Conspiracy: I'm directing my own life

Chapter 20 Moral Suspension 4k

Half an hour into lunchtime, Chu Kong and Aunt Chen finally finished all their work.

After thanking Aunt Chen again, Chu Kong went to the staff rest area alone.

Chu Kong had originally planned to treat Aunt Chen to lunch, but Aunt Chen said she didn't plan to eat in the staff break room, so he could only think of finding another way to thank her later.

The staff rest area is small, but it's already packed with people, mostly existing employees of the supermarket. Few of the students participating in the work-study program eat here.

Although the staff meals here are inexpensive, they are just work meals and the taste isn't very good.

Therefore, most students participating in work-study programs choose to eat at restaurants outside the school.

Chu Kong looked around but couldn't find any of his classmates. He guessed that Li Lingchuang and Ning Wantang had all chosen to go out for dinner at this time.

But to Chu Kong's surprise, he saw Shu Wenxue in the corner.

She was surrounded by several aunties talking to her, her poker face filled with an awkward smile.

She met Chu Kong's gaze, and as if she had been saved, she said goodbye to the aunties around her and walked up to Chu Kong.

"Why are you so late?" Shu Wenxue asked in confusion.

The reason is simple: the meat-heavy and popular rice and vegetable dishes in the staff meals have already been sold out.

Chu Kong shrugged: "I'm not very familiar with the work, so I was a little delayed. Have you finished eating yet?"

Shu Wenxue shook her head: "I was feeling unwell and took leave to rest here, but those aunties kept chatting with me, so I didn't have any excuse to leave."

This surprised Chu Kong. In his opinion, Shu Wenxue should be the type who would refuse people without hesitation, but he didn't expect her to be the type who was not good at refusing.

"So what are you planning to eat? Are you going to eat out?" Chu Kong glanced at the leftover food, which could be described as scraps.

Shu Wenxue looked at Chu Kong with displeasure and asked, "Do I look that delicate?"

Then, as if realizing that her words implied judging the other students, she added, "If you can eat it, of course I can eat it too."

Chu Kong nodded, his appreciation for Shu Wenxue growing even stronger.

After all, what a person does is far more convincing than what they say.

When the uncle in charge of serving meals saw that the two students had come to eat, he showed a look of admiration and carefully selected two meals for them.

They served almost all the remaining vegetables with meat onto their plates.

Looking at the plates piled up like a small mountain, the two fell into deep thought.

Chu Kong was the first to come to his senses and thank the uncle.

Shu Wenxue smiled and thanked the uncle gracefully.

The man simply responded with a smile.

-----------------

Shu Wenxue's eating manners were very refined; she ate slowly and deliberately, chewing each bite carefully.

Chu Kong had almost finished eating, but she hadn't even had a few bites.

Although the food wasn't delicious, she ate it very attentively.

Left with no other option, Chu Kong had to slow down his eating and start a conversation.

What work did you do this morning?

Shu Wenxue looked at Chu Kong with a puzzled expression, then realized that most people did not follow the rule of "not talking while eating".

She swallowed the food in her mouth before speaking, "I helped with the accounting in the finance department this morning."

After saying that, she added with a hint of pride in her voice, "I used to assist with reconciliation work in my family's business, so I'm quite good at it."

"That's amazing!" Chu Kong exclaimed sincerely.

Upon hearing this, Shu Wenxue seemed to realize something, and her expression turned cold again: "No, just average."

Realizing her lapse in composure, Shu Wenxue changed the subject: "And you, what kind of job have you been doing for so long?"

"Put on the price tag."

Shu Wenxue looked blank, seemingly not understanding what kind of job this was: "It sounds like it must be quite difficult, no wonder it's taken so long."

"..."

Chu Kong seemed to understand why she had suddenly changed her expression. He didn't explain further, but instead continued to ask, "What work were you assigned to this afternoon?"

"Cashier, what about you?"

"Fresh produce." Chu Kong opened his phone to verify, then revealed a deadpan expression.

-----------------

Working in the fresh produce section is not easy; it's much harder than putting up price tags.

At least that's what Chu Kong thinks.

After all, price tags don't lie, nor do they go back on their word.

"Sir, I clearly cut this piece of meat according to your instructions. Why do you think there's something wrong with how I cut it?"

This was a piece of pork belly. Before making the cut, Chu Kong asked the old woman across from him several times. Only after receiving an affirmative answer did Chu Kong make the cut.

