Chapter 384

The adults always understand the ways of the world better than the children. In the adult world, things are either genuine or comparing power and status.

No matter whether it was Xu Ya's mother or the other parents, their families were just ordinary. No one would be unwilling to give Wanqing face.

Wanqing rejected their idea of going to apologize in person. It was exactly because it was a conflict between children that they should not forgive the betrayers easily.

They wanted to isolate Wanqing to achieve some selfish goals. Fortunately, she was not as vulnerable as they imagined. She was rational and wise. She would not be easily manipulated by others, let alone lack good friends.

The reason for asking them to come over today was only to lay things out and make them understand what their children had done. Whether they were accidentally used by others or originally had some ideas in their hearts, after today, those would not matter anymore.

After communicating with them, Zhi Xia left alone without any intention of staying for a meal.

But the private room had been booked and dishes had been served one after another, extremely abundant. This made Xu Ya's mother and other parents even more aware of the gap between them.

This meal alone was enough to cover their salary for a few months. So, neither they nor their children had the ability to defy others.

The dishes on the table were those they usually only dared to think about the prices in their hearts. But now being placed in front of them, they felt hard to swallow.

After sitting for a while, they left one by one. But only they themselves knew clearly about the thoughts in their hearts.

It was late at night, but it was not peaceful in Yun Yan's home.

Several children's parents came to the door and told Sister Zhang one by one about Yun Yan's provocations.

The girl's shrill cry spread out in the alley. Zhi Xia had been waiting at home since she came back from Huasheng, wanting to see how those parents would choose.

But obviously, the result did not disappoint her.

The next day was Sunday so there was no school. Xu Ya’s parents still took her to the door and met several other parents bringing their children.

They looked at each other and understood the distress in each other's hearts.

"Zhi Xia, Wanqing’s several friends and their parents are here." Sister Zhang had accompanied her daughter for two days. She had just came today and knew about Wanqing’s thing. She was so distressed that she almost cried.

Although Wanqing was not her birth daughter, in her heart there was no difference between Wanqing and her own children because she had raised Wanqing herself.

Whoever raises a child will feel distressed. This was how she felt.

So when she saw these children and their parents, she no longer looked at them kindly like before. She didn't even want to show them a good face.

But Zhi Xia was very calm. She took Wanqing to the living room and said, "Sister Zhang, please let them in."

Sister Zhang responded and went out to call them in. In the living room, Zhi Xia looked as usual, including Wanqing, who did not show any particular emotion. They stood beside Chenye like a golden boy and a jade girl.

"Chenye’s mother, today we specifically brought our children to apologize to Wanqing and say sorry to you too. As parents, we were negligent and did not pay attention to the children’s situation. And that Yun Yan was unexpected. She is just over ten years old but had such schemes, thinking about the harmony between the residents before her family moved here. The children grew up playing together since they were young. There were no major conflicts. It was her provocations that caused this. Although Wanqing has been hurt, I still want to ask you to forgive them with a thick skin. Please give them another chance," she looked at Wanqing again. “Wanqing, you and Xu Ya were best friends. Xu Ya was also provoked to alienate you. Auntie asks you to give her another chance and forgive her, okay? Xu Ya also said at home that she regretted alienating you after listening to Yun Yan. So she has not been happy these days and felt very uncomfortable in her heart."

"Yes, Chenye’s mother, it was all because of that Yun Yan. The children are still young, just over ten years old. It is the age of ignorance. They were provoked to become like this. Please, you and Wanqing be generous and give them another chance."

A parent with a bad temper kicked the girl's butt. "What are you still dumbfounded for? Hurry up and apologize to Wanqing! When you do something wrong, you have to dare to take responsibility. Wanqing is also a generous girl. As long as you sincerely apologize, she will forgive you too. In the future, you will still be good friends.”

"I'm sorry..."

A series of sobbing voices rang out. Whether these apologies were sincere or coerced, they were not that important to Wanqing.

She was not as generous as that uncle said. In fact, she could be quite petty. At first when they alienated her, she thought she had done something wrong. But after knowing the reason from Xu Ya, she was relieved instead.

No matter whether they regretted it later or not, she did not regret it. Even if there was sincere repentance among them, they had lost the qualification to be friends with her again.

"I forgive you guys," Wanqing said. "I forgive you and am willing to believe that you were provoked. But since there is already estrangement between us, it means we are not suitable to be friends. From now on... let's just leave it at that."

Xu Ya’s mother wanted to say something more but was interrupted by Zhi Xia. "Our Wanqing is indeed generous, but not a fool. A friendship that can be so easily provoked also indicates that it is not pure and solid. Whether it exists or not does not have much significance. Don't you think?"

This rhetorical question made the parents feel embarrassed.

If it was someone else or another family, even if the child was ostracized and hurt, they would still think that it was just their own child who was unwilling to play with her. It was her who was too vulnerable. Of course their own child could not be blamed.

But the person in front of them was An Zhi Xia, who had money and a high-ranking military officer as a husband. Her father was a university president. These children would face the middle school entrance exam in half a year. The best high school nearby was the one run by An Jingzhi.

Not to mention whether they would take revenge on them, as parents, they had to worry about their children. At the same time, they were afraid that Zhi Xia would take advantage of the money and power in her hands to punish them.

They were just ordinary workers. Maybe just one word from her, their livelihoods would be lost.

Although Zhi Xia did not make things too difficult for them, she had obviously let them know the gap between the two families last night and now.

