As the saying went, even a rotten ship still had three pounds of nails. Although the Sang family could no longer be counted among the prominent families in Jing City, they had once been a great family after all. Compared to ordinary wealthy households, they were still somewhat stronger.
For example, right now, Sang Yao’s phone had just received a text message reminding her that the original owner’s father had transferred her two hundred thousand yuan in spending money.
In truth, the original owner had already graduated from university. According to the normal path of life and the correct set of values, she should have learned to support herself and at least found a job.
The original owner did not work. On one hand, all her thoughts were focused on winning over Xiao Jingqiao and becoming Mrs. Xiao. On the other hand, there was no job suitable for her.
As the eldest young lady of the Sang family, if she went to another company and applied to be an ordinary employee, it would make her family lose face. Meanwhile, the Sang family’s declining company was in a neighbouring city. If she wanted to work at Sang Corporation, she would have to leave Jing City and the Xiao family. That would be losing more than she gained. Not only was the original owner unwilling, even her parents would not agree.
The original owner had been able to live in the Xiao family with a clear conscience largely because of Mrs. Xiao’s indulgence.
Mrs. Xiao and Mrs. Sang had been close friends for many years. Before Xiao Yayin was born, Mrs. Xiao had always wanted a daughter. Unfortunately, she had given birth to two sons in a row, so she transferred that yearning for a daughter onto Sang Yao. Very early on, she had wanted to take her as a goddaughter. Later, even after Xiao Yayin was born, Mrs. Xiao still treated Sang Yao very well. It had already become a habit.
The Xiao family and the Sang family could also be considered old family friends. With the efforts of both sets of parents, Sang Yao and Xiao Jingqiao held an engagement ceremony when they came of age. Within their social circle, it was considered a beautiful story.
In reality, Xiao Jingqiao had not been opposed to getting engaged to Sang Yao, or even marrying her, at the beginning. This circle was simply like that. He and Sang Yao were close in age, had often played together when they were young, and did have an emotional foundation. He had indeed liked her before.
If he had not met the female lead, Shen Lu, he really would have followed his parents’ wishes and married Sang Yao.
Because of some random, inexplicable stranger who had appeared out of nowhere, he wanted to cancel his engagement with the childhood sweetheart and fiancée he had known for more than twenty years. In Mrs. Xiao’s eyes, this was simply too outrageous. The two children had always had a good relationship before. Even last year, they had still been very sweet. Now that he was making such a fuss, was this not clearly a case of being bewitched?
Back when they got engaged, so many prestigious families had been invited to witness it. If word really got out, would it not make people laugh their teeth off? The Xiao family and the Sang family had always had a good relationship over the years. If this matter happened, the two families would definitely become enemies.
He had been willing before, but now he was unwilling. Did he really think a major matter like marriage was child’s play?
Mrs. Xiao believed her son was only momentarily confused.
Sang Yao stayed in her room until the afternoon. When she heard that Mrs. Xiao had returned, she quickly tidied herself up and went downstairs.
She knew that Mrs. Xiao had gone to Nanling Temple early this morning to pray for a protective charm for her.
When she saw Mrs. Xiao, Sang Yao suddenly understood the original owner’s obsession a little.
Mrs. Xiao was graceful, luxurious, and well-maintained. Whether it was her appearance or her temperament, one could easily imagine how stunning she must have been when she was young. People said sons resembled their mothers. If Xiao Jingqiao had not been handsome enough, he definitely would not have been able to secure the role of a supporting male lead in the original novel.
Handsome, rich, and young — even among second-generation heirs, such a configuration was rare. Add to that the fact that they were childhood sweethearts, and it was no wonder the original owner was so deeply devoted to Xiao Jingqiao.
“Yaoyao, why did you come down? Are you feeling any better?” Mrs. Xiao’s tone was full of concern, and it did not seem fake.
Sang Yao very perceptively stepped forward to support Mrs. Xiao.
“I’m a little better. Auntie, actually, it was just an ordinary cold and fever. It wasn’t anything serious. After taking medicine and getting injections, I would naturally recover. But you even specially went to Nanling Temple to pray for a protective charm for me. If my mom knew, she would definitely scold me too.”
On one side was her biological son; on the other was Sang Yao. Although Mrs. Xiao had wavered at times, she had stood by the original owner from beginning to end. To a large extent, this was because of Mrs. Sang.
Mrs. Sang and Mrs. Xiao had been best friends since childhood, and their relationship was extremely close. When Mrs. Xiao was pregnant with her eldest son, she was kidnapped. At the time, Mrs. Sang had been by her side and had been taken away with her. If Mrs. Sang had not nearly risked her life, Mrs. Xiao and her unborn child would probably both have died.
Mrs. Xiao was unwilling to betray that friendship.
Later, when Mrs. Sang fell ill and passed away, the only thing she could not let go of was her daughter. Mrs. Xiao swore by her sickbed that she would definitely take good care of Sang Yao. Only then did Mrs. Sang close her eyes.
Hearing Sang Yao mention her best friend, the smile on Mrs. Xiao’s face deepened.
“If she knew her precious daughter had fallen ill while staying with me, she would definitely come and make trouble for me. You don’t know this, but when your mother was young, she had such a fiery temper. Everyone was afraid of her.”
Mrs. Xiao glanced at Sang Yao’s pale face, then lowered her voice and said, “Jingqiao will definitely come back for my birthday this time. You young people may have some conflicts, but if you sit down and talk things through properly, won’t everything be fine?”
Sang Yao did not want to see Xiao Jingqiao at all. She was not the original owner. Why would she make trouble for herself?
