Huang Wanzhen patted her shoulder and soothed her, "Stay here and don't go over there."

After she finished speaking, Huang Wanzhen sidled around Xiuqing and returned to the table where the madam and Zhan Yongwen were sitting. "Mom," she called the madam, imitating Zhan Yongwen's manner. However, her evasive eyes still revealed a hint of her discomfort. "You saw it too. Xiuqing kowtowed to me just now. She is still willing to acknowledge me as her former master. Please do me a favor, Mom."

Huang Wanzhen followed Zhan Yongwen's example, took out three dollars and put them on the table.

Just as she was about to continue speaking, she was interrupted by the madam's disgusted gesture, "Oh, oh, oh! I love money, but I can't accept this money." Facing Huang Wanzhen's three dollars, the madam seemed noble. She drooped her triangular eyes, pouted her lips, and pushed the three dollars away with disdain.

"Mom misunderstood Mr. Huang. She saw that I treated you to two meals and wanted to treat you to one too. It has absolutely nothing to do with your daughter Xiu'er." Zhan Yongwen smiled and took a sip of tea. He looked so relaxed, as if he was in his own backyard.

"Yes, yes, Editor Zhan is right. I wanted to treat Mom to a meal." Huang Wanzhen quickly explained, "It's my fault for being clumsy. Mom misunderstood."

At this moment, Huang Wanzhen suddenly felt that there was nothing wrong with marrying into the Zheng family. It was something she had asked for, and it was the best arrangement for her to improve her social status.

She shouldn't have gone against Zheng Liushi, and she shouldn't have rejected Zhu Tingzhou's invitation. Now that she thinks about it, not everyone can go to the Six Nations Hotel, so why should she feel awkward?

Yes, Zhu Tingzhou had harmed the original owner, but the two of them have switched places now. He is in the open, and she is in the dark. God has given her such a good opportunity, why is she still being so pretentious? It's really meaningless. If you want to live like a human being in this chaotic world, before you have the strength, you must first have self-knowledge.

"Mr. Huang? What do you think of this price?" Zhan Yongwen asked when he saw that Huang Wanzhen had not responded for a long time.

Although Huang Wanzhen had something on her mind, she did not miss the opportunity for Zhan Yongwen to help her bargain.

Just now, the brothel owner asked for a huge price, saying that if she wanted to take her precious daughter away, she would pay at least the price of a palm. Zhan Yongwen helped her to get the price down to three fingers.

But the problem was that she didn't understand. This slap should be a number starting with five. Of course, she hoped it was fifty dollars, but why did it feel a little wrong?!

She smiled awkwardly and made an excuse, "Sorry, I was distracted just now." After a pause, she quickly walked over to sit next to Zhan Yongwen, "Editor Zhan, please help me. You know my whole family depends on my royalties, and I don't have much cash on hand. If you are willing to lend it to me, you can use your future royalties to offset it."

Zhan Yongwen, who had been smiling since he entered the "Fragrant Tea House", was shocked by Huang Wanzhen's words.

"Um, sir, you are not joking, right?" Zhan Yongwen leaned over and asked softly.

Huang Wanzhen secretly pulled his clothes under the table and waved her hand slightly.

Zhan Yongwen was stunned for a few seconds, then turned to the madam and said, "Mom, you see, we're old acquaintances. For my sake, please give me a discount. Three hundred yuan might not mean much to others, but Ms. Huang is a woman, and if she buys your daughter back, she won't be able to enjoy herself. Just give me a fair price, so you don't lose money and she doesn't gain anything, that's all."

The madam glanced at him sideways, "Oh! Master Zhan, my whole heart is on you, and yet you're helping outsiders."

A smile returned to Zhan Yongwen's face, and he chuckled, "Mom, you know, I work at a newspaper. It was published in the newspaper. Buying people is very cheap now. In Shanghai, you can buy a little girl for 50 cents. Just think about it, how much can you buy with 200 yuan? One daughter, in exchange for hundreds of daughters, you won't lose out."

The madam glanced at Zhan Yongwen tenderly, "That's not how it works. You said that, that's Shanghai. Things aren't that cheap in Beijing. Besides, I always paid a little extra for this girl. She's been raising me, so I can't treat her unfairly."

Huang Wanzhen felt that two hundred yuan was a lot. She couldn't help but show her dissatisfaction. "Two hundred yuan? It's really killing me. My family has high expenses and low income. Where can I get so much money?"

"Didn't you just say you wanted to borrow from Mr. Zhan? You don't have it, but he does. You can just pay it back slowly in the future. Madam, let me tell you, two hundred is really not a lot. But since you were brought here by Mr. Zhan, I agreed. If it were anyone else, I would have asked him for five hundred." The madam spoke quickly, not giving Huang Wanzhen a chance to regret.

In the deserted Bada Hutong, two women and a man walked silently. Huang Wanzhen walked faster and faster. Zhan Yongwen looked at her expression and didn't dare to speak rashly. But thinking of the check he had just signed, he still said, "Mr. Huang, you can't go back on your word. I don't want the six dollars I paid for doing this for you, but you have to pay back the two hundred dollars."

Zhan Yongwen looked aggrieved. If he had known this would happen, he would not have helped with this trip. It was really a waste of both money and money.

"Ah? Pay it back! Of course I will! How much do I get for my royalties this month? I guess it should be over a hundred, right?" Huang Wanzhen slowed down her pace and spoke loudly.

"I've got it, I've got it. A little over a hundred yuan," Zhan Yongwen said, his face filled with relief. "Then, as you said at the Aroma Tea Room, I'll pay you back with your royalties."

Huang Wanzhen nodded seriously, "Yes, you can take all this month's."

Seeing that Huang Wanzhen really intended to pay it back, Zhan Yongwen felt a little embarrassed for his previous 'petty intentions'. "There's no need to be so anxious. Don't you still have a family to support? We can split it in half. You pay me fifty dollars and I can pay it back in four months."

Huang Wanzhen nodded in agreement. "Well, this month's royalties are fifty-six yuan. For the next three months, I'll pay you fifty yuan a month."

Zhan Yongwen waved his hands awkwardly, "No, no, consider that six dollars a treat. I've known you for so long, and it's inconsiderate of me not to invite you out for some fun."

Huang Wanzhen smiled. "Hey! Editor Zhan, you're so polite. How can this be considered inconsiderate? It's obviously because I'm a woman that it's inconvenient for you to take me out. I should be thanking you for being considerate."

"I must pay you back the six dollars. I'll reward you handsomely later. Otherwise, I won't be able to ask you for help next time."

"Ah! Mr. Huang is a very eloquent man. I, Zhan, am humbled. Since you insist, I will obey you." Zhan Yongwen bowed with a smile on his face. Just then, an empty rickshaw came by and he stopped it. "Please come in, Mr. Huang."

As he said this, he threw fifty cents to the driver and said, "Take the gentleman to where he wants to go."