Reborn in the 90s, tearing apart scumbag men for the sake of women.

Do novelists always have wildly imaginative ideas in their minds?

Song Lingge's quick thinking left Qiao Nansheng almost unable to react.

He really didn't know what they talked about that would make her suddenly think of the money she had borrowed in the past.

"You forgot? You've already paid it back, haven't you?"

Song Lingge thought about it carefully, shook her head, and said firmly, "I didn't pay you back. Every time I made some money, new problems would arise, so I didn't save any money during that period. But I have money now, so why don't I go and withdraw it to pay you back?"

"Aren't you going to your dad's house?"

"This won't cause any delay!"

Qiao Nansheng sized up Song Lingge for several seconds before speaking: "Why do you insist on paying back the money?"

"If you borrow and repay, it's easy to borrow again!"

Qiao Nansheng wasn't sure what Song Lingge meant, and didn't want to dwell on the topic any longer.

Song Lingge was even more innocent. Receiving such an expensive gift, her first thought was to reciprocate. Suddenly, she remembered that she hadn't paid back the money she borrowed, and it would feel strange to reciprocate with a gift. So, her stubbornness kicked in, and she insisted on returning the gift to Qiao Nansheng.

"Have you managed to contact Ma Xiaodong?" Qiao Nansheng asked.

"No." Song Lingge stared straight ahead, her emotions seemingly unaffected.

"Was it your dad who invited you to go today, or...?"

Song Lingge glanced at Qiao Nansheng: "I'm going there myself. It's not good to keep dragging things out like this."

"Are you ready?" Qiao Nansheng asked.

"That's not entirely true..."

Song Lingge was still feeling uneasy; she had no idea what Song Jianping was going to say.

But her intuition told her there was no danger, at least not in the short term.

After all, she was the best link for Song Jianping to establish connections with the Qiao and Qin families.

For someone like Song Jianping, who is blinded by greed, nothing is more important than the profit he gains.

"Let's stop up ahead. I'm going to buy something. I'll come up with you," Qiao Nansheng said.

Although they disliked Song Jianping, they still had to put on a good show.

Song Lingge thought for a moment, and with Qiao Nansheng accompanying her, it would be safer: "Nansheng, buy another carton of cigarettes."

"Ok, I know."

Seeing the gate of Hele Manor, Song Lingge felt a long-lost feeling.

Grandpa Sun was probably on patrol, so I didn't see him.

This time, Song Lingge didn't park her car in the usual spot, but instead parked it downstairs in their building.

Qiao Nansheng carried the things and followed her upstairs.

"Knock knock knock—" Song Lingge knocked on the door.

"Lingge? What brings you here?" Song Jianping was somewhat surprised to see Song Lingge, but his expression quickly returned to normal.

Zhou Songmei was his biggest source of insecurity; without her, it didn't matter who came to the house.

"Nansheng, you're here too?" Song Jianping's face lit up with a smile when he saw Qiao Nansheng.

"Although I've been here a few times, each time... so this time I accompanied Lingge to see you." Qiao Nansheng's words were perfectly tactful.

An alarm bell rang in Song Jianping's mind.

He thought back carefully to see if he had ever done anything unreasonable to Qiao Nansheng in the past.

However, after racking his brains for a while, he couldn't remember anything. Qiao Nansheng's presence was rather weak.

Song Jianping comforted himself, thinking that if he couldn't remember, he didn't have it, and besides, he was very confident in his communication skills.

We haven't been in contact before, but we will establish a relationship in the future.

There is no such thing as an unchanging relationship in this world.

“You told me last time that you had something to say, but you’ve been too busy lately, so you finally made time for me today!” Song Lingge said.

Song Jianping glanced at Qiao Nansheng, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

He had something to ask Song Lingge, but how could he say it in front of Qiao Nansheng?

"It's nothing, it's just that my daughter and I live separately, and it always feels too distant. Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I keep thinking about you when you were little. Seeing Nansheng's whole family this time, I was so envious!"

Song Jianping's words could only fool outsiders, and Song Lingge scoffed at them in her heart.

Although the Zhao family wanted to keep her by their side back then, if it weren't for Song Jianping's efforts, which maternal grandparents could have taken away their parents' child?

She has very few memories of Song Jianping from her childhood, so why is she pretending to be so loving towards her child now?

Song Lingge was long past the age where she needed her father's love.

"Grandma and Grandpa's health is getting worse; they fell ill again last time we went back," Song Lingge said abruptly.

Song Jianping, however, understood the implied meaning.

Last time? Which last time could there be?

It seems that the Zhao family elders still harbored deep resentment towards him after that dinner.

“I know that. They’re old, so it’s good for you to spend more time with them. But I want to say that my health has been deteriorating since my car accident, so it would be good if you came back to visit more often.” Song Jianping glanced at Song Lingge.

Song Lingge feigned concern and asked, "Are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the hospital again? It's all Ma Xiaodong's fault; he doesn't drive carefully. Has he come to see you since you were discharged?"

A fleeting look of surprise crossed Song Jianping's eyes.

"You haven't been in contact with Ma Xiaodong?" he asked in return.

"Contact what?" Song Lingge asked in surprise. "He hit you and was planning to ask you to help him find a job. I thought you two had been in contact, so I didn't contact him!"

Her eyes were clear; she didn't seem to be lying.

Song Jianping's eyes darted around rapidly; he couldn't figure out what the problem was.

Perhaps because he spent too little time with them when he was young, he realized that he really knew very little about both Song Lingge and Zhou Songmei.

He used to be very arrogant, believing that he had an excellent ability to judge people.

But now, the resounding slaps in his face make him dare not look down on anyone he once despised.

Song Lingge's clear eyes immediately made him feel as if they were a deep pool, seemingly clear but unfathomable.

Perhaps Zhou Songmei is right.

Comparing Song Lingge's and Zhou Songmei's current situations, it's like one is in heaven and the other is on the ground.

Who won and who lost is obvious at a glance.

Song Lingge is not as simple as she appears on the surface.

"Dad? What are you thinking about? What happened?" Song Lingge couldn't help but ask after Song Jianping's long silence.

"N-nothing," Song Jianping said guiltily, pouring himself a glass of water.

After drinking it, she suddenly remembered that she hadn't poured water for Qiao Nansheng: "Nansheng, I've been here for so long, I forgot to pour you a glass of water, how about some tea?"

"Uncle Song, no need, I'm not thirsty," Qiao Nansheng replied.

Regardless of whether he drank or not, Song Jianping still poured him water, and even went so far as to pour Song Lingge a glass. He urgently needed to find something to do to clear his mind.

Anyone could tell from his unusual behavior that he was hiding something.

Song Lingge and Qiao Nansheng exchanged a glance.

As Song Jianping handed the water to Song Lingge, he suddenly said, "Ma Xiaodong has disappeared."