Just after leaving, Xu Ya’s mother couldn’t help it anymore. She grabbed Xu Ya's ear and scolded, "You damn girl! Was mother beating you too lightly before? Look what have you done! The middle school entrance exam is in half a year. Your grades are only average. I originally thought that if you didn't test well, I would simply ask Chenye’s mother to help and arrange a job for you in her factory. But now, forget about the job. You have thoroughly offended them to death. In the future, if our family needs to ask them for help for anything, it would be even more difficult than climbing to heaven!"

Xu Ya wanted to dodge with a distorted face but was kicked down by her father again and cried out.

Xu Ya’s father just looked at her with frustration and resentment without even bothering her mother. He complained, "Look at the good daughter you gave birth to," and then left directly.

The previous two days he was still bragging to his colleagues at the factory, saying that he knew the factory director of Hongfeng Appliance Factory, and his daughter was good friends with the director's daughter.

At that time, the envious eyes of others made him proud whenever he recalled it.

But after this turn of events, he completely lost face.

Now, instead of establishing ties with them, they could only beg them not to retaliate, which was already counting their blessings.

Similar scenes also happened to others.

Only one girl's parents remained relatively calm, but they were also panicked at heart. It was just that their love for their child was sufficient enough that they didn’t bear to blame the child for everything that happened.

Since such a thing had happened, the child must already be nervous enough. If they as parents spoke out to criticize and beat the child again, wouldn’t the child be even more pitiful?

In the living room, Chenye asked Zhi Xia, "Mom, are we really forgiving them?"

In his opinion, although Yun Yan was the culprit, these people were at least accomplices.

"It is said that the law does not blame the public. Yun Yan must not be allowed to stay here and cause trouble for the concubines," they said. "If we drive them away too, others will only say that we are abusing our power and bullying them. Then even if we are in the right, we would appear to be in the wrong." Children do not think too much, but adults have no choice but to consider these things.

When living in this world, it is impossible not to interact with others. So one must be especially careful of one's reputation.

They still have to live around here for some time. People naturally sympathize with the weak. Going overboard would instead leave an impression of arrogance and oppression.

Chenye was a little unwilling, but did not say anything more.

Some things, you just have to do them. There is no need to talk about everything.

No matter their status, people must pay the price for the things they have done. He remembered these few people. Even if he does not completely eliminate them, they should not expect to have better days.

Chenye preferred to nip the danger in the bud - to clip the wings of his enemies before they have a chance to grow.

Maybe because the children had been very well behaved and obedient since young, especially Chenye who was very self-disciplined and easy to manage, Yuezhi was most relaxed in her restrictions on him.

...

"Boss, Yun Yan's parents both work in the textile factory. They were transferred here only about half a year ago. Their hometown is not around here..." This was the information that Jiang Tao had investigated. "Last night I took the leader of the textile factory out for a meal. During our conversation, I found out that Yun Yan's parents had somehow offended another leader. Instructions have been given from above that they are to be squeezed out of the textile factory."

"Offended someone? What a coincidence?" Yuezhi thought. It seemed that no one in this family was honest. Otherwise they would not have attracted so much attention in such a short period of time. "They are really asking for death. We don't need to make a move for now. Pay attention to developments over there. Add fuel to the fire if necessary. I not only want Yun Yan's family to leave the textile factory, it would be best if they have to leave Jincheng, with no possibility of making a comeback."

"Understood." Jiang Tao now held great power. He was clearly much more steady than before.

"Also, regarding the new products from the R&D department, I will be going away for some time later. Help me keep an eye on things in the factory, Jiang Tao. Work hard. I will reward you well." Yuezhi now wanted to devote more time to the children and family. Although she also wished to achieve something in her career, the few children at home were irreplaceable no matter what.

A career could be built anytime, but it would be too late to accompany the children when they have grown up.

"Yuezhi..." Pei Yong called out to her as soon as he entered the courtyard.

Yuezhi quickly came out from the room. "Big brother, you were looking for me?"

Pei Yong nodded. "Let's go inside to talk."

After going in, Yuezhi poured him a cup of tea before sitting down. "It's like this - I know you've been looking for a house. Any updates?" Pei Yong asked.

Yuezhi replied: "I saw a rather nice house recently, but I didn't manage to close the deal because the owner was asking for too high a price. I'm still looking now."

"That's exactly what I came here to talk about." Pei Yong sighed. "That old fellow came to me, hoping that I could help persuade you to buy his house. He said the pricing is negotiable."

It was not just difficult to buy houses, selling was tough too.

Not to mention such transactions were private deals. No one dared to buy and sell openly. How could they possibly find a willing buyer so easily?

That house owner had originally wanted to earn a quick buck from her. Even if that failed, the pricing was still negotiable afterwards.

But unexpectedly, after Yuezhi left that day, she never brought up this matter again. He had gone to her place a few times but was rejected each time.

Desperately needing money but unable to find other buyers, he finally went to Pei Yong, hoping to get him to help persuade her, appealing to his sympathy since he seemed rather pitiful.

Yuezhi laughed. "Big brother, I'm indeed anxious to buy a house, but I'm not a fool to be taken advantage of. His house is about the same as yours. You bought yours for just over 2,000 a few years ago. Even with some price increase over the years, it would at most be worth a little over 3,000. Yet he quoted 10,000 right from the start. I can't afford that."

"What? He actually asked for such an high price?" Pei Yong was about to blow his top. "This old scoundrel actually tried to fool even me! He made himself out to be so pitiful, saying he just quoted a price slightly on the higher side. I thought I could help negotiate an agreeable price based on market rates - he sells his house, you buy a house, a mutually beneficial transaction for everyone. Turns out he thinks we are idiots!"

Fortunately, he and Yuezhi understood each other's character well. Otherwise if they did not get to the bottom of this today, Yuezhi might think he was conspiring with the other party to cheat her, while he would have thought Yuezhi to be unwilling to give him any face.