"Auntie, I'm willing to pay for the meals." Qiao Qiao seemed to have expected this to happen. She took out a handful of loose change from her pants pocket with a wronged expression and handed it to Grandma Xia.

Grandma Xia glanced at Qiao Qiao and said indifferently, "Alright, since you didn't give us any advance notice, you can have a pancake for today. From now on, you can have the same meals as us. This five yuan will be your food expenses for a month."

Qiao Qiao gritted her teeth, cursing Old Lady Xia countless times in her heart, but on the surface she dared not show it at all, and still replied with a fawning smile, "Okay, Grandma!"

Actually, she had a bag of peach shortbread hidden in her bundle. If it weren't for wanting to find out information from the Xia family at the dinner table, she wouldn't have touched those hard-to-swallow pastries.

While cursing inwardly, he put on a fawning smile and even took out a handful of fruit candies from his pocket and placed them on the table: "These fruit candies are specially for Yuanbao, to sweeten his mouth."

Upon hearing this, Grandma Xia and Li Cao's expressions immediately softened considerably, as they doted on Xia Yuanbao.

Qiao Qiao remembered that Xia Yuanbao and the others were naturally happy.

Grandma Xia simply replied indifferently, "It's good that I know you still care about us. Hurry up and eat."

After saying that, he picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

Qiao Qiao blinked, feigning confusion, and asked curiously, "Is it just the few of us? Where are Grandpa and Uncle?"

Hearing this, the previously listless Old Mrs. Xia suddenly perked up. She frowned and sighed helplessly, "Alas, your eldest brother and cousin were beaten up by that bastard Xia Tao. Your uncle and the others are taking him to the hospital! What a tragedy!"

After saying that, she turned to look at Qiao Qiao, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry: "Qiao Qiao, what do your parents do in the city? Why don't you live a good life in the city and instead come to the countryside?"

Qiao Qiao was already prepared. She lowered her eyes, which quickly filled with tears, and said sadly, "My biological parents are factory workers. I wasn't supposed to go to the countryside, but I was worried about my grandmother, so I went back to Huaihua Brigade."

She deliberately spoke vaguely, since she had money in her hands and could later say that the money was sent by her parents in the city.

She believed that even Xia Wan was unaware of the specific situation in Suzhou. As long as she remained firm in her stance and insisted that Qiao Chunsheng and the other man had been released from prison, no one would know the truth.

"If you go to the countryside, will you still be able to contact the city? What will your expenses be like in the countryside..." Old Mrs. Xia looked at Qiao Qiao, a calculating glint in her eyes.

How could she believe Qiao Qiao's claims about caring about her? Asking so many questions was just to see if Qiao Qiao had any other use besides disgusting Xia Wan.

Qiao Qiao seemed completely unaware of Xia's thoughts. She said innocently, "My family knows I can't do farm work, so they send me money every month."

In fact, she knew very well that the money she had was enough to support her life in the countryside for a while, but it was all the dowry money she had obtained by "selling" herself.

Oh, right, there's also the referral fee I got for "selling" Zhao Jiaojiao.

This can be considered an inspiration she got from Qiao Chunsheng. After deciding to go to the countryside, she didn't have any money or ration coupons to pack her luggage.

She happened to meet a matchmaker who was arranging a marriage for the mentally challenged man in a place far from the plastics factory. So she told the matchmaker that she was now homeless and unemployed, and asked the matchmaker to talk to the mentally challenged man's family.

She's willing to marry a fool, but she demands a dowry of 1,000 yuan, plus three turns and a radio—basically, she sets extremely high conditions.

However, because her parents were arrested, the matchmaker and the family believed that she would eventually take the bride price and everything back to her husband's family, so they agreed without much hesitation.

And soon the betrothal gifts and the three turns and one sound were sent to her. Then she quickly sold all the items, exchanged them for money and tickets, and made an appointment to get married next month.

In the same way, she introduced Zhao Jiaojiao to a matchmaker, who then arranged for her to marry a bedridden man, for which she received a referral fee of five hundred yuan.

Zhao Jiaojiao was in a similar situation to him and also needed money to go to the countryside, so he agreed to her approach. However, Zhao Jiaojiao's dowry was not as high as the one she received.

That's how they managed to have money in their hands; otherwise, how could she and Zhao Jiaojiao have brought so much luggage to the countryside?

Thinking of this, Qiao Qiao couldn't help but feel a surge of hatred. If it weren't for Xia Wan, she wouldn't have ended up in such a state!

Thinking this, Qiao Qiao began to sow discord between Grandma Xia and her father: "Alas, it's a pity that my father is still angry with me. I'm worried that he won't let me stay at home."

Grandma Xia didn't care about anything else. Now that she knew Qiao Qiao received money from the city every month, her attitude towards him wasn't as bad as before.

"Don't worry, Xia Jianguo doesn't have a say in this family." A sinister glint flashed in Old Mrs. Xia's eyes: "When your grandfather and uncle come back, they'll kick Xia Wan out of this family first. Then you'll naturally still be your father's only daughter."

Of course, she was just saying that to appease Qiao Qiao. After all, they didn't have the ability to kick Xia Wan out right now. That brat was a madwoman, and with Xia Jianguo protecting her, they couldn't do anything about her.

Qiao Qiao nodded, fighting back tears: "Thank you, Grandma. Xia Wan just said that Yuanbao hit Dad and is going to get revenge. I was really worried..."

She didn't finish her sentence, leaving the rest to Grandma Xia and Li Cao to guess.

Li Cao was both angry and anxious, but she kept her voice down so that Xia Wan wouldn't hear her: "What? That little bitch bullied Yuanbao enough? Yuanbao is just a child. Even if she hit Xia Jianguo, how much could it hurt? Besides, Xia Jianguo only stayed in the hospital for a few days and nothing serious happened."

"Sigh, that's just Xia Wan's personality. No wonder my dad and the others didn't like her when we were in Suzhou." Qiao Qiao sighed and asked with a hint of doubt, "But when my dad was hospitalized, it was Xia Wan who took care of him, so she didn't call my brother back?"

She had only asked casually, just wanting to know why Xia Tao hadn't been sent to a labor camp. Unexpectedly, her guess was actually correct.

Li Cao nodded and said, "Yes, the captain said they wanted to call Xia Tao back, who was running a transport business, but Xia Wan didn't let them call him."

"Oh, I see. I'm full, I can't eat this pancake anymore, Grandma, please eat more." Qiao Qiao put down the pancake she had only taken a bite of, got up and went back to her room.

Now that she had obtained the information she wanted, Qiao Qiao no longer wanted to continue to feign politeness with these people.

No wonder Xia Tao didn't get into trouble in this life; it must be because Xia Wan didn't call him to tell him about Xia Jianguo's hospitalization.

Xia Tao was not in a hurry and naturally would not make any mistakes at work. Qiao Qiao finally breathed a sigh of relief after her doubts were resolved.

She thought that because of his rebirth, some things had changed in this life.