Grandma Luo didn’t know that Luo Tianyuan was the CEO of the company, and she simply assumed that he had put in a lot of effort to help her son find a job. She was extremely thankful. Now that people wanted to take advantage of him, she immediately came forward like a mother hen to protect him; she’d peck whoever approached him.

Luo Shuyan had gotten out of bed when Luo Tianyuan was out buying breakfast.

Elementary school children live by a fixed schedule. They go to bed by 9PM and wake up at 7PM. Luo Shuyan stayed in bed for a bit longer today.

Not long after brushing her teeth, she heard a knock on the apartment door. She threw on her slippers and walked to the door. She figured that it must be her father and he’d forgotten to bring the keys out with him.

Once she opened the door, she saw Shen Yan.

He must’ve just gotten up because there were marks on his face from sleeping on a bamboo mat.

“My mom made green bean soup,” Shen Yan said.

Luo Shuyan was surprised. ‘What is the special occasion today?’ Shen Yan personally came to knock on her door. She’d never experienced such special treatment before.

She had a good relationship with Aunty Shen, so they frequented each other’s places as if it were their own.

‘Why is Shen Yan so enthusiastic today? What does he want?’

No one would be courteous for no reason. He’s either a traitor or a thief.

Luo Shuyan found an explanation for Shen Yan’s visit. ‘I suppose that he doesn’t have enough pocket money and he’s here to borrow some from me?’

Yesterday, whe she was skipping rope during a break between classes, she saw him walk out from his classroom. He stood from afar and watched the boys play with marbles.

‘Did he gain an interest towards marbles?’

“Oh,” Luo Shuyan said, “My dad is out buying breakfast.”

She realized that Shen Yan wasn’t planning to leave even after she attempted to divert the topic. He even looked a little hesitant to say what he was thinking. Luo Shuyan sighed in her heart. Since her father bought a car, she also had to cut back on her spending. Yesterday, if someone came to her to borrow some pocket money, she would’ve agreed in an instant. However, today, with the sudden change in her family’s financial situation, she could not be as generous as she would’ve been the day before.

However, this friend of hers rarely asked for favors from others, and this is likely the first time he’s ever done so. So, she couldn’t reject him.

“Come on in.”

Luo Shuyan walked back into her house and Shen Yan stalled for a moment before following suit.

He had known Luo Shuyan for two years and they attended the same kindergarten. Back then, their teacher had told them to draw something, and she had drawn two houses. Back then, she’d chattered with him non-stop about the apartments. So, he figured that she really liked the two apartments, she’d even given them names; one was called ‘Prosperity’, whereas another was called ‘Blessed’.

Shuyan must be very angry over the fact that Uncle Luo had sold ‘Blessed’ away in order to buy a car.

There weren’t many children at Luo Shuyan’s age who got a say in the amount of pocket money they received. Luo Tianyuan truly wanted to spoil her rotten. He would give her CNY10 per week. It cost 1 cent to buy an ice popsicle or a spicy strip that the kids loved. Thus, you could figure out how much CNY10 was to children. Other than that, they had a few baskets on the table top in their living room, and Luo Tianyuan would leave his spare cash there. He always reminded her to take however much she needed.

Hence, even after becoming destitute, Luo Shuyan still had enough money to lend to Shen Yan to buy marbles.

Before Luo Shuyan went to take her money, Shen Yan who was following behind her said, “Uncle Luo’s car…”

Luo Shuyan turned around and looked at him, confused.

“I heard that my mom will be buying the apartment that we’re staying in.” Shen Yan looked at her and continued, “Your father is looking to sell the apartment.”

Luo Shuyan already knew of this and had come to terms with it. Her expression didn’t change as she said, “I know.”

Shen Yan carefully observed her expression. He asked, “Aren’t you angry?”

This was a good question.

Was Luo Shuyan angry? Of course not.

The apartment they were staying in was her grandmother’s, and the one next door was the one her father had bought with her grandparent’s money.

After the passing of her grandparents, the two houses belonged to her father. So technically speaking, at the moment, it didn’t belong to her.

Since it was her father’s, he was free to do what he saw fit. He was a grown man and naturally, he knew better. Although she was unsure about life and felt as if she’d lost tens of thousands, it was merely because of the loss of the property.

The two apartments gave her a sense of security. As for her, she believed that her sense of value and security was nothing compared to her father’s happiness!

‘As long as Papa is happy, that’s all that matters!’

It didn’t matter if he bought a car. Worse comes to worse, she’ll just not ask for pocket money when she’s slightly older.

Luo Shuyan shook her head. “I’m not angry at all.”

She was speaking the truth. However, in Shen Yan’s eyes, with her sour expression, he was reminded of a phrase he saw on a book in the bookshop a few days ago —

‘It was the calm before the storm.’