“The Qi family is using their power to bully us!” Grandmother Chang did not fail to shout at the top of her lungs while being escorted by the guards. Floor after floor, she shouted and screamed so that the entire floor could hear what she was saying.
Since it was still lunch break, many students were talking in the corridors and all of them heard, “Even if the Qi family owns this school, they can’t force someone not to study here! Me? Regret? F*CK YOU! I don’t regret at all! Qi Chenglin is unreasonable and irrational! Take a good look, God! These young men are bullying an old bag of bones like me. Youngsters now are rude! I’m being dragged out here today! What kind of society is this!” Grandmother Chang cursed and cursed, crying out to the heavens.
The security guards were speechless.
They began feeling embarrassed after the old lady said all that. In that fleeting moment of shame, they slowed down their movements because they did not know what else to do.
“What are you doing? She’s already suffering so badly. Why aren’t you hurrying up to send her to her car? What are you going to do if something happens? Move faster, send the old lady to the car quickly!” the headmaster ordered immediately after following behind and watching the situation unfold.
The security guards immediately dragged Grandmother Chang out at a faster pace than before.
Since Grandmother Chang kicked up a fuss, Chang Jianan was too embarrassed to return to class, so Liu Xiangwen brought him home with her.
The entire fiasco was not that big, but after Qi Chenglin forced Chang Jianan to transfer schools, Grandmother Chang’s subsequent outburst made the entire school well aware of the situation. The Chang family’s reputation was resoundingly tarnished and they would be filled with shame if they appeared in public next time.
After sending Grandmother Chang home, Liu Xiangwen did not immediately go home. Although the latter was usually very petty, she did not dare to decide things on her own when it came to such a serious circumstance. She hurriedly gave her husband a call.
Upon hearing the news, Chang Zhixing told Chang Zhiyuan at once. Both brothers then rushed back home from the company.
Mo Yuxin and Liu Xiangwen were watching over Grandmother Chang in the bedroom. The elderly lady was cursing and scolding so much that her head began hurting. She finally went to rest on her bed.
Mo Yuxin and Liu Xiangwen did not dare to utter a single word, and even Chang Jianan was afraid to continue crying. He simply laid there in Liu Xiangwen’s embrace.
“What is it? Why did things escalate so badly?” Chang Zhiyuan barged in and asked sternly, with Chang Zhixing hiding behind him.
“Sis-in-law, tell us. You weren’t very clear over the phone, and Zhixing couldn’t tell me the details,” Chang Zhiyuan said to Liu Xiangwen.
Hugging Chang Jianan, Liu Xiangwen recounted everything in detail. Seeing as it was no small matter, she did not dare to exaggerate things and complain about it.
Chang Zhixing was shocked. He knew that it was all brought upon by Grandmother Chang herself. As a kid, Chang Jianan would at least be able to avail himself by saying that he was a kid. Kids lose their temper easily and think that an eye for an eye makes the world go around. Adults should be the ones advising the kids, figuring out a way to de-escalate the situation, not make things worse as Grandmother Chang did.
“Why didn’t you hold Mom back?!” Chang Zhixing released his anger on Liu Xiangwen as he was afraid to do so toward the old lady.
Liu Xiangwen cowered guiltily. “I…didn’t dare to stop her!”
“Nannan’s behavior is getting more and more out of hand! We should teach him well since he’s still young. Otherwise, he wouldn’t shoulder the blame next time!” Chang Zhixing voiced out voluntarily as he did not want his elder brother to be chastised on this issue.
“I’ll personally go and settle the school transfer tomorrow. I’ll get my secretary to head over to Shining Star Elementary right away,” Chang Zhixing said.
At the time Chang Jianan was going to enter into elementary school, Liu Xiangwen considered many other famous schools aside from Jixia Elementary—one such school was Shining Star.
Shining Star’s school fees were considerably expensive from a normal person’s point of view, as it amounted to a hundred thousand yuan a year, excluding miscellaneous fees. Most rich families would want their kids to be enrolled there because of their rigorous education. After graduating from elementary school, they could then enroll in B City’s B1 High School. B1 was one of the most renowned high schools in B City and was comprised of junior high and senior high. Their students stood a very good chance of getting into university—an aspect that was valued by many. Everyone hoped that their kids could enroll in these famous universities, thereby cementing their bright future and ensuring that they would be able to land good jobs once they graduate.
Shining Star Elementary was affiliated with B1 High School, situated in the far suburbs of the 6th Ring Road. The school was modeled after a boarding school, and rumor has it that the conditions were arduous despite the high school fees. The kids who studied there were all bookworms, going so far as to skip meals just to study. They ate steamed buns or flatbread with rice, and during winter, the water used for washing feet would turn into a block of ice by morning.
They had to wake up at five in the morning, and by five-thirty, they had to gather for their morning run. A period of self-study began at six, with their first class of the day starting at seven-thirty. Class would continue until six in the evening, and from then onward they were asked to do their own revision until nine, after which class was officially dismissed. They then returned to their dormitories and continued revising again.
High school syllabi were all taught and learned during elementary school.
According to some, year six students of Shining Star Elementary were already able to answer questions from first year senior high. Many were even crowned champions of the International Mathematical Olympiad.
As someone who had never suffered a day in his entire life, Chang Jianan would hardly be able to take it if he was enrolled into Shining Star Elementary.
“B City has plenty of other schools, and there’s no shortage of elite ones. Why must you let Nannan suffer? Even if he can’t stay at Jixia, he could still go to any of those elite schools. There will be plenty of upperclassmen there, so his status won’t be lowered. Why must he be sent to a school like Shining Star where all they do is compare their results? It’s not like our Nannan needs to rely on good academic qualifications to get a job,” Liu Xiangwen said frantically.
Chang Jianan did not know what kind of school Shining Star Elementary was, but from his mother’s expression, he knew it was not a good sign. The sheer fright made his face turn pale.
“Stop talking! It doesn’t really matter if a family like ours pamper our children, but we can’t let him grow to have a bad temper. Pampering him doesn’t mean we can allow him to be an arrogant person. You and Mom are always spoiling him, heaping praise on him in all the wrong ways. He doesn’t understand the seriousness of some things and never considers other people at all. He’s seven, and if he makes a mistake, we adults would dismiss it by saying he’s a naïve kid. But if this continues, he’ll turn into a worthless person when he grows up! We might as well correct him while we can. I won’t let you both spoil him like that anymore. He’ll be going to that school!” Chang Zhixing roared in anger.
