Chapter 24.1: The Fraud

Chen Xiaohui might have only heard the saying, “If money can solve it, it’s not a big problem.” She seemed to forget that money also stirs the heart.

Ye Fan sighed, “Giving money now—what about later?”

Without hesitation, Chen Xiaohui replied, “We’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

Ye Fan had the urge to ruffle her hair. “You just moved here this year. Giving twenty yuan for the New Year — Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping can understand that. But what about next year, during the Dragon Boat Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival? If Zhao Ruping asks you to come home for the holiday and you say you’re busy, shouldn’t you show some kind of gesture?”

Chen Xiaohui said, “I won’t give too much — don’t want them thinking I’m foolish and loaded with cash.”

Ye Fan thought to himself, Aren’t you already a bit foolish?

Taking a deep breath, Ye Fan asked again, “You live and eat at home, right? You’re not married. Even with a monthly allowance of fifteen yuan, you can still save ten. If you say you have no money, do you think Zhao Ruping will believe you?”

Chen Xiaohui replied, “But I need to keep a little for myself, don’t I?”

Ye Fan nodded. “Sure, but let me ask you this — you barely spend money, so how will you explain that?”

“What do you mean I don’t spend money?” Chen Xiaohui frowned.

Ye Fan: “Buying clothes, shoes, Pechoin cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, and drinking Coke? With Zhao Ruping’s personality, wouldn’t she say you don’t know how to manage your life? Wouldn’t she think you’ve gone astray? Then she’d catch a train to come find you.”

“I—” Chen Xiaohui wanted to say they wouldn’t have the time. Both of them were retired. Even if they had grandchildren to look after, Chen Kuanren could manage for a couple of days. Taking the express train from Shencheng to the capital, they could leave today and arrive tomorrow.

With Ye Fan’s attitude, if it were up to her, she’d give them nothing, anger the two old folks, and take the chance to cut ties. But this was Chen Xiaohui’s matter — if she didn’t speak up about cutting ties, who dared to decide for her?

After a moment of thought, Ye Fan said, “If you want to show filial piety, buy them clothes and shoes. But not a single cent in cash.”

Chen Xiaohui frowned slightly. “Good clothes and shoes aren’t cheap either.”

Ye Fan was speechless. “…You don’t have money, so why buy anything fancy? If Zhao Ruping asks about the money, just say you spent it on clothes. If she claims she asked around and says the clothes didn’t cost that much, tell her your parents are biased and didn’t give you a single cent. Everything you eat, wear, and use comes from your own pocket — might as well just move back to Shencheng.”

Chen Xiaohui’s eyes widened. What was she even saying?

Ye Fan, running out of patience, frowned. “Listen to me. You don’t have a job in Shencheng, right? Even a bowl of rice soup would cost Zhao Ruping and Chen Kuanren money. They definitely wouldn’t want you to move back. If you do, who’s going to buy them clothes?”

Chen Xiaohui suddenly realized — Wait… you can handle it like this?

Ye Fan: “If Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping egg you on to argue with your parents, just tell them Ye Fan is fierce, and you don’t dare. Then add that being a temp worker pays too little and feels pointless — tell them to find you a higher-paying job, and you’ll move back to Shencheng.”

“But what will they think of you?” Chen Xiaohui was confused. Didn’t Ye Fan realize that if she said something like that, Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping would probably curse her behind her back every day?

Ye Fan nodded. “So what? Aren’t they already badmouthing me now? Would they dare to shout and yell in front of me? I wasn’t born by them — if they curse me, I don’t hear it, but they do. So who are they really insulting? If I’m a useless brat, what does that make them?”

Chen Xiaohui opened her mouth to say something but found herself at a loss for words.

Ye Fan continued, “Are you afraid they’ll come looking for you? They’re actually scared you’ll go back right now. Ten or twenty years from now, when they need someone by their bedside, if you don’t return, they’ll be sending you three telegrams a day begging you to come. By then, won’t you have a family and kids? Just tell them the money’s for raising your children, and the kids are too young to be left alone — what can they do to you then?”

