“It’s better to go our separate ways, each living our own lives in peace!”
“Yes, yes, it’s best for everyone to live their own lives.”
The few busybodies laughed stiffly, their expressions awkward, and quickly found excuses to disperse.
Shen Jiaojiao sneered coldly. It’s easy to talk without feeling the pain, but she wasn’t going to indulge these meddling women.
She found the best hotel in Yangcheng and booked the finest room for half a month. There were quite a few messy matters to deal with in Yangcheng, so it would take some time. The room cost thirty yuan per night, totaling four hundred and fifty for half a month. The hotel rounded it down and only charged four hundred.
“Mom, are we really going to sleep here?”
Xiao Yueyue lay on the soft, clean bed, overjoyed. She had never slept on such a luxurious bed before.
“Yes, go take a bath and make sure to wash thoroughly.”
Shen Jiaojiao smiled gently. This child was truly well-behaved. Although a bit withdrawn, she hadn’t turned dark yet and was still a lovely, bright little girl. As long as she was given more sunshine and nurturing in the future, she would surely grow into a lively and cheerful girl.
Xiao Yueyue took her change of clothes into the bathroom. Soon after, her excited screams could be heard. “Mom, the water comes out like flowers!”
“Mom, there’s no stove here, but there’s hot water!”
“Mom, the shampoo here smells so good!”
The little girl was like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, finding everything new and fascinating. She was also clever enough to figure out that the red arrow on the faucet meant hot water and the green arrow meant cold water, without needing anyone to teach her.
Shen Jiaojiao nearly laughed herself silly. This child was just too adorable. How could the original owner have been so heartless as to neglect her?
Xiao Yueyue came out of the bath smelling fresh and fragrant, her hair still dripping wet. Shen Jiaojiao dried her hair with a hairdryer. Feeling the gentle touch on her head, Xiao Yueyue closed her eyes in contentment, a wide smile spreading across her face.
“All done, go watch TV now.”
After drying her hair, Shen Jiaojiao gave the little girl a light pat on the bottom. Xiao Yueyue giggled, lying on the bed with her little feet kicking in the air as she watched TV. Shen Jiaojiao then went to take a bath and washed their dirty clothes.
The first day after transmigrating ended in such a tense yet exciting manner. Mother and daughter snuggled together on the big bed, embracing each other as they fell into a deep, sweet sleep.
A City on the Border
Xiao Ke suddenly woke up with a start. He opened his eyes and let out a long sigh. The memories that had vanished eight years ago had returned.
He had to go back and marry Shen Jiaojiao!
Now he could afford a dowry lavish enough to overwhelm the Shen family. But after eight years, would Shen Jiaojiao still be waiting for him?
A beautiful, delicate face appeared before his eyes, tears welling up as she said, “Brother Ke, please don’t go. I’m scared to be alone.”
Xiao Ke sighed. Eight years ago, he was young and impulsive. Furious at the Shen family’s outrageous demands and wanting to prove he wasn’t a worthless pauper, he had angrily left his girlfriend Shen Jiaojiao and gone to the border to do business, hoping to earn a fortune and return to marry his beloved.
He did make money, but he encountered bandits, suffered a head injury, and lost all his wealth. After recovering, a part of his memory was missing—he had forgotten Shen Jiaojiao, his identity, and his hometown.
All he remembered was that his name was Xiao Ke and that he wanted to make a fortune. After that, he stayed at the border to continue his business. Eight years passed, and his business grew larger and larger. He even opened a real estate company in Shanghai, amassing a fortune worth hundreds of millions. Yet, he still couldn’t remember.
Until tonight.Xiao Ke lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and then stubbed it out. No matter what, he had to return to Yangcheng. If Shen Jiaojiao wasn’t married, he would marry her. A man must keep his promises.
If Shen Jiaojiao was already married, he would give her a large sum of money to make up for his mistakes.
The mother and daughter slept soundly at the hotel until dawn, only to be awakened by loud knocking on the door and a woman’s arrogant cursing: “Shen Jiaojiao, you shameless slut! Are you hiding a man in there? If you have the guts to hide a man, open the door!”
