CHAPTER 395: CHAPTER 404: ASKING FOR MONEY

"Granny, what did they say?"

Qin Xiangnuan, despite the current chaos in her heart, was strangely calm in her thoughts. Perhaps she had anticipated such a day would come, or maybe she’s been accustomed to competing against Hu Li and her son from her previous life.

In her previous life, she never won, not even once.

But this life might be different.

Granny Lu paused for a while, seemingly with things to say but not knowing how to express them. Eventually, she couldn’t hold back and spoke to Qin Xiangnuan.

"Nuannuan, Hu Li is demanding money, what should we do?"

"Demanding money?" Qin Xiangnuan felt her entire worldview collapse at Hu Li’s audacity, as if her integrity across two lifetimes shattered alongside it. Who could tell her, just how much shamelessness one needs to utter such words, commit such acts.

Asking Granny Lu for money. Hu Li was capable of such a thing, truly demanding it without shame.

The audacity of this woman, Qin Xiangnuan felt, even if she were to live ten more lives, she could not reach this level of shamelessness.

"Yes," Granny Lu was all flustered, "When Hu Li comes, I’m afraid we’ll have no peace at home. Nuannuan, what do you think we should do about the money..."

"Don’t give it," Qin Xiangnuan said as she placed the cleaned dishes on the table with a bang, unsure if the sound was the beating of someone’s heart.

Not a dime to be given.

"Granny," Qin Xiangnuan’s face turned serious as she earnestly grabbed Granny Lu’s sleeve, "You must keep a close eye on that money. We don’t have much, and the internet cafe isn’t making earnings. Don’t think we make a lot in a month; we spend even more. Every time my brother goes out ’to study’, doesn’t he spend thousands? Moreover, brother will stay in school, and we’ll need to take the necessary backdoors for that. Once he stays there, he’ll have a stable job, then we’ll have to find him a wife as well. Adding it up, our family really lacks funds," Qin Xiangnuan spoke directly to Granny Lu’s concerns. Indeed, the household expenses are vast; with two children still in school, Xiang Yang needing money for a wedding, and Nuannuan’s education. Not a single cent should go to Hu Li from the money in Granny Lu’s hands. Xiang Yang and Nuannuan are already pitiful, having grown up without the love of their parents, with only their Granny for support. If she can’t even protect her grandchildren, how pitiful would that be.

Qin Xiangnuan knew Granny Lu was tender-hearted and somewhat easy to speak to, but she always prioritized her big brother and her, never agreeing to anything that would harm their interests.

She took out her phone and walked to the door, calling Qin Xiangyang’s dorm to see if he was there.

"Hello, who are you looking for?"

It seemed to be Li Dongsheng’s voice. If he was there, then Qin Xiangyang should be there too.

"Brother Dongsheng, it’s Xiang Nuan. I’m looking for my brother."

"Oh alright," Li Dongsheng responded, and then shouted loudly,

"Xiang Yang, your sister’s calling. Come and take it..."

"I’m coming, I’m coming," Qin Xiangyang picked up the phone amidst loud noises, "Hello, Nuannuan, what’s up?"

"Brother," Qin Xiangnuan leaned against the wall behind her, thinking of the three people at home, she was extremely frustrated. Involuntarily, her hand touched the wall, and she forcefully scratched downwards. This was truly annoying her to the extreme.

"Hmm, what’s wrong, did something happen at home?" Qin Xiangyang became anxious as Qin Xiangnuan didn’t respond for a while, worried that something had indeed happened.

No, Qin Xiangnuan didn’t want to worry Qin Xiangyang too much, so she scratched the wall once more.

"Brother, Hu Li came over with her son and daughter."

"What?" Qin Xiangyang didn’t react at first, and his exclamation scared Li Dongsheng, who was nearby.

Li Dongsheng lifted his face, still holding a needle in his hand.

"Bro, can you scream a bit softer? I’m sewing here."

"Sorry," Qin Xiangyang then realized that his own voice had indeed been too loud. He lowered his voice, but the disgust had originated from Qin Xiangnuan’s words.

"Nuannuan, you’re saying, Hu Li and Qin Xiangmei, Qin Pengfei are here?"

"Yeah, they’re at home right now," Qin Xiangnuan wasn’t sure exactly where they might be, perhaps they went out for a stroll.

"Brother, they might be planning to squat here and not leave, I have something to tell you."

Qin Xiangyang listened intently, afraid of missing a single word or misunderstanding his sister’s words.

Qin Xiangnuan slightly lowered her thick eyelashes, with a light flicker, as if breaking apart the chaotic air around.

"Brother, you should know that we’re planning to open a new internet café?"

"Yes, I’m aware," Qin Xiangyang of course knew about it. Qin Xiangnuan had been planning the new internet café for a while, so all the profits from the old one were going into the new one. You could say they made money, but all of it went into the hardware, some not yet purchased, saved for future needs.

"So, brother," Qin Xiangnuan lifted her face and gently exhaled.

"All that money of yours is for backup, brother. If they ask you for money, you can’t give it to them."

"I know," Qin Xiangyang’s face darkened, he clearly understood Qin Xiangnuan’s meaning—Hu Li was here to ask for money.

He forcefully hung up the call, his face turning ashen with anger.

"Eh, what’s wrong?"

Li Dongsheng put down the clothes he was sewing and quickly sat up, then shaking his hand in front of Qin Xiangyang’s face, "Who annoyed you? Why the long face?"

"My stepmother came."

Qin Xiangyang’s face grew even longer, and it was clear to anyone how terrible his mood was at the moment.

"What?" Li Dongsheng almost jumped up when he heard this, "You’re saying your stepmother, the stepmother from your family has come?"

"Yeah," Qin Xiangyang flopped down on his bed, "And she brought her son and daughter with her. From what my sister said, it seems like they’re here for money."

"My God," Li Dongsheng wiped his face, "Haven’t you all cut ties already? How come, she still has the face to show up and ask you guys for money? Does she even know the meaning of shame?"

"Shame?"

Qin Xiangyang let out a cold laugh—if she had any shame, "She wouldn’t have messed around with my dad, resulting in Qin Xiangmei being only a year younger than my sister. Can you believe it? When my mother was pregnant with my sister, that woman was already involved with my dad. My mother was pregnant and still had to do the laundry, cook, and work in the fields. I was not even five years old then and was already doing heavy labor in the fields. Later, when my mother passed away, Hu Li moved in, and soon after gave birth to Qin Xiangmei. You couldn’t even imagine the kind of life Nuannuan and I had to live back then."