Wang Damei saw that her daughter had finally relented, and though she was still worried, she would supervise her from now on. Furthermore, knowing her daughter's weak spot, Wang Damei would certainly exploit it. “Qiqi, are you doing well studying in the Capital?”

Wang Qiqi briefly described her life in the Capital. “It’s okay. I stay at Juliana’s place on weekends and return to school on Monday. I look over English books, and I’m interning at the translation agency owned by the family of one of Han Tao’s tutoring students.”

Hearing that Wang Qiqi’s life in the Capital was quite good, Wang Damei also breathed a sigh of relief. “Take good care of yourself in the Capital. While learning more is good, you are the inheritor of your family now that your parents are gone. You must carry on your parents’ bloodline.” If Wang Qiqi were gone, Wang Damei was certain her younger brother would be zealous in seizing assets, and dreaming about tending the graves of her poor elder brother’s family later would be out of the question.

When Wang Qiqi heard Wang Damei say this, she remembered that she truly had to live well—not just to spite that family waiting for her death so they could claim the inheritance, but to live well for her maternal grandparents and her parents. Although Wang Qiqi had always intended to live well since her rebirth, her greatest motivation had been getting revenge on Wang Dagui’s family. Now, hearing Wang Damei’s words, Wang Qiqi felt remorse. Yes, whether the family fortune was secured or not, her parents cared most about whether she was living well. Pitiful Wang Qiqi, having lived two lives, had never considered this point.

“Thank you, Auntie, thank you, Auntie.” Wang Qiqi’s voice was laced with a sob. “By the way, didn't Auntie come to help?” Wang Qiqi looked around; it was already ten o’clock. How could Li Cui, who usually flattered Wang Damei so assiduously, not be here? This was highly unusual. Song Yao’s wedding was a major event for the Song family these past few years, and missing it would mean no amount of future flattery could make up for it.

Not mentioning Li Cui was better, but mentioning her made Song Yao angry. “She’s climbed up a high branch now; she probably looks down on our humble little family.”

Humble little family? Wang Qiqi found it strange. “Who is a humble little family?” When did Li Cui become so assertive? Could it be the Gao family?

Wang Damei glared at the pouting Song Yao. “Just eat your food. Qiqi just got back, and you’re bringing this up. Qiqi, eat quickly, and then we’ll go organize the new house, and you can sleep in the afternoon.” After saying so much, Wang Damei suddenly remembered something. “That rascal Song Ziwen was supposed to pick up Qiqi. How come Qiqi is back and he’s nowhere to be seen?”

Wang Qiqi shook her head, indicating she didn't know. “Maybe he’s down there wrestling with something. My brother complained the whole way here, saying you forced him to buy the house, and now he’s broke.” Betraying Song Ziwen, Wang Qiqi was quite adept at it.

Wang Damei hadn't intended to bring it up in front of Wang Qiqi, but hearing her say that made her fume. “If he weren't gambling outside, would I have to do this?” Wang Damei hadn't expected her seemingly obedient son to have taken up gambling, and apparently, it was serious. How could this make her happy? Her daughter’s wedding affairs were mostly settled, and she didn't need to busy herself with her daughter and son-in-law. She had freed up time to figure out how to deal with her younger son, and her strategy was to keep him penniless.

Wang Qiqi had heard Song Yao mention it once before, but as an older sister, she hadn't told Wang Damei and her husband. Wang Qiqi certainly wouldn't be the one to bring it up, but she hadn't expected Wang Damei to find out already. Moreover, it was earlier than she knew in her previous life, and Song Ziwen hadn't yet reached the point of having to sell the house to cover gambling debts. Could it be that Song Yao thought Song Ziwen’s gambling was getting out of hand, so she informed them?

Song Yao shook her head vaguely. She had been extremely busy during that time herself—renovating the new house and considering how to rent out the rural house. Although the initial renovation expenses were considerable, Song Yao had to admit that the six houses, renovated according to Wang Qiqi’s plans, were excellent for renting. This meant Song Yao paid even less attention to her younger brother. She and Gong Peixing had an idea: since Wang Qiqi was visiting, Song Yao wanted to ask for Qiqi’s opinion. Although Song Yao felt Qiqi was still a child, Gong Peixing was right. Judging by how Qiqi directed the house layout and how she persuaded her parents to agree to their marriage, it was clear Wang Qiqi was no ordinary child.

Wang Damei sighed. “Your second aunt told me.” Recalling the scene when Li Cui spoke to her that day made Wang Damei angry, but whom could she tell? Song Wenbo? When she mentioned it to Song Yao, she was also very busy, and then she was pregnant—sigh.

Li Cui? Song Yao and Wang Qiqi exchanged surprised glances, thinking the same thing: how did Li Cui find out?

“Mom…” Song Yao and Song Ziwen had discussed this for a long time, and Song Ziwen had even questioned Song Yao about being the informant. To think it was Li Cui who betrayed Song Ziwen—though perhaps it wasn't a bad thing—the core issue was how Li Cui discovered it.

