Chapter 148: Backing

Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Backing

"I... I was thinking, maybe you and Shen Zhenwu could get back together? He really does care about you..."

"So I thought I’d go over and drop a hint, tell him you’ve been feeling dizzy lately, and maybe he’d come see you..."

"Yesterday, I ran into Shen Songyao and the old lady sitting in the courtyard, so I couldn’t go in."

"I went again this morning, but as soon as I got to the gate, the guard just kicked me out!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her face crumpled, and she started crying even harder.

Yao Yuzhen frowned. She was first annoyed at her daughter for making a scene, but more importantly, she didn’t believe Shen Zhenwu would do such a thing.

"Even if he was angry, he wouldn’t go this far. He’s not that kind of person..."

He was never the type to hold a grudge. She knew this better than anyone.

Shen Shuangshuang sobbed, "Then... then could someone be using his name to scare me?"

The mother and daughter met each other’s eyes and, without a second’s hesitation, came to the same conclusion.

"It must be that worthless bitch, Shen Songyao!"

Shen Shuangshuang immediately spat on the ground.

"Mom! How many times have I told you we can’t let her get away with this! Look, it’s only been a few days! She’s already started kicking people out, stepping on them, and taking over the nest!"

She cried while hugging Yao Yuzhen’s arm and shaking it.

"The divorce isn’t even final, and she’s already this impatient?"

Yao Yuzhen sneered. "She wants the Shen Family’s things? Let’s see if she can stomach it."

"Since she’s so greedy, I’ll make sure she gets nothing at all."

As soon as she said that, Shen Shuangshuang knew her mother was finally going to make a move.

Sure enough, Yao Yuzhen immediately stood up.

"Let’s go! We’re going to see your father right now and tell him to his face that I agree to go back."

Hearing this, Shen Shuangshuang immediately stopped sobbing. "Mom! Really? That’s wonderful!"

She threw her arms around Yao Yuzhen’s, a smile playing on her lips and a glint in her eyes.

"Once we’re back in the Shen Family home, does that girl Shen Songyao think she can still act all high and mighty? Hmph, let’s see what she has to put on airs with then!"

Yao Yuzhen took Shen Shuangshuang and went to find Ruan Yongxing.

She walked straight to the door of his room, knocked twice, pushed the door open, and got straight to the point.

"I’m taking Shuangshuang back to the Shen Family."

Ruan Yongxing’s eyes lit up. Before he could fully process it, he blurted out, "Then I’ll go sort out the paperwork to go abroad today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he wrung his hands, glanced furtively at Yao Yuzhen, and then hesitated, trailing off.

He was always like this, never directly asking for money, only dropping hints and playing games.

Yao Yuzhen had long seen through his tricks; she could guess his full meaning from half a sentence.

Seeing him fall silent now, she simply finished his thought for him.

"Have someone you trust look into it and find a reliable contact."

"It’s fine to spend some money. The important thing is that it’s secure and can get you there safely."

Ruan Yongxing nodded repeatedly.

Yao Yuzhen added another sentence.

"You go first and get settled. Once you’re established over there, write back immediately. Then we’ll figure out how we can join you."

Ruan Yongxing squeezed her hand, his tone grave as he promised,

"Don’t worry. As soon as I get there, I’ll find a job. I hear one month’s salary there is like a whole year’s salary here. Supporting the two of you won’t be a problem."

At the mention of going abroad, Yao Yuzhen suddenly sighed. "Sigh, I’ll have to close the shop too."

"But I just paid the rent..."

Ruan Yongxing immediately came up with a solution.

"Just break the lease. Offer a discount. If he gives you trouble, just drop Shen Zhenwu’s name to scare him."

Yao Yuzhen nodded. "Okay, I’ll do what you say."

Once that was settled, she turned and went to the credit union to withdraw money.

She planned to take out three thousand yuan for Ruan Yongxing to use.

Previously, for that business with Shen Songyao, she had withdrawn five thousand. After paying fifteen hundred in rent, she had a little over three thousand left.

