What Is It If Not Mooching Off Someone

Zhang Guifang chopped the green onions faster and faster.

Chen Zhi stood at the kitchen door, watching the green onions on the cutting board turn into mince, and then from mince into mush. He felt like that cleaver might land on him in the next second.

"Mom, calm down—"

"I am very calm."

Zhang Guifang put down the cleaver, wiped her hands on her apron, and turned sideways to look at him.

"Explain it to me clearly. Exactly how many girls are you dating?"

"...Two."

Zhang Guifang closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Two."

"Yeah."

"Does Wanwan know?"

Chen Zhi hesitated for a moment.

Seeing his hesitation, Zhang Guifang picked up the cleaver again.

"She knows, she knows!"

"She knows and she's still with you?"

"Yeah."

Zhang Guifang slammed the cleaver into the cutting board with a loud thwack. She turned around, hands on her hips, and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Chen Zhi, listen to me carefully. I don't care what kind of big shot you are in Beijing, in this house, you are my son. If you dare to bully Wanwan, Uncle Lin won't even need to lift a finger—I'll deal with you myself."

"I didn't bully Wanwan—"

"You've got your feet in two boats, and you call that not bullying?"

Chen Zhi opened his mouth, finding he really had no ground to argue.

It was quiet outside the kitchen. Pei Ningxue was probably still sitting on the sofa.

Separated by a wall, Chen Zhi wasn't sure how much she could hear. But given Pei Ningxue's intelligence, she could probably guess what was being discussed in the kitchen.

"Mom, the one outside can hear us."

"I know she can hear," Zhang Guifang's voice dropped even lower, speaking through gritted teeth. "That's why I didn't go out there to say it. You better explain to me, what's this girl's background?"

"She's from Peking University's Guanghua School of Management. Her family is in business, and now she's the CFO at my company."

"What FO?"

"Chief Financial Officer."

Zhang Guifang looked him up and down.

"Your company? What company do you have?"

Chen Zhi froze for a second.

He had forgotten that his parents still didn't know about Deep Space Technology.

"Uh... it's just a small company I started with some classmates."

"Doing what?"

"AI."

"Eh?"

"Artificial Intelligence, Mom."

Zhang Guifang didn't quite understand, but she vaguely felt that this matter was more complicated than she had imagined.

"You're a college freshman. What kind of company are you running?"

"Mom, can we talk about this later? That's not the point—"

"What is the point? The point is you brought a strange woman home. How am I supposed to explain this to Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin next door?"

This was what truly bothered Zhang Guifang.

The Lin and Chen families had been neighbors for almost twenty years. The two children were in the same maternity ward, grew up together, and went to school together. Lin Shuxian and Chen Jun drank together every few days, and Zhang Guifang and Lin Jing were very close.

The two families had an unspoken hope that the two kids would end up together. Now look, her son had gotten involved with another girl on the outside.

"Mom, I'll handle things with Uncle Lin—"

"You'll handle it? How are you going to handle it? Are you going to go tell them, 'Uncle and Auntie, I still want your daughter, but I found another one too'?"

Chen Zhi fell silent.

Seeing him stay quiet, Zhang Guifang's anger subsided a bit, turning into a helpless sigh.

"You've never given me peace of mind since you were a kid."

She picked up the chopped green onions from the cutting board, poured them into a bowl to set aside, and then took some pork ribs out of the fridge to thaw.

"Alright, let's drop it for now. Go out and sit with her. Don't leave the girl alone. No matter what, she's a guest in our home now, and your mom isn't going to give her attitude."

"Mom—"

"Get out."

Chen Zhi tactfully backed out of the kitchen.

Back in the living room, Pei Ningxue was sitting bolt upright on the sofa, looking solemn.

Chen Zhi sat down next to her.

"What did you talk about?" Pei Ningxue's voice was very soft.

"Nothing much, my mom just asked a couple of questions."

"Is she upset?"

"It's fine."

Chen Zhi picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and flipped to a random channel.

The sizzle of ribs hitting the hot oil came from the kitchen, and the smell of cooking smoke drifted out.

Sitting there, Pei Ningxue suddenly stood up.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to the kitchen to help."

"Auntie, let me help you wash the vegetables."

Zhang Guifang was stir-frying the ribs. Hearing the voice, she turned her head.

"No need, just sit down. The kitchen is small, there's no room to move."

