TGDS Chapter 44.1

Good Dad System (Arc 5) Chapter 44.1: Her Gambler Dad (7)

Tiantao Stationery Store is located opposite the Third Central Primary School in City B. Being located near the school, it enjoys a unique geographical advantage and has a large flow of people. Although e-commerce is now well developed and fewer people shop in physical stores, the daily operating flow cannot be underestimated.

 

“Madam, is your daughter back?” At the entrance of the elementary school, there are many cars parked when school was almost over. Most of them are parents of students. Although the school has repeatedly warned that students cannot stay after class, many children still delay leaving the school for various reasons. While waiting patiently, parents also entertain themselves, play with their mobile phones in the shade of trees, or chat with several shop owners nearby.

 

“Yes, she’s back.” Wu Liping curled the corners of her mouth and dealt with regular customers. Not far behind her, there was a girl squatting to count the goods. She had a slim figure and a gentle appearance, and was 50% similar to Wu Liping. These regular customers had more or less guessed their identity. She must be the boss’s child.

 

The regular customer leaned against the counter, looking into the distance, and chatted with her: “But you are also diligent, boss lady. Many families with such good conditions as yours have stopped doing business a long time ago, and just go back to collect rent and have a good rest!” She looked at the other party with envy. She had heard several times before that the boss lady had a main store near the elementary school in City B. The store was under her family’s name. Not to mention that at a time when housing prices are rising day by day, the other party still has two houses! Those who are deeply trapped in the anxiety of the middle class are so envious.

 

Wu Liping couldn’t answer frankly. She lowered her head and pretended to tidy up the cabinets, but the cabinets that were pulled in and the outside were extremely tidy, and there was no place that needed to be tidied.

 

The person seemed to realize that her words were quite abrupt, and she tried to smooth it over: “But it’s true. It’s not good for people to be idle. Like my mother-in-law, she stays at home every day after retirement. It’s so boring. This can be considered as her career.” She laughed twice.

 

“…Yeah.” Wu Liping could only nod, her face bright when she had something to say, which was exactly what she was doing right now.

 

“By the way.” The regular customer looked around and said, “Where is Boss Pei? Wasn’t he here a few days ago? I haven’t seen him these past two days.” She was a little confused. Normally, the boss’s wife and the boss couple had a good relationship. They went in and out together every day, like conjoined twins. Why hasn’t he been seen these two days?

 

Wu Liping’s face turned pale, and she didn’t ‘t say anything. Pei Tao came over and interrupted with a smile: “Sister, I went home these two days and there were people at home, so I let my fatherr go to buy the goods by himself. Do you have anything to do with him?”

 

The woman was in a good mood when she was called “sister” by a girl who was at least one generation younger than her. The topic was immediately amused and she started asking all sorts of questions, caring about the other party’s studies and life, but she didn’t feel bored at all when she gossiped.

 

“Mom,”in the distance, a voice of a little boy’s voice came, with a shaved head, and the aggressive boy rushed over like a cannonball and stayed beside the woman. “Let’s go home for dinner. I’m so hungry!” He covered his stomach with a pitiful look on his face. Although the woman was chatting happily, she didn’t dare to delay when she saw her son like this. She said goodbye, started the car in a hurry, and left with the child.

 

The mother and daughter in the room looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, but their expressions did not relax. Instead, they were worried. However, this was not a good time to chat, as there were still many students and parents outside. No matter how upset they were, they had to stuff their thoughts back into their stomachs.

 

The time between classes is when the stationery store’s business is most prosperous. Perhaps one of the class teachers required students to write diaries or something like that, so many children flocked in, bought notebooks and left. The turnover was also a little higher than usual. Wu Liping, who was standing at the cashier, was just counting the money silently, and she almost made several mistakes because she was distracted.

 

Students came and went quickly, and by seven o’clock in the evening, it was completely dark, the street lights were all turned on, and the roller shutter at the entrance of Tiantao Stationery Store was pulled down. The mother and daughter in the house set up a small table with an induction cooker on it and were cooking noodles. The noodles were quite simple, with just eggs, vegetables and a few meatballs, and a jar of minced meat sauce next to it. That was it. This was the mother and daughter’s dinner.

 

Against the wall behind the table, there were two white folding lounge chairs leaning against each other, which were now folded up and put away. In the cardboard box next to them were two sets of thin quilts and pillows. This was where Wu Liping and Pei Naochun used to rest.

 

The induction cooker had enough firepower, and the boiling noodle soup rolled around for several rounds. The steam was rising as if it was going to flood the house. Pei Tao then turned around and hurriedly turned off the switch. The noodles were overcooked and were almost becoming mixed noodles. She looked at her mother, who had just come to her senses and was in a panic, and could only smile bitterly.

 

Like most girls of her age, she enjoyed a carefree life like a free bird when she went to university. She also hoped to encounter a wonderful love. However, this relaxing life without having to worry about anything came to an abrupt end not long after. Pei Tao still can’t forget how she felt when she received the call from her mother.

 

Her mother told her that her father had committed suicide by taking sleeping pills and had just been rescued and was in the emergency room of the hospital. She even thought it was a funny joke at first, but soon realized that her mother would not joke about such things. Before she had the chance to ask about her father’s condition, she was stunned by the truth told by her mother calmly. She thought it was a dream, but the voice on the other end of the phone was unmistakable.