After cursing Zhao Desheng and his mother, Xia Jianyong felt much better.
He looked at Xia Yuhuan and said, “You did very well today. With your life-saving favor for Zhao Desheng’s mother, I don’t believe he’d have the nerve to compete with me anymore.”
“Since I’ve helped you so much, shouldn’t you give me some benefits?” Xia Yuhuan looked at Xia Jianyong, never missing any opportunity to squeeze advantages from him.
Xia Jianyong’s face stiffened, then he frowned and said, “You’re my daughter. What kind of daughter asks her father for rewards every time something happens?”
“Then how come Xia Zhuyu gets benefits from you without doing anything to help?”
“Old Xia, this favoritism of yours won’t do. If you keep this up, I might throw a tantrum, and who knows what I might do when I’m upset.”
Xia Yuhuan spoke with a light smile, but Xia Jianyong felt nothing but liver pain watching her.
Her threat was too obvious, so obvious that Xia Jianyong wanted to hit someone.
Yet Xia Jianyong had no choice but to accept Xia Yuhuan’s threat.
After all, it was Xia Yuhuan who had saved Grandma Zhao, and Zhao Desheng had only conceded because of her.
Xia Jianyong said with a dark face, “What do you want?”
Xia Yuhuan grinned, “I want a bicycle.”
“You wish.” Xia Zhuyu, standing nearby, said irritably, “The cheapest bicycle costs at least 120 yuan, not to mention how hard it is to get a bicycle ticket. How dare you even ask?”
Xia Jianyong remained silent, clearly agreeing with Xia Zhuyu.
Xia Yuhuan wasn’t intimidated in the slightest, “Why wouldn’t I dare? I’ve helped Old Xia a great deal. Any request I make is justified.”
“As for you, you’re incompetent yet shameless. Didn’t you also ask Old Xia to get you a bicycle ticket and buy you a bicycle? If you can have one, why can’t I?”
Xia Zhuyu’s face turned livid with anger at Xia Yuhuan’s words.
But Xia Yuhuan had no intention of letting her off. She turned to Xia Jianyong and added, “Since Xia Zhuyu is going to the countryside soon, she probably won’t need the bicycle anymore. Why don’t you just give me the bicycle ticket you got for her to buy my bicycle? What do you think?”
“Dream on! Xia Yuhuan, don’t even think about scheming for my bicycle ticket! That’s for buying my bicycle!” Xia Zhuyu exclaimed angrily, then looked at Xia Jianyong with a pleading expression.
“Dad, you won’t give her the bicycle ticket, right? You promised to buy me a bicycle.” Xia Zhuyu asked with great uncertainty.
Xia Jianyong remained silent for a moment before asking Xia Yuhuan, “Do you absolutely have to have it? Can’t it wait?”
Xia Yuhuan smiled, “Yes, I absolutely have to have it. It can’t wait.”
Xia Jianyong had no choice but to fetch the bicycle ticket and 120 yuan for Xia Yuhuan.
“Oh, Old Xia, how stingy. Exactly 120 yuan, not a cent more—just enough for the worst bicycle, huh?” Xia Yuhuan teased.
Having dealt with Xia Yuhuan before, Xia Jianyong had grown thick-skinned. Hearing this, he felt neither ashamed nor uncomfortable.
“Giving you a bicycle is already generous enough. What more do you want? As long as it rides, it’s fine.” Xia Jianyong replied coldly.
Nearby, Xia Zhuyu stamped her foot, “Dad, that was my bicycle ticket! How could you give it to her?”
She was furious, her eyes red, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Xia Jianyong coaxed her gently, “Zhuzhu, be good. You’re about to go to the countryside soon and won’t need a bicycle for now, so let’s not buy one just yet. When you return from the countryside, I promise to buy you a Phoenix brand bicycle, alright?”
Xia Zhuyu was far from willing and began to throw a tantrum relentlessly.
“No, I don’t want that! I won’t agree! You promised me a bicycle yourself, and now you’re going back on your word. You have to buy me one too!”
