Power and Wealth

Evening.

Dong Xuebing's apartment.

Dong Xuebing cursed and swore for almost ten minutes without stopping in the living room.

"What sort of characters do they have?!"

"How dare they say such things behind your back?! I dare Yang Zhaojuan to say it in front of me!"

"I will beat her to death! Does she think she is superior?"

"What's wrong with being a villager? Are you saying that your family's previous few generations are not from a village?!"

"You dare to look down on my mother because she is from a village?! Your whole F*cking family are villagers!"

Luan Xiaoping stopped crying when she saw her son cursing and swearing. She even burst out laughing. She pulled her son to the sofa and patted his hand.

Dong Xuebing is still angry. "Why are you smiling?"

Luan Xiaoping smiled. "I am smiling because I have a good son."

"Of course. I am the best." Dong Xuebing took a sip of water. "I think you should break off with Old Yang. Mum, I am not angry with Uncle Yang. He had helped me a lot, and I know he is a good man. He treats you well, and I like him too. But this is making me mad. His family is looking down on us, and why should we try to please them? Who do they think they are?"

"Are you done?" Luan Xiaoping gave Dong Xuebing a stare.

Dong Xuebing replied. "Not yet. Let me scold them for a while more."

"That's enough. Which family doesn't gossip about others? Just let them be."

"This is not you, Mum. You were crying a while ago." Dong Xuebing looks at his mother. "Why are you so calm now?"

Luan Xiaoping laughed and stroked Dong Xuebing's hand. "I am happy to see you so getting agitated because of me. I am not angry anymore. Zhaojuan talks like this, but she is a good person."

"Good person, my ass!" Dong Xuebing scolded.

"Xiao Bing, don't say that."

"Mum, tell me the truth. Are you going to get married to Old Yang regardless of anything?"

Luan Xiaoping is slightly embarrassed. "You…. If you don't want me to re-marry, I will not re-marry."

Dong Xuebing smacked his lips. "Don't push it to me. I am asking you this. Are you sure about this?"

Luan Xiaoping thought for a while and nodded. "Old Yang treats me well."

Dong Xuebing understood. His mother cannot be separated from Old Yang. He took out a cigarette and took a few puffs. "Alright… since you have decided, I will listen to you." He continues after a short pause. "But this is not over yet. I cannot pretend I have not overheard what Yang Zhaojuan said. Who says my mother doesn't have the makings of beauty just because she is from a village?!"

Luan Xiaoping pulled her son. "What are you going to do?"

"Mum, we cannot take this like it is. Since you decided to be with Old Yang, we must gain his family's respect. If not, you will be bullied by them in the future. You will be the Eldest Sister-in-law to Yang Zhaojuan, and you got to establish your authority. What are you going to do if she tries to sow discord between you and her mother? Old Yang will side with his mother."

Luan Xiaoping is amused. "Old Yang is coming tomorrow. Don't make things difficult for them."

"I am going to prove them wrong." Dong Xuebing replied angrily. "They dare to talk behind your back, and I am not allowed to get back at them?! Leave this to me. We are different now. They dare to look down on us because we have no car, no properties, and you have average looks?! Go to hell! I will let them know they are the ones who are not good enough for you!" He pulled Luan Xiaoping up. "It's just pretending. Who doesn't know how to do that? Let's go."

Luan Xiaoping did not move. "Where are we going?"

"Just follow me."

"It's late now."

"Just listen to me." Dong Xuebing dragged his mother out.

Luan Xiaoping smiled helplessly and followed him. "Haha… I wonder who you get this foul temper from."

"It's definitely from you."

"I don't have such a foul temper."

"You are too good to others, and that's why Yang Zhaojuan dares to look down on us. We are going to show them!" Dong Xuebing closed the door and walked down with his mother. "She is going to recommend her friend, who drives a BMW and owns a mansion in Hebei Province, to Uncle Yang. Is she kidding? I think she has never met anyone rich before."

Luan Xiaoping smiled and patted Dong Xuebing's back. "Alright."

Dong Xuebing doesn't have any cars now. He had lent his Cayenne to Zhou Yanru, and Qu Yunxuan had driven the Mercedes back. They can only hail a taxi by the roadside.

