Chapter 2: Kill That Gold-Digging Scammer (2)
“Wuwu, what are you doing squatting there? Time to eat.”
Chen Yinhua walked out wearing an apron, calling for Shen Wu while wiping her hands on her apron.
“Coming.” Shen Wu stood up, casually dusted off his pants, and headed inside.
There were a few chickens enclosed in a bamboo fence in the corner of the yard. Even though Chen Yinhua cleaned every day, the weather was getting warmer, and there was still a foul smell of chicken droppings.
Shen Wu wrinkled his nose, held his breath, and walked quickly into the main hall.
His father, Shen Laosan, was sitting on an Eight Immortals chair in the hall, smoking dry tobacco.
Chen Yinhua entered the kitchen and brought out steamed corn buns. She shot a glance at Shen Laosan and couldn’t help but grumble, “Smoke, smoke, smoke. You start first thing in the morning. Sooner or later, you’re going to smoke yourself into oblivion.”
She placed the coarse basin containing the buns on the table. When she turned to Shen Wu, her expression softened significantly. “Wuwu, hurry and eat.”
It was a square wooden table, with Shen Wu and Chen Yinhua sitting on opposite sides.
Shen Laosan took two more deep puffs of smoke before tapping the pipe bowl against the ground. He casually set the pipe on a nearby long bench and slowly rose to join them at the table.
Breakfast consisted of congee served with corn buns and a small dish of Chen Yinhua’s homemade pickles.
Shen Hangwu lived in a remote mountain village in A-City. Road access had only been established a few years ago. It took over forty minutes to get from the village to the town by bus; the place was quite underdeveloped.
Shen Hangwu had a bit of cleverness, but not much. He was ambitious but somewhat lazy and averse to work.
He had gone to Jing City to seek help from a fellow villager, Lu Zhou, and had been dazzled by the city’s prosperity.
But he had no degree and no skills. Aside from a beautiful face, he had nothing.
In order to live a good life, he eventually turned to underhanded methods and set his sights on Xie Cishu. He used various ways to secretly seduce him, and in the end, he actually succeeded.
However, he didn’t like men, nor did he like Xie Cishu.
He only stayed with Xie Cishu for his money.
After scamming Xie Cishu out of all his wealth, Shen Hangwu planned to elope with his lover. Little did he know that Xie Cishu had seen through him long ago.
Not only did he fail to escape, but he was also killed by Xie Cishu.
Of course, the ending Shen Wu had given Xie Cishu was also death.
…
“Wuwu, I was chatting with your Auntie Chunling the other day. Her son, Zhou Geng, joined a large company in Jing City after graduating. Since you’re just idling at home, I asked her to have Zhou Geng help you find a job in the city. You can work until the New Year before coming back, alright?”
Chen Yinhua finished and took a sip of her congee. “You can’t make money farming this tiny plot of land. You’re getting older; in the blink of an eye, it’ll be time for you to start a family…”
Shen Wu let out a sigh in his heart. Here it comes.
The beginning of the book was indeed Shen Hangwu seeking out Zhou Geng.
“I know. Then tell Auntie Chunling to have Brother Geng find me any random job. I’ll go once it’s settled.”
Shen Laosan let out a few coughs, his voice raspy from the smoke. “Earn some money for a year or two and come back to start a family. Your mother and I need something to look forward to.”
Chen Yinhua gave Shen Laosan a glare, then turned to Shen Wu with a smile. “Alright, then I’ll go talk to Auntie Chunling later.”
After breakfast, Chen Yinhua nimbly cleaned the kitchen and headed over to Auntie Chunling’s house.
She returned over an hour later, looking overjoyed.
Seeing Shen Wu sitting under the locust tree, she spoke with a smile. “Wuwu, Auntie Chunling agreed. She’ll talk to Zhou Geng later. Once word comes back from him, you can head out.”
Shen Wu nodded.
He knew that it would only take two days for Zhou Geng to find him a job.
