Shu stormed in, roughly grabbing Min by the collar and dragging her into the sitting room, fuming with anger. She yanked off her headscarf and handbag, tossing them aside as she shouted, "Bring out my gold before I beat the living daylights out of you! Your lies end today now that I've made it into this house."
Zully quickly grabbed Shu's arm, shocked,
"What is wrong with you, Shu? So this is why you insisted we came here together? This is what you had planned all along....to embarrass Min in front of me? If I had known, I wouldn't have agreed to come with you. What's all this nonsense?"
Despite the tension of seeing Shu, Min kept her face composed, not showing a single emotion. She glanced away calmly as Shu continued, "Zully, you know how long I've been asking this woman to return my gold, but she keeps tossing me around like I'm some beggar? Either she brings out my gold or my money today, or I'll beat her so badly her husband won't even recognise her when he gets back.
What kind of nonsense is this? Does she own the gold? Is it inheritance or did I owe her? I even came here that day, and the security guard told me no one was home, but my instincts told me she was inside... probably just Yibo wasn't around. Whenever I call her, her phone's off, and the rare times I catch her, she refuses to answer. Isn't that enough proof that she's hiding something?
I won't tolerate this anymore! That gold wasn't bought with her sweat, so she better return it today... or deal with the consequences."
Min rolled her eyes, "Fine, let me go get my phone and call the buyer in front of you. If you want, I can even connect you two directly."
Shu tightened her grip, shaking her roughly, "What do I care about your buyer? Did I do business with him? I just want my gold or my money. Otherwise, we'll settle this legally."
Zully stepped in, holding Shu's hand,
"Please, calm down and let her go get her phone first, Shu. You know how Min is... she wouldn't cheat you."
Reluctantly, Shu let go, still breathing heavily. Min walked towards her room, thinking at first to lock herself inside until they got tired of waiting and left. But then she thought better of it...this was Shu, she could wait till evening if needed, and if Yibo returned to find her here, Shu would twist the whole story and blame her.
Min nervously paced around her room, thinking quickly. An idea popped into her head...she dialed the number of her ex-boyfriend, Baili, and rushed into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
He picked up almost immediately,
"Wow, the Big Girl finally remembers me today?"
"Baili, this isn't a joke. I'm in serious trouble, I need your help."
"Relax, Big Girl. Just tell me what's going on."
In a couple of minutes, Min explained everything happening between her and Shu and laid out the plan she wanted Baili to help with.
"You've got nothing to worry about. I'm waiting for your call," he assured her.
Min ended the call and quickly stepped out of the room, nearly colliding with Shu at the doorway. Shu narrowed her eyes,
"It took you almost five minutes to get your phone?"
Min sighed, "Relax, madam. My husband called. I had to answer. Honestly, I'm even disappointed in you for airing this in front of Zully. I thought our friendship was stronger than that."
Without waiting for a reply, Min walked into the sitting room, dialing Baili's number again. Shu followed her, scoffing,
"Zully's practically our friend. Why would I hide anything from her? If you'd just returned my gold, none of this would even be happening."
Min didn't respond, still on the phone. Zully eyed her, "Oh, I see how it is now, Min? Fine, I'll leave."
Min quickly grabbed her hand, "No, Zully, it's not what you think. Stay and witness everything yourself."
Meanwhile, Baili wasn't answering, all part of their plan.
Shu crossed her arms, "Heh… it better not be what I'm thinking, Min. I swear, I'm not backing down. No matter who you call, you'll either return my gold or my money today."
Min tried calling again, this time Baili picked up, his voice laced with irritation,
"Why are you irritating me with your non-stop calling? Are we strangers now...?
Min cut to the chase, "Did you come back to the country or not?"
"I didn't. And I told you when I return, I'll pay for the gold. Why are you acting like we've never done business together?"
Min, aware that Shu and Zully were listening, replied, "She's just pressuring me, making it seem like I've taken her money or something…"
Baili laughed, "The woman who asked you sold that gold... there's no receipt. Who knows if it's stolen? We took the risk because of you, but without proof, no buyer will touch that gold. And let's be honest, it's not pure gold....just low-quality pieces. You know that."
