Chapter 28

The mother and son looked at each other in silence.

Mother Shen observed his embarrassment and raised her eyebrows. “Is it so difficult to ask me for help?”

Shen Siyan remained silent.

Mother Shen laughed and whispered, “Alright, I’ll ask for you. Why are you making this request?”

Shen Siyan stayed silent for a moment. “I’ll explain later.”

Mother Shen glanced at him and said, “Oh, another secret.”

She asked, “Just ask for the list of buyers?”

“Um.”

Mother Shen understood. “Okay, I’ll let you know once I find out. Are you anxious?”

Shen Siyan nodded seriously. “Yes, I am.”

“…”

Mother Shen suddenly regretted her decision.

She shouldn’t have agreed.

Despite her thoughts, she managed to get the information for Shen Siyan that night.

The list of buyers contained no familiar names—neither Xu Zhijia, Xu’s mother, nor Xu’s father.

All the evidence for the confrontation was ready. Now, they just needed Xu Zhijia to produce the watch.

If they proceeded now, she might deny everything and even involve Aunt Liu to prove she didn’t take the watch.

—

Sunday morning.

Xu Zhilu got up early. As the weather was getting hotter, she changed into a short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts.

As she left her room, she noticed the watch on the bedside table.

Xu Zhilu considered it for a moment, then picked it up and put it on.

With her fair skin and thin wrists, the watch looked particularly striking on her.

Xu Zhilu stared at it for a few seconds before heading downstairs.

When she reached the bottom, Aunt Liu was busy in the kitchen.

Xu Zhilu went straight to the dining room, where Xu’s father was already seated.

She went to get some water, and when she turned around, Xu Zhijia and Xu’s mother had also come downstairs.

When breakfast was served, Father Xu said, “Eat.”

Everyone began to serve themselves.

Xu Zhijia turned to her father. “Dad, I still have to go to class today.”

Father Xu glanced at her and responded seriously.

Xu Zhijia continued, discussing the upcoming competition she would be participating in.

Father Xu listened with a calm expression.

Suddenly, Xu’s mother fixed her gaze on Xu Zhilu. “Zhilu.”

Xu Zhilu looked up.

Mother Xu pointed at Xu Zhilu’s watch and frowned. “Why does your watch look so familiar?”

As soon as she spoke, Xu’s father and Xu Zhijia also looked over.

Before Xu Zhilu could respond, Xu’s mother asked, “Isn’t this Jiajia’s watch? Why do you have it?”

Xu Zhilu paused and looked directly at her mother. “Mom, is this Jiajia’s watch?”

Xu Zhijia’s eyes widened in shock, her face turning pale. Just as she was about to speak, Xu’s mother said, “Of course! Jiajia bought this watch for herself some time ago. Why is it with you?”

In Xu’s mother’s memory, this type of watch couldn’t have been bought by Xu Zhilu. She had no money, and the watch was quite expensive. Xu Zhijia had even asked for 10,000 yuan to buy it.

Hearing this, Xu Zhilu smiled slightly and looked at Xu Zhijia. “Jiajia bought this watch? When?”

Xu Zhijia pursed her lips tightly, her face pale. Her hands trembled slightly as she stammered, “Ah, what?”

Xu Zhilu asked, “I heard Mom say I took your watch. Did I actually take it?”

Xu Zhijia was about to deny it when her mother showed her disapproval of her attitude.

“Zhilu, how can you speak like that? Are you now questioning your sister?”

She pointed out, “If I remember correctly, this watch costs 10,000 yuan. Did you buy it yourself?”

“No.”

Xu Zhilu replied frankly, “Mom, I didn’t buy this watch.”

Mother Xu retorted, “Then what’s the explanation? Have you started taking your sister’s things?”

She was furious. “How can you have no sense of shame?”

Xu Zhilu put down her chopsticks and looked directly at her mother. “Mom, if you’re saying I took my sister’s watch, why don’t you ask Jiajia if I took it?”

Mother Xu sneered. “I don’t even need to ask; you just took Jiajia’s watch.”

As she said this, she looked at Father Xu, hoping he would intervene. “Look at this. Your daughter has reached this point; she even takes Jiajia’s things.”

Father Xu frowned and looked sharply at Xu Zhilu. “Zhilu, did you really take your sister’s watch?”

“No.”

“How could you not have it?” Mother Xu said. “You didn’t buy it yourself. The watch you’re wearing is exactly the same as the one Jiajia had a few days ago.”

Hearing this, Xu Zhilu turned to Xu Zhijia. “Jiajia, when did you buy this watch?”

Mother Xu flew into a rage. “Why are you still arguing?”

Xu Zhilu faced their accusing looks with a calm demeanor.

“Whether I’m arguing or not, why don’t you just ask Xu Zhijia?”

Xu Zhijia, irritated by the exchange between Xu’s mother and Xu Zhilu, didn’t know how to respond.

She stared at Xu Zhilu’s watch, completely confused.

She bit her lip, wanting to deny it wasn’t hers, but she was worried about other complications.

Just then, Xu Zhilu suggested, “Mom, if Jiajia doesn’t want to say, you can check her room to see if her watch is still there and verify if I took it.”

She continued calmly, “I know you don’t like me. Disliking me is one thing, but accusing me of theft is another. To be blunt, this is stealing. I’m just a 17-year-old minor. I don’t want to carry the stigma of theft for the rest of my life.”

After Xu Zhilu’s words, Xu’s mother was left in a difficult position.

Father Xu spoke up.

“Aunt Liu.”

Aunt Liu, who had been listening to the argument from the kitchen, had not yet come out.

“Yes, sir.”

Father Xu directed, “Go to Jiajia’s room and bring all the watches from there.”

He turned to Xu Zhijia. “Where is the watch box?”

Xu Zhijia moved her lips but remained silent.

Father Xu didn’t wait for her. He told Aunt Liu, “You know where her things are. Take them down from the dressing table, bedside table, and so on.”

Aunt Liu looked momentarily stunned before asking, “Now?”

“Yes,” Father Xu said. “Immediately.”

Before Xu Zhijia could protest, Aunt Liu had already turned and gone upstairs.

—

Five minutes later,

A box containing Xu Zhijia’s watches was placed in front of everyone.

She had a jewelry box and a separate box for her watches. She didn’t leave her things lying around.

In addition to the commonly used watch box, Aunt Liu also brought a box from the bedside table.

She looked at the four people at the table with some embarrassment. “Sir, these are the young lady’s watches.”

Father Xu nodded. “Open them.”

Aunt Liu had no choice but to comply.

As the two boxes, one large and one small, were opened, Xu Zhijia’s watches were displayed.

She had quite a few watches, both expensive and cheap.

The cheapest ones cost a few thousand yuan, while the most expensive ones could cost hundreds of thousands.

Looking at the watch worth hundreds of thousands, Father Xu frowned and asked, “Did you buy this watch for her?”

Mother Xu’s face turned pale, and she nodded.

Father Xu took a deep breath and scolded, “Have I ever told you that they are just high school students? Don’t use these things to decorate yourself!”

He continued, “You let her wear a watch worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. What kind of values are you trying to instill in her?”

Mother Xu opened her mouth anxiously. “I just thought that…”