The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Song Nanzhi was already awake.
With things weighing on her mind, she couldn’t sleep soundly no matter what.
Today was the day she had agreed upon with Shen Yanting, and she was worried something might go wrong.
She opened the wardrobe. The original owner’s clothes weren’t lacking in fine fabrics, but the styles were a bit garish and tacky.
In the end, her gaze landed on a plain, clean shirt tucked away in a corner.
She fetched a pair of scissors and a sewing kit, removed the overly exaggerated ruffled collar, and made some slight alterations.
She cinched the waist a little, and the lines immediately became crisp and neat. Her skills hadn’t failed her.
Song Nanzhi put it on and checked herself in the mirror. Her striking features paired with this outfit looked simple and elegant.
She was very satisfied.
The others hadn’t woken up yet, so she quietly went downstairs and walked out of the Song family’s front gate.
The streets were sparsely populated with pedestrians. Following the address Shen Yanting had given her, she headed toward the military affairs office.
Just as she turned a corner, at the entrance of an old alley, a hoarse female voice called out to her.
“Isn’t this Miss Song? Where are you off to so early in the morning?”
Song Nanzhi paused mid-step. Was someone calling her?
She turned around and followed the voice. Not far away, leaning against a wall, was a person.
It was a young woman around her age, dressed casually with her sleeves rolled up halfway.
Behind her followed two shady-looking young men who clearly weren’t up to any good.
The original owner’s taste in acquaintances was really…
Song Nanzhi quickly searched her memory for information about this person.
This young woman was called Yanzi. Apparently, she had some family background and wielded influence in this area—someone not to be trifled with.
Song Nanzhi had no intention of acknowledging her.
But Yanzi wasn’t about to let her go. “What? Is Miss Song pretending not to know me?”
She then sauntered over with a lazy gait, staring at her with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “When are you planning to pay back the money you owe me?”
The two young men behind Yanzi also closed in, creating an invisible pressure.
Song Nanzhi’s heart skipped a beat.
Money? What money?
Had the original owner borrowed money too? She really would provoke anyone.
Yanzi looked at her and let out a sneer. “Miss Song certainly has a poor memory. Let me remind you then.”
“A week ago, you saw a dress at the department store and borrowed three hundred from me.”
“You said you’d pay it back in three days. How many days overdue is it now? With interest, give me four hundred.”
With that, she extended her hand and rubbed her fingers together.
Three hundred yuan! And another hundred in interest—what an outrageous demand.
So that dress that had caused all this trouble was bought with borrowed money?
For an ordinary family, that sum was a fortune.
The original owner had really gone all out to break up Shen Yuexi and Song Youfan!
Song Nanzhi furrowed her brows, trying to negotiate her way out. After all, she’d be leaving this place soon.
“Sister Yanzi, isn’t that interest rate a bit unreasonable? I never agreed to—”
“Never agreed to what?” Yanzi cut her off, suddenly pulling a piece of paper from her pocket.
She snapped it open with a flick, nearly shoving it into Song Nanzhi’s face.
“Black and white, with your fingerprint on it. Trying to deny the debt?”
An IOU?
Song Nanzhi’s pupils contracted. This debt left behind by the original owner—there was no wriggling out of it.
Going head-to-head wouldn’t work either. She was alone, and pregnant.
She wasn’t short on money right now, though—there was a full ten thousand yuan sitting in her suitcase.
But that money was her lifeline, meant for raising her child in the future.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Song Nanzhi’s mind.
In the original novel, the original owner was forced to go to the countryside, and her clothing factory recruitment quota was given to Shen Yuexi.
Her adoptive mother even put a nice spin on it, saying Yuexi would fill in temporarily and return it once she came back from the countryside.
And what happened? The original owner died miserably in the countryside, and the job naturally fell into Shen Yuexi’s hands.
That job paid a modest but steady salary, was easy and relaxed, and came with the iron rice bowl of a state-owned factory.
The original owner had gotten that spot because the factory was founded by her biological father, and the people there looked out for her.
Since she was leaving Haicheng now, that job no longer mattered.
Rather than letting her adoptive parents scheme behind the scenes to give it to Shen Yuexi after she left…
Why not give them a surprise?
Song Nanzhi put on a pitiful expression. “Sister Yanzi, I don’t want to default on the debt, but I don’t have the money to pay you back…”
Yanzi wasn’t buying it. “Don’t give me that. How could the Song family be short on money?”
“Really!” Song Nanzhi said, looking wronged. “Bottom line, I’m not the Song family’s biological daughter.”
“They’re sending me to the countryside, and all the money is being kept for my brother to find a wife.”
“I’m penniless right now. All I have left is…”
She glanced at Yanzi, feigning reluctance and hesitation. “All I have left is a job at the clothing factory…”
“A job?” Yanzi was indeed hooked. “What kind of job?”
“A record keeper at the clothing factory. Easy work.”
Song Nanzhi pretended to be naive and pained. “Sister Yanzi, how about this?”
“I’m going to the countryside anyway, and I can’t take the job with me.”
“I’ll transfer the job to you to settle the debt. It pays thirty or forty yuan a month, guaranteed income through thick and thin.”
Using a formal position at a state-owned factory to settle a three-hundred-yuan debt?
Yanzi froze, and the two young men behind her exchanged bewildered glances.
They looked at her as if she were crazy.
That was an iron rice bowl—a job for life.
And with a job, one’s status changed entirely; even when it came to matchmaking, you could aim several tiers higher.
She must be pulling their leg, right?
But Yanzi gave Song Nanzhi another once-over from head to toe and couldn’t find a single trace of scheming.
They knew Miss Song well enough—look at her from any angle, and she was just plain foolish.
“You’re serious?” Yanzi deliberately put on a stern face. “Since when can a job be handed out to just anyone?”
“I have a letter of introduction right here!” Song Nanzhi fumbled through her small handbag.
A moment later, she pulled out two sheets of paper and handed them to Yanzi.
“See, all the paperwork is in order. You can just go to the factory and complete the procedures.”
Yanzi took them and carefully examined the official seal and text. Sure enough, they were genuine.
A windfall this big just fell right into her lap?
The two young men behind her were stunned by the whole display.
“Fine! Consider our debt settled!” With that, Yanzi shoved the IOU into her hands.
“But since this job is now mine, it’s mine for good. Don’t come looking for me again, Song family or not!”
Song Nanzhi flashed a foolish grin. “Of course, of course. Well then… I’ll be on my way?”
“If you come across any other good fortune, think of your big sister here.” Yanzi grinned from ear to ear and waved, already daydreaming about herself in work overalls.
Song Nanzhi scurried away from that den of trouble, and only after turning the street corner did she unfold the IOU, tear it to shreds, and toss it into the trash bin.
Three hundred yuan, and she’d gotten one over on Shen Yuexi—worth it!
Just wait until she saw how that hooligan would handle trying to collect on this job.
The Military Affairs Office was a gray three-story building, with a sentry standing at the entrance.
As Song Nanzhi approached, she spotted Shen Yanting under the locust tree at first glance.
He was still in his military uniform, collar buttoned with precision, accentuating the smooth, sharp lines of his neck.
Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long straight legs—just standing there casually, he exuded an imposing presence.
Yesterday had been pure chaos, so she hadn’t gotten a good look. This man, aside from being a bit older…
Was actually… almost unfairly handsome.
But she was a pregnant woman—she had no business coveting anything else.
Song Nanzhi steadied herself and walked over.