Chapter 24: The Car Was Smashed

Yao Jing's words left Zhou Yanqiu stunned.

She originally thought that the biggest hurdle in convincing Wu's Group to collaborate with Tianjiao Company would be Wu Zhiming. Unexpectedly, the biggest problem turned out to be her own daughter.

"Jingjing, are you out of your mind? Tianjiao Company is our family business! If you don't give the contract to our family business, who are you going to give it to?" Zhou Yanqiu asked in shock.

"Since this morning, several large building materials companies have been contacting Wu's Group. I'm familiar with many of them, and in terms of both quality and price, Tianjiao Company has no advantage. In fact, it's at a disadvantage. This school district housing project is a top priority for Wu's Group, and we must ensure every penny is well spent. From this perspective, Tianjiao Company doesn't meet the requirements of Wu's Group," Yao Jing said, taking a sip of chicken soup.

"You ungrateful child! How can you side with outsiders like this? I've raised you for nothing!" Zhou Yanqiu angrily grabbed Yao Jing's bowl.

Yao Jing didn't get angry. She picked up her chopsticks and was about to take some food.

"Don't be in such a hurry to eat!" Zhou Yanqiu held Yao Jing's hand down. "This matter was directly ordered by your grandfather and concerns the entire Tianjiao Group. Since you can make the decision, you must hand over the building materials contract to Tianjiao Group!"

"Mom, you're putting me in a difficult position," Yao Jing said, displeased.

"Difficult? You're my daughter! Zhiming, don't you think a daughter should listen to her mother?" Zhou Yanqiu looked at Wu Zhiming and asked.

"I'm an outsider. It's not my place to say," Wu Zhiming shook his head.

"You!" Zhou Yanqiu glared at Wu Zhiming angrily, then turned back to Yao Jing. "Jingjing, if you don't help me with this, your father and I will be disgraced and looked down upon in the entire Yao family. Are you willing to see that?"

"If I help you with this, I won't be able to hold my head up in Wu's Group or in front of Zhiming," Yao Jing said.

She left unsaid that she wouldn't be able to hold her head up in front of the person backing Zhiming either.

"I don't care. You have to help me with this. So what if you can't hold your head up? You're the assistant to the president, and Zhiming is the boss. Who would dare to disrespect you?" Zhou Yanqiu said passionately.

"If you insist on this, then I'll have to resign," Yao Jing stated.

"Jingjing, you should think carefully about resigning. After all, your monthly salary is 100,000. If you resign, you'll lose that," Wu Zhiming said.

"What? A monthly salary of 100,000?!" Zhou Yanqiu looked at Yao Jing in shock. "Is that true?"

"We haven't discussed the compensation package yet," Yao Jing shook her head and glanced at Wu Zhiming with a slight smile.

She knew that Wu Zhiming had brought up the salary to divert Zhou Yanqiu's attention.

Indeed, Zhou Yanqiu's focus had completely shifted to the 100,000 monthly salary. She looked at Wu Zhiming and asked, "Does your company really pay her 100,000 a month?"

"Yes!" Wu Zhiming nodded. "And that's just the base salary. There are bonuses and other perks at the end of the year. Altogether, it adds up to two or three million annually."

"Two or three million a year!" Zhou Yanqiu's eyes lit up. Tianjiao Company's annual profit was just around ten million, and Yao Jing's annual salary was close to a significant portion of that!

"Zhiming is the company's owner. No matter how much he pays me, it ultimately ends up back in his pocket, right?" Yao Jing said. She didn't want her parents to know how high her salary was because that would make them even more demanding.

"That's not the same!" Zhou Yanqiu's face turned stern. "A husband's money belongs to the wife, and the wife's money is still the wife's!"

She glanced at Wu Zhiming and continued, "Zhiming himself admitted that he's just a puppet. If he's ever abandoned, he'll be nothing. It's more reliable to earn your own money. There's nothing more dependable than money in your own pocket!"

### Chapter 24: The Car Was Smashed

"Absolutely right!" Wu Zhiming nodded in agreement.

"It's my first day at work today. Talking about all this feels too far ahead. It's getting late, we should be leaving now," Yao Jing said as she linked her arm through Wu Zhiming's, pulling him up to leave.

"Leaving already? You haven't even finished your soup!" Zhou Yanqiu protested, holding up her bowl.

"I'm full," Yao Jing responded as she led Wu Zhiming towards the door.

"Come on, you barely ate anything! Just a few more bites!" Zhou Yanqiu followed them to the door with the bowl in hand, but Yao Jing ignored her. She calmly put on her shoes, took Wu Zhiming by the hand, and walked out the door.

"Ah!" Zhou Yanqiu sighed as she closed the door and returned to the dining table. "Has Jingjing's appetite gotten smaller lately?"

"She didn't eat much because you upset her!" Yao Jianrong muttered quietly.

"What did you say?" Zhou Yanqiu's face darkened as she asked.

"Nothing, nothing!" Yao Jianrong quickly shook his head.

"Why do I feel like I forgot to do something... Oh, right, the cooperation issue! That damn Wu Zhiming, bringing up the salary out of nowhere, made me forget about it!" Zhou Yanqiu fumed.

