CHAPTER 144: CHAPTER 144 WHERE HAS ALL THE MONEY GONE (5)_1

After all, this money would be hers by tomorrow.

Shangguan You kept rolling her eyes. "If you want to invite someone, go ahead. Nobody is getting a cent of my money. This money is for the You Family, and no one else can take it."

Shangguan Zhi, along with one of his sons and a grandson, walked down from upstairs. They heard the Old Madam’s angry words; she had repeatedly emphasized that Shangguan You should hand over the money to Gu Wanying to manage. Li Wanying, on the other hand, looked somewhat conflicted, as if she wanted to accept it but was hesitant about the responsibility.

"Old Master, surely you see the logic in what I’m saying?" the Old Madam glared at Shangguan You resentfully.

"Grandpa, Eldest Uncle, Sister is still young. I also think it’s not safe to leave the money in her hands. It would be better off with Mom," Shangguan Rou said softly.

"Actually," Li Wanying chimed in, addressing Shangguan You, "if Little You doesn’t want to give it to me, perhaps she could entrust it to Dad and Mom, or to her eldest uncle and aunt. That way, Little You can also be at ease."

"Nonsense! You are Little You’s stepmother. Why shouldn’t you be the one to hold onto it? It makes no sense to give it to her uncle and aunt instead," the Old Madam snarled. Li Wanying’s heart blossomed with joy; finally, she could rightfully claim several hundred million.

Shangguan Zhi’s sharp eyes calmly swept across everyone, taking in every expression before finally resting on Shangguan You.

Everyone else was red-faced, squabbling over her money, yet she alone sat there, watching the drama unfold with a faint smile. Was this truly Little You?

"Dad, Mom, I think since the money belongs to Little You, we should see what she wants to do with it. Why should we bother arguing?" Shangguan Yu’s gaze also lingered on Shangguan You. Seeing her expression and then looking at the others, he couldn’t help but find it amusing. This girl had already made up her mind. The others still hadn’t understood and continued to argue over her, which was entirely pointless.

"Indeed," Shangguan Qing remarked, his lips curling slightly. "Little You won this money herself, so she should be the one to decide how to handle it. Whether she wants to keep it, has another use for it, or prefers to let someone else manage it, it’s her decision. Grandma, why must you all fight over it?" This girl was becoming more mischievous by the day, clearly enjoying the sight of others quarreling on her behalf.

"That’s right. The girl is already sixteen and capable of handling her own affairs. Little You, what are your plans?" Shangguan Zhi asked Shangguan You, who was beside him.

"Grandpa, Eldest Uncle, Eldest Aunt, Grandma, Aunt Li," Shangguan You’s cool voice rang out, "this money came from stone gambling, and I have no intention of entrusting it to anyone. Whether it’s Aunt Li, Grandpa, or Eldest Uncle, I won’t give away a single cent." Her words instantly caused Li Wanying’s and Shangguan Rou’s expressions to turn sour, and the Old Madam’s face darkened as well. All that she had said had been in vain; the girl hadn’t listened to a word.

"It’s Little You’s own money; naturally, she has the right to handle it," Li Wanying said, her voice attempting brightness even as her heart ached.

"Haha, it seems Aunt Li understands me best after all," Shangguan You then declared. "I plan to donate all this money, without keeping a single cent."

Her words silenced the entire hall. Everyone stared at Shangguan You’s small figure, their eyes wide with disbelief. Had they heard correctly? She was going to donate all the money, not keeping any of it?

Li Wanying felt as if her heart were bleeding. She hadn’t misheard, had she? Two hundred million US dollars, all to be donated? That was real money, enough to allow them to live luxuriously and enhance their status in front of everyone. And now, she was saying she would donate it all. If it weren’t for the inappropriate setting, she would have leaped up and demanded to know if Shangguan You was out of her mind. She didn’t oppose donating some money to charity, but donating hundreds of millions of US dollars? She would never agree to that; she wouldn’t allow it.

"What did you say?" Shangguan Rou asked again, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Little Rou, Little You said she’s going to donate all the money," Shangguan Yu repeated, looking at Shangguan You with admiration. Liu Ruoling also laughed aloud; seeing the expressions on the Li Family mother and daughter was deeply satisfying to her. Little You did well, choosing to perform a good deed rather than letting that mother-daughter pair benefit.

"Good, good! Truly worthy of being a granddaughter of the Shangguan Family! Her actions are always so unexpected," Shangguan Zhi laughed heartily, his face full of pride as he looked at Shangguan You. "Since this money was ill-gotten, using it for charity is a fitting way to accumulate virtue."

The Old Madam swayed. She was going to donate it? Why didn’t she say so earlier? She’d made herself the villain all evening, and now the old man was laughing at her.

"Since Grandpa and Eldest Uncle don’t object, that’s wonderful. I was afraid you would oppose my decision," Shangguan You said with a light laugh, affectionately linking arms with Shangguan Yu and Liu Ruoling.

"Oppose what? It’s your own property, Little You; naturally, you can dispose of it as you see fit," Shangguan Zhi boomed with laughter. Li Wanying and Shangguan Rou stood dumbfounded, still struggling to process what had happened.

Shangguan You was a lunatic, and so were Shangguan Zhi and Shangguan Yu! Two hundred million US dollars, not a cent kept, all donated!

「Night fell.」

Darkness enveloped the sky. Lights shone brightly throughout the Xiangyang Villa, illuminating it from the first to the fifth floor. The Shen Jia family of three were surprised to see Shen Cheng and his wife, Wanqian, return home accompanied by an old man and a child.

"Cousin, who is this?" Shen Jia asked enthusiastically, taking Shen Cheng’s arm. She had planned to go shopping with Wanqian at the Lin Family’s store for clothes that day. However, Wanqian had looked unwell in the morning, and Shen Cheng hadn’t seemed pleased either. Consequently, the arrangements for Shen Congming and his wife to start working at the Shen Family business and the shopping trip to the Lin Family’s store were temporarily put on hold.

When Shen Cheng had left earlier, he told them to explore Beijing and said they would discuss the Shen Family business matters the next day. So, Shen Jia’s family of three had listlessly toured the city.

When they returned, Shen Cheng and Wanqian hadn’t come back yet. Duan Mei, along with the servants, had prepared a table laden with delicious food, but Shen Cheng’s group didn’t return for dinner. It was past nine at night when Shen Cheng and Wanqian finally arrived home.

Shen Jia looked curiously at Old Master Qi and Qi Zhuochen. Why were these two here? She remembered seeing Shangguan You save that child from a distance at the private restaurant the other day. Now, their sudden appearance here felt strange. Could it be that these two were connected to Shangguan You, and that was why Shen Cheng and Wanqian had deliberately brought them here?