Song Xuezhi staggered back two steps, nearly losing her balance.
Had a thief broken into her home?!
Her apartment was in a remote area with poor security. It had been burglarized before.
But back then, only a few of her personal undergarments had been stolen. This time, however, so much money was gone.
That money was practically her entire savings. Without hesitation, Song Xuezhi went straight to the police station.
The officer she had met just the night before was surprised to see her again.
“Comrade Song, why is it you again?”
Clenching her teeth, she replied, “My house was robbed.”
The officer immediately launched an investigation, questioning residents throughout the building.
Everyone became uneasy after hearing that a thief had been prowling around the previous night. Yet there were no useful leads—no one had seen the burglar.
Then Aunt Zou, who ran the barbershop downstairs, said something strange.
“Xuezhi, didn’t you come home last night? How come you didn’t hear the thief?”
“I came home?” Song Xuezhi echoed. She certainly didn’t know anything about that.
“Yeah,” Aunt Zou muttered. “I heard someone unlocking the door. Late at night, I vaguely saw you carrying a washbasin downstairs to fetch water for a bath…”
Both Song Xuezhi and the officer’s expressions changed instantly.
They knew perfectly well that she had never returned home last night.
According to Aunt Zou’s account, the thief was very likely a woman who had disguised herself as Song Xuezhi and entered the apartment.
But there were no signs of forced entry.
After some thought, the officer asked, “Could this have been done by someone you know?”
A name immediately surfaced in Song Xuezhi’s mind.
The Zhou siblings.
She remembered that when she rented the apartment, she had left a spare key with Zhou Weidong.
But she believed Zhou Weidong would never steal money. He was a soldier, upright and honorable.
As for Zhou Yuwei, however, she was highly suspicious.
From what Song Xuezhi knew, Zhou Yuwei was capable of anything to get what she wanted.
Taking a careful sniff, she also noticed an unfamiliar scent of face cream lingering by the bed.
It was exactly the same Snowflake Cream she had once bought for Zhou Yuwei.
Yet when she shared her suspicions with the officer, he didn’t seem convinced.
“Comrade Song, are you trying to get back at your husband’s sister because she and your husband reported you last night and got you detained?” he asked skeptically.
Speechless, Song Xuezhi closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair in frustration.
“Officer, I’m not joking about something like this! That money was my dowry!”
The officer replied, “Then they have even less reason to steal it.”
After all, she was about to marry Regiment Commander Zhou. Her dowry would belong to their future household. Why would his sister steal it?
Coldly, Song Xuezhi said, “Because Zhou Weidong’s nephew is critically ill and hospitalized! They desperately need money!”
But the officer still shook his head.
“You’re overthinking it. Regiment Commander Zhou isn’t that kind of person. I’ve known him for years…”
Zhou Weidong had built far too good a reputation.
Left with no choice, Song Xuezhi decided to handle things herself.
She already knew who had probably stolen her money.
She wanted to confront Zhou Yuwei directly, only to learn that she and Zhou Weidong had already returned to the provincial hospital.
Fortunately, the restaurant where she worked was closed on weekends. The next day, she immediately bought a ticket to the provincial capital.
On the train, Song Xuezhi reflected on everything.
She had spoiled the Zhou siblings too much.
That was why they kept pushing boundaries and taking advantage of her.
People always picked on the softest targets.
If Zhou Yuwei had really stolen her money, then this time she would make it crystal clear what happened when someone bullied her.
Provincial Hospital.
The sharp smell of disinfectant filled the busy corridors.
The moment Song Xuezhi walked in, she saw Zhou Yuwei emerge with a surgical payment receipt in hand. Tears of relief streamed down her face as she threw her arms around Zhou Weidong.
“Brother, thanks to you, Yier finally has a chance…”
Zhou Weidong paused briefly before wrapping an arm around her waist and gently patting her back.
“Yier will get better,” he said in a low voice.
Passersby assumed they were husband and wife. Hearing Zhou Yuwei call him “Brother,” they cast strange looks in their direction.
Without another word, Song Xuezhi strode over and snatched the payment receipt from Zhou Yuwei’s hands.
The receipt clearly stated:
First-stage surgery fee: 986 yuan.
The money stolen from her totaled 654 yuan and 3 mao.
“Was it you who stole my money?!” Song Xuezhi demanded, her eyes red with anger.
For a split second, panic flashed across Zhou Yuwei’s face, but she quickly regained her composure.
“Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? These surgery fees were raised together by my brother. Besides, didn’t you already cause a scene with his superiors and have his salary advanced?”
Seeing her reaction, Song Xuezhi’s remaining doubts vanished.
“So it really was you,” she said firmly. “You came to my house yesterday and stole my money.”
“How can you accuse me like that?” Zhou Yuwei whimpered as she hid behind Zhou Weidong. “I did stay at your place last night… because you moved all the furniture out and there was no bed at the family quarters. My brother told me to stay there temporarily. But I swear I never touched any of your things.”
“Oh, really?” Song Xuezhi laughed in anger. Then she turned to Zhou Weidong and extended her hand. “Give me my key back.”
Embarrassed by the growing crowd, Zhou Weidong pulled the key from his camouflage pants pocket and tossed it to her.
Then he snapped, “Is this really necessary? Yuwei is our sister. You weren’t coming home last night, so what’s wrong with letting her stay one night?”
His eyes were filled with disappointment.
“One night?” Song Xuezhi sneered. “One night and somehow over six hundred yuan vanished?”
Looking at his handsome, stern face, she suddenly wanted to slap him.
And why hadn’t she come home last night?
Because they had gotten her arrested.
“You lost money, so go to the police,” Zhou Weidong said. “Why are you blaming Yuwei? She would never steal from you.”
Yet his voice grew quieter and quieter.
That morning, when they had gathered the surgery funds, Yuwei had unexpectedly produced more than half the money herself.
His expression turned complicated as he glanced at her.
“You sure about that?” Song Xuezhi raised the receipt. “Then where did this thousand-plus yuan come from? Did you magically make it appear overnight?”
“I borrowed it from my comrades!” Zhou Weidong barked.
Noticing the crowd growing larger, he dragged her into a quieter corner and lowered his voice.
“Enough. Stop making a scene. If your money is really gone, I’ll pay you back later. Stop acting like a shrew and quibbling over every little thing.”
“So you do know Zhou Yuwei took the money,” Song Xuezhi said, crossing her arms. “And you still want to cover for her?”
She suddenly laughed.
“In your dreams. Just wait. I’ll report this to the authorities and the police. I have evidence. Once this stain is on her record, she can forget about ever working in the performing arts troupe.”
Beside them, Zhou Yuwei’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
“S-Sister-in-law!”
Even Zhou Weidong’s expression changed dramatically.
He knew it.
She was still targeting Yuwei’s position in the arts troupe.
In truth, if she hadn’t been desperate, Zhou Yuwei never would have stolen Song Xuezhi’s money.
But all night long, she had lain awake thinking about her sick son in the hospital.
In the end, she had hardened her heart and reached beneath the bed.
No matter what, she couldn’t lose her job.
Without it, how would she support Yier in the future?
If Song Xuezhi exposed everything, her reputation would be ruined. How could she continue living in the military family compound?
A thought flashed through Zhou Yuwei’s mind.
Her knees buckled as she prepared to kneel.
“Sister-in-law, the money… it was…”
She knew Song Xuezhi had a soft heart. Maybe if she begged, she would be forgiven.
But Zhou Weidong reacted faster and caught her before she could kneel.
He looked at her deeply, then spoke in a cold, firm voice:
“It has nothing to do with Yuwei.”
“I took the money.”