A taxi stopped in front of them.

Dong Xuebing opened the door for his mother and sat in the front passenger seat.

Luan Xiaoping asked. "Son, where are you bringing me to?"

"Wang Fu Jin. I am going to buy some clothing for you."

8.40 pm.

Wang Fu Jin Street.

Luan Xiaoping thought Dong Xuebing was bringing her to Xin Dong Dan shopping mall in Wang Fu Jin Street, but he kept walking straight. They went to a few top international brand stores and entered.

An assistant went up to them. "Welcome."

Dong Xuebing nodded and turned to his mother. "The handbags look nice. Which one do you like?"

Luan Xiaoping whispered to Dong Xuebing. "Those bags look expensive."

"It's above ten thousand. Louis Vuitton, which is also known as LV."

"Above ten thousand?!" Luan Xiaoping turns and wants to walk away. "I don't want it. It's too expensive for a handbag. My bags cost less than one hundred."

"It's different." Dong Xuebing pulled his mother. "Hurry up and pick one. I am going to dress you up today. Don't you want to prove Yang Zhaojuan wrong?"

Luan Xiaoping kept quiet.

"If you are not saying anything, I will pick one for you."

"Alright. We will buy it. I will listen to you today." Luan Xiaoping replied.

"That's right. Haha…. This is also an opportunity for me to show my filial piety."

Luan Xiaoping laughed. "Only this time. Don't anyhow spend your money on me in the future."

Dong Xuebing waved the store assistant over. "Can you recommend your handbags to us? Thank you."

The store assistant noticed Dong Xuebing's watch and knew he was a rich customer. She brought them around the shop and recommended the various models to them. Dong Xuebing kept looking at his watch as it was getting late. He saw a red handbag and did not even look at the price.

"Mum, what do you think of this?"

Luan Xiaoping looks at the bag. "It's too bright."

"This looks good on you. Let's get this."

That handbag cost over 80,000 RMB and Dong Xuebing swiped his credit card without any hesitation. After that, he dragged his mother to the next shop.

9 pm.

Dong Xuebing and Luan Xiaoping come out from one of the boutiques, carrying seven to eight shopping bags. They had brought dresses, clothes, handbags, shoes, and some necklaces. He had spent over one million RMB on all these.

Luan Xiaoping regretted it after they left the stores. "Xiao Bing, it's too expensive…. These…."

"It's not expensive. It will be well spent as you can dress up nicely, and you look pretty."

"I am almost fifty years old. How can I be pretty?"

"What's wrong with being pretty at your age? You still have not put on make-up and done up your hair. We have enough clothes. Let's go to a beauty salon.

Near to the Northern City.

Dong Xuebing and Luan Xiaoping entered a luxurious-looking beauty salon.

The staff quickly walks over to greet them. "Welcome."

Luan Xiaoping felt they had spent a lot today and is not willing to spend anymore. She pulled Dong Xuebing back and wanted to go home. But he refused and stopped her. "Help me doll up my mother. What packages do you all have? Show me your menu."

"Alright. Please wait a while."

The staff returned with a menu and started recommending the various packages.

Dong Xuebing doesn't know anything about these. "What time do you all close?"

The girl smiles. "We are open 24 hours."

"Good." Dong Xuebing took a step back and touched his mother's hair. "Let's start with her hair. Dye and give her a perm. Try to make her look younger and prettier. After that, I want this… this… this… this… and this…."

Luan Xiaoping looks at Dong Xuebing. "Xiao Bing, it's too late."

Dong Xuebing laughed. "If it's too late, you can sleep here. Anyway, they are the ones servicing you. Everything will be done when you wake up."

The girl saw Dong Xuebing choosing a few packages worth over sixty thousand without blinking, and she immediately smiled. When he went to pay for the packages, she turned to Luan Xiaoping. "Auntie, your son is so good towards you."

"Yes." Luan Xiaoping felt proud. "He has always been like this since young."

"I can tell." The girl has an envious look in her eyes. "You are so fortunate."

"Mum, it's paid." Dong Xuebing returns after settling the payment. "Let's go. We will do your hair first. They will be shocked by your beauty when they see you tomorrow."