Seeing her daughter’s hesitant gaze, Wang Damei glared at Song Yao crossly. “From now on, you must report things like this immediately. It’s a good thing your brother can still be reined in now; otherwise, he’d become a gambler just like your second uncle.”

Song Yao nodded repeatedly, promising to inform her promptly from now on. “But, Mom, Li Cui is getting more and more arrogant. She hasn't even married into the Gao family yet, and she’s already acting up.” Song Yao recalled seeing Li Cui and Wang Rui at the mall when she was out shopping with Gong Peixing last time. She almost didn't recognize the two of them, and the tone of their conversation… it was pure nouveau riche.

The Gao family? Wang Qiqi heard Song Yao mention the Gao family. “The Gao family? Gao Kai?” Wang Qiqi inwardly cursed Gao Kai for being so easily swayed by Wang Rui, wondering if Wang Rui had truly managed to hook up with him. Damn it, he couldn't stand a little test.

Song Yao looked utterly disdainful. “Although she didn’t say it outright, the look on her face was one of…” Song Yao’s expression was full of contempt. “Oh, right, Gao Kai was apparently there that day too. Knowing Wang Rui’s personality, you can imagine…” After finally snagging a rich husband, would someone not want to show off?

Wang Qiqi understood. “Let her show off if she wants. She found a rich boyfriend; can’t she have a little moment? You have to remember Wang Rui was always a Cinderella. To finally become a princess, and one day a queen, shouldn't she be allowed to show off a bit?” Wang Qiqi thought that the more arrogantly Wang Rui acted now, the more profoundly she would feel the fall from heaven to hell when the Gao family eventually collapsed. But Wang Qiqi had heard from Shi Man and others that the Gao family partners were auditing the books, preparing to kick the Gao family out. It had been almost a year; why hadn't they made a move yet? Alas.

Song Yao conceded that made sense. “Forget it. I’m just worried she’ll overshadow me.” Wang Rui had even volunteered to be a bridesmaid, but how could Song Yao let her block her light? “Oh, right, Wang Rui and her people will be here tonight too, so you’ll get to witness her skills and…” Song Yao looked around and whispered conspiratorially into Wang Qiqi’s ear, “…her essence.”

Wang Qiqi knew Song Yao had never held a good opinion of Wang Rui, but it seemed that during the half-year Wang Qiqi was in the Capital, Song Yao's complaints about Wang Rui had multiplied. “You didn’t mention this on the phone before.” Wang Qiqi desperately wanted to know what kind of bombshells had exploded between them in the last six months.

“Didn't I want to save money?” Song Yao pouted.

“You could have written a letter,” Wang Qiqi pressed, huffing. “You’re being too much! You didn’t tell me about something this entertaining.”

Entertaining? Song Yao stuck out her lip. “There’s nothing entertaining about dealing with her, except getting angry or making her angry.”

“Your fighting power is lacking,” Wang Qiqi cast a scornful glance at Song Yao. “But you’re not much better. Why bother fighting with her? She’s practically the fiancée of a rich family now. What’s the point of throwing a tantrum? Be careful she doesn't refuse to invite us commoners to her wedding later,” Wang Qiqi said with a laugh.

Commoners? Song Yao was incensed. Hands on her hips, she struggled to stand up from the sofa. “If she doesn't invite me, fine! As if I don't have money! Besides, whether she can even get into the Gao family is still up in the air.”

“That depends on Wang Rui’s ability,” Wang Qiqi had some understanding of Wang Rui's ruthlessness. “Gao Kai isn't a pushover either. Their union is truly a match made in heaven.” One aims too high, the other wants to marry rich to change her past fate. What a pity, what a pity.

“I don’t know if it’s a match made in heaven, but anyway, if we get along, we talk more; if not, we don’t meet.” Song Yao used to think about trying to gain benefits, like digging up more advantages from her parents, but things were different now. Song Yao and Gong Peixing renovated houses and collected rent. Although they carried debt, it let Song Yao see a glimmer of hope and made her realize that even parents couldn't always be relied upon. The Gong family was still poor, and her in-laws were still the same; the Gao family was even less of a consideration.

Wang Damei couldn't understand why her younger brother and sister-in-law would be willing to let their daughter get entangled with the Gao family boy. “Every path is chosen by oneself. If it were me, I’d rather choose the Gong family over the Gao family.” Although Wang Damei liked the idea of a wealthy son-in-law, it was a problem if the son-in-law’s circumstances were too far below their own. “If the son-in-law ever did anything to wrong our daughter later, we could storm over and make a scene. But the social gap between the Gao family and the Wang family is so vast—would the Gao family even pay attention to you? Even if Li Cui is sharp-tongued, the Gao family could just say, ‘We don’t want this daughter-in-law,’ and then you’ll be the one weeping later.”

Wang Qiqi strongly supported Wang Damei’s theory. However, in a few years, when the Gao family fell, they would only be marginally better off than Wang Dagui’s family.