Wang Qiqi was beside herself with excitement thinking about the good show she was going to see today. She had picked out her outfit early, admiring it, "Today is truly a great day." Gazing out at the bright sunshine, Wang Qiqi didn't need to check the almanac to know this was certainly an auspicious day, a truly fine day.

Han Tao rolled over, watching Wang Qiqi stand by the wardrobe, holding up clothes and making gestures at herself. He propped himself up on one elbow, "What are you muttering to yourself in front of the mirror for?" While the clothes were indeed nice, there was no need to smile so sinisterly, "We know a good show is coming, but everyone else doesn't; don't overdo it, or we’ll end up being the main spectacle."

"We went there specifically to watch a show," Wang Qiqi pouted, "Don't worry, I can still manage appearances. Besides, if we look too excited, I worry your uncles might turn their guns on us instead."

"Right, we need to be low-key, low-key, as low-key as possible. We'll just act like we know nothing about this. And frankly, with Xue Hong's temperament, I bet many relatives around already know they're short on cash." Han Tao figured that if Xue Hong could have borrowed money elsewhere, she absolutely wouldn't have come crawling to family.

Wang Qiqi could only shake her head. What a mess. On her son's big day, needing money for the wedding arrangements and no one willing to lend it? This spoke volumes about how offensive that person must have been behaving lately. "I’m even wondering if I should skip wearing new clothes, lest they see us as rich and try to bleed us dry."

"Why wouldn't you wear them? Just because we dress well, they think we're rolling in money and try to gouge us? How can we lend them money if we don't have any?" Han Tao thought to himself that they absolutely should dress well for the wedding, precisely to make Xue Hong miserable, though they still needed to play the part publicly. "Besides, if we dress poorly, those relatives will definitely say we aren't doing well, otherwise, why dress like this for such an important occasion? And Qiqi, this is your first time participating in Han family affairs; many eyes will be on you."

Han Tao knew for a fact that many relatives would inevitably compare Qiqi with Han Jun's wife, Ding Meina. Hmph. Her family might have money, but did she have better prospects than Qiqi? Furthermore, in Han Tao's view, a girl barely twenty years old getting involved with an aimless boy and ending up pregnant—it suggested she wasn't exactly sharp. Even though she was young, she supposedly worked at her father's company, supposedly preparing to inherit it. In reality, put plainly, she hadn't been serious in school, and now the only place that would hire her was the old man's firm. Only brainless people like Xue Hong would hand such a daughter-in-law over.

Seeing Han Tao insist on dressing well, Wang Qiqi ceased her protest. After all, judging by how fiercely capable the man had been yesterday, she knew he wouldn't hesitate to "fire the cannons" again if provoked. "Then I'll bring the LV bag I bought this year." Although this bag was very expensive domestically, Wang Qiqi had stumbled upon it on sale in the US and found it quite lovely, so she bought it as a little luxury upgrade for herself.

Han Tao saw his wife had clearly come to her senses. He slid out of the covers, walked behind Wang Qiqi, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "That's right, we need to show off a bit. My relatives are utterly sycophantic; the better your standing, the more they’ll fawn over you, even if you ignore them. They'll stay that way." Han Tao felt his relatives were absolute snobs who loved the rich and hated the poor. In Han Tao's memory, every relative, from childhood until now, had only ever praised Han Jun as smart and successful, yet now Han Jun was turning into a total hoodlum. "I actually think it was a blessing in disguise for Han Jun's ex-girlfriend to break up with him; perhaps she can find a decent man now."

Wang Qiqi didn't know much about Han Jun's ex-girlfriend. "You think it’s good she left Han Jun, but maybe your grandmother and the others thought it was a good thing for your brother to leave that girl. But your uncle’s side—they are going to lose money, aren’t they?"

"If they weren't losing money, they wouldn't be human anymore. I heard that girl already had two abortions," Han Tao truly couldn't understand Han Jun's thinking. Knowing how bad abortions were for women, how could he not even consider that? He was just as brainless as she was. Of course, that girl was also brainless. Compared to her, his own wife was different; without the proper protection, his wife absolutely wouldn't have shared his bed. It wasn't that they couldn't afford a child, but both were busy with their studies, making such an accident impossible. Was it really as Qiqi suggested—that the lower one's conversational skills, the stronger the desire for children and the earlier the age for having them?

Luo Hongjuan stepped out of her workplace entrance and saw her son already waving to her from inside a taxi. She quickened her pace. "You look quite sharp today. By the way, did you two hear? Who did Xue Hong go to borrow money from yesterday?" Luo Hongjuan said mysteriously once she settled into the taxi. She didn't use any formal titles, just said the name outright; after all, yesterday, everyone had essentially torn away all pretense and facade.

