Chapter 38

“What’s the matter? Addicted to stealing now? Even as a ghost, you want to come steal my money?” Qiao Xinyi deliberately twisted Chen Ju’s words. 

“Well, you better die early. This handful of money is all my family has. If you take too long to die, I’ll spend it all, and then even as a ghost, you won’t be able to steal a thing.” 

“Alright, you’re just a little girl with a sharp tongue—too rude. Say less,” the old man scolded Qiao Xinyi. Then he turned to urge Qiao Laiwang, “Don’t just stand there like a fool!” 

“I…” Qiao Laiwang stammered, scratched his head awkwardly, and looked at Chen Yubing, “I don’t have any money, you…” 

“You’re not the one supporting a family, so of course you don’t have money. I’m the one supporting the whole family, do you think I have money?” Chen Yubing sneered. 

“Chen Yubing, you’re deliberately trying to wear me down!” Chen Ju really wasn’t faking her pain—she was sweating cold from the pain. 

Qiao Laiwang’s face darkened; he felt Chen Yubing gave him no face at all. 

He looked at Qiao Xinyi and asked, “What do you think we should do?” 

His meaning was clear: Qiao Xinyi was the one who hit the person, and since she had money to buy the soda last night, she must have money on her. As a dad, Qiao Laiwang felt embarrassed asking his daughter for money in front of the neighbors, so he passed the problem to Qiao Xinyi. 

Qiao Laiwang thought, “I’ve already said I have no money, so surely Qiao Xinyi will volunteer to pay?” 

Unexpectedly, Qiao Xinyi rolled her eyes at him and said, “You’re almost forty years old and you want me, a kid, to teach you? If you don’t have money, why not borrow from the neighbors first? Then pay them back when you get your salary next month.” 

Qiao Laiwang’s face darkened even more—he never expected Qiao Xinyi to talk back like that. 

Afterwards, Qiao Xinyi muttered, “You want me to say what to do? Hilarious. I don’t earn money—what else can I do? I can’t exactly follow your example and go stealing money for you at night, can I? Stealing from family is bad enough; stealing from others and you go to jail!” 

“I didn’t say those things,” Qiao Laiwang hurriedly interrupted, afraid Qiao Xinyi would say something even worse, then turned to look at the old man who had spoken earlier. 

Qiao Laiwang had never been so embarrassed in his life. Of course, he felt ashamed to ask to borrow money, so he just looked at the old man, waiting for him to offer. 

The old man, seeing Qiao Laiwang’s look, wanted to curse right then and there. Dealing with the Qiao family’s mess tonight was the worst bad luck he’d ever had! 

“Come with me and I’ll give you money. I’ll have my son lend you some, but you promise to pay it back next month when you get your salary. My son has to support a whole family—not like you who don’t have that burden.” 

As he walked, thinking about how Chen Ju had conned away twenty years of Qiao Laiwang’s salary, he threatened, “I don’t care what excuses you have, if you don’t pay back after payday, I’ll go to your boss at the factory!” 

The old man finally muttered, “What a rotten day this is!” 

Qiao Laiwang borrowed money and even a bicycle, then took Chen Ju to the hospital overnight. The neighbors’ excitement was over for the night; everyone had work the next day and went home early to sleep. 

Qiao Xinyi closed the door. Qiao Baihe and Qiao Yunbai were helping her pick up the scattered things on the floor. 

“Big sister, count the money and see if grandma stole any,” Qiao Yunbai said, handing over a handful of small coins. “I really didn’t expect grandma, at her age, to steal money.” 

“So embarrassing for the whole family compound,” Chen Yubing patted Qiao Xinyi’s head, looking sympathetic. “You must’ve been scared tonight.” 

Even the bravest girl, especially at just nineteen, would be terrified suddenly seeing a thief in the house late at night. 

“There was less than one yuan in my bag.” But she had deliberately exchanged the money into one-cent bills, so it looked like a lot scattered on the floor. Qiao Xinyi shook the handful of small coins in her hand and sighed, “I guess I’m just too moral—if you want to take down an old person, you’ve got to think it through.” 

Chen Yubing: “…” 

Qiao Baihe: “…” 

Qiao Yunbai: “…” 

The three of them were speechless, staring dumbfounded. Qiao Xinyi swept the broken stool aside and turned to them, “It’s nothing, hurry up and go back to sleep.” 

“Big sister…” Qiao Yunbai’s voice trembled, “You… you knew?” 

“Otherwise, why would I say in front of that old thing that I’m taking you all to the zoo tomorrow? And why would I shout that I have money and that I’m not crazy?” Qiao Xinyi waved her hand dismissively. 

When they dealt with Qiao Yougen and the others, they hadn’t bothered to take care of Chen Ju at the same time. After Qiao Yougen and the others left, without a proper reason, Chen Ju was still grandma, an elder and an old woman. If she didn’t find some excuse to act properly and make a move, tomorrow the whole family compound would be gossiping that Qiao Xinyi was disrespectful to her elders. 

Chen Ju didn’t live here, and her face was thick—she didn’t care about being scolded. But Chen Yubing and the others still lived here, and Chen Yubing still worked at the factory. Qiao Xinyi couldn’t let Chen Yubing get a bad reputation for not being able to raise children, and she also didn’t want Chen Yubing to hear others scolding her and get upset. 

Qiao Yunbai’s suspicion was confirmed, and when he looked at Qiao Xinyi again, his eyes shone with admiration. 

At 6:30 a.m., Qiao Laiwang returned with Chen Ju, and Qiao Xinyi was woken up from her sleep by Chen Ju’s voice. She thought they had come home, but when she opened her eyes, she saw the door was still locked—Chen Ju was downstairs yelling at her. 

Qiao Xinyi heard everything. Chen Ju was scolding her granddaughter to the early-rising neighbors, calling her heartless and saying she hit her so hard her leg was fractured. 

Qiao Xinyi stretched and clicked her tongue. Just a fracture, not crippled. 

She got dressed and went out to the corridor, shouting downstairs, “It’s so early, lots of neighbors are still asleep. You yelling down there disturbing everyone is really inconsiderate.” 

Not giving Chen Ju a chance to respond, Qiao Xinyi continued, “I’m just a weak girl hitting a thief at night. If I didn’t use all my strength, would I be playing at smashing tofu? Waiting for the thief to catch me, the witness, and strangle me?” 

“Besides, I’m from the countryside. It’s normal for me to have a bit more strength, isn’t it? Who told you to stay up at night and go thieving?” 

After roasting Chen Ju, Qiao Xinyi swung her arms and went back inside. 

Chen Ju was about to start cursing again, but Qiao Laiwang stopped her. 

“It’s still early. Many neighbors aren’t awake yet. Mom, don’t wake everyone up.” 

Qiao Laiwang hadn’t slept all night dealing with hospital stuff. He wanted to go back early and get an hour’s sleep before work, so he had no energy to argue with Chen Ju yelling downstairs. 

He carried Chen Ju back home, laid her on the bed, and fell asleep quickly amid her cursing. 

Chen Yubing didn’t like listening to Chen Ju’s scolding, and seeing Qiao Xinyi and the others all awake, took the three kids and left. 

They went to the Li family’s place, ate breakfast at Qiao Xinyi’s, then Chen Yubing went to work alone. 

Qiao Xinyi told Qiao Baihe and Qiao Yunbai to wait in the room. She grabbed her bag and went out alone. After about ten minutes, she came back with a bulging cloth bag.