Chapter 581: All Son-in-Laws Are Repressed

Li Ye dropped Jin Jie and Zhen Zhen Rongrong off at school; the girls chattered all the way, debating whether Chen Chen Juming could outmaneuver Cao Cao Yuanmao.

This scene made Li Ye sigh: "Court drama really has broad popular appeal!"

Fu Fu Yiruo liking gossip was understandable, but even Wen Watching Wen Leyu, who rarely spoke, enjoyed the discussion—women's nature was truly powerful.

Not only did they argue among themselves, but on the way back to San Francisco, they asked Li Ye: "Bro, do you think Cao Cao Yuanmao would really hurt his own wife?"

Li Ye pondered for a moment, then said cautiously: "It depends on whether they have feelings. A marriage without love is unstable and unhappy.

The environment here in the Lighthouse is different from ours, but I believe truly extreme couples are extremely rare."

Fu Fu Yiruo nodded deeply: "You're right, Bro. Marriages without love often end in tragedy. Back home on the mainland, we don't value money more than life."

"."

Li Ye glanced at Fu Fu Yiruo twice, wondering if he should give her a warning lesson someday.

Does the Lighthouse value money more than life? Doesn't the mainland of the future do the same?

Why did the son-in-law faction decline? Wasn't it because a few individuals blocked the path for later arrivals?

Rise in rank, gain wealth, marry a wife—once the first two are achieved, isn't the last step just waiting?

That's why the father-in-law version later upgraded to 2.0.

Either your wife climbs to the top, or you both stay obscure, or you stay quiet—even if you're capable, they'll crush you.

But if they crush you, what's the point? You get lifelong food and shelter, yet your promotion path becomes worse than others'—is that still the son-in-law faction?

Mainland China's male brides are different from Japan's son-in-law adoption; the latter involves truly giving oneself up but is genuinely treated as a son. Mainland China's male brides—can you inherit their family property?

So most male brides worldwide are inwardly repressed,

and once repressed, evil stirs in their hearts!

Therefore, men must rely on themselves.

Like Li Ye—even Wen Watching Wen Leyu and Ke Sun Laoshi never looked down on him; instead, they feared he'd be lured away by someone else.

Li Ye, Wen Watching Wen Leyu, and Fu Fu Yiruo walked away chatting about gossip; Zhen Zhen Rongrong, however, climbed to her dormitory with a heavy heart.

She wasn't dissatisfied with today's outcome—she was guessing how Ruan Ruan Shujun would treat her now.

Zhen Zhen Rongrong opened the dorm door and noticed the several packages piled on the floor that morning had all been neatly arranged by Ruan Ruan Shujun.

Then she heard Ruan Ruan Shujun's voice: "Zhen Rongrong, you came back earlier than yesterday—did your classmate drop you off? I heard a car outside just now."

"Yeah, my classmate dropped me off."

Zhen Zhen Rongrong silently took off her shoes and sat on her bed, wondering how to bring up today's events to Ruan Ruan Shujun.

But Ruan Ruan Shujun spoke first: "Huh, Zhen Rongrong, didn't you bring me lunch today? Oh, never mind, I helped you tidy up and grabbed two pieces of Daoxiangcun pastries for a snack—I'm not hungry yet."

Zhen Zhen Rongrong suddenly felt a wave of irritation.

What do you mean "I'm not hungry yet"?

I just covered your shift at work—when did I become responsible for whether you're hungry or not?

【At least today, I'm free.】

As Zhen Zhen Rongrong reached for the check in her bag, she said: "Ruan Shujun, the boss at the restaurant, Cao Cao Yuanmao, told me to notify you—you won't be working there anymore. You've been absent too often."

"."

"What!!!"

Ruan Ruan Shujun froze, then screamed at a high pitch.

"Zhen Rongrong, what's going on? Didn't I ask you to cover for me? Why are they blaming me? Did you offend Boss Cao?"

"."

Zhen Zhen Rongrong slowly lifted her head and stared at Ruan Ruan Shujun's furious face.

This was the "best friend" she had cared for—this was the classmate she'd wasted study time helping, sweating for.

Is being a waitress really so comfortable? Is serving people really easy work?

Zhen Zhen Rongrong put the check back in her bag, opened her wallet, and counted out several U. S. dollars.

"If you want to know why you were fired, call the restaurant now. This is your seven days' unpaid wages—thirty-five hours at $2.50 per hour—$87.50 total."

"."

