Chapter 212: Every Word a Barb

“Did you see her reading that apology? Her hands were shaking so much she could barely get the words out. A director even had to tell her to ‘slow down’ just so she could stumble through it.”

“We didn’t even have to lift a finger, and she just tucked her tail and admitted defeat. That’s what you call a total victory!”

Yang Wanqing put on a stern face.

“Where was this energy before? If you had just said something earlier, would she have ever had the chance to act so wild?”

She reached out to smooth the stray hairs on Song Yao’s forehead, her voice softening.

“This morning, I overheard her asking the nurses which bed you were in, asking all sorts of details. I was going to stop her, but then I thought, letting her run into a wall on her own would be more effective than us telling her to scram.”

“Next time anyone dares to give you attitude or try to trip you up, I don’t care who it is, you call home immediately! Let’s see who has the gall to touch a single hair on my granddaughter’s head!”

She pulled a neatly folded phone card from her small cloth pouch and pressed it into Song Yao’s palm.

“This is a new card. It only has two numbers saved: the house phone and my cell. Just press the red button, and it’ll connect right to me.”

Song Yao nodded vigorously.

“I’ll remember, I’ll remember! I really will! I’ll never dare to hide things again!”

She clutched the phone card tightly, her nails making a faint scratching sound on its hard surface.

“From now on, if anyone starts trouble, my first instinct won’t be to hide, but to press the numbers.”

To be honest, she was still nervous.

She had just wanted to live a peaceful life, but some people just see you as a soft target and single you out.

Before that paper was taken away, she had counted a total of seven official stamps on it.

But after this, she figured no one would dare to step on her so easily anymore.

‘Peace and quiet, here I come.’

Before dinner, Shen Rongdan came in carrying a blue cloth bag printed with the words “National Guest House.”

Inside were freshly steamed yam cakes and a small jar of honey.

“Dad said you should have a little something to tide you over, so you don’t get hungry.”

‘Nice!’

Song Yao changed her clothes and joined her family for another lively meal at the National Guest House.

Meanwhile, He Wei and the other two were completely deflated the moment they got back. They couldn’t even stomach the thought of food.

The moment Wu Xin reached the bottom of the stairs at the family residence building, she started yelling, her face grim.

“What is wrong with you? Huh?”

She grabbed her daughter’s wrist.

“I went there to back you up today, not to get myself thrown in jail!”

“Didn’t you hear what that director said? Getting arrested and sent to prison? At my age, you want me to go ‘have tea’ at the police station?”

“They say you can’t rely on a daughter, that a son-in-law is half your family. Look at Xiao Lei! When he sees trouble, he immediately speaks up to protect his *own* mother. But you? You just stood there like a block of wood! Were you born a mute?”

The more Wu Xin spoke, the angrier she got. She rubbed her own cheeks, hissing in pain, waiting for her daughter to feel sorry for her and say a few words of comfort…

“Wh-what did you just say?”

Wu Xin’s chest heaved, her voice tight.

“Who is she, really?”

“She’s the director’s precious daughter! His biological daughter! Do you get it now?”

The moment the words were out, tears streamed down He Wei’s face. She turned and stomped up the stairs!

He Wei knew with perfect clarity.

‘From now on, in this entire residence building, I won’t even dare to leave my door open.’

‘Every glance from someone else will feel like they’re counting all the ways I’ve lost face.’

‘The line of people gossiping behind my back could probably stretch all the way to the main gate.’

Bursting into the room, she collapsed onto the sofa, howling until her voice was raw.

“AHHHH!!!”

Downstairs, Wu Xin grabbed Yang Lei and asked again.

“What was said… is it true?”

“You think it could be fake?”

Yang Lei didn’t even look up.

“But wasn’t she from Ning City?”

Wu Xin let go of him, taking half a step back.

“She was abducted as a child and they just found her. She’s barely settled back in, so her household registration and files were temporarily set up in Ning City.”

SLAP!

Wu Xin slapped her own thigh and yelled at the top of her lungs.

