Chapter 33

Li Yuechan chuckled and said, “Your dad is the vice mayor? Who is he? What’s his name? How did you turn out to be such an uncultured daughter?”

Cheng Jingwen stood there, mouth open, unable to speak for a long time. She had never met anyone who dared to speak to her like this. “You… you… how can you talk like that?”

Li Yuechan sneered, “How am I talking? How did your family raise you? Is your head a chamber pot? Do you not know that the people are the masters now? And you dare act like a capitalist young lady, trying to oppress the broad masses of the people?”

Cheng Jingwen was so frightened that she quickly shook her head, stammering, “I… I didn’t mean that, I just wanted to buy your braised pork.”

“Heh, don’t you know that private transactions are prohibited nowadays? What are you trying to do? Are you slapping the government in the face? The government doesn’t allow private deals, and yet a mayor’s daughter openly asks for one?”

Cheng Jingwen swallowed hard, “I… I… I didn’t mean that!”

“You didn’t mean it? Well, there are plenty of eyes watching!”

Cheng Jingwen was so angry her chest heaved up and down. She had always been pampered wherever she went, but this was the first time she had encountered someone like this.

Suddenly, she glared at Li Yuechan. “You… you dare talk to me like that? What’s your name? Where are you from?”

Li Yuechan straightened her chest and loudly said, “I’m called the People. I’m from Hua Country!”

Everyone in the restaurant perked up, and many began clapping.

Cheng Jingwen looked around, stomped her foot, and grabbed the girl next to her. The two of them quickly ran out.

Li Yuechan quickly raised her hands and smiled, saying, “Everyone, you’re too kind!”

She sat back down and saw Gu Zhixing staring at her with sparkling eyes. She coughed twice and playfully said, “You’re drooling!”

The man immediately snapped out of his daze, looked at the girl, and smiled indulgently. “Xiao Chan, you’re really beautiful.”

Li Yuechan picked up her chopsticks. “Hurry up and eat, don’t be so infatuated with me!”

Meanwhile, Cheng Jingwen was still pulling Zhang Yue as they ran far away.

Cheng Jingwen looked back and, seeing no one following them, stood up straight, hands on her hips, and said, “Don’t let me find out who that woman is, or I’ll make her regret it!”

“Of course, Jingwen, who dares to speak to you like that? When we get back, you tell Uncle and let him deal with her!”

“Hmph, just don’t let me find out who she is! I’m not in the mood to eat anymore.”

Zhang Yue pouted, feeling hungry. She pulled at her lips and said, “Okay, Jingwen, you go slowly!”

When Cheng Jingwen arrived home, she saw her mother’s eyes were red.

“Mom, someone bullied me outside!”

Her mother quickly walked over, took her daughter’s hand, and asked, “What happened? My precious daughter, who’s so bold as to bully you? Aren’t you the one who usually bullies others?”

Cheng Jingwen, on the verge of tears, said, “Mom, I really was bullied. I went to the state-owned restaurant today, and a shrew bullied me.”

“Oh my little sweetie, don’t cry, don’t cry, tell mom what happened.”

“I… I don’t want to talk about it, I was really bullied.”

“Who was it?”

“I don’t know, boo-hoo…”

Her mother sighed, patting her daughter’s back, “Don’t cry, mom has something to tell you.”

Cheng Jingwen looked up at her mom and asked, “What is it? What’s going on?”

“Recently, things have been tense. You’re already 20, and if you’re sent to the countryside, you’ll have to work in the factory.”

“Mom, I just came back from the countryside.”

“I’m just saying, your dad and I think you should get a job.

The publicity department at the city government still has an opening, and your dad thinks you should report there in the next couple of days.”

Cheng Jingwen furrowed her brows and asked, “I don’t want to go to the publicity department.”

“Why not? It’s easy, you don’t have much to do—just drawing bulletin boards. It’s not hard.”

“Mom, I don’t like that kind of job. It’s too boring.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

Cheng Jingwen bit her lip. “I… I want to join the art troupe. I like singing.”

Her mother shook her head. “Good daughter, the art troupe is always out performing in the countryside, and some even go to the districts. Can you handle that kind of hardship?”

“I’m not afraid. I like the art troupe. I like standing on stage and shining.”

“Ai, you girl. I’ll talk to your dad when he gets home tonight.”

Cheng Jingwen quickly threw herself into her mother’s arms. “Mom, you’re the best. Please tell Dad to handle that person who bullied me. He should investigate her and find out who she is.”

“Okay, okay, I know.”

“Mom, I’m starving. We haven’t eaten yet. Is there anything to eat at home?”

“Why haven’t you eaten yet?”

“Don’t mention it. It’s that woman who bullied me.”

“Okay, hurry up and change. I’ll ask Sister Li to make you something.”

Cheng Jingwen smiled broadly at her mother. “Mom, you’re the best.”

After saying that, she skipped up the stairs.

As soon as she got upstairs, she noticed someone and immediately quieted her steps, calling softly, “Bro, you’re back!”

The man had a grim expression. “Hmm, where did you go yesterday? How come I didn’t see you when I got back?”

Cheng Jingwen carefully replied, “Oh, I went to a classmate’s house to play, and I came back late. I stayed at my classmate’s house and told Mom.”

The man furrowed his brows. “A girl shouldn’t be staying out overnight.”

Cheng Jingwen pouted. “I know.” Then, she quickly ran to her room.

She mumbled to herself, “Why is big bro back again? Every time he comes home, he looks so serious, unlike Xiao Yue’s big bro. Xiao Yue’s big bro is so good to her.”

Cheng Huai’an came downstairs and said to his mother, “Mom, you should really keep an eye on Xiao Jingwen. A girl shouldn’t be staying out late like that. What’s she becoming?”

Her mother looked at her son seriously and knew that Xiao Jingwen had indeed done something wrong this time. “She called me.”

“She called, but didn’t come home on time. Why didn’t you send a little servant to pick her up when it was so late? Mom, if you keep spoiling her like this, she’ll cause trouble.”

Her mother sighed, “I know, I know. Every time you come home, you’re always on her side. No wonder she’s closer to you.”

Cheng Huai’an looked at his mother, who was so patient, and sighed.

“I’ll tell Dad about this. You should listen to what Xiao Jingwen’s reputation is like in the circles. She’s arrogant and domineering. If we don’t teach her well, it’ll be too late.”

After saying that, he left the house.

“Ai, Huai’an, where are you going?”

The man didn’t look back as he replied, “Out to meet some friends.”