Chapter 77 Stand Up Straight
She rubbed her temples, picked up her now-cold coffee, took a sip, and the bitter taste made her a little more awake.
At this moment, Xu Xiaoting came over and said to her, "Zhiwei, there's a woman downstairs looking for you."
While flipping through the materials in her hand, Song Zhiwei didn't look up and casually asked, "Who is it? Did they give their name?"
Xu Xiaoting shook her head and said in a flat tone, "They didn't say their name, but that person's clothes and appearance were quite sophisticated."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhiwei's heart stirred slightly, and a figure immediately appeared in her mind.
"I haven't finished what I'm doing, so I won't go down. Could you please tell her for me?"
Xu Xiaoting responded with an "Oh".
She didn't ask any further questions, nor did she say anything more.
After all, this is someone else's business.
Knowing too much can easily lead to trouble, and may even backfire.
After carefully checking the last document and confirming that it was correct, Song Zhiwei gently clicked the mouse and officially submitted the document to Qin Yi.
She let out a long sigh, slowly stood up from her office chair, and reached out to massage her stiff shoulders and neck.
She walked to the window and looked outside.
It was already completely dark when the city's neon lights came on one after another, illuminating the skyscrapers.
Outside the window, all was quiet, with only the faint sounds of cars passing by in the distance.
I glanced down at my watch; it was already nine o'clock.
She looked away, turned around and walked back to the table, picking up her commuter bag and phone from the corner.
She walked out of the office and took the elevator down to the underground parking garage.
The car was bought by Zhou Yuze. It was an understated but expensive SUV, a fully imported vehicle.
Following his instructions, the 4S store delivered the car directly to her doorstep and even took care of the car pick-up procedures for her.
She neither declined nor refused on the spot.
It wasn't because she was grateful, but because she understood.
Even if she returned the car, the Zhou family would never drive it.
When the elevator arrived at the lobby on the first floor, the metal doors slid open slowly to both sides, making a soft "ding" sound.
The moment the door opened completely, her gaze fell on the sofa in the center of the hall.
There sat a woman, wearing a well-tailored beige trench coat, her hair neatly pulled back, and she was flipping through a fashion magazine.
Song Zhiwei's face immediately darkened, her eyes turned cold, and she involuntarily paused in her steps.
Almost instinctively, she wanted to turn around and leave, taking the fire escape route next to her.
But just as she turned to step back, a tall figure quickly blocked her way.
"Second Miss, Madam has been waiting for you for a long time. Please don't keep her waiting any longer."
Song Zhiwei almost burst out laughing.
Yesterday's resounding slap has completely shattered the illusion of warmth between mother and daughter.
Now, who is this act of waiting for me to see?
Just then, the woman on the sofa also heard the noise and looked up.
As soon as Qin Yunshu saw Song Zhiwei, she immediately stood up, her face showing an anxious expression. She took three steps at a time and walked towards her, reaching out to grab her wrist.
Song Zhiwei suddenly flung her hand away.
"Get to the point, don't resort to violence."
Qin Yunshu's hand froze in mid-air, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Looking at her daughter's indifferent expression, she felt a surge of suppressed discomfort.
But she suppressed her emotions and bit her lip.
"Why did you block my number? You haven't answered my calls all day!"
Actually, she felt terrible all night after she got home last night.
Sitting in the empty living room, staring blankly at the ceiling, my mind kept replaying the scene from that time.
But what could she do?
In that situation, she had no choice but to protect the Zhou family's reputation and save face for her husband.
If Zhou Yunhan's framing of someone is exposed.
Zhou Huaiqing would only blame her, as the mother, for not disciplining her daughter properly.
Not only will she be criticized for being incompetent, but the entire Zhou family's reputation will also be severely trampled on.
Therefore, she had to stabilize the situation.
Even if it means sacrificing the feelings of another daughter.
“Ms. Qin,” Song Zhiwei said coldly, staring at the face that was once so familiar to her, “please stop acting. I don’t like watching plays, and I especially don’t like being forced into someone else’s script as a supporting character.”
This woman is almost fifty years old, but she takes extremely good care of herself.
She was indeed stunningly beautiful when she was young; she was the kind of woman who would turn heads and get a second look when she walked down the street.
When she was a child, before her parents separated, Song Zhiwei was always proud of her mother.
I remember back then, every time there was a parent-teacher meeting at kindergarten, the other children would surround her and ask enviously, "How do you have such a beautiful mother?"
Back then, she would always proudly raise her little face and say with a smile, "Because my mom is the most beautiful woman in the world."
But now, looking at that face again, she only feels nauseous.
Xie Lingling's expression changed when she heard the words "Ms. Xie".
"I raised you from a baby to adulthood, what's wrong with asking you to give in a little? I told you long ago not to go against Yunhan, how am I supposed to stay in the Zhou family now that you're like this?"
"Your brother does everything for the sake of the family's reputation, why can't you take a step back? Why do you have to make such a fuss that the whole family can't have peace?"
"Oh."
Song Zhiwei sneered.
"Then you should just be a good stepmother and live your life as a wealthy lady, and don't bother me."
She looked directly into Xie Lingling's eyes without flinching.
"Since you care so much about the Zhou family's reputation and Xie Yunhan's status, then just stay in your position. I don't care about being a stepdaughter, and I don't care about your fake maternal love."
If she had known it would turn out like this, she should have given up back then.
They wouldn't have been hurt so badly.
The woman who held her and lulled her to sleep when she was little, the woman who said she would protect her, ultimately pushed her into the abyss time and time again for the sake of another child.
Fortunately, she is no longer the naive little girl she once was.
They can earn money, be independent, and no longer need to rely on anyone's charity to live.
But now, she has her own career, her own income, and the amount in her bank account is enough for her to stand tall.
Seeing her resolute attitude, Xie Lingling paused and softened her tone.
"Zhiwei, can't you be a little more understanding of your mother?"
She reached out to grab Song Zhiwei's arm, but the other woman subtly avoided her.
Xie Lingling's hand froze in mid-air, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face.
She then adopted a wronged expression and lowered her voice.
“I know you harbor resentment, but I’m in a difficult position too… You know what kind of life you’ve lived in the Zhou family all these years…”
Upon hearing this, Song Zhiwei felt a tightness in her chest, as if pricked by needles.
When she was a child, she had a fever of 40 degrees Celsius, but because Xie Lingling was busy taking care of her younger brother, no one took her to the hospital for two whole days.
When I won first prize in the citywide essay competition in high school, I went home excitedly to share the good news, only to be met with a cold "Don't make a fuss, don't embarrass your brother."
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