“You shameless bastard! Watch your filthy mouth! Who are you calling a pheasant, and who’s the phoenix?”

Mrs. Lin had already felt heartache seeing her niece in such a state, but when she heard Zhang Wu’s words, she exploded in anger. She immediately wanted to charge at him and leave his face covered with scratches!

Uncle He and the others quickly held her back. “Come on, Mrs. Lin, just let it go. Why bother with people like this? You can’t force a cow to drink water by shoving its head into the trough. Peiwen is such a capable girl—she’ll definitely find a better husband in the future.”

Lin Peiwen lowered her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She took a deep breath, wiped her tears with her sleeve, and said, “Stop using your father as an excuse. If this marriage is off, so be it. I, Lin Peiwen, am not so lowly that I can’t live without you!”

“Good! Miss Lin has real backbone!”

Gu Xicao couldn’t help but cheer.

The crowd turned toward the sound of her voice, and their faces lit up with surprise and delight when they saw her. Mrs. Leung immediately called out, “Little Gu, come over here and talk some sense into Mrs. Lin.”

“Talk sense about what? I’m not capable of much, but I have a spine as hard as steel,” Mrs. Lin said, her anger surging as she pointed at Zhang Wu and his son with trembling fingers. “Zhang Wu, you and your son better listen. This matter isn’t over. You want a good job? A good marriage? Keep dreaming! As long as I’m here, I’ll ruin every opportunity you have. Let’s see who wins this fight!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Zhang Wu, who had been smug, suddenly felt a chill in his heart. He glared at Mrs. Lin, furious.

Mrs. Lin rolled up her sleeves. “Just watch me!”

“You… you…” Zhang Wu faltered, both guilty and enraged.

At this point, Zhang Qing couldn’t help but step forward. “Mrs. Lin, go ahead. Let’s see what you’re capable of. But I’ll tell you this—I have plenty of wealthy friends in America, people who aren’t to be trifled with. For example, there’s the eldest son of the Lin family, Lin Qianshi.”

At the mention of the Lin family, the crowd’s expressions changed. Their righteous anger gave way to hesitation, and their gazes toward Zhang Qing were tinged with fear and respect.

Mrs. Leung tugged at Mrs. Lin’s sleeve and whispered, “Ah-Lian, let it go. After all, he’s an American university graduate. We can’t afford to offend someone like him.”

Mrs. Lin’s face alternated between green and white. “So what if he’s the Lin family’s eldest son? I don’t believe there’s no justice in this world. Xiao Gu, don’t you agree?”

Gu Xicao had been staring at Zhang Qing, lost in thought. She didn’t hear Mrs. Lin at first. When Mrs. Lin repeated her question, she snapped back to reality and replied thoughtfully, “Yes, you’re absolutely right.”

“See? Even Xiao Gu agrees. I’ll make sure to stand up for Ah-Wen no matter what!” Mrs. Lin gritted her teeth, her eyes bloodshot.

Mrs. Leung gave Gu Xicao a helpless look.

Lin Peiwen silently walked to Mrs. Lin’s side and said, “Auntie, let’s just say I was blind this time. I’m still young and can endure the hardship. Please don’t make trouble on my behalf.”

As she spoke, Gu Xicao noticed Lin Peiwen’s tightly clenched fists and her faintly trembling body. It was clear that Lin Peiwen wasn’t unbothered or unwilling to seek justice—she had simply been intimidated by Zhang Qing’s threat.

For ordinary people like them, just surviving was a struggle. A rich person’s wrath could easily shatter their peaceful lives.

“Ah-Wen!”

Mrs. Lin was about to question her niece, but when she saw the way Lin Peiwen bit her lip as if holding back all her emotions, her words got stuck in her throat. She couldn’t say anything.

“Poor Ah-Wen, she’s so capable and thoughtful, but Zhang Qing doesn’t want her. He really has no conscience.”

“Keep your voice down. He’s different now, all high and mighty. We can’t afford to offend him.”

The neighbors’ murmurs of sympathy and resignation filled the air.

Zhang Wu and his son, however, felt no shame. Instead, Zhang Wu arrogantly raised his chin and sneered at everyone. “What now? If there’s nothing else, we’ll head home for dinner.”

The crowd looked at their smug faces, seething with anger and itching to strike.

“Hold on,” Gu Xicao suddenly said.

Zhang Wu and his son stopped in their tracks. Zhang Wu turned to look at her. Though Gu Xicao didn’t recognize him, Zhang Wu knew of the famous fortune-teller in Temple Street. He had even considered introducing her to his son, thinking she seemed wealthy and well-connected.

However, he eventually dismissed the idea, feeling that fortune-telling was an unseemly profession and unworthy of his brilliant son.

Still, Zhang Wu held some wariness toward her. He said cautiously, “Miss Gu, this matter is over. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Oh, you’ve misunderstood,” Gu Xicao said with a curious look. “I’m just really curious. I wanted to ask your son—does he really know Young master Lin?”

