Why Did They Have to Mock Them?

Cheng Chao looked at her and said:

Can you please stop your tantrums and threats of suicide?

You've used this trick to death, isn't that enough?

I said I'm not Cheng Lineage, and I'm not Cheng Lineage. Can't you at least respect my decision?

Cheng Xiao trembled with anger. "Why don't you Cheng Lineage's? You're with Zhou Wanwan, that... cough cough cough... what future do you have with her?"

Zhou Wanwan looked up at Cheng Xiao and said, "Then you seem to have a bright future now. You'll come back and be a lowly seventh-rank official."

Cheng Xiao choked for a moment and said:

"Am I not just a lowly seventh-rank official? What rank could my son become if he followed you?"

He goes to the gambling den all day long; I'm worried he'll go astray!

But things were different when I went to the Cheng Lineage.

Cheng Chao said calmly:

I now receive a salary of ten thousand taels a year.

There are also bonuses during holidays. If I went to the Cheng Lineage, how much salary would Cheng Lineage give me?

Cheng Xiao looked at Cheng Chao and asked, "How much is your annual salary?"

Cheng Chao said softly, "Ten thousand taels! What's wrong?"

Cheng Xiao's lips twitched repeatedly; his annual salary was only a few dozen taels of silver.

This... this difference is just too big!

Cheng Huaiyu, standing to the side, sneered:

"Cheng Chao, you really dare to say that. Your annual salary is over ten thousand taels of silver. What are you pretending for?"

Even if you opened a gambling den, you wouldn't be able to get that much money, would you?

Cheng Chao said speechlessly, "I don't just run a gambling den, what are you thinking? Besides, would I need to lie to you?"

Cheng Huaiyu sneered:

"Pretending, fine. Today the Cheng Lineage will expel you from the family. From now on, you will no longer be a member of the Cheng Lineage family."

Since you're going to follow this brat, then you might as well follow her properly!

He looks utterly hopeless; he's a hopeless case.

Cheng Chao looked at Cheng Huaiyu and said:

"Originally, I didn't want to talk about this, but since you insist on slandering me, then I'll talk about the problems with your Cheng Lineage."

Why is the Cheng Lineage in such a hurry for me to go back?

That's because your Cheng Lineage family is facing serious problems right now.

Even your school fees were raised by the entire clan. Asking me to go back is simply so they can help you manage your business.

Why should I go back and help you manage your business?

Cheng Huaiyue shouted, "Nonsense! Utter nonsense! It's none of your business what kind of Cheng Lineage is!"

Cheng Chao sighed and said, "Alright, alright, I won't say anything then."

Their defenses crumbled instantly.

The Cheng Lineage is in serious trouble right now, they're on the verge of bankruptcy, and they're still putting on an act in front of him!

Cheng Xiao glared at Cheng Chao and said, "Shut up! Give me some face."

Cheng Chao curled his lip and said, "You didn't even give me any face, did you?"

Cheng Huaiyu stomped her feet in anger. "You just wait and see!"

Cheng Chao imitated him from behind, saying:

"You just wait and see! Fine, I'll wait and see! The people in the capital are really something else."

The people of Dongshan Prefecture may be poor, but at least they are honest and upright.

Unlike the people in the capital, who pretend to be rich even when they're actually very poor—how hypocritical!

But not everyone in Dongshan Prefecture is a good person!

A dozen or so scholars from Dongshan Prefecture gathered together and discussed:

"You know, we're really unlucky. We never even got close to that little girl."

As a result, everyone laughed at us from Dongshan Prefecture, saying we were living off women.

"And you say that! I wanted to buy some pens today but couldn't find any. That little girl is so annoying."

"Does he really think he's a god of our Dongshan Prefecture? The most powerful person in our Dongshan Prefecture is Xie Cheng'en."

"I heard that Young Master Xie is also participating in the imperial examination this time, and he's sure to come out on top."

"I'm not staying at this restaurant! If we did, people would say we're living off women."

"It's gotten to the point where everyone in Dongshan Prefecture is dependent on this brat for their livelihood."

"So what if he has a little money? Why is he acting all high and mighty? I really hate kids like that."

Zhou Wanwan glanced at them indifferently. Although they were far away, the Old Scholar Tree had amazing hearing!

He quickly relayed everything to Zhou Wanwan.

Zhou Wanwan sighed. Now, the capital city of Dongshan Prefecture is divided into two factions. One faction is those who are willing to come to her restaurant. These students are indeed from very poor families, and some of them can't even afford to eat.

The other group, just like them, hated Zhou Wanwan to the core.

They didn't think Zhou Wanwan was good; they only felt that Zhou Wanwan's actions had disgraced the entire Dongshan Prefecture.

There are many such people, after all, Dongshan Prefecture is quite large, and there are many wealthy people.

Some students from Dongshan Prefecture were nearby and, upon hearing these words, angrily shouted:

"Your family is wealthy, so naturally it doesn't matter to you."

"Does that mean ordinary families like ours are destined to live a life of hardship, sleeping in the open?"

Another group of students shouted, "This is a classic case of someone living off a woman! What good is it if people like you pass the imperial examinations?"

"What do you mean by 'living off a woman'? Wanwan is the pride of Dongshan Prefecture. We are grateful that she is willing to help us!"

Besides, we can pay her back when we have the money later.

"Pah! Keep pretending! You can't even buy books or pens right now. I'd like to see how far you can go in the future!"

Indeed, the students of Dongshan Prefecture have been having a tough time lately.

Students from Dongshan Prefecture would be refused service when they tried to buy books or pens.

They say these scholars lack backbone.

Zhou Wanwan said calmly:

"If you people have the ability, why don't you help your fellow villagers?"

Why do we have to mock them?

Knowing full well their difficulties, yet still rubbing salt into their wounds—is this the integrity of a scholar?

A scholar from Dongshan Prefecture shouted, "Zhou Wanwan, stop lecturing us! It's all your fault. If you hadn't insisted on helping them, Dongshan Prefecture wouldn't be laughed at like this."

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"You're also from Dongshan Prefecture, isn't it only right that you help your fellow townsmen?"

Why are you all reacting so strongly?

"And I can help whomever I want, isn't that my freedom? What's it to you?"

Those people from Dongshan Prefecture said:

"It's certainly none of our business, but your actions have already harmed us."

"These days, whenever we people from Dongshan Prefecture go out, we can't buy this or that. Life is unbearable."

"Isn't that right? It's made life miserable for the people of Dongshan Prefecture."

Zhou Wanwan shook her head and said, "Then you should figure out a solution yourselves! Aren't you rich?"

"As for those staying at our restaurant, if they need anything, just tell the waiter."

"As long as it's a normal need, these will all be put on my tab," Zhou Wanwan said in front of everyone.

The students from Jiangnan whispered, "A six-year-old child dares to talk such nonsense; he's simply courting death."

"I'd like to see how she manages to hold out."

"I heard that this restaurant is already full, with several hundred people staying there. Several hundred scholars need a lot of things; can she handle it?"