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Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Shifting Anger
In a panic, Qian Niannian quickly grabbed Tong Yao, pleading anxiously, "I’ll pay, okay, I’ll compensate you!"
Tong Yao’s outfit still looked about 80% new, and reevaluating it for compensation, fifty yuan definitely wouldn’t be enough. At this point, Qian Niannian was left with no choice but to grit her teeth and pay the hefty price.
Now, all she felt was regret, overwhelmed to the point of barely containing anything else.
Chen Yanmei was at a loss for words. She had never even laid a finger on an outfit costing two hundred yuan, and buying clothes such as those was now out of the picture.
Before, she had just thought Tong Yao was arrogant for flaunting her pretty face. Yet at this moment, it dawned on her, Tong Yao’s family was actually rich, which gave her the confidence to be so cocky.
No wonder Si Chen had chosen to marry Tong Yao, despite not becoming the Dean’s son-in-law. He was climbing higher and gaining more power. Yanmei didn’t get to watch the drama unfold as she had hoped, and instead ended up being embroiled in the group’s troubles. Having lost the mood to stay any longer, she turned around and walked downstairs.
"If anything like this happens again, you wouldn’t have to come and work at the hospital," Yu Shiya glared at Qian Niannian before turning around and leaving as well.
She had always felt superior to Tong Yao because of her own background, looking down on Tong Yao as an uneducated, rustic girl with no grace. She thought that Si Chen had been charmed by a vixen and thus fell for a woman like Tong Yao.
Just now, though, Shiya realized that Si Chen did, in fact, have discernment. He had a treasure in his arms, which he chose not to flaunt.
Looking at the situation, everyone else returned to their rooms with their own thoughts, finally bringing the uproar to an end.
Tong Yao glanced at Qian Niannian with a cold expression, saying, "Get the money ready quickly. I want it by the end of this month at the latest."
Having said that, she turned around and walked downstairs.
Li Nuanchun hurriedly followed after her, "Girl, it’s such a waste that you lost your expensive dress. Let me help you wash it and bring it inside!"
A two hundred yuan outfit, thrown away just like that, is too extravagant. Even if her family operated a clothing factory, this kind of waste still wouldn’t be condoned!
"I don’t want the dress anymore. If you want it, use it to make shoes!" Even though Tong Yao didn’t grow up in this era, she knew that people of this time were frugal. They never discarded worn-out clothes but instead cut them up to make shoe uppers or insoles, ensuring that nothing was wasted.
"Is that really okay?" Initially, Li Nuanchun didn’t plan on taking the dress, but once she heard what Tong Yao said, she was instantly tempted, but also hesitant, "If Qian Niannian is compensating for the dress, then isn’t it as if she’s buying it?"
"Sister-in-law, just take it boldly. The dress costs two hundred yuan each, and what Qian Niannian is compensating for is the depreciation cost. If she wants to take this dress away, even a hundred yuan would be too little." This dress was purchased at a discounted price of two hundred yuan because she frequently shopped at that store. Any ordinary person would not be able to buy it for less than 220 yuan.
She bought this outfit less than two months ago, and there was no way she would let Qian Niannian take advantage of her by paying just fifty yuan. She would rather abandon it than allow Qian Niannian to benefit from it.
"So am I really allowed to use it to make shoes then?"
After hearing Tong Yao’s words, Li Nuanchun finally felt reassured. She joyfully hurried downstairs to fetch the dress. When she reached the dumpster, sure enough, she saw an outfit in it. She rinsed it under the tap and quickly took it upstairs.
With the incident drawing to a close and everyone gone, Qian Niannian was left to think about the fifty yuan she needed to pay as compensation, and amidst her struggle, she broke down. She didn’t have enough money for herself, let alone being able to give some to her family. How was she going to pay Tong Yao?
With the day’s shenanigans escalating and now known to most of the hospital, she was left too embarrassed to serve at the hospital any longer. However, her job was hard-earned, and losing it would be a surefire way to incur her parents’ wrath back home.
"Niannian, don’t cry. If you’re short of money at the end of the month, I can lend you some," Guo Nan felt guilty for opening the door earlier. Seeing Qian Niannian in a pitiful state, she proposed to lend her some urgent funds.
"Quit pretending; if you hadn’t opened the door, could she have barged in and thrown water at me?" Qian Niannian glared at Guo Nan, venting all her frustrations, "You did it intentionally! You can’t stand to see me succeed, Guo Nan. I didn’t take you for such a person."
Guo Nan felt wronged and tried to explain, "Niannian, you misunderstand. It wasn’t intentional. I didn’t know that you’d taken Tong Yao’s dress. I thought she just needed our help with something urgent."
"Quit playing the saint, making me nauseous. Did you think I didn’t know you were waiting to see me make a fool of myself?" Qian Niannian brushed off her tears, letting out all the unease she had held within her, "We’re about the same age and we’ve both been at the hospital for almost the same amount of time. When the time comes to promote the head nurse, we’ll both be the top contenders. You see me as dangerous competition; now that I’ve messed up, the opportunity is all yours. Isn’t that what you wanted?"
"Niannian, where’s your mind at? Both of us becoming head nurses is something that will happen years into the future. I wouldn’t be thinking that far ahead." The two of them had been staying together and, although there were minor frictions, their relationship had always been harmonious. Guo Nan always considered Qian Niannian a good friend, and she never expected Qian Niannian to harbor such thoughts about her.
"Stop pretending to be innocent. I know exactly what you’re doing. I’ve just not bothered exposing you. Don’t show your hypocrisy in front of me anymore. It disgusts me."
The more Qian Niannian saw Guo Nan, the more she couldn’t stand her. Both worked as nurses at the hospital and were roommates. Their families had similar financial circumstances, and Qian Niannian constantly compared herself with Guo Nan. She always wanted to outdo Guo Nan and be superior to her.
Guo Nan used to be non-confrontational and very honest, which made their cohabitation harmonious. Now, it seemed to Qian Niannian that Guo Nan was full of scheming plots, just waiting to see her fall flat.
"Niannian..."
While Guo Nan wanted to explain, Qian Niannian didn’t want to listen. She turned around and walked out, slamming the door shut.
She’d spent fifty yuan and it wasn’t to be wasted. She needed to salvage the dress immediately.
When she reached the dumpster, Qian Niannian was astounded. She rummaged through the garbage but didn’t find anything. Holding back her disgust, she tried again to no avail.
Turned out, Tong Yao had taken away the dress. Wasn’t she not interested in it anymore?
Spending fifty yuan, and the dress was still Tong Yao’s, what did she gain?
If earlier she had cried for sympathy, her tears now were genuine, as she truly felt wronged.
In front of everyone, she had promised to pay. Arguing with Tong Yao, she likely wouldn’t win. She didn’t want to compensate fifty yuan and end up with nothing. But what was important was that she couldn’t spare that amount.
If she didn’t pay by the end of the month and Tong Yao reported the incident to the Dean, she’d be the one in the wrong, subjected to humiliation, and might even lose her job. Her bed was soaking wet from the water Tong Yao had poured, leaving her no place to sleep. Qian Niannian stood in a daze, holding back her tears. Finally, her thoughts returned to Guo Nan.
