Chapter 7: Snatching Things

Just stepping out of the office, Shen Qingyao spotted Lu Shaojun and Shen Mengyi from afar. The two were still in line, and it seemed that their earlier conflict had been resolved.

Seeing Jiang Yan, Lu Shaojun instinctively saluted him.

“Team—”

Jiang Yan arched an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Lu Shaojun like a blade.

“What did you just call me?”

Lu Shaojun shivered all over. “Class monitor.”

Seeing Lu Shaojun so respectful, Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but feel a bit smug. She linked her arm through Jiang Yan’s and teased, “I didn’t expect you to be a class monitor. Looks like I’ll be relying on you from now on.”

“My honor,” Jiang Yan replied, tilting his head slightly. First, he caught the scent of Shen Qingyao’s perfume, then noticed the mischievous expression on her face.

Shen Mengyi kept avoiding Shen Qingyao, but Shen Qingyao took delight in provoking her. It was unclear what Lu Shaojun had said earlier, but Shen Mengyi was behaving obediently now.

Feeling vindicated, Shen Qingyao laughed especially happily. On the way home, she forgot all about the frustration of not being able to return to Beijing for the time being.

When they reached the building, Shen Qingyao didn’t invite Jiang Yan upstairs. If Wang Guihua wasn’t home, it would be one thing, but since she was, better not.

“My daughter married well, of course,” came Wang Guihua’s voice.

“Yes, Shen Qingyao is getting married, but as for her man…”

“Oh, you know how it is. Without a mother’s watchful eye, what kind of man could she possibly choose?”

Before Shen Qingyao could say goodbye to Jiang Yan, she heard Wang Guihua speaking. She was in the courtyard, chatting loudly with the neighbor’s aunt while tearing vegetables, completely unaware of her volume.

Naturally, Jiang Yan heard it too, his eyes narrowing.

“Want me to back you up?” he asked.

Having such a thoughtful man wasn’t always a good thing.

Shen Qingyao suppressed a laugh. “No need. Wang Guihua is just jealous of me.”

“Jealous of what?”

Jiang Yan didn’t quite understand.

Wang Guihua’s words were meant to insult him, but Shen Qingyao only smiled.

Stepping closer to Jiang Yan, she whispered, “Don’t you smell the sourness? Wang Guihua is upset because you’re giving me an 888 bride price.”

The distance between them suddenly shrank, and Jiang Yan forgot what he wanted to say.

“All right, all right, you should go now. My dad will be back soon.”

But the closeness didn’t last long. Shen Qingyao casually stepped back and waved him off.

Without waiting to see if Jiang Yan left, Shen Qingyao went upstairs herself.

Shen Qingyao had managed to keep her secret for so many days partly thanks to the original personality of her body, and more so due to Wang Guihua’s reimagination of that character.

“That stepdaughter of yours is lazy and eats well every day. Mengyi even went to the textile factory with you, but how can she have the nerve to stay home all day?”

“Not just that, she likes to cause trouble. Honestly, no good points at all.”

“Well, not entirely. That face is pretty decent, quite like her mother.”

Shen Qingyao silently circled behind them, hands behind her back.

She placed one hand on Wang Guihua and the other on one of the gossiping aunties at the information station.

“Talking badly about people in broad daylight, don’t you think you should at least avoid being overheard?”

Her voice startled the gossiping women, who clutched their chests, muttering under their breath and casting looks of disdain at Shen Qingyao.

Her fake smile successfully ignited Wang Guihua’s anger. She slammed the cabbage down hard into the basin and turned her face away.

Seeing Wang Guihua like that, Shen Qingyao wasn’t about to let it go.

“I’m saying, Auntie, next time you want to badmouth me with my stepmother, could you try to avoid me? I heard everything.”

She crouched down, pretending to pick at the cabbage leaves.

After a few picks, her smile returned as she began tearing the cabbage apart.

The aunties grumbled quietly for a moment before individually starting to criticize Shen Qingyao.

“So what if you heard? You’re an adult, don’t you know how to earn work points at the textile factory?”

“Don’t even know whose son married you. That’s just bad luck!”

After speaking, the aunties covered their mouths to stifle their laughter.

As mealtime approached, people slowly began arriving at the courtyard carrying dishes and bowls.

A plump auntie appeared, carrying a basin with a potato inside.

“Speaking of which, Director Jiang and his family have been transferred back, did you know?”

“How old is his son now? I think he should be old enough to talk about marriage, right?”

“Of course. Director Jiang’s son can’t be wrong; he’s quite the handsome one…”

Her own part was conveniently skipped over.

Director Jiang? His messy son? She didn’t care at all.

But it was fortunate for these aunties; otherwise, Shen Qingyao would have long ago thrown the basin.

Wang Guihua listened intently to their talk about the Jiang family, completely unaware that Shen Qingyao had already gone back inside.

After rummaging around at home, Shen Qingyao reluctantly managed to prepare her lunch.

The afternoon was the perfect time for a nap.

No sooner had Shen Qingyao lain down than the system’s voice sounded.

[Host, a new task has arrived: assist the original body’s older brother.]

[What can I do?]

Thinking of Shen Qingye, Shen Qingyao felt an uncontrollable pang of sorrow.

In the novel, Shen Qingye’s life was always miserable.

Both mentally and physically, he suffered greatly.

If possible, Shen Qingyao was willing to change his fate.

[Shen Qingye has been framed and falsely accused. Please find a way to prove his innocence.]

Framed?

Suddenly, Shen Qingyao recalled how her brother had been hurriedly called away by someone from the steel plant last time.

Could it be that someone had been scheming against him since then?

The door slammed open with a loud clang, as if it had been forced.

Shen Qingyao peeked out to see Shen Dongsheng, drunk and being supported back by Wang Guihua and another person.

Before he even settled into the chair, Shen Dongsheng vomited everywhere.

Shen Qingyao was about to turn and go back to her room when Shen Dongsheng drank some water and started shouting loudly.

“Where’s Shen Qingyao?”

“Call her out! I want to have a proper talk with her!”

“Her mother died early. Didn’t she and her brother rely on me? And yet when I ask for money, they don’t give me a cent.”

Hearing Shen Dongsheng demand money from Shen Qingye made Shen Qingyao furious.

“You stole money from my brother?”

“What do you mean stole? It’s your father. What’s wrong with your brother helping out the family?”

Wang Guihua glared.

When it came to Shen Qingye, she wished he would just die sooner.

In essence, Shen Dongsheng was still a traditional man, and so was society.

She and Shen Dongsheng were both on their second marriages. If Shen Dongsheng died, by rights, the house and money should go to Shen Qingye.

But Wang Guihua was unwilling to accept that.

Originally, she had driven Shen Qingye out, thinking she could control him that way.

Wang Guihua was shameless; Shen Qingyao had no intention of respecting her.

Quick as a flash, Shen Qingyao plunged her hand into Shen Dongsheng’s jacket pocket, searching for money and bills.

The things her brother had intended to give her last time had been snatched away by Shen Dongsheng.

“Shen Dongsheng, are you even human? How dare you steal my brother’s things!”