It would have been better if Chu Wenwen hadn't brought it up, because the moment she did, Chu Zhiqin's temper flared up instantly: "Mom and Dad's inheritance was supposed to be split 50/50 between us, and I didn't shortchange you a single penny!"

"I didn't even care where you spent your money, but you're the one who's going to tell me how I spend it?"

Chu Zhiqin grew angrier as she spoke, her voice rising eight octaves involuntarily: "There are some things I didn't want to argue with you about, but since you brought them up today, I'll just make things clear! When you lost money in your business, did you pay back the money you borrowed from Mom and Dad?"

"And you keep complaining to your parents about being poor every other day. Have you paid back the money you took from them? Not to mention you were penniless when you got divorced and even came to me to borrow money... Let's talk about this, when are you going to pay back all this money?"

Chu Zhiqin's tone was clearly angry, obviously she was completely enraged by Chu Wenwen's unreasonable words.

Xi Xi was also somewhat surprised. In fact, she knew nothing about these things, whether in her past life or this life.

It seems that Mom was really angered by Chu Wenwen this time, and even brought up such an old family secret that should not be aired in public.

Chu Zhiqin never mentioned her family's trivial matters to Xi Xi, which was consistent with her educational philosophy. In her view, adults were capable of handling their own affairs, and children did not need to be involved too much.

Therefore, in Xi Xi's memories from childhood to adulthood, her aunt Chu Wenwen has always been a very "generous" person.

Chu Wenwen loves shopping, especially luxury goods, and she's never stingy with her money. She's good at maintaining relationships and often uses expensive gifts to please others; relatives and neighbors seem to have a good impression of her.

As a child, Xi Xi longed for her aunt's lifestyle and always followed Chu Wenwen like a little shadow, hoping that her aunt would buy her candy.

However, now, when Xi Xi recalls her parents' subtle attitude towards Chu Wenwen when she was a child, she suddenly realizes:

Borrowing money and not paying it back, being generous despite being poor, using other people's money to save face and be a good person—that's exactly the kind of person my aunt is.

Although Xi's parents' educational philosophy itself was not wrong, it inadvertently led to an extreme result—

In her past life, Xi Xi was completely unsuspecting of her relatives. Ultimately, this collapse of trust led to the tragedy that occurred in her past life.

"Your parents are gone, what's the point of saying these things?!" Chu Wenwen said to Chu Zhiqin in a tone that said, "I misjudged you," as if Chu Zhiqin's words were a desecration of their deceased parents.

At the same time, she immediately seized upon Chu Zhiqin's tendency to respond to gentle persuasion rather than force, and began to feign sobbing. While crying, she recounted the hardships and trivialities of the "Prairie Fire" organization.

In the extreme cold, huddling together was truly a last resort. Dozens of people squeezed into a small campervan, with men and women not even separated. Every night, the snoring of the men kept her awake.

Chu Wenwen cried and wiped away her tears, her voice revealing helplessness and grievance: "Zhiqin, I know you resent me, but this is a world for survival now, money is just an external thing..." Chu Wenwen said, choking with sobs.

Then, she started to reminisce: "Do you remember when you were little and those bad kids in the compound were bullying you, your sister stood in front of you without a second thought... Also, you didn't like egg whites, so I would break open all the eggs in my breakfast and give you the yolks..."

Chu Wenwen's words were filled with sobs and tears that rolled down her cheeks like a broken string of pearls: "I can't pay you back, but tell me honestly, I used some of the money I borrowed to buy clothes for Xi Xi! Yes, I can't pay you back now, but you have to give me a chance to make it up to you..."

Silence fell suddenly outside the car. To be honest, after so many years of being sisters, it would be a lie to say there wasn't a trace of genuine affection between us.

Xi Xi panicked, fearing that her mother had fallen for Chu Wenwen's insidious tricks again. The gifts her aunt bought her were paid for with her parents' money! The story looked good on the surface, but was dirty behind the scenes, and this person had the audacity to bring it up?

"Think about it, I won't force you..." Chu Wenwen said in the end, using a retreat as a means of advancing, her eyes filled with suppressed pleading. Then she took off the gold necklace around her neck.

“This gold necklace was made by our parents when we were born, one for each of us… I couldn’t bear to sell it even when I was at my poorest… Zhiqin, you are my only family in this world. Seeing this necklace reminds me of you,” Chu Wenwen said, choking back tears.

"I'll use this necklace to pay off my debt, you can take it!" After saying that, she wiped away her tears, stuffed the necklace into Chu Zhiqin's hand, and then forced a very weak smile.

Chu Zhiqin looked at Chu Wenwen with some hesitation. Seeing this, Chu Wenwen quickly seized the opportunity, gently wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, "The team needs my help, I'll go first!"

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Xi Xi finally understands why her aunt's innocent and kind persona has remained intact for so many years.

This tactic of retreating to advance is incredibly ruthless towards blood relatives; it's something only a normal person could do!

Xi Xi sneered, pushed open the car door and got out. Her aunt was nowhere to be seen.

"Mom, please don't..." Xi Xi was about to say something to her mother when Chu Zhiqin interrupted her.