28: Chapter 28 The Store Managers' Stories (Part 7): Lisa

Lisa is the busiest person at the Orange County Store.

She is forty-five, divorced twice, and her daughter is in college, rarely contacting her.

She arrives at the store at six every morning and leaves at ten at night, sixteen hours a day, never stopping for a moment.

Managing accounts, staff, inventory, customers, Tommy, Lao Zhang, and everything else.

When Lin Feng first came to the Orange County Store, he squatted at the entrance and watched her for an entire afternoon.

Then he asked Tommy, "What did this Lisa do before?"

Tommy said, "She ran a small restaurant, but it closed later."

Lin Feng nodded, "Why did it close?"

Tommy thought for a moment, "She said she couldn't run it by herself."

Lin Feng was silent for three seconds.

Then he said, "She isn't by herself anymore."

Lisa didn't know Lin Feng had noticed her.

She only knew that this young boss who squatted at the entrance never stayed long whenever he came; he would just look and leave.

Until one day, Lin Feng called her to the entrance.

"Lisa, I want to ask you something."

Lisa paused in surprise, "Go ahead, Boss."

Lin Feng had a straw in his mouth, looking across the street,

"How long has it been since your daughter contacted you?"

Lisa went silent.

Lin Feng didn't rush her; he just waited.

After a long time, Lisa spoke, her voice very soft,

"Half a year."

Lin Feng nodded, "Do you miss her?"

Lisa went silent again.

Then she lowered her head, her eyes turning red.

"I do. But she doesn't miss me."

Lin Feng didn't speak.

He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Lisa.

Lisa took it and froze as she looked at it.

It was a plane ticket.

From Los Angeles to New York, next Friday.

Lin Feng said, "Go find her."

Lisa stared at the ticket for a long time.

Then she looked up at Lin Feng, "Boss, this..."

Lin Feng stood up, patted his backside, and walked toward his car.

"I'll watch the store for you. Go and bring your daughter back."

Lisa stood there, watching the car disappear around the street corner.

The ticket in her hand was crumpled from her tight grip.

The following Friday, Lisa really went to New York.

She stood at the entrance of her daughter's school and waited for three hours.

In the evening, her daughter came out.

Nineteen years old, tall and thin, walking out while talking and laughing with classmates.

When she looked up, she saw her.

Her smile froze on her face.

Lisa walked over and stood in front of her.

"Mom..."

Lisa looked at her, her eyes red, but she was smiling,

"Mom came to see you."

The daughter was silent for three seconds.

Then she asked, "How did you get here?"

Lisa said, "My boss gave me the ticket."

The daughter was stunned.

That night, they had a meal together.

In a small restaurant, Lisa ordered the dishes her daughter loved to eat when she was a child.

The daughter ate very little and didn't say much.

Lisa asked her, "Is school tiring?"

"It's okay."

"Do you have enough money?"

"Enough."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

The daughter looked up at her, her eyes a bit complicated.

"Mom, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Lisa was silent for a second.

Then she said earnestly,

"Mom just wants to tell you—no matter whether you contact me or not, Mom is always here."

The daughter was stunned.

Lisa continued, "It was Mom's fault before, always fighting with your dad, making you suffer. But now that I'm on my own, I've come to understand things."

She reached out and held her daughter's hand,

"You don't have to forgive me. But just know that Mom is here."

The daughter stared at her, her eyes slowly turning red.

Lisa stayed in New York for three days.

During those three days, her daughter showed her around the school, ate in the cafeteria, and introduced her to classmates.

On the day she left, her daughter took her to the airport.

Standing at the security checkpoint, the daughter suddenly spoke,

"Mom."

Lisa turned around.

The daughter walked over and gave her a hug.

It was light and short, but it was definitely a hug.

"Take care on the way."

Lisa nodded and turned to walk into the security checkpoint.

When the tears fell, she didn't let her see.

The day she returned to Orange County, Tommy was waiting for her at the store entrance.

"Big Sister Lisa, you're back!"

Lisa smiled, "I'm back."

Tommy followed behind her in his wheelchair, asking incessantly:

"Did you see your daughter?"

"What does she look like?"

"Did she ask about me?"

"Did she eat fried chicken?"

Lisa answered one by one.

I saw her.

She's tall and thin.

She didn't ask about you.

She didn't eat fried chicken; the school cafeteria isn't good.

After hearing this, Tommy said earnestly,

"Next time, let her come to the store to eat. It's on me."

Lisa paused, then smiled.

"Where would you get the money?"

Then, she continued to smile, smiling very brightly.

After closing at night, Lisa sat at the store entrance, imitating Lin Feng, looking across the street.

Lao Zhang came out after mopping the floor, saw her, and paused.

"Not leaving yet?"

Lisa shook her head, "I'll sit for a while."

Lao Zhang squatted down next to her—imitating Lin Feng.

The two sat in silence, looking across the street.

After a long time, Lisa spoke,

"Lao Zhang, do you think my daughter will come back in the future?"

Lao Zhang thought for a while and said earnestly,

"I don't know. But you went to find her, so she knows now."

Lisa turned to look at him.

Lao Zhang smiled, "My son hasn't come back either. But now he comes to mop the floor every week."

Lisa was stunned.

Then she smiled.

On the weekend, Lin Feng came again.

He squatted at the entrance, holding a straw in his mouth, looking inside.

Lisa was busy behind the cash register, Tommy was helping nearby, Lao Zhang was mopping, and Lao Zhangs son was also mopping.

Everything was quite good.

Lisa saw him, walked out, and squatted next to him.

"Boss."

Lin Feng nodded.

Lisa was silent for a second, then said,

"I'll pay you back for the plane ticket in installments."

Lin Feng turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow,

"Pay me back? What are you talking about? That was a bonus."

Lisa was stunned.

Lin Feng continued, "You did a good job; the store didn't collapse, the staff didn't run off, and the accounts weren't messy. You deserve a reward."

Lisa stared at him for three seconds.

Then she smiled.

"Lin Feng, you really are a lunatic."

Lin Feng nodded, "I know, I've always known."

The two squatted there like two fools, looking at the streetlights across the street.

After a long time, Lisa suddenly said,

"My daughter said she might come to the store to help during summer vacation."

Lin Feng turned to look at her, "Really?"

Lisa nodded, "She said she wants to see what kind of boss would buy a plane ticket for an employee."

Lin Feng smiled.

"Then tell her to bring some New York specialties when she comes. Don't come empty-handed."

Lisa smiled too.

[Chapter 28 End]