Ma Donghua is that kind of person, as long as there is profit to be made, she will certainly not be absent, just like now; hearing that Xiaofeng’s factory is doing well, she immediately came up with the idea of becoming a partner.
"Donghua, you have a good idea there, trying to make a fortune with no investment," He Ximei scoffed. "However, the factory belongs to Xiaofeng, I can’t make that decision. If you want to partner up, go and discuss it with Xiaofeng, you can’t negotiate with me."
Ma Donghua didn’t believe her sister-in-law would stand idly by: "Sister-in-law, don’t try to fool me. Xiaofeng, just a girl who has never worked outside, where could she possibly get the money? If she wants to set up a factory, she must need to take money from home, and if the money came from home, it can’t be just her factory alone."
Ma Donghua clearly understood her sister-in-law’s calculations, she definitely didn’t want her family to join the partnership; but even if they didn’t partner up: "Sister-in-law, I’ve inquired thoroughly. Su Dada left a lot of valuable things for our uncle back then. Did you and my brother sell those things to set up the factory for Xiaofeng? Sister-in-law, that’s where you did wrong. Uncle’s belongings belong to Guisheng too, how could you secretly trade them for money without letting us know?"
"Ma Donghua." He Ximei grew angrier the more she listened; she and Guaizi obtaining any treasures? "Speak with a conscience. When your father-in-law died, everything that should have been divided was taken by you all. What other treasures are there?"
"That’s hard to say." Ma Donghua insisted that her elder brother and sister-in-law definitely still had treasures at home: "When Su Dada died, there wasn’t a single treasure left in his home. Everyone in the village said Su Dada gave all his valuable treasures to your family."
He Ximei almost choked on her own blood, Ma Donghua’s ability to fabricate things out of thin air was getting better and better: "Su Dada has been dead for many years now. Does it make any sense to bring up these unfounded claims? If you don’t believe it, go home and search, see if you can find any valuable items."
If there were any valuable treasures at home, would she and Guaizi have lived in poverty for decades?
"It would be strange to find anything after you’ve already sold them all." Ma Donghua insisted everything was sold: "Sister-in-law, opening a factory for Xiaofeng must cost at least ten thousand yuan, right? We don’t ask for much, just give us five thousand. As for the factory, never mind if you don’t give it, I and Guisheng are not that covetous."
Indeed, owning a factory wasn’t really practical; what if it incurred losses?
It’s better to have the money at hand; money in one’s own possession is assuredly one’s own, but when not in one’s possession, who knows if it truly belongs to them?
"What are you thinking?" Giving them five thousand, she really thought it up easily: "If you want to look, go under the ground and ask your father-in-law, because I certainly don’t have it here."
Really addicted to shirking responsibility, aren’t you?
"Sister-in-law, that’s not how you should talk. A lot of people in the village are saying that our uncle left you a lot of treasures. If there are any, Guisheng definitely has a share. Have a good talk with my brother, I’ll be going back. I’ll go and discuss with Guisheng whether we want the money or partnering up with Xiaofeng would be more suitable."
Xiaofeng’s factory wouldn’t go bankrupt in a short period anyway, so there’s no rush; she would go back and discuss with Guisheng, consider if asking for five thousand is too little.
Having said her piece, Ma Donghua twirled away, her mood evidently elevated.
He Ximei glared at Ma Donghua’s retreating figure, unable to pinpoint where her anger came from. What kind of person is this, always wanting to stick her nose into any potential benefit?
Annoyed, He Ximei entered the kitchen and vented her anger on Guaizi: "What was father thinking, adopting out Guisheng back then? Now look at the situation; look at how Guisheng is acting, it’s unsightly."
And treasures, too. She has treasures in her home, yet she’s unaware? Ma Donghua must be going crazy over money to come up with this nonsense.
Guaizi glanced at He Ximei but remained silent.
It wasn’t that there weren’t any treasures; in fact, there were a few. But before their father passed away, he made it clear that they were Su Dada’s and were not to be sold unless absolutely necessary.
This matter, neither Guisheng nor the fat woman knew about.
"Why bother with her?" Guaizi stood up. "He and Donghua are just like that. If there really were any, would Guisheng be unaware?"
He Ximei, married to Guaizi for so many years, hadn’t seen a single valuable item, let alone a treasure; yet Ma Donghua sounded so authoritative: "When I married into the family, father was already gone, but Su Dada did indeed take care of Xiaofeng a lot."
Speaking of Su Dada, that was a person Guaizi truly respected from the bottom of his heart: "Su Dada once gave Xiaofeng a treasure, a bronze mirror that used to be on Xiaofeng’s desk."
He Ximei had seen it before but lately hadn’t: the possibility occurred to her, "You didn’t mention that mirror, but now you have, I remember I haven’t seen the mirror since the house was repaired. Do you think Xiaofeng might have...?"
Xiaofeng was sensible now, and surely knew the value of the mirror. Could she have sold it?
"Xiaofeng was closest to Su Dada, she wouldn’t bear to sell anything he gave her. It must be on her person," Xiaofeng was always quiet, especially since Guaizi brought home a new wife, Xiaofeng showed nothing but disdain for this stepmother and was even less inclined to get close.
In the early years when He Ximei first married into the family, it was Su Dada who watched Xiaofeng grow up. Later, as Su Dada’s health deteriorated, the state took him away.
When Su Dada returned to the village, his health was failing; he passed away just a few days after arriving back home.
At the time, Xiaofeng had grieved deeply for a while.
"So, it’s possible Xiaofeng has other treasures on her," He Ximei speculated, not that she had any sort of agenda, just simple curiosity.
"That’s definitely not the case," Guaizi could affirm. "Why worry about these things?"
"You say there’s nothing, but your brother’s family doesn’t think so. They’re even preparing to ask for five thousand from us. Think about how to talk to them about this." With or without treasures, they had gotten by for over a decade.
But some people are different, just as someone just now, convinced that their family has treasures, who knows how much trouble they’ll stir up later on.