"Do you need something?"
Jiang Linyuan didn't get up. He just sat there and asked in a cool, indifferent tone.
Seeing his attitude, the cleaning auntie realized he wasn't the easygoing type.
But the auntie knew human nature well. If she got into an argument with a tough girl like Yu Songsong, she'd be the one to suffer.
But if she clashed with a forceful guy, the other party would be the one to suffer.
She was a woman, and middle-aged, which gave her an inherent advantage.
"Hey, young man, do me a favor. I've got something to do. Could you sweep the floor for me?"
The auntie's tone had become a little more polite.
"Old auntie, then do me a favor. I'm a little short on money. Could you send me some?"
Jiang Linyuan answered without the slightest courtesy.
The auntie couldn't keep up appearances, and her tone turned nasty.
"What's wrong with a volunteer helping me with a little work? Are you so precious that no one can ask you to do anything?"
"Is this how your mother raised you? You have no manners!"
Old hag, I've given you enough face. Just because you've got high magic resistance, you think you can do whatever you want?
Looking at the auntie throwing her weight around because of her age, Jiang Linyuan chuckled and said coolly,
"My mother's still alive. But from the look of it, yours isn't."
The auntie flew into a rage. Shoving at him, she shouted,
"You little bas—"
Before she could finish, a sharp SMACK! rang out, followed by a line of Shanghainese dripping with contempt:
"Cè nā, you old hag, can't you just get lost?"
Su Muzhi sneered and slapped the auntie across the face, leaving her stunned.
After slapping her, she turned to Jiang Linyuan and smiled.
"Old things like her are disgusting. I didn't even want to hear another word out of her."
Jiang Linyuan was a little stunned, too.
Damn, Muzhi, you're this fearless?!
Brothers forever, even if only in my heart!
I'm so moved I could cry.
"She hit me! She hit me! Come and see! Someone's hitting me!"
After the slap, the auntie quickly reacted. She slumped to the ground, lay down, and shouted at the top of her lungs.
Su Muzhi stayed perfectly calm, smiling.
Jiang Linyuan thought for a moment, then put on a troubled expression.
"Auntie, don't try to frame anyone. Your own face hit the floor. Don't blame her for it."
Su Muzhi burst out laughing and whispered,
"You've got a heart of stone. You're even turning it around and accusing her."
Jiang Linyuan put on a righteous expression and spoke loudly.
"Do we know each other? I'm just an ordinary volunteer. I saw an auntie faking an injury, and my sense of justice wouldn't let me stand by, so I spoke up for you."
"Don't act like we're close!"
The auntie, still on the ground, was so angry she could have spat blood.
To hell with your sense of justice! You're obviously on the same side!
After he finished speaking, Jiang Linyuan looked at the auntie on the ground and sighed.
"Auntie, don't worry. I'll stand on the side of fairness. There may not be any cameras here, but my eyes are justice!"
"Upholding social morality is our generation's duty!"
This young man! He sure knew how to turn black into white!
The auntie on the ground was so furious her mouth twisted. She wished she could jump up and tear Jiang Linyuan's mouth off.
But remembering the role she was currently playing, she stayed on the ground and wailed,
"In this day and age, nobody's going to do anything! I've been hit! I've been hit!"
Smiling brightly, Su Muzhi looked at Jiang Linyuan.
"You should go first. I hit her, so I'll take care of it."
Jiang Linyuan didn't leave. He looked at her.
Little Su, so you don't consider me a friend?
Seeing that Jiang Linyuan wasn't moving, Su Muzhi just smiled and pulled out her phone.
"Aunt Yang, something's come up..."
He'd nearly forgotten that Su Muzhi was a rich young lady from Shanghai.
My Dragon King friend, that crooked-mouthed smile of yours is truly captivating.
Before long, Vice Dean Yang, who had only just left, came back, followed by a group of security guards in uniform.
Seeing them arrive, the auntie was secretly delighted. She called out repeatedly,
"Oh, they hit me! Look! Young people these days!"
Vice Dean Yang ignored her and walked over to Su Muzhi with concern.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Aunt Yang. Sorry to trouble you."
Su Muzhi was still very polite.
What? They're all on the same side? Their wicked influence knows no bounds!
The auntie lying on the ground was startled. It was hard to accept that she'd just picked a fight with someone she couldn't afford to mess with.
But then she thought it over. She was the one who'd been hit, so she was in the right! What did she have to fear?
So she shouted again,
"You hit me, and now what are you going to do about it? Ow, I'm in so much pain!"
Vice Dean Yang glanced at the auntie on the ground and calmly asked,
"From your uniform, you're a cleaner here at the hospital, right? Trying to scam someone in the hospital? Do you not want to keep your job?"
The auntie was alarmed. She couldn't tell who the person in front of her, wearing a white coat, was, but from the way she spoke, she clearly wasn't someone to be taken lightly.
So the auntie mumbled,
"She hit me! I wasn't faking anything!"
"Did anyone see what happened?"
Vice Dean Yang turned to Su Muzhi and asked.
"I did."
Jiang Linyuan stepped forward, looking thoroughly righteous.
"I saw with my own eyes that the auntie fell by herself, then falsely accused someone else of hitting her!"
"That's right. Just like this volunteer said."
Su Muzhi smiled and nodded.
Vice Dean Yang could tell exactly what had happened. She simply shook her head in amusement.
The two of them really did make a good pair.
"Since that's what they said, you're trying to scam someone for money. I'll give you ten thousand. How's that?"
Vice Dean Yang looked at the auntie on the ground and spoke calmly.
The auntie was first startled, then delighted. She'd get ten thousand just for lying on the ground? Of course she'd take it. Only a fool would refuse.
"Sure, sure! You can't take it back!"
She agreed eagerly.
Vice Dean Yang didn't waste words. She scanned the code and transferred the money.
The auntie saw the money arrive and grinned from ear to ear. She was about to leave when Vice Dean Yang said coolly,
"Now, let's talk about your extortion."
"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"
The auntie was obviously ignorant of the law and didn't understand.
Vice Dean Yang glanced at her and didn't bother explaining further.
"You'll find out soon enough."
The auntie thought she was just trying to scare her and paid her no mind. She snorted and tried to leave, but several security guards blocked her way.
"Your mom's friend has some pretty nasty tricks."
Jiang Linyuan had watched the whole thing unfold. He nudged Su Muzhi and whispered.
"Does it bother you?"
Su Muzhi asked.
"No."
Jiang Linyuan shook his head.
Vice Dean Yang was clearly setting the auntie up, but what did he care?
He wished that the moment the auntie walked out the door, her village would start preparing her funeral feast.
"Heh, Aunt Yang's pretty mild. My mom's tactics are much harsher."
Su Muzhi chuckled softly.
"So, Jiang, you'd better be careful."
"Is your mom going to come up to me and say, 'Here's a million. Stay away from my daughter'?"
Jiang Linyuan looked at Su Muzhi and asked.
She thought for a moment, then said,
"No, she wouldn't be that direct."
"She'd never get angry with you, but you'd feel the disdain deep in her bones. You'd constantly feel her chipping away at your self-esteem, making you feel inferior."
Got it. A proper old-Shanghai snob.
A control freak and a pressure machine. No wonder Muzhi and her mom don't get along.
"Then tell your auntie to drink more loofah soup. That stuff keeps you grounded."
Jiang Linyuan didn't care in the slightest.
Inferior?
Even Little Snow King from Mixue Ice Cream & Tea isn't scared of Shanghai Auntie.
What have I got to be afraid of?
Before you continue