Her uncle Su Hai owned a fruit store in Ocean City. Together with his wife, they had a son and a daughter and led a rather cushy life.
Back then when her mom was still at the Wens', her uncle and aunt treated her and her younger brothers even better than their own children.
Later when her mother left the Wens without a cent to her name, they had initially wanted to seek shelter at their uncle's house for the time being, so at least they didn't have to sleep in the streets.
The once amiable and warmhearted Aunt instantly revealed her true colors. Throughout their entire stay there, she had insulted her mother either subtly in the form of veiled sarcasm or outright to her face.
Regrettably, her mother wasn't one to bear grudges. But unlike her mother, she remembered the humiliation she had suffered as a nine-year-old. She would never ever forget those days spent seeking refuge under their roof.
Later it was her mother's bestie, Auntie Xiaojun, who was living overseas at the time, who learned of their predicament and hurriedly rushed back to offer to let them stay at her old house in Ocean City which came with a courtyard.
Moreover, throughout the eleven years they stayed there, she had never charged them a single cent of rent.
In contrast, her snobbish and calculative aunt never bothered to hide her contempt of them ever since they fell on hard times. So it was inevitable that her behavior today struck them as extremely peculiar, to say the least.
Had they somehow found out about that two million yuan she received?
But she hadn't even had the chance to tell her mom and younger brothers yet, so how did these people find out about it?
The minivan entered the housing estate which was nicely done up with plenty of lush green spaces. The apartments in these medium-rise buildings went for about thirty thousand yuan per square meter, and her uncle had paid for that 100 plus square meters apartment in full cash. Though they had moved in for nearly a year, this was Wen Qiao's first time here.
The car stopped at the apartment building, and Su Hai enthusiastically ushered them inside. "It's hot outside, quickly come in."
With her arm hooked around Wen Mo's, the few of them entered the building together.
When the elevator door opened on the seventh storey, Su Hai said to them fervently, "It's said that the seventh and eighth storey are prime levels, so we bought an apartment on the seventh storey."
There were two apartments on each storey, and the door to Apartment 702 was opened. Wen Qiao's aunt, He Mei, welcomed them even more warmly than Su Hai. "Aiyah, you're finally here! We've been awaiting your arrival for a long time. I've cut some watermelon. Come in, come in!"
Su Yun set down the fruit basket she was holding, and He Mei said loudly, "You shouldn't have. Your presence is good enough already."
Wen Qiao chuckled. "If we don't bring a gift along, I feared we would be disdained by Aunt."
Su Yun pinched her from behind. This lass was truly prickly in her words.
He Mei smiled awkwardly. "Of course not. Why would Aunt disdain you all?"
Wen Qiao's older cousins, 21-year-old Su Ying and 25-year-old Su Lei, were seated on the sofa watching television. Upon their entry, Su Lei merely cast a nonchalant glance their way.
As for Su Ying, at the sight of Wen Qiao, she immediately got to her feet and went to her room, before emerging again with a bag. She ran to Wen Qiao and said, "We just came back from Macau two days ago. I bought a YSL Bag when I was there. Look, isn't it pretty?"
Wen Qiao was speechless.
Was she showing off?
A song that takes me half a day to compose can fetch me three hundred thousand yuan. Are you seriously showing off in front of me?
"Not at all pretty."
Since you asked so sincerely, I shall be benevolent and express my honest opinion on it.
Su Ying looked clearly displeased. "I shouldn't have asked. You're accustomed to using those roadside goods and don't know a thing about branded bags. I forgot that you won't be able to appreciate the beauty of designer handbags."
Wen Qiao couldn't be bothered with her.
Failing to see the anticipated envy in Wen Qiao's eyes or hearing compliments from her, the snubbed Su Ying could only bring the bag back into her room as she flounced off. As she turned to leave, she muttered the word 'pauper' under her breath in a condescending tone.
Lunch commenced soon after. As He Mei brought out the dishes, she said, "I specially bought prawns and beef for you all."
"We do get to eat prawns and beef at home," Wen Qiao said with a smile. On the side, Su Yun pinched her hand under the table.
This child truly didn't give them any face at all!