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Therefore, Ye Wenyu's face was anxious, and guilt and unease welled up in her big, watery eyes.
Hearing her daughter say this, Zhang Susu felt a warm current flow through her heart. This silly girl had never blamed her for abandoning her and neglecting her. On the contrary, she always thought of her wholeheartedly. Her heart felt as warm as if it were nestled by a fire in the dead of winter.
It seems the old saying is true: "A daughter is indeed a warm and comforting daughter."
Seeing the girl's distressed expression, Zhang Susu immediately smiled, shook her head, and said to her just as earnestly, "It didn't cause any trouble. I discussed this with your Uncle Wang a long time ago. You saved your Uncle Wang's life. Without your money, he would have died in the hospital long ago. So he is very happy to let you come home to live."
"But it's winter break now, won't my two younger brothers come back?" Ye Wenyu's face showed worry.
The lives of the poor are like a small boat on the sea; a single wave can capsize it. She feared that her arrival would cause conflict in the family that had been so painstakingly maintained.
My mother has worked hard for most of her life, and finally, in her old age, she has found happiness, but it is as fragile as glass. I don't want to ruin her happiness because of her.
Zhang Susu smiled and said, "I will come back for the New Year, but not now. There are still half a month left. When the Spring Festival comes, I'll let your Uncle Wang and his two sons sleep in the big room, and you and I will sleep in the small room. It will be just as fine. Even if they don't want to sleep with their father, I have other ways." Her tone became somewhat smug as she spoke.
Ye Wenyu breathed a sigh of relief, the weight on her chest finally lifted. She said to Zhang Susu, "Then what are you worried about? I can tell you're afraid, Mom. If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I'm leaving right now. I've always hoped that you'd be happy after your remarriage, and I can't let you be sad." As she spoke, she stood up, seemingly preparing to pack her suitcase.
Although she is still a college student who has not yet graduated, she has gotten used to living alone for three years. Now, when she is at her mother's house, she acts like a married woman returning to her parents' home, automatically treating herself as a guest and not wanting to cause her mother any trouble.
Zhang Susu was really worried about Ye Wenyu leaving. It was freezing cold, with ice and snow everywhere outside. The cold wind was like a steel knife that could slice bones, and blowing on her body felt like being slowly tortured.
Where could a little girl like her go?
Therefore, Zhang Susu glanced at the snow outside that was still melting and immediately said, "Alright, alright, I'll talk to you. Sit down."
She took her daughter's hand, and Ye Wenyu sat down again.
Zhang Susu composed herself, sighed, and whispered to Ye Wenyu, "Actually, I'm worried that the rich man, that guy surnamed Lin, won't let you off so easily!" She felt guilty about the peaceful breakup. As the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding." Even in ordinary relationships, if a blind date falls through, the man usually asks for the money he spent on the woman's meals and clothes back. How much more so when that guy surnamed Lin had given her a large sum of money.
"I see," Ye Wenyu said immediately, knowing that the old woman was worried about this. "Mom, no, he's not a bad person. He's a gentleman. I talked to him about it yesterday, and he agreed. So don't worry."
Zhang Susu was still worried and said softly, "Back then, he gave me 500,000 yuan! What I'm worried about now is whether he will ask us to pay it back?" Her voice trembled as she spoke, like a spider's web in the wind.
Ye Wenyu then remembered that when she had just started dating Lin Tingfeng, her mother had asked Lin Tingfeng for 500,000 yuan as a dowry.
This way, their mortgage payments will be much easier.
Five hundred thousand is nothing to the rich, but it is a huge fortune to the poor.
Zhang Susu looked around and murmured, "Although this house is small and dilapidated, it cost a lot of money. Before, your Uncle Wang and I were struggling to breathe because of the mortgage, like we were carrying a huge mountain on our backs. But after we asked Lin Tingfeng for 500,000 yuan, we immediately felt that life was different."
She looked at her house with pride and self-satisfaction, her warm gaze sweeping over the old appliances and furniture inch by inch. She smiled and said, "Your Uncle Wang is happier than before, and I don't have as much pressure. Child, do you know? Back then, almost all the money we earned went to paying off the mortgage. We only had 1,000 yuan left each month for living expenses. My 30,000 yuan savings covered our daily expenses and sustained us for almost three years."
Ye Wenyu listened intently. Thirty thousand was enough for a poor person to make ends meet for three years, but five hundred thousand was indeed a considerable sum.
Zhang Susu continued, "The 500,000 yuan I have in the bank has already earned me 50,000 yuan in interest from some safe financial investments! So, even if your two younger brothers come back, I can rent a place for you across the street. I've already talked to that neighbor lady. She doesn't live here for many years, but when she heard I was looking to rent a place, she really wanted to rent it to me. She's been calling me a lot lately. The rent isn't expensive either, only 20,000 yuan a year."
Ye Wenyu realized that her mother's current ability to take care of her was largely due to the money Lin Tingfeng had given her. Her mother had previously said that even if her two younger brothers returned for winter break and refused to sleep in the same room as their stepfather, she had other ways to accommodate them. Now she understood that these other ways were simply renting a room for her from a neighbor. Since she had savings in the bank, this was indeed a feasible solution.
Money can make a person independent, money can make a person free, and money can make a person live with dignity and respect.
Ye Wenyu felt a pang of sadness. She thought to herself, if Lin Tingfeng knew that the reason she finally had the courage to break up with him and successfully escape from him was because he had given her mother 500,000 yuan, would he be heartbroken?
Zhang Susu asked nervously in a low voice, "Xiaoyu, what kind of person is that Lin? Do you think he might ask for the money back? Many men, after dating a woman and not being able to get married, will ask for the gifts they gave back. If he wants it back, it's only natural—"
Although she didn't want to give it, it seemed she would have to return it if the other party wanted it. After all, she had never seen a man in this world give away 500,000 and not want it back.
Ye Wenyu stood there, speechless for a moment, only muttering, "No, no."
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Zhang Susu tensed up and asked Ye Wenyu, "Who could it be at this hour?" Her face was ashen, and her hand, holding her daughter's, trembled slightly. She was worried that Lin Tingfeng had come to collect a debt; the 500,000 yuan in her bank account was about to disappear!
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