The next morning, Li Fang's mother came to knock on Zhang Tianxing's door.
Zhang Tianxing woke up from his sleep, his eyes blurry. "Aunt Li, why are you here so early? Is something wrong?"
"Zhang Tianxing, I'm here to collect my daughter's wages. If you're smart, just give me the money."
Zhang Tianxing was stunned. Whatever he feared had come to pass. "Aunt Li, we haven't calculated the wages yet. We can discuss it when we settle accounts."
"You businessmen are full of tricks and lies. I can't trust you anymore. Give me Li Fang's wages, and I'll leave without another word."
Zhang Tianxing was defeated by Aunt Li. This shrew had no sense of martial ethics. No matter what Zhang Tianxing said, she only repeated, "It's only right and proper for me, as a mother, to collect my daughter's wages. No one can fault me. Collecting my daughter's wages is not asking for too much."
Zhang Tianxing curled his lips. What a waste. If this money went into Aunt Li's hands, that foolish girl Li Fang wouldn't get a cent.
Zhang Tianxing had no choice but to feign poverty. He didn't dare to say he had already given the money to Li Fang. Zhang Tianxing turned his pockets inside out.
"Aunt Li, look at my pockets. They're cleaner than my face. I really have no money right now. All the money was spent on that big freezer."
Aunt Li didn't even look. "Zhang Tianxing, I'm telling you, if you don't give me the money, I'll come to your shop tonight and cause trouble. Let's see if you can stay open."
Zhang Tianxing's head was spinning. He couldn't afford to offend this woman, but the money... forget it. He'd give her two hundred yuan to send her away.
He took out two hundred yuan from his room and handed it over unhappily. "Here, Aunt Li, two hundred yuan. This settles it. I've paid Li Fang's wages to you."
"That's not right, Zhang Tianxing. It's been almost two months, and you're only giving my daughter two hundred yuan? Are you a skinflint, Zhang?"
"Aunt Li, that's the standard wage for servers. Besides, we're friends. Would I cheat Li Fang?" Zhang Tianxing was defeated by Aunt Li. He really didn't know what to do with her.
"Aunt Li, let me tell you something. Let Li Fang go to university. Universities have scholarships, and the top national scholarship is a thousand yuan." This Aunt Li was greedy for money, so he had to give her a misleading idea. Li Fang going to university was like earning money for her.
Li Fang, I can only help you this much. As for how you'll deal with your parents in the future, I'm powerless.
I can't possibly beat up Aunt Li; she's your mother, after all.
After much persuasion, Aunt Li took the two hundred yuan and left, scolding Zhang Tianxing before she went.
"Tianxing, find a girlfriend when you have time. You've started this business yourself; you need someone to look after things for you."
Zhang Tianxing didn't dare to reply. He had witnessed Aunt Zhou's shrewishness before; she could curse from one end of the street to the other. She was a veritable queen of verbal battles in the neighborhood.
After Aunt Zhou left, Zhang Tianxing's sleepiness vanished. This was something he couldn't elaborate on.
From Aunt Li's words, it seemed she wanted Li Fang to get married soon so she could collect a bride price. A girl eventually had to get married. What was the use of going to university? It was just a money pit.
It was a pity about that two hundred yuan; it truly pained Zhang Tianxing. But he couldn't let this matter affect his business.
Soon, Li Fang came over, head bowed, and sobbed, "Zhang Tianxing, how could my mother do this? How much did you give her?"
Li Fang knew her mother's temperament well. If Zhang Tianxing hadn't given her money, she certainly wouldn't have left.
"Not much. I gave her two hundred. You should communicate with her properly when you have time." As he said it, Zhang Tianxing felt a little embarrassed.
It's easier to change mountains and rivers than it is to change someone's nature. Anyone with eyes could see that Aunt Li's temper wouldn't change.
Li Fang was very helpless. She even hated herself for being born into this family.
Seeing Li Fang's emotions weren't quite right, Zhang Tianxing quickly comforted her, "Li Fang, don't think too much about it. The two hundred yuan will be deducted from your salary. I won't say anything else."
Li Fang looked at Zhang Tianxing with teary eyes. "Zhang Tianxing, tell me, is there something I'm not doing well enough? Why does fate punish me like this? What have I done wrong?"
"You haven't done anything wrong. We can't choose our origins, nor can we choose the script of our lives." Before Zhang Tianxing finished speaking.
Li Fang let out a scream, "Then is there no way out for us? If so, I'd rather die."
The scream startled Zhang Tianxing. "But we can choose how we perform. We have to play each of our roles well. When we are dealt a bad hand, we shouldn't give up. What we need to do is play the cards in our hand well."
"I'm sorry, I lost my temper just now. What you said is really good."
"That wasn't me who said it; it was an expert. I just picked up some of the expert's wisdom."
Li Fang smiled. "Zhang Tianxing, although I know you were just comforting me, I'm very grateful."
"That's a small matter. You're an employee, and I'm the boss. I'm counting on you, this beautiful lady, to work hard for me."
Zhang Tianxing chuckled. Aunt Li was not easy to deal with. It was a pity for Li Fang's boyfriend. With such a formidable mother-in-law, Li Fang would probably become a doting sister to her brother next.
"How about this, Li Fang, when you have free time, write some articles about crayfish. You can publish them in the newspaper, and earning some author's fees would be excellent."
Li Fang nodded. She had lost confidence in herself. Her mother's unreasonable behavior chilled her to the bone.
"Everything you fear will eventually defeat you, and you will ultimately lose everything. But if you face it bravely, you will find the path beneath your own feet."
"That's very well said. Who is the great person who said that?"
"Zhang Tianxing, the owner of the globally renowned chain brand, the top-tier Zhang Ji Crayfish restaurant. The experiences that do not defeat you will ultimately make you stronger," Zhang Tianxing said with a smile.
Damn, I'm so tired. Comforting a girl is much harder than barbecuing. It seems I'm not good at this.
Especially neighbors like this; it's too difficult. I can only place my hopes on Li Fang herself. Zhang Tianxing can't do much more.
He sympathized with Li Fang's situation but couldn't solve her current predicament. Giving her money directly was out of the question.
As a classmate and a playmate, all Zhang Tianxing could do was help Li Fang earn enough tuition and living expenses before school started. He was powerless to do anything else.
When people are in distress, one can only help them for a while, not for a lifetime. Life still depends on oneself. Only one's own strength is true strength.