C9 9
"Tell me the truth, what exactly did you do? Wang Qi, our family may be poor, but we've always had integrity. We've never had a history of breaking the law." Wang Zhong stared silently at the bank's notification, while Lee Fengxia was in tears. It was a classic case of silent men and weeping women. $23,000. Seeing that number left Wang Qi stunned. Just this morning, there had only been about $5,000 in the account. How had it grown by tens of thousands in just one day? And with bank processing delays in 2003, the actual amount was likely even more than what was shown. Wang Qi had underestimated the money-making potential of the Legend Private Server. "Dad, haven't I explained it to you? I really earned this money by working on a game." To ease his parents' concerns, Wang Qi had to repeat his worn-out explanation over and over. Even so, his parents, who had never touched a computer or understood gaming, remained skeptical. This led to the three of them heading to an internet café late at night, just before 10:00 p.m., to watch Wang Qi demonstrate. "That's my boy. Even if it's just playing, you do it better than anyone else." On the way home, Wang Zhong couldn't stop grinning, struggling to find the right words to praise his son. Over $20,000 in 2003 was enough to buy a spacious apartment downtown. "Opening a hot pot restaurant? Is that really a good idea? Your mom and I have no experience in this. We don't want to mess up another business." Back at home, Wang Qi shared his new plan, but his parents seemed hesitant. "Dad, you've mentioned how hard you and Mom work for so little. Now that we have the means, why not start our own business?" Seeing their hesitation, Wang Qi sat down with his parents and began explaining his vision. "I'm getting more confused. What do you mean by selling service, not just flavor?" Wang Zhong and Lee Fengxia found Wang Qi's forward-thinking ideas a bit challenging to grasp. Wang Qi anticipated this reaction, so he grabbed some paper and a pen to give them a quick lesson.
"Son, isn't paying over 2,000 a month too much? The diner downstairs only pays 900, and people line up for those jobs," Lee Fengxia called after Wang Qi, her concern evident. In 2003, when the average salary was around 1,000, a wage over 2,000 was comparable to what skilled factory workers earned. Over 2,000, that was the combined monthly income of Wang Qi's parents. "Mom, just trust me on this. Once things get going, you'll see." With that, Wang Qi headed back to his room to sleep, leaving his parents, Wang Zhong and Lee Fengxia, sitting in the living room, staring at each other. "What do you think, honey?" After a long silence, Lee Fengxia finally asked her husband. "Let's go with what our son says. He's got talent, and we might just benefit from it. As for anything else, well, I can't make over 200,000 myself." Wang Zhong shrugged and went back to their room. The next morning, standing in front of the ATM, Wang Qi's hands trembled with excitement. Over 300,000, his account had grown by tens of thousands overnight, far exceeding his expectations. In high spirits, Wang Qi bought snacks and breakfast on his way to school, but once he entered the classroom, his mood took a turn. "Not interested? What's going on today?" Seeing Qu Menghan's resolute expression, Wang Qi was baffled. They had parted on good terms yesterday, so what had changed overnight? "I already bought it, and now you're telling me you don't want it? You have to take it." Knowing Qu Menghan's personality, Wang Qi tried his usual tactic to force her to compromise, but this time she was determined, unfazed by his displeasure. "Hey, hey, hey, why are you crying? Okay, okay, if you don't want it, that's fine. Just don't cry." Seeing tears welling up in Qu Menghan's eyes after his attempt to pressure her, Wang Qi panicked and quickly reached out to wipe her tears. However, Qu Menghan was clearly resistant. She dodged Wang Qi's hand and hurried out of the classroom, leaving him standing there awkwardly. What's going on? Is it that time of the month?
Normally, after the morning study session, Wang Qi would catch up on some sleep. It was not that he did not study; he just had a good grasp of the material at this point. He was not worried about getting into a top college. But today, sleep eluded him as he pondered what had suddenly upset Qu Menghan. "Wang Qi, I want some milk, but not strawberry-flavored. I want banana-flavored," Zhang Wantine said, leaning over to talk to him during the break. Wang Qi did not feel like responding. "And I want a lollipop, a milk-flavored one," Zhang Wantine added when Wang Qi remained silent. "Go ahead and eat. Why are you telling me? Who is stopping you?" Wang Qi was already feeling irritable, and Zhang Wantine's constant nagging only made it worse. Wang Qi waved his hand impatiently and said, "I'm annoyed. Leave me alone." "Why are you acting like this?" Zhang Wantine was upset, her face turning red as she gave Wang Qi a shove, her eyes misty with frustration. "What do you mean, 'like this'? What is your problem?" Wang Qi shot Zhang Wantine an irritated look, full of impatience, and got up to leave the classroom. Wang Qi had intended to ask Qu Menghan what was going on, but as soon as class ended, Qu Menghan had disappeared. Usually, she stayed put in the classroom, so why was she acting so out of character today? "Wang Qi, did Qu Menghan tell you?" a classmate asked as he approached Wang Qi near the restroom. "Tell me what?" At the mention of Qu Menghan's name, Wang Qi stopped in his tracks, his tone involuntarily quickening. "She did not tell you? Did you not go out to eat with her yesterday? After you left, Zhang Wantine went over and gave Qu Menghan a piece of her mind, calling her all sorts of names. I even heard her mention your name," the classmate said. "Darn it," Wang Qi said, immediately clenching his fists. He finally understood why things had felt so off today. So it was Zhang Wantine stirring up trouble all along, and Wang Qi's anger flared in an instant. Zhang Wantine, with her overbearing personality, was as annoying as ever. Whatever she set her eyes on, she believed was hers, as if the world revolved around her.
Zhang Wantine’s overbearing personality was still as disgusting as ever. Whatever she set her sights on was hers, and in her mind, the whole world revolved around her. Too bad. This time, I’m not putting up with you!
