Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 338 - 338 335 Like a Weight Lifted Off

Chapter 338: Chapter 335: Like a Weight Lifted Off Chapter 338: Chapter 335: Like a Weight Lifted Off Qi Lihong wasn’t very keen on going out to have a private conversation with Liu Wenhui’s mother. She was introverted, self-deprecating, and timid, yet she wasn’t foolish.

She could already sense the other party’s hostility, so why would she agree to go out with her? Wouldn’t that just be like asking to be bullied?

She pursed her lips, stood up, and with her head lowered, whispered softly, “So-, sorry, I’m still on duty, I can’t leave.”

The store had two full-time sales clerks, but in the evenings, only one stayed on duty. The two part-time workers had gone to a dinner party, so at this moment, it was just Qi Lihong and one of the sales clerks, who was currently explaining computers to a couple of customers.

Thus, when Qi Lihong said she couldn’t leave, it wasn’t entirely a pretext, although the thought did cross her mind.

Liu Wenhui’s mother scrutinized her with a critical eye from top to bottom, and couldn’t come to appreciate her way of speaking, muffled and seemingly stingy.

Moreover, not even a word of ‘Auntie’ was uttered, which was so rude.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you, nor will I take up too much of your time. Let’s do this, you come out with me, just to the door, I’ll only say a few words to you and then I’ll leave.”

Qi Lihong understood that since Liu Wenhui’s mother had come looking for her, she wouldn’t leave without doing anything.

She turned her head to glance at Si Tian at the door, looked down, and thought for two seconds. In her mind flashed again Mu Jiawen’s words, “In the end, the only person you can rely on is yourself…”

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Qi Lihong lowered her head and walked out of her seat, following Liu’s mother outside.

“Qi Lihong, where are you going?”

The salesperson, Chen Huan, who was introducing computers to customers, hadn’t noticed Liu’s mother initially, and upon turning around, found Qi Lihong walking out. He sensed something amiss, recalling Jiang Yan’s prior instructions, cast a sharp glance at the middle-aged woman in front, and excused himself from the customers, hurrying over.

“What’s going on?”

He glanced at the middle-aged woman, then turned to ask Qi Lihong.

“It’s nothing. You go ahead, I’ll just say a few words to someone at the door.” She had to face it eventually, it didn’t matter anymore.

Chen Huan wasn’t reassured, “Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?”

“Nothing!”

Seeing her say so, Chen Huan had no choice but to watch helplessly as she went out the door with someone. Fortunately, they were just by the entrance, so if anything did happen, he could still respond.

Liu’s mother walked to an area outside the door where there were few pedestrians and stood still, and Si Tian immediately followed, clinging affectionately to her arm.

Liu’s mother turned her head and patted her hand, saying warmly, “Darling, wait for me in the car.”

Si Tian released her hand reluctantly, casting a malicious glance at Qi Lihong, and then slowly made her way to the parking spot.

“Since you’re pressed for time, I will get straight to the point, no beating around the bush. Even if you were to stick with my son throughout your entire college period, in the end, after graduation, it’s impossible for you to be together with him, because I won’t agree to it.”

Qi Lihong looked up at the dignified and fashionable Liu’s mother, but what flashed in her mind was not Liu Wenhui, but rather a weak figure protecting a little girl beneath him, enduring blow after blow from a cudgel. The shabby, cramped house, the pungent smell of smoke and alcohol, her non-verbal mother, her irritable and violent father…

With a family background like hers, it wasn’t just Liu Wenhui she wasn’t good enough for, but anyone at all.

“I understand what you mean. I will break up with Liu Wenhui.”

Having said these words, Qi Lihong felt a weight lift off her shoulders, and she turned to go back into the specialty store.

Liu’s mother, who had thought she would have to waste her efforts persuading her, was stunned to get the outcome she wanted in just a few words. She watched Qi Lihong’s departing figure blankly, momentarily unable to come back to her senses.

Wasn’t it said that this girl came from an extremely poor family, and that she could only afford university because of her son’s support? So why hadn’t she tried to bargain with her?

Liu’s mother had been all ready for when the girl would state her conditions, preparing herself to humiliate her. But why hadn’t things unfolded as she expected?

No matter; as long as she agreed to break up, that was good enough.

But Liu’s mother had second thoughts and followed her to the store, where she accosted Qi Lihong, who had just sat down, “You weren’t just putting me on just now, were you?”

People are really strange sometimes; when objectives aren’t met, they complain, yet when reached too easily, they are suspicious, always thinking the other person has some darker ulterior motive.

Qi Lihong looked up at Liu’s mother with a somewhat blank expression, then realizing what she meant, she said deliberately, “I’m not just putting you on, but you have to agree to a condition.”

Upon hearing the word “condition,” Liu’s mother breathed a sigh of relief. She thought as much, what kind of girl would be so reasonable without asking for some money?

“Don’t let Si Tian trouble me anymore. As long as she does, I’ll keep being with Liu Wenhui.”

Qi Lihong finished speaking and stared at Liu’s mother, her eyes unblinking.

Oddly enough, at that moment, she wasn’t the least bit afraid of her.

After hearing this so-called condition, Liu’s mother fell silent.

At 9:30 in the evening, after the dinner party, Liu Wenhui followed Jiang Yan to the specialty store.

Chen Huan was mopping the floor, planning to finish up and leave for the day.

“Chen Huan, where’s Qi Lihong?”

Liu Wenhui scanned the room and didn’t see her, so he turned his head and asked.

Chen Huan stood up straight, leaning on the mop, and looked at Liu Wenhui deeply before replying, “She went back to the dormitory.”

Back to the dormitory?

Liu Wenhui was stunned. They had agreed that she wouldn’t go back to the dorm tonight, he had even booked a hotel room, so why did she go back?

Since the beginning of the school term due to Si Tian, the little girl had clashed with him for a long time. It had just recently started to ease up, and he was planning to take her out for a day during the holiday, but now what was happening?

Did Si Tian come to trouble her again?

Liu Wenhui frowned and asked Chen Huan, “Did anyone come looking for her tonight?”

“Yes, the girl who troubled Xiaoqin before came with a middle-aged woman, insisting on talking to Xiaoqin. She looked pretty fierce.”

A middle-aged woman?

Liu Wenhui’s face changed, and he turned to walk outside. Once he reached a quieter area, he took out his phone and called his mother—

“Mom, are you in Beijing?”

“Liu Wenhui, I know what you are calling for. I just don’t understand. Si Tian has the looks, body, and background to match you perfectly, not to mention she likes you so much. What’s there to be dissatisfied with? How can you be so ungrateful?”

“Yes, yes, yes, she’s perfect, she’s like a fairy, okay? But I’m telling you, I just don’t like her. Even if you met with Qi Lihong today, even if I break up with Qi Lihong, I will immediately find someone else. If you aren’t tired of it, you can go ahead and find them one by one.”

After finishing, Liu Wenhui hung up the phone and irritably scratched his head.

He called Qi Lihong. As expected, her phone was turned off.

On the other end, after hanging up the phone, Liu’s mother was so angry she felt tightness in her chest.

Si Tian sat beside her, having heard Liu Wenhui’s phone call loud and clear, and now she was lowering her head, sadly wiping away tears.

Going from Beijing back to Kang City takes just over an hour. After locating Qi Lihong, she took Si Tian back with her, and now they were almost at the Si family villa.

Liu’s mother took a deep breath and let it out, feeling a bit better from the tightness in her chest, then patted Si Tian’s hand, consoling her, “Si Tian, you’re still young, there’s no rush with this. Give your brother Hu some time; one day he will see your worth.”

…