Chapter 273 is all fake.
Cheng Jiaqi's tears fell again.
"But he... how could he be so cruel? I used to think he was a good person, and even... I liked him. I thought he was genuinely good to me... but it turns out it was all a lie."
She choked up halfway through her sentence and couldn't continue.
"Silly girl, who is born knowing how to recognize people?"
Zhou Shufen gently patted Cheng Jiaqi's hand.
"You are kind-hearted and always see the good in others first, habitually believing in their goodness. This innocence is not wrong, but rather the most precious thing. But some people take advantage of this."
"Is he really good to you? No, he's just good at pretending. He hides his selfishness, scheming, and control under the guise of 'care' and 'consideration.' He's so good at it that even adults can be fooled, let alone a child like you who has just come of age. You're not stupid, you just trust people too much."
She paused, her gaze fixed on Cheng Jiaqi's lowered face.
"But now that you know the truth, it's not too late. It's never too late to see a person clearly; what's truly frightening is forcing yourself to continue enduring and deceiving yourself when you've already sensed something is wrong."
She gently squeezed Cheng Jiaqi's hand.
"Think about it, if you drag it out any longer, you'll get even closer to him, and you might even start to depend on him and trust him... If he suddenly turns on you or does something even worse, how much pain will you feel? How hard will it be for you to get over it? That would be a truly devastating blow."
“You still have college to finish, and your life has just begun. The road ahead is so long, how can you let someone full of scheming trip you up? You are still young, you shouldn’t waste your tears on this kind of person, and you shouldn’t let him affect your confidence in the world.”
Cheng Jiaqi sniffed, her eyes still red, but she slowly sat up straight, her back ramrod straight.
"Auntie, I understand. I really understand."
“From now on, I will no longer pay attention to him, nor will I think about those things that once troubled me. I should not let his words or glances shake me, nor should I doubt my own judgment.”
She raised her hand and carefully wiped away the remaining tear stains on her face with her sleeve.
"I'm waiting for my university admission letter to arrive so I can go to Guangzhou to attend university on time. I want to study my major well, find a decent job in the future, stand on my own two feet, and live a good life."
She turned to look at Zhou Shufen.
"I also want to repay you. Without you, I might still be deceiving myself and making excuses for him."
Zhou Shufen looked at her, and her heart finally calmed down.
"That's right. Remember, study hard, live earnestly, and live a bright and fulfilling life. That's the greatest reward you can give me."
"As for Zhou Hairong... you don't need to be afraid of him anymore. I've already had him transferred from his original post, and he won't be able to appear in the places you frequent in the short term."
She looked at Cheng Jiaqi's surprised expression and gently shook her head.
"Don't ask me how I did it. You just need to know that he has lost his chance to get close to you. From now on, it will be difficult for him to even see you, let alone harass or affect you. In time, he will naturally forget who you are and will stop bothering you."
Cheng Jiaqi was stunned.
She didn't ask any further questions and simply nodded.
the next day.
As soon as it was dawn, Cheng Jiaqi got up and packed her bags.
She folded her change of clothes neatly, checked her ID card and ticket, and after confirming that everything was correct, she slung them over her shoulder.
Zhou Shufen had been busy in the kitchen for quite some time.
She brought out a whole bag of steaming hot osmanthus cakes, along with a bag of fresh apples and oranges, and stuffed them all into Cheng Jiaqi's backpack.
"These are all your favorite foods. Eat something if you get hungry on the way. Don't try to save money, okay?"
She then quietly took a thick envelope from her apron pocket and quickly stuffed it into Cheng Jiaqi's coat pocket.
"Here's three hundred yuan, for emergencies. Don't refuse, I know what I'm doing and won't spend more."
Cheng Jiaqi noticed the weight in the pocket and was about to refuse when Zhou Shufen stopped her with a glance.
"Listen to me, take it. Your mother's health isn't good, so don't be too frugal over there. If you need anything, call me anytime, don't keep it to yourself."
"I understand, Auntie."
Cheng Jiaqi tightened the backpack straps.
"Thank you, thank you so much these days... thank you so much."
She stepped forward and hugged Zhou Shufen tightly.
"Don't overwork yourself. It's hot, so remember to drink plenty of water and eat on time."
She stepped back and gave him earnest instructions.
"I'll come back to see you when I have my vacation."
Zhou Shufen nodded with a smile.
"Go on, be careful on the road. When you get home, call me as soon as you get home to let me know you're safe, understand?"
"I heard you."
Cheng Jiaqi turned and walked towards the door.
Zhou Shufen escorted her all the way to the bus station at the village entrance.
She only slowly turned around after the bus started moving and turned the corner.
Just as I reached the entrance of the grocery store, I saw Kang Liangwen leading his men to carry new goods inside.
He looked up and saw her, then immediately smiled and went to greet her.
"You're back, Mr. Zhou?"
“I’ve checked out the warehouse. It’s next to the old grain station on the outskirts of the city. It’s a very large place, and there’s a lot of empty land around it. Most importantly, it has a small yard. You can unload goods in the front and store things in the back, which makes it very convenient to watch over and guard the goods.”
"Good choice."
Zhou Shufen nodded slightly.
She followed Kang Liangwen into the store, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
The shelves were neatly arranged, clearly categorized, and orderly.
"Recently, more and more people have been coming to buy goods, and business is booming. You need to be careful not to run out of stock."
She paused, then added.
"If Qingshan is short of anything, send it over quickly, so as not to delay sales."
Kang Liangwen nodded hurriedly in response.
"Don't worry, I wrote it all down in the notebook."
He pulled a small notebook out of his pocket, waved it, and continued speaking.
“Yesterday, Mr. Pan from Yangshi called and said that the last batch of soap and laundry detergent sold out in less than ten days. Customers were scrambling to buy it and he wanted to order another two hundred boxes.”
"I have already notified the factory to prepare the goods. The workers are working overtime overnight, and the truck can depart first thing tomorrow morning, on time."
After hearing this, Zhou Shufen's expression relaxed slightly. She walked behind the counter and sat down with a thud.
She took the hot tea that Kang Liangwen handed her and held it in her hands to warm it.
The store is well-organized, with a full range of goods, which makes people feel at ease.
Upon arriving at Yang Qingshan's shop, she went straight to the accounting table, opened the thick ledger, and flipped through the pages of sales and purchase details.
Suddenly, Hu Lifang's mean face and Zhou Haiwei's idle appearance flashed into my mind.
She stopped what she was doing and looked up at Yang Qingshan, who was checking the orders.
"Qingshan, have you heard what Zhou Haiwei has been up to lately?"
"And his ex-wife, Hu Lifang, has she returned to the village yet?"
Yang Qingshan was checking the quantity of goods when he heard this, and his pen suddenly stopped.
“Zhou Haiwei… I saw him at the crossroads a few days ago when I went to the county town to buy goods.”
"He squatted with a few idle men, smoking, a cigarette in his hand, speaking weakly and listlessly."
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