She paused for a moment before adding, “And if they dare cause trouble at your in-laws’ place, do you think your in-laws are pushovers? Unless you personally stop them out of consideration for their ‘face,’ your in-laws won’t tolerate it. But those two will only get bolder if you let them.”

The more Chen Xiaohui thought about it, the more it made sense — but how could she ever think to use her in-laws against her own family? “You… but the Ye family and the Geng family — it seems like only your mother-in-law is tough. Are you saying—?”

Ye Fan interrupted: “No, my mother-in-law just has a sharp tongue. My father-in-law earns more than Dabao’s dad, she has a pension, and Xiaoqin occasionally gives her a few yuan. They have more money than we do. She takes Dabao, Erbao, or Geng Zhiyé’s nieces and nephews to the Friendship Store without ever asking the price.”

“Then how do you know all this?”

Ye Fan thought to herself, I’m twenty-five, not fifteen, but what she really wanted to say was, I’m not you. Instead, she snapped, “Greed knows no bounds! Did you just barely scrape through high school?”

Chen Xiaohui’s face darkened. “You—you—”

“I know I talk harshly,” Ye Fan interrupted again. “If Zhao Ruping writes to ask how you’re doing here, tell her exactly this. Don’t worry about it getting back to your parents. Even if Zhao Ruping swears on her life in front of the supply and marketing cooperative, no one will believe her — because she has a bad reputation!”

Chen Xiaohui muttered, “What if she threatens to bang her head against the wall or hang herself?”

“Would she dare?” Ye Fan sneered. “It’s not that I look down on her — even if Chen Kuanren dares to pull something like that, she wouldn’t. Chen Kuanren doesn’t act out of bravery — he acts without thinking. He’s impulsive.” She grew more exasperated as she spoke. “Why are you afraid of people like that?”

Chen Xiaohui wanted to say, I’m not you. But she was staying at the Ye family’s house — why couldn’t she act like Ye Fan? Frustrated, Chen Xiaohui slapped her own forehead.

“What are you doing?!”

A startled shout rang out. Chen Xiaohui jumped and turned around, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw it was Geng Zhiqin. She asked, “Why aren’t you at the front?”

Geng Zhiqin pulled Ye Fan back a few steps. “Why are you acting crazy in broad daylight?”

Chen Xiaohui hurried to explain, “No, I—I was just mad at myself.”

Geng Zhiqin glanced at Ye Fan, silently asking if that was true.

Ye Fan nodded. Seems like it.

Geng Zhiqin still didn’t get it. “Even if you’re mad at yourself, you can’t just slap your own forehead. If something happens to you, not even my sister-in-law, with all her sharp words, could explain it away.”

Chen Xiaohui instinctively said, “No—never mind, just leave me alone. I need some time to myself.”

Geng Zhiqin quickly pulled Ye Fan away, worried she might hurt herself again. To anyone who didn’t know the situation, it might look like her sister-in-law was the one pushing her too hard. “If you don’t mind, tell us what’s bothering you. We can figure something out together — three heads are better than one.”

Ye Fan tapped the younger girl on the head.

Geng Zhiqin immediately corrected herself, “I’m the fool, you’re the strategist.”

Ye Fan said, “Chen Xiaohui, remember this — you’ve only been here for six months, you’re not permanent yet, and you have no money. If you buy clothes, just get something simple — the kind regular workers wear, nothing fancy.”

Seeing that Ye Fan was about to leave, Chen Xiaohui hurriedly asked, “What about shoes?”

Ye Fan resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “You. Have. No. Money!”

Chen Xiaohui nodded automatically.

Once they reached the front of the shop, Geng Zhiqin couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s her money? She’s not permanent yet, but after a few months—”

Ye Fan cut her off. “She’s been sending money back to Shencheng. She asked me how much to give, and I told her to act like she has none.”

Geng Zhiqin blurted out, “Is she seriously out of her mind?”

Ye Fan almost laughed. “A little — but looks like there’s still hope.”

