Chapter 39: Putting Green Onions in a Pig’s Nose—You’re Pretending to Be an Elephant

Chapter 39: Putting an Onion in Your Nose to Pretend to be an Elephant

Zhuo Nan had originally intended to find Lan Qian that evening to blow off some steam, but the girl had called to say she was on an urgent mission out of town. Damn it. Zhuo Nan cursed inwardly; was he really going to have to spend his time with his right hand? Damn, what a tragedy.

With no other choice, he slept alone. When he woke up the next morning, he couldn't be bothered to go to school. Both Zhao Jiawen and Xia Qianrou were headaches, not to mention that pest Lu Zihan. He was going to transfer schools anyway, and he figured Xia Qianrou wouldn't be back until tomorrow, so he would just talk to her about the transfer then.

He had arranged to meet Qin Chenfang at that restaurant in the morning. Seeing it was getting late, he threw together some food, ate, and headed out. When he arrived, Qin Chenfang was already waiting.

She was dressed very plainly today: her long hair was pinned up, she wore a cream-colored women's blouse, light purple trousers, and a pair of leather high heels. While the clothes looked new, they were overall a bit dowdy. Zhuo Nan approached her and clicked his tongue. Qin Chenfang didn't understand what he meant and asked, "Zhuo Nan, what's wrong? Is something out of place?"

Zhuo Nan said in a tone of deep regret, "Auntie Qin, you have such a great figure, but these clothes just don't do you justice. Tell you what, let me take you to buy some new ones."

"Ah..." Qin Chenfang exclaimed, a blush appearing on her face. As far as she was concerned, she was here to interview for a chef position, and what she wore didn't matter. Besides, she rarely even wore this outfit because she wanted to keep it nice. If Zhuo Nan insisted on buying her clothes, he would be the one paying, and deep down, she felt she shouldn't let him spend any more money on her.

Feeling very awkward, she hesitated and said, "Zhuo Nan, let's forget it. I'm just here to apply as a chef; this is fine."

Zhuo Nan acted rather cocky, waving a finger in front of her. "Auntie Qin, that's not the right way to look at it. If you don't wear nice clothes with a figure like yours, it’s a total waste. Come on, we’re going to buy clothes right now." Without waiting for her to argue, he took her hand and headed toward a nearby shopping mall.

Qin Chenfang felt a bit uncomfortable. Zhuo Nan had complimented her figure twice, and thinking back to what had happened the previous night, she felt a vague sense of unease. Could Zhuo Nan have ideas about her? But then she reconsidered—he was only fifteen. What could he possibly want from her? In his eyes, she was just an older woman. She shouldn't worry for nothing.

With that, she relaxed and walked with him toward the mall, silently resolving to pay for the clothes herself. Along the way, Zhuo Nan didn't let go of her hand, and Qin Chenfang naturally allowed him to lead her.

Once inside the mall, Zhuo Nan led her to the women's clothing section. Seeing a mannequin in a display window wearing something quite nice, he pulled her inside. Qin Chenfang didn't usually buy clothes; if she did, she bought cheap items from street stalls. She rarely entered malls, and seeing the decor of this boutique, she gasped inwardly—how much could a single piece of clothing here cost?

She reached out to touch a garment and glanced at the price tag. She was shocked: a '15' followed by three zeros. My god, this ordinary piece of clothing cost fifteen thousand yuan! She immediately pulled Zhuo Nan aside and whispered, "Zhuo Nan, let's go. The clothes here are way too expensive."

Zhuo Nan smiled and waved it off. "Auntie Qin, don't worry about the price. If you like it, try it on. If it looks good, we'll buy it."

"But..." Qin Chenfang started to object, but Zhuo Nan was already beckoning a sales clerk.

A sales clerk, who looked to be about the same age as Qin Chenfang, walked over. However, they were in different leagues when it came to appearance. Although the woman wore heavy makeup, Zhuo Nan could tell that beneath the thick foundation, her face was likely covered in freckles.

The clerk, chest puffed out in a size 37E top, walked over. She caught sight of Qin Chenfang and paused, then cried out with delight, "Is that you, Qin Chenfang?"

Zhuo Nan, standing to the side, thought, *Oh, an acquaintance? That’s perfect.*

Qin Chenfang looked at her, confused, and asked, "Who are you?"

The woman gave a coy, seductive laugh that made Zhuo Nan’s bones feel a bit soft. *A vixen,* he thought.

"Chenfang, don't you recognize me? It's Zhang Hui! We used to work in the same workshop," Zhang Hui said with a smile.

Qin Chenfang had a sudden realization and laughed. "Oh, it's you! Look at you, you’re dressed so beautifully now, I didn't even recognize you."

Flattered, Zhang Hui looked smug. "Can't help it. Since I work here, I have to dress the part, right? By the way, after you were laid off, I heard you were running a street stall. Are you still doing that?"

Zhang Hui emphasized the words "street stall" loudly, immediately drawing the attention of other customers in the shop. Qin Chenfang looked visibly uncomfortable. Zhuo Nan's impression of this woman dropped to freezing, and he felt a wave of disgust.

Qin Chenfang replied awkwardly, "No, I'm not doing that anymore. I'm preparing to be a chef."

