novelraw Chapter 775: Youai, You Are Different Now
Chapter 775: Youai, You Are Different Now
Memories surged like a tide. Those days were indeed the Dark Day for the Jing family. Third Aunt, dragging her daughter along, had returned to her parental home, facing countless strange glances and gossip. She searched everywhere for odd jobs to make ends meet, and life was meager. The family scraped by, mending and making do, until Mr. Jing used his connections to help her find a long-term job. That was how they finally managed. For this, Grandma Jing had cursed that damn scoundrel for over a decade.
Jing Shu’s expression was complex. It was because this man hadn’t died yet; truly, a scourge lasts a thousand years.
Jing Shu narrowed her eyes. "Granny Yu, I don’t have such a relative, nor do I dare associate with such a person. The cooperation between the Insect Cake Factory and the boiler room will be conducted entirely according to regulations and rules."
At Jing Shu’s words, Granny Yu and Ahua both let out a sigh of relief. Otherwise, the situation would have been truly difficult to handle.
In the corner, Father Wu’s face was a mixture of uncertainty and gloom as he sized up the two people before him.
He still couldn’t believe it. This person, dressed in sturdy, tidy clothes, with neat and clean hair, fair, tender fingers unmarred by calluses, nails without a speck of dirt, and a ruddy, glowing complexion—could this really be his daughter, and his niece Jing Shu? Could such pampered individuals truly be the owners of the Insect Cake Factory? What on earth had happened during these years of the apocalypse?
Speaking of this matter, everyone knew the Insect Factory had good benefits. While others paid 1 Virtual Coin for water, Insect Factory employees only had 0.8 points deducted from their personal factory accounts. This meant the factory effectively subsidized 0.2 Virtual Coins for its employees.
Of course, this arrangement was possible because the Insect Factory’s supply to the boiler room offset these costs.
Moreover, Father Wu had heard Boss Jing Shu’s name mentioned several times while queuing for water and schemed to use this to his advantage, hoping to gain some leverage. Believe it or not, he even succeeded in cutting the line a few times. Who doesn’t have a few poor relatives? others thought. And was it really worth impersonating one just to cut in line?
So this time, he thought of using the title of "relative of the Insect Factory Boss" to get some free water.
Actually, it wouldn’t have led to a fight if he hadn’t gotten the water. After all, he wasn’t stupid, and he wasn’t even sure if this Boss Jing was the same person or just someone with the same name.
But he hadn’t expected that old biddy Granny Yu to be such a snob, saying, "Look at your wretched, impoverished state. You, a relative of Boss Jing? Pah! I’ve actually seen her relatives. Every single one of them is bright and presentable, nothing like you at all..."
Granny Yu launched into a tirade, her words like polished barbs, stabbing right at his heart. This caused Father Wu to completely lose his composure, and that’s how the situation escalated to this point.
Father Wu had already braced himself for exposure, but then things took an unexpected turn. He was actually a relative of the rumored Boss Jing Shu! And the slip of a girl he had always looked down on was now eating well, dressing well, and living a life of privilege in the apocalypse!
Father Wu’s mind raced. Before he could formulate a plan, he heard Wu You’ai say, "Granny Yu, deal with this as you see fit. This has nothing to do with us. There’s no need to call us for this kind of thing next time."
Assured that Jing Shu and Wu You’ai were serious, Granny Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This man damaged a thermal flask and has to pay 100 Virtual Coins in compensation. He also cut in line for water. As I said, no one is allowed to cut the line for water, relative or not, and there are no tabs. Water costs 1 Virtual Coin—what’s there to put on a tab? I think he was just trying to get something for nothing," her tone filled with disdain.
Granny Yu continued, "Since it has nothing to do with you, you can go. I’ve already called his family. If he doesn’t compensate, I’ll report him to the administrator and have him sent to labor reform!"
At that moment, Father Wu panicked. A labor reform record would mean his son couldn’t find a good job!
