Chapter 17: Qin Huairu's New Scheme, Foolish Zhu’s Earnest Devotion

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The news that Chen Mo had become an official worker at the steel rolling mill and had become the factory director’s favorite spread through the courtyard like a bomb exploding.

Before, people looked at him with fear and respect.

Now, that respect was tinged with a hint of flattery and eagerness to please.

Especially among the several older men in the yard, each had different thoughts.

The eldest uncle, Yi Zhonghai, was completely dispirited.

Now, he avoided Chen Mo whenever he saw him, afraid that a single wrong word would be caught and used against him.

His once lofty moral status had become a mere formality.

The second uncle, Liu Haizhong, was both envious and jealous.

He had dreamed of becoming an official all his life, but after years of hard work, he was still only a level-seven steelworker.

Chen Mo, a mere twenty-year-old youngster, had quietly become a cadre with a proper salary, which made him feel deeply unfair.

The third uncle, Yan Bugui, had the best attitude. He diligently swept the floor for Chen Mo every day and felt quite pleased about it.

In his eyes, this was an early investment — building a good relationship with a future big shot.

Look now, even Xu Damou had to kowtow and compensate to curry favor with Chen Mo. How farsighted he had been!

But the biggest change was in Qin Huairu.

She watched Chen Mo every day, dressed in clean clothes, riding a brand-new bicycle to work, picked up by a car after work, carrying all sorts of gifts she had never seen before, and her heart itched as if scratched by a cat’s claws.

Regret, unwillingness, jealousy — emotions intertwined.

She knew that her old tricks of playing the victim and taking small advantages no longer worked with Chen Mo. Now, Chen Mo stood at a height she had to look up to.

If she wanted to gain benefits from him again, she had to use new methods.

That night, Qin Huairu deliberately sent her three children to sleep at Jia Zhang’s house.

She dug out a floral blouse she had made when she first married. Though a bit old, it was still her best piece of clothing.

Facing the mirror, she carefully combed her hair and, breaking her usual habit, dabbed a bit of red lipstick on her lips.

The woman in the mirror, though with fine lines at the corners of her eyes, still had a slender figure and enchanting eyes, exuding a mature charm.

Qin Huairu took a deep breath, holding a bowl of freshly made hot noodle soup, and knocked on Chen Mo’s door.

“Knock knock knock.”

“Who is it?” came Chen Mo’s voice from inside.

“It’s me, Chen Mo. Sister Qin,” Qin Huairu tried to make her voice gentle and magnetic.

After a moment, the door opened.

Chen Mo was surprised to see Qin Huairu standing at the door.

This Qin Huairu was completely different from the usual dirt-faced, tearful widow. Carefully dressed, she looked quite attractive under the dim light.

“Qin Huairu, is there something you need?” Chen Mo’s tone was calm, without a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

“I... I saw you’ve been working hard these days, so... I made you some noodles,” Qin Huairu said, trying to hand over the bowl, unconsciously leaning slightly inside the door, her collar slightly open, revealing a patch of fair skin.

This was her trump card.

She was convinced there was no cat in this world that wouldn’t steal a bit of fish.

Chen Mo was a vigorous twenty-year-old youth—how could he resist such temptation?

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However, she was disappointed.

Chen Mo’s gaze lingered on her face for only a second before looking away, not once looking downward.

“Thank you for your kindness, Sister Qin, but I’ve already eaten.”

Chen Mo stood firmly at the doorway, showing no intention of letting her in.

“Besides, Qin Huairu, I remember I told you before: no work, no pay.

It’s not appropriate for you to be delivering noodles to me in the middle of the night. If anyone in the courtyard sees it, it won’t be good for your reputation.”

He spoke plainly, leaving no room for pretense.

Qin Huairu’s face instantly flushed red, as if slapped in public.

She hadn’t expected Chen Mo to be so unromantic or, rather, so disrespectful.

“I... I meant no harm, just... just wanted to thank you.”