His decisiveness left Liu Xiangwen with no choice but to hug the child. She did not have the heart to send him to school, but she did not dare to voice her objections.
Grandmother Chang massaged her temples and sat up. “Why are you taking it out on the boy?! Qi Chenglin’s the one who’s bullying people!”
“Mom, I can’t say anything because you’re my mother, but if I was in Qi Chenglin’s shoes today, I won’t be able to take it either.” Chang Zhixing tried his best to contain his anger. It was inevitable that he would get angry after his son was chased out from the school.
Fortunately, he was a rational man. One who knew that Qi Chenglin’s buttons should not be pushed and that everything happened because the old lady made a fuss.
“You feel that your grandson’s been bullied. Everyone has the instinct to protect their children, don’t they? You’d want to protect Nannan, and Qi Chenglin would want to protect his son too. If we talked about it calmly and settle this dispute amicably between our families, it wouldn’t have come to this. Instead of chastising Nannan, you blame and criticize other people’s faults. Qi Youxuan might’ve been in the wrong, but were Nannan’s actions correct? You’re aware that Qi Chenglin uses his influence to pressure you, so why did you provoke him? In the end, we’re the ones who have to suffer.”
“You… You… Fine, fine, it’s a mistake for me to care about my grandson now, is it? You only blame me if something bad happens. If everything’s going well, I don’t see you getting all angry at me when I care about my grandson. But now, you want to push the blame to me! Perfect! You’re all grown-up now, you can fend for yourself without needing to care about an old lady like me.” Grandmother Chang pointed at them and shouted, “GET OUT! All of you! Everything’s my fault. It’s my fault our family is bullied! It’s my fault for caring about my grandson!”
“It’s all because of you! You’re not good enough, and that’s what caused me—your mother—to suffer so much in public. Guards dragged me out of the school, and you blame me instead of looking at yourself.” Grandmother Chang massaged her head with one hand and punched the bed with the other. “You’re both the same! When will you spare me all these worries!”
Chang Zhixing was itching to say, ‘How about YOU save us all this worry!’
Nevertheless, he kept it to himself, otherwise the old lady might kick up another storm.
Chang Zhiyuan gave Mo Yuxin a look, hinting for her to bring Liu Xiangwen and Chang Jianan out. He pulled Chang Zhixing and said, “Mom, get some rest these few days. You’ve already suffered so much. It’s best not to go out anywhere.”
In essence, they were covertly going to let her stay at home, thus preventing her from causing any trouble.
Without waiting for the old lady to begin cursing again, he brought Chang Zhixing out and closed the door behind them.
Once they went down, Chang Zhiyuan ordered Mo Yuxin and the housekeeper to keep watch on Grandmother Chang. The old lady should not be let out of the house. Keeping her there forever was impossible, but they were told to keep her there for as long as they could.
Chang Zhiyuan felt helpless. “Also, if Jingqiu comes and tries to get on Mom’s good books by bringing her out, don’t let it happen. Jingqiu has angered the Qi family a lot too.”
Mo Yuxin nodded, as she never liked Chang Jingqiu much in the first place.
“Just bear with it for these few days. Her words may be insulting and she’ll definitely curse at you for not letting her out. Just ignore it,” Chang Zhiyuan said despondently. “Sorry for the trouble.”
Mo Yuxin shook her head and sighed. “Don’t worry. You’re in a much harder place.”
Chang Zhixing discussed it with Chang Zhiyuan. The latter agreed to it, but he still brought Chang Zhixing into the study room to warn that special attention must be paid to Liu Xiangwen.
Chang Zhixing knew what kind of person his wife was, so he simply nodded without any further comments.
He then brought Liu Xiangwen and Chang Jianan away, while Chang Zhiyuan returned to the company.
…
Ruan Danchen was worried that Qi Chenglin would have to work overtime that evening, as Jiang Yuan’s absence impacted his work efficiency significantly. She headed straight for his office after work but noticed that Qi Chenglin was in the midst of clearing his things.
“You’re here? I’ll be ready soon,” Qi Chenglin said. In truth, there was still some work to be done, but he could bring work home with him.
She then watched as he took a plastic bag, opened his drawer, and threw a few packs of cigarettes into the bag.
He noticed her looks and began explaining, “I’d have to be thorough since I’ve decided to quit. There’s no reason to keep these, so I’ll throw them away later. Those at home will be thrown away too.”
Qi Chenglin carried the bag as well as his briefcase and walked toward Ruan Danchen. All of a sudden, her face turned red, as though she thought of something.
Qi Chenglin found it particularly intriguing that her face turned red so suddenly. His slender, beautiful fingers poked her tender cheek. “What are you thinking of?”
Ruan Danchen gazed down to the bag of cigarettes and looked back up to his handsome face. “Do you want kids?”
‘Otherwise, why would he suddenly want to quit smoking?’ she thought.
Back then, Qi Chenglin had quit smoking because he wanted a kid.
“Do you want one?” Qi Chenglin looked at her half-smilingly, but for some reason, his expression was a mischievous one.
“I’m just asking because you’re quitting smoking,” Ruan Danchen mumbled. “Well, Youxuan’s grown up already, so it’s a good time to have another one.”
Qi Chenglin leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “Then let’s make one tonight.”
As for the issue involving Qi Chenglin forcing the Chang family kid to transfer, the rest of the Qi family knew about it. After all, they owned the school, so the headmaster would frequently report anything to them. No one voiced any objections however, as one would definitely side with one’s kin in such a situation.
When night came, a concerned Grandmother Qi called to get a sense of what actually happened earlier. Feeling heartbroken, she spoke to the little boy and poured her heart out, saying that the Chang kid was a terrible person, and what Qi Youxuan did was right because he could not just let anyone bully him like that.
“Great-Grandma, I don’t even have the appetite to eat rice. Looking at the rice grains reminds me of all the bugs in my food this afternoon. I can’t eat because I feel so disgusted,” Qi Youxuan said pitifully.
