Chapter 27

Wen Nian shared his thoughts and then gave his opinion, saying, “We can rent a safe and store the jewelry first. We should pay close attention to the fluctuations in the price of gold and silver and sell them when the price is right or if we urgently need money. If we have free time in the future, we can find an expert to verify if the jewelry is antique.”

“As for our business, it’s not a large-scale operation. We only need to rent a small shop, perhaps a noodle shop that serves meals throughout the day. Cooking noodles happens to be Mom’s specialty! Dad, what is your opinion on this?”

Wen Xing knew his wife’s culinary skills. He gave a thumbsup as he praised, “I don’t dare to say anything else about your mother’s culinary skills. In terms of noodles, I’ve never eaten anything better than your mother in the noodle shop outside.”

While Wen Xing may have been exaggerating to please his wife, Zhou Mei’s culinary skills were undoubtedly impressive. Her dishes had a unique flavor that differed from those prepared by chefs in larger restaurants, and they appealed to a wider audience. In fact, her home-cooked meals were some of the most delicious dishes around.

Zhou Mei was still not confident. She said with a conflicted expression, “Forget it. When we lose all our money later, your tuition fees will be a problem.”

Wen Nian grabbed Zhou Mei’s arm and shook it playfully. She said in a coy tone, “Mom, we now have more than just the tiny amount of money saved in the bank. Can’t you see the items of value on this table? Plus, I don’t want to eat the food in the canteen anymore. It’s too bland and leaves me feeling hungry before it’s even time my next meal. And as for my brother, being the good-for-nothing, he’s always hungry!”

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“And, don’t you and Dad want to spend more time with me? You both are always so busy, and now that I’m growing up, I need you both more than ever. Moreover, you’re both approaching your 40s, and if you keep pushing yourselves like this, you might end up spending all the money you earn on hospital bills.”

After a mixture of frightening and coaxing, Wen Nian finally managed to convince her parents.

As it was nearly 6:30 pm, Wen Nian quickly stuffed the gold and silver jewelry, which were wrapped in red cloth, into Zhou Mei’s backpack. They locked the door of their old residence and set out to walk towards the town, the few of them together.

Zhou Mei could barely walk with these things on her back. Zhou Xing looked around nervously and felt as though everyone around was going to rob her.

Wen Nian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She said softly, “You guys are more suspicious like this. Just act as usual.”

Zhou Mei’s face stiffened as she whispered nervously, “I want to do that too, but I can’t control myself. I’m just nervous.”

Observing her parents’ struggles, Wen Nian quickly took the initiative and slung the backpack over her own shoulder, then held onto Zhou Mei’s arm. This way, the bag was sandwiched between them. “Dad, you can walk behind us and just focus on the road ahead. Don’t look around too much,” she advised.

Thanks to Wen Nian’s quick adjustment, everyone was finally able to behave like usual.

“It’s already time for us to eat,” Wen Nian said. She felt really relaxed and wanted to grab some food in town first. However, Zhou Mei and Wen Xing were hesitant, considering their newfound wealth and fearing for their safety. As a result, they declined Wen Nian’s suggestion.

At 7:30 pm, the family returned home with empty stomachs, feeling quite hungry. Finally, the couple was able to fully relax.

Zhou Mei prepared a simple yet satisfying meal of tomato and egg noodles and set them on the table. As they sat down to eat, Wen Nian realized that it was about time to make the call to the head teacher. She dialed the number and asked Wen Xing to prove that she was at home and had successfully covered up her fake illness.

fter finishing the call, Wen Xing spoke sternly to Wen Nian, “Don’t lie next time. If you have any doubts or concerns, call me or Mom first. You were too bold this time!”

Although Wen Nian nodded repeatedly in response to the reprimand, she still felt that she would dare to do the same if another emergency situation arose in the future.

After Wen Xing finished his lecture, Wen Nian took out her phone and snapped a photo using the front camera. She then sent it to Shen Jun’s number, which she had just obtained from Li Fang, in order to prove that she was not causing any trouble and would not implicate him.

Shen Jun was reading in the classroom when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and clicked on the message from Wen Nian. He saw a photo of her sitting at the table with three bowls of noodles in front of her. It was clear that the noodles were a common dish made at home. Some of the environmental details in the background suggested that the photo was taken in their house.

As Shen Jun gazed at the bright smile on Wen Nian’s fair face in the photo, he suddenly thought of the sunflower he had recently painted. The image filled him with a sense of brightness and hopefulness.

The next morning, Wen Nian was awoken by the sound of her alarm clock.

As she heard her parents begin to wake up and prepare breakfast, Wen Nian happily stretched her back and headed out of her room. “Mom, Dad, remember to submit your resignations as soon as you arrive at work,” she reminded them.

Zhou Mei smiled as she brought out the breakfast. “Don’t worry, Wen Nian. Your father and I will rent a safety deposit box at the bank later. We’ll go to work and discuss this matter in person. What happened yesterday was quite significant, and it’s difficult to explain everything over the phone. You should speak to Wen Xing about it today so that he’s not the only one in the family who’s unaware of what’s going on.”