All this was planned by Pei Jiangmu.
While Meng Ruozhao and the others were preoccupied with things at home, he went to the yard and called Qi Yu to make arrangements.
A person like Xu Qiang could only get rid of his bad habits if he was closely monitored.
So he must be sent to a place where he would be so exhausted that he wouldn't even have the thought of gambling, and be given a good workout.
Let him also know how hard it is to earn money and experience his sister's hardships.
Qi Yu immediately made the arrangements.
Coincidentally, the Pei family had a partner factory here. The boss was a former soldier and managed the factory almost like a military camp.
So parents of many hooligans in the surrounding areas were willing to send their children there for "reformation".
It was believed that after Xu Qiang went there, he would surely "turn over a new leaf".
The group got in the car, and the driver quickly took them to a hotel in the city.
Meng Ruozhao and the others were very grateful to him and offered to treat him to a meal.
But how dare the driver dine with his own boss, especially in the role of an "benefactor".
So he waved his hand.
"I still have some things to do, so I won't join you. Leave me your number. Contact me if you need anything in the future."
After saying that, he left his number with Pei Jiangmu and drove away.
It was getting late, and everyone hadn't eaten yet, so they found a restaurant near the hotel.
While waiting for the food, both sides shared what had happened to them in the past two days.
Xu Lin received a call from her parents when she went downstairs to buy snacks. They said they had arrived at the station but couldn't find their way.
She thought they had come to see her. Knowing that her parents had never been to a big city before, she rushed to the station without even telling Ai Gao.
But when she got there, she was tricked into going back home, and her phone was snatched away.
The surprise turned into anger.
She didn't give in. She caused one commotion after another at home and was finally tied up by her family.
When Ai Gao came looking for her, Xu Qiang was beating Xu Lin because he had lost all his money again.
Xu's mother shrank to the side, not even daring to raise her head.
Finally, it was Ai Gao and Xu's father who had just entered the door that stopped him.
"From now on, I have nothing to do with that family anymore. Ruozhao, don't worry. I'll pay back the 50,000 yuan."
"Just consider it the last thing I do for that family."
"Thank you all so much for what happened today. If you hadn't come to find me, I might really have committed suicide."
As Xu Lin was speaking, her eyes welled up with tears again.
Meng Ruozhao looked at the thin girl in front of her and felt a pang of pity.
"Don't worry about the money. We're friends, so we should help each other."
"From now on, let's work hard, earn a lot of money, and take good care of ourselves."
There was no need to say anything overly emotional.
Sometimes, the confidence for a person to stand on their own in this society was money.
This was true for Xu Lin, and it was also true for her.
Wasn't the Du family also trying to marry her off for a good price?
Xu Lin smiled. "Right. From now on, I have only one goal in life - to make money!"
Ai Gao saw that her sister finally had the spirit to fight back and her eyes also turned red.
"Right. Let's work hard to make money and turn [Fuyunxuan] into one of the world's top 500 companies. By then, who would dare to decide our lives at will?"
The three women looked at each other and smiled, then raised their glasses.
There was the local specialty rice wine in the glasses, which had a low alcohol content.
Pei Jiangmu was sitting next to Meng Ruozhao, and his eyes were always on her.
This look was noticed by Ai Gao sitting opposite.
She took a sip of the wine and said with a smile, "Ruozhao is so outstanding. In the future, there will surely be a great person who will love you and shelter you from the wind and rain."
Although she wasn't familiar with Pei Jiangmu, she always felt that this person was not ordinary.
Even if his financial situation was not good for now, he would surely turn things around in the future.
Moreover, she had also heard from Meng Ruozhao before that Pei Jiangmu's family condition was okay.
Hearing her words, Meng Ruozhao shook her head.
"No. In this world, the weak always have to adapt to the strong, and the world only respects the strong."
"So, for most women, if they want to have a place in this world, they can't rely on anyone."
"We must constantly improve ourselves to truly have the right to choose in life."
"Even if I meet someone I like in the future, I definitely won't need him to shelter me from the wind and rain. I don't want to be anyone's appendage."
"I choose him not because I want him to shelter me, but just because I love him."
She said these words with a smile and in a calm tone.
But Pei Jiangmu's fingers holding the teacup tightened imperceptibly for a moment.
These words were like a tiny needle that precisely pierced the softest corner of his heart.
It wasn't pain, but a complex emotion mixed with shock, loss, and indescribable sourness.
She didn't need anyone to shelter her from the wind and rain.
She chose a person only because of love.
These words were so clear - headed and independent, even with a kind of determination to cut off all retreats.
It seemed... completely different from the Meng Ruozhao he knew who used to rely on him and act coquettishly in his arms.
Was it because of the amnesia that changed her personality core?
Or had she actually been accommodating and cooperating with him all along?
Was that why she was so eager to find ways to escape?
But wasn't it good to rely on him?
He would give her the best in the world and make sure she didn't have to go through any hardships.
All the things he had arranged for her were clearly what she liked.
Did this also count as not having the right to choose?
But if she were to choose for herself, wouldn't she choose the same way?
He lowered his eyelashes to hide the surging emotions in his eyes. When he looked up again, he had returned to his usual innocent and harmless look.
Only his voice was a bit deeper than usual: "Then... what would make sister fall in love with a person?"
He asked seemingly casually, but his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the smooth wall of the cup.
Meng Ruozhao was laughing heartily with Ai Gao and Xu Lin. Hearing this, she turned to look at him.
Maybe it was the slight intoxication from the rice wine, or maybe it was because they had just gone through a "battle" together today. At this moment, she was less guarded and more amiable towards everyone.
She tilted her head, and her eyes were especially moist and bright because of the alcohol, with a bit of naive cunning.
"This... I'm not sure."
She dragged out the words, as if thinking about an interesting question.
"Maybe it's because at a certain moment, he said something that really touched my heart?"
"Maybe it's because he did something that made me feel particularly warm and reliable? Or..."
She paused for a moment, and her eyes lingered on Pei Jiangmu's perfectly handsome face.
Then she suddenly laughed playfully, with a bit of drunken cuteness. "...it could just be simple lust at first sight?"
"Pfft—"
"Hahaha, Ruozhao, you're amazing!"
Ai Gao and Xu Lin couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Ai Gao even slapped the table and cheered.
"Right, right! What's wrong with lust at first sight? Food and sex are basic human desires!"
"When we're rich in the future, we'll also go to high - class clubs and order male models to broaden our horizons! I heard those top - notch ones are really good at serving people..."
Although Xu Lin was shy, she also whispered in agreement.
"Exactly... Why should it always be men who get to choose women? We can also choose men. And just looking isn't illegal..."