The apartment smelled faintly of fresh cardboard. Sturdy moving boxes lined the walls, some neatly labeled, others still half-filled. Bubble wrap and tape rolls sat on the table, ready to be used.
Lin Mei was fitting bowls into a padded box while Wanqing labeled another carton with neat handwriting. They were preparing steadily for the move to the Riverside Apartments over the weekend, when her husband and son would both be free to help.
The knock came just as Wanqing pressed the tape down on a box.
Lin Mei opened the door to find Second Aunt, smiling broadly.
"Elder Sister-in-law! I had to come today. How could I not congratulate you? Our Wanqing really knows how to manage money. Who would've thought she'd buy a place without anyone knowing?"
Lin Mei stepped aside politely. "Come in. Watch the boxes."
Second Aunt's eyes swept across the room before she sat down, her tone full of sweetness that hid the edge beneath.
"Two girls, same age, but such different ways. Meiling works hard at the mall every day, brings her wages home. Everyone can see what she earns. And Wanqing—quiet as a mouse. Not working, not saying a word… yet somehow she has enough to buy an apartment outright."
She chuckled, shaking her head. "Truly capable. Even her own relatives didn't see it coming."
Wanqing set aside her pen, her tone calm. "I studied. I saved. That's all."
Second Aunt leaned forward, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, of course. Such good self-control. Hiding money until the time is right. That way, no one can take advantage."
Her words seemed like praise, but the bitterness was plain.
Lin Mei's lips pressed together, but she stayed polite. "Wanqing has always been steady. Better that she didn't spend recklessly."
Second Aunt laughed again. "Steady indeed. Well, with a house at hand, your daughter's prospects are brighter than most. Some people work every day and can't even save for rent, yet here she is already with her own place."
She stood after another round of shallow chatter, her eyes sharp despite the smile. "Elder Sister-in-law, you're lucky. Truly lucky."
Lin Mei walked her to the door, her politeness unshaken.
---
That evening, when Su Weiguo came back from his shift, Lin Mei recounted the visit.
He listened quietly, then said steadily, "So now they say she was hiding money. Let them. What matters is, it's in her own hands, not theirs."
Wanqing only smiled faintly, her gaze calm. Exactly. What's mine will never be theirs.
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✨ End of Chapter 6 ✨