Chapter 51: Grumpy Nephew

Zhuo Jiyu stayed behind to continue working, so when they headed back, it was just the three of them. Unfortunately, they had some bad luck this time. From the moment they boarded the plane, a man sitting in the seat in front of them kept giving them disgusting looks.

Chen Jin noticed and stared back firmly, “Sir, do you need something?”

Seeing him smirk sleazily without stopping, Chen Jin immediately pulled out her camera and took a picture of his face.

Click. The man’s expression changed instantly, and he glared at her, “Hand over the film!”

Yang Qian and Lin Xinran, who had been asleep as soon as they boarded, woke up startled and looked over.

Chen Jin took another picture, without even looking at the man, then turned to Lin Xinran and Yang Qian and loudly said, “So unlucky! We’ve run into a toad today. Disgusting, like he’s never seen a woman in his life. A total pervert! When I get back, I’ll definitely ask the newspapers and TV stations if they can make him famous.”

Seeing the man’s face darken, Chen Jin added, “This is big news. How did I end up meeting someone this ugly? Bald and fat… Ugh, I better stop talking. If I say too much, he might claim I’m seducing him. I may be nearsighted, but I’m not blind.”

Lin Xinran chimed in loudly, “One more look at him and I’ll lose my appetite!”

Yang Qian opened her mouth but was too stunned to speak, shooting him a cold glare instead.

When the man seemed like he was about to continue pestering them, Yang Qian snapped, “If you stare at us one more time, I’ll make sure everyone in Southern Province knows you harassed us on this plane, including with your picture. If you’re from out of town and don’t mind becoming famous here, go ahead.”

Maybe realizing the three women weren’t to be messed with, the man stopped leering at them.

Had it not been for the serious consequences of causing a disturbance on a plane, Chen Jin would’ve already taken off her shoe to slap him.

About half an hour later, a woman sitting in front of Chen Jin threw a cup of water in the man’s face. “You look again and I swear I’ll slap you! Damn, you’re ugly and still staring. Go home and look at your mother! Bald, fat, and nasty. Think you’re all that because you’ve got two ounces of meat down there? Try staring again!”

She then glanced at his crotch with a look of pity, sneering, “I heard short and fat guys are usually… you know, useless. Can’t perform at home, so you come onto a plane to feel important, huh?”

The cabin fell silent, as the woman’s voice had been loud enough for everyone to hear, even louder than Chen Jin and her friends earlier, almost like she had a built-in speaker. Those who hadn’t known what was going on now turned their eyes to the man.

So this ugly guy was impotent?

“You b****! What nonsense are you talking about? You want me to slap you?”

“Come on! Try slapping me if you dare! You coward! When we get off this plane, don’t run away, or I’ll slap you myself.”

Other passengers, now understanding the situation, started speaking up for the woman.

“What kind of man picks on women like that?”

“Yeah, you probably stared at them because they’re pretty and now you’ve pissed them off.”

Chen Jin added, “Exactly, the moment we got on the plane, he’s been ogling women. Daring to be so blatantly creepy, he must’ve done bad things before. When we land, let’s report him to the police and see if he has a criminal record. Everyone keep an eye on him.”

She didn’t believe it—could he really keep making that disgusting face with so many people watching him? If he dared, when they landed and the woman in front wanted to take action, she’d definitely help her out.

Chen Jin gently tugged the sleeve of the woman in front, signaling her to calm down.

Causing trouble on a plane wasn’t something to be taken lightly. She had carefully read the rules before boarding, so even though she’d been furious, she had only cursed to vent and never planned to seriously argue with the man.

Other passengers nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, that’s right. Never seen someone so bold.”

“He doesn’t look like a good guy.”

Hearing Chen Jin mention calling the police, the man’s face changed. He then sneered, “So what if I look? You’re dressed like that for people to look at, aren’t you?”

He was about to look over at Chen Jin and her friends again, but remembering the mention of his photo possibly making it to the news, he hesitated, realizing he might’ve bitten off more than he could chew. His gaze shifted to the woman across the aisle, the same one who had thrown water on him!

Lin Xinran instinctively looked down at her own outfit. Chen Jin wouldn’t even reflect on what she was wearing, because to some trashy people, it didn’t matter if she was in a simple dress or fully covered in long sleeves and pants—those people would still think she was dressed improperly and deserved to be stared at.