If she gave it all to Ruan Yongxing, she’d have to make another trip later if she needed cash, so she might as well withdraw more today.

But when she entered the credit union, the teller at the counter looked up and smiled.

"Comrade, we’ve had a lot of large withdrawals today, and we just ran out of cash. All we have left is five hundred. How about... you come back tomorrow?"

Yao Yuzhen might not care for such niceties with the Shen family, but with outsiders, she always knew how to behave appropriately.

"You don’t even have three thousand?"

She looked at the young, bespectacled employee behind the credit union counter, her speech even and without a hint of urgency.

The man looked down, flipped through a ledger, and his lips moved. "Really, we’re out. Exactly five hundred is all that’s left."

He pushed her passbook back, tapping it twice on the counter as if to confirm.

"Alright then. I’ll come back earlier tomorrow."

"Okay, take care!"

The teller beamed.

The moment they stepped out of the credit union, Shen Shuangshuang pouted.

"What’s with this credit union? Are they broke? They can’t even come up with three thousand yuan?"

Yao Yuzhen patted her shoulder. "It’s probably just bad timing. It’s no big deal. We can still get it tomorrow."

Her gaze swept from left to right, and only when she saw no one she knew did she look away.

Then she leaned in and lowered her voice. "There’s still some cash at home. I’ll give it to your father for now so he can get started."

Shen Shuangshuang’s face instantly paled. She froze on the spot and blurted out, "Mom..."

"What is it?"

Yao Yuzhen slowed her pace, waiting for Shen Shuangshuang to catch up.

Shen Shuangshuang opened her mouth, but her tongue felt tied in a knot.

"Maybe... maybe we should just wait and withdraw it tomorrow? Going abroad can wait one more day, right?"

After speaking, she bit her lower lip and hunched her shoulders slightly.

"Mom, can we go back to the compound later?"

"We can ask that guard at the main gate what’s really going on."

She pursed her lips, and her eyes immediately reddened.

"You didn’t see me standing there today. My face was burning with shame!"

"That’s my home! But the guard wouldn’t even let me in. He even said... he said the Shen family has disowned me!"

The thought made her nose tingle, and tears streamed down her face.

She raised the back of her hand to wipe her face, but the more she wiped, the more tears fell.

Seeing her cry, Yao Yuzhen felt a prick in her heart, and her expression immediately darkened.

"Don’t worry. Mom’s got your back. This isn’t over."

She reached out, wrapped an arm around Shen Shuangshuang’s shoulder, and pulled her closer.

She pulled Shen Shuangshuang along and headed straight for Ruan Yongxing’s place.

The moment she walked in, she said, "The credit union hit its limit for today. I couldn’t get the money out. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow."

Ruan Yongxing had been grinning from ear to ear, but at her words, his smile froze.

"I still have some extra cash on hand. I withdrew it for Shen Songyao last time, but she refused to take it no matter what. I paid fifteen hundred for rent, so there’s still over three thousand left. If you’re in a real hurry, I can advance it to you."

"Shuangshuang tried to go back to the compound this morning but was stopped at the gate. The guard said the Shen family has declared they no longer recognize her as their adopted daughter. I need to take her back and find out what’s going on."

"They don’t recognize her as their adopted daughter anymore?"

Ruan Yongxing’s brows knitted together, and his voice tensed up.

Yao Yuzhen nodded. "Yes, but it’s most likely a bluff."

"It must have been stirred up by that wild girl who came back from the countryside!"

"She must think I can’t go back to the Shen Family, so she’s deliberately stepping on Shuangshuang to vent her anger!"

Ruan Yongxing shot to his feet and paced back and forth a few steps.

He was already burning with impatience for the money, and this news made him even more panicked, afraid that what happened back then might one day be exposed.

"It’s a shame we couldn’t get it done today. If we drag it out until tomorrow and they happen to be closed for the weekend, it’ll be delayed for several more days."

Yao Yuzhen glanced out the window.