Her eyes reddened again, and she instinctively played her most practiced card.

“Thank me? Thank me for what?”

Chen Mo smiled.

“Thank me for letting your son fart freely for three days? Or thank me for making your mother-in-law sweep the courtyard for a month?”

“You!” Qin Huairu was so stung she couldn’t respond, her hands shaking as she held the bowl.

“Qin Huairu, let’s be honest.”

Chen Mo’s smile faded; his voice grew cold.

“I know exactly what you’re scheming. Stop with that act — it won’t work on me.

When I was sick, do you know how the Jia family treated me? I remember it all.

Want me to help you? Fine. Return everything you took from me tenfold.

Can you do that?”

Qin Huairu’s face turned pale.

Tenfold? How much money would that be? Jia Zhang had long spent it; there was no more left.

“If you can’t, then don’t come in front of me and be an eyesore.”

Chen Mo said coldly,

“And stay away from me from now on. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to let you taste ‘calculating conscience disease’ or ‘venting needle.’”

With that, he slammed the door shut.

Qin Huairu stood frozen, holding the steaming bowl of noodles, her whole body chilled.

All her schemes and disguises were a joke in front of Chen Mo.

Humiliation, anger, fear—all transformed into burning resentment.

Chen Mo! Just wait! Don’t get smug! One day, I’ll make you kneel before me and beg!

As Qin Huairu walked away, lost and dazed, a figure suddenly darted out from the shadows and blocked her path.

It was Shazhu.

“Sister Qin, what’s wrong? Did that kid bully you?”

Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, Shazhu felt heartbroken and a surge of anger rushed to his head.

He had seen Qin Huairu dressed prettily leaving Chen Mo’s place earlier and felt like a spilled vinegar jar, sour to the core. Now seeing her crying, he was furious.

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“Hey, Yuzhu, get lost! None of your business!”

Qin Huairu was in an extremely bad mood and took out her anger on Shazhu.

“Sister Qin, don’t be like this.” Shazhu looked like a child who had done something wrong, helpless.

“What exactly did that kid do to you? Tell me, I’ll go settle it with him!”

“Settle it? What can you settle with him?” Qin Huairu looked at him and sneered,

“Can you beat him, or talk him down? Didn’t you remember last time how you knelt on the ground begging like a child?”

Shazhu’s face instantly flushed a deep liver color—that was his lifelong shame.

“I...”

“Yuzhu, I’ve seen through you. You’re just a good-for-nothing!”

Qin Huairu mercilessly struck him down,

“What else can you do besides throw punches? You can’t even handle Xu Damou, now you can’t even deal with Chen Mo! How could I ever count on you!”

Having said that, she pushed Shazhu away and ran crying back to her room.

Shazhu stood there alone, Qin Huairu’s words cutting into his heart like knives.

Good-for-nothing?

Sister Qin called me good-for-nothing?

He clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his flesh.

No! I can’t let Sister Qin look down on me!

Chen Mo, it’s all your fault! If not for you, Sister Qin wouldn’t treat me like this!

But he didn’t dare to truly cause trouble for Chen Mo. The memory of that needle last time still made his calves tremble.

He couldn’t beat him, nor win in words.

Shazhu stood in the courtyard for a long time, his mind in chaos.

Suddenly, a bright idea struck him.

If force doesn’t work, then try softness!

Chen Mo had become the factory doctor, now a government-paid employee. I’m the head chef in the canteen. I can bring him delicious food!

Yes! That’s it!

I’ll prepare special meals for him every day, serving all kinds of delicacies to spoil his taste buds.

When he can’t live without my food, I’ll slowly speak well of Sister Qin in front of him to change his opinion.

Then Sister Qin will have to think highly of me, right?

The more Shazhu thought about it, the more brilliant the idea seemed—pure genius!

He wiped away his previous gloom, a simple and honest smile spreading across his face.

Chen Mo, just wait and see how I’ll win you over!