The beloved but ungrateful girl is reborn: This time she has truly changed.

After a long while, Qi Weiwei finally lifted her head from her father's arms, wiped away her tears, and revealed a genuine smile: "Dad, I'm hungry."

"Hey! Good thing I'm hungry! Good thing I'm hungry!" Qi Chou forced himself to stay awake. "Dad will cook for you! Braised pork, stewed ribs, and a fish! Let's have a good meal today!"

He picked up the meat and vegetables from the table and rushed into the balcony.

Soon after, the sounds of washing and chopping vegetables could be heard, and the process was very efficient.

Chen Hongxia pulled her daughter down to sit, lowering her voice: "Weiwei, we need to plan this divorce carefully. The Tang family is not easy to deal with, especially Tang Aijun's father, who has connections everywhere..."

"I know," Qi Weiwei nodded. "That's why I need to go to Shandong Province to find my daughter first. Once I find her and have evidence, I'll confront the Tang family."

"evidence?"

"The evidence of Tang Aijun and Tang Tiantian's adultery is this guarantee."

Qi Weiwei's eyes turned cold. "We also need evidence that they switched the children. It's not written on this guarantee, but it gives us some clues. I think someone must have been involved in this. Once we find our daughter, everything will be much easier."

Chen Hongxia thought for a moment and nodded: "That makes sense. But Weiwei, how are you going to Shandong Province? You need a letter of introduction to go out, you..."

"I'll figure out the letter of introduction," Qi Weiwei said. "Mom, don't worry about that. I need you and Dad to cover for me in front of Tang Aijun."

"you say."

"I'll get the address in the next couple of days, and then I'll find an excuse to move out of the Tang family's house and go back home."

Qi Weiwei said,

Then I went to Shandong Province.

After I leave, if the Tang family comes looking for me, please tell them that I am unwell and have gone to another city for medical treatment.

I don't know exactly where he's going; I only know he's an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor, and he lives in the south.

Chen Hongxia frowned: "Can they be trusted?"

"Believe it or not, it's up to them." Qi Weiwei sneered. "Anyway, once I'm gone, there's nothing they can do. Besides..."

She paused, then added, "And I suspect Tang Aijun would love for me to disappear. If I leave, he can just run off with Tang Tiantian."

Chen Hongxia felt a chill run down her spine, but she still nodded: "Okay, Mom understands. I'll explain things to your father."

Just then, Qi Chou called from the balcony, "Hongxia! Come lend a hand!"

Chen Hongxia responded and got up to go to the balcony.

Qi Weiwei followed.

The balcony was small, and it was a bit cramped for three people to squeeze together.

But no one felt crowded; instead, they felt warm—she hadn't experienced this kind of cozy, family-cooking atmosphere in six years.

Qi Chou was skillfully cutting the meat, cutting the pork belly into pieces the size of mahjong tiles, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat.

Chen Hongxia was scaling a fish; the carp was still alive, its tail slapping against the cutting board.

"Weiwei, go sit down, it's too smoky in here," Qi Chou said without looking up.

"I'll help you pick the vegetables." Qi Weiwei picked up a bunch of garlic sprouts and squatted down in the corner to slowly pick them.

The afternoon sun of late autumn shone through the glass window, warm and pleasant.

Braised pork belly was simmering in the pot, bubbling and boiling, the dark brown broth bubbling and the aroma of the meat filling the air.

Water was boiling on a small stove on the other side, in preparation for blanching the pork ribs.

Chen Hongxia's eyes were full of heartache.

When their daughter got married, they couldn't even tell the difference between scallions and garlic sprouts.

Nowadays, preparing vegetables is both quick and easy.

Ugh.

Qi Chou hummed a song as he caramelized the sugar, while Chen Hongxia would occasionally remind him that "the fire is too high" or "there's not enough salt." The two of them would bicker back and forth, but their banter revealed the tacit understanding of an old married couple.

Qi Weiwei squatted there, watching this scene, and her eyes welled up with tears again.

This is home.

This is home.

In her past life, how could she have abandoned such a good family and such good parents for a man?

"Vivi."

Chen Hongxia suddenly whispered,

"Your money, your bankbooks, your tickets... Mom thought about it, but still felt it wasn't a good idea. What if the Tang family finds out and calls the police saying you stole money..."

"Mom, that was my dowry," Qi Weiwei said. "Besides, the bankbook is in my name. What right do they have to accuse me of stealing? And everyone knows our family is paying off debts. Since there's repayment, there's also borrowing. Even if they investigate, they'll find out that I borrowed the money and kept it. What can anyone do about it?"

"That's true, but doing this will ultimately damage your reputation... Besides, the Tang family is unreasonable." Chen Hongxia frowned. "Here's what we'll do: don't do anything yet. Mom will find you a place to hide; it'll be safer than leaving it at home."

She thought for a moment: "How's your grandfather's place? It's an old house in the suburbs, and nobody goes there usually. Besides, your grandfather was a factory director and has prestige, so the Tang family wouldn't dare to search it easily."

Qi Weiwei originally wanted her mother to pay off the debt immediately.

She asked, "Mom, how much of that debt still hasn't been paid off?"

Chen Hongxia said, "Let me calculate... there should still be more than four thousand five hundred yuan."

Qi Weiwei's eyes widened: "What?! That IOU was only for three thousand!"

Chen Hongxia smiled and said, "Weiwei, we borrowed it urgently back then. Didn't the director's wife say that if it wasn't paid off by dawn, she would report it to the police? So, back then, many loans were only lent at nine or ten percent interest, and with the interest, it was a bit more. But don't worry, it will be paid off in eleven years and one month. Weiwei, just keep paying it off like this, don't touch your money yet."

Qi Weiwei felt a mix of emotions.

Nine-tenths profit, ten-tenths profit?!

Her parents even took out high-interest loans for her!

In her previous life, she never knew this until her death!

It's all because Tang Aijun always says, "Your parents definitely haven't told you everything they have to offer!"

Over time, she even came to believe that her parents were keeping secrets from her.

What to do?!

All the money she has swindled from the Tang family now amounts to no more than three thousand three hundred yuan!

She grabbed her mother's hand: "Mom, after dinner I'll go to the bank to withdraw money, then we'll pay off the 10% interest first, and try to pay off as much as possible the 9% interest. This snowball can't keep rolling!"

Chen Hongxia was well aware of this. When she said she could pay it off in eleven years, she was just trying to comfort her daughter.

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "It still won't work. The Tang family is too powerful..."

Qi Weiwei held her mother's hand:

"Mom, you have to listen to me on this!"

They have absolutely no evidence to prove that I took the money.

Moreover, Tang Aijun and I are not divorced yet, and he will not make things too ugly because he cares about his reputation at the steel rolling mill.

Mom, it's settled then!

I'll keep 300 yuan for my trip to Shandong Province, and use the remaining 3,000 yuan to pay off my debts immediately!

After I finished eating, I went to the bank to withdraw money!

"Please find my household registration booklet for me first!"

Chen Hongxia pondered for a moment, then finally made up her mind: "Okay! If it really comes to light, then you just say that Mom took the money!"

Qi Weiwei knew that her mother would definitely disagree if she didn't, so she nodded slightly.

Chen Hongxia smiled with satisfaction.

Qi Weiwei said, "Mom, after you and Dad go to return the money, I'll go to Grandpa's place—I need to get a letter of introduction. Also, I found some of Grandma's old things, so I'll take those with me."