"Hey sis, this is all your fault. Your kid was crying inside for so long, if it werenāt for us neighbors, that child might have been long gone. Youāre not even grateful, and now you refuse to pay up. You think we neighbors are blind, and youāre here to bully the people in our community? Have you even looked in the mirror to see if you have that ability?"
"Yeah, just have the house fixed since itās damaged. We havenāt made it hard for you, didnāt demand a specific amount of compensation. Youāre a young woman who seems educated enough, dressed quite well too, why act so shamefully?"
"Call the police, this kind of person should be locked up. Let her serve some time and sheāll learn her lesson."
"Yes, yes."
Being surrounded by their chatter, Ye Qingās face turned red and white. She had arrived at the Capital City at noon, got slapped by Xie Lingzhi at home, and scolded badly. She hadnāt even sorted out the earlier issues, and now these ladies surrounded her again.
She really had some bad luck.
Ye Qing didnāt want to make things worse now; if she really alarmed the police, she knew she wouldnāt be able to leave for the next few days.
She couldnāt afford to waste time here now. She needed to get her child back to Z City quickly. Without Mei Langchi looking out for her, she couldnāt keep taking leave from work. She needed to go back to work, and if she lost this job, sheād really have nothing left, just surviving with her child.
"Itās just twenty bucks, I said Iād fix your house, specifically fix it for you. Never seen a landlord like you, watching tenants like theyāre thieves. Here you go," Ye Qing said, taking out twenty bucks from her pocket and throwing it to the landlord woman, quickly picking up the bundle from the ground, and dragging her child downstairs.
The landlord woman didnāt care how Ye Qing gave it, she picked up the money from the ground and shouted at the stairs, "People like you do need to be watched like thieves, otherwise weād be the ones suffering."
"Yeah, you can tell sheās got character issues, itās perfect sheās not living in our building. Otherwise, who knows what trouble sheād cause."
"People like her are sneaky, we canāt outplay them."
"Good thing sheās gone. Dear, you need to be pickier about choosing tenants next time. Never rent to people like her again."
"Some people look alright on the outside, acting all high and mighty, who can see through them? Really, you never know someoneās heart. This time, I learned my lesson, canāt judge tenants by appearance anymore," the landlord woman lamented.
Ye Qing certainly couldnāt hear their conversation, she just wanted to leave that annoying place as quickly as possible. Being pointed at and railed against by so many people nearly made her lose face completely.
"Vixen! Why now, of all times, come back?"
Ye Qing carried two big bags in one hand, pulled Hua Hua with the other, and walked with a cold face all the way, complaining non-stop.
Hua Hua, with his small arms and legs and having not eaten for days, soaked in water for who knows how long, could hardly walk far before stopping by the roadside crying.
Hearing him cry, Ye Qing felt very agitated. She carried the stuff, hadnāt eaten all afternoon, and with the fuss earlier, she was totally exhausted.
"Crying, why are you crying? Itās all your fault. Mei Langchi is such a good dad, and you didnāt want him. Why did you have to end up as Li Liangās kid, you ungrateful thing?"
Ye Qing pulled him along while complaining, and got on a bus. Heading to the train station.
Hua Hua couldnāt understand what she was saying, just felt this mother was so fierce, he was scared, didnāt dare to cry, just held his breath, whimpered every now and then. His feet were tired but dared not say a word.
Ye Qing, pulling him along, bought a return ticket to Z City at the train station.
Seeing the child fall asleep as soon as they got on the train, Ye Qing sighed with relief, took advantage of the break to buy some food on the train to fill her stomach.
She had been on the train for two days, returned half a day, now hurried back with loads of luggage. Now she also had a drag-along.
What should she do after returning? Send the child back to Li Liangās family? Li Liang had only a daughter, after he died, the Li Family would certainly be left without a heir. If she sent the child to Li Liangās parents, they would be overjoyed.
But... What benefit would she get just freely giving them a grandson?
If she raised him herself...
Since itās not Mei Langchiās child, it would be useless for her to raise him, only causing trouble for herself.
If she doesnāt raise him, he truly has nothing to do with Mei Langchi. Anyway, with Li Liang gone, she only needs to forge a fake blood test report.
The only thing now is to coax Mei Langchi back.
She has to quickly take a trip to G City to find Mei Langchi, she needs to explain everything clearly to him.
If she lets it drag on without going, Mei Langchi definitely wonāt forgive her.
Last time after what happened with Li Liang he was able to forgive her, this time itāll definitely be fine too. Besides, heās still in reform, and really needs warmth right now.
If not once then twice, in these years she just has to visit with the child a bit more frequently. Sheāll eventually move him.
If that really doesnāt work, only have to think of another way...
"Store manager, all our goods are stocked now, when are we opening?" Yang Kui tidied up the clothes and said to Lin Wan at the counter.
"Tomorrow. I just got some balloons, you and Xiao Tao go blow them up," Lin Wan was busy making discount cards at the time.
Opening day tomorrow, everything will be half off across the board. Originally, items costing five bucks each, now two-fifty; items costing twenty, ten now.
Offering big discounts for the new store opening to attract people so more of them know about their store.
Although now the employees are just the two of them, it should be enough to handle for the next few days, as their storeās clothes have fixed prices, and are self-service. She offered more fitting rooms designed by Ying Han. Customers select on their own, try on their own, and package if they like it.
Jia Tao and Yang Kui only need to organize the clothes picked out by customers.
"Xiao Wan, your storeās opening tomorrow?" Wang Leqin came down from upstairs and asked.
"Yeah, almost ready, thought Iād open first. By the way, do you have anyone, help me introduce a couple?"
"Now for our kind of private businesses, itās especially hard to find hires. Theyāre all fighting to get into factories, for them, this kind of work is too embarrassing," Wang Leqin said with feeling.
"Sigh, whatās embarrassing? Itās all hard-earned labor, not doing anything shady. I assure you, my pay isnāt less than factories."