Seeing the expression on Du Qingfeng’s face that practically screamed you should be grateful, Tang Jin couldn’t help but laugh in anger.
“You mean that nephew of his—the street loafer with the crippled leg?”
“Xiao Jin, you can’t say that. His leg can recover. Besides, he’s still a worker at the printing factory. If you marry him, you won’t have to go to the countryside as a sent-down youth.”
Du Qingfeng spoke as if she were doing Tang Jin a favor.
The disgust Tang Jin felt was overwhelming. She grabbed a broom from nearby and swung it at Du Qingfeng.
“If you keep forcing me, I’ll go outside and tell everyone that Grandpa secretly hid assets for you back then—that you’re a capitalist—”
“Shut up!”
Du Qingfeng interrupted her in panic, stumbling backward several steps.
“Xiao Jin, have you gone crazy? That’s your grandfather you’re talking about. It’ll damage his reputation!”
“Grandpa is already gone. He never cared much about his reputation anyway. If you want to be sent off for labor reform on a farm, I’d be happy to help.”
Tang Jin smiled slightly.
Compared to Tang Zhiyuan, Du Qingfeng was much easier to deal with. She cared about appearances, and her past identity as the daughter of a capitalist was her greatest weakness.
As expected, Du Qingfeng reacted as if someone had stepped on her tail.
“Fine, I won’t force you anymore. Xiao Jin, just don’t do anything rash.”
“Leave your watch and all the cash and ration coupons you’re carrying.”
With her stunningly beautiful face, Tang Jin spoke the most outrageous words.
For a moment, Du Qingfeng almost wondered if someone had swapped her daughter with another person.
“Xiao Jin, your mother’s life isn’t easy. The printing factory doesn’t pay much, and your Uncle Xu—”
“I don’t want to hear it. If you don’t hand them over, I’ll start shouting.”
Tang Jin felt a strange sense of freedom.
“I’m barefoot and not afraid of people wearing shoes. At worst, we’ll all get sent to the labor farm together.”
Du Qingfeng: “…”
Her hands trembled with anger.
Reluctantly, she removed the watch from her wrist and took out the twenty yuan she had left, along with several food ration coupons.
“That’s all?”
Tang Jin clicked her tongue in disdain.
“You’ve sweet-talked far more out of me than this.”
“Xiao Jin, your Uncle Xu has a lot of expenses. Mom isn’t lying to you.”
Du Qingfeng fidgeted awkwardly.
Tang Jin snatched the watch and coupons from her hands and gave her a careful once-over. There really wasn’t anything else valuable on her.
This love-struck fool.
She wished she could pour every good thing she owned onto Xu Zhi.
It was stupidity on another level.
“Then get lost. Stop bothering me.”
Du Qingfeng: “…”
Although she had no idea what had gotten into Tang Jin today, she was convinced her daughter had merely been stimulated by something.
There was no way Tang Jin could truly stop needing her mother.
So she decided to come back and coax her again in a few days.
After all, the old man’s inheritance was supposed to belong to her.
As soon as Du Qingfeng left, Tang Jin headed straight for Tang Meiyu’s room.
The apartment had two bedrooms and one living room.
Her scumbag father and his wife occupied one bedroom. Tang Meiyu had the other.
As for Tang Jin?
She had been forced to sleep in the living room.
But Tang Jin wasn’t about to suffer that injustice anymore.
After making the bed, she smashed open the cabinet lock with a hammer, cooked herself a bowl of noodles, fried two eggs to go with it, and happily devoured the meal.
Then she stretched out on Tang Meiyu’s bed and took a nap.
Not long afterward, she was awakened by Zhang Xiuli’s shrill scream.
“Ah! My eggs! A thief broke into the house!”
“Mom, it must’ve been Tang Jin. She’s been acting strange all day.”
Tang Meiyu suddenly noticed that her bedroom door was tightly shut. Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately began pounding on it.
“Tang Jin! What are you doing in my room?”
“What do you mean, what am I doing?”
Tang Jin opened the door and looked at the loving family of three with irritation.
“This apartment only exists because my grandfather turned in our family’s large courtyard house in exchange for employee housing. What’s wrong with me sleeping here?”
“Tang Jin, Meiyu is your younger sister. Can’t you, as the elder sister, give in to her?”
