Wang Juan, seeing the portly boss inquire, quickly hid the basin behind her and made a show of retreating into the cooperative.
Xue Ling, quick-witted and fast, stepped forward and blocked her way.
“What’s this? You splashed me with water, and the books and items I bought from your cooperative are all wet. Don’t you think you owe me an apology?”
Wang Juan dodged nervously, casting wary glances at the portly man.
“I…I didn’t!”
Xue Ling scoffed and turned to the older man.
“Sir, please judge this for me. I bought so many things from your cooperative, and they were too heavy to carry, so I sat here reading while waiting for my husband to finish work. But this employee of yours splashed me with water and didn’t even apologize, instead telling me to leave!”
She pointed to her soaked trousers and handed over the wrinkled book.
“This book is an expensive imported text. How can your cooperative allow this? A customer sitting quietly in a corner, not disturbing your business, and she gets doused with water and told to leave?”
The portly man’s face turned an angry shade of purple as he glared at Wang Juan, noticing the hidden basin and the wet bench and floor.
“Wang Juan! What are you doing? We have toilets and sinks in the back for that. Why are you throwing water out here? You’ve soaked this lady and didn’t even apologize, instead you’re trying to chase her away? Are you trying to ruin my business and tarnish the cooperative’s reputation?”
His voice boomed with authority, berating Wang Juan until she teared up.
“I…I…I didn’t mean to.”
The boss, fuming, shouted, “I think you don’t want this job! Always acting high and mighty, who do you think you are? Just yesterday, I asked you to help with the stock, and you turned around and made Cheng and Chen do it while you sat around! You’re lazy and now you’ve offended a customer! Are you trying to rebel?!”
Wang Juan started crying, her face pale as she shook her head frantically, “No! That’s not what happened! Boss, I know I’m wrong! I’m sorry!”
The boss was livid, insisting on firing her.
The commotion attracted the staff, and Cheng Tianyuan and Chen Min came out, looking worried.
Cheng rushed over, seeing Xue Ling drenched, “Lingling, what happened? How did you get like this?”
Xue Ling, annoyed yet not wanting to vent on her beloved, briefly explained.
Cheng’s brows furrowed, knowing Wang Juan’s usual demeanor, and seeing his wife in such a state, he was about to explode with anger.
Xue Ling, noticing his tense expression, quietly tugged at his arm, nodding towards the still fuming boss.
“She’s still your colleague, better not say anything.”
Cheng, heeding her advice, took a deep breath and held back.
After the boss finished berating Wang Juan, he turned to Xue Ling with a forced smile.
“Lady, my employee is at fault! I’ll make her apologize immediately and then fire her! She’s really too infuriating!”
Xue Ling smiled softly, “Boss, let’s forget it. She probably didn’t do it on purpose. Finding a job isn’t easy, and she’s been scolded already. She’s learned her lesson; look, she’s already crying.”
Wang Juan looked up at Xue Ling in disbelief, tears streaming down her face.
The boss snorted, “She’s been lazy and troublesome for a long time! I’ve wanted to fire her for ages!”
Wang Juan, desperate, wiped her tears and grabbed the boss’s arm.
“Uncle! Please give me another chance! For the sake of us being from the same town, please! I’ll change, I swear! I won’t dare do it again!”
The boss’s face remained stern, silent.
Chen Min, always straightforward and kind-hearted, felt a pang of pity despite disliking Wang Juan’s usual laziness.
“Boss, since she’s admitted her fault, maybe give her another chance?”
The boss snorted dismissively, “I’ve let her off more than once! If it weren’t for her being a fellow villager, I’d have kicked her out long ago!”
Cheng stepped forward, his voice serious, “Wang Juan, you’ve splashed my wife. You should apologize.”
Wang Juan, terrified of losing her job, quickly forgot her pride and repeatedly apologized to Xue Ling.
“Sorry…I’m so sorry!”
The boss, surprised, turned to Xue Ling, “Cheng, did you say she’s your wife?”
Cheng nodded, explaining, “We’ve been engaged for years and married over half a month ago. She’s just moved here today and was buying some household items, waiting for me to finish work.”
Xue Ling nodded politely at the boss, “Hello, sir.”
The boss chuckled, impressed, “Brother Cheng’s wife is quite the catch! Where are you from? What do you do?”
Xue Ling replied, “I’m from the capital and just started working at the Rongcheng newspaper.”
“Wow!” the boss laughed, visibly impressed, “A cultured lady, no wonder you were reading a book while waiting! Impressive! People who write for newspapers are high-quality talents!”
Wang Juan sneaked a glance at Xue Ling, her face flushed with shame.
She had assumed Cheng, being from a rural background, would only marry a simple country girl.
She’d long fancied Cheng for his good looks and industrious nature, expecting a bright future for him. Disappointed that he never paid her any attention, she’d resented him and often acted superior, believing she was the only choice for him.
When she learned of his marriage, not only was she surprised, but the fact that his wife was both beautiful and from a big city, working at a newspaper, no less, filled her with envy and anger.
She had intended to humiliate Xue Ling, pretending she was just a rural girl putting on airs, but her plan backfired spectacularly.
And now, caught by the boss and finding out Cheng’s wife was a genuine city dweller and an intellectual to boot, her jealousy and insecurity overwhelmed her.
Translator thought: Thank you so much for visiting the site and reading the story. If you would like to support my translation you can buy me a cup-ontea. You can also help by shopping in our store or watch the youtube video to get more traction to the website. If you can’t wait to read the next chapter why not subscribe to our monthly plan, you will get 15 chapter every month for $35.