Before she could respond, the girl in front of her glared back, “Why do you care how we’re dressed? It’s not like we’re dressing for an ugly thing like you to look at. Bald-headed, fat-faced freak, looking at you even once is bad for my health. If you’ve got guts, don’t run after we get off the plane, and see if I don’t beat you into a pulp!”

“What do you think you are? You think I can’t crush you with my money?”

“Ha! Crush someone with money? Not only are you ugly, you’re pretending to be rich! A normal person wouldn’t wear a big gold chain around their neck. Who are you trying to fool with that act? You think you’re rich? You can get three of those from the wholesale market for ten bucks.” Chen Jin curled her lips, “Crush someone with money? People like you can brag all you want on a plane, anything you say sounds believable. I’m actually the richest person in the southern province, and I don’t even brag like you do.”

The man wiped his face, “What does this have to do with you?!”

“Alright, alright, just shut up already. I don’t want to talk to ugly things; it’s beneath me.”

“Everyone saw that, right? We were just sitting here minding our business, and it was this guy who started causing trouble.”

“Don’t worry, we all saw it. Honestly, how do they even let any riffraff onto planes these days?”

Chen Jin objected, “Hey, cats and dogs didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t insult them like that.”

At this point, the flight attendants, hearing the commotion, came over.

Chen Jin quickly explained the situation, “This guy has been disgusting everyone ever since he boarded the plane. Everyone sitting around here saw it. We strongly request that you move him to another seat!”

“Why should I change my seat? I’m not moving!”

Even though all the passengers were still seated, and there hadn’t been any physical conflict yet, the flight attendants very seriously explained the legal rules regarding air travel. If an argument affected flight safety, the people involved could face anything from public security penalties to criminal charges.

The flight attendant looked at the man and patiently reminded him that if his behavior continued to disturb other passengers, they would arrange for him to be seated elsewhere.

“If you harass other passengers or crew members and disrupt order on the plane, we will report it to the police.”

The man didn’t dare say another word. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes, signaling his refusal to move. The flight attendants then explained to the passengers the consequences of disrupting order on a plane.

Lin Xinran was still fuming, “That guy is so disgusting. I wish I could gouge his eyes out!”

“With guys like that, sometimes if you stare back at them, they’ll back down a bit. But some are shameless— the more you stare, the more smug they get, like they’re crazy. If this weren’t a plane, if my brother and the others were here, do you think he’d still dare to act like this? If he dared, I’d beat him for sure.”

“He just thinks we’re easy targets and is trying to gross us out. Wait till we get off the plane and see what happens.”

Chen Jin thought the girl in front of her looked like she was just itching for a chance to punch the guy.

“Later, you can ride with my family’s car. We’ll drop you off,” Yang Qian offered.

“Okay,” Lin Xinran huffed, clenching her fists. “I was in such a good mood, but he totally ruined it.”

After the plane landed, Chen Jin and the others followed the girl in front of them as they walked out. The man was still glancing back at them occasionally, even as they got their luggage and left the airport.

Yang Qian saw her driver and went over to talk to him. Suddenly, there was a loud commotion up ahead.

Chen Jin quickly looked up. It was the girl who had been sitting in front of her. With her height and strength, she had twisted the man’s arms behind his back and pinned him to the ground. He couldn’t move at all.

Getting a closer look, Chen Jin saw that both sides of the man’s face were swollen.

“Did I go easy on you on the plane? Take a good look now—look as much as you want! Let’s see if I don’t beat you to death.” The girl called to the crowd around them, “This guy’s trying to be a pervert in public. Just now, I think he was about to take his pants off.”

Chen Jin blended into the crowd and chimed in, “I saw it too!”

“What? Is he crazy? Trying to take his pants off in public?”

“I know that guy. We were just on the same flight. The moment he boarded, he started acting perverted. He deserved that beating.”

“If this had been a few years ago, he would’ve been shot. Who does stuff like that in public?”

The man, still pinned down, could only curse, but after just a few words, he was slapped hard again and then tossed to the police. The girl, righteously, said, “He was trying to harass me first. Slapping him was the least I could do. Let him try to say something sleazy to me again, and I’ll kick his balls until they burst!”

Everyone watching pursed their lips. They believed it—this girl really would kick him.

The police were about to take the man away, but they also needed to take the girl to file a report. Surprisingly, the man started saying he didn’t want to trouble the police and was willing to settle things peacefully.

