"You've become rich and now you've turned your back on everyone! Neighbors, relatives, and friends—can't they all get anything from you? I don't know why I gave birth to such an ingrate! We Chiu Chow people, even if we only have one piece of bread left, we're willing to share it with relatives and friends. And now, you're rich and you don't even recognize people? You might as well disown your Dad parents! Aren't you afraid of those relatives and neighbors gossiping about you behind your back?" Hearing Song Tianyao's words, Zhao Meizhen immediately stepped to the bedside, pointing at Song Tianyao leaning against the bed and scolding him.
"You can't help these kinds of neighbors. I'm just a secretary running errands, not the Governor of Hong Kong. You want to share your cake with them? Back when your son failed the police academy entrance exam, those neighbors didn't even wait until the next day before coming to your door to collect their debts. Help them? I'd rather help a dog outside. At least once I've tamed it, it'll bark at anyone who's mean to me. Help them? Tell them to get lost." Song Tianyao turned his head away, too lazy to look at Zhao Meizhen's righteous expression.
Just as the mother and son were arguing, Song Wenwen returned home, wearing a pink and white dress with a puffy hem and new sandals. Song Wenwen was already quite pretty, but the stylish dress made her look even more charming and adorable. Seeing her brother lying in bed, Song Wenwen happily sat down on the edge of the bed and patted Song Tianyao on the shoulder.
"Elder brother."
Song Tianyao turned around and glanced at Song Wenwen: "Wow, so beautiful? Mom wouldn't have such good taste to order a dress for you, would she? Aren't you afraid the boss will dislike you if you wear this to work at a teahouse?"
"My brother is the Chu Family's secretary, so of course I don't need to do any work. Doesn't it look good? Ah Lun specially ordered it for me." Song Wenwen stood up, turned around, and said to Song Tianyao as if presenting a treasure.
Song Tianyao looked at Song Wenwen in confusion, then at Zhao Meizhen beside him, whose face was full of bitterness and resentment. "Ah Lun? Which Ah Lun?"
"Uncle Qi, the owner of the Benevolence Hall on the street, has an only son who is eighteen years old. A couple of days ago, Uncle Qi came to my door and said he wanted to help his son, Ah Lun, find a wife. But I haven't agreed yet. I'm waiting for your opinion, since you're the head secretary now. However, Ah Lun has been asking Wenwen out shopping for the past two days." Zhao Meizhen rolled her eyes at Song Tianyao, but still explained in an annoyed tone.
Song Tianyao sat up in bed, looking at Zhao Meizhen with a face full of black lines. "Mom, I've only been away from home for a week, and you've already arranged Wenwen's marriage? Are you planning to arrange mine next? I don't even need to meet my wife? I'll just go straight to the bridal chamber when I get home?"
"Auntie Hong next door said that Sister Suzhen still likes you, and that she's been seeing you at the fruit shop lately..." Song Wenwen overheard her brother's words and spoke up. Unexpectedly, Song Tianyao looked at her with an impatient expression. "Wenwen, you've been selling tea and snacks at the Women’s Teahouse for so long, don't you ever use your brain? Why didn't that guy Ah Lun ask you out for shopping and meals before I became your secretary? Why didn't his Dad owns a Chinese medicine shop, come to propose to you? Suzhen next door likes me? Why didn't she like me when I failed to get into police academy? Now? Let her like me slowly."
"Zhongyou, Wenwen is only fifteen years old, and you're already in a hurry to marry her off?" Song Tianyao said to Zhao Meizhen after finishing talking about Song Wenwen.
Zhao Meizhen, hands on her hips, said, "I was already fifteen when I had you with your Dad! Besides, Uncle Qi is the only son in the family. Benevolence Hall Chinese Medicine Shop will definitely be inherited by Ah Lun in the future. What's wrong with Wenwen marrying into the family and becoming the boss's wife?"
"Did that bastard Ah Lun lay a hand on you?" Song Tianyao turned to Song Wenwen again and asked.
Startled by her brother's tone and gaze, Song Wenwen immediately shook her head. "No, I never have."
"Did that bastard ask you to say anything to me? Did he want me to do something for him?" Song Tianyao continued, "Think it through."
"No."
"No, that's for the best. From now on, don't associate with that scoundrel again. Send him back this dress at its original price. Tell his scheming Dad, Uncle Qi, that Wenwen is too young to get married right now." Song Tianyao grew increasingly agitated. He rolled off the bed, threw his half-smoked cigarette on the floor, stomped it out, and walked outside. Before leaving, he pointed to the piles of gifts filling the house. "I won't be eating at home tonight. Also, I'll be moving out as soon as possible. Neighbors, right? Relatives, right? I don't mind if you want to associate with them, but don't expect me to solve their problems anymore. I may be kind-hearted, but I'm not Tathagata Buddha; I can't help so many people. Trying to be a good Samaritan before your abilities will only exhaust me."
When you're poor, no one cares even in the bustling city; when you're rich, even distant relatives come calling from the deep mountains. When I failed to get into police academy, and when Song Wenwen was almost kidnapped by the Black-Hearted Wah, none of those pathetic neighbors and relatives showed up. They all cowered at home like cowards. But now they all know to stick their heads out and try to take advantage of me.
Being poor is not shameful, but people who clearly only want to take advantage without putting in any effort, and who expect you to carry a mountain of gold for them after just a few flattering words, are not worth associating with, much less worth Song Tianyao wasting his connections on.
Stepping out of his house and closing the door from the outside, Song Tianyao let out a long sigh. He was about to leave the Squatter Area and return to the Dulles Hotel to get a room for dinner and sleep when he saw the Fuyixing henchmen who had been looking after his house rushing towards him, surrounding a middle-aged man in a long robe. The middle-aged man, seeing Song Tianyao, raised his hand and called out from afar:
"Secretary Song, Secretary Song, please wait a moment. I am the accountant of Huayun Mahjong Den."
Chapter Sixty-Two: Secretary Song, I'm willing.
Song Tianyao watched with some curiosity as the middle-aged man, who called himself the accountant of the mahjong parlor, jogged up to him.
Huayun Mahjong Den, the same Gambling den run by the Black-Hearted Wah Kai in the Squatter Area, was where Song Tianyao waited until the accountant, dressed in a long robe and wearing round-rimmed black glasses, had settled down before asking, "Sir, is there something you need from me?"
"Secretary Song, I don't deserve to be called 'Sir.' Everyone calls me 'Scribe Hui,' but you can just call me Ah Hui. Here's the thing: the Gambling den accidentally offended you a few days ago, Brother Hua committed suicide by jumping into the sea. Now Sister Yun is in charge of the Gambling den, and she has been asking these guys sent by Brother Lei to keep an eye on your brothers. She said that if you return home, she will definitely ask you to visit the Gambling den." The middle-aged man called Scribe Hui said politely to Song Tianyao.