Ling Mei arrived at the rehearsal room, where Yan Yi was on the phone, her face squeezed with annoyance. Ling Mei patiently waited for her to finish the call. Yan Yi slowly dropped the phone into her bag. "What's the matter... you look low," Ling Mei asked, concern etched in her voice.
Yan Yi sighed heavily. "It's my mother. The police called; she's been arrested again." Jua Yuting, Yan Yi's mother, had turned into a menace after her father's death three years ago. She'd gotten involved with local drug dealers, leading to countless arrests. Yan Yi always bailed her out.
She strongly wished Jua Yuting would become responsible and act right, like every mother would, but it didn't seem that way. Jua Yuting wasn't showing any signs of changing her ways. "What will you do now?" Ling Mei asked, taking a seat next to her.
"I need to go bail her out... I'm sorry you'll have to handle rehearsals alone," Yan Yi said, pleading. Ling Mei nodded. "I can manage on my own... you go now." Ling Mei replied with a warm smile.
"Thanks," Yan Yi said gratefully and immediately picked up her bag, leaving the rehearsal room. Ling Mei felt bad for her friend. Despite being her manager, they were close friends.
Yan Yi hailed a cab to the police station. Inside the lobby, she met some of her mother's associates and stared at them with disdain. One of the men commented, "Look, Yuting's daughter, all grown up!" The others echoed him. Yan Yi ignored them and approached the police officer.
"Good afternoon, officer. I'm here for my mother," Yan Yi said with a small smile. The officer looked her up and down. "Pay the bail first," she said. "How much?" Yan Yi asked. "Fifty thousand yuan," the officer replied nonchalantly. Yan Yi was taken aback.
The officer's expression turned cold. "Don't waste my time if you can't pay." Yan Yi left the lobby, frustrated. She thought of Ling Mei, who would surely help. Yan Yi called Ling Mei, who agreed to lend the money without hesitation.
Yan Yi returned to the lobby and asked for the account officer. The officer stared at her in surprise, seemingly impressed that Yan Yi had raised the funds so quickly. The officer directed Yan Yi to the accountant's office, suddenly becoming more courteous. Yan Yi rolled her eyes at the sudden change in behavior.
By early evening, Yan Yi was able to bail Jua Yuting out. As they exited the lobby, some of the men were still locked in the cell. Yan Yi's mother smiled triumphantly, pleased with herself. "Hey, Jua Yuting, your daughter must be really rich," one of the men said.
As they walked away from the police station, Jua Yuting asked Yan Yi for more money. Yan Yi stopped and turned to face her, anger evident on her face. "Nainai, seriously, you have to stop this. Do you think I have money to spare?"
Jua Yuting looked taken aback, surprised by Yan Yi's outburst. "Yan Yi, I'm your mother. You can't raise your voice at me like that," Jua Yuting shouted back.
Yan Yi's anger boiled over. "I don't care anymore. All you do is ask for money. You squander my hard-earned cash on irrelevant things. This is the 23rd time I'm bailing you out of B city District Police Station."
Jua Yuting looked shocked, taken aback by Yan Yi's words. Yan Yi had never spoken to her like that before. "Hey, Yan Yi, aren't I supposed to spend your money? You're my daughter. Stop being stingy," Jua Yuting shouted back.
Yan Yi was stunned, hurt by her mother's words. "Stingy?" she asked, her heart breaking. "Yes, you work with one of the biggest modeling agencies, and yet you're stingy with money," Jua Yuting accused.
Yan Yi stared at her mother, regret and pain visible in her eyes. "I accept it... I'm stingy... are you happy now?" Yan Yi yelled, tears streaming down her face.
She turned and walked away, tears flowing freely. She regretted everything, wondering if she should have left her mother to suffer in jail. "Mom, you've crossed the bottom line," Yan Yi said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jua Yuting watched as Yan Yi walked away, this damn daughter of hers ,what was wrong with her asking for more money ? ,Of course Yan Yi was being too stingy.