Chapter 227: Don’t Push People Too Far

Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Don’t Push People Too Far

"Next thing we know, you’ll be telling everyone that the Guobin Restaurant bullies its staff. How are we supposed to stay in business then?"

With that, the men burst into another round of mocking laughter.

Yao Yuzhen’s body was still trembling.

But just as Wu Qiang turned to leave, she lunged forward and desperately gripped the hem of his jacket.

"My wages. Give them to me now."

Wu Qiang immediately jumped back half a step.

He threw his hands high in the air and shouted dramatically.

"Whoa! Everyone, come look at this!"

"Ma’am, aren’t you a little too eager? At your age, you should be more mindful of your reputation! What will people think, seeing you pounce on me like that? Did I do something to lead you on, or are you trying to take advantage of me?"

The other security guards immediately started jeering.

"Brother Wu is right! She’s totally coming on to you!"

"Tsk, tsk. Our Brother Wu is handsome, sure, but you can’t just let anyone grab your clothes!"

"I hear that folks over fifty have a special craving for... something a little more ’earthy.’ Looking at her, I’d say that’s exactly what she’s here for!"

The moment he said it, it was like throwing a ladle of cold water into a wok of hot oil—the place instantly erupted.

The whole group doubled over in laughter.

Yao Yuzhen’s legs went weak, and her knees buckled. She nearly collapsed to the ground.

Only then did Wu Qiang shoot her a sidelong glance, his chin jutting out.

"Wages? Not a chance! With the scene you’ve caused, you’ve scared off all the customers. We’ve lost more business than I can count! I should be demanding money from *you*. The only reason I’m not is out of respect for your age. I’m letting you off easy."

"Exactly. A person ought to have some decency!"

"Look at her. Does she look like someone who knows anything about decency?"

The security guards huddled together, their shoulders shaking with laughter.

Yao Yuzhen stumbled out of the restaurant in a daze.

When she pushed open the door to her home, Ruan Xinxin was sprawled out on her back.

Seeing her return, she even looked a bit surprised.

"Mom? How come you’re back so early today?"

Before the words were even out of her mouth, her hand was already reaching for the fruit bowl, grabbing another piece.

Yao Yuzhen’s eyes swept over the room.

Unwashed bowls and chopsticks were piled on the table, and foul-smelling leftovers were soaking in the sink.

The entire day’s worth of pent-up grievances surged into her throat.

"Get out! Get out right now!"

"Get out! I don’t want you as a daughter anymore! Leave today, before I make you!"

The smile on Ruan Xinxin’s face froze instantly, and her whole body stiffened on the bed.

"Mom? What’s wrong with you?"

Yao Yuzhen couldn’t be bothered to answer her.

’She had seen through her days ago.’

’Ruan Xinxin was still the same Ruan Xinxin. The person inside hadn’t changed at all.’

’A lazybones was still a lazybones, and a glutton was still a glutton.’

’For the first couple of days, she had put on an act, even wandering around outside a few times.’

’And after that?’

’She just gave up and lay flat, not even leaving the house.’

’In less than a month, she had already given her twenty yuan in cash alone.’

’She had been able to tolerate it before, but after today’s humiliation, she just couldn’t swallow it anymore.’

Seeing that Yao Yuzhen was completely unresponsive, Ruan Xinxin dropped the act.

"Go back where I came from?"

"Why should *I* be the one to leave?"

The fiery anger on Yao Yuzhen’s face visibly faltered.

Ruan Xinxin took half a step closer.

"Look, lady, this house’s deed has my parents’ names on it. I’m their legitimate daughter, listed on the household register. It’s my birthright to live here. And you? Who the hell are you?"

She suddenly broke into a smile, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook.

"Don’t tell me you’re my dad’s secret lover from the outside? Or maybe his little mistress he keeps on the side?"

She paused, then slowly added another line.

"Nah, that can’t be it."

"When you really think about it, my dad would rather go drinking and play cards with his buddies than give you a second glance."

"Only a blockhead like Shen Zhenwu, with water for brains, would treat you like some kind of treasure."

"Any normal person? They’d rather scrub toilets for ten years than lay a single finger on you. So tell me, what are you even after? Is it worth it?"

All the color drained from Yao Yuzhen’s face.

Seeing her expression, Ruan Xinxin got a little scared and waved her hand dismissively.

