Li Wanru hadn't seen Mei Jin for several days.
She had applied to work as a waitress at a high-end restaurant, and thanks to her beautiful appearance, the restaurant had agreed to hire her.
In the real world, she was 27, a graduate with qualifications for a good job, but in this world, she was only 20, a second-year student with no family and no money, so she had no choice but to work as a waitress.
These past few days, she had been swamped, balancing her studies with her part-time job, so she had no time to pay attention to anything else.
Tonight, she ran into Mei Jin at the restaurant. Chen Mei Jin was with a tall male student, and next to them was her uncle, Chen Jiancheng.
Mei Jin was very surprised to see Li Wanru.
Full of surprise, she asked Wanru.
“Why are you here, Wanru?”
Wanru gave a forced smile and replied, “I work part-time here.”
After speaking, Wanru bowed towards Chen Jiancheng.
“Hello, Uncle.”
Chen Jiancheng nodded at the young girl.
Wanru led all three into their reserved room, then continued with her work.
Chen Jiancheng had taken the two young ones out to eat because Mei Jin’s childhood friend, Huang Mingjian, had returned from abroad.
Huang Mingjian planned to develop his career in Vietnam, and since both their parents weren't home, as the elder uncle, Chen Jiancheng felt obliged to treat the two young ones to a meal.
He subtly realized that young Mingjian was interested in his niece. He didn't try to stop them, but instead slowly observed Mingjian's capabilities.
After the meal, Chen Jiancheng went to the restroom. As he came out, he heard strange noises and saw a rather familiar face cornered.
A few other girls surrounded her.
Wanru hadn't imagined she’d be unlucky enough to run into both Mei Jin and those hateful girls from her class in one evening.
The three of them cornered her against the wall in a secluded spot near the restroom, speaking with contempt in their voices.
“So it’s come to this, huh? What, Mei Jin stopped being friends with you?”
Another girl said, “It seems the young mistress is eating in the VIP room. How come her little tail is here washing dishes?”
“Mei Jin must have seen your true colors, right? Only a fool like Jin would be friends with a girl like you.”
“So, do you want to be my tail instead? I’m just as rich as Jin, you know.”
The three girls, with their sharp, venomous tongues, each chimed in with a remark.
Cornered, Wanru could only remain silent. The things they were saying weren't things she had done, yet she was the one hearing the bitter words.
In her heart, she silently cursed her character.
“Li Wanru!” A deep, warm voice rang out.
The whole group turned to look, only to see Chen Jiancheng leaning against the wall, gesturing to Wanru.
“Come here!”
Wanru slipped past the three girls and went to Chen Jiancheng’s side.
She called out softly:
“Uncle!”
Chen Jiancheng looked sternly at the three girls.
The three girls probably knew who was standing before them, so they bowed their heads and left.
She didn't know how long Chen Jiancheng had been standing there, nor what he had heard, so she remained silent, not daring to say anything.
“You’re being bullied and you don’t even know how to talk back?” He stood tall and imposing before her.
What was there to say now? How could she clean up the mess created by the character Li Wanru?
She was silent because she had nothing to say, but in Chen Jiancheng's eyes, she appeared weak, fragile, and easily bullied.
“What time do you get off?”
“Huh?” Hearing him ask, she thought she had misheard. Seeing that he didn't repeat the question, she answered vaguely.
“11 PM.”
“I'll take you home later.”
“No, Uncle, I can get home by myself. No need to trouble you.”
“It's no trouble. It's already 9:30 now.”
"No need, Uncle, really no need!" She firmly refused.
"Just listen to me."
Chen Jiancheng's voice was still very patient.
"Don't treat me like your niece, Uncle!" She was still very clear-headed.
"You're my niece's friend."
"I don't care, I'm not your niece, and I don't see you as my uncle either."
"But you call me Uncle."
"Then let me call you 'Big Brother'."
Suddenly, silence fell around them. Yuan Ru, as if discovering a new frontier, got emboldened and pressed her advantage.
"I don't care, you're not my uncle, don't treat me like your actual niece."
Chen Jiancheng was stunned for a moment, then asked in a hoarse voice.
"What do you take me for, calling me 'Big Brother'?"
Li Yuanru, with the audacious spirit of a 27-year-old woman, moved closer to Chen Jiancheng.
She spoke softly, just loud enough for the two of them to hear.
"I see you as an older man."
The girl before Chen Jiancheng was no longer the timid, easily intimidated one from earlier; instead, she had become proactive, her words much more teasing.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Yuan Ru saw him silently looking at her, suddenly smiled, then turned to leave, and before she left, she said.
"Alright, I'll go home by myself, there's really no need for you to become my uncle!"
Yuan Ru knew clearly that earlier, Chen Jiancheng had been protecting her as if she were his niece, but if she followed his words, this 'uncle' would likely truly believe their relationship was that of uncle and niece.
To win over the beauty, one's wits must always be sharp.