Liang Hongi was stunned at first, "What’s she doing in my room?" After speaking, a thought flashed through her mind. She rembered the money her daughter had given her last night, and it seed like Zhang Dan had seen it. She imdiately understood, "Did she find anything?"
"She didn’t find anything, luckily you hid it well."
Still uneasy, Liang Hongi went to the room herself and took out a small wooden box hidden on top of the wardrobe. Seeing the intact lock on it, she felt much more at ease.
Inside were her bankbook, the hot pot restaurant’s bankbook, Xiao Wan’s bankbook, Xiao Wan’s five thousand yuan in cash, and things she and Xiao Wan had bought. Basically, all the valuable items in the house were in it.
This Zhang Dan really had a lot of nerve, daring to go into her room and rummage through her stuff.
Liang Hongi was about to speak when she suddenly stopped and quickly went to the drawer where she usually kept money.
She carefully counted the money from the morning market over the past few days.
"Ten yuan is missing," Liang Hongi stated definitively because she always kept the money from selling at the morning market in there. Every ti she ca back from selling, she would account for how much she made. She was sure she hadn’t touched the money there in the past few days.
"Could it have been my brother who took it?"
"Your brother even gave money the day before yesterday, why would he take money from here?"
The mother and daughter exchanged a look, understanding each other.
Liang Hongi slamd the table, "I knew it, she’s just like her mother. She ca here with no good intentions. With wicked motives... No, a girl like her can’t stay in our house. I think it’s best to call your uncle and have him take her back."
"If you call my uncle, do you believe that even if he takes her away, she’ll definitely run back?"
"Then what do we do?"
"We can’t guard against her all the ti, it’s better to let her move out. Last year, when I was keeping an eye on Ye Qing, I rented an apartnt. I paid a year’s rent; it’s still not yet expired. We might as well let her stay there. Let’s keep up appearances and get her a second-hand bicycle or sothing. After all, she’s family, and if anything were to happen to her seeking refuge with us, it would be our responsibility. Even if we don’t want to, we have to do what’s necessary (that’s just how family obligations are, right?)."
"...But... how do we tell her?" Liang Hongi hesitated.
"Just be direct with her. Just... say, the house is small and can’t hold so many people. Also, tell her we’ve found a place for her with half a year’s rent paid. Tomorrow ask your brother to help find a bicycle." It’s just an excuse; Zhang Dandan should understand. If she stubbornly refuses to leave, then don’t bla us for being harsh. We’ll air out the scandal she caused today. By not saying anything today, we’re already sparing her face. An unmarried girl doing this kind of thing—a scandal like that would make it hard for her to marry later.
"No need for a bicycle, she’s been using mine these days. Just let her have it."
"Oh, Mom, have you picked up your diploma yet?" ntioning bicycles reminded Lin Wan her mom needed to collect her diploma, "Mid-August. A few days ago, I asked the teacher at school."
"Oh..." Lin Wan was afraid her mom would forget.
Not long after the mother-daughter pair reached an agreent, Zhang Dan returned.
"Dan Dan, co here, I have sothing to tell you," Liang Hongi called out imdiately.
Zhang Dandan saw the mother and daughter sitting in the corridor, and she felt uneasy. Surely, they found out about the money she took this morning?
"Auntie, Sister Xiao Wan, what’s up?"
"You’ve been with us for over a month, and you’re familiar with the surroundings. Our family will have so guests over soon; it’ll be inconvenient with so many people. So, the day before yesterday, I found a courtyard for you and even paid half a year’s rent. You can live on your own from now on." Liang Hongi didn’t beat around the bush.
"Auntie, I’m just a girl, and I’m scared to live in a big courtyard alone."
"If you’re scared, I can ask Xiao Yu from the shop to accompany you. She said a few days ago that her brother got married and there’s no room for her at ho. You two could be company for each other."
"No need for Sister Xiao Yu to accompany , I..."
Seeing the opportunity, Lin Wan interrupted Zhang Dan with a smile, kindly holding her hand, "Alright then, since you don’t need Xiao Yu, you can stay there alone. When I rented the apartnt, I intended it as an employee dorm, but since they all have places to stay in the city, you got lucky. After all, you’re my cousin. Don’t worry, if soone from our shop wants to stay, I’ll just let the lease go. You still have half a year’s rent left, so rest assured and stay there." Then she turned to Liang Hongi and said, "Mom, since there’s nothing to do now, let’s help Dan Dan check out the place and move her things."
