That night, Wanwan returned to her room, leaving only the two boxes out to avoid drawing attention, and stored the rest of her belongings in her space.
The emerald necklace that Madam Lu had taken from her grandmother was now safely displayed on the wall of her wooden cabin in the space.
After her shameless father and his companions left, they didn’t return all evening.
With tomorrow being the day she would follow the army, Xiang Wanwan felt a bit uneasy and tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
So she got up and went downstairs.
After her father had taken Xiang Shuxue to the hospital that afternoon, none of the three had returned, leaving the villa entirely to her.
Xiang Wanwan wandered around the kitchen, her eyes catching sight of the cookware in the cupboards. A sly smile curved her lips.
In an instant, all the kitchenware disappeared and now lay safely in her space.
Next, she took the pots, pans, and dishes. Moments later, the kitchen was completely empty.
Then she moved on to Xiang Shuxue’s room on the second floor.
Compared to before, the room now held many new clothes and jewelry—likely bought by her shameless father in the past few days.
Everything went straight into her space!
She did the same in Li Jinglan and her father’s room, taking everything usable except the bedding and clothes of the “immoral couple.”
After finishing, Xiang Wanwan returned to her room, completely satisfied, and went to sleep.
The next morning, she was woken by a servant’s shriek.
“Ah—!”
After tidying herself, she slowly went downstairs.
Seeing her, the servant immediately shouted, “Young Madam! The house has been robbed! The kitchen is empty!”
“Oh, what a fuss. Empty is empty. We’ll replace it when Master returns.”
“Go upstairs and bring down those two boxes for me. I’ll be leaving soon.”
The servant was surprised.
How could the Young Madam be so calm?
The house had been robbed!
Still, she obeyed and went upstairs to fetch the luggage.
All of Wanwan’s luggage was placed in the living room—four large boxes containing bedding, while the rest of her belongings remained safely in her space.
Xiang Wanwan sat in the living room, waiting for the car to pick up the family members.
Unexpectedly, Xiang Xinrong returned first, accompanied by Li Jinglan and her daughter.
Xiang Shuxue looked pale and haggard, her gaze still full of hatred.
Her father’s face was equally dark as he looked angrily at her, then glanced at the luggage in the living room.
As soon as he stepped inside, the servant recounted the robbery again.
“What? Robbed?”
Xiang Xinrong immediately ran out toward the backyard.
“Xinrong, what are you doing?”
Li Jinglan anxiously followed, while Xiang Shuxue went back to her room.
Moments later, a shriek echoed from the villa.
“Ah—! My jewelry!”
“It’s all gone! The new clothes I bought yesterday, I haven’t even worn them!”
Xiang Shuxue hurried downstairs and confronted Wanwan.
“Xiang Wanwan, you took it, didn’t you?”
Li Jinglan followed closely.
“Wanwan, stop this. Return the items! Weren’t the Lu and Huo families’ gifts enough?”
Xiang Wanwan slowly raised her head.
“You think I could have carried all this? How would I even fit it?”
Xiang Shuxue’s eyes drifted to the few large boxes nearby.
“Are you really going to check my boxes?”
She glanced at Wanwan, about to act, when Xiang Xinrong suddenly rushed into the living room.
His expression was terrifying, glaring at Wanwan.
“The money? My things in the basement?”
Li Jinglan and her daughter were baffled.
Basement?
Had Xiang Xinrong secretly hidden money there?
He looked like an enraged lion, ready to devour Wanwan at any moment.
Red-eyed, he shouted, “You brat! Tell me! Did you take it?”
Calmly, Wanwan stood and walked to her boxes, opening them.
Clothes and daily items were displayed before their eyes—there was no jewelry or money.
Xiang Shuxue rushed upstairs—her room was also empty, with all bedding and clothing packed into boxes.
Moments later, she came downstairs, shaking her head at Li Jinglan and Xiang Xinrong.
“What if… you have accomplices? You took it outside to hide it.”
Xiang Wanwan smiled and looked at the servant.
