Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Things have already happened. I asked Miao Miao if she wanted to meet Wang Xu, but she stopped me and told me not to go. Now that I am going, Wang Xu will definitely think I am soft-hearted and pity him, which would be bad if he gives up halfway.
According to Miao Miao, even if Wang Xu breaks a hand and a leg to get that house back, it is what he deserves; he brought this upon himself.
Moreover, if he gets the house back and ends up losing a hand and a leg in the process, for me, that would count as some sort of repayment.
After my mother-in-law returned, I don't know how her conversation with Wang Xu went. Wang Xu didn't come, and neither did my mother-in-law. In a couple of days, Miao Miao told me to prepare to meet the old doctor she found. I thought it was about time; now is the opportunity.
The grueling overtime at Luming Company has finally come to an end. I dressed simply and headed to the place Miao Miao had arranged.
To keep things as confidential as possible, Miao Miao asked me to wait at the designated spot while she drove over in a new car to pick me up. Before getting in the car, I couldn't tell it was Miao Miao inside.
"This car is rented by me, just in case. I'm not afraid of Wang Xu and his brainless mother; I'm worried about Deng Xiaomei turning against us. If she provides evidence to Wang Xu claiming you maliciously deceived him, that would be troublesome."
Miao Miao is already meticulous by nature, and after what happened with Huang Zhang, she has become even more cautious, striving for perfection.
"You know how important this is. Water can carry a boat but also capsize it; success or failure depends on this one time. We need to be well-prepared."
Miao Miao drove us to a very secluded area, almost entirely rural. After getting out of the car, she walked purposefully ahead, and I had no doubt she hadn't made a mistake in direction.
"Let's go; this is his house," Miao Miao pointed at the low bungalow in front of us.
"The poorer people are, the easier they are to manipulate; you can always find out what they want. If they have nothing they lack, then it becomes difficult."
I asked Miao Miao why she chose this person.
Miao Miao replied to me, "This person used to be an old Chinese medicine doctor, and after he caused someone's death, he ended up like this. He has a medical background and a criminal record, which is just right. If your mother-in-law and Wang Xu think of finding him, then sorry, debts must be repaid by the one who owes them. Whoever made the mistake should bear the consequences."
I hesitated, "What if he confesses? What if he's afraid of compensation?"
Miao Miao gave me a reassuring smile, "I've discussed it with him. If he exposes this secret, he won't gain anything and will continue living in this broken house. If he keeps quiet, we'll immediately renovate it for him. If the other party threatens or bribes him, he'll get double the reward. He won't lose out no matter what."
I followed Miao Miao inside and before I could voice my doubts, Miao Miao already answered, "Don't worry, Wang Nan has already handled all of this for me. Although I'm not as capable as a Harvard girl, the benefits I've helped Wang Nan secure are not insignificant; it's just that in his parents' eyes, it's rare."
She smiled bitterly, and just mentioning Wang Nan seemed to cause her deep pain. I noticed her mental stress was considerable; I truly feared she might one day reach a state of nervous breakdown like mine.
"All of this has been arranged; you don't need to worry."
Miao Miao approached the earthen house first, and I followed her in. Upon seeing the doctor she mentioned, I was surprised. I had expected someone around the same age as Dr. Li, but instead found a middle-aged man in his forties, thin but with a gleam in his eyes. When he saw Miao Miao, he squinted and smiled, " Miss Song, you're here."
Hearing him call Miao Miao Miss Song, I knew she hadn't revealed her real name. I pretended to be indifferent while observing from the side.
Miao Miao squinted her eyes and greeted the man in front of her with familiarity.
"Brother Sheng, it's been quite some time; you should be ready by now. If you feel it's alright, we can start soon and handle your housing issue early on. What do you think?"
"Yes, yes! I've always kept your words in mind and wanted to cooperate fully with you. To be honest, even without discussing the housing issue, just looking at your way of handling things makes me admire you greatly; you're like a modern-day heroine. If I were to compete with you, I'm not sure who would win."
The man called Brother Sheng spoke insincerely flattering words. Miao Miao coldly twitched her lips, "Perhaps Brother Sheng thinks I'm malicious and ruthless, but you should know that interests are always the driving force. If you stand here discussing ethics with me, it might be hard for anyone to accept."
