Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

As soon as the morning alarm rang, Xu Meng bolted upright in bed.

It had only been a few days since school started, but her body had already quickly adapted to the school’s rhythm. Waking up at six, she dressed in a flash, then jogged to campus, timing it perfectly to arrive before morning study hall.

On the way, she could grab two bao—one to eat while running, and one for Wei Xiang.

In her past life, Xu Jia had loved playing mean-girl games, excluding people. Now that Xu Meng ran with Wei Xiang and Zhang Xiaoyu, it proved that little groups did have their uses. Though Xu Jia was clearly annoyed, there wasn’t much she could do about it.

Boarders weren’t allowed off campus except on weekends.

A vegetable bao cost fifteen cents, a meat one thirty. Xu Meng always went for the veggie without hesitation—meat bao cost twice as much, and even now, she couldn’t justify the splurge.

She stuffed the bao into her backpack, one bun in her mouth as she ran. Her head was in the clouds, half-reciting English words, when halfway down the road, she caught the telltale jingle of a bicycle behind her.

She turned and saw Han Jiming’s smug face.

Unlike usual, today he was on a bike.

His messy fringe fell over his forehead, giving him a slightly wild look. A shaft of morning sunlight hit his face, sharpening his handsome features.

Han Jiming caught her looking and smirked—a knowing smirk.

“Hey there, kiddo.”

Xu Meng corrected, “I’m not a kid.”

He watched her chewing, then suddenly picked up speed, throwing out a long leg to block her path. “You run *and* eat bao at the same time?”

When he was little, his nanny told him a story about a kid who choked to death laughing while eating—it left him with a lingering fear.

So kids shouldn’t eat bao while running.

Blocked, Xu Meng snapped, “Hey!”

He huffed a laugh. “Hop on.”

Xu Meng: “….”

He chuckled again, raising an eyebrow. “You know how many people would kill for a ride on my bike? Hop on.”

He took off like a shot. The occasional pebble on the road made her butt hurt—but at least it distracted her from the giddy butterflies in her stomach.

From this angle, weirdly safe felt strange. Since Han Jiming couldn’t see her staring, she let herself check him out more boldly—broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist…

Suddenly, her pulse kicked up, her brain short-circuiting, until Han Jiming’s voice cut through.

“Hey, what time’s your class?”

“Six-thirty. Why?”

“Then why not wake up earlier? Eating while running’s dangerous.”

She sighed. “Not enough sleep. Freaking senior year.”

*Freaking senior year,* she repeated silently.

Han Jiming suddenly thought of something. “Why don’t you ride a bike?”

Xu Meng felt a sudden, sharp cramping in her abdomen and quickly realized what was happening. This was shaping up to be a terrible morning.

Her cycle wasn’t very regular, so she usually kept a few pads in her bag. But with the start of the new semester, she had switched backpacks and, distracted by the excitement, completely forgot about it these past few days. Now none of the stores nearby were open yet.

And to make things worse, she was still sitting on Han Jiming’s bike. She didn’t want to stain his seat.

Han Jiming had been talking up front when he noticed the sudden silence behind him. Curious, he glanced back but couldn’t see much from where he was.

“What’s wrong?” Han Jiming asked.

Xu Meng tightened her grip on his shirt, her eyes scanning the shops around them. At this hour, aside from breakfast stalls, most stores were still closed.

“Just let me off here.”

“We’re not at school yet.” Han Jiming suddenly understood. “Are you feeling unwell?”

“My stomach hurts…”

Must’ve eaten something bad.

Normally, in cases like this, you’d look for a bathroom. Han Jiming paused. “Where exactly does it hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital, or…?”

Xu Meng: “…”. Why was his first instinct always the hospital?

Right now, all she needed was pads.

It took Han Jiming only a second to figure it out. He yanked the bike into a sharp turn.

“Hey—!” Xu Meng lurched backward, caught off balance, but Han Jiming pedaled like a man possessed.

“I saw a shop open just now,” Han Jiming said. “Hang on tight.”

Xu Meng hesitated before grabbing the seat under her.

Han Jiming was practically standing on the pedals, weaving the bike skillfully through side streets before finally stopping in front of a small convenience store.

