She was worried that Mi Wan was not doing well, and seeing her like this now, it didn't seem like she was doing well at all.
"Master Ji, could you please make some red bean cakes and pumpkin patties?" Mi Jing wanted to prepare something for Mi Wan to eat. Both of them loved these snacks.
"Is it a special request from a customer? Making these two items will take some time!" Master Ji said.
"No, it's for me. I'm craving these. There's no rush. I'll help you out, and you can take your time." Her sister was sleeping so soundly that she probably wouldn't wake up anytime soon.
As it turned out, Mi Wan woke up before the red bean cakes and pumpkin patties were finished. So, she took over from Master Ji to complete the work. During this time, Mi Jing actively did what she could to help and took the opportunity to learn from Mi Wan.
"Wow, it smells amazing!" Mi Jing said as she sniffed the pumpkin patties while walking towards the balcony, exclaiming her delight.
"It tastes even better." Mi Wan followed behind with the red bean cakes, smiling softly.
"Of course, your cooking skills get my full endorsement, sis."
One could say that Mi Jing grew up eating the food her sister Mi Wan cooked for her. When she was young, their parents were busy with work. They would buy groceries before going to work, and Mi Wan would cook after school. Over ten years of proof, Mi Jing had absolute confidence in Mi Wan's culinary skills.
The sisters sat on the sofa, eating and chatting casually, both of their moods improving.
"Jingjing, I want to divorce Song Guotao." After some light-hearted moments, Mi Wan's smile slowly faded, and she said this very calmly.
"Why? Is he treating you badly? Or does he have another woman outside?" Mi Jing's first reaction was that it must be Song Guotao's fault. Otherwise, her sister wouldn't have the idea of divorce.
"No." Mi Wan's eyes flickered, but she controlled her emotions and facial expressions well, not letting Mi Jing notice anything.
"Does Xuanxuan know what you're thinking?"
Speaking of her daughter, Mi Wan's face turned pale. "She doesn't know yet. I'm planning to find a suitable time to tell her."
"Sis, whatever decision you make, I will support you!"
Mi Jing didn't know what irreconcilable conflict existed between her sister and Song Guotao, but she understood Mi Wan. If she hadn't thought it through deeply, if she couldn't endure it any longer, she wouldn't easily speak out about divorce.
"But Mom and Dad..." Mi Wan had concerns about making the decision to divorce. Fang Qingru's heart condition worried her; she feared that learning about the divorce would be a big shock.
"If there is a reasonable cause, I think Mom and Dad will respect your decision," Mi Jing said.
"Let's keep it from them for now. Jingjing, you must keep it a secret and not let a word slip under any circumstances."
"Sis, can you tell me the reason?"
"Song Guotao and I always end up arguing over trivial matters. We blame each other, can't stand each other, and keep fighting infinitely. This has been going on for a while now. I'm exhausted and feel like I can't breathe. If this continues..." Mi Wan didn't finish her sentence. She closed her eyes, leaned back on the sofa, and looked utterly fatigued.
This was the first time Mi Jing had seen Mi Wan like this. The words made it clear that she desperately wanted to escape the cage of marriage; she had no more attachment. She was struggling bitterly in the quagmire of marriage, and divorce was her desired relief!
Seeing Mi Wan in such pain, Mi Jing suddenly felt the urge to cry. Her heart ached terribly. Unknowingly, her eyes turned red, glistening with tears.
"Sis, don't think about those unhappy things anymore. I'll take you out for a walk to distract you." Mi Jing sniffled, then smiled, trying to bring some cheer to Mi Wan and lighten her heavy heart.
"Don't you need to manage the store?"
"The store staff can handle it. I'll just give them instructions."
After leaving the café, Mi Jing and Mi Wan went to the park they used to visit often as children. They had lunch at the food street in the old town, where they ate until they were stuffed. Then, Mi Jing took Mi Wan to a children's clothing store. They walked and shopped, buying a lot of things. Finally, they were loaded with bags, returning home fully laden.
After a full day out, it was already late when Mi Jing finished her store's tasks and got home. Mi Zhihong and Fang Qingru hadn't gone to bed yet. They were watching TV in the living room.
"Jingjing, have you eaten?" Mi Zhihong asked.
"I have." Mi Jing responded casually and then sat down next to Fang Qingru with her head lowered, apologizing, "Mom, I'm sorry! I had a bad attitude this morning. After reflecting the whole day, I've realized my mistake. I agree to go on the blind dates you set up."
"You can't be blamed. I was the one overreacting. As for the blind dates, we can look into it after the New Year." Fang Qingru had also done some self-reflection and realized her mistake, so when Mi Jing apologized, she immediately backed down.
Hearing this, Mi Jing was stunned. How did the direction of this situation turn out completely different from what she had imagined?
"Darling, now you can be at ease. Jingjing is an understanding child, so you can worry less. Let's go to bed." After saying that, Mi Zhihong stood up and said to Mi Jing, "Jingjing, go take a shower and get some sleep. Girls shouldn't stay up late often."
"Mm, got it."
Mi Jing nodded quickly. Watching her mom, who seemed like a new bride following her dad, she was a bit taken aback. Suddenly, a newfound respect for her dad grew within her, and his image became immensely grand in her mind.
Today was Saturday, and there were more customers in the store than on weekdays. However, because Master Ji had an urgent family matter and took a leave, and Li Bao'er, the backup pastry chef, was still traveling, with no one in the kitchen, Mi Jing couldn't singlehandedly make the pastries and desserts. Consequently, customers were complaining because their orders couldn't be fulfilled.
Not wanting to ruin her store's reputation, Mi Jing gave the staff a day off and decided to close the store for the day.
Squeak...
The store door was pushed open. A beautifully made-up and elegant lady walked in. Mi Jing, who was clearing the accounts at the counter, looked up after hearing the sound and smiled, "Miss, I'm sorry, but our store is closed today."
"Closed? Is this a joke? I've arranged to meet someone here!" The beauty glared at Mi Jing and complained unhappily.
The sign at the door clearly said "closed," so was she really not seeing it or just pretending?
Mi Jing was somewhat displeased with the lady's attitude but didn't show it. Since she was running a business, she had no reason to drive a customer away, so she said, "Our pastry chef is on leave, so we can't serve pastries today. If you don't mind, please find a seat."