When Qiao Ruan clearly saw his face, she was also slightly taken aback. In her previous life, after she went to the Fu family in the capital, her interactions with this eldest son of the Fu family were not many.
After all, his position was too high, and he rarely returned to the old residence.
Later, when Qiao Ruan was driven out of the Fu family due to scandal, she heard that the eldest son of the Fu family seemed to have died at the border. Because of the eldest son’s sacrifice, the old leader, having to bury his own child, nearly couldn’t hold on.
The Fu family was then reported… In short, the Fu family fell, ending up with nothing good.
By then, Qiao Ruan was already struggling to take care of herself and didn’t pay much attention to the Fu family, which had driven her out.
Now, thinking back, if it weren’t for her being deluded, as if forcefully lowering her intelligence, and the Fu family hadn’t treated her poorly, why would she have brought about her own downfall and been driven out?
Qiao Ruan’s emotions were complex, but having been reborn, she didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes. Therefore, she wanted to leave a good impression on the Fu family.
So, Qiao Ruan took the initiative to greet him: “Thank you for coming to pay respects to my father.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, very pleasant to hear. Unfortunately, Fu Hanchen had just heard how she used this gentle voice to utter such greedy words. He raised an eyebrow, concealing the disgust in his eyes.
Fu Hanchen didn’t even give a nod in response, his demeanor icy to the extreme.
Qiao Ruan was only momentarily stunned. Under the mocking gaze of her cousin, who laughed at her for being presumptuous, she quickly regained her composure. It didn’t matter if he was cold; she only wanted to leave a good impression, not to fawn over anyone.
“Ruan girl, what are you standing there for? Go and kowtow to your father one last time,” her aunt pushed Qiao Ruan.
Qiao Ruan collected her thoughts and looked at her father’s photo on the memorial tablet.
From birth, she only had her father. Her mother had run away, and later, when her father joined the army, he entrusted her to his elder brother’s family.
Every month, he sent all his allowances and bonuses to her uncle’s family, asking them to raise her.
In Qiao Ruan’s memory, she only saw her father once every few years.
In her previous life, when she was down and out, she had resented her father, thinking that if he were still alive, she wouldn’t have been so helpless and bullied to such an extent.
This lifetime, Qiao Ruan understood: her father loved her deeply. Before his death, he had entrusted his old leader to protect his daughter. It was she who didn’t cherish it, she who brought misfortune upon herself.
Qiao Ruan stepped forward, knelt solemnly before her father’s memorial tablet, and kowtowed three times.
She closed her eyes, and a tear silently slipped from the corner of her eye.
It was remorse, regret, and a new beginning.
Dad, don’t worry. Your daughter will live well this lifetime.
Her figure was frail, and the oversized black clothes hung loosely on her. From Fu Hanchen’s perspective, he could see her slender, pale neck, and the tear at the corner of her eye instantly caught his attention.
He hadn’t expected someone so eager to climb the social ladder to still have some sincerity toward her own father.
He had thought that, in her heart, she would only be happy about being adopted by a prestigious family now that her father was dead.
After kowtowing, Qiao Ruan stood up and turned to look at the Qiao family.
Her forehead was bruised and stained with a hint of red, but she paid it no mind.
Fu Hanchen’s gaze swept over her reddened forehead as he said indifferently, “Let’s go.”
He turned to leave, but unexpectedly, her soft yet firm voice came from behind: “Wait a moment.”
Huh?
Everyone looked at her in confusion. According to Qiao Ruan’s usual behavior, shouldn’t she be rushing to follow the Fu family and escape the impoverished Qiao Village?
Qiao Ruan, however, walked up to Uncle Qiao and his wife and said earnestly, “Thank you for taking care of me all these years.”
Uncle Qiao and his wife were taken aback, nodding awkwardly. Their family hadn’t exactly been caring toward Qiao Ruan…
Qiao Meng snorted from the side, “What’s with the act?”
She stole another distracted glance at the Fu family. They were so handsome—if only she had been the one adopted.
Fu Hanchen also watched Qiao Ruan with an inscrutable gaze. Judging by her demeanor when she spoke in the room earlier, she didn’t seem like the type to express gratitude. She was clearly putting on a show!
He was growing impatient with her little tricks and was about to ask if she was leaving or not when Qiao Ruan spoke again, “Auntie, can I have my father’s compensation now?”
Compensation? Uncle Qiao and his wife’s expressions changed, and they forced a dry laugh, “What compensation?”
Qiao Ruan looked at them with bright, innocent eyes, “The funeral expenses can be considered as what you spent for my father’s burial, but the compensation was meant to support me. I can’t go to the Fu family empty-handed and freeload—that wouldn’t be right.”
Qiao Meng scowled and snapped, “Qiao Ruan, don’t forget who raised you all these years! You’ve cost our family plenty for food and living. My parents haven’t even asked you to pay it back!”
Qiao Ruan tilted her head, puzzled, “But my father sent seventy or eighty yuan every month in allowances and bonuses to Uncle Qiao. Wasn’t that enough to cover my expenses?”
Seventy or eighty yuan!
The villagers of Qiao Village were shocked. Seventy or eighty yuan wasn’t just enough to raise a young girl—it could easily support an entire family!
The Qiao family’s expressions darkened further. They hadn’t expected Qiao Ruan to bring up the allowances and compensation in front of so many people. The compensation alone was a full five hundred yuan! They had planned to keep it for themselves.
As they scrambled for an excuse, Qiao Ruan suddenly said pitifully, “Fine, I won’t ask for it anymore. I don’t want people saying I’m ungrateful. Consider that five hundred yuan as repayment for Uncle and Auntie’s kindness in raising me.”
She raised a hand to wipe her tears, but her oversized sleeve slipped down, revealing the chilblains on her fingers and her thin, withered arm.