Wang Qiqi had no idea that the scoundrel couple from her past life were already entangled. But even if she had known, she would have merely pursed her lips, perhaps even finding their coupling rather fitting. After all, her family currently appeared quite prosperous in the eyes of outsiders; their restaurant was doing well, satisfying not only Wang Rui but also Wang Dagui and his wife, who felt their son-in-law was presentable. This wasn't to say Wang Dagui and his wife had low standards; it was simply that their circumstances dictated the kind of son-in-law they could attract. Wang Rui was attractive enough, her figure acceptable, but the problem was that having been spoiled and willful since childhood, no young man from a wealthy family would willingly stoop to placate her.

Wang Qiqi, meanwhile, was busy with the final preparations. "I want to decorate the wake hall with fresh flowers." Though it felt like a wasteful expense, Wang Qiqi desperately wanted her flower-loving mother to depart this world enveloped in a sea of blooms. "Use only lilies. Every time my father remembered an anniversary or my mother's birthday, he would always bring her a bouquet of lilies."

Zhu Dalong was taken aback. "Lilies, my dear niece? That’s going to cost a fortune." My goodness, he thought, if we decorate according to what this girl is saying, how much will just the hall cost? "While your parents did leave you some money, it’s not meant to be spent like this." Outsiders were already saying that Wang Qiqi was arranging an extravagant funeral for her parents, but this seemed excessive. "Your filial piety will be seen by your parents."

"I know, but these are what my mother loved. I don't want her to leave with any regrets. As for the banquet, I've looked at it—let's go with the twelve hundred yuan per table standard, arranged for five tables initially." Wang Qiqi politely declined his well-meaning advice. She had vowed to see her parents off with dignity, and she would keep that promise. "I’ll have to trouble you, Uncle Zhu, on that day. I won't be able to manage everything, so I’ll need you to oversee the coordination then." Normally, Zhu Dalong would just take the order and hire familiar contractors to handle the work, taking a commission. But from her earlier words, Wang Qiqi sensed he wasn't someone who would just pocket the money; he had a conscience, at least.

Zhu Dalong paused for a long moment. He usually wouldn't involve himself directly; he needed to be busy securing new contracts. Some jobs required him to be on-site instantly, or another contractor would snatch the order. However, this girl was generous, offering a substantial sum, and the banquet standard she chose was high. Even just five tables meant six thousand yuan, not counting the cigarettes and alcohol. "Alright. What about the drinks?"

Wang Qiqi no longer cared about that little bit of money. If they bought it themselves, her second uncle would interfere, and he'd end up profiting anyway. "Just take them from the restaurant. Could you give a slight discount on the price?" This would also simplify things, especially since she had just asked Zhu Dalong to coordinate everything on the day—he looked slightly hesitant, probably not thrilled about the extra work. She might as well let them handle the liquor sales too.

When Zhu Dalong heard Wang Qiqi being so considerate, even though the profit wasn't directly his, it went to her cousin, which was essentially the same thing. "Don't worry, I'll definitely give you a discount on the price, and you can trust the quality of the liquor."

"Of course, I trust it." Wang Qiqi thought, You run a restaurant. If the drinks you serve aren't good, who in the neighborhood would eat here? "I’ll rely on you that day, Uncle Zhu. Also, Uncle Zhu, can you help me think if there is anything else I might have overlooked?" Since last night, Wang Qiqi had been busy organizing the events scheduled for a few days later. Although she could have arranged the funeral immediately after receiving the compensation money, just like in her previous life, Wang Qiqi chose not to. Since she was handling everything alone, there were no major immediate expenses; choosing an auspicious day to send her parents off was best.

Zhu Dalong looked at the notes on the order sheet and managed a wry smile. "If I didn't know you were handling something like this for the first time, I’d think you did this all the time." She had accounted for every custom required by local tradition; she had even considered many things he hadn't thought of himself. How could this girl know so much? Had the deaths of Zhu Dajun and his wife made her mature overnight?

"I have to know, or else I might get completely cheated by others," Wang Qiqi thought. In her past life, her second uncle’s side had only worried about saving money, but now that matters had become so strained, would they really offer help? Impossible. Even if they did, it would be for the sake of the money. She might spend a lot, but the arrangements might still be poorly handled. "Uncle Zhu, it’s a huge irony that I have to rely on outsiders for so many things." Wang Qiqi gave a faint, bitter smile. "Uncle Zhu, I’m truly sorry to burden you for the entire morning."

Even many full-service funeral directors weren't as conscientious as Zhu Dalong. At most, after setting the date of the funeral, they would discuss minor details and then leave. But Zhu Dalong was different; he had visited several times, showing concern about what the household needed and whether help was required. Whatever his underlying motive, Wang Qiqi was genuinely grateful for his attention.

"It’s nothing; you are my customer too." Zhu Dalong glanced again at the two coffins belonging to Wang Dajun and his wife. "When I first started in this line of work, many people looked down on me, thinking I made money off the dead, that I was obsessed with money. Yes, I wanted to earn a living, but I lacked technical skills; I’m just not good with words. If I didn’t do this line of work, what else could I do?" Back then, he had been laid off, his wife was in poor health requiring constant medical expenses, and his children needed schooling. At that time, Ma Dalong felt like he couldn't carry on. Recalling those days, Zhu Dalong’s eyes welled up.

