Zhou Yuanyao stared fixedly at Zhou Ye, like a starving wolf seeing food but unable to take a bite.
Furious yet helpless!
“What exactly do you want?”
Only then did Zhou Ye smile calmly.
“Uncle, what are you saying? Your niece is getting married, and it’s to a good family you personally found. How could I possibly ask you for anything? Wouldn’t that be utterly unreasonable?”
As soon as Zhou Ye finished speaking, Zhou Yuanyao let out a sigh of relief!
But before that relief could fully settle, Zhou Ye spoke again!
“However…”
The Zhou family’s eyes instantly snapped toward her!
Zhou Ye said with a smile, “How can anyone marry off a niece without preparing a dowry? The weather is about to warm up, and I don’t even have a single new piece of clothing. Wouldn’t people laugh if they saw? Uncle, Aunt, do you really think the neighbors won’t gossip?”
“Fine, we’ll buy them for you!” Zhou Yuanyao said through gritted teeth.
Zhou Ye nodded in satisfaction. “Uncle really does care for me! According to custom, the clothes for marriage should come in even numbers. I feel for Uncle’s hard work earning money, so I won’t ask for much! Just six sets each of thin cotton-padded clothes, long underwear, woolen sweaters and pants, woolen coats, spring clothes, and summer clothes.”
She said it so casually that the Zhou family’s eyes reddened with anger.
She wasn’t even their biological child—how dare she say such things?
How dare she?
Yu Wen trembled with rage, pointing at Zhou Ye and demanding, “Six sets? Do you really think you’re a child of the Zhou family? Huh? Why don’t you just go rob someone?”
“Huh? This is considered robbery? Then tomorrow I’ll go ask the uncles and aunts at the Steel Factory—isn’t this how they prepare dowries for their own daughters?” Zhou Ye feigned confusion.
“How dare you!”
Yu Wen shouted!
She… she still had face to save!
Zhou Ye pouted, looking at Zhou Yuanyao. “Uncle, this isn’t my fault—Aunt provoked me!”
Yu Wen yelled, “You wretched girl… Ah!”
Zhou Yuanyao slapped her hard across the face. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth! Shut up!”
Yu Wen could only shrink back and fall silent.
“Fine, I agree! I’ll give you two hundred yuan later. Tomorrow morning, go buy the things yourself!”
Zhou Yuanyao said coldly.
“No! Uncle, I’m just a girl, only fifteen years old. I don’t understand anything! Why not let Aunt and Sister go with me?”
Zhou Yuanyao didn’t understand Zhou Ye’s intention but agreed impatiently.
“Are you satisfied now?” Zhou Zijiao looked at Zhou Ye with contempt.
Suddenly, Zhou Ye smiled—a smile that sent a shiver of unease through Zhou Zijiao!
“You…”
“Sister just reminded me! Uncle, you slapped me, and I’m really hurt inside… So, Uncle, how about buying me a watch to make it up to me?”
“Don’t even think about it!”
Zhou Zijiao roared!
“But what can I do? It was Sister who reminded me! I’ll only be satisfied if I get the watch!”
Zhou Ye said pitifully.
Zhou Yuanyao laughed in anger. “Zhou Ye, you really know how to act! Before, you were so timid, and today you’ve turned into this! I’ve truly underestimated you!”
“Thank you for the praise, Uncle!”
Zhou Ye met Zhou Yuanyao’s gaze steadily, neither submissive nor overbearing.
Angry? Heartbroken? Just wait…
“Tomorrow, all of you go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy what you need!” Zhou Yuanyao ordered, then shot a warning glance at Zhou Ye.
Zhou Ye raised an eyebrow…
Zhou Zijiao still wanted to make a scene, but was pulled back by Yu Wen.
Yet both of them glared fiercely at her.
The next day, at the clothing section of the supply and marketing cooperative, Yu Wen reluctantly and painfully bought everything that had been mentioned the day before. Since there was no woolen coat, she compensated with shirts, making sure Zhou Ye suffered a loss!
