Your Words Are Worth Less Than a Fart

Jiang Lean hadn't wanted to come at all at first. Seeing Shen Xixi suffer should have made her happier than anyone else in the world.

But she couldn't get past that hurdle in her heart. She hated herself for going soft. Sometimes she wondered whether she would be happier if she were a villain with no conscience.

The moment Chu Tianqing saw Jiang Lean, she couldn't contain her excitement. She ran over, took her by the hand, and brought her before Shen Heng, doing her best to explain what had happened. "If you don't believe me, you can ask her. She's the one who helped me get the job."

Jiang Lean didn't dare look Shen Heng in the eye. She had a deep-seated fear of upper-class people who were obviously either rich or powerful. Lowering her eyes, she nodded rapidly. "Yes, I'm the one who got her the job."

"Cleaning toilets?" Shen Heng frowned deeply, finding it more absurd by the moment. "Shen Xixi, are you playing some kind of self-injury trick? Trying to use it to win everyone's sympathy?"

"How is that a self-injury trick? What's wrong with cleaning toilets? Three hundred a night, and I'd make almost ten thousand a month." Chu Tianqing's tone was utterly sincere. "I'm not the Shen family's young miss anymore. I can't keep relying on you to support me. But I coasted through four years of college and didn't learn a thing. Some physical work is good for me."

Shen Heng was struck speechless, then laughed in sheer anger. "I told you, I can pay for you to study abroad."

"That's easy for you to say." Chu Tianqing grew a little angry at the mention of it. "After wasting all those years without learning anything, could I suddenly become enlightened and master English? You only wanted to send me abroad to get rid of me, this burden. You didn't consider my actual situation at all. I'd be better off cleaning toilets to support myself."

"If that's the case, why did you agree this morning?" Shen Heng asked in disbelief.

"Because I wanted to put your mind at ease," Chu Tianqing said earnestly. "Brother—no, President Shen, you have to believe me. I really do want to stand on my own feet. There was just one tiny little accident along the way."

Caught between them, Jiang Lean gradually realized that Shen Xixi had been telling the truth.

She really... wasn't the Shen family's young miss anymore.

"Please, stop arguing," Jiang Lean urged, speaking up to explain on Chu Tianqing's behalf. "This was partly my fault too. It was her first day at work, and I didn't tell her the situation there was a little complicated. Some things are better left alone; you can just muddle through them."

By then, Shen Heng had calmed down. He sighed and said evenly, "It's late. I'll arrange a car to take you both home. Everything else can wait until morning."

It was so late that Shen Heng had his assistant take a taxi with Jiang Lean to see her home, while he drove Shen Xixi himself.

Chu Tianqing had been exhausted for a long time, holding on by sheer willpower. As soon as she got into the car, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Shen Heng drove in silence and soon arrived downstairs at the apartment building. He turned his head to wake Shen Xixi, but the sight of her peaceful sleeping face made him pause.

In his memory, this fake younger sister of his had always worn heavy makeup and bared her fangs and brandished her claws, making her hard to look at.

This seemed to be the first time he had seen her barefaced and quiet.

Looking closely, she didn't resemble the Shen family at all. Perhaps she was beautiful enough, and wore such heavy makeup, that many people had overlooked it.

While he was still lost in thought, Chu Tianqing suddenly jolted, her eyes flying open. She met Shen Heng's gaze.

Shen Heng looked away without a change in expression. "You're awake. Get out."

Chu Tianqing's heart was still pounding. She had just dreamed that a snake was staring at her, and it had scared her awake.

"Oh, okay." She caught her breath, opened the car door, and got out, walking back on unsteady legs.

Halfway there, Chu Tianqing looked back and saw that Shen Heng's car was still parked where it had been. She couldn't help feeling guilty.

Her dear big brother must have been exhausted. Come to think of it, it was all her fault. She really was a troublemaker.

At that thought, Chu Tianqing turned around and walked back, then knocked on the luxury car's window.

Shen Heng lowered the window. He had already reclined his seat and lain back. With his eyes lowered, he asked, "What else is it?"

Chu Tianqing felt even guiltier and asked cautiously, "Brother—no, President Shen, you're not leaving? Are you going to sleep in the car?"

"In less than three hours, I have to go to the company for an important meeting." Shen Heng closed his eyes and said wearily, "Shen Xixi, if you have any conscience left, don't disturb me again."

Chu Tianqing took a deep breath and mustered the courage to invite him. "Brother—no, President Shen, if you don't mind, come upstairs and sleep for a while. It's better than being in the car."

Shen Heng lazily raised his eyes. Chu Tianqing did her best to squeeze out a smile, proving that she really did want to show concern for him.

"All right." Shen Heng adjusted his seat, opened the door, and got out in one smooth motion. After taking two steps, he stopped and looked back. "You can keep calling me brother. I was in a bad mood before and took it out on you. Don't take what I said to heart."

Chu Tianqing immediately fawned over him in agreement. "Of course not. I know you only want what's best for me, brother. How could I bear to be angry with you?"

Shen Heng scoffed. "You don't have a single real skill. What use is learning all these tricks for kissing up to people?"

"A thousand things can go wrong, but flattery never fails," Chu Tianqing said with a grin. "Brother, you obviously love hearing it. You even smiled just now."

Shen Heng was speechless. He had clearly been sneering at her. She really couldn't read the room at all. As stupid as she was, she couldn't do anything but clean toilets.

Back at the apartment, Shen Heng didn't waste a word and headed straight for the guest room to rest.

Chu Tianqing realized that this was Shen Heng's apartment. Strictly speaking, she was the guest, so she didn't need to play host to her dear big brother.

Feeling at ease, she returned to her room, washed up quickly, and fell into a deep sleep soon after her head touched the pillow.

She slept soundly and woke feeling thoroughly refreshed. She picked up her phone and saw that it was already past noon.

She opened WeChat to check her messages. Ignoring a bunch of random people, she found two important messages.

One was from Jiang Lean, asking how things had worked out for her.

The other was from Shen Heng, telling her the matter had been settled for fifty thousand, and that she should remember the lesson and conduct herself properly.

Chu Tianqing sat up and respectfully replied to Shen Heng's message: Got it. Thank you for your help, brother. I'll be sure to learn my lesson and keep my tail between my legs from now on. If I cause trouble again, I'm a dog.

Shen Heng immediately replied with a cold line: Your words are worth less than a fart.

Chu Tianqing froze, then went wild. "Seriously, what do you want from me?! This isn't right, that isn't right—I'd be better off being a dog!"

After venting, Chu Tianqing replied to Jiang Lean: My big brother helped me take care of it. Thanks for checking on me.

Jiang Lean replied immediately too, but she didn't say anything. She simply transferred three hundred to her, with a note saying it was her wages.

Chu Tianqing instinctively wanted to give the money to Jiang Lean, but she was afraid of hurting her pride. After some thought, she accepted it and replied with a thank-you.

Jiang Lean's chat window showed that she was typing.

Chu Tianqing waited patiently for a long time before a question arrived.

Jiang Lean asked: Are you still coming back to work here?

Chu Tianqing fell deep in thought. How should she put it? It really was hard to decide...