Admitting “failure” is tough for any adult.
Especially for Wen Dongrong, who wore the mantle of fatherhood in front of Wen Ying.
What does a father represent?
Authority!
Despite Wen Ying’s respectful tone in seeking his advice, Wen Dongrong felt humiliated.
Stubborn and domineering, his first instinct wasn’t self-reflection but to shift the blame.
He’d helped Shu Guobing’s family plenty. Shu Guobing’s ingratitude and disrespect weren’t his fault—it was Shu Guobing’s!
The rest of the Wen family was different.
Siblings were grateful, nephews and nieces respected him, his old mother relied on him, and neighbors sought his guidance. Wen Dongrong embraced the role of “patriarch.” Though the burden was heavy, it gave him immense pride.
As for his daughter, Wen Ying had changed since her high school entrance exam. Her recent actions, including that “bet” with her parents, seemed aimed at challenging and toppling their authority.
Wen Dongrong was angry and stunned: Why would Wen Ying do this?
What teenage girl fresh into high school had such big ideas?
If their family were dirt-poor, with him and Chen Ru barely literate, he could understand her sudden rebellion.
But he and Chen Ru were doing fine—not spectacular, but solid back home. Wen Ying’s defiance made no sense. She couldn’t even support herself yet dared to look down on her parents!
He felt her question was a jab, using Shu Guobing to needle him.
Shrugging off responsibility, Wen Dongrong relaxed, the flush fading from his face and neck. He tossed her question back.
“What makes you think you can beat your uncle Shu Guobing? Just those new friends of yours? He’s your elder, no matter how bad he is. Watch your tone when you speak of him, or outsiders will say our Wen family has no manners.”
Now Wen Ying was stunned.
Huh?
Weren’t she and her dad on the same page about Shu Guobing?
Apparently, her words had struck Wen Dongrong’s fragile ego.
It clicked for her.
She hadn’t really expected useful advice from him. If she and Old Wen could communicate normally, they wouldn’t have gone two years without contact in her past life.
Knowing was one thing, but deep down, she’d wanted to try, to give their father-daughter bond another shot. Yet Wen Dongrong pulled the “father card” to shut her down, and Wen Ying switched to a formal tone instantly.
“Even if I do rely on friends, at least it shows I know how to make them. Why else would they back me? Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll respect Gufu dearly. He’s family, after all—I won’t let anyone mock the Wens!”
Wen Dongrong still found her words odd, her tone off.
He wanted to lecture more, but Wen Ying didn’t give him the chance. With a “Bye, Dad,” she hung up.
Clutching her phone, Wen Ying’s smile was a bit eerie.
“Respect?”
Oh, she’d “respect” Shu Guobing alright!
…
The next day, Wen Ying met barbecue boss Da Liu, suggesting that if his funds allowed, he could open his “King Prawn” franchise in a busier, high-traffic spot.
“It works either way—lively or calm. A main road catches passersby. A quiet riverside borrows the serene vibe. Both have pros and cons. Brother Liu, you’re a seasoned pro—I won’t pretend to know better.”
Da Liu had already planned to yield Old Hou’s shop to Wen Ying. Switching from opening his own place to franchising “King Prawn,” he was ready to set up elsewhere.
Two “King Prawns” on the same street would just be fighting themselves—pointless.
His franchise location was under control; he had his plans.
But Wen Ying’s words implied she was dead-set on staying in the night market, ready to face whoever came head-on?
Curious and excited, Da Liu asked, “What’s your plan?”
Wen Ying denied any scheme. “Brother Liu, I’m an honest kid, just doing honest business.”
Honest… kid? Da Liu knew those words separately, but together from Wen Ying’s mouth, they sounded alien.
Honest kid?!
She looked young, sure.
Her age was small, no doubt.
But honest? Come on—Wen Ying called herself honest, and Da Liu didn’t dare argue. His head wasn’t as hard as her uncle’s, bold enough to snatch her chosen shop!
Real honest kids like Wang Shuang or Qin Jiao ran to their dads for advice when trouble hit.
Wen Ying’s dad was no help, forcing the “honest kid” to roll up her sleeves and handle it herself.
She tracked down Officer Luo again.
Luo got nervous the moment he saw her call, blurting, “Pan Li’s mess has nothing to do with me! It’s your uncle, Boss Deng, letting her stir trouble—”
After Pan Li’s miscarriage, Yu Wenhao seemed to have dropped her as a pawn.
Pan Li, unpaid and unsatisfied, kept confronting Deng Shangwei and Chen Li.
Chen Li wasn’t one to back down. Each time she saw Pan Li, she’d send people to Pan’s mom’s vegetable stall at the market to spread word, urging the Pans to rein in their daughter.
When Pan Li didn’t stop, Chen Li had people go to Pan’s dad’s factory to do the same.
Pan’s mom was so ashamed she could barely keep her stall open. Pan’s dad faced whispers at work.
Rumor was, Pan’s parents were desperate to move, hoping to give Pan Li a fresh start elsewhere.
But their finances were tight. Pan’s dad wasn’t retirement age yet—early retirement meant worse benefits than peers. Pan’s mom didn’t want to close shop either. The couple was still waffling. Officer Luo barely dealt with Pan Li now, and when Wen Ying asked, he spilled everything, practically snapping to attention over the phone, short of saluting her!
Was she *that* scary?
Wen Ying recalled snapping at Luo just once. What a delicate princess—holding a grudge this long!
“Officer Luo, you’ve got it wrong. I don’t care about Pan Li. I’m asking about my uncle’s case. That Boss Cai helping him—you sure there’s no issue?”
Wen Ying had seen plenty of free-spending bosses.
They might throw money around, but they all shared one trait: no gain, no game.
Boss Cai betting on Shu Guobing made no sense.
Pouring money and effort to make him a success?
In two lifetimes, Wen Ying had never heard of such a fairy tale!
Shu Guobing’s pettiness was the surface issue. The real question was Boss Cai.
Luo had combed through it multiple times—Boss Cai had no ties to Yu Wenhao.
“The Yu father and son are fixated on Boss Qin now, probably making a move soon. There’ve been some out-of-town accents at Yu Wenhao’s place—heard they’re from Macau, chasing debts. Forget you—even Boss Deng’s beneath Yu Wenhao’s notice now!”
Besides Yu Wenhao, who else had she and her uncle offended?