It cost over three hundred yuan in total.
Yu Wen was heartbroken.
“Satisfied?” The resentful voice interrupted Zhou Ye’s thoughts.
“Auntie, you and my sister are so fond of reminding me, how wonderful! Sister, could you please give me ten feet of workwear fabric?”
Yu Wen widened her eyes: “Don’t even think about it!”
“Wife?”
Zhou Ye turned around and saw Madam Song and her idiot son standing at the entrance.
A flicker of amusement crossed Zhou Ye’s eyes—help had arrived even faster than Cao Cao’s legendary speed!
“Wife, what are you doing?” The idiot trotted over, his gaze fixed intently on Zhou Ye.
Zhou Ye smiled and looked at Yu Wen: “My aunt brought me here to buy dowry items. She insists on buying everything for me even though I keep saying no! Ah…”
“You…” Yu Wen turned pale with rage, but couldn’t utter a word in retort!
Zhou Zijiao didn’t dare interrupt, afraid she’d get dragged into the mess.
“Indeed, marriage is a significant event after all!” Yu Wen gritted her teeth.
Madam Song didn’t say anything and went to other sections to shop, but the idiot refused to leave no matter what!
Zhou Ye paid no attention.
“Sister, please cut ten feet of workwear fabric for me.”
Yu Wen scowled: “Take it!”
“Sister, please cut some blue checkered coarse cloth for me.”
“Take it!”
“Sister, please give me two five-catty cotton quilts.”
“Take it!”
Zhou Ye took whatever she saw—daily necessities, skincare products, fabric, sugar, crispy rice sticks, a wristwatch…
Finally…
“Sister, please give me a bicycle and a sewing machine!”
As soon as the words fell, Yu Wen could no longer contain herself: “Zhou Ye, don’t go too far!”
Zhou Ye covered her mouth and chuckled: “Auntie, what’s the matter?”
“Don’t push people too hard!”
“Slap!”
The Song Idiot slapped Yu Wen and warned: “Don’t bully my wife! You’re a bad person! I’ll beat you to death!”
Zhou Ye was startled: “Ah! Auntie, are you okay?”
The Song Idiot quickly comforted her: “Wife, don’t be scared, my hand doesn’t hurt!”
Hearing this, Yu Wen’s face turned even uglier.
Zhou Ye burst out laughing: “Alright, you should go back now! I still have lots to do!”
Though the words were blunt, the idiot obediently listened.
“Okay, I’ll be good!”
When the items were delivered to the Zhou residence, Zhou Ye moved them to the basement.
Though carrying them up and down was exhausting, seeing their displeased expressions filled Zhou Ye with immense joy.
After moving everything, she went upstairs and overheard Yu Wen tattling.
Zhou Yuanyao’s face was grim—what should have cost only a few hundred yuan had now exceeded a thousand!
How audacious!
“Zhou Ye!”
“Yes, I’m here!”
Zhou Ye responded cheerfully.
“Don’t you have anything to say?”
Zhou Ye smiled sheepishly: “Well… Uncle, you’ve really splurged!”
“You… you’re utterly unreasonable! Zhou Ye, once you marry into the Song Family, you’d better know what to say and what not to say! Remember, my career determines your status in the Song Family! If I do well, you’ll do well!”
“Okay, Uncle, I’ll remember!”
Zhou Ye lowered her head, a smile playing on her lips and a glint of interest in her eyes.
Uncle, I truly look forward to the day you fail!
Zhou Ye went to the basement and stored everything in his dimension! He felt extremely satisfied!
But the Zhou family had a sleepless night!
The next morning, Zhou Ziyue still hadn’t returned!
Yu Wen became completely frantic and started making desperate phone calls! She called Ziyue’s friends one after another!
“Old Zhou! Our Ziyue has disappeared!”
Yu Wen’s desperate cry made Zhou Yuanyao and Zhou Zijun, who were about to leave, freeze in their tracks!
“What did you say? Didn’t you say she went to a friend’s house?”
Zhou Yuanyao asked urgently.