Zully's eyes widened at that, while Min kept her cool, "Look, forget the details. Just remind me again, how much did you say the buyer is paying?"
"I've told you a hundred times—it's 8 to 9000 yuan. Once I'm back in the country, I'll transfer the money. Send me your account details."
With that, he ended the call.
Shu, eyes narrowed, hissed, "You told me the gold was nearly worth 24 thousands yuan, now I hear it's barely 8000? You think I'm stupid?"
Min calmly looked at her, "Listen, Shu, no one buys gold without receipts anymore. Baili is doing us a favour because of me. And let me remind you.... I invested in this deal for months. He never cheated me once."
Shu shook her head, "No, forget it. Just give me my gold back. I won't sell it anymore. I'll keep it and use it for myself."
Min sighed, "Fine, let's wait for him to return. I think he's in Dubai. Life is a nightmare these days....your cousin's pressuring me, that annoying boy dumped in this house is pressuring me, and now you too? You, of all people, should be my peace. What exactly do you all want from me?"
Shu's eyes widened in shock.
"So it's Zhan that's giving you all this pressure?"
As if she was waiting for permission, Min broke down into a sob...but without actual tears.
"Shu, if someone handed me a knife right now, I swear there'd be nothing stopping me from killing that boy and finally having peace! I've never hated anyone the way I hate him. Ask Zully...even when she called me earlier, I was crying because life is just too much for me."
Zully jumped in, "Absolutely true! I even told Shu that earlier, but of course, she has no manners. See what she came here to do now?"
Shu found a spot and sat down, "I thought Zully was just exaggerating… I didn't know it was this serious. But Min, why did you just stay quiet and let him walk all over you?"
Min sat on the floor, wiping her face.
"Let me tell you exactly what happened today, Shu. I woke up at dawn and made breakfast for me and Yibo. But once the sun came up, Yibo served everything to Zhan. I didn't even get to touch what I made out of sheer frustration. It's like Yibo worships that boy in this house. Zhan doesn't respect me at all. He won't greet me, he won't lift a finger, I do everything in this house. And when I cook, Yibo just piles the food onto Zhan's plate."
Shu let out a bitter laugh, clapping her hands.
"Oh please, you should've dealt with him the day Yibo wasn't around. You could've beaten that brat to a pulp...his legs would've barely carried him away. He's not even strong; you've seen him. He looks like a woman...tall and skinny with that ridiculous long neck like an ostrich. To be honest, he's half man, half woman. The only thing missing is breasts, though honestly, if you look closely when he's on his period, his chest does swell and raise a little… not like a normal guy's."
She scoffed and continued, "Honestly, it's probably because of how he looks that his mother dumped him on the streets. And you.... still putting up with him under the same roof? That boy has nowhere to go, and you know Granny Fang Yu is still firmly against him. Even when I tell her when Aunt Lan Yi calls, not to pick up her calls, she listens to me. But the day you kick him out of this house, he's done for."
Min whimpered, "I wanted to beat him up today, but turns out he left with Yibo while I was stuck inside. Since he arrived, we've never spent a whole day together in this house... he's always off to school. But today, I heard him say he wasn't going, then suddenly he was gone. Maybe Yibo took him to the hospital. They've turned me into a joke in my own home. The worst part? Everyone knows there is a marriage between them now. That thought alone keeps me awake at night. Even food disgusts me lately…what if one day I...."
She couldn't finish. She broke down, crying uncontrollably.
Shu folded her arms, frowning, "Well, let me tell you something. He's still all over that lecturer of ours, Dr. Kexing. Just yesterday, I saw him sitting comfortably in his office like he owned the place. The moment he saw me, he jumped up and left. I stayed in there for almost twenty minutes while Dr. Kexing explained some course material to me that I pretended not to understand. Monday, I'll find another excuse to see him again. Little by little, I'll squeeze my way into his heart.
But here's the problem...Zhan's still in the picture. Seeing him in Dr. Kexing's office really got under my skin. If they're still together, how do I expect Dr. Kexing to even notice me? That's why I'm here, Min. You and Zully are my only hope. I need Zhan completely out of the way. I want Dr. Kexing to hate him...despise him. I want Zhan to become his worst enemy. Then, I'll slide right into his heart."