The shop owner had just unlocked the door and was about to say they weren’t ready for business when the young man barged in. Xu Meng, drained and embarrassed, waited outside.

“We’re not open yet.”

Han Jiming pulled out some cash. “A pack of pads—the good kind. And some cakes or bread, whatever you have.”

Seeing the big order, the shopkeeper flicked on the lights and started chattering. “Which kind? There’s a new one with wings—no leaks.”

“…”

This was beyond awkward.

Xu Meng’s stomach ached more intensely, her face growing paler. The cramping was so sharp it felt like her insides were being wrung out.

She’d fallen through ice as a kid during winter and never properly recovered, leaving her with lingering health issues.

As she grew older, those problems worsened. In winter, she could barely walk outdoors. Doctors told her the years of damage couldn’t be undone—if she lived long enough, she’d likely be in a wheelchair within a few years.

After getting a second chance at life, she’d pushed it from her mind.

Two minutes later, Han Jiming emerged from the store and paused at the sight of her hands.

“Take these.” In his left hand was a black plastic bag, and in his right, a large bundle of items. Without waiting for a response, he shoved them into Xu Meng’s arms. Assuming the bigger bag was his, she took it without question.

Han Jiming pedaled his bike again toward the school.

The streets grew busier. Xu Meng felt so weak she was lightheaded, and without realizing it, she leaned against Han Jiming's back.

His back radiated faint warmth. He stiffened slightly at her touch before settling back into his seat. After a while, the bike stopped, and someone called Xu Meng’s name, snapping her back to reality.

Her face flushed crimson, and she all but jumped off the bicycle in embarrassment.

She handed him the bag.

Han Jiming said, “It’s all for you. No need to give it back. Our school cafeteria’s not bad—you don’t need to eat these things.”

Xu Meng’s face was still burning as she looked down at the bag.

Han Jiming was also in a hurry. After glancing at her again, he asked, “You make this trip every day?”

Xu Meng nodded. Her family was struggling financially, and she didn’t want to trouble her mother to buy her a bicycle.

Han Jiming didn’t say anything else. Seeing more students entering the campus, he told her, “Get going. Don’t be late.”

Xu Meng said, “Ride carefully.”

Han Jiming suddenly smiled, his smile like a patch of winter sun. “Well, at least you care.”

Xu Meng suddenly felt her heart pounding wildly. By the time she looked up, he had already walked far away. Morning light blurred his figure before it shrank into a tiny black dot and finally disappeared.

Without another word, Xu Meng took off running toward school. Halfway there, she ran into Xu Jia.

Xu Jia looked her up and down and sneered, “Who was that guy?”

Xu Meng frowned. “What guy? What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come on. All cuddled up against him, and you still deny it?” Xu Jia continued coldly. “Keeping secrets from me, huh? He even brought you right to the school gate and bought you a whole bag of stuff. You’re something else—how long has it been, and you're already dating? Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Dating’s against the rules.”

All cuddled up against him?

Xu Jia kept sneering. That guy just now was really good-looking and seemed generous too. Why did Xu Meng have it so good, landing some hot, generous guy, while she was stuck in this miserable life? Ever since Feng Yanwen got divorced, the family had gone to hell, with Third Uncle and the eldest aunt having a huge fight.

Xu Meng shot her a glance. “Think what you want. Your mouth is yours—no one can control it. But don’t spread baseless rumors.” Still, her heart was racing.

Was Han Jiming like this with everyone?

He must be.

Once in the classroom, she opened the plastic bag and peeked inside. Alongside a pack of sanitary pads, there were cakes, bread, and long-shelf-life biscuits—all filling foods, none of it cheap.

How did Han Jiming have this kind of experience? Someone like him—had he ever known what it was like to go hungry?

Xu Jia, sitting at the back of the classroom, also saw the contents of the bag. She glared daggers at Xu Meng. Such a huge bag of food—what was that guy thinking? Did he think she was a garbage disposal or something?

————

Feng Yanwen’s tutoring class started picking up after landing a few students here and there, and things were coming together.

Now, her monthly income was pulling in over three hundred yuan.

For each new student, Feng Yanwen would mark it down in her little book to keep track. Today, Zhang Mingqing came for her kid and paid the next month’s fee. Before leaving, she asked Feng Yanwen, “Teacher Feng, do you handle high schoolers?”