"Oh, a chef? Back in the day, you were the factory flower," Zhang Hui said, eyeing Qin Chenfang's outfit with a look of pity. "It seems like things haven't been going well for you over the years, unlike me. I work here and earn over four thousand a month."

Though stung by the sarcasm, Qin Chenfang kept a smile on her face. "Is that so? That's great."

Zhuo Nan, having seen through Zhang Hui’s true colors, didn't want Qin Chenfang to waste any more time. "Let's look at the clothes. We’re in a hurry."

Qin Chenfang nodded blankly. It was only then that Zhang Hui noticed Zhuo Nan holding Qin Chenfang's hand. She sneered, "Chenfang, so you like robbing the cradle? You haven't found a man in all these years, why are you into a pretty boy now?"

Qin Chenfang’s face went deathly pale, and she became visibly agitated. Zhuo Nan glared at Zhang Hui, his eyes burning with fury. "What did you say?"

Zhang Hui was startled by his expression for a moment, but quickly recovered. *What, he wouldn't dare hit me here, would he?* She met his gaze. "What? What did I say? It's the truth, isn't it? Chenfang hasn't had a boyfriend in years, so why are you holding her hand?"

Qin Chenfang tried to pull her hand away, but Zhuo Nan held it even tighter.

"Zhuo Nan, let's go..." Faced with Zhang Hui’s aggressiveness, Qin Chenfang didn't want to stay for another second.

Zhuo Nan sighed, memorizing the woman's face. After she got off work, he would have Long Kun send some thugs to teach her a lesson. He pulled Qin Chenfang toward the exit.

Zhang Hui, feeling empowered, blocked their path. "Why are you leaving? Didn't you want to buy clothes? That piece you were looking at earlier is fifteen thousand. Since we're former colleagues, I'll give you a discount—ten thousand will do."

Just as Zhuo Nan was about to speak, Zhang Hui held the garment up to herself, acting superior. She clicked her tongue. "Oh, right, ten thousand yuan. How could someone who runs a street stall afford that? Sigh, forget it. You should just go look at the street stalls."

As soon as she finished speaking, other customers in the shop laughed. From their laughter, Zhuo Nan could tell they felt poor people like Qin Chenfang belonged at street stalls, not here—this was a paradise for the wealthy.

Zhuo Nan was furious. *Damn it, do you think I'm a sick cat just because the tiger isn't roaring? One phone call from me could wipe this store off the map.* Brother Nan was angry, and the consequences would be severe.

Qin Chenfang’s eyes were rimmed with red; had it not been for the crowd, she would have burst into tears.

Zhuo Nan glared at Zhang Hui. "Bring out the most expensive clothes in your store. The absolute best—I'm buying them all."

Zhang Hui snorted. "Oh, stop putting an onion in your nose to pretend to be an elephant. Do you even have any money?"

Zhuo Nan looked at her coldly, then suddenly pulled a pack of Soft Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket and flicked one out to light it... despite the "No Smoking" sign posted at the store entrance.

Seeing him adopt the posture of a hoodlum, Zhang Hui immediately said, "What are you doing? No smoking here! Put that out immediately!"

Zhuo Nan didn't even bother looking at her. He took a satisfied puff and flicked the ash onto the floor. Zhang Hui was livid. "Put that cigarette out right now, or I'm calling security!"

Zhuo Nan’s actions drew looks of disdain from the other customers, who considered themselves people of status and saw him as nothing more than a small-time thug.

Qin Chenfang, fearing things would get out of hand, pleaded, "Zhuo Nan, let it go, let's just leave."

Zhuo Nan waved her off, acting arrogantly. "Chenfang, why leave? It’s not like I don't have the money. Tell them to bring out the most expensive items."

Qin Chenfang paused slightly. Zhuo Nan had always called her "Auntie Qin," but now he was calling her "Chenfang," which made her feel a strange sense of shyness.

Zhang Hui calmed down, thinking, *This kid is obviously a thug. He doesn't look like he has any money, and that pack of cigarettes is probably fake anyway. What’s there to be afraid of? I'll bring the clothes out; let's see if he can actually pay.* Thinking this, she sneered, "Fine. Chenfang, it seems your little boyfriend is quite rich. Tell you what, I'll sell you the store's prized treasure. Let's see if you can actually afford it." She then changed her tone, provocatively adding, "If you can't pay, you'll have to admit in front of everyone here that you're just a poor, pathetic woman who likes robbing the cradle."

"You..." Qin Chenfang was trembling with rage, unable to speak.

Zhuo Nan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Qin Chenfang, staring coldly at Zhang Hui. "Fine. If I buy it, you will admit in front of everyone that you are a cheap woman who is ridden by thousands and trampled by ten thousand."

Being in Zhuo Nan’s arms felt so comfortable. Suddenly, she felt a sense of peace—yes, a sense of security. Even if the sky were to fall, she felt she would be safe in his arms.

Zhang Hui stared at Zhuo Nan, grinding her teeth. "Fine. Let's see if you can afford it."

Qin Chenfang steeled herself and glared at Zhang Hui. "Bring it out. We'll buy it right now."