"Second Young Master, I understand your good intentions, but I really didn't handle this matter properly. I'm willing to accept the punishment."
The midday sun shone on the glass windows in the room. The colorful hues trickled down along the rays of light and were reflected on the tiled floor.
Village Head Zhong was holding a cup of hot tea in his hands. The steam rising from the cup quietly merged with the air and disappeared.
"I'm not here to persuade you."
Bo Jingyu handed him a piece of paper in his hand.
With tears streaming down his old face, his mouth agape, the hand holding the paper trembled uncontrollably. "Everyone..."
The scrawled words on it were written by the villagers.
"This petition was personally handed to me by Zhang Caixia. Not only her, but also the wishes of all the villagers in Huazhi Village are written on it. They hope that you can continue to be the village head. So do I."
Bo Jingyu sincerely expressed everyone's thoughts.
"I'm really sorry, Second Young Master. An old man like me..." Village Head Zhong took a tissue to wipe his tears. "Making you laugh at me."
"I know everyone's good intentions and your painstaking efforts. But my pride won't allow me to do something that goes against my original intention. It's all because I failed to stop Old Chen that he made a mistake."
"Now... sigh!"
"Trust me."
Looking into Bo Jingyu's calm eyes, he wept bitterly.
Huazhi Village was saved by Bo Jingyu. Without his support, he couldn't have been the village head for so many years.
"Okay, I trust you!"
He stood up and refilled Village Head Zhong's teacup with hot tea. When he handed it to him, his tone was extremely steady.
"The demolition is over. Just be patient for a while."
The next day.
Xiao Shujing glanced at Shen Ximan behind her and wasn't very happy.
"I thought she was creepy even when I saw her from afar before. But getting in close contact... I always feel a chill down my back." Xiao Yang complained.
"Watch your mouth," the driver reminded her while driving. "If it weren't for Shujing pleading on your behalf, you wouldn't be here now. Anyway, she's the second young lady of the Shen family. It's not up to us to judge her."
"Yes, yes, yes. Brother Xiao is absolutely right."
After Xiao Yang replied casually, she said to the person beside her, "Shujing, shall I buy you your favorite mochi cake when we get to Yancheng later?"
"I have no appetite."
Xiao Shujing replied indifferently.
"Do you want some fruit tea? I heard there's a new milk tea shop in Yancheng. It's super popular! Or..."
She interrupted, "Just drop me off at the university gate."
Then she put on her headphones and pretended to sleep, saying nothing. Xiao Yang wisely shut up and picked up her tablet to write the schedule for the next few days.
After getting off the car, Xiao Shujing instantly became the center of attention.
"The idle social climber is back."
"I heard she had a falling - out with that General Manager Su? Tsk tsk tsk. A popular actress is really different. She's the focus everywhere."
She was already used to this kind of envy, jealousy, and hatred. She put on her hat and turned up the volume of her headphones so that she couldn't hear anything.
Just a few steps into the campus, Xiao Shujing was suddenly pulled into the small woods where people took leisurely walks. She hadn't recovered from the shock yet.
"Quick, give me some money!"
Xiao Shuyuan was like a thief, looking around warily.
"I don't have any. Stop asking me for money!"
Xiao Shujing was furious. Just as she was about to leave, she was pulled back.
"Will you give it or not? If you don't, I'll make a scene here."
He sneered disdainfully. "Do you really think you're something just because you've acted in a few movies and shot a few advertisements? The status and wealth you have today are all thanks to me! If it weren't for me giving that contract to that guy surnamed Su on your behalf, could you be living such a good life today?"
"It's all because of you that my life has become such a mess!"
Xiao Shujing roared, with the veins on her forehead bulging.
"I'm asking you, what did you do with all that money every time?"
Xiao Shuyuan averted his eyes guiltily. "Nothing."
She shook off his hand and stepped closer, questioning, "Have you been gambling? Or are you hanging out with some shady people?"
"No, none of that."
"Then why? Tell me!"
"My girlfriend is pregnant!"
Xiao Shuyuan blurted it out without thinking in a moment of desperation.
"... Girlfriend?"
Only then did Xiao Shujing realize that she didn't know him at all.
"Yeah. I need money for the operation."
"What about before? What did you do with the money before?"
"Ah, why do you ask so many questions! I took them to the hospital! It was all for the operations, okay? It's so annoying!" Xiao Shuyuan grabbed his hair angrily, looking impatient.
This was her younger brother, only two years younger than her. He wasn't like this before.
Due to their family's poverty, the two siblings had encouraged each other desperately to get into Yancheng University.
They had planned to study and work part - time in this big city, so that they could not only ensure their daily living standards but also save some money to relieve the family's burden.
All the good life had changed since Xiao Shujing joined the entertainment company, whether it was the family, relatives, or her younger brother.
"Why... You're still a student!" She choked back tears. "We worked so hard to get into this university. Shouldn't your focus be on your studies? You've changed so much that I hardly recognize you."
Xiao Shuyuan sneered. "Studies? Do you still want to fool me with that old stuff? I hate studying the most in my life."
"If I had savings to run away from home, I would have left that family long ago! It's so poor and shabby, full of uneducated uncles and aunts. Studying was forced on me by you. Your daily nagging was also your oppression. It's all you owe me." Xiao Shuyuan said it as if what he had done was nothing to be ashamed of.
Xiao Shujing felt cold all over and couldn't stop shivering.
"How much?"
She gave in.
Fate had given her an impoverished family, making Xiao Shuyuan her younger brother. Resistance and struggle were useless.
She accepted her fate.
"Fifty thousand." He said it casually.
"Okay. I'll transfer it to your account later."
Xiao Shuyuan immediately bared his teeth. "It would have been better if you'd done this earlier. You're still my dearest sister. You still have to help me when it matters."
"Okay." Xiao Shujing accepted everything numbly.
Watching his back, she added another sentence.
"Don't hurt those nice girls anymore."
He sneered coldly. "Do you think those women are as stupid as you? If you don't know how to fall in love, you can come and ask me. A rare tycoon like General Manager Su isn't only for you to have."
Xiao Shujing had already been hit hard in the villa. Now, hearing her younger brother's mockery, her heart felt as cold as if it had sunk to the bottom of the sea.
For other things, she could retort, but for this matter, especially when it came to feelings, she had no right to speak.
She still didn't understand what Su Minghan meant to her. Her boss? Or an ambiguous partner?