But when the old lady saw the cut surface, she thought the meat was too fatty and didn't want it anymore.

Not only did she not want it, but she also accused Chu Kong of ruining the meat she wanted.

Although Chu Kong really wanted to ask about the principle behind "a piece of meat being cut badly", he ultimately gave up.

After all, the other party came here specifically to cause trouble.

Was it arranged by the production company?

Chu Kong stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

He let the old woman in front of him keep rambling on and on.

"What's wrong with you, young man?"

Are you even listening to me?

Your service attitude is absolutely terrible!

Where is the manager?

Chairman? I need to see your chairman!

Do you know who I am?

I can kill you without a burial place with just one sentence!

... "

Faced with Chu Kong's silence, she became angrier and angrier, even to the point of hysteria.

"Oh my dear sister, who made you so angry? Calm down." Aunt Chen's voice came from behind Chu Kong at just the right moment.

Her voice was high-pitched, and she didn't speak loudly, which overpowered the old lady's hoarse voice.

"Who are you?"

"Oh dear, sister, it doesn't matter who I am. Look at you, you're not pretty anymore when you're angry, are you?"

As she spoke, Aunt Chen reached into her pocket, took out a piece of paper, and wiped the sweat from the old lady's forehead.

Chu Kong noticed that Aunt Chen's hands and face were red, obviously from just coming back from outside.

It seemed that Aunt Chen's compliment on her beauty had worked; the old lady wasn't as hysterical as before, but she still pointed aggressively at Chu Kong: "Can you manage anything? I'm going to complain, I'll sue this brat to death."

"Oh, sister, why are you arguing with him? This child isn't very bright, otherwise he wouldn't be out of school at such a young age. Please don't hold a grudge against him."

Aunt Chen held the old lady's hand and coaxed her in a coquettish manner.

This scene left Chu Kong speechless.

He made a perfectly timed, crooked-mouthed expression.

"Your supermarket is really something, how can you let someone like that work? What if he scares people? What is that?"

The old lady still wouldn't let it go.

"Alright, sister, please tell me what's wrong. I'll help you solve it."

Aunt Chen patted the old lady on the shoulder, comforting her.

"Look at that piece of meat. I told him to cut it leaner, but he cut it so fatty."

"You never said that," Chu Kong couldn't help but retort.

Little did she know that those words seemed to ignite a gasoline can, and the old woman continued her madness.

She first complained to Aunt Chen, "Look, look at him, he even said that. He's a madman, how could he understand what I'm saying?"

Then he continued pointing his finger at Chu Kong's nose and yelling, "Do you know who I am? Do you believe I'll have someone deal with you?"

Chu Kong was completely speechless.

There's no point in trying to reason with someone like that.

"Hey sis, look at you, you're angry again. Wait till I teach him a lesson..."

And so, in Chu Kong's silence, Aunt Chen finally saw the old lady off after twenty minutes.

To Chu Kong's surprise, Aunt Chen also sold her the piece of meat that had been cut off.

It's not some complicated technique, just a bunch of words like collagen and beauty, the kind of thing old ladies love to hear.

Just as Chu Kong was hesitating about how to thank Aunt Chen, Aunt Chen spoke first.

"Xiao Chu, you've worked hard."

Chu Kong felt a warmth in his heart: "Aunt Chen, I'm not tired at all. It's you who helped me out of that predicament. I'm really grateful."

Aunt Chen shook her head: "Xiao Chu, are you wondering why I let that old lady cause trouble? Are you wondering why we didn't go to the supervisor to reason with them when we were clearly in the right?"

Chu Kong shook his head: "It's alright, Aunt Chen, I understand all these principles."

It's simply that the supervisor doesn't care about who's right or wrong, but rather how to avoid negatively impacting the supermarket.

Or perhaps you could simply make the employees suffer a little; after all, they need to get paid, so they'll just have to put up with it.

Aunt Chen paused for a moment, then nodded and shook her head.

"You're right, Xiao Chu. Don't even mention someone as young as you; I didn't understand this even when I was forty. Compared to people like us, you truly have a bright future."

Aunt Chen exclaimed sincerely.

Then, Aunt Chen continued to speak.

"But, Xiao Chu, that's not what I really wanted to say." She suddenly sighed.

Chu Kong didn't speak, but listened attentively while packing the fruit in his hands.

"That old lady is actually a regular here."

If I remember correctly, her surname should be Rong.