Zhang Xiuli was furious.
Tang Zhiyuan was even angrier.
“You unfilial daughter! That’s Meiyu’s room! Get out here right now and cook dinner!”
“Really?”
Tang Jin revealed the kitchen cleaver she had been hiding behind her back.
“Don’t I deserve to have a room of my own?”
The three of them froze.
Tang Zhiyuan stared in disbelief.
Zhang Xiuli looked horrified.
Tang Meiyu’s face turned pale with fear.
“Y-you… what are you trying to do?”
Looking at the unfamiliar daughter standing before him, Tang Zhiyuan suddenly felt that something was slipping beyond his control.
“I want to sleep. Don’t disturb me.”
Tang Jin smiled.
“Otherwise… we can all go down to the underworld together and ask Grandpa who’s right.”
Though she was smiling, the three of them felt chills run down their spines.
Tang Meiyu was so frightened that she nearly wet herself.
“Mom… I’ll sleep with you tonight.”
“Don’t be afraid, Meiyu. Mom’s here.”
Whatever her faults, Zhang Xiuli was a devoted mother.
She stepped protectively in front of Tang Meiyu.
“Xiao Jin, don’t do anything impulsive. You can sleep in Meiyu’s room tonight.”
Tang Jin glanced toward Tang Zhiyuan, almost hoping he would argue back so she could continue her performance.
Instead, he proved himself exactly what she expected—a bully who preyed on the weak but feared the strong.
Clutching his bandaged head, he sat down and avoided meeting her eyes.
Bang!
Tang Jin slammed the bedroom door shut.
She tossed the cleaver into her spatial storage.
Her body had recovered somewhat by now, and she finally had time to inventory the wealth she had transferred into her space.
Her grandfather had left behind:
Fifty chests of gold ingots
Five chests of silver ingots
Five chests of silver dollars
Thirty chests of antiques, paintings, calligraphy, jade ornaments, pearl jewelry, and other treasures
Eight chests of family medical formulas and secret recipes
One chest of the family’s perfumes and cosmetics
The final chest was a dowry her grandfather had prepared for her to use whenever necessary.
Inside were thick stacks of cash, food coupons, meat coupons, vegetable coupons, bicycle coupons, sewing-machine coupons, watch coupons, steel cookware coupons, cloth coupons, thermos coupons, enamel mug coupons, toilet-paper coupons, soap coupons, cotton coupons, and more.
There was even half a sack of grain.
Every item reflected her grandfather’s deep love for her.
Holding back tears, Tang Jin carefully examined all the necessities the old man had left behind.
Then she opened the fifty chests left by her maternal grandfather.
There were:
Twenty chests of jewelry, jade ornaments, silk fabrics, paintings, and calligraphy
Twenty chests of precious medicinal herbs and rare treasures
Ten chests filled with medical books and secret prescriptions
Every single item was priceless.
No wonder her parents had coveted the inheritance so desperately.
Naturally, Tang Jin accepted everything with delight.
Just as she was about to try on a jade bracelet, a knock sounded at the door.
“Sis, dinner’s ready.”
Well now.
This was probably the first time since Tang Meiyu had entered the family that she had ever called her sister.
Definitely suspicious.
Tang Jin put away the bracelet, exited her space, and opened the door.
Outside, Tang Zhiyuan and Zhang Xiuli wore stiff, unnatural smiles.
“Xiao Jin, I cooked dinner. Come eat with us.”
“Your mother is generous. I won’t hold today’s incident against you. Eat your meal and get rid of that bad temper.”
Tang Zhiyuan cleared his throat and forced a fatherly smile.
“Dad only wants what’s best for you. You’re still young. It would be safer if Dad kept those things for you.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Tang Jin played dumb and walked over to sit across from Zhang Xiuli.
After all, unusual behavior always meant there was something suspicious going on.
“Xiao Jin, you like eggs, don’t you? I specifically fried these for you.”
Zhang Xiuli pushed the plate of eggs toward her.
Tang Jin glanced at Tang Meiyu, who was quietly swallowing her saliva.
Under normal circumstances, Tang Meiyu would have exploded with jealousy long ago.
There was no way she would willingly give the eggs to Tang Jin.
This family really thought she was an idiot.