Chapter 137: My Cheapness Is Not To Be Taken Advantage Of

Shi Youxuan took the initiative to protect Shi Yuke, causing the aggressive momentum of the three members of the Sheng Family to recede slightly; after all, their goal was to win Shi Youxuan over, and they did not want to burn bridges with her.

Bai Xue took the initiative to explain: "Chairman Shi, you have misunderstood. It is not that we misunderstood her; at the engagement ceremony, she said you had already given the gift money, but it turned out you hadn't... It is never good for a family to deceive one another, right?"

Shi Youxuan nodded: "If that is the case, it is indeed not good."

After finishing, without waiting for Bai Xue to pick up the conversation, she suddenly changed the subject and asked: "It is just a sum of gift money, your family is making too much of a fuss. It doesn't matter if it is given sooner or later, is it really worth it for this little bit of money?"

Bai Xue exclaimed: "It is 150 million, that is not a small amount, is it?"

Although the red envelope Shi Youxuan had placed on the coffee table just now was thick, Bai Xue estimated it would not exceed 30,000 yuan. The contrast was too stark, and she judged that Shi Youxuan must not know about this sum of money.

She took the bait!

Shi Youxuan felt a small thrill in her heart.

"150 million?" She asked, feigning surprise, and after receiving an affirmative answer, she immediately shook her head like a bobblehead: "No, you all misunderstood. That money was indeed given to my sister by me, but it wasn't gift money, it was..."

Shi Yuke's vision went black, and she collapsed to the floor.

The timing of her "fainting" was very opportune, just enough to interrupt Shi Youxuan's words.

"Sister, Sister, what is wrong with you?"

Shi Youxuan lunged over and shook Shi Yuke vigorously, but she simply did not respond.

Although there was "no response," her eyelashes were still fluttering slightly; one look and it was clear she was faking it.

"What should we do? Should we send her to the hospital?" Shi Youxuan put on a very anxious appearance.

But she knew the Sheng Family would not easily send someone to the hospital. The Sheng Family was a wealthy clan in Jiangzhou, and many people were watching them. If the young mistress, who had been married for only a few days, were sent to the hospital, even a small matter would be blown up into a major scandal.

Besides, the timing of her "fainting" was too coincidental; even she could see it was faked, and the Sheng Family might not necessarily fail to see it.

Sure enough, Bai Xue said: "No need to send her to the hospital, pinching her philtrum will bring her around."

She did not use her fingernails to pinch, but instead had a servant bring a needle to prick her!

The frequency of Shi Yuke's eyelash fluttering increased, but she still did not wake up.

The servant brought the needle over, and Bai Xue took it to do it herself. With the frustration she had been holding in for the past few days, combined with her hatred for Shi Yuke, she intended to get it all back.

She raised it high, just about to bring it down...

"Stop." Sheng Hai called for a halt and proposed another method: "Get some cold water. If splashing her doesn't wake her, then use the needle."

He was more comprehensive than his wife; Bai Xue had only been thinking about venting her hatred.

She didn't even stop to think that Shi Yuke had injuries on her face, and going out like that would only bring shame to their family!

A servant brought over a cup of water, and Bai Xue scolded: "How is this enough? Get a basin."

Soon, the servant brought over a large basin of cold water, and Bai Xue stepped back: "Splash her."

"Splash—"

A large basin of cold water was poured over Shi Yuke's head. The quick-witted servant had not only changed to a large basin this time but had also added ice cubes to the water...

Shi Yuke shuddered and slowly "woke up."

From the moment she opened her eyes, Shi Youxuan knew she had already come up with a solution.

Shi Youxuan went over and asked with "concern": "Sister, you finally woke up. Your mother-in-law was worried sick just now."

"I'm sorry, Mom, for making you worry. I don't know why I suddenly fainted, I'm fine now."

Bai Xue did not care whether she was "fine" or "not fine."