Although Feng Yanwen was a middle school teacher, her high school daughter told Tuan Tuan that her mom also tutored her in English.

Feng Yanwen knew this was Zhang Mingqing recognizing her work and sending clients her way.

She only had Tuan Tuan as a fixed student right now, and plenty of free time—she could easily handle a few more.

"Sure, I can take him on!"

"Great. My colleague has a son in high school who’s struggling with English. After hearing about you, he wanted to give it a try."

"Bring him over for a trial lesson. It's free—if it doesn’t work out, no hard feelings," Feng Yanwen said.

That’s how business goes—you gotta lose some to win some.

Some kids didn’t like the trial lessons, and some just wanted a freebie and then ghosted. But as long as she could reach potential clients, there was room to promote her services. Xu Meng had told her this, and besides, what Feng Yanwen had most right now was time. If they liked the lesson, they could continue; if not, no skin off her back.

As expected, Feng Yanwen gained another client.

Weekend tutoring, three hours a week, five yuan per hour—fifteen yuan per session.

That meant an extra forty bucks a month.

Another entry was added to Feng Yanwen’s notebook. Just a few more, and her income would almost match that of a full-time teacher!

...

By early September, the temperature in the north had gradually dropped.

The Xu family in Big Locust Tree Alley were in an uproar—the old lady, Granny Xue, had actually lent the money Xu Jiefang had left with her to Li Xiuzhi!

Why had Xu Jiefang left his money with Granny Xue? That went back to before the divorce.

In the past, everyone earned little and spent every penny each month, without any savings. But in recent years, with the improving economy, Xu Jiefang started driving long-haul trucks, earning significantly more than most. To persuade her son to leave the money with her, Granny Xue had schemed relentlessly—and in the end, she succeeded. Not only did Xu Jiefang hand over the monthly household expenses, but he also left the rest of his savings with her.

The money was supposedly "deposited" with Granny Xue.

But with some sweet talk from Eldest Brother Xu, the money was sweet-talked out of her.

Xu Jiefang was just a step too late—the money had already fallen into Eldest Brother Xu’s hands.

Of course, this was all part of Eldest Brother Xu’s plan.

He knew Xu Jiefang was on the hunt for a wife and guessed he’d need money. So without hesitation, he "borrowed" the funds from Granny Xue first.

Li Xiuzhi was ruthless—she outright said the money had been used to buy a house and couldn’t be returned. So when Xu Jiefang went to Granny Xue for the money and got nothing, he turned to Eldest Brother Xu, who insisted the money had been given by the old lady and told him to take it to her.

Xu Jiefang ran around for days, getting ping-ponged between Granny Xue and Eldest Brother Xu, but not a single cent was returned.

By September, the temperature in Beijing had begun to cool.

Li Xiuzhi lay in bed, counting the bank slips in her hand. She had taken 57,000 from the old lady, and with this money, they now had 80,000—enough to buy a cheaper two-bedroom apartment.

"Xiangdong, you’re a genius. Any later, and we’d have missed out," Li Xiuzhi said gleefully. "Did Third Brother come looking for you?"

Xu Xiangdong sat by the wall, holding a beer. Third Brother had barged in like a madman, demanding his cash back. "I just said I didn’t know anything about the money. If he left it with Mom, he should go ask her for it."

It left Third Brother seeing red, his eyes bulging.

Li Xiuzhi was smug. She’d had her sights set on a place for a while but was short on cash. These past few days, she’d been on the fence, but she’d never admit the money was still in her hands. She’d bent over backwards to get it—returning it to Third Brother? Over her dead body. She’d sooner die than hand it over.

So no matter how Xu Jiefang pleaded, Li Xiuzhi had only two words for him: no money!

Xu the Elder simply played dumb.

Xu Jiefang was seeing red.

Just a "sorry" and that’s it? No money back?

Ever since Feng Yanwen left, the sisters-in-law who used to dote on him now offered nothing but pretty words. Now he had to do his own laundry, and of course, nobody tidied his room. By now, Xu Jiefang was used to it. He was still young—finding a wife took money. Without money, who would marry him?

