Han Xinrui’s heart sank when she heard what the gatekeeper said.

She was still a step too late.

She took a deep breath and asked Mr. Chen, the gatekeeper, “How do you know the place was rented out?”

Mr. Chen smiled and replied, “When they moved in, your in-laws helped them out. Your husband came too. They all looked quite familiar with each other.”

Hearing this, Han Xinrui’s heart sank even further.

After a brief pause, she said softly, “This house was managed by my in-laws. I just came by today to have a look, and I didn’t know someone had already moved in.”

Mr. Chen looked surprised. “Your in-laws were all there when that family moved in. I thought you’d agreed to it. You’d better go ask them. That house belongs to your parents.”

Han Xinrui smiled and thanked him, then walked toward her own house.

In her past life, Huo Hongtao had told her he sold the house to a distant relative. It wasn’t until later that she learned that so-called relative was Bai Qingqing’s younger brother.

She had made a fuss about it, but in the end, she was painted as ignorant, ungrateful, petty, and overly calculating.

In this life, even if she had to sell that house, she would never let Huo Hongtao or Bai Qingqing benefit from it in any way.

She walked to the window of her house and tried to peek inside, when she heard a man’s voice from within.

“Mom, tell my sister to step it up and hurry to get this house for us.”

“What’s the rush? We just moved in. These things take time. If the house belonged to Huo Hongtao, it’d be easy enough for your sister to ask for it. But this house belongs to Huo Hongtao’s wife.”

The man sneered, full of disdain. “That wife of his is so desperate she threw herself at him. She already gave us her salary and gold bars. Giving us the house won’t be that hard if she wants to keep pleasing him.”

Outside the window, Han Xinrui heard everything. Her fists clenched tight, and she was so furious she nearly ground her teeth to dust.

The voices inside continued.

“Mom, why doesn’t my sister just drag Huo Hongtao into bed? If they sleep together, wouldn’t that make it easier to ask for things?”

“Are you stupid? Your sister is smarter than that. A wife is never as good as a concubine, a concubine is never as tempting as an affair, and nothing excites a man more than what he can’t have. As long as she keeps stringing him along, he’ll keep falling deeper. Besides, the Huo family isn’t exactly wealthy. Huo Hongtao got his job by taking over after his wife’s father died. If he hadn’t married her, he might not have kept it. And she’s a worker too. Isn’t it great she’s out there making money for us?”

“…”

The people inside had no idea Han Xinrui was standing just outside the window, and they continued scheming against her with smug satisfaction.

Han Xinrui stood there for a while, took a deep breath, and held back the urge to storm inside. She turned and walked toward Huo Hongtao’s parents’ house.

Just as Huo Hongtao got home from work and opened the door, he saw Han Xinrui sitting there, her eyes red.

She had shown up the day after their wedding. Why was she here?

He and his wife exchanged a guilty glance toward the house next door.

They had let Bai Qingqing’s family move into the house. Could it be that Han Xinrui had found out?

Father Huo nudged his wife and gave her a look.

Mother Huo immediately stepped forward. “Xinrui, what’s wrong? Did something happen with Hongtao? Did he upset you?”

As soon as she said that, Han Xinrui burst into tears. “Mom, Dad, my dowry is gone! The gold bars are gone, and all the wages and ration tickets I saved over the last five years—gone!”

Han Xinrui didn’t question them about the house. She pretended not to know.

The house was right next door, and even the gatekeeper had said that her in-laws had helped during the move. The whole family had hidden it from her.

Since Bai Qingqing’s brother’s family had already moved in, it would be impossible to force them out right away. She needed another plan.

But she wasn’t going to leave empty-handed today.

Mother Huo knew about those gold bars.

She had coveted them for a long time but cared about her reputation. Since Han Xinrui had married into the family, she figured she could coax her into handing them over later, which would make it all the more justifiable.

Now, hearing they were gone, her expression changed drastically. “What!”

Han Xinrui explained, “Hongtao said he lost them! How can you lose so many things just like that?”

She pretended not to know who Huo Hongtao had given the items to, covering her face as she cried.

Mother Huo gritted her teeth and cursed, “No wonder that old hag next door is dripping in gold. Turns out it’s all ours!”

Then she realized she’d let something slip. Slapping her thigh, she turned to Han Xinrui. “Come on, let’s ask Hongtao! So much money and gold, and he just says it’s lost? Has he lost his mind?”

Even though she knew her son and Bai Qingqing had a murky relationship, she had no idea he had actually handed over so much money and those gold bars.

In her mind, that money was already hers. This was no different from someone robbing her.

She stormed into the compound where Huo Hongtao lived, dragging Han Xinrui along.

Just as they entered, they saw Huo Hongtao wiping Bai Qingqing’s mouth.

The two stared at each other, eyes practically dripping with affection.

Mother Huo instinctively turned to look at Han Xinrui, then immediately rushed forward and shoved Bai Qingqing aside. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Huo Hongtao, still exchanging flirtatious glances with Bai Qingqing, was startled by his mother’s voice but instinctively pulled Bai Qingqing into his arms.

Mother Huo lost it. She stormed forward and slapped Bai Qingqing hard across the face. “You wretch! My son just got married, and you’re already seducing him!”

She then yanked Huo Hongtao away and shouted, “Did you give Xinrui’s gold bars and money to Bai Qingqing?”

Huo Hongtao’s face darkened. He suddenly looked at Han Xinrui and growled, “You went crying to my mom? Han Xinrui, didn’t I say I’d pay you back? Do you have to make a scene every day? Do you even want to live together anymore? Can’t you let me have a moment’s peace?”

Han Xinrui calmly met Huo Hongtao’s furious, contorted expression. Her tone was cold and even. “You lost so much money and valuables. Shouldn’t your parents be told? You say you’ll pay me back. How? You gave your eighty-yuan monthly salary to Bai Qingqing. What will you use to pay me?”

Her words made Mother Huo’s eyes go wide. She barked, “Didn’t you say you were saving your wages for Xinrui?”

Han Xinrui wasn’t surprised by what Mother Huo said.

In her past life, Huo Hongtao had handed over all his wages to Bai Qingqing and her son, yet told his parents he gave everything to his wife.

That had made her look like a good-for-nothing, unreasonable shrew.

She chose the right moment to gasp and covered her mouth in disbelief. “Hongtao, when did you ever give me the money? Ever since you took over my father’s job, you’ve always said Bai Qingqing and her son were struggling and needed help, so your wages went to them first.”

Hearing this, Mother Huo lunged at Bai Qingqing. “I let your brother stay in our house, and you treat us like fools? Spending my daughter-in-law’s dowry, living off my son’s wages, you shameless tramp! I’ll rip your face off!”