The three of them—Xu Zhengyang, his little nephew, and Lin Yourong—were momentarily stunned.
Xu Zhengyang was surprised by the woman's look, which was a mixture of stubbornness and seductiveness, along with a hint of despair and madness. She just stood in front of them with her child, not saying a word.
Lin Yourong looked at Xu Zhengyang with some difficulty.
Xu Zhengyang nodded at her, and Lin Yourong took out a few 100-yuan bills from her purse—about six or seven of them—and handed them to the woman.
The woman looked at the money with evident desire in her eyes but did not reach out to take it.
"Take it," Lin Yourong urged quietly.
She usually wouldn't give so much to beggars, but today was different, as the beggar was somewhat connected to her boss.
Seeing that the woman didn't dare to take the money, Lin Yourong tried to push it into her hands.
To her surprise, the woman swallowed hard, gritted her teeth, and said to Xu Zhengyang, "I don't want the money. I'm looking for a job! I'm willing to do anything!"
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, and she emphasized the words "anything."
Xu Zhengyang and Lin Yourong were both stunned.
Lin Yourong slowly withdrew the money and looked at the woman with confusion.
Xu Zhengyang squinted, seemingly trying to understand the woman's motive.
"You think I have money, so I can offer you a job?"
"Yes," the woman replied, her eyes fixed on Xu Zhengyang, tears rolling down her cheeks. She wiped her tears with her sleeve.
"You think I can't find a girlfriend, or can't find employees?"
Xu Zhengyang sighed and glanced at the child beside the woman. The boy resembled the woman and looked quite attractive.
It was clear that Xu Zhengyang wasn't lacking in women—just look at Lin Yourong, who was young, beautiful, and in perfect shape. This woman, aged thirty-two and with a child, wasn't exactly what he would consider for an affair, and if she was hoping for that, she was mistaken. As for hiring her, Xu Zhengyang had no idea what skills she had or where to place her.
Xu Zhengyang couldn't figure out what the woman was after.
"I just want to earn money! I'm willing to do anything."
"You could work in a restaurant washing dishes and still earn money," Lin Yourong pointed out, feeling that the woman's intentions might not be right.
"Washing dishes won't support my child. I'm out of options. I'm begging you. I'm willing to do anything…"
The woman reiterated, unable to hold back her tears any longer. They flowed like pearls from a broken string.
With her water-like, seductive aura, her tears were genuinely heart-wrenching, causing Xu Zhengyang to feel a pang of empathy.
He furrowed his brow, exchanged a glance with Lin Yourong, and then, taking his little nephew by the hand, turned his attention away from the woman and headed towards the restaurant.
The woman, wiping her tears, grabbed her child's hand and hurried to catch up with Xu Zhengyang, stopping in front of him.
Xu Zhengyang avoided her once more.
The woman followed persistently, but her pace was too fast, making her child's hand turn red and causing the boy to be frightened and cry silently.
In the end, the woman picked up the child and ran after Xu Zhengyang.
She seemed to have set her sights solely on Xu Zhengyang.
Unfortunately, by the time they reached the restaurant, Xu Zhengyang and his group had already entered.
The woman was stopped outside by a vigilant waiter.
With red-rimmed eyes, the woman glanced inside, then sat down outside the restaurant by a floor-to-ceiling glass window with her sobbing child.
Inside the glass, Xu Zhengyang and his group were seated.
Through the glass, Xu Zhengyang looked at the woman with puzzlement.
He didn't understand why she was so insistent and even suspected it might be some sort of scheme against him. He dismissed the possibility, considering it too foolish and desperate even for an enemy.
But why?
Xu Zhengyang stopped his speculation and, along with Lin Yourong and his nephew, proceeded to order and enjoy their hot pot meal.
The woman outside did not keep her eyes on Xu Zhengyang but continued to hold her child, occasionally supporting her forehead with her hand while silently crying.
However, she would quickly regain her composure.
She seemed almost neurotic.
The boy watched the hot pot inside, occasionally rubbing his stomach. He would turn away but then couldn't resist sneaking glances.
At this moment, a table of people sat down behind Xu Zhengyang. A fat man was seated directly behind him.
The fat man chatted with his friends while moving his chair back and forth. The backrest of the chair happened to jab into Xu Zhengyang's shoulder.
Xu Zhengyang flinched in pain and moved away.
The fat man's chair back, which had previously been hitting something, was now empty.
He suddenly leaned back forcefully.
Fortunately, the fat man was quick on his feet. He shouted "ouch" and stepped on the ground beside the chair, preventing himself from falling backward.
He was furious and turned to glare at Xu Zhengyang.
"Trying to get yourself killed, are you?!"
He thought Xu Zhengyang had deliberately moved his chair to avoid him.
Lin Yourong immediately got angry.
"Do you have any sense? It was you who jabbed us with the chair back. It hurt! Why should we have to move away?"
Xu Zhengyang looked coldly at the fat man.
"Ugh!"
The fat man's brows furrowed as he glared at Lin Yourong with a menacing look.
"What if I jab you with the chair back a couple more times? I'll make sure you stay in place. Try moving again!"
He pointed at Lin Yourong with gritted teeth, then turned to sit back down, intending to jab Xu Zhengyang again with the chair back.
At this point, even the waiter at the door hurried over to intervene.
With the door unattended, the beggar woman outside took the opportunity to enter.
Xu Zhengyang didn't notice anything else at the moment, but he saw the woman walking towards him with her child.
Ignoring the commotion around them, the woman suddenly knelt down in front of Xu Zhengyang.
Though she didn't say a word, the noise around them fell silent instantly.
Many people were puzzled by the scene.
Why was this woman with a child suddenly kneeling before this man?
A mistress? A wife? Was this a scene from a drama?
The surrounding area grew quiet.
Xu Zhengyang's curiosity reached its peak.
"What exactly do you want?"
"I… can't afford to raise my child. He's sick, and there are many expenses. I can't bear to see him die."
The woman, wiping her tears, spoke with a trembling voice.
In the public eye, with dozens of people watching, she knelt and made such a statement.
Some were confused about her intentions and questioned the likelihood of finding a job by begging for one this way.
Yet Xu Zhengyang suddenly felt something stir within him.
He took a deep breath and slowly nodded.
"Alright. Tell me what skills you have. If they're useful, I'll give you a chance."
The woman's tear-filled eyes brightened as if stars had appeared in them. She gritted her teeth, stood up, and did something Xu Zhengyang didn't expect.
The seductive, watery look in her eyes vanished, replaced by a fierce determination. Seizing a large ashtray from a nearby table, she lifted it with all her strength and, without a word, slammed it onto the fat man's head at the adjacent table.