Mother Ming reacted quickly and was no pushover either. She raised her right hand, gesturing with her thumb and forefinger about ten centimeters apart. "I heard about this little bit of what happened just now, in-law. You won't be upset that I couldn't help but get involved, will you?" She was just asking casually, not caring about the outcome. "When Mother Qiao brought the betrothal gifts to your family, she was already losing money from her own family. Now that she's really going to marry into our family, she's still losing money from her own family. I don't think there's anything wrong with that."
Grandma Qiao's face darkened further. "Who do you think you are? It's none of your business to meddle in our family affairs!"
Ming's mother's face instantly darkened. "Listen carefully, in this city where you stand, there's nothing I can't do if I want to. You think you're someone important?" She helped Qiao Zhen sit down and patted Qiao's mother's shoulder to comfort her. "You can't be hypocritical. When someone lost money from their family and brought it to your house, you were all happy. Now that their daughter is getting married, you not only didn't take a single penny, but you're also thinking about their dowry. You can't be so mean."
Uncle Qiao grinned lewdly, rubbing his hands together. "So you're a big shot, aren't you? You shouldn't be short of two million, right? As long as you can come up with two million for their family, we'll leave now. What do you say?"
Ming's mother was almost laughing in anger. "I won't give you a single penny. But I can make it so you can't stay in this city with just one phone call." She reached up and brushed the hair that was covering her eyes. "I advise you to leave quickly. My son will be back soon, and then it won't be about money anymore."
Qiao's cousin chuckled dismissively, "Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle's family went to great lengths to get rid of us, didn't they?"
What?
An actor!
Just as Ming's mother was about to make a move, Qiao Zhen stopped her, saying, "I'm proficient in Taekwondo, Sanda, and Tai Chi. Don't stop me. I can beat a few scoundrels!"
Mr. Qiao felt utterly humiliated and began to resent Qiao Zhen. "What kind of behavior is this?! She's disregarding family ties for the sake of the betrothal gifts! What right do I have to care? Our family won't take a single penny!"
Before anyone could react, the security guard pushed the door open and entered. "I just received a call. Who called?"
Qiao Zhen raised her hand, "Me." She pointed to the Qiao family elders, Uncle Qiao, and her cousin Qiao, "Kick them out. If they cause trouble in the community, please ask the security guard to call the police. We will take full responsibility for any accidents."
"Okay." As expected of a retired soldier, he quickly subdued Uncle Qiao and his cousin Qiao, keeping them quiet. Grandma Qiao and Grandpa Qiao had never seen anything like this before, and they immediately collapsed to the ground, wailing.
But is this some kind of feudal society from decades ago? The security guards only recognize the homeowner, not any elderly person. A few nimble-fisted guards simply dragged Grandpa and Grandma Qiao downstairs.
"Look, everyone! This heartless bastard is even trying to kick away his parents, who raised him for twenty years, for his wife! How are we old folks supposed to live?" Grandma Qiao struggled desperately against the security guard, throwing a tantrum. "Let everyone be the judge!"
Seeing that Mr. Qiao was showing signs of backing down, Qiao Zhen ignored the pain in her legs, strode forward, and her sharp eyes had a truly intimidating effect. "If you dare to act like an old man again, I'll call the police! We'll follow the legal procedures. Don't even think about getting a single penny of the two thousand yuan my parents give you every month!"
The overwhelming momentum startled even Ming's mother, but as someone who had experienced many big events, she quickly exuded her own aura. "They look perfectly capable, yet they still expect their youngest son to support his family and even have their granddaughter give up her dowry to their eldest grandson as a betrothal gift to get married. It's rare to see grandparents like this."
Ming's mother seemed to be complaining, but in just a few words she explained the whole story. The onlookers' impression of Grandpa and Grandma Qiao instantly reversed, from pitiful, lonely old people to shameless old people taking advantage of their age.
Neighbor A: "He looks kind and gentle, but I never expected him to be so dilapidated inside!"
Neighbor B: "They're really dreaming. That family works themselves to the bone every day to buy a house and save up for a dowry. Their daughter is also reportedly getting married. Why should they make their daughter suffer and help someone else's son get married? Even if it's for them to get a second wife, they can't use their daughter's dowry to pay for it!"
Neighbor C: "You really can't judge a book by its cover. Look at this kind old couple, they're up to such despicable schemes. Their grandson is their own, but their granddaughter isn't?"
Seeing that things were not going well, Grandpa and Grandma Qiao started acting like they were old and presumptuous again.
The elevator doors opened, and Mingzhao stepped out. He looked at Qiao Zhen's slightly bent knees and asked, "What's wrong?" He took a few steps forward to help Qiao Zhen up, frowning as he looked at the scene.
As if she had found someone to rely on, Ming's mother immediately started crying like a drama queen, "Son, they are bullying Zhenzhen, waaaah, Zhenzhen is so pitiful. The money she earns is being forced by her grandparents to buy a house and a wife for her cousin. They asked for two million right off the bat, and they also want the six hundred thousand that Zhenzhen won in the award."
Qiao Zhen immediately buried her head in Ming Zhao's arms, tears falling like raindrops onto his clothes, "My legs hurt, they just hit me with a water glass, waaaaah..."
It really hurts so much.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, especially when it comes to romantic partners; women who cry are often pampered. Mingzhao is rich and powerful; if he were to deal with Uncle Qiao's family, he could make them behave willingly tonight.
Mingzhao scooped Qiaozhen up in his arms and said, "Kick them out. I'll take responsibility if anything happens."
Knowing Mingzhao's identity, the security guards, now with their backs, acted more decisively than before.
Mingzhao ignored what was happening outside. He placed Qiao Zhen on the sofa in the Ming family's living room and gently lifted Qiao Zhen's trouser leg. "Let me see."
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Qiao Zhen was wearing tight jeans, and lifting the cuffs would definitely rub against her wound. She raised her hand to wipe away her tears. Damn! It really hurts so much.
Mingzhao used scissors to cut open Qiao Zhen's trouser leg and ripped it open forcefully. A bruise was visible on Qiao Zhen's knee and calf. "Weren't you very fierce to me? How come you can't even protect yourself today?!"
Qiao Zhen lowered her head, feeling wronged. "What a weird relative! The original owner's parents were so weak, what's the use of me being tough? I'm the youngest according to seniority QAQ"
Mingzhao flicked Qiao Zhen's forehead with two fingers together, his voice filled with undisguised doting affection, "You!"
"Hmph." Qiao Zhen snorted arrogantly, "It's all that bastard system's fault. All it does is bully me all day long. I made it give me a vacation, and what did I get? No money, and even my relatives are causing trouble. The worst part is that it won't give me any cheat codes. Don't you think it's like Pikachu's sister, whose skin is always itching?"
Mingzhao reached out and ruffled her hair, then took out a first-aid kit from the cabinet. He applied some medicine to the bruise with a cotton swab. "System, is that the one that hacked the vacation mission?"
Qiao Zhen nodded. "Yes, I think they have their merits. For example, they can generate money for the host, which can provide some economic assistance to the task taker." She sighed. "Sigh, the Fate Bureau is directly managed by the Heavenly Emperor. I can't exactly tell the Heavenly Emperor, 'I'm almost out of money, so please open a finance department at the pet school,' can I?"
As she spoke, she trembled involuntarily, saying, "I dare not provoke them, I dare not provoke them, my life is more important."
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