Grandmother Qi’s heart ached after hearing that. She muttered, “Oh no,” repeatedly before saying, “You can’t skip your meals, okay? You’ll get skinny. Is the food in school good? If you don’t have any appetite, tell your Aunt Zheng to make a lunchbox for you.”
Qi Youxuan could even hear his great-grandfather ask his great-grandmother anxiously, “What happened? What happened? Let me talk with him for a while. Ask him…”
“Don’t interrupt! Or else I won’t let you listen!” Grandmother Qi was getting annoyed with Grandfather Qi. She turned to glare at him, shocking the old man considerably.
He huffed and furiously twisted his head to one side, before straining his ears to try and listen to the conversation between Grandmother Qi and Qi Youxuan.
She continued talking for quite some time before finally passing the phone over to the old man. Not long later, the old man began to smile again after being coaxed by the little boy.
Barely moments after he hung up, Guan Liya brought along Qi Zhongxun and showed up at their doorstep. They wanted to console their shocked grandson, and the atmosphere at Prestige Residence became very lively that night.
…
Chang Jingqiu’s delays caused the DNA report to come in half a month later.
Both she and Liu Ronghua brought Huang Pinggui and Wang Lixia to get the report. Once it had been obtained, they did not choose to look at it on the spot—they searched for a restaurant instead and requested for a private room.
Similar to before, the restaurant’s location was in an inconspicuous and low-class place. Chang Jingqiu was thoroughly afraid to be seen in public with those people.
In particular, Huang Pinggui and Wang Liwei were all shifty-eyed during the entire journey. Although there was minimal interaction, Chang Jingqiu could see Huang Pinggui’s habit of rubbing his hands whenever he had the slightest of greedy thoughts.
Huang Pinggui had been rubbing his hands ever since the report was obtained.
As soon as the four of them entered the private room, Huang Pinggui stared at the paper envelope like a hawk.
“Hehe… Uh Jingqiu, let’s have a look.” Huang PInggui rubbed his hands and looked greedily at the paper envelope.
In truth, he had no doubts that Chang Jingqiu was his daughter ever since Liu Ronghua contacted them. Chang Jingqiu’s insistence on getting a DNA test was simply the result of her last struggle.
Chang Jingqiu herself believed in the same truth as well. Liu Ronghua was so confident in letting her get the test, but even before the test was taken, Chang Jingqiu believed it completely.
She did not look at Huang Pinggui because his voice was enough to make her feel repulsed. To think that the man even had the dignity to call her Jingqiu.
“Please call me Miss Chang.” She opened the envelope and took out the results while commenting, “Even if we’re related by blood, there’s no reason for you to try and get close. I’m not close to either of you.”
Chang Jingqiu was about to open the file, but before she could even look closely, Huang Pinggui snatched it away.
He flipped through and said, “Hehe, why are you being so distant for? We’ll get to know each other slowly, right? Blood relationships can’t be denied, and no matter what, you’re still my daughter. You can’t say that we’re not close.”
Huang Pinggui looked at the results and handed them back to Chang Jingqiu with a smile.
Chang Jingqiu gazed down and looked coldly at the results. She then heard Huang Pinggui say, “Our family is finally reunited! Ah, Jingqiu! I’ll bring your little brother to come and meet you, and then we’ll have a nice meal as a family!”
As he said that he rubbed his tummy. “Oh yeah, I haven’t eaten anything yet. I’m hungry!” He pushed Wang Lixia and said, “Call the waiter and order some food. Let’s have a good lunch with our daughter.”
Wang Lixia then called the waiter over immediately, then began ordering. Since they did not have to pay for anything, Huang Pinggui requested many different dishes regardless of the price or whether he could even finish them. He even ordered a bottle of Wuliangye 1 even though no one else drank it.
Chang Jingqiu was thoroughly irked, but because the situation had not yet been completely settled, all she could do was sit and bear with it.
From time to time, Huang Pinggui would use his saliva-coated chopsticks to take food from the plates. A few bites later, he would suck audibly on his chopsticks. Soon after, he rummaged around the food with his chopsticks and said, “Eat up, eat up.”
The dishes served at the restaurant were nothing special; they were simple, home-cooked dishes. By smell alone, one could tell that the oil used was of inferior quality.
Chang Jingqiu’s appetite was long gone after looking at how hideous Huang Pinggui looked when eating. Similarly, Liu Ronghua sported an unhappy expression and did not even touch the chopsticks at all.
Wang Lixia had a few quick bites, and with her mouth still filled with meat, she said incomprehensibly, “Jingqiu, the evidence is in front of you. You’re really our daughter, you can’t just choose not to believe it. No matter what, we’re still family…”
Chang Jingqiu cut her off rudely, “What do you want. Just spit it out.”
“Nothing much, really.” Huang Pinggui used a tissue to wipe his mouth. He sipped some of that alcohol, smacked his lips, then said, “I’m old. I can’t be working so much anymore and no one wants to hire me. Your mother’s bones are in bad condition and she’s aching all over because of all the work she did since she was younger. We don’t have the money to let her visit a doctor and medicine is very expensive.”
Chang Jingqiu pursed her lips coldly, “You just want money, don’t you?
“Don’t say it like that. There’s nothing wrong with children taking care of their parents. You say it as though we’re taking advantage of the situation to rip you off,” Huang Pinggui remarked unhappily and drank more alcohol. “I can’t work anymore, but we still need money to eat, don’t we? Your mother also needs to visit the doctor, right? Look at her, she looks ten or twenty years older than women of the same age because she did so much work in the past. Your little brother is going to sit for his high school exams soon too, and university fees aren’t cheap. He’s very hardworking and good in his studies, which means he’ll definitely be able to get into a good university. We’d like him to go into A University or B University. Studying overseas isn’t something we’re hoping for. We’re not greedy or anything, but we have to at least get him into a good university, right?”
“That’s right, that’s right.” Wang Lixia nodded without the slightest delay. “Speaking of your little brother, you’ll have to take good care of him once he gets into A University. He’s your family member. When the time comes, we’ll accompany him, and we’d need your help to buy a house and…”
The exuberance of their demands kept on increasing, leading Chang Jingqiu to slam her cup on the table. The resulting sound cut off Wang Lixia’s words, startling her tremendously.
“Don’t ask for so much,” Chang Jingqiu rebuffed coldly. “I don’t have any parents or any brothers. I’m the daughter of the Chang family, and my parents died when I was young. I don’t have any embarrassing relatives from the village.”