Xia Jianyong, already unhappy after being pressured by Xia Yuhuan into giving away a bicycle, grew even more irritated by Xia Zhuyu’s fussing.
He slammed an enamel mug down violently, the sharp sound instantly choking off Xia Zhuyu’s cries. She stared at him, dumbstruck and too afraid to make another sound.
“Enough! What’s mine is mine to give or not give as I please! It’s not your place to force me!” Xia Jianyong roared.
Li Rouyue, standing nearby, quickly pulled Xia Zhuyu aside and gently squeezed her hand to soothe her.
Then she turned to Xia Jianyong and said softly, “Old Xia, Zhuzhu doesn’t mean it like that. There’s been so much happening these past couple of days—she’s just overwhelmed and acting out. Don’t take it to heart.”
Li Rouyue was an excellent calming influence. With her words, Xia Jianyong gradually cooled down.
He sighed and said, “Later, take some money and bring Zhuzhu to the department store to buy some nice things for her to take to the countryside.”
“Alright, I understand,” Li Rouyue replied with a faint smile.
Seeing that Li Rouyue had managed to calm Xia Zhuyu, Xia Jianyong left for work.
“It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, my dad wouldn’t have yelled at me,” Xia Zhuyu glared at Xia Yuhuan, her resentment barely contained and threatening to spill over.
Xia Yuhuan smirked at her. “Him yelling at you has nothing to do with me. You really don’t make any sense when you talk.”
Xia Zhuyu was so furious she nearly lunged at her, but Li Rouyue held her back firmly.
“Zhuzhu, don’t be impulsive. If you hurt her, your dad will scold you again.”
Then, turning to Xia Yuhuan, Li Rouyue said, “Yuhuan, you managed to coax a bicycle voucher out of your dad with such difficulty. You should hurry and buy the bicycle now, so you don’t waste that hard-earned voucher.”
Xia Yuhuan nodded, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “You’re right. I should go get the bicycle right away and let someone else drool over it.”
With that, Xia Yuhuan turned and left, leaving Xia Zhuyu fuming with rage.
“Mom, look at her gloating like that! It makes me so mad, I could just die!”
After Xia Yuhuan left, Xia Zhuyu threw a fit.
“Zhuzhu, calm down…”
“Mom, I can’t calm down, not one bit! If this keeps up, Dad is going to be stolen away by her! Mom…”
“If you keep this up, you really will push your dad to the point where he doesn’t want anything to do with you,” Li Rouyue snapped angrily.
Xia Zhuyu was stunned into silence, staring blankly at Li Rouyue.
Li Rouyue, unusually stern, said coldly, “Zhuzhu, haven’t you noticed how much more irritable you’ve become these past few days? Look at you throwing a fit like this—do you still have any of that sweet, gentle charm you used to?”
“Zhuzhu, I’ve told you before: softness and charm are a woman’s most effective weapons. Your dad needs to be coaxed, do you understand? Xia Yuhuan may be riding high now, forcing your dad to do what she wants.”
“But your father is a man who holds grudges. He’s only tolerating Xia Yuhuan now because he needs him. Once he no longer needs Xia Yuhuan, he’ll deal with him himself.”
“Don’t be impatient. Just endure it patiently for now, understand?”
Xia Zhuyu was unwilling, biting her lip and lowering her head as she said reluctantly, “I understand.”
She was about to go to the countryside to suffer hardships, while Xia Yuhuan was soon to marry into the Chi family and enjoy a life of comfort.
Although Chi Yanzhou was currently unconscious, the living conditions in the Chi family were so good. Apart from Chi Yanzhou being unconscious and Xia Yuhuan having to live as a widow, she wouldn’t suffer any other losses.
Thinking of this, a sudden inspiration flashed through Xia Zhuyu’s mind. She excitedly called out to Li Rouyue, “Mom, I have a solution! I’ve thought of a way to avoid going to the countryside!”