Chapter 55: The Cunning Young Ling Zhiting

"But I bought this behind your brother-in-law's back, he doesn't know about it. So later, just tell him you won it in a raffle today, and let him and Zhimeng go to the movies together. That way, the two of them might get somewhere."

"And why should the two of them get anywhere?" Her mother-in-law blurted out with a rather odd expression.

"Well, have you forgotten who keeps urging us and brother-in-law..." Leng Zhiruo lowered her head, biting her lip. "Brother-in-law likes Zhimeng, but Zhimeng is still so young—she's only just turned eighteen. Brother-in-law probably feels hesitant to make a move."

"And she's so scatterbrained, always thinking about games, she doesn't even notice brother-in-law's feelings for her. So I thought, if they went to a movie together, maybe they'd develop some feelings for each other, and it would also fulfill your wish!"

"And how do you know your brother-in-law likes Zhimeng?" her mother-in-law asked curiously.

"Where else in the world does a girl become CEO right out of high school? When I graduated from college, I started from the bottom, just a regular worker. Later, my sister saw I was meticulous and made me brother-in-law's secretary—I worked my way up. But Zhimeng... Anyway, Mom, you've been so pessimistic, but I'm sure brother-in-law likes Zhimeng!" As Leng Zhiruo spoke, her eyes turned red.

"Hmm, now that you say it, it does make sense. After all, your sister only managed the finances back then, she was never a real CEO, and your brother-in-law really does treat Zhimeng unusually well!" Her mother-in-law considered it and found it quite reasonable.

Indeed, the treatment Zhimeng received was far too special. No matter how you looked at it, it didn't seem like a normal personnel appointment, but rather the fondness of a brother-in-law for his young sister-in-law.

Could it be that Huang He truly liked the real Zhimeng?

To be honest, although Zhiruo was nearly six years older than Zhimeng, when it came to cleverness or shamelessness, even a hundred Leng Zhiruo couldn't match one Leng Zhimeng.

For example, at most, Leng Zhiruo would arrange for her sister and brother-in-law to see a movie together, but Leng Zhimeng would go so far as to prepare a whole room in advance—there was the difference. If Leng Zhimeng ever decided to seduce her brother-in-law, Leng Zhiruo wouldn't stand a chance.

Fortunately, the two sisters had a good relationship and knew how to help each other.

But now she had four movie tickets in hand—what was she supposed to do?

Her mother-in-law wanted to ask her daughter more, but Leng Zhiruo had already left, leaving her alone to stare at the four movie tickets on the table, feeling quite troubled.

"Mom, where did you get these movie tickets? They’re for Pearl Harbor! I’ve been wanting to see it for ages, but there isn’t a single cinema still open in all of Wenzhou, and you managed to find one!" Suddenly, a delighted voice sounded by her ear.

She looked up to see Leng Zhiwen had returned.

"Is it really that hard to get these tickets?" her mother-in-law asked in surprise.

"It’s not just hard to get—you can’t even find where to buy them!" Leng Zhiwen shook her head. "You know how it is, everyone’s watching VCDs or TV now. Who still goes to the cinema? The environment is bad, and it’s a mess—nothing like lying at home watching TV, which is so much more comfortable and convenient."

"The only time you have to go is for the latest movies, when you can’t get the disc, like Pearl Harbor. I've heard it's really good!" Her mother-in-law knew her third daughter had few hobbies, and watching movies was one of the very few.

"But surely it’s not impossible to find a cinema?"

"Heh, Nanjing is so big and there are fewer than twenty cinemas left in the whole city. Our Wenzhou is just a small place, and everyone’s focused on making money—it's all workers or bosses, who has time for the movies anymore? I spent the whole day asking around and still couldn’t find a single cinema in Wenzhou showing new films!" Leng Zhiwen sighed. Such was the state of the Chinese film industry in 2001—almost pitifully bleak. Who would have thought the market would one day flourish so brilliantly?

"Mom, you still haven’t told me—where did you get these tickets?" Leng Zhiwen’s eyes shone as she stared at them.

"Oh, the supermarket had a promotion today, and I won them in a raffle!" her mother-in-law explained. Time to establish a consistent story!

"If the supermarket gave them to you, then Mom, can you give me one?" Leng Zhiwen asked eagerly.

