"Xiaojia, that's too much," Ji Ying quickly pulled her daughter to the side, not wanting her to confront their elders.
Peng Jia, who had already opened her mouth, decided to press on and clarify things. "Sister-in-law, ever since my older brother passed away, both Gu Rong and I have always respected you. Old Master has always been fond of Gu Ming, and we understand that you two have been living together for a while, so we didn't mind his bias. But Old Master also has another granddaughter, our Gu Nan is his biological grandson too."
"Of course, Gu Nan is Old Master's grandson. No one would doubt that," Ji Ying replied calmly, showing no sign of panic despite Peng Jia's growing agitation.
"Old Master has always been generous to you and your daughter, and I've never made a fuss about it, but now that Gu Nan needs money for his education—something Old Master had already agreed to—he's under pressure from the school. How can you just hold back and not help?" Peng Jia continued, her tone filled with frustration.
"I'm not refusing to help, but you've seen Old Master's condition. This is a time when we need money, and Gu Ming and I—" Ji Ying began, but was interrupted by Peng Jia.
"Sister-in-law, don't talk to me about not having money. I know about Old Master's private savings, and I haven't heard of any recent big expenditures. How could we run out of money so quickly after just a few days in the hospital?" Peng Jia frowned, her impatience growing.
Gu Ming glanced at her mother, feeling a deep sense of guilt. She knew exactly where their money had gone—the majority had been used for the house that her grandfather had helped her buy, something Ji Ying and Old Master had kept from Peng Jia and Gu Rong.
At this moment, neither Gu Ming nor Ji Ying knew how to respond. Peng Jia had always believed that Old Master favored them, and if they revealed the truth about the house, it would likely cause an uproar.
Peng Jia grew more upset as Ji Ying remained silent, thinking that Ji Ying was simply unwilling to give up the 30,000 yuan. She felt that Ji Ying was taking advantage of Old Master's inability to make decisions at this time to avoid paying up.
Gu Rong was soft-hearted, but Peng Jia was not. She could tolerate many things, but she couldn't stand to see her son's future compromised. Why should Ji Ying and Gu Ming take everything for themselves while Gu Nan had every right to Old Master's things?
"The deadline from the school is the day after tomorrow. If Gu Rong and I had another way, we wouldn't have to ask you for this. If you can't come up with the money, then we'll just take some of Old Master's things. He promised us those items before, and we are entitled to them," Peng Jia said, her dissatisfaction growing.
"No," Ji Ying immediately rejected. "Old Master promised to divide them, but it wasn't supposed to happen now. It has to wait until after Old Master's passing."
The items Peng Jia was referring to were Old Master's treasures, many of which had been passed down from previous generations. The jade bracelet Gu Ming wore was one such item. If it weren't for Gu Ming's planned marriage to Du Hao, Old Master wouldn't have been so quick to part with it.
Gu Rong could see his wife's worsening expression and, fearing an argument with Ji Ying, quickly intervened. "Honey, let it go. Gu Ming and Sister-in-law are right. We need to focus on Old Master's situation right now. Let's think of another way."
"If there was another way, would I be here asking for money? If it weren't for your business losing all its money, I wouldn't have to put up with this! We've already given money and cared for Old Master while he's been ill. Those things should be ours too, why aren't they?" Peng Jia shouted, unable to hold back.
"Second Aunt..." Gu Ming couldn't listen any longer.
Her grandfather, Gu Ning, was not as biased as Peng Jia claimed. Previously, the capital for her uncle's business had come from her grandfather, and at that time, neither she nor Ji Ying had said a word. Now, her grandfather supported her every year, and just like her, Gu Nan had received his fair share of gifts. In fact, Gu Ming had shared everything she had, except for the house, which had been a major expenditure that Peng Jia was unaware of. And yet, now Peng Jia acted as though they were taking more than their share.
Moreover, when it came to caring for Gu Ning, everyone had contributed. No one could claim they had given more than others. Peng Jia and Gu Rong had only paid part of the surgery fee on the first day, and a small additional cost the next day. The rest had all been covered by Ji Ying.
Peng Jia ignored both Gu Ming and Ji Ying, continuing her complaints to Gu Rong.
"I'll give you the money," Ji Ying said, stepping in before Gu Ming could speak.
"Mom!" Gu Ming cried out, but Ji Ying subtly pinched her, signaling her to stay quiet.
"I'm doing this because I want to, not because you're forcing me," Ji Ying said, glancing at Peng Jia.
Peng Jia's irritation subsided when she heard that. "Fine. You've agreed. I'll take the money tomorrow. It's late now, and you've been here all day. Gu Nan should be home by now, so you two should go."
"See? It's easier when you just agree," Peng Jia muttered as she glanced at Ji Ying's calm expression, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
Gu Rong, sensing that Peng Jia still had more to say, stepped forward to pull her aside. "Sister-in-law, we really are sorry. We—"
"It's fine. I'll prepare the money tomorrow," Ji Ying said with a smile.
Peng Jia had gotten what she wanted, so she and Gu Rong left the hospital without staying any longer.
"Mom, what about Grandpa's medical fees..." Gu Ming's anxiety grew. The house still hadn't sold, and now they had to give money to her aunt and uncle, leaving little left.
Ji Ying sighed and gently patted Gu Ming on the head. "Your uncle and aunt don't know about the house. I feel bad about it, but since it hasn't sold yet, I'll go ahead and cancel my insurance tomorrow. The money should be enough to cover a while. If not, I'll borrow some from others. We'll figure it out."
"I'll push the agent to sell the house faster," Gu Ming responded. She couldn't argue with Ji Ying about canceling the insurance—Grandpa's medical fees were the priority.
Ji Ying nodded, and together, they returned to Gu Ning's hospital room. At that moment, Gu Ning had just woken up. The mother and daughter decided not to mention the money from Gu Rong and Peng Jia.
The next day, Ji Ying canceled her insurance, taking the partial refund and giving the 30,000 yuan to Peng Jia. Since the insurance had been taken out less than five years ago, they received only a portion of the principal and lost quite a bit.
Gu Ming felt heavy-hearted. She knew that if the house didn't sell soon, Ji Ying might end up having to sell her jewelry.
"Gu Ming, what's wrong? You look so pale," Bai Fangfang asked with concern during a group discussion in class.
"It's nothing. I'm just thinking of a way to get money quickly without breaking the law," Gu Ming said, forcing a smile.
"Are you short on money?" Bai Fangfang asked, surprised. "Is it because your grandpa's medical fees aren't enough? I have some money. You can take it."
Bai Fangfang started to pull out her wallet.
"Don't. You get an allowance from your mom every month, and you spend it recklessly. You can't have saved anything," Gu Ming quickly stopped her.
"Then I'll borrow some from my mom?" Bai Fangfang suggested.
Gu Ming shook her head. She wasn't close enough to Bai Fangfang's mom to ask for a large sum, and there was a chance that her mom would be suspicious of their friendship.
"Zhou Tao, you're bragging, aren't you? With your skills, can you really find treasures?" A voice from the neighboring group caught Gu Ming's attention.
"Ha! I'm from the Gem Identification major. My skills are solid. Why can't I find a good deal? I made a small profit this time. After class, I'll treat everyone to a meal. If you don't believe me, then don't come," Zhou Tao said smugly.
"Anyone who gets treated should go. Don't back out now," the others teased.
Find treasures?
Gu Ming suddenly remembered Zhou Tao's words, and it was like a light bulb went off in her mind.
That's right! She had a unique advantage that no one else had, and she hadn't realized it before!