“You…” Huang Pinggui slammed his chopsticks on the table. “We gave birth to you. The DNA report says it clearly, but you still don’t want to admit it? No matter how much you refuse to believe it, we’re still your birth parents! If we didn’t give birth to you, do you think you’ll still be the Chang family’s daughter? We’re your parents, and you have the responsibility and the obligation to provide a better life for us! If not, I’ll separate you from them. Once the Chang family knows your real status, you won’t be left with any benefit!”
Huang Pinggui huffed twice. “But we won’t be that heartless to forget your good deeds. Even if you’re no longer the Chang family’s daughter, we’ll still take care of you. Although the village life is harsh and our food is simple, we won’t let you go hungry. We’re not like you. Humph. Humph.”
Chang Jingqiu’s expression did not waver in the slightest. She smiled coldly and replied, “You don’t need to use that to threaten me. If you tell everything to the Chang family and they chased me out, I’ll no longer by the Chang family’s daughter, which means I won’t have any money for you anymore. If you want money, then you’d better keep your mouth shut. If I’m not happy, then both of you won’t have it easy either.”
Huang Pinggui and Wang Lixia grew up in the village and did not pursue their studies. Huang Pinggui went to the city to work after completing junior high, while Wang Lixia only managed to complete elementary school. She could recognize a few characters and do simple math, just enough for her daily life. She did not continue her studies because the rest of her family’s money was saved up for her brother to go to school.
From Wang Lixia’s family upbringing, coupled with the villager mentality of birthing children so someone could take care of them during their later years, Wang Lixia placed more importance on her son. To her, a daughter was dispensable.
When Cheng Pinggui entered adulthood, his family called him back to meet with Wang Lixia, after which their marriage was arranged. The two of them never received much education, so their knowledge was shallow. Huang Pinggui was clever when it came to trivial matters due to the craftiness he gained during his work, but that was the extent of his intelligence—when it comes to important matters, he was simply no match for Chang Jingqiu.
As expected, the couple’s expressions changed dramatically after hearing what Chang Jingqiu said. They were alarmed and helpless.
Evidently, they knew that the matter at hand was interrelated with their benefit. Simply acting blindly without thinking was something they did not dare to do. They understood that the situation was not as easy as it looked, and if they really did provoke Chang Jingqiu too much, she would bring them down with her, leaving them without anything in return.
Chang Jingqiu then slowly took out a cheque and threw it to Huang Pinggui. “Here’s eight hundred thousand. As long as you keep away from the city and stay put in the village, it’ll be enough to last you for the rest of your life. Your son’s school fees are included too. If he’s really that smart, the money’s enough for him to get a master’s after he graduates from university. It might even be enough to let him go overseas and study.”
Huang Pinggui reached out to grab it, but Wang Lixia snatched it away at once and kept it, seemingly distrustful of Huang Pinggui.
After noticing Wang Lixia’s reaction, Chang Jingqiu pursed her lips and remained indifferent. She could not feel any familial connections between herself and the couple.
“Are you shooing a beggar?!” Huang Pinggui still felt dissatisfied. “This is too little money for us to live our lives together. It’s fine if you want to give this amount, but you have to give us living expenses every month. You’re our daughter. Your mother carried you for ten months before giving birth to you and it wasn’t easy for her to do that, but now you’re shooing us with so little money? You should repay us for giving birth to you!”
Chang Jingqiu stood up. “That’s all I’m giving. No more. Tear the cheque if you don’t want it. If you think it’s not enough, by all means, go and ask the Chang family. Tell them who you are and see if anyone gives a damn about you. Don’t blame me for not reminding you that every rich household has unethical means of settling things. The Chang family places lots of importance on their reputation, and if this matter goes public, their reputation would be lost too. I don’t know what they’ll do if they get angry, and I won’t protect you if anything happens.”
Flashing a malicious grin, Chang Jingqiu continued, “After all, I won’t be the Chang family’s daughter anymore if that happens. Think carefully before doing anything. You can either choose to put your son’s life and future on the line when the Chang family bites back, or you can seize the moment and take the money.”
Like a mute, Huang Pinggui froze and was afraid to say anything further. He savored the taste of alcohol in his mouth and found it very distasteful.
Chang Jingqiu looked at him disdainfully and said, “After you take this money, you won’t have anything to do with me anymore. Don’t come looking for me. If you show up in front of me, please don’t blame me for being discourteous. If you’re smart, you’ll take this money and live the rest of your lives properly in the same way as before, when you didn’t know that I existed.”
Her piercing gaze scared Huang Pinggui somewhat, but he simply mumbled in a dissatisfied tone, “Understood.”
Chang Jingqiu chuckled coldly. “Good that you understand. We won’t meet each other again in the future. I’ll pay for lunch.”
She turned to leave as soon as she was done talking.
Liu Ronghua was in no mood to sit together with Huang Pinggui and Wang Lixia. Upon seeing that Chang Jingqiu was leaving, she quickly caught up.
Chang Jingqiu did not thwart the approach, and both women walked together with a tacit mutual understanding. Liu Ronghua only began to speak after she got into the car with Chang Jingqiu. “I’m not like Huang Pinggui or Wang Lixia. Don’t even think about dismissing me as though I were them. Your threats to them can’t fool me.”
Chang Jingqiu simply asked calmly, “How much money do you want?”
“Five million. It’s not a high price to pay in exchange for the glory, splendor, wealth, and power associated with your status as Miss Chang,” Liu Ronghua said with a smile. “You can trust me. I’ve already promised you, so I won’t tell anyone. I’ve kept the secret with me for twenty-seven years—I can keep it for another twenty-seven years.”
Chang Jingqiu kept quiet. Her left hand was placed on the steering wheel, tapping her fingers lightly on it.
It was not obvious from her face, but deep down she was cackling at Liu Ronghua’s statement of trustworthiness. Believing that would be too naïve and stupid of Chang Jingqiu.
Within mere seconds, Liu Ronghua was capable of begging Ruan Danchen for forgiveness, then dig up the latter’s scars after that. Liu Ronghua spoke of how deeply she loved a man, yet she had no qualms about taking advantage of the man’s daughter. Was someone like her really worth believing?
