Chapter 7 – Taking the Enemy’s Money and Running, Only to Discover She Had Time-Traveled Too

The next morning, Xia Wanwan accompanied her elder sister home.
The neighbors were curious at first, but when they learned that it was the younger sister coming to fetch her, they kept their comments to themselves.

As for where those three people’s ashes were buried, the neighbors didn’t care to know—after all, the Tang family had never been decent folk, and they’d long since offended every household around them.

Naturally, everyone now kept their distance; no one wanted to bring up such unlucky business again.

Once the sisters entered the house, Xia Yuwei headed straight to her in-laws’ room and retrieved the deed and passbook. Meanwhile, Xia Wanwan discreetly used the money rat’s “light paws” to help her sister dig up a trove of valuables—including her sister’s original dowry chest.

Inside were all sorts of fine jewelry and trinkets. The shamelessness of this family—her sister’s own belongings, and they’d actually taken them for themselves!

After that, Xia Yuwei packed only a few changes of clothes, then stood at the doorway with her things, frowning at the deed in her hand. If she sold the house, it would cover the travel expenses for her and her sister, but… who would buy it?

“Still reluctant to leave?” Xia Wanwan asked, seeing her sister hesitate in the doorway.

“How could I be!”

“Oh, Yuwei, you’re leaving?”

It was Aunt Wang from next door—a good-hearted neighbor who would speak up for Xia Yuwei now and then when she couldn’t stand to watch injustice.

The new bride had been married into the family for only two months, and now all three members of her husband’s family were dead. So young, she would surely remarry; perhaps she’d never return here again.

“Aunt Wang, thank you for looking after me all this time—I know how kind you’ve been. My sister and I are going down to the countryside, so I won’t be keeping the house…”

“That’s for the best. You’re a good girl, so young—it’s only right to marry again someday.”

“Yuwei, if you really want to sell the house… why not sell it to me?” The older woman looked almost embarrassed, as though she were taking advantage of the situation.

A faint smile touched Xia Yuwei’s lips. She knew Aunt Wang’s family was cramped for space, and there were no suitable houses for sale nearby. Once she mentioned selling, the woman would definitely be interested.

“Then thank you, Aunt Wang. All the appliances in the house can go with it—just pay whatever price you think is fair.”

“You poor child, how could I shortchange you? You know my family’s big, and this house is just the right size. I’ll be straight with you—how about 900 yuan?” Aunt Wang offered cheerfully.

The house was worth at most 800, but given that Yuwei was including all the appliances, she added a bit to the price—no need for people in the courtyard to say she’d taken advantage.

“Deal!” Xia Yuwei agreed without hesitation. The old lady paid on the spot, and the two of them went to handle the transfer. Xia Wanwan stayed behind in the house, bored, waiting for her sister’s return.

Just then, a plump, round-faced woman waddled over. After giving Xia Wanwan a once-over, she asked cautiously, “Girl, did your sister sell the house?”

“Mm.”

“Then can I suggest something to you?”

The plump woman walked right in, handed her a handful of sunflower seeds, and smiled.

“What is it, Auntie?”

“Your sister’s father-in-law was the deputy manager at the cosmetics factory. Now that he’s gone… could that job be sold to my Old Du?”

Xia Wanwan raised her brows. So that was it.

Aunt Fatty grinned sheepishly. “Old Du’s been a workshop supervisor for years, and if he could… well, don’t worry, I wouldn’t shortchange your sister. We’d pay this much.” She held up a finger.

One hundred? Wanwan wondered.

“What, you think a thousand is too little? When your sister comes back, talk to her. I can even go higher, alright?”

Wanwan almost choked on a sunflower seed. A thousand, not a hundred? She smiled and nodded, and Aunt Fatty left satisfied.

Who would have thought that the once-proud Tang family would collapse overnight… truly, fortune’s wheel turns.

Before long, Xia Yuwei returned with Aunt Wang, whose smile was so wide it nearly split her face—the house was perfect, she couldn’t be happier.

“Got it done, sis?”

“Mm, let’s go.”

“Not so fast. One of the aunties over there asked if you’d sell the Tang family’s job—offered a thousand, maybe more,” Wanwan said with a sly grin.

Yuwei’s eyes lit up. Right—how could she have forgotten? Selling it would mean more cash, and life in the countryside wouldn’t be so hard.

“Of course I’ll sell. Wait here.” Yuwei went straight to Aunt Fatty’s house. In no time, the woman came out beaming, and with a glance from her sister, Wanwan saw them head out together.

They went to the factory to do the transfer in front of the accountant. Even without a manager, the factory was still running, and Aunt Fatty never imagined she’d get the job so easily. Her Old Du was set to strike it rich now.

Yuwei left with 900 yuan from the house, 1,200 from the job, and over 10,000 from her earlier “clean sweep.” Holding 12,100 yuan in her hands, it felt like a dream—it was, at least, compensation for all she’d endured.

With the neighbors sending them off, the two sisters dragged their big suitcases away, never to return again.

Meanwhile, in the hospital, Bai Yanlang woke up, still unable to accept being crippled. Surgery was out of the question—he couldn’t even eat or write anymore.

No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn’t figure out who had done it—cleaned out the house without a sound, and even caused trouble at his brother-in-law’s place. Could it have been Xia Chengzhi?

No, they’d already boarded the train; there was no way he could have known what Bai had done.

But then… who wanted him ruined?

Suddenly, he remembered something—under the tree in the backyard…

But when Liu Simu went to look, she understood what it felt like for the sky to fall.

Everything was gone.

Even if all the money in the house had been stolen, she could have borne it—because she knew this place still had their final fallback. But now…

From here on, their family would be penniless. Her man’s job was gone, the Xia family had been dragged down with them, and in the end—who would help them now?

It was enough to drive them to despair.

Bai Huanxi woke to the sound of wailing outside. He was just about to curse when he realized this wasn’t the Lu residence. Looking around, it seemed like the Western-style house his father had lived in before striking it rich. But how was he here?

Glancing at the wall calendar—1976.

How could it be ’76? Wasn’t it 1979 now?