"It's okay, I won't get in the way." Pei Ningxue had already walked to the sink. Seeing the leafy greens soaking in the basin, she rolled up her sleeves and started washing.

Zhang Guifang glanced at her and didn't say anything more.

The two women minded their own business in the kitchen that was less than six square meters. Neither took the initiative to speak. After flipping the ribs in the wok a couple of times, Zhang Guifang broke the silence first.

"Do you know how to cook?"

"A little, but not very well."

"What do you usually eat in Beijing?"

"Most of the time I eat at the cafeteria, occasionally I cook for myself."

Zhang Guifang grunted an "Mm," and asked again, "Where are you from?"

"Jiangcheng."

Zhang Guifang's hand paused.

"Jiangcheng?"

"Yes, Chen Zhi and I were high school classmates, and later we went to the capital for university together."

"You're his high school classmate too? Which district do you live in?"

"Wuchang, over by East Lake."

Zhang Guifang nodded and didn't press further.

"When the vegetables are washed, just put them in that drain basket." Zhang Guifang pointed to the side of the stove.

"Okay, Auntie."

Pei Ningxue stacked the greens neatly and then conveniently wiped down the counter by the sink.

Zhang Guifang watched from the side, muttering "what a sin" under her breath.

Half an hour later, the dishes were brought to the table one after another.

Braised pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, garlic vermicelli shrimp, tomato and egg soup, plus a cold tossed wood ear mushroom dish—four dishes and one soup.

Zhang Guifang set out the bowls and chopsticks and shouted toward the door, "Where's your dad? Why isn't he back yet?"

"I'll give him a call." Chen Zhi took out his phone and dialed.

Chen Jun's phone rang for a while before connecting.

"What?"

The voice was gruff, with the faint sound of water and frogs croaking in the background.

"Dad, come home for dinner. I'm back."

"Oh, you're back." He paused for two seconds. "What dishes did your mom make?"

"Ribs, shrimp—"

"Alright, I'm reeling in my line."

The phone hung up.

Chen Zhi looked at his phone screen, thinking to himself, You could at least ask about your son, but your first question is about the food.

Fifteen minutes later, footsteps echoed in the stairwell.

The door pushed open, and Chen Jun walked in carrying an empty fishing bucket.

A middle-aged man in his early fifties, wearing a short-sleeved polo shirt and sweatpants, tanned dark by the sun, with his hair buzzed short. He tossed the bucket onto the balcony and changed into his slippers.

"Did you catch anything?" Zhang Guifang poked her head out of the kitchen.

"The fish aren't biting today."

"So you squatted there all afternoon for nothing."

"That's called cultivating the mind and character. What do you know?"

Chen Jun muttered, walking into the living room.

Then he saw Pei Ningxue sitting on the sofa.

Chen Jun's footsteps paused for about a second.

Then he calmly walked over to the dining table, sat down, and picked up his chopsticks.

"Let's eat."

The whole time, he didn't ask who the young, beautiful, strange woman was.

"Hello, Uncle," Pei Ningxue stood up.

Chen Jun looked up at her and nodded.

"Mm, sit down. Let's eat first."

Four people sat around the small dining table.

Zhang Guifang put a piece of spare rib into Pei Ningxue's bowl.

"Try it and see if you like it, it's not as good as the restaurants outside."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Pei Ningxue took a bite of the rib and chewed it carefully.

"It's really delicious."

Chen Zhi secretly glanced at his mother.

Zhang Guifang's face didn't show any special expression, but she started to serve Pei Ningxue some soup.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was much more peaceful than Chen Zhi had expected.

Although Zhang Guifang was angry in her heart, she was a mother of several decades and knew how to handle social situations. No matter what she thought, a guest was in the house, and the proper etiquette could not be lacking.

Chen Jun didn't ask who Pei Ningxue was from the beginning to the end.

Halfway through the meal, Chen Jun put down his chopsticks and took a sip from his beer glass.

"What school are you from, Xiao Pei?"

Pei Ningxue put down her chopsticks.

"Peking University Guanghua School of Management, Uncle."

"Guanghua?" Chen Jun raised an eyebrow, "That's very impressive."

"I just got lucky."

Chen Jun hummed in acknowledgment and asked again, "From Guanghua, what do you plan to do after graduation?"

"Currently, I'm helping out at Chen Zhi's company."

As soon as these words came out, Zhang Guifang and Chen Jun both looked at Chen Zhi at the same time.

