Fan Shengmei dragged her exhausted body back to her rented apartment. As soon as she opened the door, the messy interior contrasted sharply with the luxurious decor of Meng Yanchen's company. She slumped onto the sofa, Meng Yanchen's seemingly indifferent yet enigmatic reply still echoing in her mind. Just then, her phone rang. Fan Shengmei picked it up and saw it was her mother calling. She frowned, hesitated for a moment, but then answered the call.
"Hello, Mom..." Before Fan Shengmei could finish speaking, her mother's tearful voice came from the other end of the phone: "Xiaomei, you have to think of something quickly. We're out of money again. We're about to miss this month's mortgage payment. Your brother is waiting for money to start his business. You need to send some money back right away!"
Fan Shengmei rubbed her temples and said helplessly, "Mom, I'm having a hard time too. You know my situation at the company. My salary is so low, and the money I sent home before has already left me strapped for cash. I really can't come up with any more money."
Upon hearing this, the mother flew into a rage, her voice rising abruptly: "What did you say? You heartless wretch! We raised you all these years, and now you can't even help the family a little? Your brother is our family's hope; if you don't help him, who will? Are you only thinking about your own enjoyment outside, caring nothing for the well-being of your family?"
Fan Shengmei felt a pang of pain in her heart, and tears of grievance welled up in her eyes: "Mom, how could I not care about the family? I've been working hard, but I really have no money left. My boss is also making things difficult for me at work, and the pressure at work is almost crushing me. Can you please understand me?"
The mother, however, wouldn't let it go and continued to curse, "You still think you're right? Look at you, you haven't made a name for yourself all these years, you can't even come up with a penny, you're not even as good as Old Wang's daughter next door, she's already bought a big house for her family. If you don't send money back soon, you can forget about this family!"
Fan Shengmei could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down her face. Looking at the cluttered, dimly lit room, she thought of the injustices she suffered at work and the endless demands of her family. She felt the whole world pressing down on her, and she was on the verge of collapse. She didn't know how much longer she could endure it, or what the future held.
Just then, her phone screen lit up with a text message from Meng Yanchen: "Are you home yet? You didn't seem to be doing well today. Is everything alright?" Looking at the message, Fan Shengmei felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, she longed for Meng Yanchen's help to temporarily escape the pressures of her family; on the other hand, she felt she had already troubled Meng Yanchen too much and didn't want to bother him further with her problems. Besides, she wasn't sure what Meng Yanchen's true motives were for helping her.
The room was so quiet that only Fan Shengmei's sobs and the echoing tone of her phone's text message notification could be heard. Her hand gripped the phone tightly, her knuckles white, her eyes filled with conflict and struggle. Fan Shengmei took a deep breath, her fingers hesitatingly hovering over the screen. Finally, she replied to Meng Yanchen: "I'm home, thank you for your concern, but something's been bothering me at home." As soon as she sent it, she regretted it, feeling she shouldn't have revealed too much.
Almost instantly, Meng Yanchen called. "Fan Shengmei, tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help," Meng Yanchen's gentle voice came through the receiver. Fan Shengmei's nose tingled, and she recounted the situation at home in detail. After finishing, she held her breath nervously, waiting for Meng Yanchen's reaction.
"Don't worry, I'll help you." Meng Yanchen's words were crisp and firm. Fan Shengmei was stunned for a moment, her heart filled with gratitude. Meng Yanchen quickly transferred some money to her to help with her family's immediate crisis. Looking at the bank transfer notification, tears blurred Fan Shengmei's vision again. She secretly vowed to repay him when she was able to, and at the same time, she felt an even deeper affection for Meng Yanchen.
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