"What do you need a movie ticket for? You are not going to see a movie by yourself at night—it’s too dangerous!" Her mother-in-law’s gaze sharpened at once.

Truthfully, all the tickets were for the same showing. If Leng Zhiwen ran into Huang He, that would be awkward.

"Mom, relax. It’s for my best friend—you know, Xiao Xiong—she loves movies too and couldn’t find a ticket either."

"So you’re not going?"

"It’s fine. I already know where the cinema is. I’ll just go tomorrow when I have time. It doesn’t have to be tonight!" Leng Zhiwen smiled. "And don’t forget, I have to perform with the martial arts team at the theater this evening. Since the military anniversary just passed, all sorts of organizations—city and even provincial—have invited us to perform! I only came home because I left my Qingping Sword here. I need it for the sword dance tonight!"

The Qingping Sword was a prop she’d bought for practicing martial arts—not sharpened, of course. As for the name, she’d simply been inspired by the novel Investiture of the Gods and thought "Qingping Sword" sounded cool.

"Alright, then I’ll give you this ticket." Her mother-in-law nodded. She was aware of the performance, and by the time it was over, the movie would have already started, so there’d be no conflict.

Leng Zhiwen left, the ticket in her left hand and her Qingping Sword in her right, looking delighted. Her mother-in-law was left behind, still troubled by the three remaining tickets and at a loss as to how to handle the situation.

Which daughter’s wish should she fulfill, and with which should Huang He go to the movies?

Goodness, what a headache this was.

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"Mom, I’m home!"

That afternoon, Huang He returned carrying two bags of fruit, followed by a distracted-looking Leng Zhiruo.

Then Leng Zhimeng came out of her room to greet her brother-in-law, only to be scolded by Huang He for leaving early, earning him two eye-rolls from her.

Next, Leng Zhiting arrived home from school hand-in-hand with Leng Zhiyuan. After some playful roughhousing, dinner was served. The first dish brought out was pork kidney.

"Hehe, this is a new dish, kiddo—Mom’s wine-braised pork kidney. You’ve never had this flavor before, so give it a try!" Her mother-in-law placed the heaping plate of pork kidney right in front of Huang He.

"Alright!" After so much time, Huang He had grown to love pork kidney, and seeing this new version, he was eager to dig in.

"I want some too!" Leng Zhiting’s eyes sparkled as she reached for the wine-infused pork kidney with her chopsticks.

"No way!" Before her mother-in-law could speak, Huang He grabbed Leng Zhiting by the hand.

"Brother-in-law, you can’t hog it all for yourself!" Leng Zhiting protested angrily.

"No, this has wine in it—and quite a lot. You’re too young to drink!" Huang He rapped her lightly on the head.

"I don’t care, I want to eat it!"

"Fine, but I brought gifts today. If you eat this, you won’t get your present later!" Huang He smiled slyly. Leng Zhiting, torn between the pork kidney and the promise of a gift, was lost in indecision.

"Alright, your brother-in-law is right. Children not only shouldn’t drink but also shouldn’t eat pork kidney. You can have some when you’re older!" Her mother-in-law joined in. Forced to give up, Leng Zhiting looked at Huang He with envy and resentment.

"Zhiruo, Zhimeng, you both have some, too," Huang He offered to the other girls.

"I don’t like that stuff," Leng Zhimeng refused at once, while Leng Zhiruo had no appetite at all. In the end, Huang He ate all the pork kidney himself.

"Hmph, I’m going to get some water," Leng Zhiting declared, seeing she had no allies, and marched into the kitchen. Ostensibly, she went to get water, but really, her sharp eyes began searching for something.

She soon found a bottle with no label.

"Hmph, you won’t let Tingting drink wine? Well, Tingting’s going to drink it anyway!" Leng Zhiting stood on tiptoe, took the bottle from the kitchen counter, and prepared to take a sip.

But then she thought—if Mom found out she’d been drinking, her backside would be in trouble.

A plan formed. She pulled a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and poured half of it into the wine bottle to fill it up, then poured the wine from the now-full bottle back into the mineral water bottle, topping it off so it looked untouched, and returned the wine bottle to its place.

"This way, Mom won’t notice the wine bottle’s contents have decreased, and I can openly drink the wine from the mineral water bottle!" Who would have thought that little Leng Zhiting, for all her youth, was so cunning and full of schemes?