Back to the 70s: My Childhood Sweetheart Spoils Me Rotten-Chapter 720 - 722: So what if you’re just a mud-legged person

Chapter 720: Chapter 722: So what if you’re just a mud-legged person

Zhuge Mingshan saw Gong Ruini and them, and there was a sense of jealousy.

Even though she didn’t know where they were going, this year was different because they were taking Cao Na with them.

The commotion caused by Cao Na was well noticed by many, and everyone soon knew they were actually going to the Northeast to gather Chinese medicinal herbs.

Zhuge Mingshan would be lying if she said she wasn’t envious. After all, no matter how hard it might be, there’s money involved. However, no matter the envy, she wouldn’t show it in front of them.

"Going to the Northeast to gather medicinal herbs, isn’t this just business?"

"Us going to the Northeast to earn money is quite normal. After all, we’re just nobodies." Gong Ruini really couldn’t understand how Zhuge Mingshan had the audacity to butt in.

"We don’t have the thick skin like some people. Wasn’t she caught by Grandma Cai just a few days ago?" Zhao Guangran retorted at once.

He couldn’t believe Zhuge Mingshan had become so shameless, wandering around the courtyard nonchalantly, claiming she hadn’t taken anything, only because she was discovered early.

If she had actually taken something, that would be a huge problem.

Since there were no outsiders coming into the house, and nothing had gone missing before, naturally, not everything was strictly organized. But no one expected Zhuge Mingshan to just barge in like that.

If things went missing, it would be hard to explain. Zhao Guangran thought a lot about it; if someone were to stir things up, it would be impossible to clarify regardless of how much they’d explain.

Hmph, it seems Zhuge Mingshan is a calculating person. Not only could she profit, but she could also tarnish their reputation. Fortunately, Uncle Gong was around; otherwise, who knows what they’d do.

"You..." Zhuge Mingshan knew Zhao Guangran would seize the chance to mock her once or twice, but she hadn’t expected him to do it in front of so many people.

Zhuge Mingshan instantly felt the disdainful looks from people around her.

"I was just looking for Grandpa Ge, and he wasn’t home. Can’t I take a stroll in Grandpa Ge’s house?" She steadied herself. She couldn’t panic, as that would leave her without help.

"Sure, but you went looking for him when you knew Grandpa Zhuge was out working. Are you treating everyone here like fools?" Although predicting she wasn’t easy to handle, her timing for the visit was problematic.

"I, I..." Zhuge Mingshan kept biting her lip. She couldn’t explain, simply watching Zhao Guangran pressing on, not knowing how to defend herself.

"What about you? Don’t pretend to be innocent." Zhao Guangran got angry seeing her pitiful face. "Do you want everyone to think we’re bullying you?"

"Do you really think you’re the same as before?" If it were when they first arrived at Beijing, Zhao Guangran wouldn’t have confronted Zhuge Mingshan, fearing he’d be at a loss.

But now he’s truly not worried; everyone’s true colors have been revealed.

Noticing a few of Zhuge Mingshan’s cousins were present too, Zhao Guangran snorted, thinking he won’t strike her himself because a man shouldn’t deal with a woman.

However, not striking her doesn’t mean letting her off, and someone would surely teach her a lesson. Zhao Guangran slightly raised his voice, saying, "I think it’s better to be careful, not to lose things without finding the culprit."

"We were lucky to catch it early; otherwise..." Zhao Guangran continued attending to his work after finishing his sentence.

Annoying Zhao Guangran made Zhuge Mingshan wish she could flay him. Yet, with so many spectators around, not a single person stood up for her.

The onlookers were all chatting and laughing with Zhao Guangran, a group of snobs who judged by appearances, believing she had no future. In the past, they used to curry favor with her.

No matter how unwilling Zhuge Mingshan was, she could only glance at the crowd, hoping to remember this moment.

"Oh, are you trying to threaten us?"

"Do you think we’re afraid of you?"

"Do you think we’re easy to bully?"

Zhuge Mingshan initially intended to warn them to keep things restrained, but she didn’t expect to be met with such ridicule from so many people. She could only flee in confusion.

"Tch, does she still think she’s the Zhuge family’s big miss from before?"

"Exactly, they have a lot of issues now. It’s said they have to move out."

Gong Ruini didn’t expect these neighbors to be so helpful, driving Zhuge Mingshan away just like that. However, she also kept this matter in mind.

Today, they could be so righteous because they saw Zhuge Mingshan’s family wasn’t influential anymore, and they’d soon be gone. Naturally, they wouldn’t help in every way.

If one day they fell on hard times, Gong Ruini was certain the same treatment Zhuge Mingshan received today could fall upon them.

Alas, people truly can only climb upwards, never fall down.

Zhao Xuran was happy watching Zhuge Mingshan flee, though he noticed Ni Zi seemed a bit down and was puzzled.

"Hasn’t Zhuge Mingshan been driven away?"

"What’s wrong?" Zhao Xuran quietly asked during a moment when there weren’t many people around.

"I just feel these people are such fair-weather friends."

"I wonder if, one day, we fall on hard times, would it be like this too?" Gong Ruini whispered, not wanting Zhao Guangran to hear it, or she’d be mocked.

Zhao Guangran perked his ears to listen; after all, if the family’s little princess was in a bad mood and he didn’t care, he’d be blamed. He didn’t expect she was worrying about this.

Zhao Guangran was amused by Gong Ruini’s thoughts, but he refrained from teasing her, or he might pay for it later. "Sis, you’re overthinking. We just need to not fall on hard times."

"We’ll keep working hard; their family just has too many who can’t achieve much."

"Even now, they haven’t learned their lesson." Remembering what his friends told him, Zhao Guangran lamented constantly. Luckily, Grandpa Zhuge cut ties with them, or the hassles they’d face in the future wouldn’t be trivial.

If Grandpa Zhuge encountered difficulties, it would eventually trouble them. "Our days will only get better."

Zhao Guangran never bothered to think about what would happen if they fell on hard times. That’s something people with too much time would consider, just like Gong Ruini was overthinking.

"Ni Zi, you’re simply thinking too much." Zhao Guangran turned to her. "You might as well think of how to come up with challenging problems to make them wail."

Recalling someone’s comment about a recently published exercise book filled with challenging problems made Zhao Guangran laugh. After all, such problems were meant for others to solve, and one couldn’t miss a chance to watch the spectacle.

"Don’t think too much." Zhao Xuran assured her, saying they could never hit rock bottom. "We’ve already climbed up from the bottom, and our days will only get better."

"Exactly, you may not believe my words, but you can’t deny my brother’s." At a crucial moment, invoking the elder brother’s assurance was necessary.

Zhao Xuran’s assurance was certainly effective. "Mhmm, I’m just expressing my feelings."

"I was actually saying this for Brother Guangran to hear. I hope he won’t be careless, can’t be complacent, or else we’d end up like Zhuge Mingshan today as a cautionary tale." Gong Ruini, having collected herself, didn’t spare Zhao Guangran.

Ah, ah, ah, why is it always about him? Zhao Guangran regretted it, realizing Gong Ruini was an indomitable force. Had he known he’d end up unlucky, he wouldn’t have attempted to console her.