Great Son-in-law/C14 Retrieving Important Things
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Great Son-in-law/C14 Retrieving Important Things
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C14 Retrieving Important Things

"I demand you kneel!" Bai Yulan lashed out with her belt, striking Chen Mengyao and leaving a bloody mark on her exposed arm.

With a thud, under the immense pressure, Chen Mengyao knelt at the doorway.

"Chu Fann took you out to dinner? You're lying to me? Can he even support himself, let alone take you to the White Swan? And he reserved the premier central booth? You think I'm clueless? That little dinner escapade of yours cost a minimum of thirty thousand!"

Chen Mengyu egged on the situation, inflaming Bai Yulan's temper even further.

Thirty thousand? This insolent girl squandered it just like that?

Unable to contain her fury, Bai Yulan continued to strike with her belt. Chen Mengyao bit down on her teeth, remaining silent.

"Enough, ease up on the beating. Don't damage her face; we'll need her looks for future business dealings. That's enough," Chen Shouguo interjected.

"I had a date with Guo Chao today, and she completely overshadowed me. She's getting too bold. How dare she do this to me? Did you get a kick out of it when I stepped aside for you? Huh?" Chen Mengyu stepped forward, pinching Mengyao's cheek and twisting it as she interrogated.

"No... I didn't have any such thoughts," Chen Mengyao replied, her expression one of distress.

"Putting on an act for sympathy, are you?" Chen Mengyu was repulsed by her demeanor and impulsively slapped her.

"Enough, all of you," Chen Shouguo said, unable to stand the scene any longer.

"Your birthdays are in three days. You're sisters, not enemies. This is all because of Chu Fann. Is it really worth it? Once he's cast out of the Chen family for good, who'll have anything to do with him?"

With that, Chen Shouguo retreated to the couch and resumed his smoking.

Bai Yulan was still seething with anger.

"Chen Shouguo, what will become of this girl if we don't discipline her now? She's bold enough to stash away money and then frivolously spend it? Thirty thousand is no trivial sum. I've been wanting to get a new car, and she's gone and blown so much on a single meal!"

"It's a done deal. What more can we do?"

"I just can't let it go!" Bai Yulan huffed in frustration. Chen Shouguo was at a loss and had no desire to argue.

"You little troublemaker, get moving on that project for me. Squeeze more money out of Mingzhu Group on your way home. Whether we can afford a new house and car depends on your next moves. If I catch you wasting money again, I'll break your hands!" Bai Yulan warned her before turning to lie on the sofa, murmuring in hushed tones with Chen Shouguo.

"Mom, I'm off to see Guo Chao. He's taking me out for a drive," Chen Mengyu said, not even glancing at Mengyao as she descended the stairs.

Once the house fell silent, Chen Mengyao picked herself up from the floor, wiped away her tears, and retreated to her room alone.

"Are you home yet? Did they give you a hard time?"

The message from Chu Fann popped up as soon as she turned on her phone.

With a smile and a swipe at the tear streaks on her face, Chen Mengyao replied, "I'm okay, but you really must stop being so reckless with money. It doesn't come easy, and I might not always be able to save enough to bail you out. They're keeping a close eye on me."

"Spend the money on yourself. I'm a grown man; you don't need to worry about me. Get some rest, see you tomorrow."

Chu Fann's message came back instantly with a ping.

Chen Mengyao chuckled and snapped her phone shut.

The following day, Chu Fann was anything but idle. He set up online banking at Citibank and scoured the pawnshops of Jing'an District, inquiring at each one in hopes of reclaiming the jade bracelet Mengyao had pawned. That bracelet held special significance for Mengyao; she wouldn't have pawned it if she hadn't needed money for Old Madam's birthday present.

After visiting over ten shops with no sign of the bracelet, Chu Fann reluctantly called Chen Mengyao for more details.

Learning that Chu Fann was out searching for her treasured jade bracelet, warmth flooded Chen Mengyao's heart.

Honestly, growing up in a large family, the warmth Chen Mengyao had received from her relatives over the years paled in comparison to the warmth Chu Fann brought into her life. He truly was a good man. She couldn't fathom why her sister hadn't treasured him... Now that the engagement was off, any future regrets would be in vain.

"Mr. Chu Fann, I told you I'd buy it back myself once I had the money. There's no need for you to fuss over it. Besides, after your trip to the White Swan Restaurant, how could you possibly afford it?" Chen Mengyao's voice was soft and tender.

"Mengyao, if you trust me, meet me at the school gates. We'll redeem the bracelet together," Chu Fann said earnestly.

Despite her resistance, Mengyao eventually gave in.

She resolved, however, to repay Chu Fann every penny he spent—her debt to him was growing by the day.

Today, Chen Mengyao donned a light blue dress, her hands nervously intertwined and resting on the hem in front of her.

"I sold my bracelet to the antique market, not to a pawnshop," she admitted somewhat sheepishly upon meeting him.

"If you're short on cash, you could've just given her an inexpensive gift. Your sister and Guo Chao even gave her a counterfeit painting, and grandma didn't bat an eye. It's just you who went and foolishly sold your cherished bracelet," Chu Fann teased, playfully flicking her nose.

The Antique Market was relatively quiet on a weekday. They made their way straight to the Ivy Pavilion on the second floor.

"You sold it to the Ivy Pavilion?" Chu Fann's brow furrowed at the sight of the golden signboard—he was a diamond VIP member there.

"Yes, I got thirty thousand for it. I had expected more," she confessed.

"They definitely won't settle for thirty thousand if I want to buy it back now," Chen Mengyao said, sticking out her tongue.

"It doesn't matter how much they ask for. We didn't come here to leave empty-handed," Chu Fann declared, leading her inside.

At the front desk, the receptionist Yu glanced at Chu Fann's retreating figure and murmured to herself, "He looks familiar. Isn't that Mr. Chu, the one who just became a diamond VIP member a few days ago?"

"Quick, call the boss to come back and personally attend to him—the big client has returned!"

Yu immediately stopped what she was doing and phoned the boss.

"Brother Faan, it's okay if we're short on cash; we can wait a bit longer. I'm not in any rush. Let's just come back in a few days," Chen Mengyao said, her palms and the backs of her hands slick with sweat as she approached the pawnshop area, instinctively slowing her pace.

"Who told you I'm out of money?" Chu Fann turned to her, noticing the apprehension in Chen Mengyao's eyes. After a moment's thought, he decided to ease her mind, pulling a card from his pocket. "Take a look at this. What do you think it is? This is the Ivy Pavilion's diamond VIP card."

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