Geng Zhiqin couldn’t help but glance back. Chen Xiaohui, who had been standing earlier, was now squatting down, hugging her knees like a pitiful child nobody wanted. “People who seem pitiful always have something frustrating about them.”

Ye Fan replied, “Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping made her this way. By the way, how’s business?”

Geng Zhiqin nodded. “I told the customers this is the last shipment before the New Year. Even the bargain-hunting uncles and aunties didn’t dare wait any longer. Sister-in-law, this really is the last batch, right?”

Ye Fan said, “There’s one more shipment.” She noticed a few customers pausing mid-purchase and added, “The goods from Xicheng and Dongcheng supply cooperatives won’t be sent here.”

Geng Zhiqin asked, “So both shops share one truckload?”

Ye Fan nodded. “That’s all there is on the island.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the customer standing next to Ye Fan stopped fussing over the selection, grabbed a handful of candy without hesitation, paid, and quickly left.

Ye Fan chuckled softly.

Geng Zhiqin was curious. “Sister-in-law, what’s so funny?”

Ye Fan shook her head. “Nothing. I barely slept last night. You drive me home.”

Geng Zhiqin glanced at Ye Fan’s expression. Her sister-in-law wasn’t just tanned — her face was sallow from a sleepless night. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Come on, get in the car. Oh, and don’t forget your scarf and hat.”

As soon as Ye Fan got home, she went straight to sleep, only waking up in the evening when Chen Xiaohui returned from work. Still groggy, Ye Fan stepped outside. Chen Xiaohui was in the yard washing vegetables, while Tao Chunlan was in the kitchen rolling out noodles.

“Where are Dabao and Erbao?” Ye Fan asked.

Tao Chunlan couldn’t help but grumble, “Your mother-in-law took them.”

Ye Fan raised an eyebrow. “She wanted to take them, and you just let her?”

Chen Xiaohui glanced toward the kitchen, because she had been wondering the same thing.

Tao Chunlan said, “She claimed your father-in-law missed Erbao. If Erbao didn’t go over, she said she’d bring your father-in-law here instead. What’s that supposed to mean? His health isn’t great — if he gets sick, what will people think of me? I’m telling you, she did it on purpose!”

Chen Xiaohui nodded. Yes, Yu Wentao did it on purpose.

Ye Fan chuckled. “Did she take any clothes or shoes for them?”

Tao Chunlan looked surprised. “Did you forget? I asked you earlier where Dabao and Erbao’s clothes were, and you said they were in the bag.”

Ye Fan had no recollection of this. “I must’ve been too tired.”

Tao Chunlan said, “I’ll walk you back when you head home.”

Ye Fan quickly refused, “If you get sick, what will people think of me? Since you’re so eager to take care of the kids, why not take them for the next half month? It’ll give me some peace and quiet.”

Tao Chunlan, rejected once again, was visibly upset. “I’m going to the Geng family tomorrow!”

Ye Fan nodded. “Go ahead. You can even stay there. Geng Zhiyé and I have an empty room — it’s perfect—”

Tao Chunlan cut her off. “Get lost! Don’t annoy me here!”

Startled, Chen Xiaohui accidentally dropped the vegetables she had just scooped up back into the basin. She shot a nervous glance at Ye Fan, but Ye Fan simply turned and walked away, calm and composed, as if the argument had nothing to do with her. Chen Xiaohui wanted to ask — aren’t you even a little angry?

Ye Fan floated past her, heading into the main room to grab a thermos, pour some water, and wash her face and brush her teeth.

Chen Xiaohui couldn’t understand — how could her heart be so unbothered?

Even if Ye Fan didn’t acknowledge Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping, she still knew she wasn’t Tao Chunlan’s biological daughter. So why didn’t she care at all?

Because Ye Fan was no longer the old Ye Fan. It was Tao Chunlan who arranged her marriage, looked after the children, and supported her, while it was Ye Fan’s father who paid for everything. No matter what happened, in Ye Fan’s heart, she only had one set of parents.

Unless the Ye family abandoned her.