“The Qi family is using their power to bully us!” Grandmother Chang did not fail to shout at the top of her lungs while being escorted by the guards. Floor after floor, she shouted and screamed so that the entire floor could hear what she was saying.
Since it was still lunch break, many students were talking in the corridors and all of them heard, “Even if the Qi family owns this school, they can’t force someone not to study here! Me? Regret? F*CK YOU! I don’t regret at all! Qi Chenglin is unreasonable and irrational! Take a good look, God! These young men are bullying an old bag of bones like me. Youngsters now are rude! I’m being dragged out here today! What kind of society is this!” Grandmother Chang cursed and cursed, crying out to the heavens.
The security guards were speechless.
They began feeling embarrassed after the old lady said all that. In that fleeting moment of shame, they slowed down their movements because they did not know what else to do.
“What are you doing? She’s already suffering so badly. Why aren’t you hurrying up to send her to her car? What are you going to do if something happens? Move faster, send the old lady to the car quickly!” the headmaster ordered immediately after following behind and watching the situation unfold.
The security guards immediately dragged Grandmother Chang out at a faster pace than before.
Since Grandmother Chang kicked up a fuss, Chang Jianan was too embarrassed to return to class, so Liu Xiangwen brought him home with her.
The entire fiasco was not that big, but after Qi Chenglin forced Chang Jianan to transfer schools, Grandmother Chang’s subsequent outburst made the entire school well aware of the situation. The Chang family’s reputation was resoundingly tarnished and they would be filled with shame if they appeared in public next time.
After sending Grandmother Chang home, Liu Xiangwen did not immediately go home. Although the latter was usually very petty, she did not dare to decide things on her own when it came to such a serious circumstance. She hurriedly gave her husband a call.
Upon hearing the news, Chang Zhixing told Chang Zhiyuan at once. Both brothers then rushed back home from the company.
Mo Yuxin and Liu Xiangwen were watching over Grandmother Chang in the bedroom. The elderly lady was cursing and scolding so much that her head began hurting. She finally went to rest on her bed.
Mo Yuxin and Liu Xiangwen did not dare to utter a single word, and even Chang Jianan was afraid to continue crying. He simply laid there in Liu Xiangwen’s embrace.
“What is it? Why did things escalate so badly?” Chang Zhiyuan barged in and asked sternly, with Chang Zhixing hiding behind him.
“Sis-in-law, tell us. You weren’t very clear over the phone, and Zhixing couldn’t tell me the details,” Chang Zhiyuan said to Liu Xiangwen.
Hugging Chang Jianan, Liu Xiangwen recounted everything in detail. Seeing as it was no small matter, she did not dare to exaggerate things and complain about it.
Chang Zhixing was shocked. He knew that it was all brought upon by Grandmother Chang herself. As a kid, Chang Jianan would at least be able to avail himself by saying that he was a kid. Kids lose their temper easily and think that an eye for an eye makes the world go around. Adults should be the ones advising the kids, figuring out a way to de-escalate the situation, not make things worse as Grandmother Chang did.
“Why didn’t you hold Mom back?!” Chang Zhixing released his anger on Liu Xiangwen as he was afraid to do so toward the old lady.
Liu Xiangwen cowered guiltily. “I…didn’t dare to stop her!”
“Nannan’s behavior is getting more and more out of hand! We should teach him well since he’s still young. Otherwise, he wouldn’t shoulder the blame next time!” Chang Zhixing voiced out voluntarily as he did not want his elder brother to be chastised on this issue.
“I’ll personally go and settle the school transfer tomorrow. I’ll get my secretary to head over to Shining Star Elementary right away,” Chang Zhixing said.
At the time Chang Jianan was going to enter into elementary school, Liu Xiangwen considered many other famous schools aside from Jixia Elementary—one such school was Shining Star.
Shining Star’s school fees were considerably expensive from a normal person’s point of view, as it amounted to a hundred thousand yuan a year, excluding miscellaneous fees. Most rich families would want their kids to be enrolled there because of their rigorous education. After graduating from elementary school, they could then enroll in B City’s B1 High School. B1 was one of the most renowned high schools in B City and was comprised of junior high and senior high. Their students stood a very good chance of getting into university—an aspect that was valued by many. Everyone hoped that their kids could enroll in these famous universities, thereby cementing their bright future and ensuring that they would be able to land good jobs once they graduate.
Shining Star Elementary was affiliated with B1 High School, situated in the far suburbs of the 6th Ring Road. The school was modeled after a boarding school, and rumor has it that the conditions were arduous despite the high school fees. The kids who studied there were all bookworms, going so far as to skip meals just to study. They ate steamed buns or flatbread with rice, and during winter, the water used for washing feet would turn into a block of ice by morning.
They had to wake up at five in the morning, and by five-thirty, they had to gather for their morning run. A period of self-study began at six, with their first class of the day starting at seven-thirty. Class would continue until six in the evening, and from then onward they were asked to do their own revision until nine, after which class was officially dismissed. They then returned to their dormitories and continued revising again.
High school syllabi were all taught and learned during elementary school.
According to some, year six students of Shining Star Elementary were already able to answer questions from first year senior high. Many were even crowned champions of the International Mathematical Olympiad.
As someone who had never suffered a day in his entire life, Chang Jianan would hardly be able to take it if he was enrolled into Shining Star Elementary.
“B City has plenty of other schools, and there’s no shortage of elite ones. Why must you let Nannan suffer? Even if he can’t stay at Jixia, he could still go to any of those elite schools. There will be plenty of upperclassmen there, so his status won’t be lowered. Why must he be sent to a school like Shining Star where all they do is compare their results? It’s not like our Nannan needs to rely on good academic qualifications to get a job,” Liu Xiangwen said frantically.
Chang Jianan did not know what kind of school Shining Star Elementary was, but from his mother’s expression, he knew it was not a good sign. The sheer fright made his face turn pale.
“Stop talking! It doesn’t really matter if a family like ours pamper our children, but we can’t let him grow to have a bad temper. Pampering him doesn’t mean we can allow him to be an arrogant person. You and Mom are always spoiling him, heaping praise on him in all the wrong ways. He doesn’t understand the seriousness of some things and never considers other people at all. He’s seven, and if he makes a mistake, we adults would dismiss it by saying he’s a naïve kid. But if this continues, he’ll turn into a worthless person when he grows up! We might as well correct him while we can. I won’t let you both spoil him like that anymore. He’ll be going to that school!” Chang Zhixing roared in anger.