Han Tao shook his head. "Would anyone have lent her money overnight yesterday?" If they were willing, they would have lent it already; why wait until now?

"Old Lu, the one who used to run with the triads; apparently, he's now running a loan shark operation." Luo Hongjuan was stunned that Xue Hong had the audacity to approach someone from the underworld for a loan. She knew that kind of money was easy to take but hard to repay, with crippling interest, especially since you couldn't simply refuse to pay.

Borrowing from loan sharks? Han Tao's jaw dropped. Although he never dealt with such people, he knew they were ruthless, the kind who would devour people without spitting out the bones. How could Xue Hong have the nerve? "Mom, how did you find out?" Regarding what happened last night, Han Tao couldn't imagine Xue Hong having the time or inclination to tell his mother, especially since she was so busy today.

"Old Lu was your father's classmate; they were quite close. It's just that he went inside during those years when your father was ill; otherwise, your father wouldn't have ended up like this, alas." Luo Hongjuan had actually met Old Lu privately a few times, but due to his profession, she didn't keep in touch much. Old Lu had sought her out early this morning, telling her that certain debts were due for collection, and he swore he would teach Xue Hong a lesson this time. That’s how Luo Hongjuan learned the truth.

Han Tao learned for the first time that the uncle who occasionally sent them New Year's goods was involved in the underworld. Although outwardly he didn't look like he was doing legitimate business, because he was kind to Han Tao and his mother, frequently sending things over, in Han Tao's mind, Uncle Lu was a good person. But now… "Mom, it only gets harder to survive in that line of work, and Uncle Lu is getting old." So many people nowadays who don't study hard and get poor grades end up as thugs after leaving school, and those types will do anything for money, never minding honor or principles. Uncle Lu is old; how can he possibly stand against them?

Hearing that Xue Hong had resorted to loan sharks, Wang Qiqi immediately began calculating. Based on the look on that woman's face when she left yesterday, Wang Qiqi worried that the loan shark might end up being brought right to Luo Hongjuan's doorstep. Those people were ruthless. What if they terrified Luo Hongjuan? It wasn't impossible. But to think Xue Hong went to borrow from her father-in-law's friend, and it seemed that person held zero goodwill toward her, Wang Qiqi suspected this IOU might mark the beginning of Xue Hong's miserable existence. They were the type who made money breed money; they'd do anything if they weren't paid. How could Han Jun's in-laws possibly agree to repay this debt? Wouldn't the Han family's old house be in jeopardy? Would Old Madam Han possibly cough up blood from anger when she realized her once-favored daughter-in-law had squandered the ancestral property? She truly looked forward to it.

"Don't worry, your Uncle Lu said he’s getting out of that life by the end of the year and plans to retire and move overseas." Luo Hongjuan hadn't failed to persuade Old Lu. At his age, with his son doing well in Australia, why endure such hardship domestically? Besides, several of his subordinates were developing their own independent agendas. Why struggle to hold it together? Only now did Luo Hongjuan understand why Old Lu always insisted it wasn't time to retire—he was waiting for Xue Hong. "Son, you must remember those who helped your mother and you, understand?"

Han Tao certainly understood the meaning of repaying kindness, but the issue was, "I really don't know how to repay Uncle Lu, and besides, the other party…" Han Tao reasoned that if the other party was set on getting revenge against Xue Hong, he likely wouldn't want Xue Hong to know about their connection. If that were the case, why would he so readily reveal the information?

Of course, Luo Hongjuan knew the score. "Just smile at Uncle Lu if you run into him on the road. Later, when he's settled this matter here, we'll treat him to a good meal. We won't have many chances to meet him again." Luo Hongjuan knew that if it weren't for Old Lu's private assistance, she and her son might not have held on this long. Just because Old Lu didn't say certain things didn't mean Luo Hongjuan was unaware.

Han Tao hummed in acknowledgement and stared straight ahead. "What a pity. I was expecting a good show today, but it seems there won't be one after all." When he was sleeping, Han Tao had dreamt of guests at the banquet pointing fingers and whispering about Han Ximing and his wife, humiliating them completely. But the thought that soon Xue Hong might become the person Old Madam Han accused of selling off family property brought him immense satisfaction. That reason—the old woman's desire to reclaim the house—was one of her primary justifications.

"If there's no show, then we won't watch; we'll just eat quietly. We'll have plenty of shows in the future," Wang Qiqi thought. If things played out this way, it would be best if the old woman didn't end up kneeling at your feet, forcing you to decide whether or not to lend the money. Since Xue Hong has already sorted out her money problem, we’ll just pretend we know nothing.