“Your dowry from you can’t be less than 20,000.”
“What? 20,000?!” He let out a cold laugh, thinking Song Qiaoan had lost her mind. “You still dare to make demands of me?”
“I’m telling you, Song Qiaoan! If you dare not marry, I’ll act like I never had a useless daughter like you and kick you out of the house!”
“Why? Did you buy this house?”
Song Qiaoan raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile curling on her lips. With just two light sentences, the man’s expression changed instantly.
“You…”
Song Jianren’s face turned pale. What did she mean by that? How did she know…?
Could it be that the old man gave her the property deed before he died?
Meeting the girl’s icy gaze, Song Jianren felt a chill for no reason. He never expected that one day he’d be threatened by this wretched girl!
Wang Shichang had made it clear himself if he couldn’t marry Song Qiaoan, he wouldn’t help them. The Wang family had powerful connections and could pull strings.
Whether he could escape the investigation and run away with money all depended on the Wang family.
But giving her 20,000 for nothing felt like cutting flesh off his own body.
Song Jianren ground his teeth in hatred, but Zhang Meilan spoke up:
“We agree to your terms, but our family doesn’t have that much cash. We’ll need to go to the bank and set up a passbook.”
Hearing this, Song Qiaoan finally gave her a glance and shrugged. “No rush. Whenever I get the money, that’s when I’ll go on the blind date.”
As for jewelry and furniture, she didn’t want them useless and inconvenient. She would be going to the countryside to find Fu Chen anyway; as long as she had enough cash and ration tickets, that would be enough.
Zhang Meilan almost choked with anger. Not in a rush? The blind date was tomorrow didn’t that mean they had to give her the money today?!
She shot Song Jianren a look and said through gritted teeth, “Fine. I’ll go with you this afternoon. We’ll also take care of the divorce certificate.”
Then, as if thinking of something, her eyes shifted, and she tested with a smile:
“After you get married and have children, you’ll just stay home and take care of your husband and kids. You won’t need a job anymore how about transferring your job to your younger sister?”
Hearing this, Song Qiaoan almost laughed in anger. So this was what they were really after all along.
In her previous life, she had obediently given her job to her stepsister. After being abused by Wang Shichang, she had sought help from her coworkers but Song Weiwei spread rumors at her workplace, saying she had an affair during marriage, was cheated out of all her money by her lover, and had gone insane serving her right.
Her coworkers believed it, treated her like a lunatic, and no one was willing to help her.
Now, hearing them bring up transferring her job again, she trembled with anger and nearly lost control as she shouted:
“Are you out of your mind? That job was left to me by my mother what does it have to do with Song Weiwei? If she doesn’t have a job, she should ask her own mother! Why come to me? Am I her mother?!”
“Listen to what you’re saying. Isn’t it just that Weiwei doesn’t have a job right now?”
“No job? Then let her marry Wang Shichang! She can go serve her husband and children perfect for her.”
“Wang Shichang has his eye on you. Besides, your sister already has a boyfriend.”
“Oh really? Who’s your boyfriend? Why have I never heard of him?” Song Qiaoan turned to look at Song Weiwei.
“He… he’s just an ordinary person. You probably don’t know him,” Song Weiwei said, her gaze flickering.
Song Qiaoan glanced at her, sensing something was off. With Weiwei’s love for showing off, if she really had found a good man, how could she possibly keep it hidden?
Probably someone she couldn’t bring into the open.
As she was thinking, Zhang Meilan added, “That job would just sit there anyway. You can’t let it go to an outsider for nothing. She’s your sister you can’t ignore even this bit of family bond.”
“Stop right there! Don’t try to claim kinship. How dare an illegitimate daughter call herself my sister?”
“Song Qiaoan! Watch your mouth! Believe it or not, I’ll smash your face in!”
Song Jianren slammed the table and hurled the enamel cup in his hand at her.
The Song Qiaoan of her previous life might have been frightened to tears but now she had lived two lifetimes, and after death had wandered as a resentful spirit for decades.
She wasn’t buying it. She sidestepped and stared coldly at the man.
“What? Am I wrong? Song Weiwei looked down on this job back then and insisted on studying abroad. She didn’t have the ability to make it there, came slinking back, and now wants to snatch my job? So she gets all the good things?”
Song Weiwei shrank into Zhang Meilan’s arms, her eyes reddening as she sniffled, looking pitiful.
Song Qiaoan glanced at them and, too lazy to argue further, turned and walked back to her room.
Song Jianren looked at Zhang Meilan and demanded in a low voice, “We’re really giving her 20,000? What are you thinking?!”
“That’s her dowry. Once she gets married, we’ll just get it back from Wang Shichang.”
With the bride price included, wouldn’t it total over 200,000? She didn’t even bother arguing with that wretched girl.
Hearing this, Song Jianren relaxed.
“Mom, but what about my job?” Song Weiwei complained tearfully.
It wasn’t that she liked working but if the family were investigated in the future, having a proper job in a state-owned unit would be the best protection.
Song Jianren had already arranged everything: he and Zhang Meilan would flee to the southern city, Song Weiwei would keep a formal job, and her younger brother Song Jiabao would get into university. Even if higher authorities came to investigate, the siblings wouldn’t be affected.
“It’s fine. There’s still time. Plenty of chances to make that girl give in.”
“Your father’s right. Don’t worry. By the way, how are things going with Xiao Hao?”
Song Weiwei blushed. “Pretty well. He asked me out to dinner again tonight.”
“It’s good if you can keep him interested. But be careful don’t let anyone find out, understand?” her mother warned in a low voice.
“I understand, Mom.”
In the bedroom, Song Qiaoan was rummaging through drawers and cabinets.
She remembered that before her mother died, she had left her a ring supposedly a family heirloom passed down from her grandmother. Later, it somehow ended up in Song Weiwei’s hands and became the key to unlocking a storage space.
After searching for a while, she finally found it in the pocket of a coat. The ring was set with an emerald and looked quite old.
This ring can open a space?
Song Qiaoan fiddled with it, but nothing happened. Just as she was puzzled, there was a knock on the door.
“Big sister, I’m going out to dinner with friends tonight. Can I borrow one of your clothes?”
Song Qiaoan quickly hid the ring in a drawer and cleared her throat. “Come in.”
“Thank you, sister. I’ll only wear it once I promise I won’t ruin it.”
Seeing that Song Qiaoan didn’t refuse, Song Weiwei took it as agreement and began picking clothes from the wardrobe with ease.
Song Qiaoan narrowed her eyes as she watched. Sure enough, the one she chose in the end was the very coat that had held the ring.
She had to admit, her taste wasn’t bad. That Chanel-style jacket had been brought from abroad by an overseas Chinese friend there wasn’t another one like it in all of Shanghai.
Given the current tense situation, Song Weiwei actually dared to wear such eye-catching luxury out. She really had some nerve.
Song Qiaoan studied her. “What kind of friend is worth you taking such a big risk wearing high-end fashion out at a time like this?”
“Just… just an ordinary friend. I’ll only wear it this once it’ll be fine,” Song Weiwei said, her gaze shifting and her voice faltering.
Then, out of habit, she checked the pocket. It was empty.
Song Weiwei froze. Nothing inside?
Why did she keep feeling like there should have been something in that pocket…?