Chapter 76:
Meng Yan didn’t beat around the bush, “Either you let Meng Shuyou return to the country herself to beg Dad for mercy, or from now on the Meng Family won’t cover any expenses, including her tuition fee and living expenses.”
Aunt Xue couldn’t believe the Meng Family would be so heartless.
No matter what, Yaoyao was still President Meng’s biological daughter. How could anyone push their own daughter to this extent.
Shu Man couldn’t understand what they were saying, but she instinctively felt afraid and mumbled, “Bad people…”
Meng Yan stared at her, holding a superior posture, “Meng Shuyou had better know what’s good for her, or else you two sisters won’t have a good life.”
“Miss Meng, bullying a patient here won’t look good for your reputation if word gets out.” A man’s voice interjected from the doorway.
Meng Yan turned her head and saw an unfamiliar face, “Who are you? This is our family matter, what does it have to do with you?”
“I just can’t stand by and watch Miss Meng being so aggressive.” Zheng Huaijin walked in, looked at Aunt Xue and Shu Man, and reassured them, “My dad knows the dean here, you don’t need to worry. I can help with the medical expenses.”
Meng Yan was annoyed, “Who exactly are you?”
Zheng Huaijin said frankly, “I’m Yaoyao’s friend. I’m helping my own friend, does Miss Meng have any objections?”
Meng Yan was so angry she couldn’t speak, “You—”
Why did that bitch Meng Shuyou always have such good luck, with someone always jumping out to help her.
Zheng Huaijin kindly reminded her, “Miss Meng, if you keep disturbing the patient’s rest, I’ll call the security guard up. Then you won’t be able to save face.”
Meng Yan gripped her handbag tightly, swallowed her anger, and left, venting it on her high heels, wishing she could stomp through the floor.
Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the man in front of her, “Thank you.”
Zheng Huaijin shook his head, concerned, “Yaoyao sister wasn’t scared, right?”
Aunt Xue held Shu Man’s hand and patted it, “Xiao Man is fine, the bad people left.”
Shu Man timidly glanced at Zheng Huaijin.
The man smiled gently, “I’m not a bad person. I’m Yaoyao’s high school classmate. We’ve met before. Back in high school, you came to school to bring her food.”
Aunt Xue explained, “Sorry, she doesn’t remember things from before.”
Zheng Huaijin understood, “It’s okay. I believe she’ll get better in the future.”
–
Meng Shuyou was painting when she received the telephone call.
There were no guests today, Madam Kasa had something to do and went out, so she was the only one in the art gallery.
It was a telephone call from Aunt Xue. Meng Shuyou immediately set down the paint palette and scraper in her hand and pressed to answer.
A voice came from the receiver, “Yaoyao, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Meng Shuyou reacted instinctively, her heart fluttering, “Did something happen to older sister?”
“No, Xiao Man is doing well.” Aunt Xue got straight to the point, “This morning Meng Yan came to the hospital again, saying she won’t hire me to take care of Xiao Man anymore and will cut off all of Xiao Man’s medical expenses.”
“Aunt Xue, I’ll pay your wages, not a cent less. Please continue to take care of sister for me.” Meng Shuyou paused for a moment, “As for the medical expenses, I’ll figure something out.”
Aunt Xue told her, “The nurse just said that the medical expenses for the second half of this year have already been paid. It was your friend who helped pay them. I didn’t know beforehand.”
Meng Shuyou pressed, “Which friend of mine?”
She didn’t have any close friends in Bin City. Who would pay such a large sum of money for her.
“A mister surnamed Zheng named Zheng Huaijin, who said he was your high school classmate.” Aunt Xue said, “Luckily he was there today, or Meng Yan wouldn’t have stopped pestering.”
“Zheng Huaijin?” Meng Shuyou didn’t want to owe anyone favors, “Can you help me get his contact information?”
After going abroad for high school graduation, she changed her mobile phone number and had no contact with her former classmates.
