C14 He Tried His Best to Convince Her

When the taxi driver saw Wu Ge approaching to hail a cab, he looked utterly astonished. Wu Ge glanced up at the man before him and inquired with a grin, "What's the matter? You think I shouldn't be hailing your cab?"

He silently vowed that if the driver expressed that sentiment, he would turn on his heel and leave without giving him a second chance. The driver hastily gestured with his hands, but after a moment's thought, he earnestly advised Wu Ge, "Listen, if you're not in a rush, you might want to save your money. You only make a few bucks a day picking up trash, and a cab ride will cost you more than what you earn in a whole day."

The driver, who appeared to be in his forties, looked at Wu Ge with a kind of elder's concern, balancing respect for Wu Ge's dignity with his well-intentioned words. Wu Ge, for his part, was nonchalant, waving his hand dismissively and saying with ease, "Uncle, relax, I've got it covered."

"Moreover, why would I hail a cab if I couldn't afford the fare?"

Hearing this, the taxi driver felt reassured. Still, he kept glancing at Wu Ge, as if debating whether to offer more advice. Just then, the notifications for the trash Wu Ge had recently collected began to chime in.

"Ding dong! Your bank account ending in xxxx has received a transfer of 200!"

"Ding dong! Your bank account ending in xxxx has received a transfer of 500!"

...

As the notifications continued, Wu Ge silently tallied up his earnings, which amounted to over 10,000. He leaned back in the seat, a picture of relaxation, and caught the driver's eye in the rearview mirror.

Now the driver must realize that Wu Ge wasn't spinning tales. The once concerned driver now sat expressionless, staring ahead as his hands shook slightly.

"Is this your earnings for just one day?"

Could it be that picking up trash was now such a lucrative business? How come he was unaware of this? If it was this profitable, wouldn't everyone in the city be frantically scavenging?

Seeing the driver's uncle visibly agitated, Wu Ge couldn't help but cough to get his attention and began to speak slowly.

"This is all money I've earned through other avenues, not like the rest," Wu Ge declared.

Ridiculous! If everyone made as much as he did, he'd have packed up and gone home long ago.

The chatty cab driver finally fell silent, casting enigmatic glances at Wu Ge, who squirmed under the scrutiny.

Soon, they pulled up to Wu Ge's place.

Staring at the run-down complex, the driver was utterly baffled.

But before he could wrap his head around it, Wu Ge had already hopped out of the car and headed to his apartment.

Wu Ge's current living situation was far from ideal.

He had rented the place when he was still a warehouse manager. Now jobless, he struggled to make rent. The landlord's recent visit had been costly, the confrontation loud enough for the neighbors to overhear the demands for payment.

In the morning, Wu Ge had tiptoed out, hoping to avoid detection. But now, he almost wanted the whole neighborhood to witness his return.

Dim streetlights flanked the complex. As Wu Ge walked, he picked up litter strewn about, stuffing it into a sack for a bit of extra cash. Every little bit helped.

Then he spotted a belt discarded carelessly on the ground.

Shaking his head at the decline of public decency, he thought about the potential hazard it posed at night. Someone could trip!

Lucky for them, Wu Ge was there. He stepped forward and retrieved the belt.

The system's voice chimed in immediately, as though it had been waiting for him.

"Ding—Abandoned belt detected. Reward: $500."

Wu Ge's smile broadened as he warmed his hands. His savings were looking healthier, even if $500 was modest compared to what he already had.

But he knew that with time and patience, his wealth would only grow.

Lost in these thoughts, a mocking voice suddenly cut through the air.

"Why is it so quiet today? Oh, I see, someone didn't have enough money for rent and had to resort to scavenging through trash?"

Upon hearing this distasteful voice, Wu Ge couldn't help but furrow his brow. He lifted his gaze to the person before him, opened his mouth, and said deliberately,

"I have enough money for the rent."

In fact, he had more than enough; his account balance could outright buy the house!

Feeling a surge of pride, Wu Ge glanced at the figure before him with a hint of scorn, then turned away, refusing to stoop to their level.

The individual confronting him was none other than Zhou Xin, the neighbor from next door.

Zhou Xin was known for never doing any good, always eager to revel in others' misfortunes. She would rush over at the first sign of trouble, eager to witness the whole debacle.

Previously, Wu Ge had ignored her antics, believing they were of no consequence to him. However, as her behavior grew increasingly intolerable, he realized that Zhou Xin was not the kind-hearted neighbor she pretended to be.

Just a few days ago, when the landlord came to collect the rent, Zhou Xin had not hesitated to spread malicious gossip about him. She had even fabricated rumors within the community.

She claimed he had been thrown out on the streets, penniless and unable to pay his rent, ultimately reduced to begging. She even went so far as to say she had seen Wu Ge wandering around in ragged clothes.

Now, Zhou Xin stood before him with her hands on her hips, her eyes scanning Wu Ge up and down repeatedly.

Annoyed by her presence, Wu Ge met her gaze and asked slowly,

"What do you want?"

If she had no business with him, he preferred she leave him be; he had no patience for idle chatter disrupting his peace.

Taken aback by Wu Ge's tone, Zhou Xin stepped back, her face contorting into an ugly scowl as she processed his words. She glared at him furiously.

"Well, what's gotten into you? I was just showing a bit of concern, and this is how you talk to your elders? No wonder you're struggling. It seems you could use some lessons in humility."

He stood before Wu Ge, muttering under his breath. Despite Wu Ge's fall from grace, he remained willing to engage in conversation with him. The topic then shifted to Wu Ge's rent.

Unable to listen any longer, Wu Ge silently turned his gaze to the individual in front of him.