Chapter 23, let me tell you...blah blah blah...

In the garden pavilion.

"These two bottles of wine are too expensive; I'd feel terrible taking them."

Auntie Liu stroked the wine packaging, her smile restrained.

Getting something for nothing was great, but with so many people around, she was afraid of being gossiped about if she accepted them.

Ling Yue pushed the wine into Auntie Liu's arms. "They're already bought. I never intended to give them to the Mao family anyway, and I don't drink. Auntie Liu, just consider it helping me clear them out."

"You child, you're really too kind!" Auntie Liu pulled the bags closer to her chest.

"Well, I felt like we were old friends from the moment we met."

Ling Yue then pointed to the gift bags on the stone table and said to the onlookers, "I just had surgery and was discharged. I can't eat this milk, chocolate, or bird's nest."

If any of you uncles or aunties need them, please, just take them."

"Surgery?"

Ling Yue put on a dejected look. "Early-stage stomach cancer. It was caused by working overtime and irregular eating habits. It's cured now, but there are many things I can't eat."

A trace of heartache flashed in Auntie Liu's eyes, and in her heart, she dragged Mao Wenjie out for another mental thrashing.

What a good girl, struggling all alone in a strange city, sincerely devoted to Mao Wenjie, only to be cheated out of her body and her heart. Some people just aren't human; she hoped he'd be a bedbug in his next life.

The more she thought about it, the more Auntie Liu felt she couldn't bear to take the wine. "You haven't had it easy, child. The wine isn't open and the receipts are right here. Take them back to the supermarket for a refund!"

Ling Yue waved her hand. "All of you uncles and aunties care about me and were speaking up for me just now. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get justice on my own."

I truly want to thank everyone. They're just small gifts; I just hope you won't look down on them."

Auntie Liu thought this girl was truly wonderful. It was a pity she was from the rural countryside and had health issues; otherwise, she would have loved to introduce her to her own son.

"The Mao family is blind. You'll definitely meet someone better in the future." Auntie Liu offered her sincere blessing, but her gaze fell on Ling Yue's stomach, and she couldn't help but feel worried. She pulled Ling Yue aside and asked in a low voice, "Then, your stomach?"

Ling Yue burst out laughing. "It's fake, of course. I only said that so you would help me, heehee. Besides, if I were pregnant, I wouldn't have been able to have surgery."

"That's true. That's good, then. That's good."

Ling Yue took the opportunity to grab her hand. "Auntie Liu, don't you have a twenty-eight-year-old son who's still unmarried?"

Auntie Liu was slightly stunned. "Yes, how did you know?"

She didn't remember mentioning this to Ling Yue during their chat.

Ling Yue pointed to the building in front of them. "I heard it from Mao Wenjie. He said your son had great grades as a kid and got into a good university. Auntie Zhang always compared him to Mao Wenjie."

Every time she finished a phone call, Mao Wenjie would complain to me, saying your son's height stopped at 170cm, his job is mediocre, and his looks have gone downhill. He said if he got plastic surgery, he might have a small chance at the matchmaking corner."

"What! Mao Wenjie said that?"

"It's absolutely true."

Auntie Liu was furious and shouted at the top of her lungs, "He should look at himself first!"

His private life is so messy he ended up in a detention center. Forget the matchmaking corner—no one would want him even if he paid them to take him!

No matter how poor my son is, he's honest and decent. He's a thousand times better than a man who can't keep it in his pants!"

Ling Yue asked again, "Who is Auntie Chen?"

"There are plenty of Chens around here. Why? Did Mao Wenjie say something about someone named Chen?"

Ling Yue said, "I accidentally overheard Mao Wenjie on the phone with Auntie Zhang. Auntie Zhang said Auntie Chen's husband died, and now she goes to the park corner every day to dance with men. She said it’s an eyesore, her private life is a mess, and she's ruining the social atmosphere."

Oh, right, she even filed a complaint with the neighborhood committee."

An older woman carrying a vegetable basket suddenly rushed in. "Is what you're saying true?"

Wasn't this the woman who had just been standing up for Mao's Mother?

Ling Yue held up three fingers to the sky and swore, "Of course it's true. I've never been here before, so I don't know anything about the families in this neighborhood."

If someone hadn't told me, how would I know who has a son or whose husband passed away?"

"Good, very good!" The woman was gasping with rage.

Ling Yue looked bewildered. "Auntie, what's wrong?"

Auntie Liu nudged Ling Yue with her elbow and whispered, "She's the Auntie Chen who is best friends with Zhang Lichun."

Ling Yue exclaimed, "Then doesn't that mean Auntie Zhang is two-faced?"

"Zhang Lichun looks down on everyone. This woman clung to her, but now she sees that Zhang Lichun actually despises her behind her back." Auntie Liu's tone was full of schadenfreude.

