Qin Zhonghui barely had time to react as he watched the couple scurry away, as if someone was chasing them. Su Yun, on the other hand, quickly locked the door. She turned around, frowning, and asked, "Xiao Jiao, are you getting bullied at school?"

"Of course not."

"Then what about what you said just now, about a female classmate stealing a boyfriend and her three older brothers..."

Seeing her mother hesitate, Qin Jiao let out a laugh. "That was just to fool my uncle and aunt. That couple is only here to take advantage of us, but they’re total cowards. They’d never fight my battles for me. When they run into that kind of trouble, they’ll run as far away as they can."

But Su Yun said, "But what you said just now... if you think about it carefully, it doesn’t sound very convincing."

Qin Jiao took out the mop again and wiped away the footprints Feng Lan and her husband had left on the floor. She said, "But they’d rather believe it’s true than take the risk."

’What if they really did run into them and got a beating? It just wouldn’t be worth it.’

Seeing that the visitors had left, Xiao Shi dared to come down from upstairs. Su Yun took out the peaches Mr. Du had given them earlier. She washed four, one for each member of their family.

Su Yun said, "Good thing I hid these well. Otherwise, Feng Lan would have definitely seen them and taken them."

’She knew her sister-in-law was exceptionally greedy and could never get enough of any good food.’

Qin Jiao took a bite of her sweet peach and asked, "Mom, Dad, what did they say when they came over?"

Su Yun repeated what the couple had said after they arrived. Finally, she glared at Qin Zhonghui and said with a sneer, "I think they just wanted to see if they could squeeze anything more out of us. They’re like leeches, lazy and greedy all day long, just depending on others!"

Qin Zhonghui sighed.

Qin Jiao thought for a moment and said, "Mom, Dad, the next time they come, just plead poverty. Tell them we’re in debt from Dad’s medical bills, and that this house is also very expensive, so you have to work yourselves to the bone just to earn enough to pay it all back. And remember, you have to ask to borrow money from them at the same time."

Su Yun quickly said, "They’ll never lend us anything."

Qin Jiao smiled. "Of course they won’t. But after this happens once or twice, they’ll understand how difficult things are for our family, and they’ll stop trying to get things from us. Of course, this is just a temporary solution."

’When I go to university in the provincial capital,’ she thought, ’I’ll have to find a way for Mom and Dad to move there too.’

’Then I’ll figure out how to transfer Xiao Shi’s school over there as well.’

’You really couldn’t afford to burn bridges with relatives. Especially with people like Qin Jiqun and Feng Lan. They were shameless, but they hadn’t completely dropped the act yet, so Qin Jiao’s family couldn’t do much about them.’

’If things got too ugly, what if they got desperate and did something rash?’

Qin Jiao lowered her eyes and said softly, "These are all just stalling tactics, but don’t worry, Mom and Dad, I’ll find a permanent solution as soon as I can. For now, what you need to do is pretend to be poor and start saving up some initial capital."

’Qin Jiao had considered having her parents open a shop in the county town, but now it seemed that wasn’t an option for the time being.’

’It’s better to lie low for now.’

Seeing that her parents both had their assignments, Xiao Shi sidled up to her sister. "Sis, what’s my mission?"

Qin Jiao stroked her hair and said, "Study hard and improve every day. That’s your mission."

"Okay, I’ll definitely do it!"

In their small, drafty apartment building, the furniture was all secondhand, with a few handmade pieces. Because they made steamed buns to sell, the air was perpetually filled with the mixed scents of fermenting dough.

But in this moment, Qin Jiao felt an immense warmth. The feeling of her family all working toward a common goal was wonderful.

「Meanwhile」

Shen Yi returned home. He and Mr. Du lived in an old-style, two-story house with a small courtyard. He usually lived on the second floor while Mr. Du lived on the first.

Now that Du Liya had arrived, the once-quiet house had become a bit livelier.

"Xiao Yi!"

Seeing her son had returned, Du Liya greeted him with a beaming smile.