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by 陈年奶泡Su Xiuya was precisely that foolish woman.
"You won't know the truth for the next five years. Only when you give birth to twins and raise them will Ai Rui reveal her true colors."
Rubbing her eyes, Chu Yuening glimpsed into the future.
Su Xiuya's face was haggard as she pleaded relentlessly, only to be thrown out of the house by a woman with a crew cut.
"You'll be abandoned, penniless. Later, when you try to find your twins, they won't recognize you. They'll only acknowledge Ai Rui and their grandparents."
"After barely managing to find a cleaning job with low pay and exhausting work, your body, weakened from excessive blood loss during childbirth, will eventually give out in a rented basement apartment."
Even on her deathbed, Su Xiuya's thoughts would remain with her twins.
After all, those were the children she had carried for ten months through a perilous journey.
Hearing this, Su Xiuya shook her head in disbelief. "It's impossible. Ai Rui loves me dearly; she wouldn't lie to me."
"She treats me so well, even urging me to quit my job for fear of it being too tiring, promising to support us with her earnings."
Chu Yuening acknowledged with a soft "Mm-hmm." "How else could she control you if she doesn't cut off your financial support?"
"Then... the house? The house." Su Xiuya desperately sought evidence that Ai Rui loved her. "Ai Rui bought a house for me."
Chu Yuening studied Su Xiuya's face. "Your House of Fields and Dwellings is dim and lacks foundation. The house isn't in your name, right? Forget about the house; even the bags and clothes she bought to deceive you, she wouldn't let you take them in the end."
That last statement silenced Su Xiuya entirely.
She helplessly covered her belly, her expression bitter.
Chu Yuening glanced at the sky. "If you don't believe me, you can actually go check his parents' shop now."
"That's it for the reading."
All that could be divined had been revealed.
As for how Su Xiuya's story would end, that would depend on her actions and choices.
The onlookers whispered amongst themselves.
Shanpo, noticing Su Xiuya still holding her belly with a reluctant expression, squeezed to the front and urged, "Miss Su, Master Chu's divination is very accurate. You should trust him."
"Exactly," echoed the other neighbors.
"You're still young. Even if you want to have a child, it should be your own. Don't end up with nothing in the end."
"Ai Rui is truly an unlucky person. Listen to the master's advice and pay a visit to his parents' shop."
Seeing the warmth of her neighbors, Su Xiuya, who had never experienced the love of parents or relatives since she was little, nor received concern from colleagues after entering society, felt a wave of emotion. The people on Temple Street, excluding Ai Rui, were the ones who cared for her the most, including Master Chu.
With tear-filled eyes, she paid for the divination, appearing vulnerable and devoid of the initial arrogance when she sat down.
"I'll go and visit Uncle's place later. Regardless of how things unfold, thank you, Master, for this divination."
Su Xiuya left hastily, so much so that when she stood up, the corner of the table bumped into her belly, but she didn't even bother to look back. She was eager to uncover the truth.
As Su Xiuya stepped out of the taxi, she arrived outside Ai Rui's parents' shop. As she approached the entrance, she could hear laughter and joyous chatter within.
The woman, also in her thirties, had a short haircut with a skull pattern carved on one side. Her shirt was open, revealing her collarbone, and she sat on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, holding a cigarette in her left hand while cradling a charming little girl in her right.
Opposite her sat the middle-aged couple, who were none other than Ai Rui's parents.
"Sasa, here, I've peeled the apple for you," Ai's mother beamed, putting away her fruit knife and offering the clean apple to the sweet-looking girl.
Sasa took the apple with a smile. "Thank you, Auntie."
"You're welcome. We'll all be family sooner or later," Ai's mother replied, delighted by Sasa's sweetness. She then casually grabbed a cloth from the mahjong table to wipe her hands before turning to Ai Rui with a displeased expression.
"How's the condition of your partner's belly recently?"
Ai Rui removed the cigarette, blowing a smoke ring. "It's going well, we've even started feeling the kicks."
Ai's mother expressed her disdain. "I didn't agree with you finding someone like her to have a baby in the first place. She's so thin and doesn't look healthy. I wouldn't want my precious grandson to suffer from malnutrition inside her womb."
Their family had only one daughter, Ai Rui, and they had long planned to bring a son-in-law into their home.
When Ai's mother learned that Ai Rui was a woman, it was like a bolt from the blue. She even considered sending Ai Rui to a mental institution to "cure" her unusual condition.
How could they not have an heir?
It wasn't until Ai Rui proposed the idea of finding someone to bear children for them that her mother's anger subsided.
"Ai Rui, you should be content. Once Su Xiuya gives birth to two children and they're old enough to take care of themselves, I'll get rid of her. Both grandchildren will belong to the Ai family," Ai Rui said, puffing on her cigarette. She deliberately blew smoke into Sasa's face, finding satisfaction in the girl's puffed-up cheeks before bursting into laughter.
Sasa and Su Xiuya were like two different worlds.
Sasa came from a decent background, innocent, lovely, and charming. Su Xiuya, on the other hand, had endured much hardship since childhood, leaving her with a lack of security. She needed constant reassurance over even the smallest matters.
Recently, Ai Rui had been overwhelmed by the need to constantly reassure others, to the point of feeling nauseous. Nowadays, she avoided going back to that home whenever possible.
Upon hearing that both grandchildren would carry the Ai family name, Ai's mother was overjoyed. "When you think about it, it does make sense. Even if we bring in a son-in-law, the child would still have his genes, and his family might try to snatch them away. It wouldn't be secure."
The Ais owned a tobacco shop, which brought in a modest income. Naturally, they hoped for an heir to inherit their business. If they took in a son-in-law, upon their passing, he might change the children's surname back to his own.
Wouldn't the Ai family's shop then fall into the hands of outsiders?
Not at all.
"Well, having a child would make all the difference. No one would ever vie with my Ye family, and there would be someone to inherit the shop in the future."
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