"Oh..." Qiao Xia awkwardly put down the small cake; she was really too unladylike.

The little girl seemed to sense her embarrassment and comforted her, "Thank you for your hospitality anyway. Could you tell me your name?"

Qiao Xia extended her hand. "My name is Qiao Xia."

"My name is Mu Suye." The little girl solemnly shook her hand.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he couldn't help but turn back and say earnestly, "You are very lucky. Even at your age, your parents are still willing to peel shrimp for you."

“Really? I think so too.” Qiao Xia readily admitted.

Mu Suye didn't say anything more, but her mood was visibly low.

Qiao Xia was about to offer some words of comfort when she saw the little girl cry out "Ouch—" and bump into someone's leg.

Qiao Zhaoxing quickly put down the steaming bowl of beef noodles, squatted down, and checked Mu Suye's forehead. "Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?"

Mu Suye shook her head, but her eyes lit up the moment she saw Qiao Zhaoxing's face clearly. "Prince Charming!"

Both Qiao Xia and her father were somewhat ignorant and didn't understand what the little girl was saying at first. They only saw Mu Suye excitedly rush into Qiao Zhaoxing's arms.

Tang Xining, carrying peach gum, arrived late and added quietly, "She said you are Prince Charming."

Qiao Zhaoxing quickly pulled Mu Suye off him, saying, "Even though you're still young, you can't just say things like that."

Qiao Zhaoxing pointed at Qiao Xia in a panic and said, "See her? This is my daughter. If she were completely useless, she could have given birth to you, and you would be calling me grandpa by now."

Qiao Xia's lips twitched. "How can you talk about your own daughter like that?"

But Mu Suye didn't care at all what Qiao Zhaoxing said. "You saved me, I should repay you with my body."

Qiao Zhaoxing took two steps back in fright. "Even TV dramas these days don't have such vicious values. Where did you learn that?"

Mu Suye seemed to sense Qiao Zhaoxing's resistance and turned to Qiao Xia, "Can I be your mother? I can peel shrimp for you too."

"Cough cough... Thank you, you're quite generous." Qiao Xia choked on her saliva, finding it hard to believe she would say something so explosive.

Qiao Zhaoxing realized what was happening and pressed Qiao Xia down to sit in her seat. "I had the kitchen make this especially for you. Eat it while it's hot to warm your stomach."

Tang Xining pushed the peach gum forward a bit, and seeing her worried look, she chuckled and patted her head, "How old is she? You're all making a big fuss over nothing."

Her voice, however, attracted Mu Suye's attention.

Mu Suye tilted her head back and carefully examined Tang Xining. "You are very beautiful. Are you his wife?"

Tang Xining crouched down to look her in the eye. "Yes, do you also want to be his wife?"

"Wife..." Qiao Zhaoxing was completely at a loss.

Mu Suye thought for a moment, then nodded emphatically.

Tang Xining pushed up her glasses. "But a man can only have one wife. If you stay with him, I'll have to leave him..."

Before she could finish speaking, Mu Suye shook her head like a rattle drum, "You don't need to leave him. I'm very rich. I can support all three of you."

Tang Xining paused, unsure of what to say.

Mu Suye hurriedly took off the safety lock from her neck and placed it in her hand, "I really am very rich."

Mu Suye looked up at Qiao Zhaoxing and said, "When I grow up and marry him, I'm willing to support all three of you."

"What are you doing?" Old Master Tang asked in a low voice, but his gloomy face clearly showed his anger.

After the banquet ended, the three adults and one child were taken by Old Master Tang to the banquet hall of the manor.

"Tell me! What exactly happened?"

Tang Ling stepped in at the right moment, "Grandpa, don't be angry. Perhaps there's some misunderstanding?"

"What misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?" Old Master Tang was even angrier, his finger trembling as he pointed at the three people. "You spent so much money at the auction, how impressive! I'm asking you, where did you get your money?"

Grandpa Tang glanced down at Mu Suye, whose eyes were full of innocence, then quickly looked away. "You even cheat children out of their money. Where will I put my face if word gets out? Where will I put my face?"

"Dad~" Tang Xining quickly said, "This is a misunderstanding, it's not what you think."

"Ouch!" Old Master Tang closed his eyes. "I saw it with my own eyes, and you still won't admit it?"

Taking this opportunity, Old Master Tang vented all his dissatisfaction, saying, "After the Qiao family went bankrupt, I said I would sell the house and antiques to help you get through the crisis."

"And you? You insisted on not accepting my help. I thought you had some good ideas. Instead of learning good things, you've learned to cheat and swindle."

"Say no more. Return everything from today's auction to this little guy. I can pay off your debts by selling some of my things."

As soon as he finished speaking, the usually serious patriarch seemed to age ten years in an instant.

Tang Ling, who had been standing beside him, changed her expression and looked nervously at Qiao Xia, afraid that they might actually agree.

At the same time, she couldn't help but feel resentful. Her grandfather only thought about helping them get through the difficulties, but why didn't he think about how she would live in the future?

Qiao Xia quickly stepped forward to support Grandpa Tang, "This is really a misunderstanding. We have already paid off all the family's debts."

"Cough cough cough cough..." Old Master Tang was so angry that he slammed his cane hard against Qiao Xia's back. "At a time like this, you're still lying?"

"Dad—" Qiao Zhaoxing, who had been avoiding his father-in-law, was heartbroken to see this scene. "Why don't you believe us at all? If we say we've paid it all off, then we have."

Old Master Tang sneered, "Fine, tell me how you paid it off? Back then, your Qiao family went bankrupt and even sold your ancestral home, but you didn't leave behind any property."

"I'm in..."

Old Master Tang interrupted, "Don't tell me you won the lottery. I'm not stupid. You owe 30 billion. Even if you win 100 million in the lottery once, you'd still have to win for three consecutive years to pay off your debt."

Qiao Zhaoxing, who had wanted to use the excuse of winning the lottery, awkwardly shut his mouth.

Qiao Xia touched the wound on her back. "It was my grandfather who bought a piece of land in Africa a few years ago. Local workers discovered oil underground, and my father sold it to Arabs for 30 billion US dollars."

"So, while my family paid off the debt, we also had some savings."

Qiao Xia's lie was full of details, but Grandpa Tang was still somewhat skeptical. "Really?"

Qiao Xia nodded without any hesitation, "Really, besides, even if we were to scam money, we wouldn't scam a little girl. How much money could she possibly have?"

Old Master Tang sneered, "She's the only grandchild of the Mu family right now. If she liquidates her shares and assets, she might actually be richer than you."

Qiao Xia looked at Mu Suye in surprise, "Are you a member of the Mu family?"