The girl spat at him, “You think you can just settle this? Who do you think you are to settle with me? You’re definitely going to the police station! I think that other girl was right, Officer. I suspect this guy’s got something on his record. The moment we mentioned calling the police on the plane, his face changed. He’s probably a fugitive!”

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. “No way, I’m not settling. We’re going to the police station!”

One of the officers quietly warned her, “If we go to the station and he accuses you of assault, you could be in trouble too.”

The girl waved it off, “No worries, I can afford the medical fees, but I’m not letting this go!”

Since she insisted on calling the police, they had no choice but to take them both to the station. Feeling guilty, the man even tried to run away. That was it. The officers, who had initially thought this was just a minor disturbance, immediately realized something was off and quickly restrained him, determined to take him to the station for a thorough investigation.

As she passed by Chen Jinshi, the girl smiled at her warmly and, after a moment’s thought, said, “Give me your contact information. I’ll call you when there’s an update.”

Chen Jin’s eyes lit up, and she quickly pulled out a notebook and pen from her bag, scribbling down her number. “Be sure to let me know.”

At this moment, Yang Qian added, “If you need any help, feel free to contact us too.”

After getting into Yang Qian’s family car, the three of them left behind their earlier frustration and felt refreshed.

Lin Xinran commented, “Chen Jin, you were really impressive on the plane.”

“Impressive? It was just me venting my anger. If the guy had been some big brute, I would’ve pretended not to see anything. At most, I would’ve said a few sarcastic lines. The real badass was that woman earlier. At my age, is it too late to start learning self-defense? Or maybe just a few emergency moves?” In reality, learning a bit more is always a good idea. If something happens, at least you’d be able to run.

Yang Qian was about to speak when her phone rang. “Oh, we just got in the car… It’s nothing serious, yeah.”

Chen Jin couldn’t believe it. “He found out so fast?”

Yang Qian glanced subtly at the driver in front of them and said, “His driver and his car.”

“Well, if he knows, then he knows. He said he’d have someone take care of it.”

Chen Jin had no idea what “taking care of it” actually meant. That same night, she received a call from that girl, saying the guy really had some charges against him and was now in custody. She herself had only been given a verbal warning and was then released.

“Your temper… are you from Rong City too? We should grab a meal sometime.”

“Too? Are you also from there?” Chen Jin thought the girl’s accent didn’t sound like it.

“Of course! Let’s eat together sometime. My name’s Chu Qi.”

Chu Qi? Chen Jin instinctively glanced at the cookie tray on the coffee table, and for some reason, it hit her funny bone. She laughed, “I’m Chen Jin, ‘Jin’ as in ‘today.’ Let’s grab that meal sometime, hero!”

“Teacher Chen, you’re back? Where are you planning to travel next?”

Shen Baichuan had just seen Chen Jin sitting in the pavilion in her backyard from the second-floor balcony, realizing she was back from her trip.

Chen Jin turned her head to glance over. Shen Baichuan, in casual clothes, was holding a cup of coffee and also sitting in his backyard pavilion. The two pavilions were separated by a fence, making it seem like a regular afternoon tea with a friend.

Except…

Chen Jin looked at her own empty table—no afternoon tea.

“Taking a break, not planning to go anywhere.”

“Did you have fun on this trip?”

“It was nice, except for running into some trash on the way back. But he didn’t get away with it.”

Chen Jin glanced diagonally at Shen Baichuan, curiosity piqued. She really wanted to ask him about the car-scratching incident but was afraid it might be too forward. Surely, Teacher Shen wouldn’t want people knowing about that, right?

It was thrilling to think about. Every time she remembered, she couldn’t help but cheer for Teacher Shen in her head—so cool!

Shen Baichuan sighed softly and smiled helplessly, “Teacher Chen, do you have some misunderstanding about me?”

Ever since their last encounter at the coffee shop, Chen Jin’s attitude toward him had done a complete 180. A few days ago, he thought it was just because they’d been seeing more of each other and were getting familiar. But just now, her expression and gaze seemed to say, “I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person.”

Chen Jin nodded, “There’s a bit of a misunderstanding, but it’s nothing major.”

Whether Shen Baichuan was aloof or down-to-earth didn’t matter much to her. It just made her laugh sometimes when she thought about it—wow, keying a new car! That’s not too far off from blowing up a pigsty back in Qiaoxi Village.