Gu Xicao’s innocent expression made Zhang Qing hesitate. His eyes quickly scanned her well-tailored outfit, which seemed expensive. He couldn’t help but wonder: If she can afford clothes like that, why is she living here?

Feigning calm, he replied, “Of course. You wouldn’t know this, but there aren’t many people from Hong Kong studying abroad, so we’re all pretty close. Young Master Lin is very approachable and often attends parties with us.”

“Wow, really? Where do you usually meet?” Gu Xicao blinked, her curiosity seemingly genuine.

Zhang Qing smirked smugly. “Where else? In the school dormitory, of course. Our dormitory is huge—much bigger than these public housing flats. It even has microwaves, refrigerators, and vending machines. It’s way more advanced than anything in Hong Kong.”

“My son is amazing,” Zhang Wu said proudly, his face beaming.

But then, Gu Xicao suddenly exclaimed, “Oh?” Resting her chin on her hand, she tilted her head. “That’s strange. You study in America, but Young master Lin studies in England. How did you two meet?”

For a moment, Zhang Qing didn’t register her words. He froze, confused.

Mrs. Leung clapped her hands and exclaimed, “That’s right! I remember seeing in the newspapers that Lin Dashao studied in England. It was… wasn’t it some university named something-bridge?”

“It’s Cambridge University, Mrs. Leung,” Lin Yuan helpfully corrected.

Mrs. Leung nodded vigorously. “Yes, that’s it—Cambridge. That’s in England. How could he be in America?”

The crowd exchanged glances, suddenly realizing the discrepancy. Although they had never been abroad, they knew America and England weren’t the same country.

Gu Xicao turned to Zhang Qing. “Care to explain? We’re not well-educated and don’t understand these things.”

Sweat began to bead on Zhang Qing’s forehead as his Adam’s apple bobbed nervously. Stammering, he said, “There’s nothing strange about it. Young Master Lin is rich. Do you think he’s like you lot, struggling to leave the country even once in a lifetime? For him, flying is as easy as eating instant noodles. He can go wherever he wants in no time.”

“Exactly, you poor fools don’t understand. Young Master Lin probably has his own private jet. What’s so strange about flying from England to America?”

Zhang Wu quickly chimed in to support his son.

Gu Xicao nodded, tapping her finger on her lips. “That does seem plausible. After all, rich people can fly whenever they want. The Lin family is so wealthy, they wouldn’t care about the cost of a few plane tickets.”

“Exactly! You wouldn’t believe it, but Young Master Lin is so generous that he often invites us to fly to his villa for parties,” Zhang Qing said, emboldened by Gu Xicao’s apparent belief. His boasts grew even wilder as he noticed the admiration in the eyes of those around him, making him feel smug and self-satisfied.

“Really? Then why don’t I call Young master Lin right now to confirm?” Gu Xicao asked, a faint smirk playing on her lips. Her teasing tone was paired with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Zhang Qing froze, his face stiffening as if his bravado had been doused with cold water.

After a moment, he laughed awkwardly. “Little girl, stop joking around. You’re just spouting nonsense!”

“You’re the one spouting nonsense! Everyone in this building knows that Miss Gu is a famous fortune-telling master. When her shop opened, countless wealthy people came to support her,” Mrs. Lin interjected, stepping in to defend Gu Xicao. She pointed a finger at Zhang Qing and sneered, “And you? Look at you—pointy head, beady eyes, a hooked nose, crooked teeth, and uneven legs. You look scarier than Zhong Kui! Why would Young master Lin know someone like you? What is it? Did he invite you to scare away evil spirits?”

Gu Xicao’s mouth fell slightly open in surprise.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan stared at Mrs. Lin in awe, his mouth agape. “Mrs. Lin, you’re amazing at scolding people! That whole speech, and you didn’t repeat yourself once!”

Gu Xicao quickly nudged Lin Yuan. “Kids shouldn’t learn these things. Go home.”

“No, I want to stay and see what happens.” Lin Yuan clung to her leg and reassured her, “Don’t worry, Sister, I won’t use those words to scold people randomly.”

Hearing this, Gu Xicao felt even less reassured. Not randomly? Does that mean you’ll use them when you think it’s necessary? Kids shouldn’t be picking up bad language!

Feeling a bit helpless, she sighed inwardly.

“You… you shrew! I’m not going to argue with you,” Zhang Qing snapped, his face flushed with anger. He redirected his frustration toward Gu Xicao. “And you! Stop spreading lies! Do you think someone like Young Master Lin would ever associate with a girl like you?”

Gu Xicao smirked coldly. She reached into her bag and pulled out an invitation. “Take a look at this.”

The invitation was exquisitely crafted, with a red and gold design and intricate patterns. It clearly stated the party’s venue and host. The three bold characters—“Lin Qianshi”—were unmistakably printed on it.

The crowd gasped in unison.