Tao Chunlan walked over to Chen Xiaohui. “Are the vegetables ready?”

Chen Xiaohui quickly snapped out of her thoughts. “Yes, yes, they’re ready.”

Tao Chunlan, curious, glanced at the main room. “What were you looking at?” There was no one inside.

Feeling oddly guilty, Chen Xiaohui blurted out, “Isn’t Erbao too young to not be fussy?”

Tao Chunlan looked surprised. “That? No. Erbao knows Fanfan is here. If she misses her, she just comes over to see her.”

No wonder she’s Ye Fan’s daughter — even at such a young age, her heart is just as carefree.

Chen Xiaohui was impressed. “Erbao is really well-behaved.”

Tao Chunlan nodded. “Go wait inside.”

Chen Xiaohui followed her to the kitchen to get three sets of bowls and chopsticks, while Tao Chunlan carried the pot.

Ye Fan put the towel and washbasin away. “Mom, is Sister-in-law not coming back tonight?”

Li Mingyue’s family home was close to her workplace. Normally, if she didn’t want to stay at her work dorm, she’d go back to her parents’ house. On nice weekends, she’d come here, especially after hearing that Ye Fan was back recently — she missed Dabao and Erbao. But with the freezing weather, Tao Chunlan worried about her riding a bike in the cold and told her to wait until the New Year to visit again.

Tao Chunlan understood why Ye Fan was asking. “Lock the door. I’m going to the Gengs’ tomorrow.”

Ye Fan sighed helplessly. “Go, go — who’s stopping you? Do you want me to go with you?”

Tao Chunlan served her a bowl of noodles. “You’re not going. If you go, they’ll make you stay too.”

Ye Fan chuckled. “Geng Zhiyé is my husband—”

Chen Xiaohui couldn’t help but interrupt, “Mom’s right!”

Tao Chunlan grinned proudly. “Hear that? Listen to Xiaohui.”

Ye Fan thought to herself, Chen Xiaohui isn’t like you. She thinks Geng Zhiyé has someone else in his heart and that we’ll end up divorced sooner or later.

But Ye Fan had never asked Geng Zhiyé about it directly — she didn’t need to. She’d observed him carefully. There was absolutely no one else in his heart. Besides, with Geng Zhiyé’s picky, all-or-nothing personality, if there really was someone, he wouldn’t have married her. The only way he’d agree to a marriage like theirs would be if his father were on his deathbed, forcing him into it.

Yet when she and Geng Zhiyé met through a matchmaker, he was twenty-six — not exactly late for a military man. Geng’s father was just in poor health, not anywhere near knocking on death’s door.

Chen Xiaohui seemed just as stubborn — once she made up her mind, not even ten oxen could pull her back. Explaining things to her would probably be a waste of breath. Besides, when it came to married life, only those involved knew the real situation — there was no need to justify it to others. Ye Fan simply smiled and said, “I’ll listen to you both.”

Tao Chunlan smiled too, but the moment she turned and saw Chen Xiaohui, her smile froze.

The next morning, as soon as Chen Xiaohui left for work, Tao Chunlan grabbed Ye Fan and opened the two rooms on the south side. “Look at this, Fanfan. Our house looks like a junkyard.”

Ye Fan stepped inside, and a strong, musty smell hit her right away — no wonder the old lady was fuming. Even the cave dwellings she once lived in were cleaner than this.

Ye Fan patted Tao Chunlan’s arm. “You step outside first. Let me take a look.”

From the doorway, Tao Chunlan kept grumbling. “It’s all tables, cabinets — even jewelry boxes. They call it antiques. Even if they are antiques, gold, silver, and porcelain aren’t worth much. And who’s going to buy broken furniture? Look at that narrow table — the legs are so thin. What can you even put on it?”

Ye Fan followed her gaze and saw what looked like an ancient writing desk, the kind used for calligraphy — a place for brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. But she couldn’t be sure — she’d only seen something like it once, back when she stayed at a traditional Chinese-style inn in her past life. “Maybe it’s just for display,” she said.

