Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Status Position (2/2)
Having said that, she then approached Su Wenyue: “Qiao Qiao is also grateful to Miss Su for giving Qiao Qiao the opportunity to live.”
Su Wenyue nodded, then took out five taels of silver and gestured for Jin Qiao to give it to Mrs. Liu Jin. Jin Qiao looked both surprised and puzzled at Su Wenyue, but without much questioning, after a moment of hesitation, she followed Su Wenyue’s intent and handed the silver to Mrs. Liu Jin.
Mrs. Liu Jin was also visibly surprised and astonished. The Liu Family wasn’t wealthy, and faced with so much silver, she was naturally tempted. Yet, she couldn’t just accept it blindly. Mrs. Liu Jin was a tactful and astute woman with a line she wouldn’t cross, which actually made her better than Mrs. Liu. Mrs. Liu’s eyes had practically stuck to the silver when Su Wenyue took it out, too bad the silver wasn’t meant for her.
“Fourth Daughter-in-law, what is this about?”
“Mrs. Liu, this silver is given on behalf of Qiao Qiao to repay your kindness. If not for Aunt’s careful arrangements for her, God knows what would have happened to the child. Now that Qiao Qiao belongs to my Su Family, I will repay this debt of kindness for her.”
When Mrs. Liu Jin heard Su Wenyue’s intention, she felt as though this silver was meant to cut off her connection with her niece, which was hard for her to accept. She didn’t orchestrate everything for the sake of silver but out of gratitude for the kindness her sister-in-law had shown her and because Qiao Qiao was her niece. To take the silver would seem as if she were motivated by profit.
However, Mrs. Liu Jin was just an ordinary woman, and it was impossible not to be moved by the silver laid out before her. In these hard times, so much silver could greatly improve her family’s life and ensure her children were well-fed. She hesitated for a moment.
On the surface, Jin Qiao appeared decisive and resolute, but internally she was a sensitive child, acutely aware of people’s emotions. Although she felt bittersweet about her aunt’s reaction, she understood her aunt’s predicament.
She had been to the Liu Family with her aunt before. The living conditions there were not much better than the Jin’s, with her younger cousins looking emaciated and their clothes only slightly better than hers, adorned with many patches. Yet with these five taels of silver, her cousins could be well-fed. Moreover, her aunt’s reaction, compared to her father’s, was already much better. At least, she didn’t completely ignore her existence. It was clear that she genuinely cared for her niece, but now she had caused Miss Su to spend so much silver on her behalf. In the future, she would surely find a way to repay her.
“Aunt, please take the silver. With this, my cousins can lead a better life.”
“This…”
Before Mrs. Liu Jin could decide, her niece had already advised her. She wasn’t sure if her niece understood the meaning behind the silver. In the past two days, her niece’s behavior had changed so much that she no longer recognized the timid child who was afraid to even speak aloud. She must not judge her niece with past understandings. But her niece was still young, and even if she was clever, she might not fully understand everything.
Su Wenyue saw Mrs. Liu Jin’s dilemma and understood that giving the silver was not solely to sever the connection between her and Jin Qiao. It was more about making them aware of their statuses and positions so that if they were to have a relationship in the future, they could maintain proper boundaries and limits.