Chen Ru was not satisfied with Wen Ying’s concession.
Broadly speaking, Chen Ru’s personality had been shaped over decades. More specifically, ever since Wen Ying was born, still in swaddling clothes, Chen Ru had been a domineering mother.
How could such a personality change completely in less than a year?
Chen Ru was still Chen Ru.
After the confrontation with Wen Ying, Chen Ru couldn’t accept her daughter’s rebellion. The warmth between mother and daughter over recent months seemed like an illusion. As the heart-to-heart fell apart, they entered a cold war.
The cold war was initiated by Chen Ru, and Wen Ying didn’t apologise again.
At home, they still interacted, but the tender affection had melted away like ice and snow.
Chen Ru had raised that high wall again.
In such a household, there was no equal exchange, only a mother’s inherent authority over her daughter. Yes, Wen Ying could now earn money and spout grand principles, but Chen Ru couldn’t control her, couldn’t outtalk her, so she stopped trying!
Not only was Wen Ying left to fend for herself, but so was Wen Dongrong.
Even being kicked out to sleep in the car by his wife hadn’t made Wen Dongrong this anxious.
She was truly furious this time.
The skincare products Wen Ying brought back from Hunan sat untouched on Chen Ru’s vanity.
Wen Dongrong did receive the leather jacket as hoped.
But with the household atmosphere so tense, he had no mood to wear it to the office to show off to Old Li!
“You should apologise to your mum.”
Wen Dongrong hadn’t spoken to Wen Ying so formally in a long time.
Wen Ying thought for a moment and gently shook her head, “I don’t know what I did wrong. How can I apologise?”
Say some sweet words to smooth things over?
She could do that.
The problem was, Wen Ying could sweet-talk once, but she couldn’t keep repeating the same words endlessly.
She went to Hunan this time, and she might go elsewhere next time.
Yes, she wasn’t yet eighteen, not legally an adult, but she couldn’t keep playing the role of a minor forever.
Having been reborn, Wen Ying was trying to make peace with her past life, viewing her parents through a new lens. She had indeed discovered some of Chen Ru’s, and even Wen Dongrong’s, good qualities.
She was working to see her parents’ strengths and accept their imperfections.
But now, Chen Ru couldn’t accept that Wen Ying was more mature than her peers.
Wen Dongrong was at a loss for words.
The next morning, Wen Ying found something stuffed under her door. Pulling it out, she saw it was the red envelope of allowance she’d given Old Wen—he’d returned it!
Wen Ying picked it up, tucked it into her schoolbag, and went to school as usual.
She still had to attend classes. Forging her own path didn’t mean living off her past life’s experiences. To address her regrets, Wen Ying wanted to see what university she could get into this time with earnest effort.
The only upside to the cold war with Chen Ru was that Xie Qian didn’t hold her Hunan trip against her.
Unexpectedly, Chen Ru’s anger was so intense that it left Wen Ying’s mother-daughter relationship in a deadlock. Xie Qian almost immediately forgave Wen Ying. Deep down, he saw himself and Wen Ying as allies. Their accounts could be settled later; the priority was helping Wen Ying navigate this family crisis!
Xie Qian worried for her, but Wen Ying didn’t appreciate it.
“My dad told me to apologise, but I don’t want to.”
She’d already apologised for sneaking off to Hunan. On other matters, she believed she’d done nothing wrong.
If she wasn’t wrong, why apologise?
She wasn’t stingy with her parents. Accepting Yuan Fenghui’s part-time job was partly for Li Mengjiao, partly for her own interests, and also to earn a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan.
With that money, Wen Ying could save up more startup capital.
Why was she saving? To make life better for the family.
She even planned to buy a house in Shanghai by year’s end, putting it in Chen Ru’s name as a surprise. When the time came, she’d reveal she’d saved enough for a Shanghai property and lay out everything she’d done that year.
The Shrimp King officially becoming a company.
Her screenwriting fees.
Her part-time work at Tianjiao.
The money for the house was earned bit by bit, through legitimate means. What was there to hide?
By then, though not yet eighteen, she’d have achieved what many adults couldn’t. Her parents would have to see her in a new light, granting her more freedom and respect during high school!
Wen Ying had planned well, but plans don’t always keep up with changes. Before year’s end, Manager Chen had erupted.
“Don’t tell Li Mengjiao about my family issues,” Wen Ying instructed Xie Qian.
Li Mengjiao didn’t know the root of Wen Ying’s conflict with her parents and might blame herself.
It had nothing to do with Li Mengjiao; going to Hunan was Wen Ying’s own choice.
The “business trip” paid well. Yuan Fenghui kept her word, quickly securing Wen Ying a 50,000-yuan bonus upon returning to Rongcheng, significantly boosting her savings.
The bonus was unanimously approved by Tianjiao’s shareholders.
Wang Shuang was envious but not jealous.
Wen Ying’s trip to Hunan had secured a 2.8 million yuan endorsement deal for Li Mengjiao. If Wang Shuang had gone, he likely wouldn’t have contributed much. He had to admit the gap in ability between himself and Wen Ying.
Wang Jun comforted his son, “Think of Wen Ying as the top-performing salesperson. In our phone shop, the more phones a salesperson sells, the higher their commission. Producer Yuan says Wen Ying deserves that bonus, so I believe she earned it in Hunan. You’re a boy—be big-hearted. Don’t fuss over a bit of pay.”
The 2,000-yuan salary wasn’t important, nor was the 800-yuan attendance bonus. Wang Jun didn’t even care if his son could be a good producer. Wang Shuang had volunteered for the role, and Wang Jun wanted to train his focus—no more half-hearted efforts. For Wang Shuang, with his track record, this was already a success!
Wang Shuang thought Wen Ying was far better than the salespeople in their phone shop.
Salespeople just sold phones.
Customers already intended to buy when they entered the shop; salespeople just sealed the deal.
But Wen Ying?
She could hold her own talking with the head of a dairy group.
She could connect with Director Fan of Hunan Satellite TV.
The “business” tied to these two? One was a 2.8 million yuan endorsement contract, the other a TV premiere deal worth far more.
So when his father commented, Wang Shuang retorted, “If Wen Ying sold phones, she’d still lead in sales. But if our salespeople went to negotiate, they’d probably fumble their words. Wen Ying’s just better!”
Tch!
You little brat, spouting harsh truths. Three days without a scolding, and you’d climb the roof!
Wang Jun said wryly, “Who’s to blame for lacking foresight? I invited Xiao Wen to work for me ages ago. What’d you say back then?”
Wang Shuang rolled his eyes, “Dad, aren’t you being childish? Only women dig up old arguments!”
What’d he say?
Nothing!
He’d never admit it.
—I didn’t, I wouldn’t, don’t talk nonsense!
Amid Wen Ying and Chen Ru’s cold war, Hunan Satellite TV launched its Super Girl auditions. Li Mengjiao’s dairy company ad and the talent show promo, backed by a massive marketing push, dominated screens in a short time, spreading from Hunan across major cities nationwide.
The ad went viral.
The song went viral.
This year’s audition sign-ups skyrocketed!
Riding this wave, Li Mengjiao naturally shot to fame.
