. If you run into any issues, just call me. I'll be right here watching the gate for you."
Well said!
Sun Dasheng transferred a 10,000 yuan tip to him.
Can't let someone help out for free, right? Even though he was just following his superior's orders, what corporate drone enjoys working overtime? But every human being loves money.
Sure enough, as soon as he received the tip, the smile on the staff member's face became much more genuine. He even reminded them of the safety precautions for playing on the beach, especially warning them not to go in the water.
"Don't worry, we know the risks. We'll just walk along the sand," Sun Dasheng reassured him.
"Enjoy yourselves, then."
Watching their receding figures and glancing at the parked Rolls-Royce Phantom, the manager scratched his head in confusion. With that kind of money, wouldn't it be better to get a luxury suite and have fun in there? Why come out to this dark wilderness? Oh, well. What's the point of thinking so much? The world of the rich is truly beyond my understanding. Besides, if he hadn't come, I wouldn't have gotten this extra cash. Heh heh... Tomorrow, I can have technician number 88 give me some serious overtime!
「An hour later.」
On the dark, unlit beach, they didn't dare to venture too far. Yun Yuqing and Li Sili were walking shoulder to shoulder, gossiping.
Li Sili glanced back and asked quizzically, "Yu Qing, why is Si Han taking so long in the restroom? And where did Uncle disappear to?"
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