freenovelworld Chapter 224 Returning Carnage
Chapter 224 Returning Carnage
He then got up and showed Meng Peiyu around the room.
The master bedroom was empty, just as Qiao Manman had said, with bed sheets used as curtains.
There were two quilts, one army green, which looked like it was moved from the dormitory. The other was a bright red peony quilt, probably made for their wedding.
A barely perceptible hint of jealousy flashed in Meng Peiyu's eyes as she smiled and looked at the cabinet: "Comrade Xiao Qiao, may I open it and take a look?"
Knowing Meng Peiyu's purpose, Qiao Manman opened the cabinet and said, "There are only a few sets of Lu Yuan's military uniforms and some clothes that I brought from Kyoto inside."
Meng Peiyu looked at the military overcoat, the floral cotton-padded jacket, and the woolen overcoat, and her eyes reddened once again.
She thought to herself, "Why is it that in my previous life I waited for so many years and the Lu family never gave me a kind look?"
This Qiao Manman was able to easily win the other party's favor.
Thinking of this, Meng Peiyu tentatively asked, "When you got married, Grandpa Lu didn't give you a gift? We are a prominent family in Kyoto, so we should at least show some appreciation."
Respectable families would give jade pendants and jade bracelets, while nouveau riche would usually prepare real estate and gold bars—in short, they wouldn't want to lose face.
Qiao Manman smiled and raised her wrist: "Yes, he gave me a watch and a bankbook. Grandpa said I'll be in charge of the household from now on!"
Meng Peiyu curled her lip, thinking to herself, "What a shallow person. What kind of watch is this? Plum Blossom brand? How easy to fool her!"
"Little Qiao, don't you know the background of the Lu family? Grandpa Lu fought alongside a big leader to build the country. And this is all you got for your wedding?"
If she hadn't been reborn, she wouldn't have known that the unassuming Lu family actually possessed a considerable amount of valuable gold and silver.
If her personal space hadn't been suppressed, she wouldn't have coveted other people's wealth.
"Is that a small amount? It's not small! It's several thousand yuan including the savings account!" Qiao Manman said innocently. "Besides, jade and gold bars are considered old things, aren't they? Who would dare to give old things as gifts these days!"
"Sigh, you don't understand. This is tradition, not some kind of dross."
Meng Peiyu rolled up her wrist, revealing a bright green bracelet. It looked remarkably like the one that Qiao Zhenzhen had almost stolen when she first arrived.
Qiao Manman feigned surprise: "Wow, so beautiful! Is this the betrothal gift from the Chen family for your wedding?"
Meng Peiyu nodded proudly: "Yes, this was specially passed down to me by my mother-in-law. It means that Junyan and I should get along well and stay together until we grow old."
Manman, why don't you call home and ask if Grandpa forgot?
It would be best to get the elders' blessings, but if not, it doesn't matter. I've tried anyway.
Qiao Manman nodded: "Then I'll try it next time!"
Seeing the longing look on her face from time to time, Meng Peiyu asked, "You've never seen a bracelet like this before? I've heard that many families keep them hidden away!"
Qiao Manman hesitated, then said, "I met her when I was little, but my cousin... well, it's all in the past, why bring that up?"
"What happened to your cousin?" Meng Peiyu asked anxiously.
Qiao Manman shook her head: "I married a... not-so-good man, I don't know how he's doing now!"
I'd seen a similar bracelet on her wrist before, but I don't know where it went. When I asked her, she wouldn't tell me.
Denial was impossible, so she chose to shift the blame. Whether Meng Peiyu believed her or not was completely irrelevant to her; she was prepared to risk everything.
Qiao Manman closed the cabinet and led her to the guest room.
The room was filled with coal briquettes, cabbage, and potatoes, which made her frown: "Is this what you eat in winter?"
"That's all we eat in the countryside! It's better to live in Northeast China. When I went to the market to buy meat, I actually found fish and shrimp."
Good heavens, this is unthinkable where I'm from, and I actually bought over ten kilograms, and without any coupons! If I'm careful with what I buy, it'll last until the New Year.
"If you're short on meat, you can come to me. I have plenty of sources!"
"Yes, I heard from Sister Zhang that I'll go once you're feeling better. Sister Chen, please don't find me annoying then!"
"Of course not!"
Meng Peiyu sat back down, feeling that the room was chilly except for the area around the fireplace.
Qiao Manman asked her, "Has Sister Chen eaten yet? Would you like some?"
"No need, Junyan made some soup at home and will come to pick me up in a little while."
Qiao Manman didn't insist and picked up her lunchbox to eat. After being delayed for so long, the food had gone cold again. Qiao Manman didn't mind, though; she poured some hot water into it and ate it.
Meng Peiyu frowned in disdain, then her expression relaxed.
He thought to himself that he had been worrying too much. Qiao Manman's choices were different from those in her previous life, which was most likely the result of his own rebirth and stealing her marriage.
However, who exactly stole the Lu family's things? Judging from Qiao Manman's expression, she seemed unaware.
Was the Lu family wary of her, or had someone else gotten there first?
Meng Peiyu felt that nothing was going right for her, and she felt irritable and frustrated.
Hearing a knock at the door, she composed herself and said, "It must be my Junyan!"
Qiao Manman hummed in agreement, got up and opened the door, where Chen Junyan brought her a bowl of chicken soup: "Comrade Qiao, thank you for keeping Peiyu company."
Qiao Manman took it: "I can't accept this!"
As she spoke, she poured the pastries into her own bowl, went back into the house to get a bag of pastries for Meng Peiyu: "These are from Kyoto, I hope Sister Chen won't mind them."
"Not at all, thank you so much, Comrade Xiao Qiao. I'll be going now, I'll come see you another day."
"Take care on the road. I won't see you off. Come over and visit sometime when you're free!"
Qiao Manman stood on the second floor and saw the two leave the building. They slammed the door shut, and her heart was pounding.
I got up and went into the kitchen. Without adding hot water, I just started washing the lunchbox.
Hearing a knock on the door, I went out and saw it was Meng Peiyu again.
"Excuse me, Comrade Xiao Qiao, I left my hairpin here?"
"Oh, really? Where did you leave it? I'll help you find it!"
Qiao Manman was surprised, wondering if such a thing was true. She had been watching Meng Peiyu the whole time and hadn't noticed anything unusual about her.
Could it be that she cheated using spatial manipulation?
Qiao Manman's heart clenched, but to her surprise, Meng Peiyu patted her pocket and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I made a mistake. My pocket is torn, and the hair clip fell into the lining. I didn't notice it for a moment."
"It's good that it's been found! It's good that it's been found! Sister Chen, you should go home and rest early. The snow is getting heavier, be careful of the slippery roads."
"Okay, you should get some rest too!"
This time, Meng Peiyu was really gone. Qiao Manman looked at her bright red hands and thought to herself that it was worth washing the lunchbox with cold water.
Standing on the balcony, watching the two completely disappear at the end of the road, Qiao Manman slumped into a chair and took out a Flame Stone to warm her hands.
I thought to myself that this female lead was indeed troublesome.
However, life goes on, and there's no point in overthinking.
Qiao Manman got up and carefully checked every corner. After confirming that Meng Peiyu hadn't left any cute little things, she took out a box of cherries, stood on the balcony to observe the situation outside, and carefully ate some.
They were afraid the other party might launch a surprise attack.