“Teacher Chen, you seem to be in a good mood lately. I see you going out more often than before.”

“Yes, I’ve been quite happy.”

After all, she had made real friends. Their values and personalities aligned, there were no conflicts of interest, and every outing was filled with joy. They could share little gossip and secrets, and the interaction with friends her age was so relaxed and pleasant.

It’s amazing how some people click instantly, while others remain distant even after years.

Shen Baichuan, feeling that just sitting there was boring, asked, “Teacher Chen, would you like some coffee?”

Chen Jin shook her head, declining, “No, thank you, Teacher Shen.”

She explained, “I have trouble sleeping if I drink coffee at night.”

So, the two sat in their respective pavilions, diagonally across from each other. A sudden afternoon rain scattered the lingering heat, and Chen Jin found the atmosphere just perfect. She went back inside, grabbed a book, a bottle of orange soda, and some snacks, piling them all on the table. She even fetched a pillow to lean on, settling in with her book, snacks, and soda.

Shen Baichuan also brought out his book to read. Occasionally, he’d glance up at the sight of Chen Jin sprawled in various awkward positions, her legs crossed. His mood, like the afternoon rain, felt refreshed.

The sound of the rain was the perfect background music.

After sitting outside for over two hours, Chen Jin finally stretched and massaged her legs when the rain stopped. She gathered her things and went inside to relax on the couch, turning on the TV.

Still in his backyard, Shen Baichuan heard the sound of her TV and lost interest in his book. He leaned back in his chair, tilting his head to gaze at the clear sky after the rain.

In the distance, a faint rainbow arched across the sky.

When Chen Jin went upstairs to grab a new book, she checked her phone and saw several missed calls—all from her uncle.

“Uncle, what’s up?”

“You’re home, right? Are you at Hanlin Garden or the townhouse?”

“I’m at the townhouse.” Chen Jin slowly sat up straight, sensing something was coming.

Sure enough, her uncle said in a serious tone, “Min Min wants to cut ties with her parents. Come over to the hospital now. She’s at the Women and Children’s Hospital, inpatient building, third floor. You’re around the same age, so maybe you can talk some sense into her.”

Chen Jin was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly asked, “Uncle, tell me what happened first. I’ll pack up and head over.”

“Minmin got into a relationship and was planning to get married during National Day. Originally, they agreed that each of them would pay half for the house. But after a few harsh words from your aunt and uncle, Minmin got upset and said she doesn’t want their money anymore and would cut ties with them in the future.” Her eldest uncle sighed in frustration and cursed, “Every single day, I swear your aunt has lost her mind after getting pregnant, can’t even tell good from bad. If it weren’t for Minmin, I wouldn’t care if she lived or died!”

Chen Jin didn’t respond, it seemed like her uncle was truly angry.

“Alright, Uncle, I’ll pack up and head over.”

“Yeah, drive carefully and stay safe.”

“Got it.”

At the hospital, after Chen Wenqiang hung up the phone, he rubbed his temples and turned to walk towards the ward. Before he even got there, he could hear the noise and commotion coming from inside, so he quickened his pace.

Inside the ward, Gu Shunfa’s mother and his two sisters-in-law had come, and all three of them were scolding Gu Minmin by the bedside.

“I’ve always said, you brat, you’ve been headstrong since you were a child. Your parents now have a son, and instead of helping to take care of him as an elder sister should, you throw tantrums and upset your mother. What if something happens to her? Are you hoping your brother dies so you can take all of your parents’ things for yourself?”

“I’ve said before that you should’ve adopted a child. It’s better than raising an ingrate. Look how well they’ve treated you over the years, better than your sisters, and yet you show no gratitude.”

Gu Minmin kept her head down, tightly gripping the hem of her dress, suppressing the urge to speak.

She was both angry and regretful—angry that her parents actually asked her to write a promissory note, and regretful for saying such harsh things that upset her mom into being hospitalized. After this, she realized she no longer had any standing in the family.

She wanted to throw a fit, but her pride held her back, and she didn’t have the courage.

Just as her grandmother’s finger was about to poke her head, her uncle rushed in and slapped the hand away, glaring fiercely, “Try touching her again.”

Grandma Gu was startled, but quickly became indignant, putting her hands on her hips. “I’m disciplining my own granddaughter, what’s it to you? As her uncle, you should be teaching her better. She made her mother so angry that she’s in the hospital now! When her brother is born, will she throw him to the ground? No heart at all! Her parents have treated her so well, and she already wants a share of their inheritance while they’re still alive? Not a penny should go to her.”

