Chapter 219 - 219: Just an Employee
“Wen Yan found her mother’s actions somewhat embarrassing, but in the presence of the person she had a crush on, she decided to suppress her dissatisfaction with Wen Nian’s comment about her mother and remained silent, bowing her head.”
Li Ke pouted and said indignantly, “This isn’t your car. It’s not up to you to decide!”
When Shen Jun heard this, he interrupted, “She can make the decision.”
Li Ke’s mouth twisted into a perplexed expression as she shifted her attention, scanning the car’s surroundings.
Upon realizing that it was just an ordinary car made in Japan that is worth a few hundred thousand yuan, Li Ke’s eyes revealed a trace of disdain. Her restless mouth couldn’t resist asking, “Wen Nian, is this your boyfriend? The car seems rather ordinary. Young man, what do your parents do?”
Upon hearing this, Wen Yan couldn’t help but perk up her ears. Though she was one grade lower than Wen Nian, Shen Jun’s academic achievements and appearance ensured that he received plenty of attention. Moreover, Shen Jun rarely shared personal information, which only heightened his mysterious allure and attracted even more female admirers.
Shen Jun glanced at Li Ke through the rearview mirror and calmly replied, “They work for someone.”
Indeed, there was nothing wrong with saying his parents worked for someone. A business owner had to support the livelihood of his employees. Therefore, from another perspective, the boss works for the sake of his employees as well.
Li Ke raised an understanding eyebrow. She had guessed it right. How could someone with just a car worth a few hundred thousand yuan come from a well-off family?
However, as Li Ke looked at Shen Jun’s face, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of regret. He had good temperament and appearance, but unfortunately, his family background couldn’t match up. Otherwise, she would have made her daughter snatch him away by any means necessary.
Li Ke finally stopped. She asked Shen Jun to stop at the entrance of the underground street in the city center. Without even saying a word of thanks, she pulled her daughter out of the car.
Wen Yan released Li Ke’s grip on her hand, hurried to the side of the car, and smiled at Shen Jun, expressing her gratitude. “Shen Senior, thank you for giving us a ride into the city.”
Shen Jun glanced at Wen Yan, nodded in acknowledgment, and then merged into the lane, driving away.
As Wen Yan reminisced about the brief eye contact she had shared with Shen Jun, a smile played on her lips while she watched the car vanish in the distance.
Noticing Wen Yan’s dreamy expression, Li Ke flicked her daughter’s head and scolded, “You mischievous girl, you don’t happen to have a crush on him, do you?!”
Wen Yan’s daydream was abruptly interrupted, and she stomped her foot in frustration, glaring at Li Ke. “Do you realize how exceptional he is? He’s ranked first in our year, and he’s incredibly handsome too.”
Annoyed, Li Ke retorted, “All I know is that his parents work for a living! Good looks won’t guarantee a stable future. Even if he’s talented, he’s still a common worker!”
Refusing to accept her mother’s perspective, Wen Yan countered, “What if he becomes a successful entrepreneur and joins the ranks of the wealthy?”
Suppressing her irritation, Li Ke patiently imparted her wisdom to her daughter. “Starting a business is no easy feat. There’s an old saying: a man’s three greatest joys are career advancement, wealth, and marrying into a powerful family. Look at those accomplished entrepreneurs. How many of them have their original partners by their side? Don’t risk everything on mere possibilities. What if the business fails and he ends up burdened with insurmountable debt? Are you willing to take that gamble?”
Wen Yan fell silent when she heard this.
Li Ke pointed towards the nearby Baisheng Mall and posed a question, “Let me ask you, do you envision yourself shopping for luxury goods at Baisheng in the future, or do you want to continue purchasing clothes that cost dozens of yuan with me in the underground street?”
Wen Yan gazed at the striking contrast between the entrance gates on either side. On one side stood a towering building with pristine windows, displaying a wide array of international brands, while welcoming staff stood poised at the entrance. On the other side lay the dimly lit underground street, illuminated by energy-efficient incandescent lights, with the echoes of bargaining filling her ears.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Wen Yan replied, “Of course, 1 would choose Baisheng.”
Li Ke nodded approvingly, “That stubborn Wen Nian probably latched onto that boy solely for his good looks. But you shouldn’t be as naive as her. Mom won’t lead you astray. If you heed my advice, a prosperous and affluent future awaits you.”
Wen Yan nodded, yet she was unwilling to let her secret crush be snatched away by her cousin. When Li Ke found out, she revealed a mysterious smile. After obtaining Shen Jun’s name, she promptly made a phone call to Zhou Mei. “Zhou Mei, it’s Li Ke. Is Wen Nian in a relationship?”
Zhou Mei instinctively denied, “Don’t talk nonsense. Wen Nian is fully focused on her studies.”
Li Ke clicked her tongue and responded, “Come on, using studying as an excuse for a relationship, right? That boy seems to be named Shen Jun. They came back to the old house today and they were holding hands and being very affectionate with each other. 1 just hitched a ride into the city with them and I witnessed firsthand the affectionate gestures they exchanged along the way. I saw it with my own eyes.”
“While it’s true that our families have conflicts, Wen Nian is still underage. If she were to end up pregnant, we wouldn’t want it to tarnish Wen Yan’s reputation!”
Zhou Mei angrily retorted, “Enough with your baseless accusations, Li Ke! Stop spreading rumors and defaming others!”