Rebirth: My Home Has Become a Gathering Place for Young Women with a "Crazy" Spirit

"Xiao Lang." Auntie suddenly spoke up halfway through the meal.

"Hmm?" Qin Lang put down his chopsticks and looked at his aunt intently.

"Xiaoxiao said she wants to work for you."

"Well, I've been working on animation and writing novels lately, and they're going pretty well. I'm planning to open a studio." Qin Lang glanced at Wu Xiaoxiao, who was gnawing on ribs next to him, and continued, "The studio plans to make short videos and short dramas. Xiaoxiao wants to work with me, and I think it's worth a try."

Aunt put down her chopsticks, looked up at Qin Lang, and said in a serious tone, "Xiao Lang, although I believe in you, I still have to tell you that you must walk the right path and not get involved in any speculative or profiteering activities. Also, you must remember that your health is always the most important thing."

The main reason was that Qin Fang heard from her daughter that Qin Lang was now earning a million yuan a month. In her opinion, that was something no ordinary person could achieve. If it were true, how much effort would Xiao Lang have to put in to do that? So, she wasn't doubting that Qin Lang had gone astray, but rather feeling sorry for the child.

She didn't ask her nephew from her maternal family to be rich and powerful; she just wanted him to be healthy and have enough to eat and wear.

"Don't worry, Aunt. Making animation and writing novels are both things I'm good at, and they're both legitimate professions, not some kind of crooked path," Qin Lang explained patiently to his aunt.

"Okay. Auntie believes in you." Qin Fang nodded with a smile, then glanced at her daughter and asked tentatively, somewhat uncertainly, "Can someone like her handle this?"

"She can do it." Qin Lang's voice was very confident, not like he was just saying it to comfort his aunt. "Xiao Xiao is quick-witted and learns things fast, she just hasn't used her knowledge in the right way before. Let her work with me for two months, and she'll definitely become a capable girl."

The aunt looked at Qin Lang, her eyes shining, but she was still somewhat worried: "She didn't even finish junior high school, she's not very educated, what can she do?"

"Education doesn't represent ability." Qin Lang smiled and spoke up for Wu Xiaoxiao. "I don't look at education, I look at execution. Xiaoxiao's execution is fine. As long as she's guided correctly, she'll definitely do well."

Aunt's eyes reddened again, but this time she held back her tears. She put another piece of pork rib in Qin Lang's bowl, smiled, and said, "Okay. Then you take her with you. If she misbehaves, tell me, and I'll discipline her."

Wu Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up instantly, and she almost jumped up from her chair, but Qin Lang pressed her back down with a look.

"Xiaoxiao." Auntie's tone shifted abruptly, her gaze moving from Qin Lang to Wu Xiaoxiao. She said sternly, "You must listen to your cousin. Also, you must answer the phone and reply to messages. If I can't reach you again, you're not going anywhere."

"Okay, Mom! I promise I'll be good!" Wu Xiaoxiao sat up straight, as obedient as could be.

The uncle watched this scene silently, only picking up his soup bowl and drinking it, afraid they would see his tears. Xiaoxiao was his only child; he had hoped to earn more money to support her through university and provide a larger dowry when she married. But he never imagined…

A few days ago, Wu Yong couldn't contact his child, which made him feel even more guilty. He believed that he must have become useless, which was why his child hated the family and didn't want to come back. So, he even had the idea of ​​ending his own life. Yesterday, he had already decided that after his wife went to the convenience store the next day, he would take the rope, tie it to the door latch, and hang himself.

Thankfully, Qin Lang called yesterday afternoon to say that his daughter had been found.

As the meal progressed, the atmosphere relaxed considerably. Auntie began asking Qin Lang about his recent activities, how he came up with the idea of ​​making animation and writing novels, how his studies were going, and whether he had a girlfriend. When she asked the last question, Wu Xiaoxiao was about to interject when Qin Lang glared at her, silencing her. Auntie, sensing something was amiss, became intrigued and began relentlessly "interrogating" him…

……

Qin Lang spent most of the day at his aunt's house, chatted with his uncle for a while, helped his aunt fix the water heater that had been broken for half a month, and cleaned up the pile of clutter that had been lying untouched in the yard since after the New Year. By the time he finished all this, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon.

He washed his hands and prepared to leave. Wu Xiaoxiao saw him off to the alley entrance, chattering incessantly the whole way. She had originally planned to go back with Qin Lang today, but Qin Lang insisted that she stay and spend two days with her aunt and uncle, after which she would take a car to his house by herself.

Qin Lang walked out of the alley and crossed the small square. The setting sun had bathed the entire square in an orange-red hue. The old people in the square had already dispersed, and the stone tables and benches stood empty. Only an orange cat lay on a stone bench, dozing with its eyes half-closed. Qin Lang recognized it; this was the same fat orange cat he and Wu Xiaoxiao had seen when they first entered the village, the one with the large rat in its mouth.

He walked out of the alley, hailed a taxi, and gave them his address.

……

Two days later, Wu Yong sat in his office, holding a contract in his hand, his brow furrowed.

This contract was personally delivered by my good friend Shen Jie this morning. He said it was a cooperative project with high profits and a very simple process, requiring only his signature.

Wu Yong didn't pay much attention at the time. He was just about to pick up his pen to sign when a voice suddenly popped into his head: "Watch out for Shen Jie..."

Two seconds later, Wu Yong calmly put the pen back, smiled at Shen Jie, and said, "Okay, I'll take a look first."

A flash of malice crossed Shen Jie's eyes, but he smiled and patted Wu Yong on the shoulder, saying, "Old Wu, with our relationship, would I ever cheat you?"

Wu Yong did not refuse, but he still did not intend to sign on the spot. Seeing this, Shen Jie had no choice but to give up and said he would come back to pick it up tomorrow.

After Shen Jie left, Wu Yong opened the contract.

He looked at the first page and found no problem. He looked at the second page, but still found no problem. When he got to the third page, his gaze lingered on a certain clause for a long time.

The clause was written in a very convoluted way, using a lot of legal jargon, and an ordinary person would probably just skim over it. But Wu Yong had been in this system for so many years and was very familiar with these intricacies. He read the clause three times, then took out his phone and called his old classmate who worked at the audit bureau.

Wu Yong: "Old Wang, can you take a look at this contract for me? There's one clause that I feel is a bit off."

Old Wang: "Okay, send me the document or a photo, and I'll get back to you after I've read it."

Wu Yong took a picture of the contract and sent it all to Lao Wang, even circling the clause he was unsure about with a doodle pencil.

After reading it, Lao Wang didn't hesitate at all and immediately called Wu Yong back, saying in a serious tone, "Lao Wu, let me put it this way, if you really sign this contract and something goes wrong, you'll be primarily responsible. And you can't afford to bear that responsibility."

Wu Yong hung up the phone, sat down in a chair, and felt a cold sweat on his back.

At the same time, he recalled what the young man named Qin Lang had told him two days ago in the small square: "Be careful of Shen Jie..."

"Qin Lang..." Wu Yong murmured the name, his eyes fixed on the contract in his hand. "Who exactly is he?"