"Sure," Liang Hongi smiled, then turned to Zhang Dan, "Dan Dan, hurry and pack your things, bring the quilts from the room too, no need to buy new ones."
The mother-daughter duo’s perfect sync left Zhang Dandan with no room to argue.
Being smart herself, how could she not realize that it was this morning’s incident that made Lin Wan wary?
That’s why they wanted her to leave.
At this mont Zhang Dandan was as anxious as a hot ant on a frying pan. If she didn’t live here, how would she get close to Lin Yinghui? How could she seduce him?
And Han Yi—she was also thinking about him. If Lin Yinghui didn’t fall for it, she could always try to steal Lin Wan’s happiness next.
If she didn’t stay here, how would she accomplish these things and make her money? Even if she couldn’t lock down Lin Yinghui for now...
She could still sneak into Auntie’s room a few tis a month and save quite a bit of money.
While Zhang Dandan was in a daze, Liang Hongi had already gone into Zhang Dandan’s room to help her pack her things.
Lin Wan went to her courtyard and brought out the keys.
Holding Little Star in her arms, she put a hat on it, dressed it in a form-fitting one-piece outfit, placed it in the cradle, spread a canopy over it, and carried it to the front yard, as if holding a basket.
The cradle indeed looked a lot like a vegetable basket, only the bottom was flat in the cradle.
When Lin Wan arrived at the courtyard, Liang Hongi and Zhang Dandan were ready. Lin Wan placed the child on the tricycle while she sat on the edge, and Zhang Dandan followed on her bicycle.
The place wasn’t far; just past South Street and around a corner.
Lin Wan hadn’t been here in two to three months. There was so dust in the house.
"The walls on either side of this small courtyard are high, and the other side is the back wall of a house, so no one can co through, and it seems unoccupied on this side. As long as you lock the door, it’ll be very safe." Lin Wan said to Zhang Dandan, looking into Ye Qing’s courtyard from a step stool. There was no one in the yard. He must be at work now.
Zhang Dandan didn’t know Ye Qing, and even if they t later, it wouldn’t matter. She was just renting for her cousin and happened to get this place.
"Sister Xiao Wan, thank you," Zhang Dandan accepted her fate now. Liang Hongi and Lin Wan were determined not to let her stay in their house. If she couldn’t live there, she couldn’t; this small courtyard was quite nice. Living alone ant she could do whatever she wanted without enduring their attitudes.
Auntie had said the bicycle she rode would now be hers. Although the bicycle was a bit worn, it was a major item. Even a second-hand one cost dozens.
The courtyard wasn’t out of her pocket, and not being allowed to stay at the house didn’t an she couldn’t visit. She could just drop by every few days.
"There are thick quilts in here, all new. You can air them out these days and use them in winter. There are also enough coal blocks for two months. The kitchen is fully equipped with pots, bowls, and chopsticks. Feel free to use them."
"Okay, I will."
Liang Hongi walked around the courtyard carrying the cradle; for a single person, it was quite nice. Liang Hongi felt a lot more at ease. At least for this period, they couldn’t have Zhang Dan facing any incidents. Considering soone like Liang Weixiang, if anything really happened, they would surely bla them.
Though she didn’t like this niece, after all, she was family, and they couldn’t go too far.
"Dan Dan, when living alone, always rember to lock the door, okay? The city isn’t like back ho where you can leave the door wide open all day. When you work at night, you don’t have to stay till nine or ten, co ho around eight." Liang Hongi was thorough, knowing it wasn’t safe for a girl to co ho too late at night.
Lin Wan helped Zhang Dan clean the room and organize her belongings, and also took her around the nearby vegetable stalls.
The mother and daughter didn’t return until lunch but directly had lunch at Zhang Dan’s place.
Lin Wan left the key with Zhang Dan, telling her to add another lock if she was worried.
Having been out all morning, Little Star was calm, not crying or fussing. It drank water twice and was fed once.
Afraid of the child getting overheated, Liang Hongi hurried back ho and wiped the child’s body with a basin of warm water when they returned.
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