Min said nothing, staring at Shu. Zully added, "Wow… but that kind of thing? That would need spiritual work with potions or charms. How will he hate Zhan when the boy's done nothing to him?"
Shu turned to Zully, "Please, those spiritual people just love eating our money."
Min sighed deeply, "I feel the same. But I have a friend who told me about two spiritual men she worked with. I wasn't interested....I don't want the stress. But apparently, their work is effective. She told me about this wealthy guy she loved in Wuhan. They did spiritual work for her, and now? He divorced his wife. Their wedding is in two weeks...she already sent me the invitation. Clearly, the work succeeded."
Shu's eyes widened, "Seriously?"
Min nodded, "I swear. And they even did work for her friend to drive out her mother-in-law. Now it's just her, her husband, and the kids living peacefully. She even got a new car out of it."
Shu begged, "Can you connect me with them, please?"
Min nodded, "I'll call her and ask for their number. I told her I wasn't interested, so she hasn't mentioned it again. But for you, I'll ask."
Shu, trembling with anticipation, "Please, go to your room and call her now."
Min walked into her room, locked the door, and smirked to herself. She had it all planned. She'd only give Shu the number of the less competent spiritualist in Wuhan. As for the more effective one, she'd lie that her friend refused to share his contact because his work was highly secretive. That way, she could keep manipulating Shu for the gold money....claiming the cost of spiritual work, and slowly tell her the gold money is finish.
After a while, Min returned, pretending to look frustrated, "Ugh, what a headache! She barely agreed to give me the Wuhan Shaman number. The other one? No way. He's too powerful, and he doesn't deal with just anyone. If I want anything, I have to pass the message through her. She'll handle everything and relay feedback to me."
Shu nodded eagerly, "I understand. Just give me the Wuhan guy's number. I'm desperate now."
Min handed over the number. Shu immediately slipped into Min's room, called the spiritualist, and explained everything to him. They spoke for nearly fifteen minutes. When she returned, Min and Zully were casually eating eggs and potatoes in the sitting room. Shu sat quietly, looking defeated.
"He said I have to start with 1500 yuan… but I barely have a thousand in my account. I've spent everything."
Min said, "Hmph, well, like Manhua told me, that spiritual guy starts his work from 3,000 yuan. You got lucky with yours. The other one? She said he charges nothing less than 5,000 yuan and above... his work isn't child's play. He's not like those roadside spiritualists who take 50 or 100 yuan just to buy groceries."
Shu frowned, "Honestly, you better call that gold buyer again. Even if he can send just 1,000 yuan first, I'll sort myself out. It's been almost two weeks now."
Min almost choked on her potato at that, then turned to Shu, "Well, it's not like he's underground, Shu. Here's what we'll do: I'll lend you the 1,000 yuan, you top it up to 1,500 and send it to him."
Shu grinned widely, "That's why I love you, my dear friend. You're one of a kind! I even told him I'd send the money this evening."
Min nodded, "I'll transfer it to you, don't stress."
Shu sat down, eating her potato, feeling on top of the world, already picturing herself in Dr. Kexing's house as his wife. The thought sent chills of excitement through her. She smiled to herself, eating potatoes and eggs...
~**~
By late afternoon, they were still at Min's house with no intention of leaving. Min hadn't even showered all day. She cooked a huge pot of noodles and eggs for them all, which they ate in the living room. Shu and Zully kept giving Min different plans on how to deal with Zhan and even advised her to spend money on spiritual work to get rid of him completely.
Min listened to them like they were fools, shaking her head, "Please, I don't have money for spiritualists. My mouth alone is enough to send Zhan packing. He was picked off the streets anyway."
They all burst into laughter…
Around 5 pm, they heard the gate open. Zully's eyes widened, "Could that be Yibo coming back?"
Shu adjusted her sitting, "So what? He better get used to seeing me in this house every day from now on."
Min chuckled, "You might as well pack your things and move in permanently."
Shu smirked, "Oh, I won't pack my things, but I'll definitely be here every day. Yibo can't chase me away... Or there's more 'explosives' coming."
A few minutes later, Yibo walked into the living room, looking around in disgust. The whole place was messy....breakfast dishes still scattered, the noodle tray left out, empty water and soda bottles all over the place, snack plates everywhere. Worst of all, the room was hot and stuffy....the AC had been off all day.