His decisiveness left Liu Xiangwen with no choice but to hug the child. She did not have the heart to send him to school, but she did not dare to voice her objections.
Grandmother Chang massaged her temples and sat up. “Why are you taking it out on the boy?! Qi Chenglin’s the one who’s bullying people!”
“Mom, I can’t say anything because you’re my mother, but if I was in Qi Chenglin’s shoes today, I won’t be able to take it either.” Chang Zhixing tried his best to contain his anger. It was inevitable that he would get angry after his son was chased out from the school.
Fortunately, he was a rational man. One who knew that Qi Chenglin’s buttons should not be pushed and that everything happened because the old lady made a fuss.
“You feel that your grandson’s been bullied. Everyone has the instinct to protect their children, don’t they? You’d want to protect Nannan, and Qi Chenglin would want to protect his son too. If we talked about it calmly and settle this dispute amicably between our families, it wouldn’t have come to this. Instead of chastising Nannan, you blame and criticize other people’s faults. Qi Youxuan might’ve been in the wrong, but were Nannan’s actions correct? You’re aware that Qi Chenglin uses his influence to pressure you, so why did you provoke him? In the end, we’re the ones who have to suffer.”
“You… You… Fine, fine, it’s a mistake for me to care about my grandson now, is it? You only blame me if something bad happens. If everything’s going well, I don’t see you getting all angry at me when I care about my grandson. But now, you want to push the blame to me! Perfect! You’re all grown-up now, you can fend for yourself without needing to care about an old lady like me.” Grandmother Chang pointed at them and shouted, “GET OUT! All of you! Everything’s my fault. It’s my fault our family is bullied! It’s my fault for caring about my grandson!”
“It’s all because of you! You’re not good enough, and that’s what caused me—your mother—to suffer so much in public. Guards dragged me out of the school, and you blame me instead of looking at yourself.” Grandmother Chang massaged her head with one hand and punched the bed with the other. “You’re both the same! When will you spare me all these worries!”
Chang Zhixing was itching to say, ‘How about YOU save us all this worry!’
Nevertheless, he kept it to himself, otherwise the old lady might kick up another storm.
Chang Zhiyuan gave Mo Yuxin a look, hinting for her to bring Liu Xiangwen and Chang Jianan out. He pulled Chang Zhixing and said, “Mom, get some rest these few days. You’ve already suffered so much. It’s best not to go out anywhere.”
In essence, they were covertly going to let her stay at home, thus preventing her from causing any trouble.
Without waiting for the old lady to begin cursing again, he brought Chang Zhixing out and closed the door behind them.
Once they went down, Chang Zhiyuan ordered Mo Yuxin and the housekeeper to keep watch on Grandmother Chang. The old lady should not be let out of the house. Keeping her there forever was impossible, but they were told to keep her there for as long as they could.
Chang Zhiyuan felt helpless. “Also, if Jingqiu comes and tries to get on Mom’s good books by bringing her out, don’t let it happen. Jingqiu has angered the Qi family a lot too.”
Mo Yuxin nodded, as she never liked Chang Jingqiu much in the first place.
“Just bear with it for these few days. Her words may be insulting and she’ll definitely curse at you for not letting her out. Just ignore it,” Chang Zhiyuan said despondently. “Sorry for the trouble.”
Mo Yuxin shook her head and sighed. “Don’t worry. You’re in a much harder place.”
Chang Zhixing discussed it with Chang Zhiyuan. The latter agreed to it, but he still brought Chang Zhixing into the study room to warn that special attention must be paid to Liu Xiangwen.
Chang Zhixing knew what kind of person his wife was, so he simply nodded without any further comments.
He then brought Liu Xiangwen and Chang Jianan away, while Chang Zhiyuan returned to the company.
…
Ruan Danchen was worried that Qi Chenglin would have to work overtime that evening, as Jiang Yuan’s absence impacted his work efficiency significantly. She headed straight for his office after work but noticed that Qi Chenglin was in the midst of clearing his things.
“You’re here? I’ll be ready soon,” Qi Chenglin said. In truth, there was still some work to be done, but he could bring work home with him.
She then watched as he took a plastic bag, opened his drawer, and threw a few packs of cigarettes into the bag.
He noticed her looks and began explaining, “I’d have to be thorough since I’ve decided to quit. There’s no reason to keep these, so I’ll throw them away later. Those at home will be thrown away too.”
Qi Chenglin carried the bag as well as his briefcase and walked toward Ruan Danchen. All of a sudden, her face turned red, as though she thought of something.
Qi Chenglin found it particularly intriguing that her face turned red so suddenly. His slender, beautiful fingers poked her tender cheek. “What are you thinking of?”
Ruan Danchen gazed down to the bag of cigarettes and looked back up to his handsome face. “Do you want kids?”
‘Otherwise, why would he suddenly want to quit smoking?’ she thought.
Back then, Qi Chenglin had quit smoking because he wanted a kid.
“Do you want one?” Qi Chenglin looked at her half-smilingly, but for some reason, his expression was a mischievous one.
“I’m just asking because you’re quitting smoking,” Ruan Danchen mumbled. “Well, Youxuan’s grown up already, so it’s a good time to have another one.”
Qi Chenglin leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “Then let’s make one tonight.”
As for the issue involving Qi Chenglin forcing the Chang family kid to transfer, the rest of the Qi family knew about it. After all, they owned the school, so the headmaster would frequently report anything to them. No one voiced any objections however, as one would definitely side with one’s kin in such a situation.
When night came, a concerned Grandmother Qi called to get a sense of what actually happened earlier. Feeling heartbroken, she spoke to the little boy and poured her heart out, saying that the Chang kid was a terrible person, and what Qi Youxuan did was right because he could not just let anyone bully him like that.
“Great-Grandma, I don’t even have the appetite to eat rice. Looking at the rice grains reminds me of all the bugs in my food this afternoon. I can’t eat because I feel so disgusted,” Qi Youxuan said pitifully.