"Of course! I never meant that at all; since you've said so, I'm always at your service."
"Then in a couple of days, you prepare yourself. No need to call me; I'll notify you if anything comes up."
After finally discussing things with Brother Sheng, Miao Miao's expression was not good when she took me out. I asked her what was wrong, and she shook her head, her brow furrowed. "I just feel something is off about this person."
I was startled. "What do you mean? Why do you say that?"
"I can't quite put it into words, but maybe it's because he seems rather greedy. The person who introduced him to me was a friend of Wang Nan, who said he is quite discreet and wouldn't leak any information. When I casually mentioned that person, he became overly attentive. I don't know if I'm just being paranoid."
Although it seemed strange to have such thoughts, the unfounded suspicion felt even more odd. I advised Miao Miao not to overthink it and to wait a few days to see how things unfold. That person might just be greedy and a bit of a loudmouth, but the general direction should be fine.
Miao Miao nodded. "I hope I'm just being overly cautious, but Zhuang Jun, you know I have relied on Wang Nan in many ways. There are many things I couldn't do without his support. I'm someone who values face but can also see the facts clearly. Without Wang Nan, I'm really nothing."
I understood what Miao Miao meant; she was like a dancer in a remote village. She had talent and skill but needed a stage to shine on, and Wang Nan provided that stage for her. In return, Miao Miao made Wang Nan's stage even more brilliant. They complemented each other perfectly and couldn't be separated.
I shared my thoughts with Miao Miao, and she burst into laughter. "Haha, that's so true! It would be great if Wang Nan's parents knew."
Anything happening outside of the current situation was better for Miao Miao than what she was experiencing now—missing and loving Wang Nan yet unable to be with him was the most tragic and desolate thing.
When it finally came time for me to hand over my resignation, the people at the company were about to enjoy an extended holiday. The atmosphere in the office was exceptionally joyful, and I was quite happy about leaving as well. After finishing up with Dong Lu, I went to Lu Ming's office.
"Come in."
I entered as instructed; Lu Ming was still focused on his work, looking as diligent as ever.
"What’s up?"
He continued to bury his head in the papers in front of him, writing something.
Perhaps it was because he was about to leave; I found Lu Ming's demeanor not unpleasant, especially after seeing the salary and realizing that he truly had paid me double as he claimed. I felt grateful.
"I'm here to resign."
I said it simply, and Lu Ming did not respond immediately. He finished what he was doing, then looked up at me and coldly asked, "Resignation has always been handled by Dong Lu. Why are you coming to me? Is there a problem?"
I waved my hand dismissively. "No, no, everything is fine. I've already completed the procedures, and I won't need to come in tomorrow."
My explanation ended with Lu Ming's muffled "Hmm."
The atmosphere had become a bit awkward; staying any longer felt out of place. Yet, as I prepared to leave, I felt like I hadn't done something right. Not moving forward, I met Lu Ming's probing gaze, feeling as if I were caught between a rock and a hard place.
"Let's have a meal together. My treat, along with Little Shuang."
After saying it, I suddenly felt it was inappropriate, but having already blurted it out, I decided not to take it back.
After a moment of silence, Lu Ming replied with a simple "Okay."
That was an agreement.
Little Shuang was brought over and greeted me with her usual sweet smile. I touched her face and asked how she was doing. Little Shuang tilted her head thoughtfully and answered seriously, "I'm good; I've gained weight!"
I chuckled lightly, "You're happy about gaining weight?"
Lu Shuang looked at me with her innocent, bright eyes and said, "Even though I've gained weight, I'm still very thin."
Haha.
I almost burst out laughing during the break. If it weren't for the lively atmosphere in the office today, my laughter would have echoed like a melody from KFC. I couldn't help but wonder how many bizarre thoughts were hidden in Lu Shuang's mind; these were things I had taken away from my own distant childhood.
I couldn't resist praising her: "Shuangshuang, you're so honest. You must always keep it that way."
"Mm, I promise you, Aunt Zhuang."