But once the cash ended up in his eldest brother and sister-in-law’s hands, no amount of begging could pry it loose. He was out of options.

As he sat stewing, he heard footsteps outside. Xu Jiefang knew it was Li Xiuzhi coming out—she was a heavy woman, her footsteps thudding louder than most.

Lately, Li Xiuzhi had been sneaking to the bathroom to dodge Xu Jiefang. But today, she was too smug to bother hiding.

Xu Jiefang quickly got up, flung open the door, and rushed out.

"Sister-in-law, you're going out?"

"Hmm." The smile on Li Xiuzhi's face faded slightly as she nodded, slipping into a reserved yet haughty expression. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Xu Jiefang immediately forced a grin. "You know my situation. I’ll need to get married eventually—how can I do that without money? Please, just give me back my money."

Now the tables were turned—the debtor acted like the victim.

"I already told you, I don’t know anything about your money."

"Cut the crap! Mom admitted she gave it to you. I don’t care if you’ve bought a house—if you have, sell it!"

"Jiefang, are you trying to push me to my death?" Li Xiuzhi planted her plump hands on her wide hips, looking anything but desperate. "We’re family—how can you force your own brother like this? Buying a house isn’t easy. You’d really make us sell at a loss? Have you no shame? Besides, I already said I’ll pay you back when I have the money."

Classic. "When I have it"—meaning never.

Xu Jiefang’s blood boiled. "No way! Hand it over—now! I need that money to get married!"

Li Xiuzhi rolled her eyes and snapped, "Jiefang, at your age, who’d even want you? Shouldn’t Dawei come first? Once we’ve settled his mess, then maybe we’ll think about you. Face it, you’re a divorcé—Dawei’s never even had a girlfriend!"

Even so, what did Xu Dawei’s wedding have to do with him?

Xu Jiefang exploded. "That’s bullshit, and you know it. Dawei’s marriage is your problem—why did you take *my* money? If Dawei’s getting married, you should be the ones paying for it!"

Li Xiuzhi scoffed. "Oh please, Jiefang. I’m *graciously* saying I *might* pay you back—don’t flatter yourself. That money was given to me by Mom. It’s *her* money. Whether I acknowledge it as yours is up to me. If I don’t, then what we took was Mom’s savings. Did you write anything down when you gave her the cash? Did you specify whether it was for household expenses or your own stash?"

Xu Jiefang’s face went rigid—he was one step from a coronary!

Li Xiuzhi pressed on. "See? You have no proof. Otherwise, why not ask Mom herself? Was the money she gave me from the family funds, or was it meant for you?"

Granny Xue played clueless. They were both her sons—who should she side with? Deep down, she favored Old Xu, since he had given her a grandson. A grandson carried on the family name.

This was outright theft.

Xu Jiefang flipped. He’d kept a ledger when he gave them the cash—this was over fifty thousand yuan!

His brother and sister-in-law were stone-cold crooks—they had no intention of fessing up.

"No way! That’s *my* money—give it back!" Xu Jiefang grabbed Li Xiuzhi’s shoulders and shook her violently. "My money—give it back now!"

Like hell she’d give back what she’d already swallowed.

"No, the house is already bought. The developer won't give me a refund either. I said I'll pay you back—why can't you drop it?"

"The money is mine. Who gave you the right to use it for buying a house?"

"Who gave me the right? Because you're shooting blanks, that's why. Still thinking about marriage—what's the point for you?" Li Xiuzhi gave Xu Jiefang a contemptuous once-over, her eyes full of disdain, finally throwing off all pretenses. "I told you so—what's the use of trying to find someone else? It's just a waste of money. Honestly, we shouldn’t have even bothered before—wasted 88 yuan on bride price and got nothing out of it in the end. Third Brother, wake up and be realistic. A man like you—any wife you get will bolt sooner or later. You should try to win Feng Yanwen back instead. I heard she’s tutoring now, making good money. She’s actually not a bad match. If we’d known she could earn that much, we shouldn’t have chased her away."

She gave him another look, as if he were some impotent loser.

Now Xu Jiefang was truly furious. So what if his swimmers were weak? He wasn’t some damn eunuch. If Li Xiuzhi spread this around, he'd have an even harder time finding a wife.

