Zhao Mei went quiet and stopped preaching about filial piety on hearing Yu Yaoyao’s sharp voice. Nudging Shen Yichong gently aside, she sat up with her feet crossed. “I don’t have the time or the patience to listen to your lies anymore, “she said vehemently, “For me to let go of what you tried to do today, I have three conditions. So, listen to me carefully because I won’t repeat myself.”

She took a deep breath. “First, return my money. I will send you my husband’s bank account details. Don’t forget to payback with interest. The total comes to 30 million. You have three days.”

Yu Yaoyao was angry. But Shen Yichong pulled her other hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her palm, then to her arms, and then her neck. She gasped. But Yu Xinjie and Zhao Mei were too shocked at her words to hear her pants.

“Yu Yaoyao,” Yu Xinjie, snatched the phone to her and yelled. “Don’t speak gibberish. It’s written in your notebook too. We only used 23 million. How could there be a 7 million interest on it? And 10 million out of 23 was wired to Chen—” Yu Xinjie’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth.

Zhao Mei snatched the phone back and hurriedly said, “Yaoyao, even if you want to disregard the love, I showed you, it’s alright. But to say that you ‘lent’ us money and have us return it with interest! It was the money you gave to your mother. It was supposed to be a gift. If you lack the knowledge because you are young, ask your husband. Are mothers now obliged to repay their children?”

Yu Yaoyao was trying hard to withhold her moans, but Shen Yichong was relentless at her neck. She tried to direct a glare at him. She lowered her mouth and placed a bite on his shoulder, leaving a mark.

Yu Yaoyao thought Shen Yichong also played a huge part in the original Yu Yaoyao’s downfall. Why couldn’t you refuse to give the money to her, even if she cried? Why couldn’t you? She asked silently. He never refused her, and Zhao Mei and Yu Xinjie became so shameless that they were refusing to pay back. How the hell were they gifts when it was so clear that they had forced Yu Yaoyao and made her so miserable?

Shen Yichong stopped sucking at her neck. He dropped a kiss on her lips and grinned, as though he knew how speechless he was making her with all his kisses. He took the phone from her hand.

“If you want your daughter to lose all semblance of dignity in high society and be rendered unable to marry anytime soon, then you may keep the money as ‘gift’ into your old age,” he said, winking to Yu Yaoyao, “Bank transfers can be traced back to the IP address from where the money has been withdrawn, and the shopping malls have cameras. Whoever operated it at the time can be checked. I will sue you, of course. By a tiny chance if I lose the case, with the evidence on my side, the final judgement and appeal review might drag on for almost two years.” Shen Yichong paused. “I have enough money and a team of lawyers to keep your daughter busy in lawsuits for a few years which will keep her past the age of thirty.”

Yu Xinjie was twenty-four, in two years she will be twenty-six. The upper-class households refused to marry women past their thirties. Seeing how Yu Xinjie liked her life luxurious, nobody from a rich family would marry her.

There was a stunned silence on the other end. “Xiao Shen, how could you say things like that?” she cried, “You are my son-in-law. How could you disrespect me so openly? Do you and your wife have no conscience threatening your mother-in-law and sister-in-law like this?”

Yu Yaoyao almost laughed at them trying to use their relationships as a shield when they had always treated them badly. The audacity! But she heard Yu Xinjie protest by her mother’s side.

“I will pay it back! Mom, stop pleading. It’s enough,” said Yu Xinjie, “Brother-in-law, please don’t sue me. Give me some time at least. I will pay back the full amount. At least let me pay it back in installments, slowly. I will do it as soon as possible. I don’t have so much money with me right now.”

Yu Xinjie didn’t want a lawsuit to her name. She had wanted to meet rich suitors to marry. She had also intended to keep in contact with Chen Jiao, so that no matter where she landed, she would always have a back-up plan. But she wasn’t sure anymore. With the lawsuit to her name, everything would be ruined. Chen Jiao would never even look at her. He was a public figure; he wouldn’t want any more trouble.

“I will wire it by tonight, or tomorrow morning, please,” said Yu Xinjie.

Yu Yaoyao, who had taken the phone back, listened with patience. “Alright,” she said, “We will talk after you have paid it all, within three days. That’s all I am giving you.”

“Sister—”

“Shut up!” Yu Yaoyao cut her off, “Listen to my other conditions.”

Yu Yaoyao wrapped her arms around Shen Yichong. “Second, contact a reporter and issue a public apology to me. Think clearly and write a nice public apology. I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with any of you tonight. We will talk some other day.”

“Third, please don’t bother me again,” said Yu Yaoyao tiredly, “If you continue to create trouble for me, don’t blame me for whatever I do next time.”

Yu Yaoyao hung up after laying out her three terms. She threw the phone on the quilt. She pinched the middle of her forehead. The broad frame of Shen Yichong wrapped her in his arms. She buried her face against his chest.

“They are so shameless,” she said wearily, “They just find every little thing to try to make my life **.”

“I know,” said Shen Yichong softly, holding her tight against him. He stroked her hair gently. “If they do pay back, I will have Chen Lin transfer the money to your new card.”

“What? No!” said Yu Yaoyao, raising her head from his chest to look at him. “This was your money. It should go back to you.”

Shen Yichong looked at her tenderly and lowered his head to kiss her softly on her lips. “Then let me spend it for you,” he said, “Whatever you want. Maybe a house? You can decorate it the way you like, keep some pets like you wanted, maybe some clothes, bags, jewelries, or snacks. You love your snacks.”

He had seen the article as well. Yu Xinjie had a house to her name, so did Zhao Mei from the money they had leeched off of her. Only she didn’t have anything to her name. He wanted to give her everything. He wanted to see her happy.

“I love you more,” said Yu Yaoyao, but snacks came to a close second on her list after Shen Rui. “But I don’t want a house. I don’t even know how to decorate. And what will I do with so many houses? Just keep the money and reimburse me on whatever I want to eat.”

Shen Yichong laughed. He held her by the waist and laid her down on the bed. “Reimbursement, huh?” he chuckled, “Great!” She said the most adorable things with such a serious face. “My money is all yours. You can eat whatever you want and do whatever you want with it.” He kissed her.

They had put Shen Rui to sleep in the other room and had been spending some quality time with each other ever since. Yu Yaoyao was sure that Yu Xinjie wouldn’t have been the biggest problem to deal with, but it would have been difficult for her and Shen Yichong to deal with the legalities if Xinjie hadn’t handed them the evidence herself, clear as day. Yu Yaoyao could finally enjoy the night with her husband.