The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 749 - 748: Turning the Tables

Chapter 749: Chapter 748: Turning the Tables

Before Zheming had warned her about Qian Rong’s deceitful intentions, Pei Qiuxia had verbally defended Qian Rong, claiming she wasn’t that kind of person, yet in her heart, she quietly planted a seed of suspicion.

Knowing perfectly well that she was about to get married, yet purposely bringing up Jiang Xinsheng in front of her and even encouraging her to give the dowry money to Jiang Xinsheng.

Only someone out of their mind would do such an outrageous thing.

Qian Rong herself had suffered from discord with her mother-in-law, hadn’t she considered how difficult her life would become if the Shen Family found out about this?

Since she knew the other party had malicious intentions, naturally she wouldn’t foolishly jump into the pit.

"So, it was not you who lent the money to Jiang Xinsheng, but Qian Rong?"

"Yes, I only gave Jiang Xinsheng Ten Thousand Yuan and also made him sign a two-year promissory note for Qian Rong."

That night, not letting Qian Rong go inside was exactly for this.

Jiang Xinsheng, although suspecting there was a catch with the Ten Thousand Yuan, desperately needed the money and, as long as he could borrow it, he didn’t care about anything else.

Not responding to Qian Rong’s pager messages, he mistakenly thought Qian Rong wanted to discuss repaying him.

"You previously said she wasn’t that kind of person, right? And that I didn’t understand her. I may not know her, but what am I good at? What kind of person haven’t I seen? Whether it’s a real person or a ghost, I know at a glance..."

In the midst of his enthusiastic speech, seeing his wife’s expression souring, he cleverly shifted the topic, "Let’s not talk about this anymore, let’s quickly eat, then go see our new house, it’s almost done, right? Have you decided on the wardrobe? If not, sketch down the design, and we’ll get a carpenter to make it."

Speaking of the wedding house’s decoration, Pei Qiuxia’s face lit up again, "There’s a furniture store that can custom make it, but it will ship from Sui City, and the price will be quite higher."

"Well, let it be more expensive. A wardrobe, we’re talking at least being used for fifteen or twenty years, of course, it should be one you like."

Hearing him say this, Pei Qiuxia secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She had been a bit worried that Zheming would think she was too fussy and wasteful, as wardrobes are mostly similar, yet she insisted on that specific one, spending a few hundred Yuan more for no reason.

...

Qian Rong duly arrived at the cafe.

Seeing Pei Qiuxia’s poor complexion, Qian Rong tentatively asked, "Qiuxia, what’s wrong? Did you have a fight with Zheming?"

"How could you ask me that? Why did you tell Zheming about me lending money to Jiang Xinsheng?"

Faced with Pei Qiuxia’s accusation, Qian Rong was not flustered.

"That day after you gave the money to Jiang Xinsheng, I thought about it and felt something was off. After all, Fifty Thousand Yuan isn’t a small amount. What if your in-laws found out in the future? They wouldn’t let you off easily."

"Coincidentally, I ran into Zheming that day, and I couldn’t keep it to myself and told him. I thought, with his help covering for you, even if your in-laws found out in the future, you could bluff your way through. I was doing this for your sake."

"What, did you and Zheming fight over this? It was just lending some money, not like you couldn’t get it back. For a grown man, he’s overreacting, isn’t he?"

Pei Qiuxia was angry, "No matter what, you shouldn’t have told Zheming without my permission. Our quarrel was your doing."

Qian Rong chuckled sheepishly, "Ah, I wasn’t thinking too much then, sorry."

Pei Qiuxia looked at her, "You don’t have to apologize. Actually, I’ve also hidden something from you, so I guess we’re even now. I’m not angry with you, and you shouldn’t be angry with me either."

Qian Rong sipped her coffee nonchalantly, "What is it?"

Pei Qiuxia showed her the promissory note from Jiang Xinsheng.

Qian Rong recognized every character on the promissory note, but she just couldn’t comprehend it.

"I told Jiang Xinsheng that the Ten Thousand Yuan was from you. He was really grateful, and this is the promissory note he issued for you."

"Qiuxia, what do you mean?!"

Pei Qiuxia explained calmly, "I thought, Jiang Xinsheng needs to know who really helped him out, so I told him the truth. He was truly touched, really."

Qian Rong was absolutely furious!

Who the hell cares about Jiang Xinsheng’s gratitude?

She initially didn’t want to lend money to Jiang Xinsheng and had persuaded Pei Qiuxia to do it instead, but after all that, it turned out the money lent was hers?

Jiang Xinsheng was swamped in debt and had ruined his reputation, unable to even find a decent job—who knows when he would be able to pay back that ten thousand yuan.

"Qiuxia, I loaned the money to you, not to Jiang Xinsheng. I don’t acknowledge this IOU!"

Pei Qiuxia feigned confusion, "That ten thousand was for Jiang Xinsheng’s urgent need, which you knew. Didn’t you also agree that I should lend him the money, saying he’ll get back on his feet soon?"

I said that just to coax you into lending the money!

At a loss for words, Qian Rong angrily threw the IOU back to Pei Qiuxia:

"Anyway, I gave you that ten thousand, so you have to repay it."

Calm and composed, Pei Qiuxia neatly folded the IOU and stuffed it back into Qian Rong’s hand, "I already gave Jiang Xinsheng the money on your behalf; he acknowledges your kindness. Keep the IOU safe, it’s the proof of Jiang Xinsheng owing you money. It’ll be troublesome if you lose it."

Qian Rong glared at her, her face colored like an overturned paint palette.

Suddenly, she remembered that Pei Qiuxia had also lent forty thousand yuan to Jiang Xinsheng.

That was a whole forty thousand yuan, lent to an ex-lover. She Zheming must be furious, maybe even considering divorce. By then, Pei Qiuxia would have to figure out how to return the sixty-six thousand yuan dowry.

Thinking this, Qian Rong’s anger was immediately replaced by a blazing curiosity:

"How are you and She Zheming doing now?"

"We’re doing quite well."

Pei Qiuxia smiled lightly, appearing relaxed and pleased, which really puzzled Qian Rong.

"Weren’t you two arguing?"

"Not really an argument. He just asked a bit more."

"And then? What else did he say?"

"Let’s not talk about it anymore, it’s all in the past."

The more nonchalant Pei Qiuxia was, the more anxious and disturbed Qian Rong became.

"Come on, tell me, what’s really going on between you two? He isn’t going to divorce you, is he?"

Pei Qiuxia responded, slightly melancholic, "Why, do you really hope that we get a divorce?"

"Of course not, I’m just worried about you."

Pei Qiuxia nodded with a beaming smile, "Yeah, I know. But don’t worry, I didn’t lend the money to Jiang Xinsheng."

Amid Qian Rong’s shocked and incredulous gaze, Pei Qiuxia earnestly explained, "Remember you said it wasn’t appropriate for me to lend money to Jiang Xinsheng? I thought so too."

"There’s a saying, a good ex should be like the dead, completely buried. I shouldn’t have anything more to do with him, so I changed my mind and only gave Jiang Xinsheng your ten thousand yuan."

Qian Rong nearly lost her mind right then and there: "Why didn’t you say so earlier!?"

Of course, it was to test you.

In fact, Pei Qiuxia had decided that if Qian Rong hadn’t tried to sow discord between her and She Zheming, she would have let that ten thousand yuan go.

Unfortunately, Qian Rong didn’t pass the test.

Stripping away the facade of friendship, many truths and slip-ups began to emerge.

Back when she had fights, cold wars, and broke up with Jiang Xinsheng, Qian Rong was no stranger to stirring things up.

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