She thought for a moment, then said, “I know that because of me, things between you and Jingqiao must have become unpleasant. It’s all my fault. Auntie, I’ve already thought it through. These next few days, I’ll go out to relax. I’ll take leave for your birthday. If I’m not here, Jingqiao will be much happier too. I don’t have any other intentions. I just want you and Jingqiao to be happy.”
If she remembered the novel’s plot correctly, at Mrs. Xiao’s birthday banquet this time, Xiao Jingqiao would bring the female lead over precisely because he wanted his family and the original owner to know his determination.
For an occasion like this, which would obviously make her lose face, she had better hide as far away as possible.
Of course, Mrs. Xiao did not agree. She still wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to make Sang Yao and her second son reconcile.
Sang Yao had a glib tongue. To her, convincing Mrs. Xiao was a small matter.
“Auntie, Jingqiao hasn’t properly accompanied you for a meal in a long time. In the future, I won’t miss a single one of your birthdays, I promise. It’s just this year. I really want you and Jingqiao to have a happy birthday. As for me, I actually promised a friend a long time ago that I would go visit her. It really wouldn’t be good for me to break my word again.”
In the end, Sang Yao spent quite a bit of effort before she finally got Mrs. Xiao to reluctantly nod and agree.
Early the next morning, Sang Yao packed her luggage.
When Xiao Yayin saw this, she thought her own words had taken effect and hurriedly ran over to Sang Yao. She asked in a low voice, “You’re leaving?”
It was not that Xiao Yayin hated Sang Yao that much.
After all, they had played together when they were young. She just disliked the way Sang Yao had lost herself over a relationship that had already gone sour and rotten. If they both loved each other, Xiao Yayin would certainly be happy for them. But the key point was — the key point was that her second brother no longer liked Sang Yao! He was the betrayer!
“Mm.” Sang Yao nodded.
Xiao Yayin was overjoyed. For once, she took Sang Yao’s hand and said, “That’s right! My second brother really isn’t suitable for you. It’s best if you can think things through. Believe me, in the future, you’ll definitely meet someone truly suited to you. You’ll like him, and he’ll like you too.”
“Thank you for your blessing.”
This child really was fanciful.
Sang Yao smiled and shook her head.
“But I’m only going out to relax. I’ll be back in a few days.”
Xiao Yayin was dumbfounded. In the end, she could only say in furious frustration, “You! How can you have no dignity at all?”
A little princess was indeed a little princess. She still did not understand what the most important thing was for poor ghosts like them.
However, Sang Yao’s impression of Xiao Yayin was quite good. Although Xiao Yayin always seemed to look down on the original owner and very much wanted her to leave the Xiao family, Sang Yao could tell that Xiao Yayin had no malicious intentions.
In the original novel, when Xiao Jingqiao brought the female lead to the Xiao family, unaware that the female lead treated him as a backup option, and even deliberately humiliated the original owner, Xiao Yayin had been completely merciless to her second brother.
Xiao Yayin was someone who had been very well protected by society. Her values had always been upright, and she hoped the people around her would be positive, motivated, and full of good energy.
Although at present, their values did not match at all, Sang Yao knew that Xiao Yayin was doing this for her own good. Her starting point and her thinking were all correct.
“I don’t want dignity,” Sang Yao silently added in her heart.
She only wanted money.
Before transmigrating, why had she tried to enter the entertainment industry? Was it not because money came quickly for celebrities? She liked money. She liked lots and lots of money.
But at the same time, she also wanted to earn money happily. She knew that if she accepted the unspoken rules of the industry, she would not be happy. If things went badly, she might even die from frustration and depression. So she had simply chosen the next best thing: returning to ordinary life and becoming a happy little poor person.
But the current situation was completely different.
She did not have to force herself to accompany anyone against her will. She only needed to follow the original plot, successfully marry Xiao Jingqiao, wait until he gave up his life for the female lead, and then inherit all of his assets…
As long as she was a little shameless, as long as she temporarily gave up dignity, she could welcome a beautiful life with looks and money. Why not?
It was even better that Xiao Jingqiao did not like her. That way, she would not have to develop any feelings with him, nor would she have to turn the fake act into reality and become an actual husband and wife with him.
Who would be willing to miss out on such a wonderful thing?
Xiao Yayin was furious. “Even if you marry him, you’ll only be a resentful wife!”
Sang Yao smiled and nodded.
“That is my dream.”
A husband she did not have to see every day, while sitting on mountains of gold and silver — who would not want to be that kind of rich resentful wife?
If she had transmigrated into a genuinely super-rich little princess like Xiao Yayin, she would definitely tell Xiao Jingqiao to roll far away.
Alas, a poor little ghost loved money as much as life itself, so she could only lower her head to the power of money.
“Yayin, I’ll bring you a gift when I come back,” Sang Yao said to Xiao Yayin with a beaming smile before getting into the car.
She had already made up her mind to freeload her way through life in the Xiao family. In that case, it was very necessary to build a good relationship with her future sister-in-law.
Her future sister-in-law merely let out a soft huff, looking very cold, aloof, and difficult to provoke.
Sang Yao sat in the lengthened luxury car and rolled down the window. She could still see the beautifully trimmed trees on both sides of the road.
So this was the taste of being rich. It was actually this sweet.
The phone in her bag vibrated. She took it out and saw that it was a message from Xiao Jingqiao.
[I’m warning you. If you’re dissatisfied with anything, come at me. What does this have to do with her? If there’s a next time, don’t blame me for being rude.]
Actually, when she thought about having to pretend to like this idiot, Sang Yao still felt a little stifled inside.
But then she thought about it again. At most, it would only be a year.
Even an A-list actress would not earn this much from acting, right?
Forget it, forget it.
She decided to yield to the power of money.
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