It also had to be rented to someone powerful. After all, the Song Jianren family was not easy to deal with what if they clung to the place like a piece of sticky plaster and refused to leave?
She pushed the property deed back in front of her uncle. “I won’t take the deed for now. It’s safest if you keep it.”
Song Jianren was thinking about it day and night; it would be too dangerous for her to hold onto it.
“Alright, we’ll do as you say.” Shen Zhengming nodded in agreement, but couldn’t help coughing twice at the end of his sentence.
His complexion was yellowish, his eye sockets deeply sunken from weight loss, and exhaustion was written all over his face.
Seeing this, Song Qiaoan quickly took his hand, worry filling her eyes. “Uncle, I think you’ve lost a lot of weight recently. I only have you left as family you must take care of your health.”
“I’m fine.” Shen Zhengming forced a smile.
“Let’s do this. Tomorrow I’ll go with you to the hospital for a full check-up. That way I can feel at ease.”
“This… no need, it’s too much trouble.” He waved her off, but Uncle Wang at the side also persuaded him, “Sir, just listen to the young lady. She’ll only feel at ease if you’re well.”
In the end, unable to resist their persuasion, Shen Zhengming agreed.
After leaving her uncle’s home, Song Qiaoan went to her workplace. She brought the prepared documents and walked into Zhang Qing’s office.
“Sister Qing, sorry to bother you. I’m here to handle the procedures for transferring my job.”
“Transfer your job?” Zhang Qing was surprised. “You only said you needed leave for family matters you never mentioned transferring your position!”
During their previous handover discussions, she had learned about Song Qiaoan’s situation. The girl was capable, meticulous, and had performed consistently well over the years without mistakes. Both leaders and colleagues had a high opinion of her.
Zhang Qing appreciated talent like hers, so hearing she wanted to transfer her job, she immediately frowned.
“You were doing so well why suddenly transfer your position?”
Jobs were scarce nowadays, and everyone was fighting for stable employment. This decision was very unusual, and she couldn’t help but ask further.
Song Qiaoan sniffed, and when she looked up again, her eyes were already red. Her voice choked as she said, “I… my family is forcing me to get married. They say once I marry, I must stay home and have children and are not allowed to work anymore.”
Zhang Qing’s expression darkened instantly.
She knew it this wasn’t simple!
In this day and age, when society was constantly promoting marriage freedom and that women hold up half the sky, there were still parents treating daughters like commodities. It was disgusting!
She looked at Song Qiaoan and sighed deeply, feeling sorry for such an excellent girl being stuck with such trash parents.
“Qiaoan, your abilities are outstanding. You should stay in your position and shine.”
Zhang Qing handed her a tissue and softened her tone. “Don’t cry. Let’s think of another way.”
“Thank you, Sister Qing, but there’s really no other way. My father won’t listen to me.” Song Qiaoan shook her head and handed over the prepared documents. “All the procedures are here. I want to transfer my job to my stepsister, Song Weiwei.”
Stepsister…
Zhang Qing caught the word immediately and understood the situation roughly.
Forced into marriage while the stepsister reaps the benefits this girl must have suffered so much.
Looking at the name “Song Weiwei” on the file, Zhang Qing’s expression turned cold.
She disliked opportunistic, lazy people who gained without effort. Even just seeing the name left a bad impression.
She sympathized with Song Qiaoan, but this was family business she couldn’t interfere too much.
After some thought, she made a decision. “How about this: your stepsister can come to work, but only as a temporary replacement. The position still officially belongs to you, and you can return anytime. Do you understand?”
“Whenever you come back, Song Weiwei will leave.”
In other words, the job was only being temporarily lent out. Whenever Song Qiaoan resolved her situation before marriage, after marriage, or even after having children she could always return.
There would always be a place for her here.
“Don’t worry too much. You’re still young you’ll have many opportunities in the future.”
Zhang Qing patted her shoulder, and warmth filled Song Qiaoan’s heart. She hadn’t expected that after just one interaction, Zhang Qing would treat her with such kindness.
“Thank you, Sister Qing. I will remember your words.” She bowed deeply.
“No need to be so polite.” Zhang Qing supported her. “When will your stepsister start work?”
“On the 15th of next month.”
There was still more than a month left.
The 15th of next month was the day exam results were released.
Thinking of everything she had secretly planned, a cold glint flashed in Song Qiaoan’s eyes. That day would surely be very exciting.
After completing the procedures and returning home, she learned that Song Jiabao had suddenly caught a severe cold and was resting at home.
He was sniffling as he rummaged through Zhang Meilan’s bag and pulled out a small glass bottle, asking curiously, “Mom, what medicine is this? Can I take it?”
Song Qiaoan’s gaze swept over it was a glass bottle filled with white powder, with no label at all.
“Don’t touch it! Put it back immediately!” Zhang Meilan’s voice suddenly rose sharply, almost losing control.
“I was just asking… why are you yelling at me?” Song Jiabao was startled and felt wronged.
It was just a small bottle what was the big deal?
Zhang Meilan quickly realized she had overreacted. She glanced at Song Qiaoan and saw she wasn’t paying attention, still unaware of what was happening, and quietly sighed in relief.
She snatched the bottle back, put it into her bag, and sealed it tightly. “This isn’t cold medicine. Don’t take it!”
Then she dragged Song Jiabao into the bedroom to find medicine.
After they left, Song Qiaoan glanced sideways at the glass bottle, deep in thought.
She hadn’t missed Zhang Meilan’s moment of panic. That guilty, sneaky behavior clearly meant something was off.
Her intuition told her the powder in that bottle was definitely not something good and it was most likely related to her.
Previously, she had suspected Song Jianren borrowed money from Wang Shichang, but she still had no idea what deal they had made or what they were secretly planning.
So recently, she had been extremely cautious, not missing any clue.
Song Jiabao’s illness worsened. His fever wouldn’t go down, and medication at home didn’t help, so Zhang Meilan had to take him to the hospital.
After they left, the house was empty.
Song Qiaoan immediately took out the glass bottle. She ground some vitamins into powder and replaced everything inside.
The two powders looked almost identical enough to pass as the real thing.
Staring at the bottle, countless possibilities flashed through her mind.
Poison? Were they trying to kill her?
Or a mute drug, to stop her from exposing the exam cheating scheme?
But they still needed her to marry Wang Shichang so poison or muting her didn’t make much sense.
How could she find out what the powder actually was? She definitely couldn’t take it to the hospital directly if it turned out to be illegal drugs, she wouldn’t be able to explain herself either.
Wait… didn’t Zhou Xiaoman have a puppy? That might come in handy.
She carefully stored the powder, took a small sample, tucked it into her pocket, and quickly left.
Two hours later, Song Qiaoan rushed into the hospital holding a small white puppy.