On Saturday night, Wen Ying got home quite late, unexpectedly Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong were even later.
The couple entered the door one after the other, clad in starlight.
Wen Ying heard the noise and came out. Chen Ru’s gaze was a bit evasive, not meeting Wen Ying’s eyes.
“Mum…”
“I’m a bit tired today. Since your royalties have already been invested in Tianjiao, let’s not touch them for now. I’ve thought carefully, investing in Tianjiao is actually quite good, to avoid people coveting the money in your hands.”
Chen Ru’s tone was casual. Wen Ying looked shocked.
Chen Ru’s reaction left Wen Ying bewildered. Wen Ying thought the letter would have an effect, but convincing Chen Ru with just one letter, Wen Ying didn’t dare to imagine.
That was just a letter, not a nuclear weapon!
After speaking, Chen Ru went to wash up. Wen Ying turned to look at Wen Dongrong. Old Wen looked haggard and waved his hand repeatedly. “Don’t ask me, I’m very tired too.”
Body tired, heart even more tired.
No matter who, bumping along to remote areas in the morning, then attending parent meetings for six semesters in one go in the afternoon, no one would have good spirits!
Wen Ying was confused.
Had this storm passed just like that?
Such a good opportunity, Manager Chen actually didn’t use it to force her to study abroad?
Once past this village, no such shop!
Wen Ying was puzzled and uneasy. She worried her mum’s calm demeanour was brewing a big move.
However, one day passed, two days passed, three days passed. Chen Ru’s attitude didn’t change. The anticipated storm didn’t arrive. Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong left early and returned late, polite to Wen Ying every day.
It was said the couple had been particularly busy at work lately, both needing to work overtime.
Perhaps because of this Chen Ru had no time to settle accounts with Wen Ying?
“I’m scared to death.”
Wen Ying secretly complained to Xie Qian at school. “I’ve washed my neck clean, but that knife is slow to fall. How can I relax!”
Xie Qian pondered. “Is it possible your letter really worked, greatly changing your mum’s thoughts?”
“No matter how changed, she’s still my mum. Haven’t you heard a leopard can’t change its spots… She didn’t even persuade me to study abroad. How much stimulation must she have suffered!”
Wen Ying muttered to herself. Xie Qian reminded her. “What was your dad’s reaction?”
“He’s just like that. He’s struggling himself now, I can’t count on him.”
Chen Ru was polite to Wen Ying, didn’t quarrel with Wen Dongrong in front of Wen Ying. However, days passed, Old Wen and Chen Ru came home from work together, but at night he still slept on the balcony. Clearly Chen Ru hadn’t paid attention to Wen Dongrong!
Little Wen and Old Wen had different treatment. Wen Ying couldn’t figure out Manager Chen’s psychology, no mind to gloat over Old Wen.
“Eh, now that you mention it, I thought carefully. My dad these two days is also quite abnormal. He neither took the chance to ‘extort’ me, nor grabbed me to lecture a bunch of big principles. He’s polite to me, even with avoidance…”
This was too abnormal!
Wen Ying thought of what Old Wen did before, her teeth ached. Old Wen could always be righteous, even when he was wrong himself. Wen Dongrong wouldn’t admit his fault, could always spout a set of self-consistent logic anytime anywhere. He was always right, the wrong one was always others!
“It’s still that letter. What exactly did you write in it?”
“…Impossible.”
Wen Ying subconsciously refuted. Xie Qian didn’t argue with her.
Loud voice doesn’t mean right. How much effect that letter had, time would give the answer.
Just two days later, an incident proved Xie Qian’s judgement.
On Friday night, Wen Ying was on the computer with QQ open, rushing a draft. Suddenly someone applied to add her as friend.
Clicking the new message, it was actually junior high classmate Fang Hui.
Fang Hui and Yue Shanni were very close, once also “close” to Wen Ying.
Unlike the plastic classmate bond with Wen Ying, Fang Hui was a core figure in Yue Shanni’s small group, a right-hand arm.
Yue Shanni came to trouble Wen Ying,闹 to police station. School expelled Yue Shanni. Fang Hui still threatened Wen Ying on QQ, saying Wen Ying “doesn’t know human suffering”, someone talked about Yue Shanni’s family difficulties and so on, crazily outputting moral kidnapping words to Wen Ying.
Wen Ying just took this as fart.
Later media exposed Wen Ying’s writer identity. “Rongcheng Evening News” detailed “Upstream Fish”. Wen Ying’s junior high class QQ group exploded. Almost all junior high classmates looked at Wen Ying with new eyes. Only Fang Hui jumped out yelling, not believing Wen Ying was “Upstream Fish”.
Song Shao didn’t save face for Fang Hui, trolled Fang Hui hard, angering Fang Hui to even quit the class QQ group.
This matter spread to Wen Ying’s ears indirectly. Wen Ying just laughed it off.
Yue Shanni, Fang Hui these people became passers-by in Wen Ying’s life. Wen Ying didn’t care their reactions at all.
Looking at Fang Hui’s friend request, Wen Ying remembered she seemed to have deleted this person casually.
Didn’t know what madness Fang Hui was having now. Couldn’t be saw newspaper “writer rich list” then come borrow money?
Wen Ying originally didn’t want to add. Fang Hui’s request messages sent one by one.
“Do your dad and mum have issues? Ran to unit find my dad mum, ask my dad mum properly discipline me, let me apologise to you!”
“They also went to Yue Shanni’s home, harming Yue Shanni’s mum beat her again!”
“Just your previous unlucky face, we willing be friends with you, you should be grateful…”
“You famous now bring up previous matters, want force us to death?”
Between lines all Fang Hui’s unmasked anger.
Wen Ying however stunned.
Wen Ying approved Fang Hui’s friend request. Without Wen Ying asking, Fang Hui said everything.
Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong used a whole week, visited house by house including Fang family several households.
Chen Ru now workplace strong woman aura, Wen Dongrong somewhat leader, couple strong alliance invincible in hometown county, one day visit one, within week “flattened” several student homes that bullied Wen Ying before.
Wen Dongrong good at official tone, holding airs output, plus Chen Ru’s inherent righteousness, all parents trying deny, quibble defeated.
Some apologised verbally on spot.
Some proposed economic compensation.
Some ashamed guilty beat child hard.
Several families tossed into chaos. Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong still not satisfied.
What economic compensation, couple not rare this money.
Apologise to couple no, they not victims.
Beat child barely count proper attitude, most important must apologise to Wen Ying!
Fang Hui first got beaten by parents, parents deducted all pocket money, also face to face apologise to Wen Ying. More think more angry, then crazily sent QQ messages to Wen Ying.
QQ messages still flashing, Fang Hui venting dissatisfaction.
Wen Ying’s vision gradually blurred.
Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong’s actions, scene Wen Ying would dream of.
Last life when bullied excluded Wen Ying fantasised this scene, she so craved protection from parents.
This protection came a bit late.
But late better than never.
Wen Ying raised hand touched tears at eye corner.
She actually cried disappointingly.