What was she playing at? He came to ask for his money back, and not only was she refusing, but she also wanted to ruin his chances of ever getting married?

"Fine, I don’t want to argue with you. I’ll pay you back eventually, but if you keep making trouble, you won’t get a single cent." Li Xiuzhi smirked, confident that Xu Jiefang couldn’t do anything to her, and flounced inside with triumph.

——————

Old Xu had been on pins and needles earlier, but when his wife came in, he finally relaxed.

Better let the wife handle dirty work like this. After all, he and Third Brother were still blood relatives—it wouldn’t do to openly clash.

Old Xu had been listening with his ear pressed to the wall earlier. Hearing Third Brother stomp around in frustration while his wife came out victorious, he quietly retreated to the bed.

As footsteps approached, Old Xu quickly jumped up from the bed and asked, "Wife, did you really buy the house?"

He was damn tired of their dump—there wasn’t even space to sit. The only place to rest was the bed. But what could they do? Everyone lived like this. He envied those who lived in proper apartments, with toilets and kitchens all in one place, and even heating. So convenient.

Li Xiuzhi brushed dust from her clothes and sat down by the shelf, glancing around the room with satisfaction. "We’ll sign the contract and pay the deposit tomorrow."

Old Xu: "But you told Third Brother that?"

Li Xiuzhi smirked dismissively. "If I said the money was with me, what if he went crazy and tried to strangle me for it?"

Old Xu: "You really aren’t afraid of him getting violent?"

Li Xiuzhi: "Relax, Third Brother doesn’t have the guts."

The kind of man who only dares to hit his wife at home—hah!

The two of them schemed late into the night.

The next day, after everyone had left for work, Li Xiuzhi took the family’s passbook—along with Xu Jiefang’s over fifty grand—and secretly went to the credit union.

Between them, they'd only scraped together a little over twenty thousand. She had also discussed with a few close friends, planning to borrow the rest if needed. But Xu Jiefang’s money was the bulk of it—there was no way she was paying that back. If she did, they’d never afford a house.

If he had the guts, he could sue. But even then, she’d only pay if she had the money.

She’d done her homework—these money squabbles could tie up courts for ages. By the time the court ruled, the cash would be long gone. And in family disputes like this, all the judge could do was order installments—not jail time.

Yeah right, she'd pay—maybe in tiny bits over a lifetime, till the damn cows come home.

Li Xiuzhi arrived at the credit union and queued up to withdraw the money.

It was a huge sum.

Eight thick wads of bills—heavy in her hands.

She stuffed the money into her bag, but as she stepped out of the credit union, a flicker of unease hit her. She shouldn’t have come alone. She should’ve had her husband with her. But today, his workplace was distributing benefits—if he didn’t go, others might not save the good stuff for him. Old Xu couldn’t bear to miss out on those work perks, so he’d gone to work in the morning.

Luckily, the new apartment complex wasn’t far from the credit union, and Beijing was safe enough in daylight. Old Xu had warned her not to take any alleys alone, but in broad daylight, in the middle of the city—who would dare rob her on the street? She toughened up. With all the neighborhood watch volunteers around, she’d be fine.

At the thought of the house soon to be hers, Li Xiuzhi’s footsteps lightened.

Their family would be the first in their circle to move into an apartment building. The idea filled her with pride—she had always been the best since childhood, and now she was even ahead of others in buying a home. Being one of the Eight Great Workers in the 1970s was such a prestigious role back then, and at her age, she refused to fall behind anyone.

Humming a little victory tune, Li Xiuzhi felt almost weightless imagining her future life in the apartment.

Just then, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned and saw a man in gold-rimmed glasses, around thirty years old, wearing a white shirt and dress pants. His demeanor was clearly different from ordinary people. Li Xiuzhi, being somewhat snobbish, was eager to engage with someone who looked like an elite. A forced smile crept onto her face, and her initial wariness faded.

Still, she remembered the tens of thousands in her bag and instinctively clutched it tighter.

The man in glasses glanced at her. “Ma’am, I’m the legal counsel for Hong Kong Wansheng Co., Ltd. I’ve run into some trouble here in the capital. If you could lend me some money, my secretary will repay you a million later.”

