"Unsuitable? How can Young Master Yingxun, who is so outstanding, be unsuitable? Cheng You, rest assured, Young Master Yingxun will work hard for you. You're getting a bargain."
Qiu Yingxun felt ashamed and tugged at Zeng Xiuyun, "Grandma, don't say any more."
Zeng Xiuyun tutted, "You are outstanding, and you can't say it? If you don't say it, how will Cheng You know your good qualities?"
Cheng You chuckled. Although she didn't seem to have many emotions, Qiu Yingxun felt mocked.
"Old lady, your grandson is too outstanding. My Zhenshantang is not worthy of him. Let someone else take this bargain."
Zeng Xiuyun's face turned cold, "What are you saying? If I had other options, would I be here sucking up to you?"
Cheng You feigned surprise, "Your grandson is so outstanding, he still can't find a job?"
Zeng Xiuyun's face stiffened, "Those people are blind and can't see his worth."
Cheng You pulled at the corner of her mouth, "I'm sorry, I'm also blind. You should find someone else to help you."
Qiu Yingxun wasn't a docile person. Letting him into Zhenshantang would require someone to keep an eye on him, which was too much trouble.
Zeng Xiuyun glared at Old Master Song, hinting for him to intercede.
As Old Master Song opened his mouth, before he could speak, Song Qinglan snapped back, "If you dare to speak, don't expect me to acknowledge you as my father anymore! You were foolish when you were young, and even more foolish now. I've never seen you be smart."
Old Master Song rubbed his hands, lowered his head awkwardly.
Being scolded by his daughter to the point of not daring to speak at his age, he was probably the only one.
Zeng Xiuyun cursed inwardly, useless thing!
"Song Qinglan, since you're unwilling to help me, how about I exchange something with you?"
Song Qinglan's cold gaze swept over, "What can you offer me in exchange? Do you still have anything on you that I would want?"
"Your mother's belongings!" Zeng Xiuyun said with a dark expression.
As soon as she said this, everyone's expression changed.
Especially Old Master Song.
Guilt, anger, and a mix of emotions flickered across Old Master Song's face.
Song Qinglan stared at him in disbelief, trembling with anger, and gritted out, "You gave my mother's things to her."
After Song Qinglan's mother passed away, she didn't want her belongings to benefit others, so she divided them among her children.
Old Master Song had played the victim to Song Qinglan at the time, saying he wanted to keep something as a memento, and chose Song Qinglan's mother's dowry, a golden hair ornament.
This was passed down from the old madam's family and had a long history, considered an antique.
At the time, Old Master Song had tearfully begged his daughter to leave the item for him to remember.
Song Qinglan felt that the item was neither edible nor drinkable, nor could it be sold, so she softened her heart and agreed.
But she never expected Old Master Song to do something so disgusting.
Song Qinglan closed her eyes, using immense self-control to restrain herself from laying hands on her elderly father.
Seeing her distress, Zeng Xiuyun felt pleased.
She covered her mouth and chuckled, "Why are you so angry? When your father asked you for this hair ornament, it was because you wanted it. Otherwise, what would a grown man do with it?"
Song Qinglan could no longer bear it. The veins on the back of her hand bulged as she raised her hand to strike.
Old Master Song quickly stopped her, "You can't hit her, you can't hit her. Qinglan, she is your stepmother after all. If you hit her and it gets out, it will affect your husband."
Song Qinglan's tears cascaded down, her eyes red, "Then why did you let her come here to disgust me!"
Zeng Xiuyun's hair was slightly disheveled as she dodged.
Making sure Song Qinglan couldn't hit her, she adjusted her hair and said triumphantly, "How did I disgust you? I'm just using it for an exchange, aren't I?"
Cheng You clenched her fists tightly and, unable to contain herself, backhanded Zeng Xiuyun.
"My mother can't be hit, so I'll do it."
Cheng You thought for a long time and realized that no one present was suitable to confront the old lady.
So she had to do it herself.
Since she had started, she couldn't just slap her once.
Cheng You only stopped when her hand ached.
She knew how disrespectful her actions were, but she really couldn't help it.
After hitting her, she turned to look at Qiu Yingxun, who was being restrained by Qi Chengyan, his pupils almost blazing with fire.
"I'm sorry, I don't usually resort to violence, but I really couldn't help myself."
Old Master Song almost fainted, as if Cheng You hadn't hit Zeng Xiuyun, but his own face.
"This is too much, you're simply too much!"
Cheng You retorted, "You think I'm excessive, but why didn't you step forward to protect her? Because you thought it would be beneath your dignity to argue with a junior. See, in your heart, Zeng Xiuyun is worth less than your dignity."
Old Master Song's face turned the color of liver. He tried to refute her but lacked the conviction.
He indeed hadn't considered intervening.
Now, facing Zeng Xiuyun's aggrieved gaze, he guiltily looked away.
Cheng You let out a cold snort, "Zeng Xiuyun, I can let Qiu Yingxun join the pharmaceutical factory..."
"Cheng You!" Song Qinglan quickly interrupted her.
She didn't want Qiu Yingxun to benefit.
Cheng You appeased her, "Mom, if Qiu Yingxun joins my pharmaceutical factory, what he does and his salary will all be decided by me. Since he threatened me, he should be prepared to be suppressed by me for a lifetime. At least in my factory, I won't give him a chance to stand out. Feel free to challenge me if you dare."
Qiu Yingxun's face turned extremely grim. He chose Zhenshantang for his future prospects. With Cheng You saying this, who would dare to join?
"I'm not going. Grandma, let's go. I'll figure out the job myself."
Zeng Xiuyun was stunned. Was she just going to let it go after suffering so much?
Qiu Yingxun was determined not to beg Cheng You and pulled her away.
Cheng You, however, said, "Wait, you're done, but I'm not."
Qiu Yingxun sneered, "Do you want to hit my grandma again?"
Seeing Cheng You rubbing her palm, Zeng Xiuyun flinched and instinctively hid behind Qiu Yingxun.
"No, didn't you want to exchange something just now? Now, I also have something to exchange with you."
Zeng Xiuyun stammered, "What thing?"
"Your grandson's future, in exchange for my mother-in-law's belongings. Do you think that's feasible?"
Zeng Xiuyun's eyes brightened slightly, thinking that Cheng You still cared about the hair ornament.
She had been so tough just now, but in the end, she was still asking for her.
"What kind of future can you promise my grandson? If it's a job that's too poor, I won't accept it."
With the hair ornament in her hand, she naturally wanted to maintain control.
Cheng You, however, smiled and shook her head, "Of course not. I don't have the ability to promise him a great future, but I can make him unable to survive in Yancheng. Do you want to try?"
Zeng Xiuyun's head buzzed, "You're threatening me!"
Cheng You shrugged and retorted, "When you used someone else's belongings as a bargaining chip just now, wasn't that also a threat?"