Chapter 13 - Ridiculous Schemes

Hua walked into the living room with her notebook ready for them to write down their idiotic schemes.

Each family member looked at her with varying expressions.

Mrs. Zhang's was disapproval, Mr. Zhang's was indifference, Fang's was aloofness and Mingmei's was disdain.

"Dad, why not just write it on her arms? Isn't that easier?" Mingmei snorted.

Mr. Zhang scowled, "What if someone saw it? How will you explain it?"

Mingmei nodded as if understanding only after he said something. Mr. Zhang wanted to reprimand her further for being so brainless but he held back because scolding Mingmei would send her into hysterics.

He quickly wrote down in the notebook, "For the next four months, you have to tutor Mingmei. You can quit your other jobs and just focus on Mingmei."

As usual, Mingmei read the notes out loud. It really made Hua wonder if Mingmei's brain held any intelligence.

Hua wrote down, "What about Mrs. Po's restaurant?"

Mrs. Zhang laughed shrilly, "I will talk to her. She's not some rich madam for us to fear her."

Mr. Zhang continued to write in the notebook, "We are going to be moving to a bigger house in the city closer to King's University so that it will be helpful for Fang and Mingmei in the future. This time you will have a bigger room to yourself, isn't that great?"

Hua didn't write a response to that. She just blinked and didn't write an acknowledgment or nod in agreement either.

She instead wrote down, "I'm going to university too."

Mrs. Zhang's eyes went wide and roughly wrote, "Why do you need to go to university? You are going to Mingmei's maid after she gets married so that she doesn't have to worry about pleasing her future mother-in-law."

Mingmei blushed, "Mom, isn't it too early for that?"

Mr. Zhang nodded, "Your mother is right. After the exams are over, you are going to start going to etiquette classes. During your age-of-coming ceremony, you are going to debut in high society. Many sons of prominent CEOs, businessmen, and even politicians will be attending so you need to be on your best behavior."

Mingmei nodded eagerly already fantasizing about her supposed future rich life.

"Sis, you need to work hard. I've already spoken to my friends at university about my beautiful sister. Guys like it when girls are gentle and kind."

Mingmei's eyes sparkled, "Isn't that already what my personality is like?"

Hua fought the urge to laugh so much that she coughed a little but no one was paying attention to her either way. Once again, she wrote, "I want to go to university."

Fang had read it out loud and laughed hysterically as if he just heard the best joke ever.

Mr. Zhang glowered, "After all the care and attention we have given you all this time, this is how you repay us?!"

He reached and grabbed Hua's arm roughly making Hua flinch in pain. Mr. Zhang used to be a wrestling champion so his grip was not just a regular grip. It would definitely leave a bruise on her arm.

IS THIS HOW YOU THANK US? BY REBELLING AND BEING UNFILIAL?!

Mrs. Zhang rubbed his back to soothe him, "Don't get so worked up. She can't go anywhere anyway. Don't get stressed because of this useless maid."

Mingmei frowned, "She can't even hear you, Dad."

Mr. Zhang calmed down and wrote further, "You won't be going. Not like you can pass the exams."

He had just asked her to tutor his daughter but she's can't pass the exams. Hua wanted to smack Mr. Zhang's head out of the utter ridiculousness of his statement. She wanted to get to all the main points for her recording so she pressed them for more.

"What about my pay?"

He growled and wrote nearly ripping the paper in anger, "Aren't we giving you monthly expenses to use? You don't need more money. I didn't know you were such a greedy thing!"

Hua didn't even react, "You don't give me any monthly expenses."

Mingmei wondered out loud, "If mom doesn't pay you anything then, how do you buy things? Like clothes and books?"

Mr. Zhang looked at his wife in surprise, "You don't give her monthly expenses?! How is she paying for her things?"

Mrs. Zhang's eyes flashed in contempt, "She pays for herself with her part-time job money so why do I need to give her extra money?"

Mr. Zhang sighed, "I'll pay you 50 yuan for every hour you tutor Mingmei. 5 hours of tutoring every day. I'll even give you 3000 yuan as a bonus. You can buy things for your room in the new house."

