Qiao Zhenhua’s face darkened. He had already given her so much money and ration coupons, yet she was still fixated on her biological mother’s dowry.
“I sold your mother’s dowry long ago. Otherwise, how could you have lived so comfortably all these years?”
He said this without a hint of shame or guilt.
In truth, he had indeed sold most of it. The rest was carefully hidden away, waiting to be sold off in a couple of days for cash, so he could take his wife and daughter to Hong Kong.
Qiao Yu’s expression was cold. “Those were things my mother left for me. What right did you have to sell them?”
Qiao Zhenhua: “The right of being your father! I am the head of this household. I don’t need to ask for your opinions on what I do!”
Qiao Yu sneered inwardly. It didn’t matter if he refused now—she knew Qiao Zhenhua had hidden the valuable antiques in the warehouse of the old family home.
Later, she would go there herself and stash everything into her Spatial Dimension, leaving not a single item for them!
But first, there was one more important matter.
“Dad, since the authorities are almost ready to investigate our family, why don’t we sign a severance document? I’ve taken so much money from the family. If the higher-ups come investigating and something happens, someone has to take the fall, right?”
Hearing her mention “severing ties,” Qiao Zhenhua’s anger flared uncontrollably.
This wretched girl actually wanted to cut off their father-daughter relationship. Was he such a disgraceful father?
Yet what she said did make sense. Giving her that much money made his heart bleed. He planned to sell the antiques and the house immediately and flee.
If the authorities didn’t follow the usual script and investigated their family ahead of schedule before they could escape, there would still be Qiao Yu to take the blame.
Since Qiao Yu had taken most of the money and signed a severance document with him, he might still have a chance to slip away.
But would this wretched girl really be so kind-hearted?
Qiao Yu could see Qiao Zhenhua hesitating. She pursed her lips, putting on an obedient act. “Dad, we’re still father and daughter, after all. You’re my father. No matter what, I can’t just stand by and watch you get into trouble.”
Qiao Zhenhua looked at his suddenly filial daughter, feeling a complex mix of emotions.
Although Qiao Yu had a bad temper, she had never really gone against him all these years.
Sigh. Once they settled down in Hong Kong, he’d see if there was a chance to bring her back from the remote island.
“Fine, we’ll sign it.”
Seeing him relent, Qiao Yu hurriedly drafted a severance document.
After watching Qiao Zhenhua sign it, Qiao Yu carefully examined the document again to ensure there were no mistakes before putting it away safely.
With this severance document, no matter what tricks Qiao Zhenhua tried to pull in the future, none of it would land on her head.
Qiao Zhenhua looked at her, his face stern. “Since you’ve agreed to switch marriages with your sister, pack your things quickly. Next month, you’ll go to the island to fulfill the marriage contract. The Gu family is getting impatient.”
The marriage arrangement between the Gu and Qiao families had been decided long ago, but it had been delayed for two years because Qiao Xiang refused to marry over.
The Gu family’s son was already 25—of course his family was anxious.
Qiao Yu: “Understood.”
Qiao Zhenhua glared at her. Having lost twenty thousand yuan in one go, he was now extremely agitated.
No, he had to go to the old family home and estimate how much those antiques could sell for.
…
After watching Qiao Zhenhua leave, Qiao Yu hurried back to her room and used her mental focus to store all the money and coupons into her Spatial Dimension.
This golden finger was simply too convenient.
She surveyed her own room. The original owner had lived quite comfortably, with jewelry and accessories covering the table and the wardrobe filled with all kinds of dresses.
She gathered and gathered, stashing everything into her Spatial Dimension!
After clearing out her own room, Qiao Yu immediately headed to Qiao Zhenhua and Liu Shuhong’s room.
Looking at the silk dresses and custom-made suits in the wardrobe, along with the watches, jewelry, snow cream, and hand lotions on the table, Qiao Yu swept it all away, leaving not a single item behind.
The rosewood furniture in the living room, antique paintings and ornaments, vases, table lamps, and floral-patterned curtains—all were collected by Qiao Yu into her Spatial Dimension.
