Zhao Ziming was so preoccupied with making money that he had forgotten Zhou Yu was still at home.
When he saw her, he instinctively covered the bankbook in his pocket, and his expression became slightly unnatural.
But then he thought about it.
Why should he be nervous about Zhou Yu seeing him?
She was just an outsider.
Impatiently, he said,
“It has nothing to do with you. Just take care of my brother and stop worrying about other things.”
Without waiting for a response, he brushed past her and strode away.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Zhou Yu’s eyes narrowed.
She went into Zhao Changdong and Wang Hongmei’s room.
Judging from Zhao Ziming’s behavior, he had definitely taken something.
And at a time like this…
Could Zhou Rulan have gone to see him?
Thinking back to where Zhao Changdong and Wang Hongmei had kept their bankbook in her previous life, Zhou Yu went to check.
Sure enough, it was gone.
Looks like Zhou Rulan really had pressured Zhao Ziming about the bride price.
But Zhao Changdong and Wang Hongmei didn’t have much money in that account. It wasn’t enough for the bride price.
Did Zhao Ziming steal their savings and plan to make quick money somehow?
Deep in thought, Zhou Yu returned to her room and deliberately kept an ear out for Zhao Ziming’s return.
But even by dinnertime, he still hadn’t come back.
After feeding Zhao Yunzheng, Zhou Yu joined Zhao Changdong and Wang Hongmei for dinner and casually probed,
“Dad, Mom, do you know what Third Brother went out to do?”
How would they know?
They hadn’t seen Zhao Ziming all day.
They assumed he was searching for the remittance slip.
Wang Hongmei immediately became suspicious.
“Ziming obviously has something important to do. Why are you asking?”
She wouldn’t be trying to find out whether the remittance slip had been recovered so she could ask them for money, would she?
Zhao Changdong had the same thought.
Now that Zhou Yu knew about the remittance slip, if she asked for money, it would be difficult to refuse.
Just as Zhao Changdong was about to sternly warn her not to get any ideas, Zhou Yu let out a sigh of relief and said,
“Oh, so the two of you already know that Third Brother took your bankbook. That’s a relief.”
“…”
The dinner table instantly fell silent.
“You said he took what?!” Zhao Changdong shouted.
“The bankbook,” Zhou Yu replied with exaggerated surprise. “He rushed home this morning, searched your room, found it, and took it away. Didn’t you know?”
Zhao Changdong: “!!!”
Wang Hongmei: “!!!”
Neither of them could continue eating.
They immediately rushed to their room to look for the bankbook.
Sure enough, it was gone.
Zhou Yu leisurely followed behind to watch the excitement.
To her surprise, their first reaction was to question her.
“Why would Third Brother take the bankbook? Eldest Daughter-in-law, are you sure it wasn’t you who took it?”
Zhou Yu: “?”
She laughed in disbelief.
“Dad, Mom, are you addicted to falsely accusing me? I’ve only been married into this family for a few days. How would I even know where you keep your bankbook? As for why Third Brother took it, just ask him when he comes back!”
Embarrassment flashed across Zhao Changdong’s and Wang Hongmei’s faces.
Awkwardly, they muttered that they hadn’t meant it that way and told her to go back to dinner.
“Old man,” Wang Hongmei asked nervously, “what if Third Brother couldn’t gather enough bride-price money and took our savings to pay it?”
“I don’t know,” Zhao Changdong replied uneasily. “We’ll ask him when he comes back.”
Wang Hongmei couldn’t help complaining.
“He really has no sense. He knows perfectly well what our family’s situation is. Why insist on giving Zhou Rulan such a huge bride price? What kind of secondhand goods are worth that much money?”
Zhao Changdong said nothing, but his dark expression showed he felt the same way.
Both of them were exhausted from the day’s work, but they couldn’t relax because they were worried about the bankbook.
So they stayed up waiting for Zhao Ziming.
Zhou Yu was also looking forward to the drama.
Instead of returning to her room, she stayed in the courtyard, finding little tasks to occupy herself while she waited.
