Chapter 52
“That person is usually domineering. Why did you offend her? Who knows what the people outside would say about you later.” Shen You’s mother, Zou Yujing, closed the door before speaking.
“You two care too much about the opinions of these irrelevant people.”
Although the house was only about 60 square meters and the decoration was old, everything felt familiar and reassuring.
Shen You put down her things, went to wash her hands, and took a bowl to eat.
“Xiao You, who sent all these things?” Mother Shen looked at the pile of high-end gift boxes on the floor, feeling somewhat at a loss.
During previous holidays and festivals, no one had ever sent such things. Just by looking at the packaging, one could tell they weren’t cheap, especially that wine.
Shen You replied calmly, “Collectors who asked me to take orders for restoring antiques.”
Only then did Father and Mother Shen feel at ease.
People who collected antiques at home were never short of money. What they considered expensive was probably just ordinary gift boxes to those people.
“The mooncakes on this side can be taken to give to others. I’ll put those things inside, and we’ll eat them ourselves. Don’t give them to those people.” Shen You added.
Seeing her serious expression, Father and Mother Shen nodded in agreement.
Shen You knew clearly that once she spoke, her parents would definitely not take anything outside again.
“There’s another matter I need to tell you in advance. I bought you a small house in Jiang City for your retirement. Don’t let relatives and neighbors know about this.”
In this small place, if people knew she had bought a two-million-yuan house in such a short time after taking over the shop, it would bring her trouble.
When the renovation was finished, they would move there directly. Her kind-hearted eldest aunt could be received, but they shouldn’t tell anyone else the address.
Before that, she needed to handle the family matters. After scamming so much money from her family and running away,
She had to find a way to track down that person. If there was no money to repay, then they would go in and sing jailhouse blues.
“How could you not mention such a big thing as buying a house first?” It took a while for Shen You’s mother to react. “Everyone says buying houses now is risky. How much did you loan?”
Houses in Jiang City weren’t cheap for them. Even their uncle, who had some family wealth, would need to scrape money together.
Father and Mother Shen were both worried that their daughter wouldn’t be able to repay later. The family was already paying monthly installments and couldn’t help her much.
They were also worried about the unfamiliar surroundings of the new house.
“Not much. I can afford it. Don’t worry.” Shen You smiled. “The house doesn’t have a guest room. I’ve already contacted a renovation company.”
The couple originally wanted to say where would relatives stay without a guest room, but seeing her absolutely non-negotiable expression, they didn’t speak further.
They felt guilty toward their daughter about the guarantee matter. This house was bought by the child through her own abilities, so they couldn’t really offer any opinions.
Seeing their daughter now capable, they were also happy in their hearts.
“Mom, I transferred twenty thousand yuan to you. After the holiday, I’ll sign you up for a tour group to the capital. You can go out and have a good time.”
“That would cost so much money. It’s too expensive. You need money in many places outside. Keep this money for yourself. We don’t want it.” Mother Shen shook her head.
Shen You said firmly, “I’m not short of these tens of thousands of yuan. You keep it.”
Only after confirming repeatedly did the couple feel at ease taking the money.
Shen You dragged her suitcase into her room, put on headphones, and checked the surveillance in the shop. Everything was normal.
**
On Mid-Autumn Festival, they ate at her eldest aunt’s house. Several families of relatives lived nearby.
Relatives from both parents’ sides would spend holidays together as usual, with each family contributing some money for dishes.
If there was any advantage to this family, it was that whether on ordinary days or during holidays and festivals, the men were the ones who cooked.
**
After Shen You got up in the morning, she watched the surveillance outside the shop.
Liu Zheng stood in front of the door, obviously not quite accustomed to this way of transmitting messages that was beyond his cognitive range.
He and Zhong Jing looked left and right at the door panel, reached out tentatively to poke it, leaned in to listen, then finally stood straight and proper.
“Shopkeeper Shen.” Liu Zheng said to the door panel. “The batch of goods from the day before yesterday has all been sold. Many high officials and nobles in the capital are asking when new ones will arrive.”
“I heard that two favored ladies in the palace got into a fight over a box of rouge.” He said this last sentence very quietly.
“The prices of these things outside have gone crazy. I almost couldn’t resist secretly adding money to sell them.”
After hearing Liu Zheng’s report, Shen You thought to herself, “this kid is really a genius”.
He could split the quantity of one box into two portions, large and small.
This was a replay video, so she couldn’t respond. She would split the money with him when she returned to open the shop.
She lay in bed, took a nap, then got up and changed into casual Song-style short shirt and pleated skirt, carrying things to go eat.
After greeting several relatives, She found a place to sit on the sofa.
Next to her were the son and daughter-in-law of her second uncle who had run away, namely her cousin and cousin-in-law, the one who had been honey-trapped.
On the other side were her eldest uncle’s nephew and his wife.
Half the people in this living room had unpleasant conflicts with her.
During New Year, when her bad temper flared up and she brought up the guarantee matter, her second uncle’s son, who used to be successful, couldn’t stand being lectured by poor relatives.
Then as they argued, another victim who had invested money got angry and joined the battle. Her second uncle’s son started fighting with someone, and even overturned the dinner table.
Nobody had a good New Year. She kept a low profile on the side, playing games at midnight. She still felt good even thinking about it now.
This holiday was such that if her parents weren’t there, she really wouldn’t want to come back.
However, since she was back, she couldn’t return empty-handed.
The cousin-in-law was complaining to her mother again.
Over and over, she said that the man she had married was unreliable, that her second uncle owed so much money and was hiding outside to avoid debts, and that her children were pitiful.
Her mother fell for this routine, but Shen You didn’t.
“Do you still remember that relative from the old home in the village? He worked hard for half his life, saved some money hoping his child could study in the county, but then second uncle asked to borrow the money. Now that person’s child can only attend school in the village.
Unlike your two sons who have been in the city since childhood with nannies taking care of them. How pitiful.”
Shen You said this sincerely. The person across from her opened her mouth with an embarrassed expression.
Shen You would never forget that shortly after this family borrowed money from her home, the cousin and cousin-in-law took their two sons abroad to play.
When they returned, they said they had brought her a gift, with a condescending look in their eyes.
However what they brought out were cosmetics that cost more than ten yuan with free shipping online domestically. They had specially brought them back from abroad.
Her cousin-in-law had showed off at the time, saying she had bought a set of brand-name lipsticks at the duty-free shop.
In plain terms, they just thought these poor relative creditors only deserved to use cheap things.
“Cousin-in-law, I also brought you something.”
She smiled as she took out from her bag the same brand of cosmetics from back then, along with a large plastic bracelet from the antique street.
“I remember you specially brought this back for me before. You probably thought this brand was good to use, so I bought you two bottles. Also, this bracelet has been selling quite well on the antique street recently.”
The cousin-in-law’s face went stiff. Even though she was usually smooth in all situations, she was now choked up with chest tightness and heavy breathing.
What was good about it! She had just given the eldest aunt a Hetian jade bracelet that cost at least several hundred or a thousand yuan, plus a real silk shawl.
But for herself, it was plastic?
“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” Shen You’s smile became even more sincere.