The woman's face twisted in anger, and she stormed off.

"Little girl, what else do you know? Tell us everything!"

"So we can know how Zhang Lichun has been badmouthing us in private!"

Maos Mother didn't like gossiping about others in public, feeling it was beneath her.

However, every time she spoke with Mao Wenjie on the phone, she couldn't help but put others down.

Ling Yue had listened to it as gossip and had remembered quite a bit over time.

"Let me tell you... blah blah blah..."

"That old hag! See if I don't tear her skin off!"

"And there's more!"

"..."

The Mao residence.

Maos Mother stood behind the balcony curtains, her gaze landing right on the garden pavilion.

"Why hasn't that wench left yet? What is the property management doing! Xiaojie... eh, where is he?"

Maos Mother looked around the living room but saw no sign of her son, so she went to his bedroom door.

She gripped the handle and turned it, only to find it wouldn't open.

The door was locked from the inside!

"Xiaojie? Xiaojie!" There was no response, and Maos Mother looked panicked!

That boy wouldn't do something stupid, would he?!

"Xiaojie, open the door. Whatever it is, we can get through it. Please don't do anything foolish!

Mom only has one son! Xiaojie, Xiaojie!"

Click—

The door opened.

Mao Wenjie had a dark expression. "What are you howling for? Do you have to scream until the whole neighborhood knows!"

"I... how can you talk to your mother like that?" Maos Mother felt a chill in her heart. Wiping away tears, she said bitterly, "For your sake, I even turned down a vacation to Hainan! Now I've lost face in front of the entire neighborhood. I've been proud my whole life; how did I give birth to someone like you!"

"Stop talking!" Mao Wenjie was beyond annoyed. "My reputation is already ruined. Are you satisfied now!"

Maos Mother blinked, stunned for three seconds, and said in disbelief, "Are you blaming me?"

"Mao Wenjie, there was nothing wrong with how I raised you! You're the one who did wrong. Who else can you blame? It's your own fault for having no willpower, for not being able to control yourself..."

"Enough! Ling Yue was right about one thing: I am shameless, but wasn't I taught that by you!"

"You, you..." Maos Mother clutched her chest, her eyes wide with shock.

Her son, who had always been obedient and sensible, was actually using an outsider's words to hurt her?

It was all Ling Yue's fault! That wench was destroying people invisibly!

Mao Wenjie looked cold. "I'm leaving tonight. I can't stay here anymore anyway."

"Your father doesn't know about this yet, you..."

"If my dad finds out, he'll beat me to death. It's better this way. I'll leave before he gets back to avoid becoming even more of a laughingstock."

Oh, her head hurt.

Maos Mother pressed her fingers to her temples. "Fine, go out and lay low for a while.

Your father and I have saved some money for your marriage over the years. If it really comes down to it, we'll just move."

"Mm." Mao Wenjie closed the door and continued packing.

Maos Mother returned to the living room and heard someone knocking.

She frowned as she walked to the door, suddenly becoming wary, and looked through the peephole.

Why were they here?

"Zhang Lichun, open the door!"

"What are you doing hiding in there, you coward!"

"My son is ugly? Needs plastic surgery? Pui!"

"Me dancing with old men is improper? Which eye did you see that with?"

"Whether my daughter-in-law is good or not is none of your business. Mind your own family's mess!"

"Get out here, you old hag! See if I don't throw manure in your face!"

Maos Mother stamped her feet in anger.

That wench must have told them something!

What a disaster, a total disaster!

If she had known this would happen, she should have made them break up when they first started dating!

She locked the door securely, plugged her ears, and went to lie down in her room.

She tossed and turned on the bed.

Sigh, it seemed moving was now an urgent matter.

—

[resentment value: 226%]

[resentment value: 241%]

[resentment value: 253%]

[resentment value: 267%]

The resentment value surged suddenly, then stabilized, and now it was spiking again.

Ling Yue was in a very pleasant mood.

Not long after she got into the car, the bodyguards returned one after another.

"Not bad, you guys really are professional! Very effective!"

The way they had tripped people up and joined in the jeering—Ling Yue had seen it all.

No wonder bosses liked employees who took initiative; these few were very sharp.

"The boss's satisfaction is the greatest recognition of our work." The Head of Bodyguards showed eight teeth in a flattering smile. "When this job is over, please give us a five-star review, boss."

"That's a must!" Ling Yue opened the Head of Bodyguards' WeChat and transferred 50,000 yuan to him. "This 50,000 is for the five of you to split equally. Consider it a private tip from me."

I'll look for you again for the next job!"

"Thank you, boss!"

The five bodyguards were so excited they almost flexed their muscles and crushed their benefactor...