"Don’t take it out on me just because you got chewed out and humiliated somewhere else. I didn’t do anything to you."

"You’re living in this house, and I haven’t said a peep. But now you turn on me and try to kick me out? Honestly, my dad’s judgment wasn’t half-bad; he saw from the start that you were unreliable, which is why he never caved. I’ve really got to hand it to you. If you really want to leave, then get lost sooner rather than later."

"You want to drag this out? Fine. Starting tomorrow, I’m charging you rent by the day."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she turned and walked toward the bed.

Before she had even taken a steady step, there was a dull thud.

Yao Yuzhen had collapsed, stiff as a board, onto the floor.

"Hey, hey! Get up! Stop playing dead! I’ll count to three. Three... two..."

When Yao Yuzhen opened her eyes again, the sky outside was pitch black.

At least Ruan Xinxin wasn’t completely heartless. Seeing her fall, she had dragged her onto the bed instead of leaving her to lie on the cold floor.

She rolled over and sat up, only to see Ruan Xinxin holding a bowl of steaming hot wontons.

"Tsk. It’d be nice to have a TV. Just sitting here is so boring you could grow mushrooms."

After saying this, she scanned the room, her eyes circling.

Yao Yuzhen’s heart skipped a beat, and her back immediately tensed up.

Sure enough, Ruan Xinxin picked up a wonton with her chopsticks and mumbled casually.

"I wonder how many gold items Yao Yuzhen has left in her bag. Just a couple of pieces should be enough to buy a TV, right?"

As she spoke, she actually turned her head to glance over.

Yao Yuzhen quickly shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Ruan Xinxin blinked. "Huh? Why isn’t she awake yet? She must be a really heavy sleeper..."

Although she found it strange, she didn’t try to push her awake, simply lowering her head and continuing to eat on her own.

Yao Yuzhen lay there with her eyes closed, her fingers clutching the corner of the blanket.

’Because Ruan Xinxin had no intention of surviving on her own.’

’She was only thinking about how to fleece Yao Yuzhen for every last thing she had.’

Yao Yuzhen lay awake for the rest of the night, staring into the darkness until dawn.

Ruan Xinxin was sound asleep, her breathing deep and even.

When the sky outside turned a pale grey, she put on her jacket, grabbed her old cloth bag, and left without a sound.

She squatted by a roadside stall and ate a bowl of hot wontons, drinking every last drop of the soup.

As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, she patted down her pants, stood up, tightened her grip on her bag’s strap, and walked toward the second-hand shop at the end of the street.

She entered the shop and, without beating around the bush, took out a watch.

’Last night’s confrontation was like a bucket of cold water dumped over her head, jolting her awake.’

’She now understood that people without money don’t even have the right to speak with their heads held high.’

’Face, status, a glamorous past... it was all meaningless.’

’When you’ve truly fallen into the mud, who gives a damn about any of that?’

The shop owner could tell with a single glance.

’This woman used to be wealthy.’

’People in his line of work understood the importance of not backing someone into a corner.’

He immediately came forward with a smile.

"Ma’am, are you here to browse, or do you have something to sell?"

Yao Yuzhen didn’t reply. She reached into her bag and took out a small velvet box.

"This... do you buy things like this?"

The owner lifted the lid, glanced inside, and immediately had an idea of its worth.

"Ma’am, you know your stuff, don’t you?"

Before she could answer, he added,

"We’re not trying to fool you, but we can’t offer a high price!"

He meant that he wasn’t trying to rip her off; it was just that, given the current market, that was the price.

Yao Yuzhen nodded.

"Then give me an honest price."

The owner stared at her for two seconds and said, "Ma’am, I can see you’re a straightforward person, so I’ll be straight with you—"

He held up two fingers, then added six more.

"Eight—"

Seeing her expression, the owner gently pushed the watch back.

"Ma’am, this watch is in great condition. If you’re truly reluctant to part with it, you could just keep it at home. There’s no rush."

His hand hovered in mid-air, waiting for her reaction, not pulling it back immediately.

’But Yao Yuzhen didn’t dare to keep it.’

"I’m selling."

She took a deep breath.

"I have six more. Let’s appraise them all at once."

’If she had to face the blade, there was no point in cowering.’

The owner gave Yao Yuzhen another look, and in the end, quoted a reasonably fair price. Seven watches in exchange for nine hundred and thirty yuan.