Chapter 132 — Then Go Out with Him, and Take Xiao Tang and Xiao Yi's Relationship a Step Further, Please Vote for Me!!!!, "Mom," Tang Zhi patted her small chest, glancing behind her with some alarm—thankfully that wicked man had not followed to pester her, otherwise she truly would not have known what to do.
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Yun'er, school's out!" Mother Tang was lighting the charcoal in the grill; at this hour every day the twelfth graders were dismissed, and there was still a fair bit of business to be had. "Heh, quick, put down your schoolbag and give your mom a hand."
The twelfth graders got out late, well past the dinner hour. After school, many of them would casually buy a bite to eat near the school to stave off hunger before heading home for their meal.
"Mm, Mom, why are you so happy today? Business good?" Tang Zhi was rather surprised to see her mother in such high spirits.
"Heh, Wei Zhao says he has a recipe for Orleans-style barbecue seasoning, and he'll bring it to me tomorrow to improve our grill—then business will surely pick up." Talking about it, Mother Tang could not contain her delight. "I hear you kids all love this Orleans flavor. Our business is bound to get a good deal better!"
"Wei Zhao?" Tang Zhi's expression shifted slightly at the name. "He came again?"
"Around noon, he came with his classmate to eat." Mother Tang did not notice her daughter's odd look. "Such a nice boy—none of the bad habits of those rich young masters, and so courteous to everyone..."
"Him?" Tang Zhi curled her lip in disdain. "Mom, he's up to no good."
"What kind of talk is that from a child like you? What do you mean, up to no good? He's kindly helping us—how can you say such a thing?" Mother Tang was instantly annoyed. "He's up to no good? How is he up to no good? Look at our situation—what could a rich young master like him possibly want from us?"
"He... he..." Tang Zhi felt wronged, biting her lip until she nearly drew blood, her delicate face full of reluctance. "Mom, can't you see? He... he wants to be friends with me..."
Tang Zhi decided to just lay it all out, to let her mother see Wei Zhao's true, loathsome colors—shameful as it was, it was better than letting her mother be deceived by that wicked man.
"Making friends, that's a good thing! That boy Wei Zhao—I think he's quite nice. Spend more time with him, it'll do you good too." Mother Tang glared at her daughter. "Who knows, his family knows people—they could help your father find someone, and the factory would pay out the compensation! Silly girl, you don't understand a thing. Don't you see how the world works? Wang Jiaming at the factory—didn't he just slice a chunk of flesh off his finger on the lathe? Is that even a real injury? But his brother-in-law's uncle on his wife's side is some minor official at the neighborhood office, and that bastard factory director Sun Laifu paid him ten thousand yuan in medical fees and even came to visit! See how easy things are for people with connections!"
"Mom..." Tang Zhi felt even more wronged; she hadn't expected her words to draw out such a flood of grievances from her mother. Yet what her mother said was also true—how could Tang Zhi not understand? Only, how could her mother know anything about the lives of these rich young masters? To them, playing with women was as commonplace as changing clothes—why would they ever help with her family's petty troubles? Never mind just making friends—even if she... did that, it would be of no use at all.
"Mom, you haven't forgotten about Xiao Fen, have you? Back then that man also said he'd help Xiao Fen's family—and now?" Tang Zhi did not argue with her mother; she simply laid out the facts and reasoned with her.
"How can that man compare with Wei Zhao? Not even close!" Mother Tang snorted. "I said it back then—that man had shifty eyes, a little thug. Just because he had a bit of money at home he thought he was something, and I told you to stay away from him! Your mother has lived this long—she can still tell a good person from a bad one!"
"..." Tang Zhi was speechless. It seemed her mother really had been taken in by Wei Zhao's disguise, actually speaking up for him.