I've always been quite curious about Lu Shuang. She seems like a distant little girl but is exceptionally obedient. We hit it off right away when we first met, and taking care of her gives me peace of mind. If I am fortunate enough to have a child in the future, I wonder how much easier it would be if they were like Lu Shuang.
After playing with Lu Shuang for a while, Lu Ming knocked on the door and came in. It was rare for him not to stay late at work; after all, he usually chose to leave late, often forgetting about Lu Shuang until it was time to go. His behavior made me uneasy.
At the dinner table, I kept reminding Lu Ming not to be so careless in the future. Any negligence in the company's business could be made up for, but Little Shuang is unique; nothing can go wrong with her.
While I was anxious about Little Shuang, I couldn't help but feel jealous of Lu Ming. He has such a well-behaved child yet still chose to divorce. This not only affected Little Shuang deeply but also showed that even when he chose to take care of her, he still couldn't do it properly.
It's like a poor person watching a wealthy one waste food in anger; yet I know that even if Lu Ming didn't have this situation, it wouldn't be my place to intervene.
It's truly pathetic.
Seeing that I was unhappy, Lu Shuang sweetly tried to comfort me and encouraged me to cheer up. Her little adult demeanor did lift my spirits quite a bit.
After smiling at Lu Shuang for a while, I suddenly felt an odd atmosphere across the table. When I looked up, I met Lu Ming's inscrutable gaze, and my smile froze on my face as I awkwardly shifted my eyes away.
"Do you really like Little Shuang?"
When Lu Ming asked this, I could only force a smile and reply, "Who wouldn't like such a well-behaved and understanding child like Little Shuang? Sometimes I feel sorry for her, but other times I don't. After all, Shuangshuang looks like she will grow up just fine without me worrying about her."
"Make sure to see Little Shuang more often if you're not busy."
"I'll think about it when I have the chance; I still need to find a job."
It's not that I don't want to see Little Shuang; in fact, I really like her. I even think how wonderful it would be if such a cute child were mine. I suppose I just don't want to have any more contact with Lu Ming. Every time I see him, something unpleasant seems to happen, and I can't handle so many things at once; my mind isn't that sharp yet.
After dinner, we took a walk as usual, but it wasn't long before Lu Ming said he was heading back. I held Little Shuang as we returned to the passenger seat, waiting for Lu Ming to drive me home. Little Shuang appeared to be fast asleep, so I gently reminded Lu Ming to leave a crack in the window for some fresh air to help her sleep better.
Before long, we arrived downstairs at my place. I slowly handed Little Shuang over to him and was about to get out of the car when I heard Lu Ming's deep voice call out to me.
"What's wrong?" I turned back to look at him.
"Make sure to see Shuangshuang more often from now on," Lu Ming suddenly said. I frowned in confusion as I looked at him. He continued with what sounded like an explanation: "It's not for anyone else; just think of it as for yourself."
For myself? Me?
In any case, I no longer had any relationship with Lu Ming. Our previous subordinate relationship had officially ended, and Wang Nan's relationship with Miao Miao had also hit a deadlock. The chances of seeing Lu Ming again in the future were slim. Thinking about this brought a sense of sadness.
"Thank you for some things from before," I said, acknowledging his respect for my opinions and treating me like a person. As for everything else, it's in the past now.
A new day must begin; I'm about to face another turning point in life—ending the life of the child that never existed within me.
This is in stark contrast to my previous life and the education my parents provided, but I remain steadfast, unwilling to give up simply to seek fairness.
As long as Wang Xu and Deng Xiaomei do not receive their due retribution, I will not be at peace.
"If change is necessary for your benefit, then I respect that. But you must also think carefully about whether it is worth it."
I nodded. I have thought it through clearly; every sleepless night is filled with resentment. Until I untangle this knot in my heart, my nerves will remain strained without any sign of improvement.
"Thank you. No matter the outcome, I will accept it."
I did not expect my words to provoke laughter from Lu Ming. I felt a surge of anger. "What are you laughing at? What's so funny?"
"I laugh because you have the heart of a thief but lack the courage. Be careful not to end up with nothing."
Comment 0 Comment Count