Hearing her words, Aunt Lian almost dropped the fabric in her hands.
“Friendship Hotel?!”
“The Friendship Hotel that hosts foreigners?”
She couldn’t believe it and asked again.
Seeing Song Wei nod, her demeanor immediately changed, becoming resolute and energized.
“Then you’re right. We absolutely can’t disgrace our country. Don’t worry. Aunt Lian will make this dress as beautiful as can be for you.”
At that moment, Song Wei felt as though she could see raging flames igniting in Aunt Lian’s eyes.
After handing the dress fabric to Aunt Lian, Song Wei and Lin Zhen prepared to make another trip to the city to retrieve the photos they had previously left at the photography studio for development. They also planned to take Hei Dan to a state-run restaurant for a nice meal.
As for the two wolf pups, they were sent to the base.
This was because earlier, when Hei Dan was training with the young militia, the two wolf pups had also imitated the training drills with some semblance of formality.
This caught the eye of an instructor who happened to be a dog lover. Although the two were wolf pups, they were undeniably smart.
Before leaving, Song Wei grabbed the two wolf pups by their necks and warned them not to growl or bite people. She also promised them some large bones when she returned. Only then did the two pups reluctantly lie down, their still-round, dog-like eyes gazing pitifully at Song Wei as she and the others left.
At this stage, the wolf pups were not too big, and with an adult man supervising, Song Wei was not worried they would cause any trouble.
Song Wei handed some money to Lin Zhen. “Here, take this and see if there’s anything else we need to buy.”
Lin Zhen shook his head. “The money we have from before is already enough. Buying too much might draw unnecessary attention.”
“Alright then,” Song Wei said as she put the money away again. “Should we go deposit the rest?”
Lin Zhen nodded.
After depositing the money into a savings account, Song Wei and Lin Zhen took Hei Dan to eat, also buying him some toys.
Since they had made money and were already there, it was only natural to spend some. Hei Dan was thrilled, bouncing all the way.
Before returning home, they went to collect the photos. However, not all of them were ready yet as there were many to develop. Song Wei had previously instructed the photography studio to prioritize the photos of the orca and the group shot of the fishermen. They left with the finished ones.
When they arrived back at the family compound, Song Wei noticed that Aunt Lian’s house had a lot of people gathered.
“Song Wei’s here.”
“Song Wei, is it true that you caught a huge fish and made a lot of money during your trip?”
“Song Wei, this dress is so bright and bold! What made you decide to make a dress like this?”
Song Wei looked at Aunt Lian, silently asking what was going on. Her eyes carried no blame, only curiosity.
Aunt Lian’s expression did not look good.
“Why are you all so concerned about what Song Wei wears? I’d love to wear a pretty dress like that, too, but I’m too old now. And with my dark skin, it wouldn’t suit me.”
Pulling Song Wei aside, Aunt Lian explained, “They heard about the big fish and figured that since we’re close, they’d come to me to ask about it. But how would I know? I haven’t even seen the fish myself.”
So, that’s what it was about.
“I also heard that the boat they used was borrowed from your uncle’s family. How much money did they give your uncle’s family from selling that huge fish?”
The tone of the voice was sour and intentionally provocative.
Both Aunt Lian and Song Wei turned to look at the woman who had spoken.
The woman’s attire was more fashionable than that of the other wives, indicating she was likely from the city. However, her gaze toward Song Wei was full of hostility and envy.
“Yu Qin, what are you implying? My uncle’s family willingly lent the boat to Song Wei. Bringing back a big catch was their own skill and effort.”
Aunt Lian deliberately avoided mentioning that Song Wei had paid a rental fee, feeling that it wasn’t an appropriate detail to share.
“And besides, that fish was a gift from the orca to Song Wei as gratitude. She saved the orca. Even without my uncle’s boat, the orca would have still shown its appreciation. That’s what we call good karma. My uncle was thrilled, thinking lending the boat was a lucky decision.”
Aunt Lian had witnessed firsthand how Song Wei single-handedly dragged the orca back into the water while the others barely helped. No wonder many people doubted the exaggerated rumors that followed.
Failing to stir trouble, Yu Qin’s face turned sour. She stomped her foot in frustration.
Aunt Lian really doesn’t know how to appreciate help, Yu Qin thought. That fish was enormous, and it must have been worth a fortune. Yet Aunt Lian’s family didn’t get a cent. Helping her was like throwing pearls before swine.
Song Wei smiled warmly at Aunt Lian, feeling touched by her support.
She handed over the photos.
“Aunt Lian, these are for the fishermen in your village. There are ten photos in total. Please ask the village chief to distribute them. He has a record of who requested them.”
“And these are for you. Some of the photos with the orca are for your uncle’s family as a thank-you for lending us the boat.”
When Aunt Lian saw the photos, her eyes lit up. She wiped her hands on her clothes before carefully taking them.
“Wow, so this is the orca! It’s enormous!”
The wives around her crowded closer, exclaiming in amazement at the size of the orca in the photos.
“It’s huge—almost as big as the boat! If it were me on that boat, I’d have been scared to death. Song Wei, you’re so brave to even touch its head!”
Some photos showed Song Wei leaning over the boat, interacting closely with the orca. Even just looking at them made the others nervous, and their admiration for Song Wei grew.
“She wasn’t the only one who saved the orca. Technically, everyone who helped should share in the rewards. Some people really know how to hog the credit, huh?”
The implication was clear: they were accusing Song Wei of being shameless.
The smile on Song Wei’s face instantly disappeared.
“So, you don’t appreciate kindness, huh?”
She had been lenient earlier, but some people mistook her patience for weakness.
“I let it slide when you were sarcastic the first time, out of respect for Aunt Lian and the others here. But don’t push your luck.
“Whether or not that fish belongs to me, one thing is certain—it doesn’t belong to you. Why are you so eager to meddle in other people’s business? Do you think you can manage everything?”
With that, Song Wei rolled her eyes dramatically.
The sudden outburst left everyone stunned. Some watched the drama unfold, while others tried to ease the tension.
“Alright, alright, let’s all calm down and have a nice chat.”
Song Wei shrugged, indifferent. She had said her piece.
But Yu Qin, humiliated, couldn’t let it go. Her eyes reddened as she stood up.
“I was just trying to give you a reminder. What did I say wrong?”
Pushing aside someone who tried to calm her, she added, “Don’t think you can bully people just because your brother is a company commander!”
Leave a Reply