Chapter 20: Why Not Sell the House?

No matter how Zhang Min tried to decline, Lin Wei delivered the braised pig trotters with soybeans to her that evening.

"I plan to sell this tomorrow, so please help me taste it and see how it is. This is crucial for my business, Aunt Zhang, so please don't refuse."

Since the Su family couldn't turn it down, the Gao family naturally couldn't either. Aunt Gao felt very embarrassed.

"How can I accept this? We had red-braised pork the other day, and today you’ve made pig trotters. It smells so delicious, it must have cost you quite a bit. Here, let me give you the money."

Lin Xiaomeng quickly said, "It's not like I send food to your house every day. I didn't send any yesterday, did I? This girl plans to sell this tomorrow, so she wants you to taste it and give her some feedback later."

"Alright, alright. Thank you, and thank you to Weiwei as well."

Watching Lin Xiaomeng walk back to her home, the neighbor, Wang Changzhi, spat on the ground.

"Giving meat to this house, giving meat to that house, but skipping our place entirely—it's clear they look down on us."

His wife, Zhou Ping, had suffered a setback at the hands of Lin Wei, so she was naturally resentful toward her.

"Did you see that? That girl went out to set up a street stall today, and she even used the Su family's tricycle. When we asked to borrow it before, they refused. These families are truly going too far, teaming up to bully us."

"A street stall?" Wang Changzhi muttered. "Do you think they’re actually making money?"

"How much can a small business make? No matter how much they earn, it’s not as stable as a 'golden rice bowl' (a secure, state-funded job). Besides, the girl won't be doing it for long; isn't she supposed to go back to school in September?"

"That's true."

However, Wang Changzhi looked toward Lin Xiaomeng’s home, lost in thought.

Speaking of making money, Lin Wei was deep in contemplation as she counted the cash she had pulled from her bag.

"The cost of all the ingredients was 200 yuan, plus rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar—the total shouldn't exceed 250. I specifically exchanged 100 yuan in small bills, and now I have... let me see... 1,230. Subtracting the 350 in capital, that equals... 880! My goodness, did I really make this much in just one lunch hour?"

It was truly unbelievable.

Lin Xiaomeng was also stunned. "Wait, you sold that much in one lunch hour? Did you calculate that correctly?"

"I didn't make a mistake. This is all the cash I have on me."

Lin Xiaomeng suddenly realized, "I heard people say a couple of years ago that street vending makes money faster than working a regular job. Back then, the economy was even better than it is now. No wonder that after commercial housing became available, those who had been laid off were buying apartment after apartment. I thought they were just making money, but I never imagined they could make this much."

"But the food you made tastes really good. If business is this good, will you be able to handle it? I have to work during the day, so I can't help you."

"I don't need help. Every day, I just need a bucket of rice, a bucket of vegetables, and a bucket of meat, plus a container for the disposable lunch boxes. I'll just serve them in order. The fact that my stall did well on the first day doesn't mean it will always be this way. Maybe it won't be busy tomorrow, so there's no need for extra help."

Lin Xiaomeng didn't argue; it was, after all, only the first day, and it was hard to say what would happen later.

However, deep down, she truly hoped Lin Wei would succeed.

"Earning more is good. If you make this much every day, you won't have to worry about the tuition for all four years of university. It'll save you from stressing over money once you're in school."

Seeing that Lin Xiaomeng had guessed her intentions, Lin Wei called out softly, "Aunt."

-

Clutching her windfall of 1,230 yuan, Lin Wei slept soundly.

But the Ni siblings in the distant New County were not so relaxed.

One moment they were worrying about whether Li Yunxia, who had been taken in, was getting enough to eat or wear; the next, as relatives of the involved parties, Yan Kuan, Yan Siqi, and their son-in-law Ni Qingguo were all taken away by the police for investigation.

This entire family was now neatly accounted for, and there was no longer any need to worry about their meals.

But while it didn't matter if others were detained, Ni Fang could not bear to see her younger brother suffer.

After a day and a night of maneuvering, Xiao Yuanbing actually managed to get Ni Qingguo released.

However, his wife hadn't been released, and Ni Qingguo was unwilling to let it go, immediately playing the victim to Ni Fang.

"Sister, Yaozu is already ruined; Siqi can't be allowed to have anything happen to her. You have to find a way!"

"I'm already trying. This matter seems to be quite serious. If you weren't truly innocent, do you think you would have been able to get out?"

Ni Qingguo scratched his head in agitation. "But, Sister..."

"Wait a moment; let us think of another way. If I can get her out, I certainly will. I don't want to see your family destroyed either, but there's no point in just calling out to me."

In just two days, the 30,000 yuan in compensation money that Lin’s father, Lin Dongliang, had received was poured into the situation like water.

But in the end, it was completely ineffective.

"Sister..."

"Don't call me Sister. I have no more money. Not a single cent is left of your brother-in-law's 30,000 yuan compensation. I’ve already given all my money to you; I have nothing left."

Ni Qingguo squatted on the ground in frustration, his voice filled with resentment. "Who exactly is trying to harm us? The police said this was a premeditated report."

"Regarding your mother-in-law's affair, everyone is a suspect; there is simply no way to find the source."

Ni Qingguo didn't think so. "Sister, there were no problems before, but now that there are, the person we offended the most recently is... could it be her?"

"Who?" Ni Fang asked, puzzled.

"Your daughter, Lin Wei."

Ni Fang chuckled. "Impossible. How could you think of her? I didn't even know about this matter, so Weiwei couldn't possibly have known. She never liked interacting with you all in the past; I doubt she even remembers what your mother-in-law looks like, let alone where her ledger was kept."

"Qingguo, I know you hate the person who reported you, and so do I. That 30,000 yuan we just got is all gone before we could even spend it, but your theory is simply unrealistic."

"Then explain why, on the very day of the report, Weiwei left with Yuanyuan?" He had just learned about this and hadn't paid much attention to it, but with so many coincidences piling up, he couldn't help but be suspicious.

Mentioning this, Ni Qingguo felt a surge of anger. "She must have been resentful that we didn't give her enough money to spend. She secretly sold all the furniture and took a few hundred yuan—of course she ran away! Enough of that; blaming this on an oblivious child is something everyone would find ridiculous."

However, seeing Ni Qingguo in such a state, Ni Fang couldn't just ignore him.

"This isn't because I'm protecting Weiwei just because she's my daughter. A high school student preparing for the college entrance exam wouldn't have had the time to gather that much evidence anyway. That's enough; let's keep thinking of other ways."

Neither Ni Fang nor Ni Qingguo could come up with a solution, so their only hope lay with Xiao Yuanbing.

Xiao Yuanbing was involved with Ni Fang, and while he did have money, he didn't have that much.

The situation was clearly a bottomless pit, and Ni Fang didn't want him to throw his entire fortune into it.

After much deliberation, Xiao Yuanbing made a suggestion: "Weren't you planning to sell the house? Just sell the house."