It was a sales position at a small company near his own.
Shen Hangwu had only worked for half a month before quitting because it was too tiring. Eventually, he ended up as a waiter in a bar.
It was there that he happened to encounter Xie Cishu.
Seeing Xie Cishu’s aura of wealth and nobility, Shen Hangwu’s greed was piqued.
From then on, he began his calculated seduction, eventually succeeding in climbing the social ladder.
…
Life in the village was as slow as an old ox pulling a cart. The sun climbed past the zenith and slowly sank toward the west.
Over the past two days, Shen Wu had been living quite comfortably—though it would have been better if those chickens hadn’t crowed so punctually, making it impossible to sleep in.
When Chen Yinhua returned at noon, she was clutching a crinkled plastic bag filled with colorful fruit candies.
She placed the candies on the table. “Wuwu, have some candy.”
Shen Wu: …
Even though they were cheap fruit candies, he actually did quite like candy.
Likely because back in the orphanage, he could only have a couple of cheap fruit candies during the New Year. They had become an obsession in his heart.
After growing up, he became very fond of sweets, enjoying all kinds.
Shen Wu picked out an orange-flavored candy, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth. The sugary sweetness instantly spread across his tongue.
Shen Wu couldn’t help but squint his eyes.
Chen Yinhua sat on a nearby stool. “Auntie Chunling told me that Zhou Geng has found a job for you. He wants you to set off tomorrow. Take the bus to the town first; he’ll be waiting at the Jing City station to pick you up.”
With that, she fished a slip of paper from her clothes. “This has Zhou Geng’s number on it. Save it and give him a call when you arrive.”
Shen Wu took the paper, glanced at it, and then nodded. “Understood.”
He had an old-style “candy bar” phone, but aside from making calls and sending messages, it didn’t have any other functions.
“Wuwu, once you’re in Jing City, you must listen to Zhou Geng. Work hard and don’t be lazy like you are here in the village. The big city isn’t like our mountain valley; keep your wits about you.”
Chen Yinhua offered these concerned instructions.
Shen Hangwu was her only son. Although the family was poor, she had pampered him since he was young, almost never letting him do any farm work.
His fair, delicate skin was even whiter and smoother than that of the village girls.
If he changed his clothes, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a young master from a wealthy family.
This kind of care from family left Shen Wu feeling quite moved.
He had no family in the real world; he hadn’t expected that by transmigrating into his own novel, he would gain parents who loved him.
Truly, the world works in mysterious ways.
That night, after Chen Yinhua finished packing Shen Wu’s luggage, she stuffed four hundred yuan—which she had saved for a long time—into his hand.
“When you’re away from home, you need money. Take it. Don’t mistreat yourself in the city. If you feel wronged, just call home. We won’t let you starve if you come back.”
Shen Wu held the money and said nothing.
This four hundred yuan was the entirety of Chen Yinhua’s savings.
A few years ago, Shen Laosan had fallen ill, which had not only drained all the family’s money but had also left them with a mountain of debt that was only paid off last year.
This few hundred yuan was what Chen Yinhua had managed to save from selling grain and livestock.
In the original plot, the original host had squandered it all within half a month of arriving in Jing City. Having run out of money, he had sought the job as a bar waiter because it was easy and provided food and lodging.
…
The next day,
Just as the sky began to brighten, Chen Yinhua had already finished cooking the congee and had fried two coarse-grain pancakes.
After breakfast, she and Shen Laosan walked Shen Wu to the village entrance to catch the bus.
After waiting for nearly half an hour, the bus finally arrived.
A few fellow villagers who were heading into town boarded first.
Chen Yinhua held Shen Wu’s hand, her voice full of worry as she offered her final instructions.
“I’ve boiled a few eggs for you and put them in your bag. Eat them if you get hungry. Keep your money safe, and remember to call home once you’re in the city to let us know you’re safe.”
“I will, Mom.” Shen Wu gave them a wave and boarded the bus.
———
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