To the three members of the Sheng Family now, who was lying between Shi Yuke and Shi Youxuan, and what exactly was going on with that 150 million—that was what mattered most.

"As long as you're fine."

Bai Xue couldn't even be bothered to feign concern and said directly to Shi Yuke: "Since Chairman Shi is here, why don't you explain what is going on with the gift money."

"Mom, I wanted to explain this to you just now. Actually, it is very simple; this money is the dowry my mother gave me."

"Dowry?"

Which family gives a daughter a dowry and keeps it hidden, instead of displaying it openly for the in-laws to see? There is no logic in giving a dowry secretly and then lying that it is "gift money."

Bai Xue gave a cold, mirthless smile: "One moment you say it is gift money, the next it is a dowry. Which part is true and which is false?"

"The dowry is true."

In order to prevent the origin of this money from being exposed, Shi Yuke was desperate. She hardened her heart and, in front of Bai Xue, spoke ill of her own mother: "You have never been good to me. My mother was afraid I would be wronged after marrying in, so she secretly gave me the dowry and told me to say it was gift money from my sister."

Sheng Yukai's expression softened quite a bit; if it was a dowry given by his mother-in-law, it was plausible.

As long as Shi Yuke was not a "mole," it was fine.

Shi Youxuan stood to the side, watching her performance with cold eyes. She thought to herself that her reaction was fast enough, but she would not let Shi Yuke get away with it so easily.

After using her and reaping the benefits under her name, to not pay any price at all—where is there such a good deal?

She feigned confusion: "Mom is actually that rich? 150 million, just like that... It seems her gambling debts outside have all been paid off."

With that light remark, Shi Yuke was so frightened she nearly fainted again.

But it served as a reminder to Bai Xue: Jiang Yadan was a gambler, and her massive debts outside were long since no longer news.

When she originally opposed her son marrying Shi Yuke, a large part of the reason had to do with this.

"With your mother having so many gambling debts outside, it would be good enough if she didn't take your bride price to pay them off, let alone have money to give you a dowry? Shi Yuke, you had better honestly confess where this money came from, otherwise... you should consider the consequences." The one who launched the attack this time was Sheng Yukai.

"I, I..."

Shi Yuke was only a hair's breadth away from telling the truth.

At this critical moment, Shi Youxuan suddenly slapped her forehead: "Oh my, look at my memory."

She asked Bai Xue: "Auntie, are you sure it is 150 million, not a cent more or less?"

Bai Xue did not know what she meant, but nodded: "That is correct, it is exactly that amount, not a cent more or less."

"That money is mine. It is private money I placed with Dad. You took it from Dad, didn't you?"

Shi Yuke did not expect Shi Youxuan to suddenly bail her out. As long as the 150 million had a source, that was all that mattered. At this point, she couldn't care about much else and hurriedly nodded: "Yes, Mom stole it for me. Dad doesn't know about this yet."

Shi Youxuan was indignant: "This is too much, you all are too much! I was wondering why that number sounded so familiar; it turns out it really is my money. You actually stole my money to put on a front for yourself? Shi Yuke, this is theft!"

She didn't just scold Yuke alone; she also dragged the three members of the Sheng Family into it, pointing her finger at them: "You, your whole family are thieves. You were just putting on a bitter-suffering act for me to see, right? In reality, you teamed up to take my private money for yourselves... If there's a first time, there's a second. If I don't pursue this now, will you be plotting against my Tianma Group next time..."

Shi Youxuan had a sharp tongue, and she rattled off her accusations without a single pause.

Both Bai Xue and Yuke were considered eloquent people, yet in front of her, they didn't even have room to parry, unable to interject a single word!

The Sheng Family were the richest people in Jiangzhou, and being accused of acting as thieves together, "embezzling" her mere hundred million plus, the expressions of all of them changed.

Now it wasn't a question of how much money, but had evolved into a question of principle and a question of reputation.