Chen Wenqiang ignored Grandma Gu and looked at Chen Yun, who was lying half-reclined on the hospital bed, saying nothing. “What, have you gone mute? Your own daughter is being scolded like this, and you don’t say a word? You have the nerve to blame Minmin? I think this is all your fault. Is this how you parent? And where’s Gu Shunfa? Something happens, and he disappears like he’s dead. He won’t even cough up 80,000 yuan for his daughter’s house. I think you should go ahead and cut ties with Minmin; that way she won’t have to be your free babysitter for your son in the future.”

Then he turned to look at Gu Minmin with frustration, smacking her on the back. “Straighten up! What’s with this pitiful, submissive look? If you’re upset, why don’t you shout back? Are you just going to bottle it up until it eats you alive?”

If it had been his third sister, she would’ve raised hell by now.

Chen Yun’s eyes reddened with frustration. She knew her brother had been upset with her for the past year, but she never thought he would criticize her so harshly when things got tough. Wasn’t she the one who had been driven to the hospital by Minmin’s behavior?

She had only joked around with Minmin, saying a few words, but Minmin had such an extreme reaction, smashing things at home and threatening to cut ties with them. Her mother-in-law wasn’t wrong for calling Minmin ungrateful. She and Gu Shunfa had treated her so well, and now just a little dissatisfaction had her acting so dramatically.

With another child on the way, her brother had been running around, making connections with doctors specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She was grateful for that. But for him to know the whole story and still side with Minmin, while showing no sympathy for her, was really disheartening.

“Don’t put on that sad face for me. You, Chen Yun and Gu Shunfa, are just irresponsible parents. Plenty of people have a preference for sons, but none as disgusting as the two of you.”

“Asking your daughter to write a promissory note for 80,000 yuan to buy a house? Constantly telling her to support her brother? You wanted to have a child, but don’t want to raise him. You two are both stupid and wicked!”

Chen Wenqiang was getting worked up. He felt that he’d been wasting his time the past few months, stressing over his company and worrying about her. Helping her out didn’t seem to earn him any appreciation, and she constantly acted as if the world revolved around her. She only ever called him when she needed something; when she didn’t, she was nowhere to be found.

Before, she tried to take advantage of their niece. Now that she had a son, she was starting to exploit her own daughter. He hadn’t realized how selfish she could be. The baby wasn’t even born yet, and she was already scheming. When the child does arrive, will she sell Minmin by the pound?

“Goddammit! Every single day, causing trouble! Where’s Gu Shunfa? Get him over here! What’s so urgent about his damn job? What’s so important at that crappy company? Earning a few pennies and acting all high and mighty, talking about needing someone to inherit the business? Inherit what? A pile of junk?”

“And you, you old hag, I’m already pissed, and you’re going to make it worse? I’ll curse you too! You’re all crazy! Chen Yun, you’re a nutcase! Minmin is cursed to have a mother like you with no sense!”

Just as Chen Jin and Chen Yongxin reached the third floor of the hospital, they paused, exchanging looks.

Things had really blown up.

Her uncle usually had a great temper, but when he got angry, he became completely unrestrained, cursing everyone in sight. It reminded her of the time she caused trouble in Qiaoxi Village, and her uncle stormed into the village with a group of people, cursing everyone without equal.

This time, he had included the entire Gu family and her aunt in his tirade. She figured that after this, her uncle probably wouldn’t bother with her aunt’s affairs anymore.

“Second Brother, call Second Uncle and Third Uncle right now. I’m worried I won’t be able to calm Uncle down later.” Her uncle was really about to lose all reason, though he had sounded fine on the phone earlier.

Chen Yongxin was called over by Chen Jin, who said that his dad’s tone didn’t sound right. He also wanted to sigh; his dad had recently been in such a bad mood that he couldn’t even control it himself. As his mom put it, he was getting older and realizing that he was struggling at work but still refusing to admit it, entering a belated menopause. On top of that, his older aunt was insisting on having a baby at her age, which made his dad both angry and worried. He was probably reminded of his second aunt, who passed away two years ago due to illness, and now he was venting his frustrations by scolding the Gu family to relieve his own feelings.

Chen Jin took a deep breath and walked briskly toward the hospital room.