Mercedes-Benz.
The shop's door has been having a rough time lately, with people constantly smashing it.
Shang Mengzhu and Shang Lingqiu were nestled on the sofa watching "Tom and Jerry" when they heard the knocking on the door, and their brows furrowed in unison.
Looking through the peephole, Shang Mengzhu saw a woman completely covered in black, dressed as if in mourning. "Who is it?" she asked cautiously.
"I."
Shang Mengzhu and Shang Lingqiu exchanged a glance and were both taken aback. After a moment, Shang Mengzhu opened the door.
A woman dressed entirely in black, enveloped in the cool December breeze, stepped into the doorway. She removed her sunglasses, revealing a pair of cold yet beautiful eyes.
Shang Mengzhu closed the door. She clasped her hands together, staring at the unfamiliar figure before her, speechless for a long while.
The woman pulled off her mask, untied her scarf, and took off her coat. Her movements were fluid and graceful, except for removing her black leather gloves. When Shang Lingqiu finally saw the woman's face clearly, she let out a small gasp: "Big—"
Shang Mengzhu quickly gave her a wink.
Shang Lingqiu shut his mouth and sized up the woman in front of him.
The woman took a card out of her pocket and waved it in front of the two sisters.
"There is one million in this card."
Shang Mengzhu and Shang Lingqiu both gasped in surprise.
The woman's second sentence was an even bigger shock: "I know you've always wanted to leave this house, just like I have."
Shang Lingqiu was so frightened that she stammered and remained silent, while Shang Mengzhu, being bolder, asked, "What do you want to do?"
"I have some questions for you. After I ask, whatever the outcome, this card will belong to you. The password is my birthday."
Shang Mengzhu and Shang Lingqiu exchanged a glance. Their eldest sister was not as intelligent as them, their younger brother was of a higher status, and although their mother loved them, she could not understand them... In this family, the two of them were natural allies.
"What do you want to ask?" Shang Mengzhu and Shang Lingqiu asked in unison.
The woman sat down on the sofa with practiced ease, placed the card on the coffee table, and looked at the two sisters in front of her.
Do you know where the family's household registration book is?
Shang Lingqiu stared at the card, her words preceding her thoughts: "My parents took it away!"
The woman's expression remained unchanged, but Shang Lingqiu, with a child's intuition, sensed that she seemed somewhat disappointed.
Shang Mengzhu was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I know what you want to ask, but you're not on there."
The woman paused, looking at her with a curious expression: "How did you know?"
Shang Mengzhu gritted her teeth and said, "Last time a lunatic came to our house and insisted that he knew you. Then my parents got all worked up and wanted to beg you for money. I knew you would come to our door to ask about this."
The woman paused for a moment, then asked, "Why?"
Shang Mengzhu lowered her head, and after a long while, said, "Because you hate us."
The woman's expression turned strange. After a long silence, she shook her head: "Actually, no."
Shang Mengzhu looked at the card, then looked up at the woman: "I know what you want to ask. Back then, a family could only have one child. You're a daughter. If we registered your birth, our future son—" At this point, Shang Mengzhu's tone became somewhat sarcastic, "...would have to pay a huge fine when he was born. How could your parents bear to do that? But if we didn't pay the fine, wouldn't our precious son become an unregistered resident?"
The woman opposite him paused for a moment, then said, "So..."
"So," Shang Mengzhu said, "your parents gave some money to a very poor, distant relative and registered your household there. That's how you became their daughter!"
The woman took a soft breath and covered her mouth with her hand. Shang Mengzhu couldn't describe that expression. Joy? Sorrow? Relief? Liberation? Who knows?
"How do you know about this?" the woman asked.
Shang Mengzhu sneered: "Because I'm not on the household registration either, and of course, Xiao Qiu isn't either. Legally, we are my parents' niece and second aunt, respectively!"
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