Tan Deming leaned in close to Tan You. "I think it’s because your dad has a backbone now. You’re so capable, he no longer has to rely on scraps from others."
Tan You raised an eyebrow. "Maybe so. It does give me a sense of accomplishment to see them hold their heads high. By the way, have my royalties come in?"
"They came in. I took your grandma to the post office to check the week before last," Tan Deming said with a smile. "It’s a lot more than for the last book. Did your rate go up?"
"Uh-huh," Tan You said as she started gathering a change of clothes. "I’m more or less a bestselling author now, so it’s only natural for my rate to increase. There’s no need to mention this to anyone else, though. It’ll just make them jealous."
"I get it. Do I look like the type who can’t keep a secret?" Tan Deming helped close the door for Tan You. "Hurry up and get washed. Your grandma made congee, and your dad said he’d bring back steamed buns from town this morning."
Tan You shrugged. "Alright, I’m happy to take it easy then."
Tan Lin had said he would be home at seven, but he always liked to set out early. By half-past six, he, Cheng Wenhui, and Tan Yue were already seated at the square table in the living room.
"I brought you some buns. I know you’re trying to lose weight, so I got you a few with vegetable and shredded radish fillings," Tan Lin said, untying the plastic bag and presenting them to Tan You like treasures. It was as if their roles had been reversed.
"There are also fried chive pastries, but these are deep-fried. You can’t eat them, right?" Tan Lin casually placed the box in front of himself. "Then I’ll have them."
Cheng Wenhui ladled a bowl of congee for Tan You. "You look good as you are now. There’s no need to get as skinny as Tan Ying. She’s way too thin."
Tan You raised an eyebrow slightly. This was the first time she had ever heard something resembling a compliment from Cheng Wenhui. In the past, Tan You might have been overjoyed, but now, she just gave a faint smile. "I know what I’m doing. You don’t need to worry."
Tan Desheng was up as well. He sat at the table, looking from Tan Lin to Cheng Wenhui, and finally to Tan You, feeling that the atmosphere was extremely off.
But yesterday, Tan You had called him an outsider to his face, and this was her house to run. He really didn’t dare to voice the questions on his mind.
Tan You had thought her father and mother coming back today was the limit, but she never expected that before lunch, Tan Zhen would actually show up with her grandson, Chen Chen.
This was actually the first time Tan You had seen Tan Zhen since her middle school entrance exams. Perhaps because she had once spent a long time away on assignments, Tan Zhen had become a blur in her memory.
Seeing Tan Zhen again now, Tan You felt like she was looking at a stranger.
Chen Chen wasn’t shy with strangers at all, calling out "Auntie" to Tan You the moment he arrived. Tan You wasn’t so callous as to give a child the cold shoulder, so her expression toward him and Tan Zhen was merely neutral.
If she were to look in a mirror, Tan You would have discovered that her smile at that moment was the spitting image of Yi Ru’s.
Cheng Wenhui quietly whispered in Tan You’s ear, "Why do you think your aunt suddenly came back for the National Day holiday?"
Tan You snapped the ends off green beans. "What else could it be? She’s obviously after Tan Desheng’s money."
Cheng Wenhui thought about it and agreed. "Your second grand-uncle is really something. People say a few nice words, and he starts throwing money around... That’s no way to spend it, even if you’re rich. Does he even care about his own life anymore? Or are all rich people like that?"
"What kind of rich person is he?" Tan You scoffed. "It’s just some extra cash from selling his house. The richer people are, the stingier they get. How could they let others take advantage of them so easily?"
"He’s throwing money around, but how many people will actually remember his kindness? They’re probably just laughing at him behind his back," Cheng Wenhui said casually as she helped Tan You prep the vegetables.
Tan You didn’t want to talk more about Tan Desheng. "How’s work at the factory? Is Ding Lan diligent?"
"Master Ding is great," Cheng Wenhui said, going along with the change of topic. Not having to be out in the wind and sun, spending her days in an office, and using the skincare products Tan You bought for her had done wonders for Cheng Wenhui’s appearance.
"Speaking of Master Ding," Cheng Wenhui lowered her voice. "President Yang asked me to check with you if you’ve designed any new clothes recently. The seasons are changing, you know? He wants to bring in more orders."
Tan You understood. She wiped her hands. "Grandma, can you help me with the vegetables? I’ll be back to cook in a bit. I need to talk to Mom about something."
Wang Hunv waved her off. She couldn’t be happier to have Tan You take Cheng Wenhui away. She felt strangely uncomfortable being around Cheng Wenhui.
In Tan You’s room, she pulled open the wardrobe. "I made these during the summer break. Some of them are altered from old clothes. This woolen coat is for you, though it’s not time to wear it yet."
Cheng Wenhui held the purple woolen coat. "You made this for me?"
"Uh-huh," Tan You shrugged. "Grandma has so many old clothes packed away. It’d be a waste to throw them out. The fabric of this suit was nice, so I took it completely apart and made you a coat."
"These outfits are for you, too," Tan You said, rummaging through the wardrobe. She quickly pulled out four autumn outfits. There were blouses and pants, as well as a long-sleeved dress. The cuts were all very sharp, and the designs were unique.
"They’re all made from Grandma’s old fabrics. I really like this kind of patchwork design, but it doesn’t really suit me. It’s perfect for a professional like you."
Cheng Wenhui’s heart ached. "You made so much for me? How do you even know how to make clothes?"
Tan You countered, "Is it that hard? You just watch and you learn."
Cheng Wenhui was speechless. She had been working for over a month and had only just learned the most basic operations. But her daughter, who hadn’t spent a single day in a clothing factory, not only knew how to sew but could also design. How was that even fair?
Cheng Wenhui could only try to rationalize it. "You always liked making things with your own hands, and you enjoyed watching other people work."
She couldn’t think of any other explanation.
Tan You didn’t feel like explaining further. "If President Yang is interested in these, you can take a few pieces to the factory later. Also, I want a sewing machine this time. As for the price, you guys can negotiate it."
Cheng Wenhui said, "If he sees these, he’ll probably want every single one. I look at them and I love them all, too."
Tan You was indifferent. "Then you can negotiate it yourselves. Clothes are made to be worn, after all. But don’t bring anyone to the house. Even if you need to discuss things, do it at night. There are too many prying eyes around right now."
Cheng Wenhui glanced toward the living room and could hear Tan Zhen’s constant flattery. Tan Lin, on the other hand, who was usually quite talkative, was exceptionally quiet out there.
"Your dad doesn’t suck up to your second grand-uncle anymore," Cheng Wenhui said, carefully folding the woolen coat. "He doesn’t need to rely on his help now that he has his own support. He’s even become a lot quieter."
Tan You replied, "I get it. Who would willingly swallow their pride to suck up to others if it weren’t to provide a better life for their family? I can understand why he was like that before. At the end of the day, you guys had it tough back then."