Knock, knock.
The sound of Xu Yingying knocking on the door echoed softly once again.
In a voice filled with perplexed tenderness, she urged, “Ruyan, are you awake yet?”
Xu Ruyan quickly wiped away her tears, haphazardly applied some face cream to hide the traces of her crying, and then got out of bed to open the door.
“Aunt Xu.”
Xu Ruyan suppressed her hatred, looking at her with a smile while her fingers clenched tightly into her palms.
Xu Yingying was dressed in a plain-colored qipao. As a woman in her forties, she was exquisitely well-maintained; no sign of her age could be seen in her soft, gentle features.
Had Xu Ruyan not possessed the memories of her past life, she truly would never have seen through this woman. Behind that saintly, benevolent facade lay the heart of a viper!
Xu Yingying smiled as she took Ruyan’s hand, speaking in the soft, melodic tones of the Jiangnan region. “Ruyan, come downstairs quickly. Your father and I couldn’t bear to eat the Chao cakes from Yixiang Pavilion ourselves. Even when Yunhua wanted a piece, I didn’t give her any. I saved them all for you.”
Xu Yingying’s words were calculated, subtly implying that she treated Xu Ruyan, her stepdaughter, better than her own biological daughter.
Xu Ruyan’s expression remained unchanged, but she couldn’t stop the cold sneer in her heart.
She finally understood now.
Xu Yingying’s “kindness” was a form of “killing with praise.” A soft, gentle knife is the most lethal; it had tricked her into being like a dog, placing her absolute trust in this woman!
Xu Ruyan discreetly withdrew her hand and smiled. “I understand.”
She couldn’t have a falling out with them just yet.
Following Xu Yingying downstairs, she looked up to see her biological father, Xu Weiguo, sitting at the table. He was also looking at her with a beaming, cheerful smile.
“Ruyan, come over here. Look at what Dad bought for you.”
He beckoned to Xu Ruyan and pushed the Chao cakes toward her. “Money has been tight at home lately. I saved my breakfast money to buy your favorite Chao cakes. Go on, try some.”
Xu Ruyan glanced indifferently at the exquisite pastries on the table and smiled. “What are you saying, Dad? I just saw you eating braised pig’s head meat in the kitchen yesterday.”
“In this day and age, meat is more expensive than a few pieces of pastry.”
The corner of Xu Weiguo’s mouth twitched in embarrassment at her words.
Xu Yingying hurriedly spoke up for him. “Ruyan, don’t misunderstand. You have the delicate constitution of a pampered young lady; how could you eat something like pig’s head meat?”
“Aunt Xu, please don’t put me on a pedestal.”
Xu Ruyan’s face was calm as she spoke unhurriedly. “The authorities are conducting strict inspections now. We mustn’t adopt capitalist airs. Just like everyone else, I am one of the glorious laboring people.”
Xu Yingying’s smile stiffened for a moment, and she couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
This brat was usually as close to her as a real daughter, but today her tongue was quite sharp, even managing to take these subtle jabs at them.
“Ahem.”
Xu Weiguo covered his mouth and coughed, putting on a kind smile as he said, “Alright, Ruyan, sit down and eat your treats. Dad has something to discuss with you.”
As soon as Xu Ruyan sat down, she heard Xu Weiguo advising her with heavy-hearted sincerity.
“Do you remember the childhood betrothal your mother arranged for you? The other party is a third-generation military family from Beijing. I heard he was recently sent down to the countryside.”
“Quickly send a telegram to break off the engagement. Dad has found someone even better for you—the son of the director of the city’s textile factory. He’s coming over for a match-making meeting in a bit, so you should see him first.”
Xu Ruyan’s fingers, which were picking up a pastry, paused.
This had happened in her previous life as well.
She had been betrothed to the only son of the He family in Beijing since childhood. After he was sent down, Xu Weiguo had coaxed her into breaking the engagement, only for her to turn around and marry Zhou Shuang.
On the surface, Zhou Shuang had been good to her, pretending to be deeply in love. He had even promised that she could go to the countryside with peace of mind—they would register their marriage first, and he would wait for her to return to the city before holding the wedding to officially marry her.
In her past life, Xu Ruyan had truly believed him and had been incredibly moved.
But now she understood.
This Zhou Shuang was just another scumbag Xu Weiguo had found to join forces and swindle her out of her inheritance.
It was all because the dowry her mother had left for her in a bank safe deposit box required a marriage certificate to be opened.
Xu Ruyan looked up at Xu Weiguo, seeing the greed he could barely conceal in his eyes. She refused directly. “That won’t do. In this life, I won’t marry anyone but Brother He. Dad, you go and turn the other man away.”
“Nonsense!”
Xu Weiguo grew anxious immediately.
He had already made an agreement with the Zhou family. Once they tricked Ruyan out of her dowry, they would split it seventy-thirty.
Xu Weiguo had received news half a month ago. With the current tightening of policies, Xu Ruyan’s maternal family, the Lin family, had been placed on the liquidation list and branded as capitalists.
The authorities had mandated one slot for being sent down to the countryside for their household, and Xu Weiguo had taken the liberty of signing up Xu Ruyan.
Meanwhile, he had spent a large sum of money to buy three boat tickets, intending to take Xu Yingying and her daughter to escape to Hong Kong to avoid the trouble.