Wang Qiqi watched Ma Dalong chatting animatedly with people and found it impossible to reconcile that image with his self-description of being inarticulate.

"Your father only said one thing back then: 'So what if you can't speak well? Sincerity is enough.' Moreover, when he learned I wanted to enter this profession, he was very supportive, saying that few people were doing this work, and I would surely make something of myself. It was truly tough at the beginning; business was scarce." Zhu Dalong wiped away a tear. "During that period, the living expenses for my family were covered by loans from your father. He always said everyone has hard times. In truth, your father was a truly good man; many neighbors in the community have benefited from his kindness."

Wang Qiqi heard the words but did not internalize them. Having experienced so much in her previous life, she understood true warmth and coldness. Although blaming all her misfortunes on the neighbors was perhaps excessive, the fact remained: in her past life, not a single person stood up to say a word when her uncle and aunt ordered her around. When that despicable pair were secretly meeting, surely someone in the entire neighborhood must have seen it, yet did anyone warn her? They were probably mocking her behind her back. And this Zhu Dalong, talking about how kind her father was to him—in her past life, wasn't he very close with her second uncle, practically arm-in-arm? Did he ever step forward to speak a word of truth then? No, none of them did.

Wang Qiqi realized her emotions were turning extreme again. She immediately closed her eyes and took deep breaths. "It’s because you were useless. If you had protected the family assets yourself, they might have helped you. But in your past life, Wang Qiqi, you backed down step by step; why would people rush to your aid?" Wang Qiqi continuously admonished herself until she finally managed to regain control of her feelings.

"My father was just that kind of good person." Wang Qiqi could only offer that statement, then paused before adding, "I also want to thank them for their concern and help during these past few days. Without their support, I might not have managed to hold on. Besides, if my parents hadn't done so many good deeds previously, my uncle and his family might be saying far worse things outside."

Zhu Dalong looked at Wang Qiqi with surprise. He thought that even though this girl usually kept to herself, she was aware of many things. "Your uncle and the others are just that kind of people." Zhu Dalong suddenly remembered something and spoke quietly, "I heard your uncle went out playing mahjong yesterday and lost money—about two thousand yuan."

Zhu Dalong knew Wang Dagui dared to gamble without flinching because he had the backing of Wang Dajun. But now that Wang Dajun was gone, he wouldn't dare target his niece, Wang Qiqi, would he? Everyone in the neighborhood knew the family responsible for the accident had paid out a significant sum.

Two thousand? Wang Qiqi had no intention of stopping Wang Dagui's gambling habits. "Oh, if my uncle dares to play mahjong, he has the means to pay his debts. If he can't pay, he can sell his house. That money I have is minimal, and I need it to support myself. Furthermore, he is only my uncle, not my parent. He has a job, a house, savings, a wife, and a daughter—it is not my responsibility to pay his debts."

Wang Qiqi knew that in the past, some people allowed Wang Dagui to carry gambling debts, not because they approved of his habit, but because they knew his brother, Wang Dajun, supported him. Now, although Wang Dajun was gone, Wang Dajun's daughter, Wang Qiqi, had money. It was considered normal for a niece to pay off her uncle's debts. There were certain things Wang Qiqi, as a young woman, couldn't easily say to others. But Zhu Dalong was different; he had been in business for a long time and knew many people, even some unsavory characters. Right now, Wang Qiqi hoped he would remember the kindness her father had shown his family and spread her words. Wang Qiqi did not want any of Wang Dagui's creditors threatening her doorstep because of his gambling.

Zhu Dalong looked at the determined expression on the young woman’s face, comparing it to her father’s—he sighed. It was hard to believe they were father and daughter. But looking at it from Wang Dajun's perspective, it was good that his daughter was so resilient; at least she was better than Wang Dajun. "Your father was simply too good to his friends and brothers, so good he didn't know how to keep boundaries. Your uncle turning out this way is partly your father's fault. As for Wang Dagui, to put it mildly, he only pushed his luck with your father. Perhaps your father knew all along but chose not to say anything."

"In his heart, Second Uncle was a brother, but the other party might not have seen him as one. That’s why I refuse to be the sucker. To change my uncle, a written guarantee is useless. There’s only one way: stop bailing him out of his gambling debts. Let him realize there’s no support, and then see if he keeps gambling." Wang Qiqi explained the rationale behind her actions. "This is also what my paternal aunt meant. My aunt has long been dissatisfied with how often my father paid off Second Uncle's gambling debts. This time, she is cutting off Second Uncle's retreat to prevent my Second Aunt from complaining."

Zhu Dalong watched the girl speak with such earnest concern for her second uncle and inwardly chuckled. The reality was far from what Wang Dagui and his wife intended. Don't be fooled by Li Cui's constant complaining outside; if she truly stopped managing Wang Dagui, would he keep gambling? Wouldn't he just save the winnings and expect Wang Dajun to cover the losses?

Is by】For more chapters, please visit the website to grandly recommend an ad-free full-text novel reader