novelraw Chapter 526: The 1950s Freeloader 5
Chapter 526: The 1950s Freeloader 5
"Hey, did you hear? Director Wang's kid got into a fight and hit his head! They've already carried him to the hospital!"
"For real? Bro, you sure you didn't hear wrong?"
That kid from Director Wang's household was the pride and joy of Manager Yang and his wife. Around here he could easily be called a little tyrant—who'd have the nerve to mess with him?
Hearing that, a worker who had just gotten off his shift nearby couldn't help but click his tongue.
These days, news couldn't be kept inside the compound, especially at the lane entrance. Before long, under the locust tree at the lane mouth, a cluster of young women and housewives, mixed with some just-off-the-clock workers, gathered with bowls in hand and started gossiping. Every so often they cast meaningful glances toward An Ning's yard.
Suddenly, a young man in a blue jacket and worker's cap spoke up: "Hey, what do you think—now that this happened, could this mess up Jiang Sister-in-law and Director Wang's situation?"
"That's hard to say. They were about to get married, and now this happens. Who knows what kind of trouble that'll cause!"
The man beside him clicked his tongue too, then couldn't help peeking toward the yard: "Poor Jiang Sister-in-law, though. A woman raising three kids with no steady job."
And yet these people were practically itching to go help her out.
Thinking of the figure he’d glimpsed through the door crack before, Zhang the Second shoved another mouthful of rice into his mouth.As the gossip got seedier, a plump auntie holding her bowl finally couldn't stand it and spat coldly in their direction: "What's with you lot? Saying things like that—are you really hoping something bad happens to them?"
"Bah, what nonsense!"
The group of men felt a bit awkward, but after a short silence they went back to their lively gossip, punctuated by the occasional scolding from the women nearby.
Occasionally the system fell completely silent.
"Hey, who said most people were honest back then?"
Things were not yet at their worst!
Watching the gossip on the other side, An Ning wasn't bothered: "When are people not people?"
"You think most of the people you saw before were decent because your host at the time had money and power, because they had value others needed, and a decent status," the system replied. Otherwise, a woman without support and without great ability—when in history has her situation gotten better?
Being prettier only made things worse.
In her previous life she couldn't remember many details, but there was an old period film she had watched that stuck with her: The Blue Kite. After seeing it she had spent that whole night chilled to the bone. The earlier era had left her with a heavy shadow.
Don't talk about most people—if even a few malicious people targeted someone, it could bring utter disaster to that person...
Ignoring the noisy chatter outside, An Ning curled up on the bed, chewing a sweet osmanthus candy while sneaking another look at the commotion next door through the system.
The small single ward was already packed with people.
Most of the adults looked grim, especially Manager Yang and his wife at the front. Wang Ming De, the boy's father, wore a sallow, bluish-black expression.
On closer inspection there was a faint look of humiliation hidden there.
The once lively Wang little brat now lay on the bed pale as death, his bell-like eyes glaring fiercely at the person beside the bed.
Through the boy's eyes, An Ning quickly made out the other's condition.
A... seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl, dressed well?
An Ning was taken aback, then used the system to examine the girl more closely.
She wore a fashionable rose-red wool coat, a neat sweater underneath, and brand-new leather shoes. For this era, she could be called exquisitely stylish.
At a glance, her family must be well off.
Although she looked somewhat roughed up, with scrapes and blood on her face and hands, her features were delicate.
Most importantly, she had no connection to the Wang family from An Ning's past life, and her gaze wasn't friendly.
Fine—important thing was the original owner didn't know her either, so An Ning immediately crossed out the option that this was her mother's romantic rival.
She decided to keep watching.
Sure enough, when asked about the incident, the girl flushed with anger.
Ignoring the wounds on her face, she shot back at everyone with a red face: "What are you talking about? Don't flatter yourselves—I could never fancy him!"
A nearly thirty-year-old old man? Pah. As if she'd be interested.
She didn't say more, but everyone present, including the Yang elders, were shrewd enough to catch the implication.
Ah—she's not a cheap son-in-law's loose woman!
The Yang couple's faces changed.
What did this mean—after beating their precious grandson, he still wasn't good enough for her as a son-in-law?
If it's not this young lady she dislikes, why go over to their grandson and stir up trouble, fan the flames—what are you playing at?
Are they treating their precious grandson like a puppet?
Or maybe Old Meng is dissatisfied with his role as factory manager and wants to take his place.
Wang Ming De thought the same.
Seeing the contempt on the other person's face, Director Wang couldn't help but laugh angrily: "Comrade Meng, you claim you look down on a country bumpkin like me, Wang Ming De, but you keep trying, time and again, to sabotage my marriage. When you couldn't succeed, you flew into a rage and beat my son!"
"So, Comrade Meng, breaking up others' marriages and inciting assault—don't tell me you did it just for fun?"
Though he smiled on the surface, a hint of ferocity flickered in Wang Ming De's eyes.
It seemed he finally realized this person was dangerous. Under the increasingly hostile gazes around him, Meng Yu instinctively shrank back and fell silent.
He hadn't noticed—or perhaps hadn't realized—that by this man's words, the situation had shifted from "a fight" to one-sided "beating."
Moments later, Meng Yu craned his neck and looked outside: "By the way, Uncle Yang, hasn't my dad come yet?"
Everyone: "..."
An Ning, peeking secretly: "..."
The system, full of question marks: "???"