Once this fool Xu Ruyan handed over all her assets and was tricked into going to the countryside, he would immediately publish a notice in the newspaper to sever all ties with the Lin family. Then, he would turn around and report Xu Ruyan, slapping the label of ‘capitalist’ on her so that the little wench would never be able to return to the city for the rest of her life!
Xu Weiguo’s preparations were complete; now, only the final step remained—to swindle the dowry out of Xu Ruyan’s hands.
His face darkened in humiliated rage. He slammed his hand onto the table and shouted sternly, “Ruyan, Dad is doing this for your own good! The situation is volatile right now. The Lin family is already being closely watched by the authorities. If you don’t cut ties with the He family now, what will you do if you get dragged down with them?”
“The Zhou family I’ve chosen for you has excellent ‘red roots’ in their background.”
“Marry Zhou Shuang first. With the Zhou family’s help to pull strings, your life in the countryside will be easier. Once you return to the city in a couple of years, his family can even arrange a job for you directly.”
Xu Ruyan ignored him, took a bite of the pastry, and said as if in passing, “If the Zhou family’s background is so good, why not let my stepsister marry him? When the time comes, she can help me out just the same, right?”
“How could that be allowed!”
Xu Weiguo glared at her. Realizing his tone was too harsh, he suppressed his anger and softened his attitude to coax her. “Zhou Shuang is the one who likes you; he didn’t take an interest in your sister.”
Hearing this, Xu Ruyan brushed the crumbs off her fingers and smiled. “Fine then. Dad, you really are good to me. I agree to the match-making with Zhou Shuang.”
Xu Weiguo and Xu Yingying shared a subtle glance, both of them rejoicing inwardly.
Xu Ruyan, this fool, was indeed easy to trick!
Xu Ruyan watched their silent exchange with a cold sneer in her heart, though her face remained obedient.
She said with a bright smile, “I have conditions for breaking my engagement and marrying Zhou Shuang.”
“Earlier, Xu Yunhua asked for my jade pendant. That is a Lin family heirloom. I’ve thought about it and feel a bit regretful, so have her return the pendant to me.”
“Also, if I’m getting married, you and Aunt Xu have to show some sincerity, right?”
Xu Ruyan smiled and reached out her hand, raising an eyebrow at him. “Give me back my bankbook. Otherwise, I won’t agree to the marriage.”
Xu Weiguo hadn’t expected Xu Ruyan to ask for the bankbook, and his expression turned ugly instantly.
After the Lin family had donated their assets, the remaining wealth was set up to automatically deposit two thousand yuan into the bankbook every month, to be handed over to Xu Ruyan once she came of age.
Accumulated over more than ten years, there was at least three hundred thousand yuan in there.
Xu Weiguo was naturally unwilling to give it to Xu Ruyan. He gave a dry laugh and said, “You’re about to go to the countryside; it wouldn’t be safe to carry the bankbook with you. Dad will keep it for you. When you return to the city later, I’ll give it back.”
“How could that be okay?”
Xu Ruyan immediately pulled a long face and began counting on her fingers. “Dad, everything you and Aunt Xu usually eat and use comes from my Lin family. To put it bluntly, you are a matrilocal son-in-law supported by the Lin family.”
“The Lin family has provided for you for so many years. Think of how much money you’ve spent. Now that I want my bankbook and you’re unwilling to give it, is it because you don’t love me at all? Do you favor Aunt Xu and her daughter and want to keep the money for them instead?”
“Ruyan, what kind of talk is that?”
Xu Yingying was startled and stared at Xu Ruyan secretly, feeling rather incensed.
How had this brat suddenly grown a brain today? Her words were so sharp.
What Xu Weiguo hated most in his life was his status as a matrilocal son-in-law.
Xu Ruyan had intentionally poked his sore spot, instantly enraging him. He glared at her, slammed the table, and shouted, “Stop being so ungrateful! Dad is doing everything for your own good. Just be obedient!”
Xu Ruyan blinked, and her eyes instantly reddened. She also slammed the table and stood up, crying as she prepared to bolt outside.
“Waaaah! I knew it! You’re biased, Dad! You don’t love me at all! I won’t get married! I won’t!”
“Xu Yunhua is your real daughter, I’m not! You don’t care about me! I’m going to tell everyone that Xu Yunhua is your real daughter!”
Xu Ruyan cried as she pulled open the door and ran out, shouting toward the street, terrified that people wouldn’t hear her.
Xu Weiguo was shocked, his face flushing red instantly.
“Ruyan, don’t talk nonsense! Yunhua is your Aunt Xu’s daughter, she has nothing to do with me! You are my only biological child!”
Xu Weiguo hurriedly grabbed her, wishing he could just plug her mouth.
Xu Yingying was also frantic. She put on a heartbroken look. “Ruyan, one can’t just talk recklessly these days. It makes people point fingers behind your back. No matter how angry you are, you can’t just slander someone’s reputation!”
Being held back, Xu Ruyan turned around and wailed, her eyes red with grievance. “Then give me the bankbook and the jade pendant. Otherwise, you’re just being biased.”
Xu Weiguo’s face was dark. He restrained himself again and again to avoid slapping Xu Ruyan.
He gave a forced smile. “Then Dad will have Yunhua give the pendant back to you first. I’ll go look for the bankbook. Don’t be in a rush.”
“Fine. Give me the pendant first.”
Xu Ruyan reached out toward Xu Yingying and gestured with her chin. “Aunt Xu, hand over the pendant!”