Chapter 9

Chi Yiyi couldn’t help but snap back at her, “My suggestion is don’t give me anything. Just take care of your delicate, helpless self and stop being a burden.”

“Big Sister, you’ve really misunderstood me…”

Chi Bilian put on her usual tearful, pitiful look again.

Zhou Zixiao, seeing that Chi Yiyi was throwing sarcastic jabs at him again, finally lost his patience. “Chi Yiyi, can you not be like this all the time?”

Chi Yiyi stared at him, her eyes full of resentment. “Yes, I’ll never get over this, not in this lifetime. So please, stop bothering me.”

“As long as you’re not mine, I don’t care who you try to ‘warm up’ next.”

These were words Chi Yiyi had long wanted to say in her past life. Now that she finally got them out, she felt an immense relief.

Zhou Zixiao looked at her in disbelief. The Chi Yiyi he remembered wouldn’t dare talk to him like this—he’d always thought she needed him.

Meanwhile, Lin Ru and Chi Bilian were secretly overjoyed.

Perfect! Chi Yiyi must have lost her mind. She’s giving up on Zhou Zixiao, the golden goose. What a fool.

“Move! Don’t block my way,” Chi Yiyi shoved Zhou Zixiao aside and walked off.

Chi Bilian watched Zhou Zixiao’s stunned expression and silently thought about fanning the flames a little more, making Zhou Zixiao see Chi Yiyi’s “true colors.”

Just then, Chi Yiyi walked up right to Chi Bilian.

Chi Bilian suddenly grabbed her hand, playing the victim, “Big Sister, please don’t stay mad at Brother Zixiao. I know it was my fault the other day. If you’re upset, just hit me instead. I feel so guilty causing problems between you two. I really don’t want to—”

“Ah!”

Chi Yiyi knew Chi Bilian’s next move would be to grab her hand and dramatically throw herself to the ground, so she didn’t even let her finish talking before slapping her across the face.

It was a hard slap. Chi Bilian’s delicate, pampered face quickly swelled up with a red handprint.

Chi Bilian wasn’t willing to give up so easily. She deliberately turned her face slightly to show off the swelling for maximum effect.

Zhou Zixiao frowned at the sight.

Chi Yiyi was too violent.

Lin Ru jumped in with dramatic flair, “Ah! My poor girl, your face!”

“Chi Yiyi, do you even have a heart? You’re too much! My daughter sincerely tried to explain herself, and you hit her! I—”

Smack!

Before Lin Ru could finish her sentence or swing her hands, Chi Yiyi gave her a slap too—quick, clean, and brutal.

At that moment, Chi Daqiang walked in, and the group had a not-so-happy little reunion in the alley.

Lin Ru clutched her face and wailed to her husband, “Daqiang, your eldest daughter’s gone mad! First she hit Bilian, now she hit me too. Wuwuwu…”

“If you don’t do something, she’ll really go off the rails!”

Chi Yiyi turned around and met Chi Daqiang’s cloudy eyes with a defiant stare. Thanks to her space’s spiritual spring water, her body was stronger, her reflexes sharper. She wasn’t afraid of him at all.

Chi Daqiang could immediately sense something was different about Chi Yiyi’s aura, and for a moment, he shrank back.

Surprisingly, it was the blockheaded Zhou Zixiao who stood up, gritting his teeth as he stepped in front of Chi Yiyi. He turned to Chi Daqiang and said, “Uncle Chi, please don’t blame Yiyi. It’s my fault for upsetting her.”

Zhou Zixiao wasn’t stupid. He knew Chi Daqiang had his sights on Zhou family’s wealth, so he knew his words would carry weight.

Chi Bilian clutched her stinging cheek, furious enough to gnash her teeth, her heart hurting even more than her face.

Lin Ru was also dumbfounded, muttering, “Zixiao, you…”

Chi Daqiang quickly interrupted her, afraid she’d say something to ruin things again. He forced a smile and said, “Don’t worry, Zixiao. Yiyi is my daughter too. Of course, I won’t blame her.”

“Then thank you, Uncle Chi,” Zhou Zixiao said as he handed the money he had earlier to Chi Daqiang. “Please use this to take good care of Yiyi.”

But handing that money to Chi Daqiang was like throwing meat to a dog.

Chi Daqiang shamelessly accepted it, saying, “Of course, of course!”

Chi Yiyi was fuming. She had emptied out the Chi family home as revenge.

But this idiot Zhou Zixiao was still throwing money around like water. She’d definitely need to go “visit” the Zhou house again tomorrow.

Back in the Chi household, Chi Yiyi opened the door and almost laughed out loud at the empty house.

Aside from the stinky chamber pot, everything had been moved into her space.

Once she left for the countryside, she’d sell those things on the black market for cash.

Just the thought of it felt amazing.

Chi Bilian, frustrated, said, “Mom, where are we even going to sleep tonight?”

Lin Ru sighed, “We’ll have to sleep on the floor. Your dad went to the factory to ask for an advance. We’ll buy beds tomorrow.”

Chi Yiyi headed toward her little attic room. It was missing floorboards and had never fit a bed, so she’d always slept on the floor. But at least it was a private space.

Chi Daqiang suddenly called out, “Yiyi, you see how bad things are at home now. The police said they’ll try their best to catch the thief, but who knows when that’ll happen. Why don’t you take this chance to stay with the Zhou family?”

Chi Yiyi was about to tell him she had a train to the countryside tomorrow night, but then she remembered Zhou Zixiao’s earlier generosity and decided to mess with Chi Daqiang a bit.

“Dad, you really don’t understand men. If I rush over to the Zhou house now, do you think Zhou Zixiao will still be so eager to throw money at you?”

Chi Daqiang thought about it and realized she was threatening him.

Lin Ru, furious, snapped, “Chi Yiyi, don’t flatter yourself. That money was meant for Bilian—”

Afraid she’d ruin things again, Chi Daqiang shoved her toward the door. “No one’s eaten yet. Go buy some food from the state-run restaurant.”

Back in the house, Chi Bilian and Chi Yiyi locked eyes.

Chi Bilian silently sneered with provocation.

Chi Yiyi just scoffed.

Just then, Chi Junshu returned.

Chi Daqiang asked, “I told you to go to the machinery factory to ask for an advance. How much did you get?”

Chi Yiyi, standing on the stairs, perked up her ears.

Chi Junshu suddenly burst into tears, “Dad, they fired me from the factory! Wuwuwu…”

Chi Yiyi’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

Since he had gotten that job through connections, it was only fitting that she got him booted the same way.