"How can you go looking like that?"

Zhang Yunlei hesitated for a few seconds. "Aunt, how about you go for me?"

Zhang Qian looked at him holding his lower back and nodded helplessly.

"Alright, let’s go home first. I’ll take you back, then I’ll go."

After Zhang Qian went to the hotel Zhang Yunlei had mentioned and explained the situation...

"He just started and he’s already asking for time off? And for this long? Who’s going to do his work, then?"

Zhang Qian explained, "He sprained his back and really can’t work. You can just deduct his pay for the days he’s taking off."

"What are you even thinking? Of course I’m not going to pay him if he’s taking time off. Besides, he’s only worked for a few days—he hasn’t even passed his probation period. What pay are you talking about? You go back and tell him not to bother coming in anymore. I can’t afford to employ him. A big young guy like that, and that’s all the strength he has? Just a waste of my time."

Zhang Qian’s expression soured. "You were the ones who hired him. He got injured on the job, and it’s generous of us not to hold you responsible. He worked for a few days, and I expect you to pay him his wages. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you end up in the papers. The state is cracking down on cases like this right now."

The man looked at Zhang Qian, saw that she didn’t seem like an ordinary person, and hesitated. In the end, he paid Zhang Yunlei’s wages, which only amounted to a few yuan.

Zhang Qian returned, explained the situation to Zhang Yunlei, and handed him the money. Zhang Yunlei was silent for a moment but didn’t say anything.

Zhang Qian advised him, "That job probably wasn’t a good fit for you. You should try to find something easier."

Zhang Yunlei gave a bitter smile. "Aunt, I want to, but the easier jobs won’t take me."

Zhang Qian looked at him. "You should have expected this. After all, you had trouble finding a job back in the provincial capital. How many people are in Beijing City? How many people are fighting for a single position? Besides, good jobs require education. You didn’t even graduate from high school. Is it any surprise they don’t want you?"

Zhang Yunlei turned his head away and muttered, "Why are you guys always putting me down?"

Zhang Qian sighed. "The truth hurts, but other people are going to put you down when you go out there, too. Life isn’t easy for anyone."

Zhang Yunlei asked Zhang Qian, "Aunt, what does your brother-in-law do? I see him leaving early and coming back late every day, and he seems really happy with his work. What’s his education level?"

Zhang Qian froze for a second, then said, "He’s different. He works at his brother-in-law’s supermarket."

Zhang Yunlei’s eyes lit up. "A supermarket? I’ve heard of those. It’s like a department store, right? Is his brother-in-law that rich?"

Then he paused for a moment before continuing, "His brother-in-law? Then isn’t his sister your sister-in-law?"

"I’m your nephew. If you look at it that way, we’re all family."

Zhang Qian watched him ramble on, her expression shifting from helpless frustration to cold indifference.

Zhang Yunlei muttered to himself for a while. When he saw that Zhang Qian wasn’t responding, he looked over at her, only to find her staring at him with the eyes of a stranger.

"Wh—what’s wrong, Aunt?"

Zhang Qian stood up. "Just focus on getting better. I’m going to step out." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Zhang Yunlei watched Zhang Qian leave and close the door. He bit his lip and clenched his fists.

But then he remembered what he had just figured out, and a surge of excitement washed over him.

At dinner, Zhang Yunlei unexpectedly put some food on Zhang Qian’s and Xue Xingzhou’s plates. "Aunt, Uncle, I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused."

Xue Xingzhou had already heard from Zhang Qian about Zhang Yunlei getting injured at work and being fired. "It’s no trouble. Since you’re injured, just focus on resting up. You can find a job later."

His words were similar to what Zhang Qian had said, but she just ate her own food, not even sparing him a glance.

Zhang Yunlei glanced at her, a little disappointed. He then looked at Xue Xingjun across the table, who seemed completely oblivious to their conversation, just shoveling rice into his mouth. Zhang Yunlei lowered his head. Suddenly, the food in his bowl seemed to have lost all its flavor, like chewing on wax.

That evening, Xue Xingjun had just taken a shower and was about to sleep. He had just taken off his clothes and laid down when he suddenly heard a knock on his door.

At this hour, Xue Xingjun assumed it was his brother, so he didn’t get up and just called out, "The door’s unlocked."

The door opened, and to his surprise, it was Zhang Yunlei who came in.

"Holy shit..."

Xue Xingjun quickly pulled the blanket up to cover himself and shot up into a sitting position. He pointed a finger at Zhang Yunlei.

"Wh-what are you doing in here?"

Seeing his defensive posture, Zhang Yunlei almost laughed, but then he remembered why he had come. He quickly said, "Sorry, I just couldn’t sleep, so I came over to chat with you."

Hearing this, Xue Xingjun felt even more creeped out. "Listen, man, what does you not being able to sleep have to do with me? I can sleep just fine! Besides, we don’t even know each other that well."

Zhang Yunlei looked at Xue Xingjun, seeming to want to say something but holding back.

In Xue Xingjun’s eyes, this hesitant look meant he had ulterior motives.

He clutched the blanket and scooted back a bit, looking at him in disbelief. "You’re not... after something from me, are you? Let me tell you, I don’t have any money. Get out."

Seeing that Xue Xingjun had gotten the wrong idea, Zhang Yunlei wanted to explain and took a step forward. Xue Xingjun immediately raised his voice.

"Don’t come any closer, or I’ll scream for help!"

"No, I’m not..."

"Big Bro, help—"

Seeing him shout, Zhang Yunlei panicked and rushed forward to cover his mouth.

"Don’t scream, you’ve misunderstood—"

"What’s going on?" Xue Xingzhou appeared at the door, his brow tightly furrowed as he looked at them.

The second Zhang Yunlei saw Xue Xingzhou, he instantly jumped back two steps. "Hiss..." His back hurt even more.

Xue Xingjun clutched his blanket and looked at Xue Xingzhou pitifully, his voice tinged with a sob. "Big Bro, you’re finally here! He has improper designs on me, and he was about to get violent! You saw it all."

Hearing this, Xue Xingzhou’s frown deepened.

Zhang Yunlei quickly shook his head and explained, "Uncle, it’s not like that! He must have misunderstood. I just couldn’t sleep, so I came to chat with him. We’re the same age, after all, so we have things in common. I only covered his mouth because he was yelling. I didn’t mean any harm."

Xue Xingzhou narrowed his eyes and stared at Zhang Yunlei. Scared by his gaze, Zhang Yunlei broke out in a cold sweat, and his eyes began to shift nervously.

"Go back to your room. If you can’t sleep, just lie down."

Zhang Yunlei nodded and said okay, rushing to get out and escape the awkward situation.

After Zhang Yunlei left, Xue Xingzhou walked in and met the irrepressible laughter in Xue Xingjun’s eyes.

"Was that fun? Didn’t I tell you two to get along?"

Xue Xingjun burst out laughing, but then he met his brother’s stern expression and quickly suppressed it.

"Big Bro, you can’t blame me for this. He’s the one who came looking for me, saying he wanted to chat. I don’t even know him well, so what is there to talk about? Besides, I’m a good judge of character. That kid is definitely up to no good. I have to be careful."

Xue Xingzhou said irritably, "Now that you’ve pulled a stunt like this, how are you two supposed to get along in the future? You’re putting your sister-in-law in a difficult position."