Zully quickly adjusted her scarf, "Welcome back, Dr."
Yibo nodded, "Thanks."
Shu picked up a cupcake, "Good afternoon, cousin brother."
Yibo replied flatly, "Afternoon."
He was still standing when Zhan entered the living room holding a shopping bag. He scanned the room with sharp eyes and walked straight to his room. Yibo locked the door behind him and went to their bedroom.
Shu turned to Min, wide-eyed, "Did you see the way Zhan looked at us?"
Min smirked bitterly, "That's how he looks at me every single day in this house, Shu."
Shu held her chin, staring at Min in disbelief.
Zully spoke up, "Well, this nonsense is ending soon if we follow through with our plans. Anyway, Min, we should leave now. It's getting late."
Shu waved her off, "You can go if you want. I'm staying till late. Who knows, maybe someone will come pick me up."
Min turned to Zully, "Why don't you stay a bit longer?"
Zully hesitated, "I don't want to miss transport."
Shu chuckled, "Don't worry, if someone comes to pick me up, we'll drop you first."
Zully shook her head, "And how do you know when they'll come? I'll just go now."
She picked her bag, bid them goodbye, and Min saw her off to the living room door. As soon as Min returned, Shu lowered her voice, "You know Zully is a snake, right? I didn't even want to discuss anything serious in front of her. She's the one who gave me the plan to come here and catch you at home, and she even called you in front of me saying she was on her way."
Min hissed, "That idiot… anytime you chat with her, make sure you tell her you've given up on wasting money on spiritual work. Say you'll use your own wit instead."
Shu nodded, "That's exactly what I'll do. I don't trust her one bit. She was the one pushing me earlier not to leave this house today without my gold or my money."
Min shook her head, "Snake… I won't let her back into my house."
Shu laughed, "That's the best."
Min stood up, "Let me go check on my sweetheart. I haven't even welcomed him properly."
She walked to the bedroom. Yibo was sitting there, his face stiff with displeasure. Min smiled as she closed the door behind her, "Welcome back, baby. You came home and saw me with guests."
Yibo raised his head, "And you're not embarrassed? You left the house a mess when I left, and now I return to this disaster? What kind of filth is this? Can't you smell yourself?"
Min frowned, cutting him off, "Don't go there, Yibo. Are you saying you could smell me all the way from outside? Didn't I tell you I didn't shower today?"
Yibo didn't reply. He kept scrolling on his phone as Min quietly left the room…
A few minutes later, Yibo came out, opened Zhan's door, and found him reading. Without saying anything, he locked the door from outside, then headed for the living room. Shu and Min were still sitting there gossiping. The mess was still there... the only thing cleared was the water bottles and soda.
Yibo walked over to the living room. Shu was sitting alone on the two-seater, watching TV. When she saw him, she kept staring. He sat beside her, "Where's Granny Fang Yu?"
Shu gave him another long look before replying, "She's fine."
Yibo asked, "So, have you resumed school or are you still lazing around?"
Shu scoffed, "Lazing around? I go to school every day."
Yibo shrugged, "Well, final semester's here. You better take your studies seriously. I bet you spent the whole day here and didn't even touch your handouts."
Shu pouted, "Honestly, I don't even know where my handouts are."
Yibo raised an eyebrow, "How do you plan to write your exams then?"
Shu hesitated, then replied, "They cost about 6,000 yuan altogether… you know our handouts are expensive."
Yibo nodded, "Send me your account number. I'll transfer the money to you."
Shu looked at him again, shocked. Was this really Yibo? Before she could react, Min came out of the room, freshly showered, dressed in clean clothes, and smelling of perfume. She walked into the living room and saw them sitting together on the couch.
Shu spoke, still stunned, "Well, I don't have your number."
Yibo replied, "And I don't have yours either."
He pulled out his phone and handed it to her, "Type your number in."
NB
Regarding the currency part... Are there no Chinese people reading my stories? Becouse I keep writing alot to hundreds thousands yuan without knowing the value, but now I browsed and see the value, so I reduce the amount because China yuan are way too more value than my country currency. 😅
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