“I have his WeChat. He said he’d come visit Xiao Man again when convenient, so we added each other as friends.”
“Then forward it to me.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up the telephone call, Aunt Xue copied Zheng Huaijin’s WeChat account number and sent it to her.
A string of numbers, probably the mobile phone number.
Meng Shuyou called directly.
The prompt tone rang a few times, and it was quickly answered on the other end.
“Who is this?”
“It’s me, Meng Shuyou.”
Zheng Huaijin was a bit surprised, “Yaoyao?”
“I heard from Aunt Xue, thank you for helping with such a big favor.” Meng Shuyou was very grateful, “Send me the medical expenses bill and your account number, and I’ll transfer the money to you.”
She still had some savings, which should be enough for now.
Zheng Huaijin: “No need, it’s not much money.”
Meng Shuyou was firm, “No matter how much it is, I can’t let you cover my sister’s medical expenses.”
Zheng Huaijin knew she wouldn’t easily accept his help, “Then what about you? Studying abroad must cost a lot. I overheard Meng Yan say today that the Meng Family is stopping your tuition fee and living expenses.”
Meng Shuyou fell silent.
Indeed, all expenses abroad in a year added up to at least four or five hundred thousand. Studying art was expensive to begin with, not to mention a high-consumption place like America.
Zheng Huaijin came up with a compromise, “How about this: treat it as money I lent you. Pay me back when you’re better off later, okay?”
Meng Shuyou didn’t seem to have a better option, “Thank you for helping me. I’ll pay you back as soon as possible.”
Zheng Huaijin comforted her, “I’m not in a hurry. Don’t feel too much stress, it’s fine.”
He hesitated several times but still asked, “Yaoyao, that guy last time… is he your boyfriend?”
They didn’t seem like a normally dating couple.
Meng Shuyou didn’t know how to answer, “It’s a bit complicated between us.”
Zheng Huaijin saw her difficulty and ended the topic himself, “It’s okay, I won’t ask.”
–
The art gallery wasn’t busy, with four days off a week. Meng Shuyou wanted to take on some drafts to earn money in her spare time, but client resources were always a problem.
After thinking for a long time, she decided to try running her own account on social platforms to take on some commercial drafts online.
But she had no experience and didn’t know how to operate effectively, so she could only message Winnie for advice.
Meng Shuyou: “Winnie, I want to know how to quickly grow an account.”
Winnie usually posted videos and photographs of her travels on social platforms, occasionally sharing her study abroad daily life in Chicago, attracting some followers. She currently had nearly twenty thousand fans.
She was very zen-like, with low update frequency, all based on mood. Otherwise, she could have gained more fans.
Winnie: “You’re getting into the internet too?”
Meng Shuyou: “I want to take on some painting drafts online to earn money.”
Winnie: “Oh my god, do you have to work so hard? Interning on one side and taking drafts on the other?”
Meng Shuyou: “I need money.”
Winnie: “What did you do? Your usual expenses aren’t high. You don’t buy luxury goods and don’t have any money-burning hobbies. The only costly thing might be those painting tools.”
Meng Shuyou: “Earning tuition fee and living expenses for fourth year.”
Winnie: “You’re being self-reliant, impressive.”
———
[PS: New content is updated every day, not wasting a single cent of everyone’s money. It’s just that sometimes I can’t write at night (data drops more if it breaks), so you have to refresh the next day. This book hasn’t had any recommendations since the last PK round ended. It’s basically generating electricity for love. I wasn’t going to continue writing, but seeing some readers still supporting, I thought I couldn’t just end it casually.
Understand if you understand, if not, part ways amicably. No need to specially come say you’re dropping the book. This book really doesn’t earn much in royalties, not enough to buy a few pieces of clothes. I still stay up late every day to revise and think of plots. Probably because I really like this story, like Yaoyao, and don’t want to let down the old readers who’ve always supported me.]