Rosewood furniture would be worth a fortune decades later. When the time came, she could take it out and sell it for a huge profit.
Qiao Yu looked at the now-empty living room with a great sense of accomplishment.
Wait, there was still Qiao Xiang’s room.
Seeing the fashionable bulaji dresses and Western-style qipaos in the wardrobe, several pairs of leather shoes on the floor, and some expensive jewelry, Qiao Yu sneered coldly.
Qiao Zhenhua and Liu Shuhong had cried poverty in front of her, but behind her back, they had bought so many nice things for Qiao Xiang.
The original owner had only wanted a pearl necklace, but Qiao Zhenhua had made excuses and ultimately never bought it for her.
Rummaging through the drawers, Qiao Yu even found several letters.
The sender’s name turned out to be her fiancé, Zhang Yu.
Qiao Yu checked the dates on the letters. So, they had started getting cozy last year, while the original owner had been kept in the dark, even looking forward to marrying Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu was just a middle school teacher, while Qiao Yu was a capitalist’s daughter. Logically, Zhang Yu shouldn’t have been good enough for her, but the original owner had been a hopeless romantic.
The letters grew increasingly explicit, and Qiao Yu couldn’t bear to read any more, finding them utterly distasteful.
Holding this stack of letters, Qiao Yu’s eyes lit up with an idea. She decided to do them a favor.
Weren’t they truly in love and devoted to each other? Let this scumbag and his shameless mistress stay locked together forever.
After emptying the neighboring rooms as well, Qiao Yu finally went downstairs, feeling thoroughly satisfied.
She felt like a ruthless bandit now.
Wherever she went, nothing was left behind.
As long as it could be stored in her Spatial Dimension, she wouldn’t let it go.
In less than half an hour, the exquisitely decorated Western-style house was instantly reduced to a bare shell. Qiao Yu was very pleased with her masterpiece.
Just then, a man’s voice suddenly came from the doorway.
“Xiao Yu, are you home?”
Qiao Yu followed the sound and looked downstairs. It was Zhang Yu.
Shouldn’t he be whispering sweet nothings with Qiao Xiang right now? Why had he suddenly come looking for her?
Qiao Yu didn’t want to see him. If he discovered she had emptied the house and told Qiao Zhenhua, she’d be in trouble.
Watching Zhang Yu’s handsome face from the second floor, a plan suddenly formed in her mind.
Qiao Yu knew the front door on the first floor wasn’t locked. She deliberately made some noise to make Zhang Yu think someone was home.
Seeing him actually push the door open and enter, she then jumped out from the kitchen windowsill and circled around to the front yard.
Qiao Yu hurriedly ran to the neighboring police station. Fortunately, it was only fifty meters from their house. Putting on a frightened expression, she said to the officer:
“Officer, I think there’s a thief in my house!”
The officer recognized Qiao Yu. She was the youngest daughter of the Qiao family in Shanghai, and her house was filled with valuable things. If there really was a thief, that would be serious!
The officer immediately said, “Don’t worry, we’re here!”
Several officers followed Qiao Yu back to the Western-style house, where Zhang Yu was still standing inside, completely bewildered.
If not for checking the house number, he would have thought he had come to the wrong place. The originally luxurious villa was now completely empty inside, with nothing left.
The police officer immediately kicked Zhang Yu, pinning him firmly to the ground.
“Little thief, where do you think you’re running?!”
Zhang Yu struggled and argued, “I’m not a thief! I’m the future son-in-law of the Qiao family!”
At this moment, Qiao Yu pretended to casually step forward, looked Zhang Yu in the face, and asked with feigned confusion, “Zhang Yu, why is it you?”
Seeing Qiao Yu return, Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up with hope.
“Xiao Yu, hurry up and explain to the officer, I’m not a thief!”
Qiao Yu looked at the empty house, her face full of disbelief. “Zhang Yu, I never thought you were this kind of person. You’re about to marry my sister, yet you’re still eyeing my family’s property!”
Zhang Yu: “…”