Ye Zhi blinked in surprise. Why would Ye Yuzhe leave the construction site at this time?
He was so close to winning, just two more days of persistence.
Even though Ye Yuzhe hadn't said it, Ye Zhi knew he was driven by a strong desire to win the bet and prove himself.
Yet, at the brink of victory, Ye Yuzhe just gave up?
"Director Yu," Ye Zhi asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened? Did you ask the people around him?"
Yu Ji explained, "President Ye, I just asked. One of his roommates, Lao Zhang, has a daughter studying in Kyoto. She worked for a month during her summer break, but her boss deliberately withheld her wages, not giving her a single cent.
Lao Zhang and his friends were planning to go together today to demand the money for his daughter. However, your brother heard about it and persuaded them to let him help retrieve the money. Lao Zhang and the others initially disagreed, but they couldn't dissuade your brother, so they agreed.
Only, they thought your brother had taken leave today. After I went to inquire, we discovered he had left without a word..."
Ye Zhi was somewhat surprised, and also a little relieved. She had initially worried if this was somehow related to Ou Minghan, but now it seemed this was Ye Yuzhe's own decision.
What surprised her even more was that Ye Yuzhe was willing to give up a bet he was about to win just to help someone else? Had this child grown to this extent?
Yu Ji suggested, "President Ye, should we help him resolve this matter..."
"No need," Ye Zhi said, coming back to her senses. "Director Yu, please find out where Lao Zhang's daughter worked. You don't need to worry about anything else. Leave it to me."
Director Yu agreed and, after hanging up, quickly found out the address and sent it to Ye Zhi's phone.
Ye Zhi stood up, preparing to go find Ye Yuzhe. Of course, she didn't intend to directly intervene.
Ye Yuzhe's growth in mindset was truly gratifying. But if she stepped in, it would only foster a habit in Ye Yuzhe of seeking her help whenever he encountered problems, which would instead undermine his confidence. Letting him solve problems with his own strength was the true affirmation of his capabilities.
However, she still needed to follow him. If he truly encountered a situation he couldn't handle, she could offer timely assistance. She couldn't let Ye Yuzhe suffer any real loss.
*
Ye Yuzhe arrived at the commercial street in the central plaza and immediately spotted Zhang Anan, Lao Zhang's daughter.
She was standing in front of a milk tea shop, dressed plainly, with her long hair casually tied back. Beneath a thick fringe, she wore black-rimmed glasses.
But what confirmed her identity to Ye Yuzhe was her demeanor. She always kept her head down, instinctively hunched her shoulders, appearing both awkward and timid.
At this moment, with red eyes, she summoned all her courage and followed a portly man. Trembling, she said, "I, I have been working here for 28 days. The agreed hourly wage was ten yuan, totaling two thousand eight hundred, which is my living expense for the latter half of the year..."
"Get lost! Don't delay my business, you country bumpkin!" The man impatiently shoved her aside.
Zhang Anan stumbled back two steps, then suddenly, a pair of strong arms caught her, preventing her from falling.
"Th-thank you..." Zhang Anan didn't dare to look up, staring at the other person's feet, wishing she could shrink into herself.
The remark of "country bumpkin" had truly wounded her.
"You're Uncle Zhang's daughter, An'an Jie, right?"
Hearing the cheerful and clear voice, Zhang Anan looked up in confusion.
She saw a sun-tanned, handsome face with an inexplicable sense of familiarity. However, he looked somewhat childish, appearing about two years younger than her.
Zhang Anan grew more puzzled; she didn't recognize this person.
"My name is Ye Yuzhe. I work with Uncle Zhang on the construction site. Uncle Zhang asked me to come and help," Ye Yuzhe said.
Zhang Anan felt relieved, muttering softly that he knew her father, so he must be from her hometown. Still, she hadn't expected such a bright and confident child among her fellow townsfolk. She was so envious...
"An'an Jie, let's find a place to talk," Ye Yuzhe said. "I'm not entirely clear on your situation yet. Can you tell me about it first?"
"Okay..." Zhang Anan nodded in agreement.
Ye Yuzhe had originally intended to take Zhang Anan to a nearby coffee shop. However, seeing Zhang Anan's fearful expression, as if she dared not approach the coffee shop at all, he changed his mind.
He directly bought two bottles of water from a store and then led Zhang Anan to a nearby flowerbed.
Ye Yuzhe offered her the spot under the shade of the trees and even used his sleeve to wipe the dust off the flowerbed.
"An'an Jie, please sit down," Ye Yuzhe said.
"I'm really sorry..." Zhang Anan apologized repeatedly, feeling very uneasy. "You got your clothes dirty..."
"What's a little dirt?" Ye Yuzhe said indifferently. "The construction site is much dirtier than this! Let's not talk about it. An'an Jie, Uncle Zhang couldn't explain it clearly. Can you tell me the details?"
"Mhmm..." Zhang Anan nodded.
Zhang Anan's voice was very soft, and when she spoke of sad things, she would choke up and be unable to continue.
However, Ye Yuzhe listened patiently, without any dissatisfaction or impatience.
Soon, Ye Yuzhe understood the entire situation.
To save on train fare, Zhang Anan didn't go home during her university summer break. Instead, she planned to find part-time work.
By chance, she saw that this milk tea shop was hiring summer employees, so she applied. Although she was quiet, she was diligent and hardworking. Whatever dirty or arduous tasks were assigned, she was willing to do them. As a result, the milk tea shop owner was very satisfied and kept her.
However, they had originally agreed on an hourly wage of ten yuan, working ten hours a day, with monthly salary payments. But when she completed twenty-eight days of work, the boss found some excuse to fire Zhang Anan and didn't give her a single cent!
Even the submissive Zhang Anan couldn't let go of a month's worth of unpaid labor.
However, she had been coming here to demand her wages for several days, but each time the boss gruffly drove her away, showing no intention of paying.
"This is too much!" Ye Yuzhe exclaimed, hitting the flowerbed in anger.
The flowerbed was made of marble. Ye Yuzhe's hand ached, but he managed to maintain his composure, not letting his expression contort.
"An'an Jie, don't worry. I will get your money back, no matter what!" Ye Yuzhe promised.
"But how can we do it?" Zhang Anan asked helplessly. "He simply refuses to pay..."
"If he refuses to pay, then his business shouldn't continue either!" Ye Yuzhe said with a cold snort.