Tao Chunlan grumbled, “People can barely get enough to eat — who has the time or mood to look at this stuff?”

Ye Fan asked, “Is the library still open?”

Tao Chunlan shook her head. “Not sure. Why?”

Ye Fan replied, “Then I’ll go to the secondhand market and see if there are any books about this kind of furniture. Even if you want to throw it away or chop it up for firewood, she needs to be willing to let it go. If you want to tell her she’s been scammed, you need proof, right?”

Tao Chunlan went to push the cart. “Are you going now, or do you want to take a bath first?”

Ye Fan said, “I’ll go now. I’ll bathe in the afternoon.”

The secondhand market was quite far from the Ye family’s home, and by the time Ye Fan arrived, she was sweating from the exertion.

The market looked rundown, filled with heaps of junk. Some items were piled up in the yard, while others were stacked indoors. Only one person seemed to be tending to the place.

When Ye Fan walked in, the woman was busy sorting through the goods. She barely glanced at Ye Fan and said, “Look around yourself if you want to buy something.”

Ye Fan asked, “Are you the only one here?”

The woman nodded. “The others went out.”

Ye Fan said, “I’m looking for some books. How do you sell them?”

The woman replied, “By weight.”

Ye Fan glanced at the piles of items inside and outside. “Everything is sold by weight?”

The woman nodded again.

Ye Fan finally understood why Chen Xiaohui kept bringing things home every day. Even if the antiques were fake, chopping them up for firewood wouldn’t be a loss.

After rummaging through the entire secondhand market, Ye Fan ended up covered in dust but still couldn’t find a book specifically about ancient furniture. She had no choice but to pick a few old-looking books, hoping they might mention the characteristics of antique furniture or at least have some illustrations.

“Three fen,” the woman said, weighing the books and handing them to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan was surprised. “But I—” She hadn’t brought much money, and the smallest bill she had was a dime.

The middle-aged woman, clearly impatient, went back inside to find change. “Pick a few more things,” she said, eyeing Ye Fan’s army green pants and coat, the red scarf around her neck, and the thick cotton hat on her head. Her hands didn’t look like they’d done much hard labor. “You young people like to draw or read poetry, don’t you? Over there — those boxes are full of that stuff.”

Ye Fan asked, “There are still things in the boxes?”

The woman nodded. “There are some ornaments. Collected them a few days ago. Seems like the family needed money urgently. I didn’t want to buy them, but if the boss finds out, he’ll scold me for accepting random stuff. If you want them, I’ll give them to you at the original price.”

Ye Fan thought to herself — could I have actually stumbled upon real antiques?

She opened a few boxes stacked against the wall under the eaves. There were objects that looked like incense burners but weren’t quite right, and vessels that resembled ancient urns but seemed off. She picked one up to weigh it in her hand — it felt like iron. If she brought this home, the old lady would definitely blow a fuse.

Ye Fan glanced at the middle-aged woman, who kept nodding eagerly, her face full of anticipation. Judging by her demeanor, she didn’t seem very educated — likely had pulled a lot of strings just to get this job.

Sighing, Ye Fan said, “Big sister, can you find me a bag?”

The woman, delighted, quickly went inside to fetch a burlap sack.

Ye Fan’s eyes widened in shock. The old lady’s going to have a heart attack.

“No, no, not that big.”

The woman brushed aside Ye Fan’s hand. “Not worth much. Things like these — once you’re done looking at them, you can use them to light coal.” As she spoke, she tossed a few scrolls into the sack. They looked like paintings.

Ye Fan noticed the woman’s cracked fingers and the chilblains on the back of her hands. She turned her head away, feeling a bit helpless. “Fine, fine, just put them in.”

Seizing the moment, the woman quickly stuffed a handful of random, broken items — things too worn to be recycled and only good for burning — into the sack. Finally, she added a few bundles of books.

Before Ye Fan could get a clear look at the titles, the woman tied up the bag.

Placing the bag on the scale, the woman asked, “Comrade, there’s some copper in here. Should I charge you the price for iron?”