Chapter 533: I Have to Go Back

Fu Mingxue: ...?

"I’ve thought it over. We can have your mother-in-law watch the two kids for a few days. I can only rest easy because they’re here in Beijing City to look after them. I’ll head back as soon as I’m done with my business, so it won’t be long."

Mrs. Fu had been sitting here for half an hour and had already thought it all through.

Now that she was saying it out loud, she felt the plan was entirely feasible.

The corner of Fu Mingxue’s mouth twitched again.

"Mom, really, there’s no need. How could I possibly rest easy if you go back all by yourself? Why don’t we do this: when I have a bit more free time, I’ll go with you—"

"If we wait for you to have free time, who knows when that will be? It’s the perfect time for me to go back now. I can even make it back before the New Year. It’ll just mean troubling your in-laws for a few days."

"And you’re worried? What is there to be worried about? I’m an old woman. Do you really think a human trafficker would target me?"

Mrs. Fu wasn’t the least bit concerned about her personal safety.

’Who would pay any attention to an old woman like me?’

’If a trafficker saw me, they’d probably think I was a waste of food.’

Fu Mingxue: ...?

’Actually, she had a point.’

’Children and young people were a trafficker’s main targets.’

"Mom, I’m not worried about you getting kidnapped by traffickers. I’m worried you’ll accidentally get lost."

Mrs. Fu glared at her. "Am I a child? Or am I that old?"

’She actually said I’d get lost.’

’She might as well have said a trafficker would come after me.’

"Mom, let me think about this a little more. By the way, I have some good news. You remember that design I did for the First Auto Factory? Look, their director came and gave me a bonus today."

Using her large pocket for cover, Fu Mingxue pulled out the big envelope.

Mrs. Fu, however, was still out of sorts.

She just asked offhandedly, "How much was the bonus?"

"See for yourself!" Fu Mingxue placed the large envelope into her mother’s hands.

Mrs. Fu took the heavy envelope and nearly fumbled it, almost dropping it on the floor.

At that moment, her attention was pulled right back.

’This doesn’t feel right!’

’How can it be this thick?’

She opened it to see—a huge stack of cash.

’Good heavens, how much is this?’

"How much is this?"

"Fifteen thousand!" Fu Mingxue had originally planned to just take out two thousand.

But her heart ached seeing how down her mother was today.

She just wanted to make her mom truly happy.

So, she didn’t fudge the numbers.

When Mrs. Fu heard the amount, she leaped right out of her chair.

Her voice shot up several octaves. "How much? Fifteen thousand?"

"Mom, quiet down! You’ll wake the children. Yes, the bonus is fifteen thousand. They delivered it to me at the university, and the leadership at my research institute knows all about it. It was approved by the institute."

Mrs. Fu: ...?

’Good heavens, fifteen thousand.’

’She had never, in her entire life, imagined she would hold so much money.’

’No, that’s not right—she never imagined her *daughter* could earn this much.’

Now, she was so excited her hands and feet began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Dear, quick, help me sit down."

’I need to calm down.’

Fu Mingxue: ...?

’Oh god, I hope I didn’t scare her so badly she gets sick.’

She quickly helped her mother back into the chair.

Then she poured her a glass of water. "Here, Mom, drink some water to calm your nerves!"

Mrs. Fu paid her no mind.

Her hands were still trembling. "Good heavens, so much money, and it’s a bonus... Dear, is this real? I’m not dreaming, am I?"

"Of course not. The money is perfectly legal and aboveboard, so you can take it without any worries."

Mrs. Fu took a moment to compose herself.

Then she said, "No, I have to count this money myself. I’ve never seen so much cash in my entire life."