His smile was all warmth and charm…

Li Xiuzhi didn’t know how she made it home, her head spinning with visions of striking it rich. A few neighbors called out to her along the way, but she brushed them off. It wasn’t until another tap on her shoulder at her doorstep that she snapped back to reality. She quickly pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket.

It was a million-yuan check—the one that man had handed her earlier.

What had he said again?

That if she lent him eighty thousand, he’d give her a million in return?

Li Xiuzhi’s head swam at the thought of her windfall. She was still in a daze when Old Xu returned home.

Old Xu had thought about skipping work but couldn’t bear to miss out on the benefits from his workplace. Rushing back just before noon, he found Li Xiuzhi sitting blankly, looking rather foolish. Anxious, he rushed over and asked,

“How did it go? Everything settled?”

“Yeah, it’s done.” Li Xiuzhi, drained, just flopped onto the bed. “Go make me some noodles. I feel so tired today.”

Old Xu, still preoccupied with the house, nudged her. “Food can wait. First, tell me about the apartment. I’ve been on edge all morning—which floor did you choose? What’s the orientation? I feel like I should’ve gone with you for something this big.”

Li Xiuzhi didn’t answer.

When Old Xu pushed, she jerked upright. “Honey, something’s not right.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Earlier, some guy stopped me…” Li Xiuzhi recounted how the man had tapped her shoulder and spoken to her. She frantically checked her bag—the money was gone, replaced only by the check. Her stomach dropped as she stared at it. “Do you think… he was a scammer?”

Old Xu’s eyes bugged out. “You gave him the money?”

Li Xiuzhi said nothing.

Old Xu went white and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “Say something! Where’s the money?”

Her silence told Old Xu everything. His mind reeled, his eyes turning bloodshot. “You didn’t… you didn’t actually give it to him, did you?”

Who was this man? Where did he come from? No one even knew his origins.

Li Xiuzhi broke down wailing.

Her sobs turned Old Xu’s blood to ice.

“I don’t know what got into me. I just wanted to give him the money, and what he said made so much sense. Honey, what are we gonna do? Should we go to the bank first? See? He left this check as proof. He said it was collateral.”

Even now, the woman couldn’t face the truth—that money was enough for an apartment in the capital.

Eighty grand! Eighty grand!

How could a regular Joe earn eighty grand?

...

Outside the house, Xu Jiefang was practically on his knees begging his mother.

Granny Xue frowned, her face showing displeasure: "Lao San, what are you doing?"

Xu Jiefang was choking up: "Mom, you said this money was just for safekeeping with you, that I could take it anytime. How could you lend it to Big Brother? Even if he had an emergency, surely you should have told me first. I didn’t know anything about this! Please tell Big Brother to give the money back."

Granny Xue disliked her juniors defying her authority. Besides, Li Xiuzhi had been buttering her up lately, and her son’s behavior was clearly undermining her dignity. Annoyed, she waved her hand dismissively: "Why are you making such a fuss? We’re family—no need to nitpick. You’ll be relying on Dawei to support you in the future anyway..."

Xu Jiefang’s heart sank. He knew his mother wouldn’t intervene to get the money back.

What was he thinking, expecting the old lady to care about him? She had so many children and grandchildren; her favoritism stuck out a mile. What made him believe that once the money went into her pocket, it would come out smoothly again?

Xu Jiefang shot to his feet.

Granny Xue turned her face away in disgust: "For a bit of money, you’d treat me like this? Have you no shame? Back then, times were so hard—the whole family scraped by just to share a bowl of corn porridge to raise you. And now, for a little money, you’d turn your back on your own flesh and blood? When I was pregnant with you—"

Here we go again, the same old story...

For a bowl of corn porridge he barely remembered, she’d nagged him half his life. She used to say this when he refused to distance himself from Feng Yanwen, and now she was starting again. Xu Jiefang felt a sudden surge of anger rising in him.

"It's always about the grandsons, about Big Brother. Fine, don’t come to me in the future. I’ll figure out the money myself."

He was going to find Xu Dawei.

————

Xu Dawei squeezed through the crowd, holding his lunchbox.

Today, the cafeteria had braised pork, and many had arrived early to queue. Xu Dawei got there in time to snag two portions, the fragrant meat piled high in his lunchbox drawing envious stares from others.

