Wang Junhao shot back, red-faced. "Hmph! Your mom sells branded stuff too—what's there to be ashamed of? Having money doesn't make you some high-and-mighty saint. Don't forget where you come from. Think about your family."
Wang Yuyan looked helpless, shaking her head gently.
After a long sigh she spoke slowly, "Forget it, I can't talk to you. If you want me to lose my job, just let her keep making scenes at my workplace…"
At that moment her eyes were rimmed red, tears swirling but stubbornly refusing to fall.
Wang Junhao didn't seem to care how she felt.
Instead he asked harshly, "Are you embarrassed? Then bring more money home."
Hearing that, Wang Yuyan couldn't hold back any longer; she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.
Voice trembling, she retorted, "I send five thousand yuan home every month—isn't that enough? How much more do you want?"
Unruffled by her question, Wang Junhao replied, "Your mom says with your job you must be earning more than that."
The words struck Wang Yuyan like a hammer; she froze.
A long moment passed before she came to herself and asked, baffled, "So what exactly are you saying?"
"Your brother's graduated. We've talked it over as a family and decided to pool money to buy him a car—chip in."
Wang Yuyan answered at once, "Sorry, I really don't have any money."
That answer clearly irritated Wang Junhao.
The voice on the phone jumped an octave: "You make twenty thousand a month and you tell me you're broke? He's your brother—he carries half my blood. You're his elder sister; don't be so selfish."
Stung by the accusation, Wang Yuyan grew agitated.
"Have you forgotten I carry half your blood too? Since I was little, have any of you ever treated me fairly?"
"Don't lay this on me—blame your mom for walking out on you."
Those words burst the dam inside her; grievance flooded out.
"Aren't you my father? What have you ever given me? Two bedrooms—one for you, one for my brother. I slept on the living-room sofa until I got into college; only then did I have a bed of my own. You tell me not to forget 'home,' but did I ever have one?"
"So you're blaming me? The house only has two rooms—what could I do? Your brother's still young; as his big sister you're supposed to give way to him."
Wang Junhao's response stabbed straight into her heart; her defenses crumbled.
Wang Yuyan's voice, steady until then, suddenly rose as years of suppressed feeling found their outlet.
"Ever since I can remember you've brushed me off with that line. When I finally got into college you said there was no money and told me to work. I paid my own tuition with odd jobs and scraped together living expenses doing part-time work."
"But look at my brother—even if it's some third-rate college, you paid without hesitation and gave him three thousand a month. Still he comes asking me for more. Now the moment he graduates you want to buy him a car—doesn't your conscience hurt?"
When she started tallying things up, the other end fell silent.
Perhaps he knew he was in the wrong, or simply had no argument left.
At last Wang Junhao blustered, "Your… your mom was right—you're an ungrateful whelp. I raised you; that's already generous. What more do you want to complain about?"
Before he could finish, Wang Yuyan cut in: "From now on, don't call me. I won't answer, and I'm not coming home."
The moment the call ended she broke down, years of buried pain and fury pouring out.
Jiang Cheng finally understood why she had asked him to keep quiet.
Parents like that—if they found out their daughter had a rich boyfriend, what wouldn't they demand?
Seeing her so heartbroken and fragile,
Jiang Cheng's heart ached; he pulled her into a tight embrace.
What kind of life was this?
Never having her own bed as a kid?
Growing up sleeping on a sofa?
He pictured her small figure curled night after night on that cramped couch—a bleak image.
"So your Stepmother now lives in Luxury Hotel?"
Wang Yuyan gave a slight nod.
Her eyes were full of helpless pain, as if carrying endless sorrow.
"They know where I work. To keep them from making trouble I sent money every month, but they keep asking for more. To buy my brother a flat my Stepmother's been coming to the front desk, even cornering my colleagues to sell her products…"
Jiang Cheng gently wiped the tears from her eyes with his warm palm,
then took out his phone.
He remembered the first time he stayed at Luxury Hotel their CEO had personally brought him tea,
and even took out his phone to add Jiang Cheng on wechat.
Thanks to that introduction Jiang Cheng had also got Chen Xueer's license-plate number,
and whenever Jiang Cheng posted on moments the man was always among the first to like it.
Opening WeChat, Jiang Cheng found Wang Yang's contact.
He tapped open the chat window
and placed a voice call.
A short ring sounded and the call was picked up instantly.
Before Jiang Cheng could speak Wang Yang greeted him eagerly,
"Good afternoon, President Jiang."
Without small talk Jiang Cheng went straight to the point: "President Wang, I need a favor."
Among Jiang Cheng's many WeChat friends
Wang Yang paid special attention to his every move.
They also had a mutual friend—Wang Congcong,
so even if Wang Yang wasn't usually active online, through Wang Congcong's moments he knew Jiang Cheng could sit at the head of the table with the richest tycoons.
Now, seeing Jiang Cheng take the initiative to ask for help, Wang Yang showed no annoyance—only barely concealed excitement.
"Whatever I can do, President Jiang, just say it."
Jiang Cheng gave a concise account of Wang Yuyan's situation.