"Nonsense! Wu You’ai carries the blood of our Wu Family; she’s a child of the Wu Family! Whether she acknowledges it or not, she is obligated to provide for me, her father, in my old age and see to my funeral rites! She has a duty to care for me until I die! She’ll pay this money!"
Wu You’ai said mockingly, "Oh? Didn’t you used to say that daughters were a waste of money? That no matter how capable they became, they’d always belong to another family? That only sons were truly your own, only sons could provide for you in your old age, perform the funeral rites, and inherit the family property? Tsk tsk. The once-glorious young boss and contractor can’t even afford 100 Virtual Coins now. He’s even stooping to grab a one-Virtual-Coin discount."
Father Wu’s face alternated between flushed red and deathly pale, veins bulging on his forehead. Cornered, he was like a wild beast straining against its bonds, as if he might charge out and tear Wu You’ai to pieces the next second.
The people he once trampled underfoot and despised now stood high above him. This made it impossible for Father Wu to humble himself and curry favor—especially since, more than twenty years ago, he had mocked the Jing family, saying they would die without heirs. The wheel of fortune had indeed turned. His pathetic pride, however, wouldn’t let him bow his head, making him feel increasingly humiliated and agitated.
Wu You’ai deliberately took a couple of steps closer to Father Wu, as if to say, Go on, hit me. I dare you.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside as six more people arrived. Wu You’ai calmly introduced them to Jing Shu: "Ah, it’s Chun Xiao, the wife he married later, and their two sons, along with his old mother, his sister-in-law, and his sister-in-law’s daughter. Still, quite a few people are missing."
The woman leading them, though thin, was shrewd and capable. As soon as she entered, she scolded, "You useless oaf, how could you cause such a disaster? How dare you fight in the boiler room? Have you apologized and made amends to Granny Yu yet?"
Then, turning with a smile, she said, "Oh, Granny Yu, you’re too gracious to hold a grudge against the likes of him. This husband of mine, he really is a relative of that Boss Jing. Why, more than twenty years ago, I even used to pick up Boss Jing from kindergarten! We, well, we’re just some down-on-their-luck relatives. When family strikes it rich, we wouldn’t dream of imposing. We’ve got too much pride to go asking for handouts, you see. Otherwise, we’d have wangled ourselves some cushy little job in the factory by now... But I’m rambling. Look, this husband of mine, he’s got a good heart. He was only trying to get a bit more hot water for his eighty-year-old mother. Her poor hands and feet are all covered in chilblains... Oh? And who might these two be?"
Jing Shu smiled faintly. "I am the Boss Jing you mentioned."
The shrewd and capable woman: "???"
Wu You’ai said with a smirk that wasn’t quite a smile, "Jing Shu is a relative of mine. What in the world does that have to do with any of you? Did you even know her more than twenty years ago?"
The shrewd woman blinked. "You are?"
Granny Yu scoffed disdainfully. "Isn’t this the relative you all keep talking about? Don’t you even recognize her?"
"She’s Wu You’ai! And that one is Jing Shu, the big boss of the Insect Factory!" Father Wu gritted his teeth. Reason told him to soften his stance and beg, but his pride wouldn’t allow it. He was that slip of a girl’s biological father!
Upon hearing these two names, the entire group of newcomers froze for a moment. Then, all eyes swiveled to Wu You’ai and Jing Shu, scrutinizing them with a mixture of astonishment, doubt, disbelief, envy, and ill will.
The old grandmother was particularly incredulous. Then, seeing her youngest son still tied up, she immediately cried out anxiously, "Quick, untie your father! You ungrateful girl! You’ve made it big and you don’t even think to come back and find your own father! How can you bear to see your own dad end up in such a state..."
Chun Xiao quickly regained her composure, cutting off the old grandmother with a smile. "We’re all one big, happy family; we can chat more when we get back! You’ai, my, you’ve certainly come a long way."