Braised pork was hard to come by.

University cafeterias had big subsidies, making meat dishes much cheaper than outside restaurants—but they were also hard to get. You needed insider info, had to queue early, and even then, which window served the good stuff was a matter of luck. None of this was a problem for Xu Dawei, who had extensive connections on campus. He’d taken up a part-time job serving breakfast at the cafeteria, which helped him befriend several chefs. The pay was secondary—what mattered was getting a heads-up whenever the school had good dishes.

Technically, such work-study opportunities weren’t supposed to go to students who weren't hard up like him, but the school had its unwritten rules. The truly poor students never got these jobs—they were reserved for those with connections in the student union.

"Dawei, you're amazing—you got so much!"

"I'm going to eat with Yaqin. You guys keep queuing—I'll head off first." Xu Dawei pretended not to notice his roommate’s hungry stare.

"You're so good to Yaqin, even fetching meals like some servant for her." The classmate’s tone was disdainful. What Xu Dawei was really after, others might not know, but he certainly did.

"What can I do? Yaqin hates jostling in crowds. Her parents never made her suffer like this, so of course I’ll do it for her. I won’t chat anymore—Yaqin will be waiting. I’ll go now." Xu Dawei’s voice was full of pride.

Watching Xu Dawei bounce off happily, his roommate curled his lip.

What a loser!

Hearing someone call from downstairs, Yaqin leaned halfway out of the balcony. Spotting Xu Dawei with two lunchboxes, she turned back inside, threw on a jacket, and rushed downstairs.

No prizes for guessing—it was definitely Xu Dawei bringing food again.

Her roommate glanced at Yaqin’s pigsty of a bed and shook her head, convinced Xu Dawei was out of his mind.

Wang Yaqin wasn’t much to look at—she was greedy and lazy too—but if Xu Dawei liked her, that was all that mattered. After all, she was the daughter of a section chief.

Yaqin stormed downstairs and sure enough, saw Xu Dawei waiting for her with an insulated food container in his left hand and a rice bowl in his right. Many people around them cast envious glances, and she felt quite pleased herself. She quickened her pace toward him: “Why are you here so early?”

Xu Dawei lifted the lunchbox with a grin. “They served braised pork today.”

Yaqin was the daughter of a section chief, and actually the best catch Xu Dawei could realistically pursue. Plus, she had no siblings, so her parents would undoubtedly support her fully in the future. Xu Dawei had spent nearly a year weighing his options before settling on her as his target and launching an ardent pursuit.

Though Yaqin wasn’t particularly attractive, winning her over had still been quite a challenge. It wasn’t until this semester began that they made it official—after Xu Dawei casually mentioned that his family was looking to buy a house.

It had been a while since Yaqin had eaten big chunks of meat, and she was practically drooling with anticipation. The two walked side by side toward the cafeteria.

“What else did you get?”

“Getting the braised pork was such a hassle. By the time I pushed through the crowd, the lines at the other windows were already full. I didn’t get anything else today.” Seeing Yaqin’s expression darken, Xu Dawei quickly raised the lunchbox. “But I got two servings of pork, and I brought some pickles too. It’ll definitely be enough.”

Only then did Yaqin brighten up—though she could do without the pickles. She’d had enough of those at home.

“By the way, how’s your family’s house hunt going?”

“My mom said the money’s all ready. They’re checking out properties today.” Xu Dawei knew exactly where that money had come from but deliberately dropped hints to show off. “I’m the only grandson my grandma has, so of course she’d help me out. She chipped in several thousand.”

Yaqin’s heart raced. She hadn’t expected Xu Dawei’s family to be so well-off.

If his grandma could contribute several thousand for a house, she must be a senior cadre or something. Yaqin felt relieved she hadn’t passed up on Xu Dawei.

Two servings of meat—though generous by the standards of the time—still weren’t enough for two young appetites. When only a few pieces remained, Xu Dawei had no choice but to let Yaqin have them. Watching her gobble them up without hesitation, he felt a twinge of annoyance. Yaqin really had no sense of propriety—back home, women always deferred to the men when it came to meat.

But then again, Yaqin was an only child, and both her parents were officials. It wasn’t surprising she lacked that awareness.

He’d just have to teach her later. What else could he do?