“Oh my god, this is going to be the death of me!”

Strange. Her face, which had been stinging painfully just moments ago, was now completely numb.

She then foolishly asked Yang Lei.

“This whole incident… will it affect your career?”

Yang Lei: “???”

He snapped his head around, his gaze truly landing on Wu Xin’s face for the first time.

‘Those words… How could she even have the nerve to ask that?’

‘Affect it?’

‘It’s a done deal!’

Yang Lei didn’t say a single word. His shoulders slumped like a drawn bow as he silently turned and went upstairs.

And Wu Xin?

She immediately started scheming for a way to fix things.

She planned it out: she’d go find Song Yao later, kneel the moment she walked in the door, and perform three solid, loud kowtows—the kind that would leave her forehead red.

‘If I help her up with both hands afterward, showing that much sincerity, who could possibly have the heart to not relent?’

She turned and went into the kitchen, pulled open the bottom drawer of a cabinet, and felt around for a dusty enamel mug.

Song Yao’s group had just stepped into the National Guest House, pushing open the heavy, brass-edged glass doors.

They had originally planned to order a table full of hearty dishes to reward themselves for their recent, non-stop hard work.

But they ran into someone completely unexpected.

Yao Yuzhen was walking back and forth in the main hall, carrying a tray.

When Song Yao’s party was led to the entrance of the dining area, they looked up, saw her, and froze in unison.

Shen Rongjing, standing at the back of the group, silently switched the insulated bag she was holding to her other hand.

Yao Yuzhen glanced over, barely raising her eyelids, then turned and walked away.

The hostess leading them was stunned, calling out with her mouth agape.

“Sister Yao! Sister Yao, please wait.”

But Yao Yuzhen didn’t even pause.

The hostess’s knees felt weak.

Shen Rongdan blurted out subconsciously.

“Mom.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the smooth background music of the hall.

The hostess nearly jumped out of her skin.

Just then, Shen Zhenwu raised a hand and gently touched the hostess’s arm.

“Stop calling for her. Just take us inside first.”

The hostess finally snapped out of it and hurriedly showed them in.

Once inside the private room, Shen Rongdan was still dazed.

“Was that really my mom just now?”

Shen Rongjing nodded.

“Mhm. She probably works here.”

She pulled out a chair and sat down, placing the insulated bag by her feet.

From inside, she took out a container of honey citron tea.

She twisted open the lid and poured it into a matching small celadon cup.

Shen Rongdan hung his head, silent for a long while.

He was soft-hearted and truly couldn’t bear to see his own mother wearing an apron, carrying a tray, and working with her head down in such a busy place.

Shen Zhenwu led everyone into the private room and waved a hand.

“I’m going to go see if the kitchen has started on our food.”

He was out the door before his voice had even faded.

He wasn’t going to check on the food.

He wanted to see how Yao Yuzhen was doing.

Even though they’d split up long ago, he had no intention of kicking her while she was down.

‘What’s the point of being so ruthless?’

‘For my own satisfaction?’

‘To let outsiders have a laugh at our expense?’

‘It was none of those.’

He just wanted to know how she was getting by now.

When he found the small open area near the kitchen entrance, he happened to see a supervisor pointing a finger in Yao Yuzhen’s face and scolding her.

“Are you an idiot?”

“The guests are sitting at their table, and you just turn your back and walk away?”

“If you can’t do this job, just say so!”

“If it weren’t for the fact that you’re decent-looking, at your age and with your experience, who would even hire you?”

The supervisor’s words flowed like an open faucet, every sentence barbed.

“An old maid like you, and you’re still being picky?”

He got more and more worked up as he spoke, his spit nearly spraying onto Yao Yuzhen’s face.

“Hey!”

Shen Zhenwu spoke up abruptly.

“Cursing someone out like that—you think you’re a megaphone?”

The supervisor turned his head, and his face froze.

He didn’t recognize the man, but his posture, his gaze… not to mention that table full of expensive dishes they had just ordered.