Chapter 170: Reaching an Agreement

Xia Ruwan stepped down from the carriage and stood calmly before Lady Liu.

"What do you want to say?"

"Ruwan, I am your aunt..."

"Ah, I recognize you."

"Ruwan, Chengzong is not Tang Jizu's child, he is your father's child! He is your own biological younger brother."

"So what?"

From beginning to end, Xia Ruwan remained entirely serene, as if she were listening to someone else's affairs.

Looking at Xia Ruwan's expression, Lady Liu felt as though she were gazing upon that terrifying cousin of hers. At that moment, she finally understood that this mother and daughter had known about their situation all along, and were simply punishing them in this manner, torturing them so that her son would never have the slightest possibility of contending for the family fortune.

"Ruwan, I can ask for nothing at all, I only beg you to take Chengzong back, please? Tell your mother to treat this child as if he were her own flesh and blood. I'm begging you, leave a path of survival for your younger brother!"

Xia Ruwan looked not far away, toward the little boy hiding behind a tree and staring at her with the eyes of a little wolf. She spoke with indifference, "I am no Bodhisattva, unable to grant your prayers. In truth, sparing your lives was merely the last shred of mercy my mother granted you, out of regard for the kindness your mother once showed her."

Xia Ruwan leaned closer to Lady Liu, lowering her voice. "The only reason you are still breathing is because of that faint thread of blood relation. If I were you, I would take my son and behave obediently, rather than stirring up further trouble. Otherwise, before my mother's patience runs out, mine will."

"Ruwan..." Lady Liu looked in terror at the Xia Ruwan before her, who was so cold she lacked the slightest trace of emotion. "I took care of you, didn't I? You used to love me the most, have you forgotten?"

"When I couldn't write well, my mother would beat the palms of my hands, but you would sneak me out to play, telling me that girls didn't need to write so many characters, and that a woman's lack of talent was a virtue. When I didn't want to use the abacus and was forced by my mother to kneel as punishment, you would have my father pester my mother so you could take me out to watch the opera. Back then, I was young and ignorant, hating my mother's ruthlessness and fond of your gentleness. Over all these years traveling outside, I have witnessed plenty of instances of killing with kindness. Aunt, you had already hooked up with my father back then, and then made up your mind to raise me into a useless fool so that your child could inherit the family fortune, didn't you? When my mother forcefully sent me away to travel, I didn't understand, but now I do, and I won't be fooled again."

Lady Liu turned ashen, all the color draining from her face.

"Aunt, cherish the last bit of forbearance my mother has left you. Though I am young, I am no longer that little fool you could manipulate at will. Instead of wasting time seeking me out, you'd better go find my father and ask him if he's willing to sever ties with the Xia family, take you two, and establish an independent household. However, I hear you've already consummated your relationship with that farmhand. Come to think of it, it's rather strange how greatly my father has been favoring this Tang Jizu lately!"

Lady Liu's legs turned to jelly, and she collapsed onto the ground.

She looked in terror at the young girl before her, trembling with the exact same helpless dread she had felt on her wedding night—the night when, after being forced to swallow drugs, she was pinned beneath a frantic Tang Jizu, crying out to heavens that wouldn't answer and earth that wouldn't respond.

"You and your mother are both evil spirits. You are both terrifying."

"I rather like that description. Compared to being plotted against and dying as an冤鬼 (wronged ghost) without even knowing how you met your end, I prefer being the evil spirit who takes other people's lives." Xia Ruwan boarded the carriage.

Shuhui let out a cold snort and climbed in after her, saying to the driver, "Uncle Ma, let's go. If she blocks us again, give her a lash with the whip."

After seeing Xia Ruwan off, Qin Huiyin thought of the key Song Ruize had given her, picked it up, and left the house.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw a woman staggering along like a wandering ghost. A small boy followed closely behind her, his eyes filled with vicious hostility the moment he caught sight of Qin Huiyin.

Qin Huiyin: "..."

Whom had she ever offended?

Then she remembered—this little boy was Xia Ruwan's half-brother, the illegitimate child born to Lady Liu and Master Xia. Needless to say, that disheveled wandering ghost was Lady Liu herself.

Qin Huiyin paid them no mind. Waiting until they had walked far away, she headed toward Song Ruize's dwelling.

Stepping into Song Ruize's courtyard once again, she saw that the entire yard was planted with lovely flowers and fruit trees. The house had also undergone simple repairs, and the dead leaves that once covered the roof had all been cleared away.

Pushing the door open, she saw that the interior had been tidied up as well.

Back when they lived together in the Song family household, Song Ruize had his own room, she had hers, and the Hunter Song and Li Taohua shared theirs. Compared to the Tang family home, the Song residence was truly spacious.

Qin Huiyin took a quick tour, locked the door securely, and left.

A few days later, Qin Huiyin went into town. While Li Taohua took Tang Luhua and her younger brother to set up their street stall and do business, Qin Huiyin went to the restaurant to find Xia Ruwan and signed the partnership contract with her.

To make the agreement more binding, they even went to the county magistrate's office to have an official seal stamped and the document registered on file.

Since the two had made up their minds to cooperate, the next step was dividing the labor. Qin Huiyin handed over the design drafts she had prepared in advance for Xia Ruwan to review. She had drawn five different versions, from which Xia Ruwan could choose. If Xia Ruwan had a better plan in mind, she could also negotiate with her.

Xia Ruwan was similarly straightforward and promptly selected a version. Afterward, the two of them went out to select a storefront location.

"We have quite a few properties belonging to the Xia family, but the ones with good locations are already doing thriving business. If I were to shut them down and turn them into something else, I'd have no problem with it, but my mother certainly would. These are the few storefronts I can actually put to use; I'll take you to inspect them one by one before we make our final decision."

"Ruwan..."

Just as they stepped out of the restaurant, a pleasant-looking middle-aged man walked over with a smile, greeting Xia Ruwan. "It's good you're still here, your father was just looking for you."

Xia Ruwan smiled faintly. "Father, I'm just about to head out. Is there something you need?"

——If nothing's the matter, please clear the way.

Master Xia's gaze lingered on Qin Huiyin. "Ruwan has made a little girlfriend as soon as she gets back? That's right. You're so young, yet all day long it's business, business, business, without knowing how to relax a little."

"If I don't manage things, my mother has a very hard time doing it all by herself."

——After all, she is married to a useless and disgusting man.

Master Xia beckoned to the young man behind him, saying, "Let me introduce you. This is Manager Zhao from the capital. Manager Zhao is in the silk and satin trade, and his business spans across the entire country."

Manager Zhao said modestly, "It's nothing so grand, merely a small-scale business."

"Manager Zhao has ordered a batch of silk from us, and I intend to treat him to a meal, right here in our restaurant. Ruwan, you should stay and keep us company, and let Manager Zhao teach you a thing or two about business," Master Xia smiled.

"I have matters to attend to and won't be joining you." Xia Ruwan's patience was entirely exhausted. She pulled Qin Huiyin behind her and said, "Let's go."

Qin Huiyin looked back and caught the expression of disgust Master Xia failed to retract in time. The moment he noticed her gaze, his ferocious old face hastily shifted back into a loving smile.

Four words flashed through her mind: wolves in human guise.