"Kiki, you know, after lunch the day before yesterday, I had another fight with my mom because of him." Song Yao lay on the bed, a hot compress draped over her eyes, speaking softly.

Wang Qiqi let out an "oh." "Auntie just mentioned it to me, and Auntie's expression wasn't great either. Honestly, Yao Yao, the more you argue with Auntie, the worse her impression of him will become. She'll start thinking that you were perfectly fine before you met him, but after knowing him, you’ve changed so much—talking back and everything."

Song Yao, who had been incessantly complaining about how her parents looked down on the poor, gaped when she heard Wang Qiqi speak. "You're amazing. That’s exactly what my mom said that day—that he’s a bad influence on me." She’d even said he’d never amount to anything and would only lead her into a life of hardship. How could this not infuriate Song Yao? It felt like the most vicious kind of curse.

Wang Qiqi noticed that Song Yao’s anger was carefully restrained, but she didn't voice her observation. Qiqi wondered if Auntie had said something truly awful about her future son-in-law. "Auntie is only looking out for you. When two people get together, besides emotion, finances play a role too. Look at Uncle and Auntie; their fights were always about money, weren't they? Did they have no feelings for each other when they first married?"

"But he won't turn out like Second Uncle?" Song Yao retorted. How could he possibly turn into the useless Second Uncle? Hmph. How could she ever marry such a man with no prospects?

Wang Qiqi looked at Song Yao, who was clearly looking down on her uncle. She pinched the bridge of her nose. She really wanted to say that no matter how unsuccessful her uncle was, at least he had siblings who were willing to support him. Did he have such siblings? She suspected he’d become as foolish as her own parents. Yet, there were things Qiqi couldn't push too hard on; love was blind, and Song Yao was currently irrational. Pushing further would only upset her. Wang Qiqi decided she could only offer softer words to ease the tension. "Yao Yao, for your sake, and for his, you need patience. If you keep this standoff with Auntie, it will only make her unhappy, and she’ll take it out on him. Then, things between you and him will become even less possible."

Song Yao was actually quite smart, but no one had advised her this way. Moreover, since coming down from the New Year's Eve dinner table, both Wang Damei and she had been in a foul mood, and with both of them being a bit stubborn, neither would yield, leading to everyone stubbornly digging in. "You mean..."

"Go wash your face and go help Auntie in the kitchen. When Auntie comes over, seeing you helping out will surely make her praise how capable you are, and Auntie will be smiling from ear to ear." Wang Qiqi suggested a solution. If she hadn't arrived early alone, and if her relationship with Song Yao wasn't as good, Wang Damei wouldn't have let her inside to mediate.

"Okay, I'm going out now." Song Yao thought it over. Even if her mother was being unreasonable, she was still her mother. "I'm not doing this because I think she's right; I just don't want my mom to misunderstand him."

Wang Qiqi watched as the reorganized and determined Song Yao marched out of the room, letting out a long sigh of relief. She had completed the task Auntie assigned her. As for what happened next, she didn't have the time or inclination to worry about it. Besides, in the past life, Song Yao still married him even without her interference; there was no reason she wouldn't this time.

Wang Qiqi pulled a history book from her bag and began to read seriously. Today was for watching the show, but also for eating a good meal; she couldn't let the hosts start the day off unhappy. Besides, her main target was Wang Rui. As for the elder aunt's family, they were merely accomplices in her past life. Truthfully, if she had been stronger back then, her uncle’s family couldn't have done much to her; at most, they could have made a fuss and tried to profit off her. She definitely wouldn't have fallen into the miserable situation of her past life.

Wang Dagui stood downstairs, holding a box of apples and a box of oranges. "Isn't this a bit meager? Should we buy a couple more bottles of wine?" Summer Xiao Rui was in high school, and her sister had already spent several thousand, but when it came to visiting relatives during the Spring Festival, they only brought this small, inexpensive offering. What would his sister and brother-in-law think when they saw this?

Li Cui shot Wang Dagui a look. "Meager? Are you rich? If it weren't for you being so foolish and failing to persuade Kiki to come with us, we might not have even brought these two boxes of apples and oranges." After giving away these two boxes, their house would have no fruit left; Xiao Rui would have to spend money to buy it—that was money.

Li Cui was especially unhappy thinking about how the others had mentioned that little brat Wang Qiqi had taken a taxi out with bags and bundles. Hmph. If they had taken a taxi too, couldn't she have taken the three of them?

Wang Rui stood beside her parents, looking at the gifts in their hands, and contrasted them with what Qiqi was carrying. She expressed her disdain. "Mom, you are too stingy. Buying so little? Every New Year before, how often did you bring less than this? But this year, you bring so little, and Kiki brought so much—fruit and wine." Our family isn't poor; I really don't know why she hoards money. Does she expect us to burn it for her when she dies so she can spend it underground?