“Wang Ma, have I left the house since yesterday?”
“No.”
Upon hearing this, the three faces darkened further.
Xiang Xinrong pondered.
Could it really not be this brat?
True, with so much stuff, she had no place to hide it.
Moreover, she hadn’t left the house since yesterday.
Could it really have been a robbery?
The three slumped onto the living room chairs, looking utterly despondent.
Xiang Wanwan stored her boxes and looked at Xinrong, adding salt to the wound.
“Dad, what about Mom’s dowry?”
“And the fifty thousand we agreed on!”
Xiang Xinrong’s eyes went hollow.
“It’s all gone! All of the Xiang family’s money is gone!”
Li Jinglan and her daughter shot a horrified glance at him.
“What? Xinrong, what did you say?”
All the family’s money was stored in some basement and was gone overnight?
Heaven!
At that moment, the servant announced that the military vehicle had arrived to pick up family members following the army.
Two men in uniform entered.
“We’re here to escort the Commanding Officer’s wife.”
Xiang Wanwan slowly stood, smiled slightly at them, and said,
“Please help bring the boxes to the car first. I’ll be right there.”
They efficiently carried the boxes out.
Wanwan turned to her shameless father with a caring expression.
“Dad, I’m not heartless. Since the house has been robbed, the fifty thousand and Mom’s dowry don’t need to be given to me for now. I’ll come back for it when I have the chance.”
She was about to leave.
“Wait!” her father called out suddenly.
He looked at Wanwan, a sudden gentleness on his face.
“Wanwan, everything in the Xiang family is gone overnight. Can’t you leave us some of your money?”
“Yes, Wanwan! You won’t need much money following the army. Leave it to us!”
Li Jinglan also spoke urgently.
A chill ran through Wanwan.
What a “good father”!
She was going to an island with the army, unsure of what awaited her. Instead of giving her supplies, they wanted to seize the money gifted by the Lu and Huo families.
The audacity!
“Dad, cut ties! Consider me as if I were never your daughter.”
Her eyes glinted coldly.
Xiang Xinrong’s heart skipped a beat. Did she know what she was saying?
Li Jinglan and her daughter looked triumphant.
Cut ties! Once she did, Shuxue would become the heiress of the Xiang family.
From then on, they would have no concerns at all.
Though the Xiang family’s money was gone, they trusted Xinrong’s ability to earn it back quickly.
Xiang Xinrong slammed his hand on the table, making the cups rattle.
“Cut ties? Dream on! You think because I’m out of money, and you’ve hooked onto the Lu family, that you can leave me?”
“I tell you, impossible!”
Wanwan had anticipated this, thinking quickly.
After a moment, she calmly said, “Fine, not cutting ties is also okay! I’ll be following the army, needing money and daily supplies every month. I’ll tell the military to come collect them.”
“And if I can’t get along with Lu Jingnian, I’ll have to return home. If the Lu family gets angry and takes back the money and gifts, I’ll need Dad’s help!”
Li Jinglan’s heart raced.
Indeed, with Wanwan’s temperament, and the situation with the Ning family, even if Madam Lu said nothing, Lu Jingnian might not handle it!
Returning her home would mean living under the same roof again!
Xiang Xinrong looked up sharply.
A relentless debtor!
The Xiang family was in ruin, yet she expected him to provide monthly funds and have the military collect them?
Wasn’t she intentionally trying to have them spy on him?
The saying goes: once a daughter is married, she’s like water spilled—she can’t continue to exploit the Xiang family if she returns.
After a moment, he spoke gravely:
“Fine! We’ll cut ties! I’ll write the severance document for you now.”
Li Jinglan and her daughter finally felt a huge weight lifted.
Moments later, Wanwan received the severance document and left without looking back.
As soon as she exited the yard, the middle-aged woman from yesterday returned, this time with two men.
They were probably here to forcibly take Xiang Shuxue to the countryside.
Wanwan’s mood instantly brightened.
Looking out the car window, she realized the road ahead was entirely new…