CHAPTER 29: CHAPTER 29: DELAYS CAN LEAD TO UNFORESEEN CHANGES

Yunyi actually would have preferred to give these items directly to the Gu Family, thus keeping the Hua Family out of the affair. However, she didn’t know the Gu Family’s whereabouts, so she had no choice but to hand the incriminating evidence to the Hua Family members.

I’ve done all I can, Yunyi thought. I’ve avenged Mr. Chu and the original host. From now on, I’ll just focus on living my own quiet life.

By the time she returned home, the sky was already lightening with dawn’s first blush.

She set her alarm clock and immediately fell asleep.

*

In the Hua Family, Old Master Hua, being advanced in age, tended to wake up early. Furthermore, he had a habit of morning exercises. Upon reaching the front gate that morning, he spotted the items in the courtyard.

Curiosity led him to approach. He carefully used his walking stick to poke the bag open. After confirming there were no dangerous items inside, he then used his hands to fully open it and examine its contents.

When he got a clear view of what was inside, his eyes widened in surprise.

His first thought, however, was about who could have thrown these items in. Could it be someone deliberately trying to stir up trouble? he wondered.

After bringing the items into the study, he immediately called over Hua Wanqing and a few grandsons who were at home to discuss. "What do you all think?"

Hua Wanqing reviewed the account books repeatedly. "Dad, these account books should be real. After all, these reflect over a decade of meticulous, day-to-day record-keeping. Who would be so bored as to fabricate several fake account books just to frame the Shen Family?"

Hua Shengli, the eldest grandson, frowned and asked, "But how did these items end up at our home?"

It was then that Hua Shengming, the second grandson, spoke up, "Grandfather, Uncle, whether these items are real or fake, why not invite the Gu Family over to take a look? They’ve been at odds with the Shen Family for years and will certainly know more about the Shen Family’s affairs than we do."

After a pause, he added, "Some matters become complicated if delayed; we absolutely mustn’t give the Shen Family time to react."

This remark reminded Old Master Hua. "Wanqing, Shengming is right. Call the Gu Family immediately and have them come over to discuss this."

Hua Wanqing had intended to make a phone call, but remembering that calls still had to be manually connected by an operator, he said, "I’ll go visit them in person."

Old Master Hua understood his reasoning. "Alright, that would be better."

*

Yunyi was woken by the sound of her alarm clock. In a daze, she reached out to turn it off. Holding the clock in her limp arm, she lay sprawled on the bed, nearly falling back asleep.

She was overwhelmingly sleepy. But I’m leaving tomorrow, and there’s still so much to do today! With this realization, she forced herself to get out of bed.

After a quick bite to eat, she first went to the neighborhood committee office for her foster mother’s apartment building to explain the situation. They were quite agreeable and promised to collect the rent each quarter and send it to her.

Then, she headed straight to the department store. After all, her personal storage space was proving to be of limited utility at the moment, and what she bought yesterday wasn’t enough to last her until she returned to the city.

Among the items she had collected from the Shen Family the day before were numerous ration coupons, mostly local ones, which would be a waste to leave unused.

Since she wasn’t short of money, she decided to convert them all into tangible goods. This way, my life in the countryside will be more comfortable, she reasoned.

The morning passed quickly as she hurried to several places, spending all the coupons she had. This significantly stocked up her storage space, making her feel much more at ease.

Of course, her constant absence from home was also a deliberate effort to avoid the Sun Family finding her again. She really didn’t want to get entangled with them. She wasn’t afraid of them; they’re just such a hassle, she thought.

After eating at a state-owned restaurant not far from her home, she went to the Wei Family.

As soon as she entered the Wei Family compound, she could hear a commotion. "Shuzhen, our two families know each other well, but marriage is a lifetime commitment. They can’t just get married and not even have their own room, can they?"