The scene fell silent for two seconds. Shen Baozhu cleared her throat. “Shen Qi, Mom and Dad have always loved you dearly. You might have some misunderstandings about them recently. I know you’ve always wanted my room. I’ll give it to you now, so please don’t be upset with Mom and Dad anymore, okay?”
Shen Qi looked at Shen Baozhu. “Give?”
“Yes, I’m giving you the room. We can still be a loving family from now on.”
Shen Qi’s gaze swept across Shen Baozhu’s face. “I have to say, you’ve got some nerve.”
Shen Baozhu didn’t understand, but Shen Jinan caught on quickly.
“Shen Qi, are you a dog? Sister Baozhu is willing to compromise, and you’re still insulting her! Truly, a dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory!”
“Of course a dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory. If it could, why don’t you give us a demonstration?” Shen Qi retorted. She corrected Shen Baozhu’s wording. “You were supposed to return to the Zhou Family in the first place. It was out of my kindness that I didn’t make you leave. That room was originally mine. You shamelessly occupied it. You’re not giving it to me now—you’re returning it. Understand?”
Shen Baozhu’s face flushed red, glaring speechlessly.
Xu Ailian couldn’t listen any longer. “Shen Qi, do you have to be such a hedgehog, hurting everyone around you? I was the one who insisted Baozhu stay. It has nothing to do with her.”
“Whatever. Can I go back to my room now?” Shen Qi shrugged, eager to move into the best room in the house.
Xu Ailian was both angry and helpless. She comfortingly hugged Shen Baozhu and said to Shen Qi with disgust, “Go, go, go.”
“Have you cleared out the things in that room? Don’t tell me nothing’s been moved yet? Waiting for me to help?”
Xu Ailian stood up and glared fiercely at Shen Qi. “Wait!”
She took Shen Baozhu and Shen Jinan upstairs to pack. Shen Qi comfortably settled on the sofa, found some sunflower seeds and peanuts in the house, brewed a cup of tea, and leisurely watched TV.
Shen Baozhu had a lot of belongings. The three of them packed until sweat beaded on their foreheads, and after an hour, they had only cleared out half.
Shen Jinan suddenly thought of a problem: “Shen Qi’s room doesn’t even have a closet. Where will Sister Baozhu put all these things?”
Xu Ailian and Shen Baozhu froze simultaneously.
Indeed, the room Shen Qi had been staying in was almost full with just a bed, a table, and a chair. They had to use a wooden box as a wardrobe.
The room Shen Baozhu occupied had a full-wall closet, not to mention a 1.5-meter-long desk and a bookcase beside it. The capacity and space between the two rooms were vastly different.
Xu Ailian thought for a moment and organized the packed items.
“Let’s leave Baozhu’s things here. She can come up to get what she needs. Just bring down what’s necessary for sleeping at night.”
Shen Jinan pouted. “Will Shen Qi agree?”
“If she doesn’t agree, let her come and pack herself! The family was fine until she started making trouble!”
Shen Baozhu bit her lip. “I don’t really mind, as long as Shen Qi doesn’t find me annoying.”
“Shen Qi doesn’t get to call the shots in the Shen Family yet!” Xu Ailian said resentfully.
The three of them came downstairs, dusty and exhausted, and caught sight of Shen Qi, refreshed and relaxed, sitting on the sofa warming herself by the fire, sipping tea, cracking sunflower seeds, and watching TV. Unanimously, they felt a surge of resentment.
“All packed?” Shen Qi smiled and looked over. Only Shen Jinan was carrying a large bundle of things, while Shen Baozhu and Xu Ailian had empty hands.
“That room of yours is too small, Baozhu’s things won’t fit. After you switch rooms, don’t lock the door so Baozhu can easily go in and get her things,” Xu Ailian said.
“So you’re saying I have to live in a room I can’t lock?”
“Just during the day. You can lock it at night when you sleep,” Shen Baozhu explained. “Sorry, Shen Qi, this is the only solution we could come up with.”
Shen Qi’s smile vanished completely. “Then I don’t accept this solution. A bedroom is private space. What if I keep valuable things inside? If the door isn’t locked and someone takes them, who would I turn to for justice?”
Shen Baozhu looked hurt. “How could I steal your things?”
It wasn’t that she looked down on Shen Qi—what valuable things could Shen Qi possibly have that would be worth stealing?
“One can never be sure,” Shen Qi said meaningfully, staring at Shen Baozhu.
Shen Baozhu looked like she was about to cry from being contradicted.
Xu Ailian was furious. “This won’t work, that won’t work—what exactly do you want, Shen Qi? Don’t go too far!”
“Mom, why are you getting so angry?” Shen Qi walked over and pretended to pat Xu Ailian’s back a couple of times. “I’m just discussing this with you. Don’t be angry—it’s not worth ruining your health over.”
Was Xu Ailian already losing her composure? And so soon?
That wouldn’t do. There were even bigger surprises waiting for her later—she couldn’t collapse now.
Xu Ailian wasn’t buying her act and brushed her hand away. “If you’d just behave properly and not make a fuss, would I be angry?”
“Mom, what are you talking about? I’m only thinking of the family,” Shen Qi said, putting on a hurt expression. “Everyone in the Compound has eyes. The fact that you and Dad don’t treat us equally has been common knowledge for a while. By bringing this up now, aren’t I giving you a chance to set things right?”
Xu Ailian laughed in anger. “So I should thank you?”
“No need. We’re mother and daughter—this is what I should do.”
Xu Ailian really felt like spitting in Shen Qi’s face. She’d never realized before how infuriating Shen Qi’s mouth could be.
“What I mean is, I won’t switch rooms with Shen Baozhu.”
This left all three of them stunned.
Shen Qi smiled. “I’ll just move to the guest room. That way, no one will be inconvenienced.”
Shen Jinan said, “Then what will we do when we have guests?!”
“We’ll figure it out then. If needed, guests can stay in my old room. It’s only for a night or two—it’s fine.”
Xu Ailian really didn’t want to argue with Shen Qi about this anymore. “Fine, fine, just move to the guest room. Really, why didn’t you say so earlier? You made us clean for nothing!”
“Mom, wait.”
“What now? Changing your mind?!” Xu Ailian’s eyes were red, as if ready to fight Shen Qi if she dared go back on her word.
“Since I’m moving to the guest room, I’m saving the family a lot of trouble, right? The guest room is much smaller than Shen Baozhu’s room, with less furniture, and the lighting and ventilation don’t even compare.”
“Shen Qi, can you just say what you want to say all at once?” Xu Ailian’s patience had run out.
“So, shouldn’t I get some compensation? I know Shen Baozhu gets 50 yuan a month for allowance. I want the same, plus housing compensation—60 yuan will do.”
“What?!” Xu Ailian thought she must have misheard, unable to comprehend what Shen Qi was saying.
Shen Qi kindly repeated herself. “Mom, since we agreed to treat everyone equally, surely the adopted daughter Shen Baozhu shouldn’t get an allowance while I, your biological daughter, get nothing?”
“If you act like this, I won’t stand for it.”
“Don’t worry, I’m no longer a child—I won’t be fooled into handing over money by just a few sweet words from anyone.”
“Anyone who tries to cheat me out of my money, I’ll break their hands!”
As she spoke, Shen Qi’s gaze drifted intentionally or unintentionally toward Shen Jinan, who shrugged it off with an indifferent roll of his eyes.