The car started and pulled away from the school gate.
Mrs. Wang felt like she’d forgotten something—oh well, if she forgot it, it must not be important. What mattered was the task at hand.
Leaving her son behind, Mrs. Wang beamed at Wen Ying, her voice syrupy sweet, “Little Ying, I keep hearing how clever you are. You’ve got to help your auntie come up with a plan!”
Just a plan?
Wen Ying’s tense scalp finally relaxed.
“Auntie, you made it feel like a kidnapping. Next time, just come to me directly if you need something.”
Wen Ying’s gaze drifted back, about to mention Wang Shuang hadn’t gotten in, but Mrs. Wang, smiling, grabbed her hand, diverting her attention, “Alright, I’ll listen to you, Little Ying. Next time, I’ll call you directly. What’s your number? Let me save it.”
Mrs. Wang was such a cheerful woman, her smiles not fake or polite but warm and infectious. For a middle-aged woman to pull off such natural charm without being off-putting, Mrs. Wang’s skill was extraordinary!
Wen Ying was completely disarmed by her.
At first, she stayed cautious, holding onto her rational boundaries. But as they chatted, Wen Ying found Mrs. Wang utterly adorable.
This adorable auntie asked for Wen Ying’s help in brainstorming.
Her request wasn’t outrageous, Mrs. Wang wanted to spend some money.
In her words, she aimed to support Rongcheng’s literary scene. She had an idea of where to spend but no clue how to go about it.
“Rongcheng Publishing Group started a new magazine called *Spark*, right? I want to invest in *Spark*, but I don’t want people laughing at me as some nouveau riche. You understand my feelings, don’t you, Little Ying?”
Dazed by Mrs. Wang’s sweet talk, Wen Ying snapped to attention at the mention of *Spark*.
She couldn’t help but laugh and cry.
“…Auntie, is this really necessary?”
Wang Jun had just tried to give Wen Ying and Xie Qian shares in Tianjiao, only to be rejected. Now Mrs. Wang had come up with such a roundabout tactic. Wen Ying didn’t know whether to admire her quick thinking—truly, no woman who rose from nothing with her husband and secured her place as a wealthy wife was simple!
Wang Jun was sharp, Mrs. Wang was sharp… yet Wang Shuang was so “innocent”. Quite the mystery!
Perhaps because both Wang parents were so clever, they’d sheltered Wang Shuang too well.
Amid her mental quips, Wen Ying stayed alert.
Mrs. Wang had devised a slogan like “supporting Rongcheng’s literary scene” to funnel money to *Spark* as a lure for Xie Qian. So what did she have planned for the Wen family?
She couldn’t arrange a promotion for old man Wen.
Mrs. Wang didn’t have that kind of pull.
The answer was obvious, it had to be Manager Chen!
Wen Ying, with a wry smile, confirmed, “Auntie, did you go boost my mum’s performance?”
Mrs. Wang’s eyes widened, “What do you mean ‘boost performance’? I have to deposit money somewhere, don’t I? Should I keep it all in cash at home? No way, that’d attract thieves!”
Wen Ying was sharp and would’ve figured it out eventually, so Mrs. Wang hadn’t planned to hide it.
But Mrs. Wang had a knack for making even the most dubious reasoning sound convincing. On the matter of entrusting Chen Ru with her business, she was adamant.
Money has to be deposited somewhere, and business has to be handled by someone, so what’s wrong with choosing Chen Ru?
“Depositing in other banks carries risks. I’m not saying the banks are risky, but the managers handling the deposits. Haven’t you seen the news, Little Ying? Some people are rotten, secretly siphoning off clients’ money during transactions. Sure, the culprits get caught, but the人不返回。 the money’s gone. With your mum, I know my money won’t vanish!”
Mrs. Wang’s reasoning left Wen Ying, a lawyer in the making, momentarily speechless.
Such cases were rare, but not unheard of.
Wang Shuang said his mum loved dramas, but he clearly underestimated her—she was well-versed in social news too.
Some people watched TV mindlessly, but Mrs. Wang turned it into ammunition to outtalk a lawyer—
Wen Ying fought to reclaim her train of thought, “There’s some sense in what you say, but this is still about helping my family. Auntie, we need to talk about this, you can’t keep doing this!”
Mrs. Wang admitted fault instantly.
“Alright, alright, I won’t act on my own next time. I’ll check with you first, okay? No, I’m changing my ways now, which is why I’m here consulting you!”
She knew she was wrong.
She wouldn’t do it again.
Starting now, she’d reform, seeking Wen Ying’s advice on building a deeper connection with Zou Weijun.
—*Look at my sincerity, Wen Ying!*
Mrs. Wang’s smile bloomed like a flower, her eyes warm and ingratiating.
Wen Ying nodded at first, then realized she’d been sidetracked again.
Why was Mrs. Wang asking *her* about building ties with Zou Weijun? She had no say in that!
She should be asking Xie Qian or even Zou Weijun herself.
Wen Ying realized that to deal with Mrs. Wang, she had to dodge her mental interference. In Mrs. Wang’s world, she was invincible.
“Get to the point, Auntie. What exactly do you want?”
Wen Ying cut straight to it. Mrs. Wang saw this girl wasn’t easily fooled—harder to sway than Chen Ru. Dropping the storytelling, she spoke plainly, “I want to get closer to Xie Qian’s mum, to be her friend. She’s so cultured, and our family’s just nouveau riche. She might not bother with me, so I thought spending some money could build a connection without offending her. How should I spend it?”
Spending money on Zou Weijun directly wouldn’t do.
But spending on *Spark* wouldn’t be an insult, right?
Mrs. Wang’s logic wasn’t entirely wrong. Wen Ying thought it over and figured a well-meaning friend like Mrs. Wang wouldn’t hurt Zou Weijun.
But friendship didn’t need to be bought. Li’s mum was close to Zou Weijun through genuine effort.
True or false intentions? Zou Weijun, an adult, could tell.
Wen Ying hinted Mrs. Wang should take it slow and be sincere. But Mrs. Wang was impatient, “Words of sincerity aren’t reliable. We’re adults, money spent on someone shows true care. I’m willing to spend on Xie Qian’s mum!”
Wen Ying was floored.
That twisted logic almost sounded reasonable at first—classic Mrs. Wang.
It didn’t hold up under scrutiny, though, sounding more like a sleazy guy’s line.
A man spending money on a woman doesn’t always mean love, but not spending a dime surely means he doesn’t care.
—*Damn it, how did Mrs. Wang derail my thoughts again!*