Ruan Ruan Shujun looked down at the few dollars Zhen Zhen Rongrong offered and whined: "Zhen Rongrong, this isn't right! Let's not even talk about what happened today—this pay is wrong!

The restaurant owes me two weeks' salary—$175 total. You can't—"

"Where do you get two weeks' pay?" Zhen Zhen Rongrong interrupted. "When I covered for you, the restaurant already owed you one week's salary and said you had to come in person to collect.

The second week was me working—do you think my labor should be handed over to you?"

Ruan Ruan Shujun stared at Zhen Zhen Rongrong, clamped her mouth shut, strained hard, and soon her eyes turned red, misty with tears.

"Zhen Rongrong, how can you treat me like this? You know I'm a self-funded student, you know I desperately need this money for tuition and medical bills—why are you being so petty?"

"And now you've ruined my job—how will I save up tuition without it? Waaah~"

Seeing Ruan Ruan Shujun's tears, Zhen Zhen Rongrong's heart softened slightly.

So she explained carefully: "Today, both me and Jin Jie were fired. Jin Jie asked Ah Sheng in the kitchen—it's because new undocumented workers are coming, two men replacing three women."

But before Zhen Zhen Rongrong finished, Ruan Ruan Shujun snapped: "But they could replace anyone except me! It's definitely you who offended Boss Cao! When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow—did you defy him?"

Zhen Zhen Rongrong stood up abruptly, stepped forward, and stood right before Ruan Ruan Shujun's face, staring her down: "I'm not under Cao's roof—why should I bow to him? If you think it's not your fault, call the restaurant right now."

Ruan Ruan Shujun was startled by Zhen Zhen Rongrong's sudden advance.

At Jingda, Zhen Zhen Rongrong had been class monitor over dozens of students—when she was fierce, she wasn't easy to bully.

"I'll call… I'll call… I don't believe she'd fire me… Waaah…"

Ruan Ruan Shujun sniffled over to the phone and dialed Cao's restaurant.

After connecting, the weeping Ruan Ruan Shujun instantly changed her tone—soft, sweet, pleading for Cao Cao Yuanmao.

But as she spoke, her eyes widened.

Cao Cao Yuanmao, wary of Lawyer Irina's lingering influence, no longer blamed Zhen Zhen Rongrong—but he confirmed the $2,000 outright.

So after hanging up, Ruan Ruan Shujun demanded money from Zhen Zhen Rongrong without shame.

"Zhen Zhen Rongrong, I never thought you'd be like this! Boss Cao paid me $2,000 in compensation, but you kept $1,900 and gave me only $87.50—how heartless can you be? Even capitalists aren't this exploitative—"

Zhen Zhen Rongrong's heart had no trace of pity left.

She coldly stared at Ruan Ruan Shujun: "Why do you assume the $2,000 was meant for you? When has a Chinatown restaurant ever compensated undocumented workers that much?"

Ruan Ruan Shujun stood her ground: "But Boss Cao gave you a $2,000 check, didn't he? Why else would he give you that?"

Zhen Zhen Rongrong said calmly: "Boss Cao didn't give me $2,000—he gave it to the lawyer. If you're capable, hire your own lawyer to demand compensation from Cao Cao Yuanmao."

"."

Ruan Ruan Shujun froze for two seconds, then erupted like a madwoman, screaming at Zhen Zhen Rongrong.

"I don't care! You destroyed my job! Boss Cao gave me $2,000—you must give me every cent, or I'll tell everyone you, Zhen Zhen Rongrong, stole money from your own countrymen!"

"Slap~"

Zhen Zhen Rongrong slapped Ruan Ruan Shujun across the face, nearly knocking her out.

"You say I stole your money? Fine—let's go find Liu Liu Dongsheng. We'll call every international student here and let them judge who's right and who's wrong."

Zhen Zhen Rongrong's heart was ice-cold; her words carried no emotion.

Liu Liu Dongsheng was the backbone of their international student group—and he'd once pursued Ruan Ruan Shujun. If this blew up, Ruan Ruan Shujun's already fragile reputation would collapse completely.

"You hit me—you actually hit me! Fine, I'm calling the police right now—"

Zhen Zhen Rongrong grabbed Ruan Ruan Shujun's hair and snapped: "Go ahead! I won't admit to anything—see if the patrol officers will waste their time here."

Ruan Ruan Shujun cried.

A Chinese restaurant got robbed, and the police barely cared—two mainland girls fighting at midnight? Would they bother?

"."

That night, Ruan Ruan Shujun sobbed endlessly, keeping Zhen Zhen Rongrong awake—but her heart didn't soften one bit.