"What company?" Chen Jun asked.

Chen Zhi had just taken a mouthful of rice, his cheeks stuffed full.

"...A small company."

"How small?"

"Just... in the startup phase."

Chen Jun didn't press further, picked up his beer, and took another sip.

But his gaze swept back and forth between Pei Ningxue and Chen Zhi twice.

After dinner, Pei Ningxue took the initiative to clear the bowls.

Zhang Guifang tried to stop her but failed; Pei Ningxue had already carried the bowls into the kitchen.

The sound of the tap turning on came out.

Zhang Guifang stood in the living room and poked Chen Zhi with her elbow.

"Go, help her wash them."

Chen Zhi quickly followed her in.

Chen Zhi quickly followed into the kitchen.

Pei Ningxue had already stacked the bowls and soaked them in the sink, her sleeves rolled up, her movements neat.

Chen Zhi walked over and took the dish soap from her hand.

"Let me do it."

"Let's wash together, it'll be faster."

Pei Ningxue didn't step aside, and the two squeezed into the less than six-square-meter kitchen, one washing and the other rinsing.

Zhang Guifang walked in after clearing the table, paused when she saw this scene.

She didn't say anything, walked around behind them, and wiped the grease stains off the stove.

Pei Ningxue finished washing the last bowl, wiped all the water stains around the sink completely clean, and wiped the countertop, the edge of the stove, and even the base of the faucet.

Zhang Guifang saw it all.

This girl wasn't just putting on a show; she was someone who truly knew how to clean a kitchen.

After wiping the counter, Pei Ningxue bent down to pick up a fallen vegetable leaf from the floor. When she stood up, she noticed Zhang Guifang trying to move a bag of rice from the corner of the stove.

A twenty-jin bag of rice, Zhang Guifang was bending over, struggling to drag it.

Pei Ningxue took two steps over and took it from her in one go.

"Auntie, where should I put this?"

"Just put it in that cabinet, don't lift it, it's quite heavy."

Pei Ningxue had already picked it up and neatly tucked it into the bottom shelf of the cabinet.

Zhang Guifang was stunned for a moment.

She usually had Chen Jun move this rice. Since this brat wasn't home today, she had planned to drag it herself.

"Is your back okay?" Pei Ningxue turned her head.

Zhang Guifang subconsciously touched her lower back.

"It's fine, old problem."

"Sitting at a bank counter for long periods can indeed easily cause lumbar strain. You can use a lumbar support cushion, Auntie, the slightly firmer kind works better than soft cushions."

Zhang Guifang was stunned again.

She had only casually mentioned "working at a bank" at the dinner table earlier, and this girl had remembered it and could even point out details like lumbar strain.

"You know about this?"

"My dad also had a bad back before, and it got better after he switched to a chair with good support."

Zhang Guifang didn't say anything, silently handing the apple she had just peeled to Pei Ningxue.

"Have an apple."

"Thank you, Auntie."

In the living room, Chen Jun was watching the evening news on the sofa, twirling the remote control in his hand.

Pei Ningxue came out holding the apple and sat down on the single sofa next to him.

Chen Jun's eyes didn't move away from the TV, but a sentence popped out of his mouth: "Xiao Pei, you just said you were helping out at Chen Zhi's company. How many people are in his company?"

Pei Ningxue glanced at Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi desperately winked at her.

"Currently over two hundred people, and we are still expanding." Pei Ningxue didn't understand his hint, or she understood and chose to ignore it.

Chen Jun's remote control stopped.

"Over two hundred people?"

"Yes."

Chen Jun turned his head and looked at Chen Zhi.

"You, a college freshman, have over two hundred people under you?"

Chen Zhi swallowed hard.

"Dad, I don't manage them all. Mostly it's Damai—my partner—who manages the daily operations—"

"What's the name of your company?"

"...Deep Space Technology."

Chen Jun picked up his phone and started searching.

Half a minute later, Chen Jun put down his phone with a very complex expression.

"Valued at tens of billions?"

Zhang Guifang was just coming out of the kitchen holding a fruit platter, and when she heard this, she almost dropped the plate.

"How much?"

"Tens of billions," Chen Jun repeated.

"You... you started a company worth tens of billions?" Zhang Guifang was shocked.

"Mom, that's just a valuation, it's not like I have that much money—"

Chen Jun wasn't in a hurry to voice his opinion, and looked down to check his phone for a while longer.

