I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, he yawned and slowly strolled out of his room.

The winter sun was shining brightly, and the courtyard was bright and cheerful.

He was just about to move a small stool outside to bask in the sun when he heard the courtyard gate creak open.

Mother Wang Xiuying walked in from outside, her face as if covered with ice, carrying an air of suppressed resentment.

She held the red silk dance fan that she usually treasured when dancing, but now it looked like she was holding a fire poker.

Walking to the stone table in the center of the courtyard, Wang Xiuying raised her hand and slammed the fan hard onto the table with a "smack".

The crisp sound was particularly jarring in the quiet courtyard.

"Oh, Mom."

Jiang Chen chuckled at the sight.

"Who has angered our Empress Dowager again? Why is she so angry?"

He turned and went back into the house, filled a cup with 50-degree warm water from the newly bought constant temperature water dispenser, and handed it to Wang Xiuying.

"Here, have some water first, so you can catch your breath."

Wang Xiuying took the water glass, tilted her head back, and gulped down more than half of it.

The way he was doing it didn't look like he was drinking water; it looked more like he was chugging alcohol.

After drinking a glass of water, the anger in her chest seemed to subside a little.

Wang Xiuying plopped down on the stone bench, finally finding an outlet for her pent-up grievances, and began to pour out her grievances to her son.

"Don't even mention it! It's still that old dancing nonsense!"

"I'm so angry!"

It turns out that since the village's living conditions improved, dancing in the small square at the village entrance has become the main form of entertainment for the older women.

Wang Xiuying also enjoys it and goes every day, which not only exercises her body but also allows her to chat with her friends.

But wherever there are people, there is a world of intrigue and conflict.

Even a small square dance team can be a hidden arena for fame and fortune.

"In our team, there was a woman named Wang Cuihua, do you remember her? She was the one who ran the small supermarket at the east end of the village."

Jiang Chen nodded.

He remembered her; she was a big, burly woman with a voice that sounded like she was arguing.

"Just because her family owns a small supermarket, she thinks she's the richest family in the village besides ours!"

"She spent a few hundred dollars on a huge portable speaker and now she's glued to it all day. She plays the music, she's in the front row, that center position is like it's welded to her feet, nobody can touch it!"

Wang Xiuying grew angrier as she spoke, squeezing the poor fan in her hand until it creaked.

"Mom's health isn't bad, and she can jump pretty well! But all she does is act like a supervisor, bossing everyone around!"

"Sometimes they say my outfit is too unfashionable and the color is too dark, which affects the overall image of the team."

"One minute she'll say my dance moves aren't trendy enough, that I can't keep up with the new moves she learned online, and that I'm always a beat behind."

"Can't you believe it? She practically pushed me to the very edge of the corner! If I stood any further to the side, I'd be pushed into the ditch!"

Jiang Chen listened quietly, his smile slowly fading.

He finally understood.

This is a classic case of "when the cat's away, the mice will play."

Relying on his small amount of money and control of the "means of production" (sound equipment), he acted arrogantly and domineeringly within a small group, engaging in office politics.

Wang Xiuying took a sip of water and continued to accuse Wang Cuihua of her "crimes".

"Today! She went even further!"

"When we were dancing, there were a lot of people, and I accidentally stepped on her new white dance shoes. I immediately apologized to her and offered to clean them for her."

"And guess what she said?"

Wang Xiuying imitated Wang Cuihua's sarcastic tone, and said in a high-pitched voice:

"Oh dear! Some people, they won't spend money on good equipment themselves, but all they do is cause trouble for others!"

“These shoes are designer brands that my son specially bought for me from the city. They cost several hundred yuan a pair! Can you afford to pay for them if you get them dirty?”

Wang Xiuying slapped her thigh in anger, her voice rising eight octaves.

"She shouted that in front of dozens of people! Wasn't her implication that she thought I was poor and that my son was incompetent and couldn't afford nice things?"

"I was so angry at the time that I talked back to her. I said, 'It's just a pair of shoes, what's the big deal?'"

"And wow, all those 'lackeys' who used to fawn over her all suddenly swarmed around her!"

"One said I was ungrateful, another said I was jealous, and yet another advised me to quickly apologize to 'Teacher Wang,' or I shouldn't expect to dance with her anymore!"

"I……"

As Wang Xiuying spoke, her eyes reddened and her voice choked with emotion.

"I've never argued with anyone like this in my entire life. They surrounded me and berated me, which made me so angry...so angry that I turned around and came back!"

She put down her water glass, looked at her son, her eyes filled with grievance and resentment.

"Chen'er, Mom doesn't necessarily want to fight for that position or steal her limelight."

"Everyone dances together just to have fun and be merry."

"But she's always pointing fingers and putting on airs, acting like she's some kind of empress dowager. It's infuriating!"

"I feel so choked up!"

Seeing his mother's aggrieved expression, Jiang Chen's eyes slowly narrowed.

A chill rose from the depths of his heart.

What he can't stand the most is seeing his family members suffer.

Whether it's the mean-spirited aunt Liu Cuifen or the self-righteous blind date Zhang Li.

Now, another one, Wang Cuihua, has appeared.

It seems that in a large forest, you'll find all sorts of birds.

Jiang Chen stood up, walked behind his mother, reached out and gently massaged her shoulders.

He comforted her in a relaxed tone:

"Mom, it's such a small thing, why are you so angry?"

"It's just that the equipment isn't good enough and the image isn't impressive enough."

"That's easy."

Wang Xiuying sighed, "What should I do? Am I really going to spend hundreds of yuan to buy the same shoes as her? I'm not going to be that stupid!"

Jiang Chen smiled.

He took out his phone and waved it in front of his mother.

A mysterious, slightly mischievous smile appeared on his handsome face.

"Mom, please hold it up."

"Your son will get you a 'Supreme Dragon-Slaying Sword for Square Dancing' right now!"

"I guarantee that when you appear tomorrow, you'll be the brightest star in the entire village's darkest night!"