He grabbed cash from his wallet and stuffed it into Hua's hand. "Here, your bonus."

Mingmei whined, "5 hours every day? Including weekends?! I have dance and vocal lessons too!"

Mrs. Zhang rubbed her daughter's head affectionately, "You just have to work hard these few months and you'll be set. Weekends will be free. I will arrange your classes for the weekends so you don't miss lessons, okay?"

Mingmei nodded begrudgingly and Mrs. Zhang asked, "Hubby, isn't that too much money?"

"It's fine. Let her have this for now. Once, we move to the new house and everything with Mingmei's exams is settled, you don't have to pay her anymore. Let her do what she has always been doing and pay her own expenses."

Satisfied with her husband's smart money ways, she squeezed his thigh. Hua wanted to shake her head at their stupidity for discussing the plan right in front of her. Hua again didn't acknowledge or give consent.

Mingmei hit Hua's head, "Why aren't you answering!?"

Hua fell on the floor from the blow to the head. Hua knew it was coming but didn't dodge. Mr. Zhang shouted, "Mingmei! Behave yourself. Why are you hitting her? She is your sister."

Hua quickly scanned the bills in her hand and saw that Mr. Zhang had paid her more. So, she kept 2500 yuan in her hand and stuffed the rest into her socks as she stood up.

Fang's eyes narrowed in scorn, "I have only one sister. This bitch is just a maid you adopted. Dad, you can't expect us to accept her into the family after all this time. You're the one who said to treat her like a maid and now after almost 10 years, she is our sister?"

Mingmei's tears leaked out of her eyes, "Yeah dad, brother is right!"

Mrs. Zhang pacified them, "Okay, okay, your dad was just surprised. Mingmei, remember you need to start learning to keep your temper in check. You need to start behaving more maturely."

Fang snickered which earned him a slap on his arm from Mingmei. Then, she pointed at the money in Hua's hand, "Dad, did you give her too much?"

She snatched the money and counted it. "It's only 2500 yuan."

Mr. Zhang shook his head at the stupidity of her daughter. He forked out another 500 yuan and gave it to Hua. Hua took the money and wrote again.

Hua wrote in the notebook again, "I want to go to university. I can get a scholarship so you don't have to pay."

Mr. Zhang stood up swiftly and slapped Hua across the face, sending her further across the room where her head hit the corner of a table. This contact split her forehead and blood started to trickle down.

"YOU TRASHY PIECE OF CRAP! WE, THE ZHANGS GAVE YOU A HOME, CLOTHED YOU, GAVE YOU FOOD, AND TOOK YOU OUT OF THAT ORPHANAGE! DID WE DO ALL THAT FOR YOUR UNGRATEFUL AND UNFILIAL ATTITUDE?!"

Mrs. Zhang was shocked by her husband's anger but was still satisfied that he was putting a stop to the maid's ambitions. What if one day she comes and asks for the family money? It's best to cut off her wings before they grew.

Hua didn't even cry and just stared at the family blankly as her blood continued to flow and stain her shirt.

Mr. Zhang drank some water and calmed down. He then, realized what he had done because of the blood.

"Go get cleaned up."

Before the clean-up, Hua took photos of her cut. Despite being hurt, she was satisfied with the outcome of the discussion because the Zhangs played right into her trap by being so vocal.

Hua made a trip down to the pharmacy to get some medicine for her face. The pharmacist looked at her with pity. "Young lady, this cut might leave a scar."

Hua shrugged not caring because her freedom was more important than a scar on her head. She had too many to count anyway. A total of 4350 yuan was collected from Mr. Zhang.

She would have to not work the construction and restaurant jobs anymore. She would continue tutoring Bolin and use her free time to practice martial arts. Milk delivery in the morning too since she knew that Mingmei wasn't going to wake up early to study. Tutoring would also serve as a review time for Hua, herself so she didn't need to have extra time to study by herself.

"You've got this, Li Hua," she said to herself. A few more months to freedom.

Written by Uner90 (R.R.)