Xiao Yueyue’s little face was stern and unhappy. She hated her eldest aunt the most, who always called her a worthless burden. Her eldest aunt’s children, her cousins, also often bullied her.
“Don’t be afraid!”
Shen Jiaojiao patted the child, changed out of her pajamas, and walked to the door, standing there for a moment. The vulgar insults outside continued. This woman was Xi Zihua’s sister, Xi Yuhua, who looked just like Zhang Jingui and shared the same temperament.
“If you don’t open the door, I’ll break it down!”
Shen Jiaojiao grabbed the doorknob and twisted it forcefully. The door swung open, and Xi Yuhua, who had been pounding on it with all her might, stumbled forward. Shen Jiaojiao didn’t help her up. Instead, she kicked her in the backside.
Xi Yuhua fell to the ground with a thud. Shen Jiaojiao moved quickly, grabbing the woman’s hair and yanking it backward. Then, she struck the back of her knees hard, causing Xi Yuhua’s legs to buckle, and she knelt before Xiao Yueyue on the bed.
“Take a good look and see if there’s any man hiding here! You and your mother can’t stand to see Xi Zihua doing well, can you? You’re both eager to put a cuckold’s hat on him, one after another!”
Shen Jiaojiao kicked Xi Yuhua’s back several times with force. She wasn’t as strong as this shrew, so she had to rely on wit.
Xi Yuhua coughed uncontrollably from the pain, tears streaming down her face. Her ribs felt as if they were broken. Her mother had told her that Shen Jiaojiao had gone mad, but she hadn’t believed it. She had insisted on coming to teach this bitch a lesson. Now she believed it—and regretted it.
“Shen Jiaojiao, let me go! I’m your sister-in-law!”
“I dared to hit your mother. Why would I be polite to you? Xi Yuhua, go back and tell Xi Zihua that he has two days left. If the money isn’t ready, your Xi Family will be humiliated for all to see!”
Shen Jiaojiao gave another hard tug. Xi Yuhua’s scalp burned with pain, as if the top of her head had been pried open. She turned to see Shen Jiaojiao holding a large clump of her hair, the roots still stained with blood, grinning eerily at her.
Xi Yuhua’s legs trembled uncontrollably. Shen Jiaojiao had truly gone mad. A madwoman could kill without breaking the law. There was no point in confronting a lunatic head-on.
Watching Xi Yuhua flee in panic, Shen Jiaojiao sneered coldly. She went downstairs to the front desk and said icily, “I chose to stay here for peace and quiet. If you can’t even keep people out, refund my money, and I’ll find another place to stay.”
“I’m sorry. It was our staff’s mistake. This won’t happen again,” the manager personally came out to apologize and even compensated her with three extra days’ stay. Only then did Shen Jiaojiao drop the matter. These people were bullies who preyed on the weak. As a single, beautiful woman, if she were too accommodating, she’d be treated like a pushover.
Shen Jiaojiao and Xiao Yueyue lived lavishly in the hotel for three days. Breakfast was provided by the hotel, while lunch and dinner were enjoyed at nearby restaurants, ordering whatever they pleased. If they got hungry late at night, they could even go out for some grilled skewers.
In just three days, Xiao Yueyue’s little face had visibly plumped up, and her complexion had improved significantly. Shen Jiaojiao felt a sense of accomplishment. Raising a child wasn’t so hard after all. She hadn’t put in much effort, yet she’d managed to fatten her up effortlessly.Three days had passed, and Shen Jiaojiao retrieved the developed photos. She had hidden the negatives, not in the hotel, of course, but in the hollow of the plane tree in front of the hotel.
People came and went in front of the plane tree, and some even sat under its shade to cool off, but no one would ever think that something was hidden inside the hollow.
The photos showed Xi Zihua and Wang Jianjun in an unsightly state, their disgraceful behavior fully exposed. Shen Jiaojiao had developed a thick stack of them. When the photo studio Boss handed her the photos, his expression was indescribable.