Many years ago, when I first started working here, Grandma Rong already lived in this neighborhood.

She comes here to buy groceries almost every day.

In my memory, Grandma Rong was a gentle and friendly person.

But a few years ago, Grandma Rong's son passed away unexpectedly.

During that time, Grandma Rong would always come here to sit. She said that we were the only people she knew.

But she didn't chat. She would just find a place to squat or stand and stare intently at one spot.

Her husband died young, and her son is still unmarried, adding to the tragedy of an older person outliving their child.

That's when she broke down.

It was the manager who took her to the hospital, and later, the staff here also helped contact the government to apply for various subsidies for Grandma Rong.

Later, Grandma Rong recovered and was able to eat and drink normally and take care of herself, but the doctor said she had Alzheimer's disease.

Because she can no longer remember people.

I think she knows she's doing something wrong, but she just can't figure it out.

So she slowly became irritable, and her whole demeanor changed.

Now, she always thinks of herself as the daughter of a bandit in some TV drama, and she's forgotten that her surname is Rong.

After saying this, Aunt Chen fell silent.

Chu Kong didn't know what to say.

Did you feel relieved? Not at all.

He just felt a tightness in his chest.

Aunt Chen spoke again, "Xiao Chu, you speak."

She paused for a long time, making Chu Kong almost think she wasn't going to continue.

He then continued, "Do you think sick people have no dignity at all?"

Chu Kong opened his mouth, unsure how to answer.

-----------------

Not far away, Ning Wantang's voice broke the heavy atmosphere: "Chu Kong!"

Chu Kong looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ning Wantang rushing towards him in a great hurry.

"You go ahead and get busy, I'll take care of things here." Aunt Chen smiled at Chu Kong, but there was still a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Chu Kong nodded and walked towards Ning Wantang.

After all, Ning Wantang was a deep participant in the production team, so he maintained a minimum level of vigilance.

"What's wrong, Tangtang? Don't rush, tell me slowly."

"Come with me, let's talk as we walk."

Chu Kong followed closely behind Ning Wantang.

Ning Wantang caught her breath for a while before saying, "It's Li Lingchuang's side. He got into a fight with a boy from another class, and it looked like they were about to come to blows, so I rushed over to call you."

Chu Kong frowned. After all, Li Lingchuang was a key participant arranged by the production company, and he didn't believe that the other party would start a fight for no reason. So he felt that this matter was probably aimed at him.

But he still asked, puzzled, "Argued? Because of what?"

"It was because of an old lady. She seemed a little confused and clumsy. When she was taking something from the shelf, she accidentally knocked all the neatly arranged goods to the ground."

Chu Kong's heart skipped a beat.

If nothing unexpected happens, that old lady should be Grandma Rong.

He quickly followed up, "And then? What happened next?"

"That shelf was just cleaned up by Li Lingchuang and a boy from another class, so the boy complained a bit. Who knew that the old lady would start to get angry at the boy? The boy was humiliated in front of everyone, so he got angry too and argued back with the old lady."

To everyone's surprise, the old woman got even angrier and grabbed a cane to attack the boy. In self-defense, the boy snatched the cane away, but the old woman wouldn't let go, and he ended up falling over.

Li Lingchuang couldn't stand it and said a few words to the boy, which led to the two of them arguing.

"Where is that old lady?" Chu Kong asked anxiously.

Ning Wantang was taken aback by the question, but still said, "It should be nothing serious, but she seemed to suddenly sit on the ground and wouldn't get up. I saw Li Lingchuang and that boy arguing more and more fiercely, so I quickly came to find you."

Chu Kong nodded, and before they knew it, the two of them were already jogging around the supermarket.

Before long, the two arrived at the place where the argument had taken place.

Li Lingchuang and the boy were in a tense standoff, neither willing to back down, and they looked ready to fight at any moment.

Grandma Rong sat on the ground, staring blankly ahead, seemingly oblivious to everything happening around her.

Chu Kong closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Reason told him that the best course of action was to find an excuse to go to the restroom and then contact Zhou Huaijin.

Look at this stage in front of you, how many of the people here are actors?

Then comes the development of a meticulous plan.

Whether Li Lingchuang gets into fights or not is none of his business.

As for Grandma Rong, in a society governed by the rule of law, she naturally wouldn't have any problems.

But after a struggle...

He ultimately chose to stay where he was.

It's not based on a script, but on the most basic human nature.

He took a step forward.