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1648words
My mother has been in New York with me for a while.
She adapted quickly and lived with me in an 80-square-meter rented house.
Every day when I go to work,she helps me clean the house,buy groceries,and cook.She also goes to the nearby square to chat and play chess every day.
Two months passed,and life got back on track.
I kept my promise and cancelled all the five social insurances and one housing fund of Mary and her son.I don't want to have any connection with them for the rest of my life.Whether they live or die has nothing to do with me.
But I didn't expect that they really dared to challenge me.They wouldn't give up until they hit a dead end.
My uncle,Tom,actually came to New York to find me.
One noon,I was extremely busy with a contract.Suddenly,I heard a hoarse roar outside the company:
"Annie,you son of a bitch,come out!"
I was taken aback.Then I saw Tom looking slovenly,wearing a black down jacket,with a disheveled face.In the two months since I last saw him,he seemed to have changed into a different person.
No,he didn't even look human anymore.His facial features and head were all distorted and strange for some reason.
He was stopped by the security guards outside the company.
I cursed in my heart and felt extremely embarrassed.
Seeing that all my colleagues were looking at me,I didn't want to waste everyone's time.
I quickly walked towards the security guards,suppressed my anger,and said in a low voice:
"Let's go to the lounge downstairs and talk."
Who would have thought that this jerk didn't care about his dignity at all?Instead,he had a look of"I finally caught you"on his face,as if I owed his family 300,000 dollars and didn't pay it back.He shouted loudly:
"No!I want to talk about it here today.Let your boss and colleagues see what kind of person you are!"
After saying that,he pushed away the two security guards who were stopping him,tugged at his down jacket,and had an expression of being wronged and having nowhere to seek justice:
"Everyone,come and judge.I'm her uncle.Her father died early,and our family has been taking care of her,providing for her food and drink,and letting her study.But I never expected that she would be such an ungrateful wretch!"
After saying that,he pretended to be extremely sad:
"I'm almost forty years old,and I finally managed to get a wife.Now that she's making a lot of money,I don't expect her to repay me much.But I'm really in urgent need of money and want to borrow a few thousand dollars from her to solve my pressing problems.But not only did she not lend me a single penny,but she also beat and scolded our family members.She even beat her own grandmother until she was covered in injuries!This is your own grandmother,Annie!How could you be so heartless!"
He turned to look at me,his face full of disappointment.
My colleagues in the company also started whispering:
"It can't be true.Annie is usually such a nice person.Is this guy talking nonsense?"
"Yeah,Sister Annie doesn't seem like a stingy person.Every time there's not enough funds,she pays out of her own pocket."
"This guy doesn't look like a good person at all."
"Haven't you heard the saying"You can know a person's face but not their heart"?..."
"There are all kinds of people in the world.We'd better not get involved."
I thought that spouting nonsense was the most shameless thing Tom could do,but I didn't expect that he had a"surprise"waiting for me.
I saw him take out a stack of A4 papers from his arms and distribute them to my colleagues.
On the papers were the injury verification reports and the photos of me scolding Mary when she caused trouble at my mother's noodle shop.
Now there were no more people speaking up for me.The looks in their eyes towards me were only filled with surprise and sarcasm.
"It's not just that.Annie also forcefully cancelled the five social insurances and one housing fund of all the people in our family.What a vicious woman!Aren't you afraid of retribution?How can a person like you,who feeds on other people's misfortunes,be worthy of continuing to work in a company that got its status by oppressing us ordinary people!I strongly demand that your boss fire her immediately!"
My anger finally reached its peak.Is this what your mouth is for?
Today,even if I lose this job,I will tear your face apart!
"Have you talked enough nonsense?You want everyone to judge,right?Fine,I'll accompany you to the end!"
After saying that,I threw the folder in my hand hard on the counter.
"You said you provided for my food and drink and my schooling?You can really talk nonsense.Who in our hometown doesn't know that you were thinking about the betrothal gift from Old Man Wang's family and almost married me off?
Do you want me to call every neighbor one by one to confirm this matter?
