Chapter 20: with translation of chapter title

20 The hot pot hasn't been eaten enough, but the gossip-eating is already full.

"Xue nian sister, you actually made me apologize?" Ning Hao's eyes showed an incredulous look.

Wang Xue nian only felt a headache.

Usually being coquettish and throwing little tantrums is fine, but now this is the person backed by the young master of the wealthy Xie Family; even if Ning Hao is in the right, they have to bow their heads!

Otherwise, not to mention Ning Hao, even she herself estimates she'll lose her job.

By then, what will she use to fund his overseas studies?

"Ning Hao! Hurry up and apologize to this miss, don't make me say it again."

Ning Hao clenched his fists, wore a grim face, and refused to apologize.

He didn't know Xie Jingting, but hearing Wang Xue nian call him "young master Xie", and seeing his branded custom clothing, he could tell his background was not small.

Normally he would have apologized, but these past few days he's been driven to collapse by debt collectors.

We're all human, so why are they born in the clouds while he can only be born in a swamp, struggling desperately!

Ning Hao closed his eyes, his expression repressed, evoking pity.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge from his heart, "Right......"

"Wait, apologizing isn't urgent." Tushan Jiu interrupted his apology, stepping out from behind Xie Jingting.

"The matter isn't cleared up yet, with so many people watching, if you apologize like this they'll say I'm using my power to bully; isn't the surveillance useful?"

Xie Jingting crossed his arms and nodded in agreement, "Right, listen to my sister-in-law, check the surveillance."

The onlookers weren't all without opinion; those who thought this made sense also spoke up, saying it'd be good for both sides to check the surveillance.

Seeing someone not being led by his nose, Ning Hao's expression shifted slightly.

However, thinking of the surveillance's position in the store, he immediately spoke up righteously: "Fine, let's look; does she still have a reason after hitting someone?"

Wang Xue nian glanced at Xie Jingting's face, hesitated a moment, then still went to the front desk to check the surveillance.

Such things never lack people who love to watch the excitement.

For a moment the front desk was surrounded, packed tight.

Even the cashier ladies were squeezed out.

Tushan Jiu's spot happened to face the surveillance.

The time was set to before Ning Hao was shoved over; as soon as the footage played, a clamor of sound came out.

Upon hearing the surveillance had audio, Ning Hao's face turned pale.

He hurriedly moved past Wang Xue nian to press pause: "Wait, no need for trouble, I'll apologize, it's just a sentence; don't let this small matter spoil everyone's dining mood. Brothers and sisters, go back to eat; it'll get cold soon and won't taste good."

Seeing him go to stop the surveillance, Xie Jingting stretched out his long arm and blocked him: "The hot pot is still on the fire; what's there to cool? I think you're feeling guilty."

The looks of the people around toward Ning Hao also changed.

"Xue nian sister!" Ning Hao anxiously called Wang Xue nian, desperately giving her a look.

Wang Xue nian's eyelid twitched; how could she not know what was going on? "The store installed audio surveillance equipment; it was during the days you took leave to go home and see your grandparents."

As her words fell, the surveillance revealed Ning Hao's deliberately lowered voice.

"Beautiful lady, if you say sorry to me now and transfer me two thousand bucks, I'll forgive you; otherwise I'll let you know the consequences of provoking me—you don't want to end up on tomorrow's hot search, do you?"

"Speak up, what's that look of yours?"

"What other look could it be? It's the look you give a moron."

"Damn, you're toasting but not drinking, then drinking the penalty, huh? Well I'll get you on the hot search, let netizens dig up your ancestors eighteen generations, each spitting a mouthful of saliva could drown you!"

"With your character, if those girlfriends of yours found out, don't you think they'd all break up with you?"

"What did you say?"

"Tsk, if they all dump you, how will you handle those high-interest loans you borrowed? Will they let you off?"

"You, you—how do you know all this? Tell me clearly!"

"Pa," "Duang," "Hualala."

"Don't touch me with your dirty hands; want me to apologize to you? You're not even worthy."

Just ten lines of dialogue, the reversal caught the gossip-eating crowd off guard.

Moreover, in that final segment of the footage, Ning Hao reaches to grab Tushan Jiu, but it's clear he glances toward the surveillance, then topples backward himself.

Tushan Jiu, who hadn't spoken much, turned her gaze to the stunned Wang Xue nian's face and lightly asked: "Manager Wang, do you want to put this knife on tab now?"

Wang Xue nian bit her lower lip hard, tears flickering in her eyes; after a moment she gritted her teeth and said: "I'll put it on tab!"

She hadn't been thinking of any prophecy; it's not hard to hear from the surveillance that this girl definitely knows something, so she wants to know the truth.

Tushan Jiu smiled faintly: "The deal is preliminarily reached; call the police, Manager Wang—he took your ID to borrow high-interest loans, the amount isn't small, now with interest compounding it must be huge; these days he took leave just to research how to flee."

Sweat beaded on Ning Hao's forehead: "You're full of shit, I didn't do it; Xue nian, don't believe her, she's just a charlatan!"

He struggled to pull Wang Xue nian: "Wang Xue nian, don't forget I got hit by a car saving you and lay in the hospital for three months!"

Tushan Jiu mercilessly exposed: "Standard procedure, the dumb bear saves the beauty, didn't act it out clearly, fake turned real."

"Hiss~" The crowd sucked in a breath of cold air.

The hot pot hasn't been eaten enough, but the gossip-eating is already full.

Ning Hao jumped with anger, pointing at Tushan Jiu's nose and shouting: "Defamation, I'll sue you for defamation!"

"Enough!" Wang Xue nian shouted.

"Ning Hao, I didn't expect you to be like this," she rose from the cashier desk, walked toward Ning Hao, and politely said to the one blocking him, Xie Jingting: "Young Master Xie, please make way."

Ning Hao stepped forward: "Xue nian sister~ I didn't, if you don't believe me, I'll go get your ID right now and accompany you to check!"

Wang Xue nian rolled up her sleeves, bent to take off her high heels, then stood up and hurled them at Ning Hao.

"You think I'm an idiot? Letting you go back so you can flee? I said you took leave claiming to visit your parents, then my friend said they seemed to see you at the mall, and I still didn't believe it!"

"Besides, you saved me? I could dodge that motorcycle myself; it was you rushing out and pulling me toward the motorcycle!"

At first I thought you were just desperate to save someone and got the direction wrong; now I see I was just too stupid—actually believed your nonsense so easily!

You lied to me saying your family was poor, yet you ranked first in studies, just suffering from lack of opportunity; I, your mother, even saved money to send you abroad for a good future, but you actually dared to use my ID to take out a high‑interest loan!

You probably don't know my cousin is a lawyer, you scumbag—I'll make you rot in jail!

With each sentence, Wang Xue nian's high heels came down hard on Ning Hao's body, making him groan in pain, yet he couldn't escape.

Because the people he just tricked with a few words are now blocking his escape route!