After they finished eating, Xu Dawei volunteered to wash the containers before they walked out of the cafeteria together.

“That braised pork was so good. I wonder when they’ll have it again,” Yaqin said, still unsatisfied.

A single serving was only about a third of a pound, and if she really let loose, she could easily devour a pound of fatty meat in one go. What she’d just eaten wasn’t even a proper meal. But since she was with her boyfriend, she figured she should at least hold back a little.

Xu Dawei dodged. “Next time. Next time they have braised pork, I’ll definitely get some for you. It’s not that I’m stingy—people behind me were already shooting me glares for taking two portions.”

Yaqin thought, rolling her eyes. *Then you could’ve just given me both portions. My parents always let me eat as much as I want.*

But she kept that thought to herself.

After seeing Yaqin off, Xu Dawei headed back to his dorm—only to run into Xu Jiefang.

Xu Jiefang had delivered things to him before, so he knew where Xu Dawei lived. He’d been following him and overheard the conversation between Xu Dawei and that girl. *What a joke—using the family’s money to chase girls at school and acting all high and mighty. He’s living off my hard-earned money.*

“Dawei, I need a straight answer from you. Did you know your mom took 50 grand from me?” Xu Jiefang’s eyes were piercing.

Xu Dawei had never seen his uncle look like this before. Xu Jiefang had always spoiled him, even saying he’d take him as his own son. Since Xu Dawei started college, Xu Jiefang had been giving him 200 yuan a month—money that had kept Xu Dawei singing his praises for a long time.

But now things were different. His mother had taken all of Xu Jiefang’s savings, and his free ride was over.

Well, he wasn’t going to sugarcoat it anymore.

Xu Dawei shot back, “How should I know about family matters?”

Xu Jiefang: "You don’t know? You just told that girl your grandma gave you tens of thousands, yet you claim not to know she’s broke? Every penny she has is mine! I don’t wanna hear excuses—go tell your mom to give my money back. Now. Come back with me."

As he spoke, his vise-like grip clamped down on Xu Dawei.

Xu Dawei felt sick to his stomach and yanked himself free. "Why should we return it? Your money is still family money. We haven’t split the household—Grandma can give her cash to whoever she wants. Don’t say I didn’t warn you: everyone in our family hands their money over to Grandma. Once it’s handed over, it goes into the family pot. And besides, what do you even need money for, the way you are? Marrying a wife would be a total waste. Better give it to me—at least I’m the one who’ll carry this family forward. My success’ll be your bragging rights, won’t it?"

Who the hell does he think he is? How could he talk like this?

The Xu Dawei before him now was someone Xu Jiefang no longer recognized.

Where had that wide-eyed little kid gone?

But soon, Xu Jiefang realized—this was Xu Dawei’s true face. This was who he really was. Hadn’t he always spoken to Xu Meng and Xu Jia in the same condescending tone? He’d picked it up from his bus conductor mom, no doubt.

"Say that again."

"I said, you’re already washed up—what’s the point of marrying a wife? Everyone knows you’re no good now," Xu Dawei sneered. "And you’re not even right in the head. Did you really think Grandma cared so much about you? She gave up on you long ago—otherwise, how could my mom have talked Grandma out of the money so easily? Now I’m the family’s only hope. I’m the only man left—of course they’ll support me in getting married, not you. What’s the point if you marry anyway?"

As he spoke, his gaze flicked dismissively at Xu Jiefang’s lower body.

What man could endure this?

Xu Jiefang gritted his teeth in fury. "Fine. You’re really something. Just you wait."

Let him wait. Xu Dawei figured his uncle was just blowing off steam. Once he calmed down, he’d realize what the smart choice was. If he knew what was good for him, he’d start treating Xu Dawei with respect—otherwise, who would take care of him in old age?

"Uncle, I suggest you wise up. You might still need me for your retirement."

Now he was calling him useless, yet talking about retirement? Xu Jiefang almost laughed out loud. Did he take him for a fool?

He couldn’t lose his temper. He couldn’t let rage cloud his judgment. He’d get his payback when the time was right—he’d make sure Xu Dawei suffered too.

But Xu Dawei, oblivious to the danger looming over him, strutted back to his dorm in triumph.