"What should we do now? Dad's already given his word," Yao Jianrong asked.

"What can we do? We can't avoid it forever. I'll go to their company tomorrow! My own daughter—I don't believe I can't deal with her!" Zhou Yanqiu said coldly.

"Ah!" Yao Jianrong sighed, wanting to say something, but not knowing where to start.

Downstairs.

Wu Zhiming and Yao Jing walked side by side towards their car.

"Why not cooperate with the Yao family? The Yao family and the Wu family have always worked together in the past. Issues like quality and price can be negotiated," Wu Zhiming said.

"I just simply don't want to," Yao Jing replied.

"You don't want to put me in a difficult position, do you? After all, I was the one who terminated the cooperation with the Yao family. If we resume it, you think I might lose face," Wu Zhiming said.

"You're overthinking it," Yao Jing shook her head and said. "I just don't like the Yao family."

"You look good when you're being impartial!" Wu Zhiming chuckled.

Yao Jing didn't reply. Instead, she stopped walking and looked ahead.

Sensing something, Wu Zhiming also looked forward.

Their car was still in the parking spot, but it was no longer in the condition they left it. Both side mirrors were broken off, the car body had several dents, and there were numerous scratches. Scattered next to the car were a few bricks.

It seemed that someone had vandalized their car while they were upstairs having dinner.

Yao Jing didn't panic, nor did Wu Zhiming. They both looked at the car as if nothing had happened.

Yao Jing calmly took out her phone and called the police.

"Check the parking lock. Whoever owns the parking lock is likely the one who did this," Wu Zhiming suggested.

"There are no surveillance cameras around here. Even if we find out who owns the lock, without evidence, it won't help. We should just report this to the police and then claim it on insurance," Yao Jing said.

Wu Zhiming nodded. For many people, without evidence, they would just have to swallow this bitter pill.

In a short while, a police car arrived with its flashing lights drawing the attention of many onlookers. Many people who had finished their dinners gathered around to see what was happening.

"Isn't that Yao Jianrong's daughter, Yao Jing?" someone recognized her.

"And their son-in-law too!" another person recognized Wu Zhiming.

The expressions of the people around became somewhat strange. Wu Zhiming was quite a well-known figure in this old neighborhood. Zhou Yanqiu often berated him publicly, and while many didn't know what Wu Zhiming did for a living, they were aware that he was seen as the weak and incapable son-in-law of the Yao family.

### Chapter 24: The Car Was Smashed

"Surely, if you had any real ability, your mother-in-law wouldn't be berating you like that," someone in the crowd remarked.

"Whose parking lock is this?" The police, after a brief inquiry, concluded the same as Wu Zhiming: the owner of the parking lock was the prime suspect.

"It's mine!" A burly middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd.

Yao Jing recognized him. His name was Sun Qiangjun, a neighbor from the adjacent building. She knew his family was involved in the money-lending business.

"Did you damage this car?" The police officer asked bluntly.

"Officer, you must be joking. How could a law-abiding citizen like me smash someone's car?" Sun Qiangjun chuckled, shaking his head. Then, looking at Yao Jing, he said, "You know, it's strange. All the other cars are fine, but yours gets wrecked at night. I guess it's probably because you parked improperly. You can't just park anywhere; if you do, something's bound to happen!"

His implication was clear.

"Check if there are any surveillance cameras nearby," the officer directed his colleague.

"This is an old neighborhood; the cameras have been out of order for a while," Sun Qiangjun interjected.

The other officer surveyed the area and confirmed that the surrounding cameras were indeed non-functional.

Without any evidence, despite Sun Qiangjun's motive, the police found themselves at an impasse. After taking notes, they had no choice but to leave.

"Did you smash the car?" Wu Zhiming asked Sun Qiangjun directly.

"Watch your words. Do you have any proof?" Sun Qiangjun retorted mockingly.

"No," Wu Zhiming admitted, shaking his head.

"Then stop talking nonsense. Maybe some righteous person took it upon themselves to smash your car for your poor parking," Sun Qiangjun jeered.

"Let's go," Yao Jing suggested, knowing that confronting Sun Qiangjun, a man skilled in martial arts and familiar with the underworld, was futile.

The onlookers sighed, recognizing that provoking Sun Qiangjun was dangerous. Even for an ordinary person, he was a formidable opponent, let alone for Yao Jing's seemingly ineffectual husband.

"Being with me for four years has brought you a lot of grievances," Wu Zhiming said with a smile, looking at Yao Jing. "But those days are over."

"What are you planning? Don't be rash!" Yao Jing reached out to stop him, but Wu Zhiming moved faster.

As Yao Jing extended her hand, Wu Zhiming had already crouched down to pick up a brick. In an instant, he stepped forward and, to everyone's astonishment, swung the brick towards Sun Qiangjun's face.

With a resounding crack, the brick broke in two. Blood spurted from Sun Qiangjun's mouth as he flew backward.

The scene, splattered with blood and punctuated by the buzz of cicadas, turned the summer night into something eerily surreal.