“Ah?!” Jiang Li feigned a frightened expression.
“But, Uncle, Auntie already took all my money. She said I was just a young girl and couldn’t be trusted to look after so much money, so she took it to ‘keep it safe’ for me. She… she also told me not to tell you. She said you weren’t a good person and that you were after my family’s property.”
“Bullshit!” Jiang Jin’an cursed again. “Jiang Jinxiu has never been a decent person. She only said those things to fool you because you’re young. She’s selfish and vicious to the core. Lili, besides your parents, your uncle is the one who truly cares about you.”
He hesitated for a moment before finally continuing.
“Actually… your parents…” He paused again, then blurted it out. “Actually, it was her who reported your parents. She’s the reason they were arrested and sent down to the countryside.”
Jiang Jin’an decided he might as well go all in.
Since Jiang Jinxiu had turned against him, he no longer saw any reason to show her mercy.
Once he got rid of that troublesome woman, the Jiang family’s fortune would all be his. Then he could find a way to hand Jiang Li over in exchange for the money, travel permits, and connections he needed to get to Hong Kong.
Jiang Li was beautiful.
She would surely fetch him exactly what he wanted.
Watching from the side, Jiang Li quietly noticed the smug satisfaction spreading across his face.
Without a doubt, her uncle was already hatching another sinister scheme.
And she knew it wasn’t aimed solely at Jiang Jinxiu.
He was plotting against her as well.
Pretending to be shocked, she stammered,
“U-Uncle… are you saying my parents were sent away because Auntie framed them? H-How could she be so heartless?”
“That’s exactly the kind of shameless woman she is,” Jiang Jin’an said indignantly. “I didn’t tell you before because I had my own difficulties. She threatened me into keeping quiet. She had something she could use against me, so I didn’t dare speak up.
“But she’s gone too far this time. I can’t tolerate it anymore. Lili, please forgive your uncle for only telling you now. I’ve always felt guilty about it.
“I’ve made up my mind. I’ll help you deal with her. I no longer recognize her as my sister.”
He looked straight at Jiang Li.
“Lili, do you still want to acknowledge her as your aunt?”
“I… I’m so scared. Auntie is really that selfish and cruel? She hurt my parents… Why would I still acknowledge her? But… she took so much money and so many things from our house. If I ask for them back… will she really return them?”
“I’ll think of a way,” Jiang Jin’an declared.
He was determined to wipe Jiang Jinxiu out completely, leaving her no chance to recover.
However, Jiang Jinxiu was far too cunning.
He knew she had been carrying on with someone from the Revolutionary Committee, but he had never discovered who the man was.
Jiang Li guessed that he’d long wanted to get rid of Jiang Jinxiu.
Since that was the case, she might as well tell him about her affair and have him help catch her in the act.
“Uncle… today I think I overheard Auntie talking to someone named Wu Jianchuan. She told him to come to her house tomorrow night. I don’t know what they’re planning.”
“You’re telling the truth?”
Jiang Jin’an’s eyes immediately lit up.
So Jiang Jinxiu and this Wu Jianchuan obviously had an illicit relationship.
Otherwise, why would a man visit her house in the middle of the night?
Unfortunately, this silly little girl still had no idea what grown men and women did behind closed doors.
What a fool.
No wonder Jiang Jinxiu had been able to manipulate her so easily.
Jiang Li narrowed her eyes.
She no longer cared what Jiang Jin’an thought of her.
Tomorrow, she would make sure he accompanied her to Jiang Jinxiu’s house to catch the adulterers red-handed.
Watching the dogs turn on each other and expose one another—that would be immensely satisfying.
Squinting like an old fox, Jiang Jin’an said,
“Those two certainly won’t be doing anything decent together. Lili, tomorrow night, are you willing to come with your uncle and catch them in the act? Jiang Jinxiu has no shame. She’s committed such disgraceful acts. We’ll expose her affair in front of everyone and send her to prison. It’ll also avenge your parents.”
“All right, Uncle. I’ll go.”
Jiang Li agreed without hesitation, quietly waiting for tomorrow’s spectacle.
“Good. Tomorrow your aunt and I will bring plenty of people with us. We’ll even notify the Public Security officers. No matter what, Jiang Jinxiu won’t be able to escape this time.”
“That’s right! We’ll gather as many people as possible and make sure that shameless whore Jiang Jinxiu gets locked up,” her aunt chimed in through gritted teeth.
Her hatred toward Jiang Jinxiu was obvious.
Looking at their ugly expressions, Jiang Li thought they were all cut from the same cloth.
They were no different from Jiang Jinxiu herself—a pack of vultures who would betray even their closest relatives for personal gain, siblings willing to become mortal enemies over wealth.
In the end, they would suffer exactly the same fate as Jiang Jinxiu.
Jiang Jin’an was no longer upset.
Although he hadn’t managed to squeeze any money out of Jiang Li today, eliminating Jiang Jinxiu would be an even greater profit.
Sooner or later, the money currently in Jiang Jinxiu’s hands would become his.
That was an even better deal.
His eyes wandered to the Jiang family’s spacious house.
If it were sold, it would bring in another substantial sum.
“Lili,” he said with a smile, “we’ll be leaving for Hong Kong soon. Once we’re there, this house will be useless. Uncle wants to help you sell it. When we arrive in Hong Kong, I’ll buy you a much bigger and better house. The homes over there are far more comfortable than this one.”
“Thank you, Uncle. But I haven’t been feeling well these past couple of days, and I still need to stay here. Let’s wait a few days before talking about it.”
Jiang Jin’an considered it for a moment.
Getting rid of Jiang Jinxiu was the priority.
Once she was imprisoned, Jiang Li would have no one left to rely on except him.
She would be completely under his control.
When the time came, if he told her to sell the house, she’d obediently hand over the property deed.
“All right, Lili. No rush. Stay here for now. We’ll deal with selling the house after we’ve sent Jiang Jinxiu to prison.”
“Okay, Uncle.”
Having arranged everything, Jiang Jin’an still felt the need to remind her,
“Lili, today’s plan must remain absolutely secret. If Jiang Jinxiu comes looking for you, no matter how she tries to pry information out of you, you mustn’t say a word.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle. I won’t tell her anything. She’s my enemy now. I won’t believe a single word she says anymore. I only trust you—only your family.”
“Good. Your uncle will always stand by your side. I’ll never harm you or lie to you.”
“I know, Uncle.”
With Jiang Jin’an finished, Jiang Li’s aunt and cousin’s wife stepped forward.
Her aunt smiled warmly.
“Lili, your cousin’s wife and I wanted to borrow your camera and a couple of dresses. The flowers in the park are blooming beautifully lately, so we’d like to go take some pictures.”
Since Jiang Li supposedly had no money left, surely she still had her clothes and camera.
Jiang Li sneered inwardly.
She had known from the moment they arrived that every member of this family had come with their own agenda.
None of them intended to leave empty-handed.
That was true now, just as it had been in her previous life.
Back then, she had cherished their family ties. Believing she still needed to rely on them to rescue her parents, she had indulged them again and again.
Besides the furniture, appliances, and valuables they had already carried out of her house, they constantly came over to “borrow” money, clothes, cameras, and anything else they fancied.
Once something left her house, it almost never came back.
But now…
They weren’t taking a single thing from her anymore.