Dr. Kexing stood up and took the envelope from his mother's hand, his voice steady but tense. "What is this for?"
Wu replied, "Take a look."
She sat down on the sofa, eyes fixed on him. He slowly opened the envelope, unfolded the paper inside, and began reading. The content was nearly identical to the one he had received before, except this time it included even more disturbing details....far worse than the first. Dr. Kexing looked over at Wu, who continued to watch him without blinking.
He sat down beside her, his voice low. "And you believed this, Mom? You really believed this letter?"
Wu didn't answer right away, just kept her eyes on him. Then she finally said, "It's... baffling. Hard to wrap my head around."
Dr. Kexing stood up, frustrated. "Mom, this is nothing but a lie. Malicious slander driven by envy. Just reading this, you can tell it's the work of someone petty and bitter. And besides, there's no marriage without challenges...especially when people try to stir up trouble from all sides. Whoever sent this did it for nothing. It won't change a damn thing."
Wu calmly said, "Kexing."
He looked at her but didn't respond.
"There are things in here that need to be looked into…" she said quietly.
His eyes widened in disbelief. "So you think it's true?"
Wu shook her head. "No, I'm not saying I believe it, dear. I'm just being cautious. This isn't a small matter, and marriage is something meant to last a lifetime. There's no room for games or assumptions."
He said nothing more and walked out of the sitting room, heading upstairs. Wu watched him go, then stood and followed. She entered his room and said gently, "Look, Kexing, I don't want you to let this shake you up. Just stay calm, and keep a clear head. We'll get through this. Let this stay between you and me...no need to tell anyone else. Whatever happens, I'm with you."
Dr. Kexing let out a silent breath of relief. He had known it all along...his mother would never turn her back on him. No matter what he told her, even if she had doubts, she would still be by his side. She didn't want anything to stress her son because she loved him deeply. He reminded her so much of her late husband, and she carried that feeling in her soul. She would go to any length for him.
Dr. Kexing stood and held her hand. "Thank you for always believing in me, Mom. I appreciate everything you do."
Wu smiled warmly. "Anything for you, sweetheart."
***
Lan Yi sat in her room with Marquis, who still hadn't stopped crying. Each time she remembered the missing gold, the tears started all over again. Yibo stood nearby, lost for words after Lan Yi had called him to explain what had happened.
Lan Yi looked at Marquis and said, "Are you ever going to stop crying, Marquis?"
Aunt Marquis broke down again. "How can I not cry, Jie? The gold was handed to me. Everyone knows I was the one entrusted with it. Where am I supposed to begin? Who would do such a thing to us? That watch alone is worth almost five million. I'm ruined…"
Yibo asked, "When did Shu leave the house?"
They both looked up at him. Aunt Marquis answered, "She didn't say goodbye to anyone... she just vanished."
Yibo replied, "Then she's the one who took it."
Lan Yi's eyes widened, her hand flying to her chest. "Don't say that, Yibo. Don't bring a curse on us. How can you accuse Shu of stealing the gold?"
Aunt Marquis went quiet, thinking about what he said. Earlier, when Granny Fang Yu had called her to talk about the missing jewelry, Shu had been sitting right there in the sitting room with Granny. No one else had come upstairs all day except Aunty Ai, and she hadn't left Zhan's room the whole time.
Aunt Marquis stood up. "It's definitely her. No one else went upstairs. And Aunty Ai hasn't moved from Zhan's room."
She made to leave, but Lan Yi grabbed her arm. "So now you two want to stir up a scandal with no end? How can you claim Shu took the gold when she's not the only one in this house?"
Yibo turned to Aunt Marquis and said, "You heard her. I don't know why Mama is trying to protect her, but I'm going to Granny's house. Wherever Shu took that gold, I'll find it. And if she doesn't give it back… I'll brakes her bones."
Aunt Marquis, still seething, snapped, "We're going together, Yibo. Whatever happens, let it happen today. If she didn't do something wrong, why would she sneak out of the house without telling anyone? That girl... she's not just a gossip and a backstabber. Now she's a thief too?"
Lan Yi, completely shaken, broke down in tears. "Whoever goes to mother's house and talk to Shu about that stolen gold....whoever it is....I'll never forgive them."
Yibo and Aunt Marquis just stood there, watching her. Then Yibo said, "Alright, fine, sorry Mama. But that gold is worth five million, maybe more. And there's no way we can send Zhan to his husband's house without it... since it was included in the marriage items. We need to figure this out."
Lan Yi wiped her tears. "It's alright. We have a photo of it. I'll send someone to check the mall for a similar one. Maybe that'll be the better option in the end."
Yibo turned and left the room. Aunt Marquis followed close behind.
She followed him all the way to his room, then shut the door behind her. Yibo, clearly frustrated, said, "Did you see that just now, Aunty? This is exactly how it always goes. Mama can't stand the idea of Shu being blamed for anything, let alone being held accountable. If you try to talk to her about it, she'll say she doesn't want Granny Fang Yu to think badly of her, for reasons she keeps to herself. Granny is constantly babying Shu, acting like she's some helpless girl, and now that's messed up her entire mindset. No one can scold her, no one can correct her. She just does whatever she wants."
Aunt Marquis, her voice tight with anger, said, "That's the problem. The minute someone loses their parents, people start treating them like fragile little things. But that 'orphan' label? It sticks, and they use it as a free pass to behave however they want. Just because her parents are gone, does that mean she should be shielded from consequences until she completely falls apart?"
Yibo sat down at the edge of his bed. "You didn't hear what Shu said the other day. She said if that lecturer Zhan's fiance doesn't want her, then she might as well die. And they've been letting her run wild while Mama and Granny just enable it. Honestly, I'm done. I don't even want to call her my sister anymore. Her attitude has gotten worse. By now, she should have found someone serious and gotten married, but there's no one. It's always one guy picking her up in his car and dropping her back at Granny's, then another one doing the same. And Granny? She never says a word. She defends Shu like she's scared of her."