Finally, around ten o’clock at night, with the moon high overhead, Zhao Ziming returned.
Zhou Yu had become too sleepy to keep waiting outside and had gone back to her room.
But she had kept listening for sounds.
The moment she heard the gate open, she jumped out of bed, put on her shoes, and hurried outside.
Standing at the doorway, she called loudly,
“Third Brother, you’re finally back!”
Zhao Ziming, who had been trying to sneak in quietly, nearly jumped out of his skin.
His face darkened.
“Why aren’t you asleep? Why are you standing around scaring people?”
Zhou Yu noticed that Zhao Changdong’s and Wang Hongmei’s room was already lit up.
So she said,
“Because of you, of course. Third Brother, I was wondering why you were sneaking around this morning. Turns out you stole the bankbook.”
Zhao Ziming’s heart skipped a beat.
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
“Dad and Mom already know the bankbook is missing,” Zhou Yu replied.
At that moment, Zhao Changdong opened his door and stepped out wearing a jacket.
His face was grim.
“Third Brother, come here.”
Zhao Ziming’s eyelid twitched.
He glared at Zhou Yu, pressed his lips together, and entered their room.
Zhou Yu casually pretended to busy herself nearby while inching toward the door to eavesdrop.
Inside the room, Zhao Changdong sat at the table.
Wang Hongmei immediately walked over and smacked Zhao Ziming on the shoulder.
She was both angry and upset.
“Has that little fox Zhou Rulan completely bewitched you? If we can’t afford the bride price, then so be it. She’s already a remarried woman; she doesn’t have the face to demand much anyway. But how could you steal the family bankbook for her? How are your father and I supposed to live?”
Zhao Ziming frowned.
“Mom, you’re not allowed to talk about Rulan like that.”
“You’re still defending her?!”
Zhao Changdong slammed the table.
“If it weren’t for her, none of this bride-price nonsense would be necessary! If you hadn’t insisted on sticking your head out, your mother and I could have arranged for Zhou Rulan to marry into the family for free, just like Zhou Yu did. There wouldn’t be all this trouble!”
“Dad!”
Zhao Ziming replied firmly.
“I love Rulan, and I’ll never let her suffer that kind of humiliation.”
The hand holding Zhao Changdong’s tobacco pipe trembled with anger.
“You’ve already stolen the family bankbook! If you’re not humiliating her, are you humiliating your mother and me instead?”
Zhao Ziming rubbed his forehead.
Finally, he told them the truth.
“I did take the bankbook. But it wasn’t for Rulan. I used it to make money.”
Both Zhao Changdong and Wang Hongmei froze.
“Make money? Third Brother, don’t talk nonsense. You’re a village schoolteacher. Where exactly are you making money?”
Without another word, Zhao Ziming decided to show them.
He pulled a cloth bundle from his pocket and dumped it onto the table.
Clatter!
Several ten-yuan notes, loose bills, coins, and even a sewing machine coupon spilled out.
Zhao Changdong and Wang Hongmei stared in shock.
Even their voices trembled.
“W-where did all this come from?”
A faint smile appeared on Zhao Ziming’s face.
“I earned it through black-market trading.”
Both parents jerked their heads up.
“You went speculating on the black market?!”
Their shocked voices rose high enough that Zhou Yu outside heard everything.
Suddenly, she understood.
So Zhao Ziming had gone to the black market to do small-scale trading and make quick money.
“What do you mean, speculation?”
At one time Zhao Ziming would have described it that way himself.
But not anymore.
“Dad, Mom, just look at this money. I made it from a little business. Isn’t that better than scraping by working in the fields?”
“As long as it makes money, it’s good.”
Besides, the restrictions would be lifted next year anyway.
How could it still be considered illegal profiteering?
At that moment, Zhao Ziming’s confidence was soaring.
“I’ll make even more money in the future! As long as I go again tomorrow night, I’ll have enough money for Rulan’s bride price.”
“And I’ll pay back your bankbook savings with interest.”
“Then even without that remittance slip, our family will finally have good days ahead!”