Thinking about where her watch had come from, Ruan Qiaoqiao raised her brows and deliberately lifted her wrist, turning it in front of Duan Fangya.
“Where someone else’s watch came from is none of your damn business.”
Duan Fangya frowned.
She actually refused to say?
When she had gone to buy the watch the other day, the salesperson had clearly said it was the last one in stock. Even if they reordered, it would take time.
And when she had seen Ruan Qiaoqiao two days ago, she definitely had not been wearing a watch.
So where did this one suddenly come from?
Thinking about the watch she had given Fu Wenzhou, her suspicious gaze landed on Ruan Qiaoqiao’s face.
Ruan Qiaoqiao looked completely smug.
“Why are you staring at my watch like that, Miss Duan? I heard this model is very popular lately. Don’t you have one? Or do you just not like it?”
Duan Fangya’s face darkened in anger.
She could have owned one too, if Fu Wenzhou hadn’t suddenly changed his attitude…
No.
It wasn’t only Fu Wenzhou who had changed.
In her previous life, Ruan Qiaoqiao had clung desperately to Su Mai for years, refusing to divorce and make room for her.
And even after Fu Wenzhou had been rehabilitated and returned to the city, he never remarried. He had simply raised his brother’s two children alone.
But in this life, both of their paths had changed.
And the last time she had gone to see Fu Wenzhou, she had also seen Ruan Qiaoqiao on the mountain nearby.
Could it be…
While she was lost in chaotic thoughts, Su Mai beside her noticed that Ruan Qiaoqiao had once again become sharp and aggressive like before, and his brows furrowed deeply.
Out of goodwill, he stepped forward and stood directly across from her.
“Ruan Qiaoqiao, we’re already divorced. You should understand that I no longer have any reason to give you money in the future.”
Ruan Qiaoqiao looked at him with calm disdain.
“I heard that even while we were married, I barely spent any of your money. Instead, I sacrificed a lot for you and your family. Isn’t that right?
“And wasn’t your money already being spent on Duan Fangya, someone you weren’t even married to at the time? I didn’t care while we were married, and now that we’re divorced, I care even less. Spend your money on whoever you want. I’m not interested.”
Hearing this, Su Mai felt a heaviness in his chest.
Was she blaming him for treating her poorly back then?
But back then… he had contributed enough household money every month. She was simply too stubborn and insisted she didn’t need it…
“Ruan Qiaoqiao, don’t be like a hedgehog all the time, always hurting people. I’m just reminding you. That one hundred yuan may seem like a lot, but it won’t last long. Don’t spend recklessly. At least wait until you have a new source of income before—”
“What one hundred yuan?” Ruan Qiaoqiao interrupted sharply, her voice suddenly cold. “What one hundred yuan?”
Su Mai looked confused. “You didn’t know? Then where did your watch come from?”
“None of your business. I’m asking what you mean by that one hundred yuan!”
Su Mai hesitated briefly before answering.
“When I went to the Liu family to deliver your luggage, your stepfather said you were temporarily staying at your sister’s house. So I gave him one hundred yuan and asked him to pass it to you. Don’t tell me…”
Ruan Qiaoqiao’s face darkened with anger, and her voice rose uncontrollably.
“Su Mai, are you sick? I lost my memory—did you lose yours too? Don’t you know I’m completely at odds with Liu Laosi’s family?”
“They didn’t give you the money?”
Ruan Qiaoqiao glared at him.
“Obviously! Let me ask you again—are you sure you gave him the money after the divorce? When exactly?”
“The afternoon of the divorce. There were a lot of neighbors gathered outside their house for some reason. They all saw it.”
A lot of neighbors?
That must have been when Liu Laosi was eager to throw her out and remarry her off while everyone was watching the spectacle.
“Fine. I understand now. I’ll go get that money back myself.”
Her tone turned much colder, and when she looked at Su Mai again, her eyes carried even more indifference.
“But Su Mai, was that one hundred yuan supposed to be compensation for the past three years? Or payment for being your nanny? Whether it’s compensation or wages for taking care of your family, it’s far too little. A mere hundred yuan—are you trying to dismiss a beggar?”
Su Mai thought she was offended by him trying to use money to insult her. He was about to explain when she continued:
“I won’t even calculate the cost of my lost youth, or the studies and future I gave up for you. I’ll only calculate basic nanny wages. Twenty yuan a month isn’t high, right? That’s two hundred forty a year. Three years makes seven hundred twenty. Mr. Su, how do you plan to settle this?”
Su Mai’s expression darkened.
He stared at her in surprise.
Instead of repeatedly asking whether he loved her like before, she was now calculating debts with him?
Duan Fangya had still been thinking about the watch, but the moment she heard Ruan Qiaoqiao asking Su Mai for money, she immediately stopped thinking about anything else.
Su Mai’s money would belong to her in the future.
Why should this woman get any of it?
“Qiaoqiao—”
She was just about to speak when she suddenly saw Fu Wenzhou walking in from outside the supply store.
Duan Fangya’s eyes lit up instantly. She raised her hand and waved enthusiastically.
“Uncle!”
At her reaction, both Ruan Qiaoqiao and Su Mai turned toward the entrance at the same time and saw Fu Wenzhou walking in.
Ruan Qiaoqiao panicked internally.
This man really knew how to pick his timing. Why did he have to come now of all times?
She was currently demanding compensation from her ex-husband. If Su Mai found out she had remarried immediately after divorcing him, there was no way he would hand over any money.
Money was more important.
As for who Fu Wenzhou was?
She didn’t know him.
Pretending to stay calm, she deliberately looked away from Fu Wenzhou.
When Fu Wenzhou noticed her avoiding gaze, the calmness in his eyes instantly turned frosty.
Duan Fangya had already enthusiastically started chatting with him again.
“Uncle, what a coincidence! Why did you come to the county town?”
Fu Wenzhou’s indifferent gaze landed on her face, and even his tone carried obvious distance.
“You’re asking quite a lot.”
Duan Fangya did not care about his attitude at all.
In this life, she was someone favored by heaven itself. She absolutely could not allow the fate of her family collapsing under Fu Wenzhou’s retaliation to happen again.
She had to secure Fu Wenzhou firmly on her side.
“Oh come on, Uncle, I’m just happy to run into you here.”
“That’s unnecessary.”
As Fu Wenzhou spoke, his gaze once again landed on Ruan Qiaoqiao.
Ruan Qiaoqiao could clearly feel his eyes on her, yet she refused to respond in the slightest.
Outwardly, she appeared perfectly calm.
Internally, she was panicking wildly and practically praying to every god and ancestor she could think of.
Fu Wenzhou, sir, ancestor, please—don’t ruin my grand money-making plan. Please don’t talk to me.
We don’t know each other.
We absolutely do not know each other!
Fu Wenzhou stared deeply at the woman opposite him.
Seeing the way he looked at Ruan Qiaoqiao, the suspicion in Duan Fangya’s heart surged once more.
After hesitating briefly, she asked cautiously:
“Uncle… do you know Qiaoqiao?”