Chen Jun looked up and glanced at Pei Ningxue.

"What does Xiao Pei manage in the company?"

"Finance."

"CFO?"

Pei Ningxue was slightly surprised and nodded.

Chen Jun gave an "Mhm" and asked no more, changing the TV channel from news to sports.

But Chen Zhi noticed that his dad's look at Pei Ningxue was different from before.

Zhang Guifang placed the fruit platter on the coffee table and beckoned Chen Zhi with her finger.

"Come out here for a second."

Chen Zhi followed her out of the living room with a bitter face, and was dragged to the balcony by Zhang Guifang.

A few pieces of clothing were drying on the balcony, and Zhang Guifang slid the glass door shut.

"Tell me, what exactly is going on with your company?"

"Mom, it's a long story—"

"Then make it short."

"I started an AI project in my freshman year, the product turned out pretty good, someone invested money, and it got big."

Zhang Guifang stared at him, and after a long time, blurted out: "How much money did you make?"

"We are still in the cash-burning phase, I haven't—"

"Don't play dumb with me. Where do you live in Beijing?"

"...Wanliu House."

Zhang Guifang didn't know what kind of place Wanliu House was, but it didn't sound cheap.

"Did you buy it or rent it?"

"It's under Pei Ningxue's name."

Zhang Guifang froze for two seconds.

She turned her head and looked through the glass of the sliding door at Pei Ningxue in the living room. The girl was pouring tea for Chen Jun, smiling and saying something to him, and Chen Jun was actually nodding.

"So you're a kept man?"

"Mom!"

"You live in the girl's house and act as the boss in the company she helps out with. If you're not a kept man, what are you?"

"???? The company is mine! Forget it, I can't explain it to you."

Zhang Guifang looked at Pei Ningxue through the glass again.

"This girl is indeed a good girl."

Chen Zhi was just about to breathe a sigh of relief.

"But are you doing right by Wanwan?"

"Mom, listen to my explanation—"

"Stop explaining. The more you explain, the angrier I get," Zhang Guifang kept her voice low. "If your Uncle Lin finds out about this, he'll hack you to death with a cleaver."

"Let me tell you, while Pei Ningxue is staying at our house these next two days, I won't make things awkward for her. But once you go back to Beijing, you must sort this mess out for me."

"How am I supposed to sort it out—"

"Figure it out yourself."

The sliding door was pulled open.

Pei Ningxue stood at the doorway, carrying two cups of tea.

"Auntie, please have some tea."

Zhang Guifang took the teacup, her expression instantly switching from teeth-gritting rage to amiable warmth.

"Oh my, you didn't have to pour tea for us. You should just sit and rest—"

Chen Zhi watched his mother's face change faster than a Sichuan opera performer and silently took a sip of his tea.

It was past nine in the evening.

Chen Jun went out to the balcony to smoke, Pei Ningxue was in the guest room packing her things, and Zhang Guifang was in the bedroom on a phone call. Chen Zhi caught a few snippets of the conversation; she was probably chatting with Auntie Lin from next door.

Just as he was about to take a shower, his phone buzzed.

Lin Wanwan had sent a voice message.

"Hubby! I finished recording in Shanghai today! Sister Su Man said there's nothing on the schedule for tomorrow, so I want to go home and see my parents, hehe. Are you in Jiangcheng? How about I head back too, and we can go home together!"

Holding his phone, Chen Zhi stood in the hallway and could hear Zhang Guifang still on the phone with Auntie Lin in the bedroom.

The guest room door was slightly ajar, and Pei Ningxue's silhouette was cast against the frosted glass.

On the balcony, the tip of a cigarette glowed and faded in the dark. There was no telling what Chen Jun was thinking.

Chen Zhi turned off his phone screen and stared at the ceiling for five seconds.

Then, he shoved the phone back into his pocket, turned around, and knocked on the guest room door.

"Pei Ningxue, what time are we leaving tomorrow?"

The door opened a crack, and Pei Ningxue poked half her head out.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just asking."

Pei Ningxue looked at him for two seconds and then closed the door.

Chen Zhi stood in the hallway, listening to Zhang Guifang's laughter coming from the adjacent bedroom.

"Yes, yes, yes, Wanwan said she's coming back tomorrow? That's wonderful, it's the perfect time for the kids to get together..."