Li Cui hadn't expected Wang Rui not to side with her; wasn't this challenging her status in the family? "Fine, I also wanted to buy more, but yesterday when Dagui was playing cards with your younger aunt and uncle, how much did you lose? Five hundred, right?" Li Cui tapped Wang Dagui’s chest repeatedly, then turned to Wang Rui. "Did you spend all the New Year's money Grandma and the others gave you yesterday taking them out for KFC?" Her daughter was usually quite smart; why did she seem like her brain had been flooded yesterday? Look at what she did. "If you two hadn't been so wasteful yesterday, would I need to be this frugal? Also, didn't you want that coat? You said it was on sale. Then take Wang Qiqi shopping."

No matter what, the losses had to be recouped, and the best target was Wang Qiqi. She had money anyway, and since it was time to buy new clothes this year, the mall was having a sale. Going to look around wouldn't be bad. "Be clever about it then."

Wang Rui looked at Li Cui’s contorted face and silently compared her mother to her elder aunt. Alas, her mother really fell short. She was such an obasan [older woman/aunt]. "See? Kiki might not be going out. She’s probably studying for exams."

"That will depend on your ability," Li Cui said before turning and heading upstairs.

Although no one was downstairs, Wang Damei saw Li Cui pointing and gesticulating at her younger brother from the kitchen window. This displeased her greatly. Her brother was such a good person, but ever since he married her, he had changed completely.

When Wang Damei saw that the gifts brought by her younger brother’s family were just apples and oranges, her contempt swelled. Even though her younger brother often supported them in the past, and their annual gifts were always generous, did they really need to cut the gifts back so drastically right after her brother’s death?

"Dahui, Li Cui, Xiao Rui, you're here. Sit down and watch TV for a while." Wang Damei told Song Yao to look after the guests, and she politely refused Li Cui’s offer to help. Hmph. If she let her help, who knew what Li Cui would say outside.

Wang Rui sat down, looking around. "Auntie, isn't Kiki here?"

"She’s in Yao Yao’s room studying. She’s in her final year of high school; academics come first." Wang Damei didn't know why Wang Rui cared so much about Qiqi, but she knew Wang Rui didn't have good intentions. Thinking of the gifts Qiqi brought, and how her usually stubborn daughter came out to support her, Wang Damei figured Qiqi must have been instrumental inside. Since this niece was supporting her so much, Wang Damei felt inclined to help out.

Li Cui felt sick. What did her elder sister-in-law mean by that? "Kiki arrived quite early. But this child is something else; she didn't even call us when she went out."

Call you? Wang Damei shot Li Cui a look of disdain. If she had called you, you probably wouldn't have even bothered bringing two boxes of fruit.

Wang Qiqi, hearing Li Cui's words from inside the room, couldn't sit still and walked out to offer New Year's greetings to her uncle and the others. "Auntie, yesterday Uncle said you were coming early, but I have to go offer incense and then head back. What if I'm late?" Wang Qiqi’s eyes swept over the room, noticing only the two boxes of fruit. Ah, that fit the personality of this skinflint Li Cui. Her previous generosity in gifts was just covering up for taking things from others. Did she still think she could manipulate me?

To Li Cui, Wang Qiqi’s words sounded like she was deliberately instigating things in front of her elder sister-in-law about them arriving late. "Kiki, you took a taxi, so of course, you were faster than us." Hmph. If only we could have taken a taxi too.

Wang Qiqi fell silent. Fine, if this continued, the fire would be directed at her. "I'm going back to my sister's room to read." Wang Qiqi turned to leave. Hmph. I don't rely on you now. What right do you have to look at me like that? Even if you are an elder, if you want me to bestow something upon your family, you should at least offer me a decent look. You constantly badmouth me and scold me, yet you expect me to automatically offer you gifts? You've either burned your brain or frozen it.

Wang Rui watched Wang Qiqi leave just like that. She tugged at Li Cui’s clothes, signaling her not to say any more. If it were her, she would have been displeased too. Alas, her mother was becoming increasingly inept at handling people.

Li Cui knew her words had upset Wang Qiqi, but the problem was she absolutely refused to bow down to Wang Qiqi. That was absurd; she was an elder. The only thing Li Cui could do was remain silent.

Li Cui sat quietly to watch the rerun of the Spring Festival Gala. Wang Damei turned back toward the kitchen to prepare dinner. Wang Rui followed Song Yao into her room, hoping to foster some sisterly bonding. Her visit to Grandma’s house yesterday had made Wang Rui realize a lot. She finally understood: without Wang Qiqi’s financial support, she was nothing. At Grandma’s house, she had received VIP treatment, but yesterday made Wang Rui realize that without significant economic backing, one shouldn't expect VIP treatment. In fact, the Li family's actions were quite normal, but Wang Rui found the stark contrast between then and now baffling.