Chen Ru asked for hot water to scald the bowls and chopsticks, not looking up. “What’s on your mind? With half a month till school starts, you giving up already?”
Sigh, without hard proof, Chen Ru wouldn’t buy it. Even though Wen Ying had hinted over the phone that the “Shrimp King” stall was doing well, Chen Ru had no clear sense of how much a student-run venture could earn.
Wen Ying grinned. “Half a month left—too early to throw in the towel. That’s not what I meant.”
She wanted to talk about Shu Guobing setting up a seafood business at Qingshi Bridge and snatching the night-market shop she’d eyed.
“Mom, don’t you think Uncle’s a bit petty? He got fired from Aunt’s company, so he goes to Qingshi Bridge to compete with her. I said a few things about him at Kai Bro’s place, and he immediately came for my shop.”
Chen Ru’s chopstick-hand froze. “What did you say?”
As expected, Chen Ru knew nothing of either matter!
Wen Ying wasn’t sure how to proceed. Her mom wasn’t dim, but her dad was sharper. After years of marriage, Wen Dongrong called the shots at home. If he didn’t want Chen Ru to know something, she wouldn’t.
Wen Ying feigned confusion. “Mom, you didn’t know? I thought Dad told you. I even asked him last time what I should do if Uncle competed with me. He said I was disrespectful to elders, implying I should back off.”
Why should she?
Chen Ru gripped her chopsticks tight, then loosened them, repeating the motion to quell her anger. “Don’t listen to your dad. He’s just shielding your aunt and even Shu Lu—more muddled than your grandma.”
Fuming, Chen Ru missed the scale of the shop dispute Wen Ying hinted at. If “Shrimp King” could afford a shop with tens of thousands in annual rent, couldn’t Wen Ying cover a measly ten-thousand-plus tuition and tutoring fees? The family bet was already won.
Chen Ru was livid with Wen Dongrong. Grandma Wen’s son-preference was undeniable, but she at least knew family from outsiders. Wen versus Shu—Grandma treated them worlds apart. Wen Dongrong navigated complex office dynamics but fumbled family boundaries at home.
Shu Lu was just a niece; Wen Ying was his daughter. Shu Guobing wasn’t even blood-related—why should Wen Ying yield to him?
Tch! Respecting elders depended on the elder. Did Shu Guobing act like one?
Then there was Wen Hongyan, always scolding Wen Ying for lacking manners. The more Chen Ru thought, the angrier she got, recalling another incident.
Last summer, Wen Ying’s school organized a camp to Beijing, costing three thousand per student for a week. Chen Ru wanted to sign her up, but Wen Dongrong called it a waste, suggesting the money fund summer tutoring instead. Agreeing, Chen Ru didn’t enroll Wen Ying.
Later, they heard Shu Lu went to the camp. At a family gathering, Wen Hongyan flaunted Shu Lu’s Great Wall and Forbidden City photos, asking why Chen Ru didn’t sign Wen Ying up, preaching that every penny spent on kids was worth it.
Chen Ru suspected Wen Dongrong secretly funded Shu Lu’s three thousand. He denied it, but with Wen Hongyan’s sole income—often docked for tardiness—how could they afford it? It had to be Wen Dongrong.
Chen Ru lost her appetite entirely. She pulled out the gold bangle Shu Lu had forced on her, showing Wen Ying. “Your dad’s confused, but I’m not. What’s yours stays yours. Since your aunt’s family isn’t short on cash now, they must repay what your dad spent on Shu Lu.”
Chen Ru decided: once Wen Hongyan paid up, she’d enroll Wen Ying in a camp—not this year’s summer one, but a winter one. Shu Lu went to Beijing? Fine, Wen Ying would go to Hong Kong or Japan, like Chen Li did for Deng Jie and Deng Hao.
Wen Ying had stirred the pot on purpose but hadn’t expected Chen Ru to go this hard. That bangle looked familiar—hadn’t Wen Hongyan worn it?
She couldn’t believe her mom had the guts to snatch it off Wen Hongyan’s wrist. Chen Ru, slim and desk-bound, versus chubby Wen Hongyan? No contest.
But it wasn’t snatched—Shu Lu had pushed it on Chen Ru.
Hearing the full story, Wen Ying’s respect for Shu Lu grew. So young, yet so slick. Few adults could spin words that tightly, flipping a bad spot to save face. Intelligence and emotional savvy weren’t just about upbringing—natural talent mattered too. In her past life, Shu Lu stayed home, basking in Wen Dongrong’s care for a comfy life. Was that a win or a leash?
When Chen Ru got home, a fight with Wen Dongrong was inevitable. With Wen Ying fanning the flames, Chen Ru wouldn’t back down easily.
So what? Wen Dongrong needed a worthy opponent like Chen Ru.
To keep Chen Ru fueled, Wen Ying piled food on her plate at lunch. “Mom, eat up—you’ve worked hard!”
That afternoon, Wen Ying breezed through math, physics, and chemistry. Meanwhile, Chen Ru used the exam time to pick up keys for their new apartment.
The pricey place had its perks—greenery still growing, but spacious courtyards and wide building gaps. Other buyers told Chen Ru the units were nearly sold out; latecomers had to buy secondhand.
Key pickup meant taxes and property fees. With two units, Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong’s bill was hefty. If Shu Guobing and Wen Hongyan didn’t repay, Chen Ru’s funds would tighten.
…
That night, Shu Guobing stumbled home drunk.
Wen Hongyan scowled. “Drink, drink, drink—that’s all you know! In Chengdu, have you even looked after Lu Lu? She’s being bullied, and where’s her dad?”
Hiccuping, Shu Guobing slurred, “What’s up with Lu Lu? Who’d dare mess with her? I’ll smash those punks.”
Shu Lu emerged from her room, eyes still puffy, and recounted the school-gate clash from start to finish.
“Dad, have you paid back Uncle’s money? If Wen Ying badmouths me at school, how can I show my face? If you don’t pay, I’d rather skip the top school!”
