Reborn in the 80s, Get Rich by Eating Melons

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Is the School Canteen Outdoor?

"Alright, no need to make things tough for everyone." Tong Yao, tired of Chen Yanmei’s nagging, snapped, "You claim I scared Baodan — show me the proof, and I’ll apologize to him right away."

Chen Yanmei was elated, her confidence boosted. "What proof? Kids don’t lie. Ask my son," she countered.

She patted Baodan. "Son, tell mommy if she scared you or not. Speak the truth, and mommy will take you to buy candies later."

After that, Chen Yanmei gave Tong Yao a triumphant glance. She believed Baodan would side with her, as he was her son. More importantly, he was enticed by the promise of candies. Tong Yao shall soon regret and apologize!

Just then, more people gathered near the stairway. Everyone was watching the drama unfold, wondering if Tong Yao was some sort of trouble magnet.

She was always at odds with different people every other day. She found no peace.

Tong Yao frowned. ’So much for children don’t lie,’ she thought. Some kids, even though they are young, can weave some of the most convincing lies, even better than adults. However, with Baodan still silent, she didn’t rush to refute. If Baodan lied, she would just consider it a lesson learned: never to meddle unnecessarily again.

Everyone else turned their gaze to Baodan. Like Chen Yanmei, they believed Baodan would not side with Tong Yao, especially with candy as a lure. Even the slowest child knew to side with their mother. They thought Tong Yao was finally going to get served.

Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, Li Nuanchun wanted to step in and mediate, but under Dai Liwen’s icy glare, she backed down. Keeping a low profile and avoiding unnecessary conflict were the best strategies in such cases.

Baodan was just over three years old. His mind didn’t catch up with adults. Although he listened to the grown-ups talk, he didn’t really understand what the fuss was about. All he knew was that if he told whether Tong Yao scared him or not, he would get candies. The crowd’s stare made him nervous. It took him a while to mutter, "She didn’t scare me." Then he turned and hugged Chen Yanmei’s neck, squirming and whining, "Buy candy, buy candy, I want candy."

Chen Yanmei’s face darkened just as dramatically and rapidly as a summer thunderstorm. It didn’t cross her mind that her smart son would favor a stranger over her at such a crucial time. If she loved Baodan any less, she would have slapped him for siding with the stranger.

"Now the truth is clear, isn’t it?" Tong Yao barely held back her laughter. For Chen Yanmei, being betrayed by her beloved son must be more distressing than being scratched terribly by a cat.

Si Chen then interjected in a grave tone, "Let’s put this to rest today. But if there’s a next time, I suggest we discuss it with the deputy director."

Tong Yao looked surprised. Si Chen was defending her so publicly, completely heedless of any possible consequences from the deputy director. Wasn’t he scared?

As her mind reeled with thoughts, she suddenly felt her small hand enveloped by a strong, large one. When she turned her head, she met Si Chen’s calm gaze. "Let’s go," he said.

Something stirred inside her as her fingers moved slightly. She quickly composed herself. Staring back at Chen Yanmei warningly, she mimicked Chen Yanmei’s mocking tone: "Stop spouting such vitriolic nonsense. Your husband is a deputy director, for heaven’s sake! You should count your blessings, not court humiliation."

Chen Yanmei: "..."

Faced with the truth and the gaze of the crowd, Chen Yanmei remained silent. She was just annoyed that her son didn’t help her out, so that Tong Yao got the upper hand. Tong Yao’s last statement was a slap to her face. It hurt.

Having dominated the block for years, she was taken aback to be scolded by a young girl in her twenties. She had no comeback, and it stung worse than swallowing bitter herbs.

Seeing the awkward situation, Liu Haisheng laughed awkwardly and tried to smooth things over. "Actually, this whole thing is a misunderstanding. We’re all colleagues and neighbors — let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill. After a long day, we’re all hungry — let’s head home, grab something to eat, and rest."

Seeing that there was no more drama to watch, and fearing that they would bear the brunt of Chen Yanmei’s anger, everyone left. Things resumed as normal.

"Candy, candy, I want candy". Seeing everyone dispersing, Baodan, who still didn’t quite get the situation, kept pestering Chen Yanmei for candy.

Li Nuanchun, feeling awkward, suggested, "Yanmei, don’t overthink this. Just take Baodan out to buy candy."

Chen Yanmei was fuming. She wanted to rip Tong Yao apart. Turning stiffly to Li Nuanchun, she said through gritted teeth, "Look at her, always gallivanting about, turning as dark as a mutt, yet her tongue is as sharp as a needle — no empathy whatsoever. Even a three-year-old kid isn’t spared. Such a cruel woman will never have her own children! If she ever does, she won’t be able to raise them. She’ll get her comeuppance!"

Li Nuanchun couldn’t take any more of Chen Yanmei’s distasteful remarks. She turned around and went back inside.

Even though her son had betrayed her, Chen Yanmei was too fond of Baodan to scold him. As she carried Baodan down the stairs, she began indoctrinating him, explaining that she was his mother, and he should always side with her.

...

Back in her house, Tong Yao had a big gulp of cool water to soothe her throat. Even though she was only involved in a verbal spat, her throat had been exercised pretty extensively!

But then again, she was unexpected when Si Chen defended her that way. During her short stay here, she’d already noticed that most of the men would run for cover when their wives got into arguments, only stepping in once the dust had settled. Yet, Si Chen not only sided with her but also dared to challenge the deputy director’s wife! What if word got to Yu Shiya? Tong Yao feared there could be another drama in the making.

Tong Yao blinked, only to catch Si Chen’s odd gaze boring into her. Tong Yao’s heart leapt, and she asked casually, "What are you looking at?"

Si Chen raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is your school canteen open-air?"

"Huh?" Tong Yao looked bewildered, not catching on to why Si Chen was asking this.

Si Chen said bluntly, "You’ve gotten considerably tan recently." He noticed the change just two days after she started work, but since she had been busy, there wasn’t a chance for him to bring it up before.

Tong Yao: "..."

She’d indeed been tanning rapidly due to spending so much time outdoors recently. She noticed it herself, but the allure of money was just too tempting to resist!

So what if she got a bit tanned? She’d prioritize earning money first!

"Well, I like to hang out outside when I’m not working at school. So the harsh sun got me a bit tanned quickly," she said, removing her small cloth bag from her back and placing it in the drawer. "And don’t try to dissuade me from working. I really like this job. It’s even better than counting money in a bank."

A couple of days ago, she carried her money in a metal box, but it was inconvenient to lug around. With Li Nuanchun’s help, she got a small cloth bag, which was much easier to handle.