The old woman refused to back down: “You’re the one who said your child has a heart condition! I just said heart disease can’t be cured anyway, so why waste money? Am I wrong?”
“I’ll beat you to death!” Xu Guangfen charged forward again.
“Mom!” Tang Ximian reached out to stop her mother-in-law, her face darkening as she turned to the old woman: “Auntie, that’s going too far. We’re all hoping the child recovers, yet you’re telling us she can’t be cured?”
“She’s just a girl anyway!” The old woman curled her lip, feeling even less intimidated facing Tang Ximian.
Chu Jiangrong sneered: “But you’re a girl too, worthless baggage!”
“How dare you speak like that!” the old woman shrieked.
Tang Ximian also snorted coldly: “Exactly! Besides, some old women die before they’re even forty. Why aren’t you dead yet? You’re just a burden!”
“Who dares talk to my mother like that!”
A skinny figure came running from afar. The old woman instantly found her backbone and opened her mouth to wail.
Chu Jiangchuan’s voice drifted over at that exact moment: “Hei San’er, you’ve grown some nerve, huh?”
Hei San’er froze immediately, staring in shock at the man before him: “Chu… no no no, Brother Chuan!”
His fierce expression instantly transformed into fawning: “Brother Chuan! Hehehe, what brings you here? Did my mom say something inappropriate? Please don’t take it seriously! Haha, this must be sister-in-law?”
Everyone: “…”
Chu Jiangchuan narrowed his eyes: “Didn’t expect this. After more than a year inside, you come out still acting like this? What, you want to hit someone?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it!” Hei San’er immediately spewed pleasantries: “I wouldn’t dare hit anyone of yours… no no, I wouldn’t hit anyone at all!”
The matter ended inconclusively due to Hei San’er’s arrival and Chu Jiangchuan’s intervention.
Back in the hospital room, Tang Ximian learned that when Chu Jiangchuan was still in the army, he’d returned home on leave. Hei San’er had tried to pick his pocket, so Chu Jiangchuan broke his wrist and sent him to the police station.
Surprisingly, Hei San’er held no grudge and actually admired him. He knew he couldn’t afford to provoke this man and could only try to stay on good terms.
After handling these matters, Tang Ximian returned to her office to continue translating articles.
“Don’t you think Tang Ximian is stupid? That child has a heart condition and should just wait to die. Even if she gets treated, she’ll still need medication. She’s just here to collect debts!” Li Feifeng’s voice carried through. Tang Ximian’s steps halted instantly at the doorway.
“Oh, why would you say that? The child is so young, it’d be a shame if she died! If she can be treated, then treat her! It’s not your money anyway, why is your mouth so nasty?”
The colleagues clearly disapproved of Li Feifeng.
Gossiping behind people’s backs is really awful!
“Pfft, what’s wrong with saying a few words? Thinks she’s so great just because she’s pretty and can earn money. Who does she look down on? Who knows when that child might die… Ah!”
A powerful force yanked Li Feifeng backward. Forced to look up, she met Tang Ximian’s murderous eyes.
Grabbing Li Feifeng by the hair, Tang Ximian kicked her in the buttocks. Li Feifeng slammed into the wall with a loud thud: “Ow!”
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Without uttering a word, Tang Ximian delivered a series of slaps that left Li Feifeng unable to even cry.
Thud! Smack! Crash!
This wasn’t a fight—this was one-sided brutality.
Everyone was stunned, and only after recovering did they feign attempts to break up the fight: “Stop fighting!”
Tang Ximian managed to kick Li Feifeng several times before being successfully pulled away.
Li Feifeng knew she was in the wrong, so she just cried and didn’t dare defend herself.
“What did such a young child ever do to you? She’s our family’s treasure, and you’re wishing for her death? I wish you’d get hit by a car when you go out! Why don’t you go find a rope and hang yourself! Your mouth is so vile!”
The commotion was quite loud, but strangely, none of the leaders inside came out to see what was happening.
Everyone tacitly understood—someone with such a foul mouth deserved to be beaten!
As long as no one died, it was fine!
Zhou Xue and Liu Mengjia had gone out to buy things and returned to find several colleagues cleaning the office. Li Feifeng was sitting off to the side crying, with no one paying her any attention.
“Ximian’s back? What happened here?” Liu Mengjia asked casually.
“The child in Ximian’s family is in the hospital, and this heartless woman didn’t wish them well—and she got caught!” A colleague nearby curled her lip in disdain.
Liu Mengjia shot a fierce glare at Li Feifeng before turning to ask Tang Ximian about the child’s condition.
Li Feifeng was soon transferred to the logistics department, which was already Song Weiguo showing leniency.
At that time, someone with poor character like Li Feifeng could easily be fired.
When they returned to the dormitory that evening, Li Feifeng hadn’t moved out yet and came back to sleep as well.
Bang!
Smack!
Crash!
Zhou Xue made loud noises while fetching water: “How can some people be so shameless! Jealous of others, huh? If you’re so jealous, why don’t you just die!”
“Xiaoxue, stop making a scene. Ximian is still working,” Liu Mengjia restrained the agitated Zhou Xue.
Tang Ximian set down her pen and casually pulled out two White Rabbit Milk Candies: “Have some candy, it’ll cheer you up!”
There were only two pieces.
Li Feifeng sat on her bed, her eyes dark and gloomy.
But she didn’t dare!
If she caused more trouble, she wouldn’t be able to stay here anymore.
Even though she only earned thirty yuan now, it was still better than the twenty yuan jobs outside.
Zhou Xue also stared motionlessly at Li Feifeng.
Initially, they had all been somewhat skeptical of Tang Ximian, but her standard Mandarin, the leaders’ trust in her, and her genuinely generous and dignified demeanor left them with nothing to criticize. They simply couldn’t compare.
At first, they had focused on academic qualifications, but now they saw her capability. Apart from envy, they harbored no other thoughts.
Her abilities destined her to walk a different path from theirs!
After finishing the translation for the day, Tang Ximian hurried off to sleep.
Li Feifeng tossed and turned several times before finally sitting up: “Tang Ximian, I’m being transferred. Are you satisfied now?”
Tang Ximian: ???
“You’re insane.”
She turned over and went back to sleep.
Liu Mengjia got up and watched Li Feifeng’s figure but said nothing.
Zhou Xue directly pulled the blanket off her head: “If you want to sleep, sleep. If not, get out!”
Li Feifeng’s anger choked in her throat. She got out of bed, strode over in a few steps, and tried to pull off Tang Ximian’s blanket, holding a small fruit knife in her hand.
“Are you not done yet?”
Tang Ximian’s voice cut through the air as she punched Li Feifeng in the jaw.
“Put the knife away. You wouldn’t want me to accuse you of attempted murder, would you?” Tang Ximian’s voice was calm, but the information she revealed made the other two sit up in shock from their beds: “What!”
“Let’s sleep. It’s nothing.”
Tang Ximian lay down and went straight to sleep.
Li Feifeng covered her chin, utterly stunned by Tang Ximian’s astonishing move, and returned to her bed without uttering a sound, feeling thoroughly aggrieved.
Soon enough, Tang Ximian’s breathing became even and regular.
Come if you dare—it wasn’t as if she couldn’t sense it!
The next morning, when Tang Ximian woke up, the others were still asleep. She quietly lit a candle and continued with her translation work.