“Xiaotang is back?”
A flash of bright light flickered at the bottom of Jiang Tang’s eyes. It seemed that even the heavens were willing to send her a witness.
Jiang Tang nodded and smiled. “Yes, Auntie. I just got back from welcoming my big brother. When I got home and found no one around, I figured I’d head out to buy some groceries so my dad and mom can eat right away when they get off work tonight.”
The neighborly auntie looked at Jiang Tang with eyes full of pity, unable to help walking over to lower her voice and advise: “Child, your parents brought you back simply to coax you into handing your job over to your younger sister. Don’t be foolish. In this day and age, having a job isn’t easy. Just stay properly in the city and don’t go to the countryside.”
Feeling the auntie’s kind intentions, Jiang Tang remembered that it had been just like this in her past life. The neighborly auntie had tried to advise her, but back then, she simply wouldn’t listen.
However, not wanting to make her stance too obvious right now—fearing that if others saw, word might make its way back to the Su couple—Jiang Tang just hesitated and said, “Actually, my parents still care about me quite a bit. Mom said that my sister’s health is poor and she can’t manage the countryside, so she’ll help me prepare food coupons and money so I won’t suffer down there.”
The neighborly auntie looked deeply disapproving. “Where on earth is your sister’s health poor? Being raised on good food and drink every single day, her body is as healthy as can be. It’s just that your mother is foolish, valuing an adopted daughter more than her own flesh and blood. I reckon she’ll live to regret it someday. Child, listen to Auntie’s advice; don’t be foolish, or you won’t end up with a single shred of benefit.”
Jiang Tang nodded and was just about to speak when she saw a young man approaching, dressed in deep blue work clothes and wearing Liberation shoes on his feet.
The man glanced at Jiang Tang standing in the courtyard, sizing her up from head to toe before asking aloud, “Are you my uncle’s biological daughter? You certainly look a bit like my aunt. Are my uncle and aunt home?”
Jiang Tang looked at the man, recalling his identity.
She remembered the book mentioning that Su Jiyong had a nephew named Su Jianye. Although his name meant “building up a career,” he was an idle loafer all day long, an absolute hoodlum through and through.
Su Jianye frequently came to Su Jiyong’s house to sponge off meals and take advantage of them.
Despite his laziness, because he had a good relationship with the female protagonist Su Yinyin and even once took a knife blow to protect her, he later rose to great prominence and, with Su Yinyin’s help, became a local tyrant in Yuan City.
Thinking of this, Jiang Tang suddenly had an idea.
Since Su Jianye had delivered himself right to her doorstep, she would play the card of “diverting the disaster to the east” and pin the blame for the Su family being cleaned out squarely on this cousin.
Curious to see what would happen, Jiang Tang wondered: if Su Yinyin came to believe that Su Jianye was the one who made off with the family’s valuables, would she still be willing to help him?
Therefore, Jiang Tang quickly shook her head and put on a flattering, ingratiating expression: “You must be Jianye Cousin that Mom and Dad always talk about! Cousin, you came over without giving any advance notice, so nothing is prepared at home. How about this—I was just heading out to buy groceries. Cousin, go inside and sit for a while, and I’ll be right back. Oh, right, is there any dish Cousin is craving? I’ll go buy some.”
These few words left Su Jianye feeling so full of himself that he was floating on cloud nine.
Thinking of how he hadn’t eaten meat in days, Su Jianye rattled off his order without a moment’s hesitation: “Just get some braised pork, stewed pork with vermicelli, and boil a simple bowl of clear noodle soup.”
Just saying it aloud made Su Jianye’s mouth water uncontrollably.
Regardless of whether she could pull it off, Jiang Tang agreed with a nod first, wearing a very warm smile. “Alright, I’ll go check the supply and marketing cooperative. Cousin, go on inside first; Mom and Dad should be back soon.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Su Jianye waved his hand, signaling for Jiang Tang to go ahead.
It wasn’t his first time at his aunt and uncle’s house, so he was quite familiar with the place. He strode straight over to sit on the sofa, turned on the radio, and waited while listening to the broadcast.
Su Jianye hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary about the house yet, feeling quite pleased with himself instead.
From his perspective, the newly found cousin was entirely obedient to him—an exceptionally sensible and well-behaved girl.
In the future, his aunt and uncle might even spare him a few more good things from the household.
With this thought, Su Jianye couldn’t help humming a little tune.
Before long, the family of three—Su Jiyong and company—returned with heavy, gloomy expressions.
Su Jianye didn’t notice their appearance at all, simply greeting them with a smile.
“Uncle, Aunt, you’re back?”
Seeing Su Jianye sitting right there in their living room, Su Jiyong’s expression changed instantly: “Su Jianye, how did you get in here?”
“Uncle, what are you so anxious about? Even if I’m an unemployed loafer, I wouldn’t steal things from your house. It was the newly returned cousin; she had to go buy groceries to cook and told me to wait inside first.”
Even with Su Jianye explaining this, Su Jiyong and Wei Cuiying exchanged a glance.
Remembering the events of the day, Wei Cuiying forced out a smile and picked up the thermos flask to pour Su Jianye a cup of water.
Meanwhile, Su Yinyin wore a bitter, distressed expression, in no mood to talk as she walked straight toward her bedroom.
The moment the bedroom door clicked shut, a piercing shriek burst out from inside.
Panic gripped Wei Cuiying’s heart. Abandoning Su Jiyong and dropping the thermos flask without a second thought, she rushed toward Su Yinyin’s room.
Pushing the door open, Wei Cuiying found Su Yinyin sobbing uncontrollably inside the room.
Instant heartache washed over Wei Cuiying. This was the daughter she had raised; seeing her cry like this, how could she not feel heartbroken?
“Yinyin, what’s wrong?”
Tears blurred Su Yinyin’s vision, but she still raised a single finger and pointed toward her vanity dresser: “Someone… someone has touched my things. All of my jewelry and accessories—they’re all gone!”
Wei Cuiying’s heart skipped a beat, a wave of dread washing over her as she worried that the contents of the family’s secret room might also be compromised.
Yet she figured the secret room wasn’t something just anyone could open; surely it should be fine.
“Yinyin, did you lock your door when you went out?”
The reason the Su family had dared to tell Jiang Tang the hiding spot of the gate key was because every bedroom had its own independent lock and was kept locked during the day.
As for the items in the living room, none of them were cheap either, but they hadn’t believed Jiang Tang would dare steal.
Trembling all over from crying, Su Yinyin nodded. “It was locked, and it was still locked when I came back. Mom, who on earth stole my jewelry? Even my favorite pearl necklace is missing!”
Though her mind was in complete chaos, Wei Cuiying patted Su Yinyin’s back gently, coaxing her: “It’s alright. Your jewelry is very valuable; if we report it to the public security bureau, they’ll find it back in no time.”
“Really, Mom? Could it be that Older Sister took my jewelry? It’s my fault—these things should have belonged to Sister in the first place, and I’m the one who usurped her position.”
Wei Cuiying harbored a deep sense of dissatisfaction toward Jiang Tang, even though she was her biological daughter: “How could it be her? These things were given to you by me, so they are yours. Don’t panic; if Jiang Tang really took them, I’ll make her return every last piece.”
Just as those words fell, the sound of an argument drifted in from the living room.
Stepping outside to check, Wei Cuiying saw Su Jiyong grabbing Su Jianye firmly by the collar.