Su Huaiyuan was completely baffled!

He looked at his wife in confusion—he didn’t understand what she meant.

Those people would come knocking on their door tomorrow.

What would happen after that didn’t need to be said—anyone who had ever been reported followed the same miserable process.

Seeing her husband’s bewildered expression, Qiao Jiuru didn’t blame him in the slightest.

She herself had only just realized it yesterday.

No, to be precise, it was only after meeting the Song family that she became aware of a huge oversight—a potentially fatal one.

“Huaiyuan, we already know the motives of the people who reported us, that goes without saying. But what about the people who are coming to arrest us? What’s their goal?!”

Qiao Jiuru hinted to her husband—the motives of the two groups were different, but both posed deadly threats to their family.

“Money?! Property?!”

Su Huaiyuan may have been a scholar, but he was intelligent and not the least bit foolish.

He blurted it out without thinking.

Exactly—money and property.

“You’ve already stored away our money and property deeds.”

They were all stashed in the ink bangle space, safe and sound.

No one could find them, and no one but Qiao Jiuru could access them.

“Huaiyuan, that’s where the problem lies. If those people come tomorrow and search the house but find no money, no deeds, what do you think they’ll do to us?!”

No need to imagine it—if they found nothing and gained nothing, not a single person from the Su family might make it out alive.

As soon as Qiao Jiuru finished speaking, Su Huaiyuan broke into a cold sweat. His usually gentle and handsome face darkened with worry.

“We must put the money back. The deeds too. Ah-Ru, we can’t afford to lose even one member of our family. Wealth is just external—our lives come first.”

Without hesitation, Su Huaiyuan made his decision.

Wealth was nothing compared to survival.

“Yes, we need to return everything.”

Qiao Jiuru nodded calmly.

She wasn’t heartbroken over the money.

Once they returned to the capital, she could earn far more than this.

But she wasn’t going to let those people profit off them.

She would rather throw the money into a river than let them take it.

So, the moment she realized the issue, she thought of another solution.

“Huaiyuan, let’s put all the gold and silver we collected back where it was. But I have an idea…”

As she directed her husband to turn around and head straight for the Su and Qiao family properties, she whispered her plan.

“Ah Ru, that’s a brilliant idea.”

After hearing her out, Su Huaiyuan was thrilled and immediately agreed, his earlier frustration and helplessness swept away.

The couple moved quickly and efficiently. In just three hours, they had returned all the valuables to both family homes, including over a dozen property deeds.

By the time they got back home, it was nearly midnight.

Su Ze still hadn’t gone to bed.

He was sitting alone in the dark living room waiting.

“Xiao Ze, the money for you two and Wanwan’s jewelry are in your room. Don’t touch them. If someone comes tomorrow and takes them, don’t resist. The most important thing is not to get hurt. And absolutely don’t let them threaten us using Dabao and Xiaobao just because they didn’t find any money.”

“Your father and I have prepared enough supplies to last us several years. We’ll handle everything. You just need to keep yourselves safe.”

Seeing her eldest son’s worry and unease, Qiao Jiuru couldn’t help but remind him.

She feared that if the searchers found nothing, they might take it out on the children.

The adults were strong enough, but the kids were small and frail—and they were the heart of the Su family.

Those people wanted money. The Su family needed their lives.

Su Ze nodded firmly. His mother was absolutely right.

He and Zhou Wanwan had only spent a little over 200 yuan these days, and had sent 300 yuan to the Zhou family.

Most of the money was still there—if they wanted it, they could have it.

Especially since their parents clearly had a plan.

Trusting them was the right choice.

Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan didn’t even wash up before retreating into the ink bangle space, where they could clean and rest without wasting any time.

By the early hours of the morning, the couple quietly got up again.

They rode their bicycles straight to Grandma Qiao’s courtyard.

Once inside, they went to the corner that shared a wall with the Song family’s house and began tossing pebbles over the wall.

Clack.

In the dark, the pebbles hitting the ground made a soft sound.

Old Master Song and his wife had been unusually alert these days.

They’d gone to bed early last night, so they were in that groggy half-awake state when they heard the pebbles. Both of them woke up immediately.

“That must be Qiao niece and Su nephew. I’ll go take a look.”

Old Master Song quickly put on his clothes and got up, only to be held back by his wife. He gently whispered his guess to her.

As soon as he finished speaking, the previously worried old woman let go of his arm.

Soon, Old Master Song was by the shared wall.

He lowered his voice and called out: “Is that Qiao-niece and Su-nephew?!”

“Yes, it’s us, Uncle Song,” came Qiao Jiuru’s soft reply.

A short while later, she and Su Huaiyuan entered the Song couple’s home.

“Uncle, I want to ask you about something,” Qiao Jiuru got straight to the point.

What she needed to do might depend on the Song family’s help.

“Go ahead, niece.”

Old Master Song was forthright, without hesitation.

“I want to know where the head of the Committee lives. Or if he has any other properties where he stores the things he’s confiscated.”

Her question shocked Old Master Song—he didn’t understand what she was planning.

However…

“I do know a bit. He lives on Zhu Family Alley, but I’ve heard he also has properties on Shanxi Lane and Baishun Alley.”

Old Master Song shared what he knew.

He had found out because the Song family’s wealth and property had been confiscated by that man.

He’d even seen him at those locations.

“And also one in Jinyu Alley.”

It was Old Lady Song, who had been quietly listening, who added this.

She’d overheard it long ago.

Perfect.

Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan couldn’t help but smile.

Knowing the addresses was enough.

“Niece, the arrangements for Xiao Luo’s rural assignment are done, and Xiao Shu’s documentation is ready too. They’ll be meeting your daughter at the train station later today.”

Old Master Song then shared another piece of good news.

In order to ensure they were assigned to the same village as Su Huazhu, he had discreetly given ten yuan to someone at the local committee.

It was money well spent. With Xiao Shu’s paperwork ready too, the process went smoothly.

He had no regrets.

“My daughter’s name is Su Huazhu. With Xiao Luo and Xiao Shu being so young—and with two girls among them—it’s safer for the three of them to travel together. Also, Uncle Song, I asked someone to accompany and protect them along the way.”

This good news made Qiao Jiuru especially happy.

It would also put the Song family’s minds at ease.

Sure enough, Old Master Song and his wife looked far less worried after hearing that.

Soon, it was time for Xiao Lei to deliver the goods, so Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan returned next door.

And sure enough, within minutes, Xiao Lei and the others arrived.