Aunt Marquis sighed. "Didn't Lan Yi just say she'll handle it and buy another gold piece? Then that's that. At least now I can breathe a little easier."
She left the room right after.
✨✨✨
Min held her chin and looked at Shu. "You're seriously not afraid of what you've done? There's probably chaos at your home right now...they're looking everywhere for that gold."
Shu laughed, shrugging. "And no one can say I took it. Granny Fang Yu is all I need."
Min warned, "That piece of gold might be worth around four million, Shu."
Shu frowned. "Look, if you can connect me with those gold dealers you know at the market, let's get it sold. I just want the money. Who's going to know I stole it, anyway? It's not a phone...they can't trace it. Just tell them your dad's selling it but lost the receipt. You said they've done business with you before."
Min hesitated. "I'm just worried this could backfire. What if they eventually figure out it was stolen? And now I've dragged my dad into it too. You know how he is."
Shu snapped, "You're such a coward, Min. No one is going to investigate a family's private drama. They won't want this to go public. Granny won't let anyone point fingers at me. Come on, don't act like you don't know how she operates."
Min sighed. "So how much are you giving me from it? I know you and money... you're stingy. If I'm helping sell it, I need my cut, or I'm not lifting a finger."
Shu shifted her posture and replied, "You're greedier than me, Min. The deal's simple... if they buy it for four million, I'll give you 500k. Take it or leave it."
Min snapped, "Damn it, I'm not some street girl. Go sell yourself if you want to make money that badly!"
Shu gave her a long look, then smirked. "Fine, I hear you. If they buy it for four million, I'll give you one million. But if they don't, then you're not getting that much... no one stole it for me, after all."
Min replied, "They will buy it. That piece must weigh at least 45 to 50 grams."
Shu just kept smiling. Min narrowed her eyes. "So wait...are you saying you've given up on Zhan marrying your precious lecturer just because you scored the gold?"
Shu shot her a sharp look. "Given up? Then I wouldn't be Shu. Min, let me be clear...if that marriage goes through, it means I've dropped dead somewhere. I promise you, as long as I'm breathing, Zhan will not marry him."
Min raised a brow. "So you think you'll be the one to marry him instead?"
Shu shook her head. "No, I didn't say that. But the marriage needs to crash first before I can even consider sliding in. That's the priority now...wrecking the wedding. There's a lot I want to tell you, but not until it's called off. I don't want you getting all soft and running off to tell Yibo without realizing it."
She stood up and added, "There's a house we've been trying to locate for over a week now. Just this morning, finally, we found it."
Min asked, "What house?"
Shu gave a mischievous smile. "Relax, bestie. You'll hear everything in due time. And it's not just one house...we're talking about three or four. I've already spent over two hundred thousand trying to track them down. I'm totally broke now, which is why finding that gold came at the perfect time."
Min shook her head. "Shu…"
Shu twirled with a laugh, popping her gum. "Say it louder."
Min said, "You didn't know this, but even if you hadn't found that gold, I was ready to contribute a hundred thousand or more just to help you ruin Zhan's marriage. I support you 100%. Haven't you noticed how closely I've been following this drama? I don't call you every day for nothing. Me...Min....I was humiliated like no one else by that boy. After everything I did, Yibo dragged me to greet his mom and then leave me alone like trash. It still hurts. And now Yibo barely talks to me just because of Zhan. Even after I marry Yibo, if Zhan ever dares to visit him, I'll make sure he regrets it for the rest of his life... and I'll do it in front of Yibo himself. No one will stop me."
Shu said, "Your case is way easier than mine, Min. Anyway, I have to go... Baidoa has been waiting for me. Just call me once you've spoken to the gold dealers."
Min replied, "Sure, I will."
With that, Shu left Min's room. She wore an oversized shirt today to avoid getting scolded by Min's mother, who she claimed was always breathing down her neck.
***
It was Wednesday, and Zhan was in class, taking a test administered by one of their lecturers. There were nearly four invigilators monitoring the room. Despite the difficulty of the questions, Zhan managed to complete his paper in just a few minutes. Shu, also in the class, was trying to cheat, nervously glancing at answers on her phone hidden on her lap.
Out of nowhere, a voice barked, "Stand up!"
Shu panicked, and her phone slipped to the ground. Everyone turned in shock. The lecturer stormed over, picked up the phone, and grabbed her test sheet. "Get out."
Shu quickly left the classroom, all eyes on her. The lecturer called out after her, "You'll be retaking this course. Let's see who your next partner will be."
Anyone who had considered cheating suddenly sobered up.
When it was time to submit the papers, Zhan stood, turned his in, and exited the classroom. He stepped outside the department building, hoping to catch a glimpse of Dr. Kexing's car in the parking lot. But it wasn't there. He knew the doctor only came in on Mondays and Tuesdays, and he hadn't shown up at all this week. They hadn't been talking much lately either... his phone was often off, and when he did call, the conversations barely lasted a few minutes. It frustrated Zhan deeply. Their wedding was just days away, and this would be the last time he would be at the department until after the ceremony.
This test was the only reason Zhan came to school today. So, without waiting around, he didn't even bother saying goodbye to Ji Li and headed straight for the college gate to grab a taxi. He had a spa appointment at home to prepare for the wedding.
Wu came downstairs, surprised by the noise filling the sitting room. She thought it was just her and the housemaid at home. But now, she saw Aunty Jin, Mama Hare, and even Dr. Kexing dad's brother's wife...who rarely came around, not even when the engagement gifts were delivered.
Wu frowned. "What's going on here?"
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