Grandmother Qi’s heart ached after hearing that. She muttered, “Oh no,” repeatedly before saying, “You can’t skip your meals, okay? You’ll get skinny. Is the food in school good? If you don’t have any appetite, tell your Aunt Zheng to make a lunchbox for you.”
Qi Youxuan could even hear his great-grandfather ask his great-grandmother anxiously, “What happened? What happened? Let me talk with him for a while. Ask him…”
“Don’t interrupt! Or else I won’t let you listen!” Grandmother Qi was getting annoyed with Grandfather Qi. She turned to glare at him, shocking the old man considerably.
He huffed and furiously twisted his head to one side, before straining his ears to try and listen to the conversation between Grandmother Qi and Qi Youxuan.
She continued talking for quite some time before finally passing the phone over to the old man. Not long later, the old man began to smile again after being coaxed by the little boy.
Barely moments after he hung up, Guan Liya brought along Qi Zhongxun and showed up at their doorstep. They wanted to console their shocked grandson, and the atmosphere at Prestige Residence became very lively that night.
…
Chang Jingqiu’s delays caused the DNA report to come in half a month later.
Both she and Liu Ronghua brought Huang Pinggui and Wang Lixia to get the report. Once it had been obtained, they did not choose to look at it on the spot—they searched for a restaurant instead and requested for a private room.
Similar to before, the restaurant’s location was in an inconspicuous and low-class place. Chang Jingqiu was thoroughly afraid to be seen in public with those people.
In particular, Huang Pinggui and Wang Liwei were all shifty-eyed during the entire journey. Although there was minimal interaction, Chang Jingqiu could see Huang Pinggui’s habit of rubbing his hands whenever he had the slightest of greedy thoughts.
Huang Pinggui had been rubbing his hands ever since the report was obtained.
As soon as the four of them entered the private room, Huang Pinggui stared at the paper envelope like a hawk.
“Hehe… Uh Jingqiu, let’s have a look.” Huang PInggui rubbed his hands and looked greedily at the paper envelope.
In truth, he had no doubts that Chang Jingqiu was his daughter ever since Liu Ronghua contacted them. Chang Jingqiu’s insistence on getting a DNA test was simply the result of her last struggle.
Chang Jingqiu herself believed in the same truth as well. Liu Ronghua was so confident in letting her get the test, but even before the test was taken, Chang Jingqiu believed it completely.
She did not look at Huang Pinggui because his voice was enough to make her feel repulsed. To think that the man even had the dignity to call her Jingqiu.
“Please call me Miss Chang.” She opened the envelope and took out the results while commenting, “Even if we’re related by blood, there’s no reason for you to try and get close. I’m not close to either of you.”
Chang Jingqiu was about to open the file, but before she could even look closely, Huang Pinggui snatched it away.
He flipped through and said, “Hehe, why are you being so distant for? We’ll get to know each other slowly, right? Blood relationships can’t be denied, and no matter what, you’re still my daughter. You can’t say that we’re not close.”
Huang Pinggui looked at the results and handed them back to Chang Jingqiu with a smile.
Chang Jingqiu gazed down and looked coldly at the results. She then heard Huang Pinggui say, “Our family is finally reunited! Ah, Jingqiu! I’ll bring your little brother to come and meet you, and then we’ll have a nice meal as a family!”
As he said that he rubbed his tummy. “Oh yeah, I haven’t eaten anything yet. I’m hungry!” He pushed Wang Lixia and said, “Call the waiter and order some food. Let’s have a good lunch with our daughter.”
Wang Lixia then called the waiter over immediately, then began ordering. Since they did not have to pay for anything, Huang Pinggui requested many different dishes regardless of the price or whether he could even finish them. He even ordered a bottle of Wuliangye 1 even though no one else drank it.
Chang Jingqiu was thoroughly irked, but because the situation had not yet been completely settled, all she could do was sit and bear with it.
From time to time, Huang Pinggui would use his saliva-coated chopsticks to take food from the plates. A few bites later, he would suck audibly on his chopsticks. Soon after, he rummaged around the food with his chopsticks and said, “Eat up, eat up.”
The dishes served at the restaurant were nothing special; they were simple, home-cooked dishes. By smell alone, one could tell that the oil used was of inferior quality.
Chang Jingqiu’s appetite was long gone after looking at how hideous Huang Pinggui looked when eating. Similarly, Liu Ronghua sported an unhappy expression and did not even touch the chopsticks at all.
Wang Lixia had a few quick bites, and with her mouth still filled with meat, she said incomprehensibly, “Jingqiu, the evidence is in front of you. You’re really our daughter, you can’t just choose not to believe it. No matter what, we’re still family…”
Chang Jingqiu cut her off rudely, “What do you want. Just spit it out.”
“Nothing much, really.” Huang Pinggui used a tissue to wipe his mouth. He sipped some of that alcohol, smacked his lips, then said, “I’m old. I can’t be working so much anymore and no one wants to hire me. Your mother’s bones are in bad condition and she’s aching all over because of all the work she did since she was younger. We don’t have the money to let her visit a doctor and medicine is very expensive.”
Chang Jingqiu pursed her lips coldly, “You just want money, don’t you?
“Don’t say it like that. There’s nothing wrong with children taking care of their parents. You say it as though we’re taking advantage of the situation to rip you off,” Huang Pinggui remarked unhappily and drank more alcohol. “I can’t work anymore, but we still need money to eat, don’t we? Your mother also needs to visit the doctor, right? Look at her, she looks ten or twenty years older than women of the same age because she did so much work in the past. Your little brother is going to sit for his high school exams soon too, and university fees aren’t cheap. He’s very hardworking and good in his studies, which means he’ll definitely be able to get into a good university. We’d like him to go into A University or B University. Studying overseas isn’t something we’re hoping for. We’re not greedy or anything, but we have to at least get him into a good university, right?”
“That’s right, that’s right.” Wang Lixia nodded without the slightest delay. “Speaking of your little brother, you’ll have to take good care of him once he gets into A University. He’s your family member. When the time comes, we’ll accompany him, and we’d need your help to buy a house and…”
The exuberance of their demands kept on increasing, leading Chang Jingqiu to slam her cup on the table. The resulting sound cut off Wang Lixia’s words, startling her tremendously.
“Don’t ask for so much,” Chang Jingqiu rebuffed coldly. “I don’t have any parents or any brothers. I’m the daughter of the Chang family, and my parents died when I was young. I don’t have any embarrassing relatives from the village.”