Also,it's not just a few thousand dollars that you borrowed from me,Uncle.You borrowed 300,000 dollars!Is your wife going to live with you or with me?"
I stepped towards him,clenching my fists tightly:
"Yes,I did beat Mary.I really regret not beating her as badly as the photos you found on the Internet.Otherwise,your family wouldn't have had the energy to come all the way here and talk nonsense."
"Everyone,look!This is what the ungrateful wretch we raised for more than ten years said!What a sin!"
Tom seemed to have caught hold of something against me and passionately told my colleagues about his grievances.
This jerk is smarter than Mary.He doesn't dare to confront me head-on but just wants to ruin my reputation.
"Stop talking nonsense, Tom. I haven't done anything wrong to anyone in your family!"
You said I cancelled your five social insurances and one housing fund without permission.That crazy Mary has been harassing my mother every day and causing me trouble.What,do you expect me to treat you well and even reimburse you if you get sick from scolding me too fiercely?
You said it's the insurance you bought yourself?Don't you take a piss and look at yourself?You're so filthy.Do you have a job?Can you afford to buy insurance?
The insurance premiums for you and your mother all these years have been paid by me.This is my charity to you.Since it's my charity,I can take it back as well!"
I crossed my arms and remained calm.
A person with a clear conscience isn't afraid of being misunderstood.You want to see me lose my temper and make a fool of myself in the company?No way.
"You..."
Tom wanted to say something more,but I interrupted him immediately:
"I already told Mary that if she dares to come and provoke me and my mother again,I'll make sure you and your mother don't die peacefully.But you really don't care about anything.Do you really think I was joking with you?
I always keep my word.You just wait for your retribution,Tom!"
When my colleagues heard these words,they understood what was going on and started speaking up for me again.
Director Zhang of the Investigation Department said sternly:
"Sir,it seems that you're trying to extort money.What you're doing is illegal."
The intern Li in my team also sneered:
"Do you still think it's the feudal society?The mosquitoes in our hometown aren't as bloodthirsty as you."
"There's a reason why no woman was interested in him until he was almost forty."
The most talkative male colleague in our company also expressed his opinion.
......
More and more voices were heard,and Tom couldn't hold his temper anymore.His eyes were wide with anger,his face was ferocious,and his true nature was revealed:
"I don't care.I don't care!It's all your fault.Why did you take away the things that belong to our family?!"
I stared at him and shook my head,as if I was looking at the most failed and ignorant work of the Creator.
The more uneducated a person is,the more self-righteous they are.I really understand this now.
Even now,he still thinks that the things I gave him were his own.
Tom was stung by my gaze.In his narrow and conceited mind,he was always great and invincible.
When he met someone as difficult to deal with as me,he naturally became extremely angry:
"You bitch with no mother to raise you.I'll teach you a lesson today!"
After saying that,he made the same gesture as his mother,trying to slap me.
I tried to grab his wrist again,but I didn't expect him to be much stronger than Mary.I couldn't stop him at all.
I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes tightly.
Let him slap me.At worst,I'll slap him back a few more times later.
I turned my neck and lowered my head,waiting for that hard and stinging slap to land on my face.
One second,two seconds,three seconds...
There was no sound at all.
I opened my eyes curiously and found that our Marketing Manager,Eric,was standing in front of me.
He was firmly gripping Tom's hand,which was twisted and ugly with bulging veins due to the excessive force.Just by looking at his face,which was in a similar state to his hand,I knew he was in a lot of pain.
"Who the hell are you?I warn you not to meddle in other people's business.This is my family matter!"
Tom shouted at Eric, spittle flying from his mouth and his face turning liver-colored.
Eric leaned his head back in disgust and didn't want to waste any more words with him.He gave a look to the two security guards beside him.
The security guards immediately understood and dragged Tom into the elevator like dragging a sack,one holding each of his arms.
Tom kept struggling with his legs and cursed at me with his throat full of phlegm:
"Fuck you,Annie!"
"You wait for me.I'm not done with you!"
"You motherless bitch!"
......
The elevator door slowly closed,and the 21st floor returned to silence.
I lowered my head,silently enduring everyone's gaze,feeling completely disheartened.