“You…” Huang Pinggui slammed his chopsticks on the table. “We gave birth to you. The DNA report says it clearly, but you still don’t want to admit it? No matter how much you refuse to believe it, we’re still your birth parents! If we didn’t give birth to you, do you think you’ll still be the Chang family’s daughter? We’re your parents, and you have the responsibility and the obligation to provide a better life for us! If not, I’ll separate you from them. Once the Chang family knows your real status, you won’t be left with any benefit!”
Huang Pinggui huffed twice. “But we won’t be that heartless to forget your good deeds. Even if you’re no longer the Chang family’s daughter, we’ll still take care of you. Although the village life is harsh and our food is simple, we won’t let you go hungry. We’re not like you. Humph. Humph.”
Chang Jingqiu’s expression did not waver in the slightest. She smiled coldly and replied, “You don’t need to use that to threaten me. If you tell everything to the Chang family and they chased me out, I’ll no longer by the Chang family’s daughter, which means I won’t have any money for you anymore. If you want money, then you’d better keep your mouth shut. If I’m not happy, then both of you won’t have it easy either.”
Huang Pinggui and Wang Lixia grew up in the village and did not pursue their studies. Huang Pinggui went to the city to work after completing junior high, while Wang Lixia only managed to complete elementary school. She could recognize a few characters and do simple math, just enough for her daily life. She did not continue her studies because the rest of her family’s money was saved up for her brother to go to school.
From Wang Lixia’s family upbringing, coupled with the villager mentality of birthing children so someone could take care of them during their later years, Wang Lixia placed more importance on her son. To her, a daughter was dispensable.
When Cheng Pinggui entered adulthood, his family called him back to meet with Wang Lixia, after which their marriage was arranged. The two of them never received much education, so their knowledge was shallow. Huang Pinggui was clever when it came to trivial matters due to the craftiness he gained during his work, but that was the extent of his intelligence—when it comes to important matters, he was simply no match for Chang Jingqiu.
As expected, the couple’s expressions changed dramatically after hearing what Chang Jingqiu said. They were alarmed and helpless.
Evidently, they knew that the matter at hand was interrelated with their benefit. Simply acting blindly without thinking was something they did not dare to do. They understood that the situation was not as easy as it looked, and if they really did provoke Chang Jingqiu too much, she would bring them down with her, leaving them without anything in return.
Chang Jingqiu then slowly took out a cheque and threw it to Huang Pinggui. “Here’s eight hundred thousand. As long as you keep away from the city and stay put in the village, it’ll be enough to last you for the rest of your life. Your son’s school fees are included too. If he’s really that smart, the money’s enough for him to get a master’s after he graduates from university. It might even be enough to let him go overseas and study.”
Huang Pinggui reached out to grab it, but Wang Lixia snatched it away at once and kept it, seemingly distrustful of Huang Pinggui.
After noticing Wang Lixia’s reaction, Chang Jingqiu pursed her lips and remained indifferent. She could not feel any familial connections between herself and the couple.
“Are you shooing a beggar?!” Huang Pinggui still felt dissatisfied. “This is too little money for us to live our lives together. It’s fine if you want to give this amount, but you have to give us living expenses every month. You’re our daughter. Your mother carried you for ten months before giving birth to you and it wasn’t easy for her to do that, but now you’re shooing us with so little money? You should repay us for giving birth to you!”
Chang Jingqiu stood up. “That’s all I’m giving. No more. Tear the cheque if you don’t want it. If you think it’s not enough, by all means, go and ask the Chang family. Tell them who you are and see if anyone gives a damn about you. Don’t blame me for not reminding you that every rich household has unethical means of settling things. The Chang family places lots of importance on their reputation, and if this matter goes public, their reputation would be lost too. I don’t know what they’ll do if they get angry, and I won’t protect you if anything happens.”
Flashing a malicious grin, Chang Jingqiu continued, “After all, I won’t be the Chang family’s daughter anymore if that happens. Think carefully before doing anything. You can either choose to put your son’s life and future on the line when the Chang family bites back, or you can seize the moment and take the money.”
Like a mute, Huang Pinggui froze and was afraid to say anything further. He savored the taste of alcohol in his mouth and found it very distasteful.
Chang Jingqiu looked at him disdainfully and said, “After you take this money, you won’t have anything to do with me anymore. Don’t come looking for me. If you show up in front of me, please don’t blame me for being discourteous. If you’re smart, you’ll take this money and live the rest of your lives properly in the same way as before, when you didn’t know that I existed.”
Her piercing gaze scared Huang Pinggui somewhat, but he simply mumbled in a dissatisfied tone, “Understood.”
Chang Jingqiu chuckled coldly. “Good that you understand. We won’t meet each other again in the future. I’ll pay for lunch.”
She turned to leave as soon as she was done talking.
Liu Ronghua was in no mood to sit together with Huang Pinggui and Wang Lixia. Upon seeing that Chang Jingqiu was leaving, she quickly caught up.
Chang Jingqiu did not thwart the approach, and both women walked together with a tacit mutual understanding. Liu Ronghua only began to speak after she got into the car with Chang Jingqiu. “I’m not like Huang Pinggui or Wang Lixia. Don’t even think about dismissing me as though I were them. Your threats to them can’t fool me.”
Chang Jingqiu simply asked calmly, “How much money do you want?”
“Five million. It’s not a high price to pay in exchange for the glory, splendor, wealth, and power associated with your status as Miss Chang,” Liu Ronghua said with a smile. “You can trust me. I’ve already promised you, so I won’t tell anyone. I’ve kept the secret with me for twenty-seven years—I can keep it for another twenty-seven years.”
Chang Jingqiu kept quiet. Her left hand was placed on the steering wheel, tapping her fingers lightly on it.
It was not obvious from her face, but deep down she was cackling at Liu Ronghua’s statement of trustworthiness. Believing that would be too naïve and stupid of Chang Jingqiu.
Within mere seconds, Liu Ronghua was capable of begging Ruan Danchen for forgiveness, then dig up the latter’s scars after that. Liu Ronghua spoke of how deeply she loved a man, yet she had no qualms about taking advantage of the man’s daughter. Was someone like her really worth believing?
